Chapter 32

He put the spectacles back on. “I’ll not ask you to break his confidence, but if there is anything that you can tell me that may enable me to find him and prevent him from throwing his life away, I would consider it a signal service.”

“Beg pardon, sir, but I don’t think that you will persuade him.” Coulson looked uncomfortable.

“There must be something.”

Coulson went to speak again, but Blackstone laid a large, gentle hand on his arm. “Sir, with the very greatest of respect, I don’t think you should try to dissuade him.”

“What? You would see him throw it all way on some whimsical notion he has of war?” Charles heart was pounding hard.

“Do you remember when you and his brother signed up?” Blackstone said.

There was sympathy in his eyes, and Charles wasn’t sure why. He shook his head and tried to think about the question. “I…Well, there seemed…we wanted…”

“Wanted what? To die?”

“Of course not. That was the last thing on my mind.”