Yes, he could see that a man schooled in sieges and the like would think in such terms, but suppose the invader decided not to oblige him by continuing to batter his head against the wall?

The question Hervey now needed answer to was whether it was Acharya’s ‘strategy’ on the northern road too, for so far he’d had no report from that line of advance.

Then it occurred to him: did not the strategy present him with an opportunity? If Ashok Acharya expected to compel the field force to make assaults, why not appear to oblige him? They could turn the tables, so to speak, pinning him in the forest – drawing in more and more of his men. It wasn’t necessary to take the position, only to continue to threaten to. How he then took advantage of that depended on what he learned from Worsley, and from Maclean’s squadron on the northern road. It would be well, too, and soon, to learn where Acharya actually was, and of course the Ranee.

But if he couldn’t consider all of what his options might be, he could at least explore those that he recognized.

‘Colonel,’ he began, plucking a nipa frond to point with, ‘you’ll see by your map there’s a road of sorts here that runs off to the south-west seemingly into nowhere. It may well continue to the banks of the Nerbudda, or it may be that the forest’s passable on foot – you know how little’s the undergrowth when there’s been no fall of timber – and if that’s so, I’m minded to try it. It can only be a mile ahead at most.’

‘Yes, I see. I’ll send a patrol.’ He nodded to his adjutant. ‘Mr Tysseu please.’

Then Hervey sat him down and explained his thinking about the ‘demonstrations’. It was the very devil to risk men’s lives trying to take a position of which there was no need, a feigned attack, a ruse de guerre, but the alternative could be even bloodier.

Maclean understood.

‘Close up to them towards last light and make a great deal of noise, and again at first light – but spare your men; there’s no need of actual attack. I’ll have Lindesay’s brigade come up and take on the action thereafter.’

‘Very well.’

‘Watch your flanks though.’ He smiled wryly; ‘It’s conceivable they’ve read Tacitus.’

Maclean knew his Tacitus; they all did. Three legions had perished in the great ambush in the Teutoburgerwald, and Rome’s finest at that. ‘I’ll keep a good watch. You’ll let me have a little artillery?’

‘I shall. I’ll send a galloper as soon as I’ve settled with Lindesay. And …’ (he held up his map again) ‘this road may be nothing at all, an old animal track even, and if so, perhaps nothing at all to the Chintalees – quite forgotten indeed. And therein lies its promise.’

‘If it’ll admit so much as a hog-deer my dragoons’ll prove the way.’

Hervey smiled to himself. He thought he heard his own voice.