I do what I can. I think we must all do what we can."

And Megan wondered whether his words were meant to have a special meaning for her.

"When I got the stars out of my eyes, I studied to be an engineer. I learned to build buildings. Now I blow them up.

And the irony is that some of the buildings I've blown up are ones that I've built."

They reached Vitoria at dusk.

"Where shall I take you?" the truck driver asked.

"You can drop us off here, at the corner, amigo."

The truck driver nodded. "Right. Keep up the good fight."

Jaime helped Megan down from the truck. Amparo watched,

her eyes blazing. She allowed her man to touch no other woman. She's a whore, Amparo thought. And Jaime is horny for that bitch of a nun. Well, that won't last. He will soon find that her milk is thin. He needs a real woman.

The group took to the side streets, keeping a wary eye out for trouble. Twenty minutes later, they arrived at a one-story house nestled in a narrow street and surrounded by a high fence.

"This is it," Jaime said. "We will stay here tonight and leave tomorrow when it is dark."

They entered through the front gate and went to the door.

It took Jaime but a moment to slip the lock, and they all went inside.

"Whose house is this?" Megan asked.

"You ask too many questions," Amparo said. "Just be grateful we've kept you alive."

Jaime looked at Amparo a moment. "She's proved her right to ask questions." He turned to Megan. "It's the house of a friend. You're in Basque country now. From here on our journey will be easier. There will be comrades everywhere,

watching and protecting us. You'll be at the convent the day after tomorrow."

And Megan felt a small chill that was almost a sorrow.

What is the matter with me! she wondered. Of course I want to go back. Forgive me, Lord. I asked that You bring me home to

Your safety, and You are.

"I'm starved," Felix said. "Let's check out the kitchen."

It was completely stocked.

Jaime said, "He left plenty of food for us. I will make us a wonderful dinner." He smiled at Megan. "I think we deserve it, don't you?"

Megan said, "I didn't know men cooked."

Felix laughed. "Basque men take pride in their cooking.

You are in for a treat. You will see."

Handing Jaime the ingredients he asked for, they watched as he prepared a piperade of fresh roasted green peppers,

sliced white onions, tomatoes, eggs, and ham sauteed together.

As it started to cook, Megan said, "It smells delicious."

"Ah, that's just the appetizer. I'm going to make a famous

Basque dish for you—polio al chilindrón."

He didn't say "for us," Amparo noted. He said, "for you."

For the bitch.

Jaime cut chicken into strips, sprinkled salt and pepper over them, and browned them in hot oil while in a separate pan he started to cook onions, garlic, and tomatoes. "We'll let it simmer for half an hour."

Felix had found a bottle of red wine. He passed out glasses. "The red wine of La Rioja. You will like this." He offered a glass to Megan. "Sister?"

The last time Megan had tasted wine had been at communion.

"Thank you," she said.

Slowly she raised the glass to her lips and took a sip. It was delicious. She took another sip and she could feel a warmth moving down her body. It felt wonderful. I must enjoy all this while I can, Megan thought. It will be over soon.

During dinner, Jaime seemed unusually preoccupied.

"What's troubling you, amigo?" Felix asked.

Jaime hesitated. "We have a traitor in the movement."

There was a shocked silence.

"What—what makes you think that?" Felix demanded.

"Acoña. He keeps getting too close to us."

Felix shrugged. "He's the fox and we're the rabbits."

"It's something more than that."

"What do you mean?" Amparo asked.

"When we were going to blow up the dam at Puente la Reina,

Acoña was tipped off." He looked at Felix. "He set a trap and caught you and Ricardo and Zamora. If I hadn't been delayed,

I would have been captured with you. And look what happened at the parador."

"You heard the clerk telephoning the police," Amparo pointed out.

Jaime nodded. "Right. Because I had a feeling that something was wrong."

Amparo's face was somber. "Who do you think it is?"

Jaime shook his head. "I'm not sure. Someone who knows all our plans."

"Then let's change our plans," Amparo said. "We'll meet the others at Logroño and skip Mendavia."

Jaime glanced at Megan. "We can't do that. We have to get the sisters to their convent."

Megan looked at him and thought: He's already done enough for me. I mustn't put him in greater danger than he's already in.

"Jaime, I can—"

But he knew what she was going to say. "Don't worry,

Megan. We're all going to get there safely."

He's changed, Amparo thought. In the beginning he wanted nothing to do with any of them. Now he's willing to risk his life for her. And he calls her Megan. It's no longer Sister.

Jaime was going on. "There are at least fifteen people who know our plans."

"We have to find out which one it is," Amparo insisted.

"How do we do that?" Felix asked. He was nervously picking at the edges of the tablecloth.

Jaime said, "Paco is in Madrid doing some checking for me.

I've arranged for him to telephone me here." He looked at

Felix for a moment, then looked away.

What he had not said was that no more than half a dozen people knew the exact route that the three groups were taking. It was true that Felix Carpio had been imprisoned by

Acoña. It was also true that that would have provided a perfect alibi for Felix. At the propitious moment, an escape could have been planned for him. Except that I got him out first, Jaime thought. Paco is checking on him. I hope he calls soon.

Amparo rose and turned to Megan. "Help me with the dishes."

The two women began to clear the table and the men went into the living room.

"The nun—she's holding up well," Felix said.

"Yes."

"You like her, don't you?"

Jaime found it difficult to look at Felix. "Yes. I like her." And you would betray her along with the rest of us.

"What about you and Amparo?"

"We're cut from the same cloth. She believes in the cause as much as I do. Her entire family was killed by Franco's Falangists." Jaime rose and stretched. "Time to turn in."

"I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep tonight. Are you certain there's a spy?"

Jaime looked at him and said, "I'm certain."

When Jaime came downstairs for breakfast in the morning,

Megan did not recognize him. His face had been darkened, he was wearing a wig and a moustache, and he was dressed in scruffy clothes. He looked ten years older.

"Good morning," he said. His voice coming out of that body startled her.

"Where did you—?"

"This is a house I use from time to time. I keep an assortment of things here that I need."

He said it casually, but it gave Megan a sudden insight into the kind of life he led. How many other houses and disguises did he need to stay alive? How many other close calls had he had that she knew nothing about? She remembered the ruthlessness of the men who had attacked the convent and thought: If they catch Jaime, they'll show him no mercy. I wish I knew how to protect him.

Megan's mind was filled with thoughts she had no right to be thinking.

Amparo prepared breakfast: bacalao—steamed, salted codfish—goat's milk, cheese, and thick, hot chocolate with churros.

As they were eating, Felix asked, "How long are we going to stay here?"

Jaime replied casually, "We'll leave when it gets dark."

But he had no intention of letting Felix use that information.

"I have some errands to do," he told Felix. "I'll need your help."