'I'm proud that you didn't.' West blinked. He had hardly dared to hope for that answer. 'You did what I would have wanted you to do. It is important that an officer should care, but it is vital that he should not care too much. He must be able to place his men in harm's way. He must be able to send them to their deaths, if he deems it necessary. He must be able to make sacrifices, and to weigh the greatest good, without emotion counting in his choice. That is why I like you, West. You have compassion in you, but you have iron too. One cannot be a great leader without a certain… ruthlessness.'

West found himself lost for words. The Lord Marshal chuckled, and slapped the table with his open hand. 'But as it happens, no harm done, eh? The line held, the Northmen were turned out of Angland, and I tottered through alive, as you can see!'

'I am truly glad to see you feeling better, sir.'

Burr grinned. 'Things are looking up. We are free to move again, with our lines of supply secure and the weather finally dry. If your Dogman's plan works then we have a chance of finishing Bethod within a couple of weeks! They've been a damn courageous and useful set of allies!'

'They have, sir.'

'But this trap must be carefully baited, and sprung at just the right moment.' Burr peered at the map, rocking energetically back and forward on his heels. 'If we're too early Bethod may slip away. If we're too late our Northern friends could be crushed before we can reach them. We have to make sure bloody Poulder and bloody Kroy don't drag their bloody feet!' He winced and put a hand on his stomach, reached for his canteen and took a swig of water.

'I'd say you finally have them house-trained, Lord Marshal.'

'Don't you believe it. They're only waiting for their chance to put the knife in me, the pair of them! And now the King is dead. Who knows who will replace him? Voting for a monarch! Have you ever heard of such a thing?'

West's mouth felt unpleasantly dry. It was almost impossible to believe that the whole business had been partly his own doing. It would hardly have done to take credit for it however, given that his part had been to murder the heir to the throne in cold blood. 'Who do you think they will choose, sir?' he croaked.