After a couple of years hiatus, and particularly because of awesomegreentie's encouragement, I've decided to go back to telling the tale of John Bates in "Before There Was Anna." A lot of stuff has happened leading up to this chapter but it's really not necessary to re-read all 24 preceding chapters to get up to speed.

The Cliff Notes summary is that John and his unit have infiltrated a Boer commando unit and will be passing on their information to their contact, Colonel Robert Crawley. The members of the unit have changed their names to more Afrikaan sounding names and address each other by their South African names whenever there is a chance they are being overheard in discussions. Both Bates and Thomas Fellowes have the same last name Botha as they are supposed to be cousins.

And the Commando Leader, Josef Veldhuis has a daughter, Marta, who has set her cap for Sgt. Botha (Bates).

Feeling assured that Robert was safely on his way back to HQ, John suggested to Marta that they make their way towards the canteen tent. It was getting late and dinner would be served soon. As they meandered towards the tent Marta kept intentionally bumping into John's side again and again. After about the 10th time Bates decided to give her a small bump back. However, he miscalculated his own strength and watched in horror as she bounced hard off of him, tripped and started to fall. He quickly extended his arm and grabbed her hand preventing her from hitting the ground. As John pulled her up towards him she allowed herself to be propelled flush against his chest.

Immediately a chorus of whoops and hollers assaulted his ears as he realized that a small contingent of men heading to the mess tent had just witnessed the physical contact between him and the commandant's daughter. Before John could say anything to stop their hoots he heard a loud, sharp command, "Quiet", followed by a deathly silence.

John turned his head in the direction the order had come from and felt his stomach drop to his feet as his eyes locked with Commandant Veldhuis. If looks could kill, Bates knew he would be a dead man where he stood. The look of anger and possibly hate that he saw coming from the camp's leader needed no interpretation.

"Marta, Come here now!" her father barked.

Marta dropped John's hand and pushed away from him. She looked up into his face, quickly mouthed "I'm sorry", turned and ran towards her father.

Bates feet felt as if they were cast in concrete. He was frozen in place as he watched Veldhuis whisk his daughter inside the dining tent, but not before he turned his head towards John and gave him another withering look.

"Christ," Bates muttered to himself. "I've really made a proper mess of things," he thought. "Our mission's success depends upon her father feeling secure and confident in my presence. I have to talk to him tonight and set things straight between us."

Confident that was the right approach to take, John continued on to the mess tent. As he entered he couldn't help but hear the buzz in the tent grow louder as every head turned in his direction. News apparently traveled very fast in this tight compound, he mused. The color rose in John's cheeks as he continued on to the food line. He felt the eyes of every man there focused on him.

Silently John made his way down the line, and once he'd filled his tray with the evening's rations, headed off to a table in the far corner where his men were huddled together.

"Way to go, Romeo." Fellowes smugly whispered to John.

"Shut it, Thomas" Bates whispered back to him through gritted teeth. "Nothing happened... nothing's going to happen between Marta and me. She's just a young lady with her head all caught up with nonsensical romantic notions... "

"I'd say she has a crush on you, Sargent Bates," quipped Jamie

"Nobody cares what you believe, Smythe," John snapped. "I'm going to go to the Commandant after dinner... Straighten this all up with him. Make it clear that Marta and I are little more than acquaintances!"

"Well good luck with that!" It was Thomas turn to pipe up again. "I wouldn't be in your shoes for the crown jewels. Didn't you see how the Commandant looked at you? Made me blood run cold, it did. "

John eyed Thomas with a baleful look. He was tempted, but said nothing back. But, he did think to himself. "So what else is new, Fellowes? Cold blooded, eh? Isn't that your normal temperature you snake?"

Bates continued to eat his supper all the while taking furtive glances in the Commandant's direction. He wanted to make sure he caught Marta's father right after the meal when he would hopefully be more open to hearing John's explanation of the close encounter that Veldhuis had witnessed taking place between the sergeant and his daughter.

About 10 minutes after he had started his meal, the commandant rose from the table and headed towards the exit. Bates quickly jumped to his feet and followed him outside.

"Sir... Commandant Veldhuis, sir," John sped up his pace to catch up with the camp leader.

"Sir, a word, if you please."

Veldhuis stopped abruptly and wheeled around to face John. His movement was so fast that Bates nearly ran into him.

"What do you want, Botha?" the commandant growled. His eyes burning holes into John's skull.

" I would like to speak with you sir, about what you saw just before dinner...between your daughter and myself...I believe you might have misinterpreted what you think you saw."

"Indeed? Is that what you believe sergeant? Did I not see you with my daughter holding hands, as she clung to your chest?" Am I misremembering what I saw, Botha?"

"Yes, sir. I mean.. I mean, no sir." Bates was stammering trying to keep a bad situation from turning into something far worse. "That is, yes, you did see me holding Marta's hand and yes she was up against my chest, but nothing untoward happened or was going to happen. You see, sir, she tripped. And I held out my hand to grab hers in an effort to prevent her from falling and as I pulled her up... Well, I didn't realize my own strength. As a result I pulled her up so hard her momentum sent her colliding into my chest. I swear sir, that's all that happened."

Veldhuis began to respond, but before he could John continued on...

"I have the deepest respect for your daughter, Commandant. She is a gracious and lovely young lady, but, and I mean this in the sincerest and most non-judgmental way, I believe she has a girlish crush on me. I am doing my best to dissuade her from being around me, but she is young and headstrong and try as I might, I am finding it very difficult to keep her at arm's length. Frankly sir, I am at my wit's end on how to maintain a proper distance between us."

The commandant stared into John's eyes for a beat as if trying to register whether there was sincerity behind both them and the words John had just spoken.

To his relief, Bates saw the flicker of a smile cross Veldhuis' lips as he nodded his head in agreement. "She does take after her mother in that way. They both make decisions quickly and once made any man would be hard-pressed to deflect them from their goals. Would that some of my men have that tenacity and belief in our cause as Marta and Trina have in theirs."

Veldhuis clapped John on the back as he continued to slowly walk towards his tent. "I'll have a talk with Marta and also suggest that her mother give her good talking to concerning her "choices" lately. I thank you for seeking me out and explaining your actions, sergeant. I'm afraid had you not you would have found both you and your men on the outside looking in come dawn tomorrow."

Relieved, John stopped walking alongside the commandant and allowed himself a small smile as Veldhuis continued toward his tent. He was about to return to his men and clean up what supper had been left on his plate when the commandant turned back around and spoke to John once again.

"Go and get some rest now, Botha. You've had a very busy day, and tomorrow I'd like you to sit in on our plans for reconnaissance before our next raid on the British forces. You and your men have been riding around the area for some time now. Your knowledge of the terrain and where the British camps are located will prove invaluable to our plans. Why don't you bring your cousin Thomas with you. We'll meet tomorrow morning around 8am, after breakfast in my tent"

John shook his head in agreement, turned and proceeded back to the mess tent. Along the way he pondered his choice of who to take with him tomorrow. Given his druthers he would have much preferred to have taken Culver, the smartest man in the group. Even Smythe, a fierce fighter would be a better choice over, he shuddered at the thought, Thomas. And of course, why had Veldhuis suggested Thomas in the first place?