Oh God, how often had he heard those words of command – and then set about some Frenchman or another of the King’s enemies with his sabre? There were times – there’d always been times, first with Caithlin and now with Edie – when he’d just wanted a day or so without a trumpet call, without having to upbraid so much as a corporal, let alone a troop serjeant-major. Perhaps even more than a day – days without number …

The orderly serjeant appeared, breathless. ‘Sir, the colonel’s coming!’

The thoughts were gone like the wind. He sprang up and began re-buckling his swordbelt.

* * *

‘Hervey, I’ve forwarded your despatch to Fort William, with the very strongest possible recommendation, but I am not of my own authority able to change the policy of the governor-general in council.’

Hervey had paced enough. He sat down with a deep sigh. The answer was not unexpected, but no less dismaying for that.

There were just the two of them, only the governor’s khansamah and the sowars of the bodyguard within earshot. ‘Somervile, I must ask to be relieved of command if the order stands.’

‘What?’

‘It’s not solely the iniquity of deposing a sovereign – the unlawfulness I might say, though doubtless there’d be a jurist at Fort William who’d confound me with jus ad bellum and Lapse – but it’s the practicability. I can conceive of no strategy to defeat so great a force as the dewan can dispose unless the Ranee is with us. I’ve assured her that at the very least the Company will give asylum, and it’s my opinion that Fort William will be far better served by a subsidiary alliance with her than annexation. She is not without worth.’

‘I have conveyed those thoughts exactly.’

‘And the enormity of the task? So much artillery, so many horse; and his infantry – greatly more than that manifestly incompetent agent reported. You’ll recall that when this began, it was with the promise of the unstinting support of the army of Bombay; yet now you tell me they’re going north on some other errand instead. For what does Bentinck rightly wish? If he wishes the annexation of Chintal he must will the means.’

‘I cannot but share your dismay. I’ve asked Fort William for two battalions, and sent word to Vellore for the rest of their brigade. At present I can do no more.’

He didn’t add that, with but a few weeks before he took his leave of India, his lordship’s attention might be difficult to detain.

Hervey nodded, still weary from thirty-six hours in the saddle and not yet opportunity even to plunge in the pool, let alone take an easeful bath.

‘We’d lose five thousand, come what may.’

Somervile winced. ‘Surely no?’

‘I’m not a sorcerer.’

‘You must not resign, whatever happens. There’s no one who’d make so good a fist of it. There’d be many a man dead without need, and even more in despair.’