The dawn light revealed sweeping vistas of both shores. Along the Vermont side the woodland was broken up by areas of meadowland – some of it under cultivation – while in the distance a range of dark mountains could be seen crouching beneath heavy skies. It was New York, however, that provided the more dramatic backdrop. There, the land rose sharply from pine-covered bluffs towards a series of misty ridges beyond which a backdrop of rugged, snow-powdered peaks stretched the entire length of the horizon.

“Reminds me of Scotland,” Lawrence murmured softly.

“That where your family’s from?” Hawkwood asked.

Gazing across the water, Lawrence shook his head. “Not directly. My mother’s Scottish. My father was from Carlisle. We used to travel north to visit my mother’s family. They were highland stock. I saw something of the country when I was a boy.”

“You didn’t join a border regiment?”

“Too damned cold.” Lawrence mimed a shiver and smiled. “I went south to seek my fortune.”

“London?”

Lawrence turned and grinned. “No, Chester, where I met up with a very persuasive recruiting sergeant.”

“You came up through the ranks?”

“I did indeed. My first posting was to Ireland, then St Vincent, garrison duty in Gibraltar – which was where I picked up my Spanish – Malta, Egypt, and then on to South America.”

“Montevideo,” Hawkwood said.

Lawrence looked back at him. “Ah, you got that from the watch.”

“That, too,” Hawkwood said.

Lawrence smiled then. “So you do remember? I recall when our paths first crossed in London you denied we’d met before.”

“I remember that, too,” Hawkwood said. “I apologize. I wasn’t on my best behaviour.”

Lawrence chuckled. “Apology accepted.”

“And then the Peninsula?” Hawkwood said, bringing them back to the present.

“Aye. And now here we are in America. Curious how things turn out. By the way, did you know the Fortieth was formed in the Canadas?”

“I didn’t, no.”

“Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia – would you believe? New Scotland. There’s irony in there somewhere. They were with Wolfe when he took Quebec. Fought in the Revolution, too. I think it’s called coming full circle.”

Lawrence shook his head at the mystery of it.

“Heads, gentlemen!” Stagg called from behind them. “Coming about!”

Stagg moved the tiller over and Hawkwood and Lawrence ducked and then stood braced as the deck swayed beneath them. There was a groan as the boom swung across and as the mainsail snapped taut Stagg’s crew jumped to haul fast on the sheets. As the sloop righted herself, Stagg eased back on the helm.