‘Good day, gentlemen.’ Arthur touched the brim of his hat and the officers saluted in return. There was a brief silence as Arthur glanced round, and then he continued in a neutral tone. ‘It would seem to me that you could use a change of clothes, and in some cases a shave, gentlemen. Please see to it before I have the honour of dining with you tonight.’Arthur nodded towards a face he recognised.‘Major Templeton, where is General Beresford?’

‘Within, my lord.’

‘Then I will see him directly. If you would see to the needs of my escort?’

‘Of course, my lord.’ The major bowed his head.

With a gesture to Somerset to accompany him, Arthur went through the farm gate and crossed the courtyard towards the house. A narrow colonnade ran round the inside of the whitewashed walls and a trellis with a leafy vine offered shelter from the sun. A sentry snapped to attention outside the open doorway, and Arthur paused in front of him, then tapped him gently on the breast with his riding crop.

‘Where is your stock?’ he asked mildly.

‘Dunno, sir,’ the soldier replied, staring straight ahead over Arthur’s shoulder. ‘Must ’ave lorst it in the battle, sir.’

‘I think not. Even so, I would expect a good soldier to find a replacement within a day or so. See to it.’

‘Yes, sir!’ The soldier nodded and started to move off.

‘Not now! You’re bloody well on duty, man! See to it the moment you are relieved. Somerset!’

‘Sir?’

‘Make a note to pass that on to this fellow’s company sergeant. I will not have headquarters sentries stand their duty out of uniform.’

‘Yes, sir.’

Arthur stared hard at the soldier a moment longer and then trotted up the small flight of stairs leading into the house. A large hall was well lit by a series of arched windows running along the rear of the building and a handful of Beresford’s staff were busy compiling casualty lists to be sent back to London. There was a scraping of chairs as they hurriedly rose to their feet.

‘Easy, gentlemen. Pray continue with your work. Where is your general?’

‘In there, sir.’ A corporal indicated a closed door to one side of the hall.

Arthur crossed to the door and rapped on the weathered surface.

‘I left orders not to be disturbed, damn your eyes!’ Beresford’s voice bellowed from within.