Arthur lowered his knife and fork and stared across the table at his wife. ‘Kitty, I do not know the man’s mind.Whether he chooses to write at length or not is a matter for Richard.’

‘I’m sorry, Arthur dear. I did not mean to upset you.’

‘You have not upset me,’ Arthur said coldly.

Arthur did not like to deceive his wife and he knew well enough that the idea of his going off to war would alarm her. Besides, it was one thing to be excited by the possibility of a military command on active service, and quite another to be fortunate enough to be granted such an appointment in practice. He smiled to himself as it occurred to him that it was perverse to think of the prospect of danger as an opportunity to be grasped.Yet without the war with France, he would never have had the chance to improve his lot in life, doomed for ever to be a younger son of a minor aristocratic family casting about for a well-heeled wife to save him from penury.

‘What are you thinking of, my dear?’

Arthur glanced up guiltily, and at once composed his expression into a mask of indifference. ‘Just something someone said to me today.’

‘Oh? And what was that?’

‘It does not matter. It is of no consequence,’ Arthur replied abruptly and instantly regretted his tone as he saw the hurt look flit across his wife’s face. She had been attempting to make small talk, to play the part of the dutifully attentive wife, only to be curtly rebuffed. He decided to attempt to divert her attention from the pain he had caused and clapped his hands together. ‘So tell me, how is our son today?’

Kitty started at the sudden noise and then smiled nervously. ‘Arthur is much better. I think he has almost recovered from the measles now.’

‘As I always knew he would. Good, good,’ Arthur continued quickly. ‘He is a robust little boy, sure enough. Make a fine soldier one day, eh?’

‘Soldier?’ Kitty nodded faintly. ‘Yes, that would be nice. A hero, like his father. That would make me so proud, my dear.’

Arthur cleared his throat.‘My dear, it seems that I may have to travel to London soon.’

‘London? Why?’

‘Official business. I am minded to brief the Prime Minister on the situation in Ireland. With all this trouble we have been having with rebellious spirits, he will be keen to be kept abreast of events.’

‘But I thought the situation was calming down? You told me so yourself.’

‘It is, my dear. Which means that my presence here is not quite so vital at the present. Now would be a good time to absent myself.’

‘How long will you be away?’

‘Hard to say. Some weeks.’ Arthur picked up his cutlery and began to cut at his steak again as he continued, ‘Months, possibly. I cannot say.’