‘A sacrifice I am willing to make, for Britain,’ Arthur replied, and they both laughed, Pitt so much so that he suddenly began to cough violently, and he clutched a hand to his mouth as his lined features clenched into a grimace. Arthur, fearful for the man’s health, leaned closer and reached out hesitantly.

‘Sir? Are you all right?’

Pitt waved a hand dismissively, and closed his eyes as he fought off the coughing fit. When at last it was over he took a deep breath and puffed out his cheeks.

‘God, I needed that. It has been a while since I laughed so heartily, Sir Arthur.’

‘It is perhaps as well, given the effect on your constitution, sir.’

‘I am fine, really I am. Laughter is the best medicine, so they say, though there has been precious little to laugh about in the last few years. And now this business at Trafalgar . . .’ Pitt’s expression hardened. ‘It is a bad blow for Britain that Nelson has been taken from us. The people need heroes. They need men who can win victories and prove that Bonaparte can be defeated.’

Arthur nodded.

‘The difficulty for us,’ Pitt continued thoughtfully, ‘is that our military power rests on the shoulders of the Navy.The army will never be strong enough to take on the hosts that Bonaparte can summon.To be sure, we can pour money into the coffers of our allies on the continent, but it is no secret that such subsidies demean them as much as they impoverish us. So what are we to do, Sir Arthur? That is the question. How can we defeat France?’

Arthur considered the question for a moment, bringing into focus the ideas and plans he had been pondering ever since his return from India. He cleared his throat and Pitt looked at him expectantly.

‘You are right, sir. We cannot defeat Bonaparte if we continue our current strategies. France’s colonies are a mere detail to him, and even if we capture them or disrupt their trade, he will still be master of the continent. If he is to be laid low, then we must defeat him on land, and ultimately on French soil.This is a war we shall have to carry to the very heart of Paris. At some point Britain must assemble an army powerful enough to confront Bonaparte himself. That will not be possible for some years. The men who defeat France will have to be trained well, and fully equipped and provisioned.They must gain plenty of campaign experience and be convinced that they are more than a match for any man in the French army.’ Arthur paused a moment.‘And they will need to be led by the best officers that can be found. They will need a commander who stands beside them whatever the danger, one who is flexible in his methods, and resolutely fixed on his goal.’