Lord Fitzroy Somerset consulted his notes in a calm, unhurried manner. ‘We have three thousand men ashore. There’re another twelve and a half to come all told. Food supplies and ammunition will come first, in case we encounter any of the enemy. Then the artillery and engineers. Given the available boats, and time taken to make a round trip, I have calculated that the landing will be completed in six days’ time, sir.’

‘I see.’ Arthur nodded. It was not good news. General Junot was bound to learn of the landing before the following day was out and would instantly begin to concentrate his forces in an attempt to repel the British invasion.The army had to be ready to move before then.The main difficulty was that neither the artillery nor the cavalry had sufficient horses to march on the enemy.The War Office had anticipated that a ready supply of horses could be found in Portugal. However, as Arthur had quickly discovered, the small country was poor and good horses were scarce. Even mules were in short supply and as things stood the infantry would be required to haul some of the supply wagons by hand. Arthur glanced up at Somerset. ‘Any word from our Portuguese friend yet?’

General Freire had been charged by his government in exile to co-operate with the British as fully as possible and had promised to join Arthur with food, horses and another six thousand Portuguese soldiers the moment the redcoats landed. Arthur had met Freire at Oporto when the flagship had stopped there on the way to Lisbon. Freire, like so many local officials, had offered an effusive welcome to Arthur and his staff officers, and had made wild boasts about crushing the French forces on Portuguese soil before joining with his British brothers and liberating Spain. Arthur had thanked him politely and persuaded Freire to meet him on the Lisbon road, at Leiria, and march on the Portuguese capital together.

Somerset shook his head.‘Nothing as yet, sir. Freire might have been delayed. Or he might not have sent out any messengers to advise us of his approach.’

‘Tell me, Somerset, what did you make of Freire?’

Arthur watched his aide closely as Somerset quickly formed his judgement and made his reply. ‘I was impressed by his sense of patriotism, sir. There is no doubting his desire to rid Portugal of the French. However, he did not seem to have any ready answers to your queries about where the supplies and the horses would come from. If I may be honest, sir?’

‘Speak freely, Somerset. I will not have an aide humour me. I must be able to trust you implicitly.’

‘Very well, sir,’ the officer responded in a relieved tone.‘I fear that we may see very little of what he promised us when we reach Leiria. Naturally, I may be wrong.’