**
"Here they come," Dominic whispered to Santiago and the others nearby.
Santiago shook his head in wonder. "Imagine - these cannon haven't fired grape shots in a hundred years or so!"
Dominic smiled without humour. "They were never used to fire grape shots at all. Our enemy's never managed to get this close. You may commence firing."
As the Captain finally reached the shore, he stood there motionless for a long moment as though he were a mere disembodied spectator watching the impossible scene before him. Seemingly carelessly piled baskets and light shattered woodwork in doorways abruptly vanished in flashes of light and deafening noise; all around him a hail of shrapnel screamed and ricocheted, cutting his men down in swaths. At the same instant there came the sound of gunfire and screaming from behind him on the docks, and turning, he saw that they had been swarmed with men who had hidden themselves in darkness and silence beneath. He watched in helpless fascination as the two field guns were seized and overturned into the water, joined by the bodies of the men who tried frantically to assemble them. And then, he watched as Mr. Ferguson rallied the men in his madness and went charging into the ruins. He spotted a man, obviously the leader, and instinctively acted, finally responding and putting his rifle to his shoulder - and froze. Beside the man stood a woman, and to his eyes it was as though only he and she existed, she poised like an enraged goddess of war. He watched in frozen fascination as she lifted a rifle to her shoulder with unbelievable speed: and then she disappeared behind a perfectly circular muzzle-flash. His world went red for a brief instant- and then there was nothing.
**
Eraldo and his group finally made it to the hideout that Rosemary indicated. They neglected to tie Alannah up, and she sat watching Rosemary. Rosemary stood by the door, listening to the fighting outside. She backed away suddenly as Eraldo walked up carrying supplies and closed the door behind him. "Here, take this." He handed Rosemary a revolver from his belt and a small box of ammunition. "The fighting is all around us now. There is no telling who the victor is going to be, or how soon they will find us. With luck the fighting will pass around us, and we will be able to make our escape."
To Alannah's amazement, Rosemary appeared as cold as steel as she accepted the firearm from him. Eraldo pulled her into him and planted a very long, very passionate kiss on her lips.
"It doesn"t sound as though your father's mercenaries are winning," she said lightly.