In the freight train, Mortimer, who cannot sleep, has more time to let his thoughts wander.

Within a few hours, without preamble, he has fallen on the wrong side of the law. At the moment he is not risking as much as Blake, but evading the police and stowing away in a cattle car are certainly not commendable actions.

What if he is wrong? What if Blake is not at his Yorkshire cousin's home? What would happen then? Fugitive, having abandoned his home, his research, his work, without personal resources; is his unfortunate traveling companion a glimpse of the life that awaits him?

Mortimer has no attachments: no children, no wife, no immediate family. His parents have died and he does not see his cousins often. He has only himself to lose… and Blake.

If Philip is wrong, alone, destitute and hunted, he will probably quickly be caught, tried, and imprisoned, perhaps for quite some time – time away from Francis, who is in danger of death and chased by his own men. If Philip is wrong, his friend might die before they see each other again.

It is, strangely, that which torments him more than anything else. He cannot imagine Francis Blake dead. They have both survived many perils, they have seen comrades and friends die before their eyes and continued on strong despite the sadness and anger. Without Blake, what would Mortimer do?

His work? Yes, of course, if he were allowed to get it back. But as for the rest? Although he seems completely independent in his travels and leisure, Philip Mortimer constantly thinks of his friend. What would Francis think? What would Francis do? I'll have to tell him.

Mortimer has no attachments. His first love, the princess Gita died in tragic circumstances. He had thought he had a chance with Sarah Summertown, but their mutual affection was not strong enough to withstand the challenges of their age difference. After that, Mortimer had some passing flirtations, but nothing serious. His studies on the other side of the Atlantic had not helped along any desire to settle down. Then there was the war.

The war changed everything. The second, but especially the third. Philip Mortimer did not come back broken, traumatized like the war neurotics, but he is not the same. More mature perhaps. Mostly older. All the women he has crossed since then seemed so young, so far from him. He still enjoys a pretty face, a good figure, but it never goes very far. At his age, he has given up the idea of finding a soul mate. Who would understand the nightmares that haunt him still? And with that damned Colonel they seem to find wherever they go, he will not have the chance to forget any time soon. Mortimer quickly makes a prayer: may it be that Olrik is not involved in this already complicated matter!

The war also filtered his friends. Mortimer has a lot of colleagues and acquaintances with whom he gets along very well, but it is only Blake whom he considers his true friend. They have known each other for almost thirty years, and all this time, even separated, they have maintained a regular correspondence. Blake is a friend, almost a brother. No one can replace that.

Which brings him back to Blake. So much for Olrik, Mortimer changes his prayer: may Francis not die! This is the most important point.

Anyway, for now he cannot do anything, so he tries to get some sleep.