‘Doubtless there’ll be others when the grass-cutters begin work.’

Milne stooped to check Garratt’s breathing, then rose again, satisfied there was no change. ‘How, may I ask, do your operations proceed?’

Hervey took him aside. ‘I’m excessively content. The only hostile troops are now within the palace – the fortress. Those in the forest threw down their arms soon enough, and the rest of the Pindarees yielded to Worsley without setting foot out of camp. Swore they’d been loyal throughout – doubtless a retrospective decision. The fugitives from the charge must’ve made a profound impression. That and the promissory notes of gold – not in my experience unusual in these lands.’

‘Condottieri – was ever thus?’

‘And we must be glad of it. Better to buy with gold than pay in lead.’

‘Indeed.’

‘Oh, and I have a battery of howitzers. Colonel Bell managed to buy one after all. And we have the guns from the forest.’

‘You’ll forgive me, Colonel: howitzers?’

‘They shoot at a high angle – over the walls rather than battering at them. Explosive shell. They’re in action as we speak.’

‘“Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.”’

Hervey nodded. Joshua had been his first hero. He’d had spies in Jericho, one of them a harlot. Then having gained his intelligence, he’d had the trumpets blow.

‘I have my Rahab, too, doctor. Or rather, Fairbrother has – several of them.’

Milne allowed himself a smile. ‘I had heard that. You count, then, on their asking for terms?’

‘That would be a fine thing, except that the Ranee’s life is all that Ashok Acharya has to bargain with, and that, by all accounts, is still not in his gift, and he daren’t risk storming the citadel for fear of killing her. We could starve him out, but we might starve the Ranee too. There’s a tunnel to the citadel, but he’s stove it in, and flooded it under the moat. I fear it’ll only be to powder and the bayonet that he yields. But I’m damned if we’ll do it like Badajoz.’

Milne had no idea what were the imperfections at Badajoz. He wondered instead, as he had since leaving Sthambadree, if it were the moment to speak of Kezia …

But Hervey had business to be about. ‘Very well, doctor. You’ll send me word if … when there’s any change?’

‘I will. But, with your leave, not before dawn, for I would that you had some sleep, and I wouldn’t wish to disturb it. Be assured there’ll be someone with him throughout. The chaplain at least.’

Hervey nodded again, looked once more at the unconscious Garratt and said a silent prayer.

‘By the bye, he said more than once that he wished to speak with you. Something seemed to trouble him.’

Hervey fancied he knew. So did Milne.

‘If he comes to, then I would that you send for me at once. The least I owe him is a peaceful end, his mind at ease.’