And not just that it might be reduced, but that it must.

Besides, there was the hideous possibility that Bunda Ali, the moonshee, might himself have been taken by thugs. And if so, then his wife and – God forbid it – his daughters also …

It was now his moment. He rose and stood square to address the ‘council’.

‘This, gentlemen, is not a job for soldiers; indeed it is not. But only soldiers can do it. And only cavalry, for celerity and ranging long will be of the essence, as well as the prowess of each dragoon in scouting. Now, the adjutant will issue the scheme of deployment and the march-tables, but my design for operations against the thugs can be simply put …’

X

The Distaff Side

Arcot House, that evening

‘Captain Worsley, Colonel.’ Serjeant Stray said it with a note of doubt. He was quite used to officers calling without notice at this time, but …

‘Indeed? Show him in.’

Hervey was sitting in an armchair by the open doors of the verandah in the west-facing room he used as a study. He put down the Madras Mail and rose as Worsley entered.

‘Colonel, I intrude.’

‘On nothing but the Mail’s comings and goings, I assure you. Whiskey?’

‘Thank you.’

Hervey poured two glasses, added soda and nodded to the second armchair. ‘Dorothea’s well, I trust?’

‘Very well. Thank you.’

Worsley took a sip, seeming to search for words. On the lawn outside, a coucal alternately pecked and called, its hooping distracting him further.

‘Griff’s pheasant, Somervile says they’re called,’ said Hervey, seeing his hesitation; ‘on account of some new-comes thinking them game then finding it rank to eat. Allegra puts out food for them – and the others.’

It seemed to do the trick. ‘Colonel, I’m excessively obliged to you for arranging things so that I might stay until Dorothea’s given birth, but – with respect – I believe it improper.’

The march table the adjutant had issued at the end of the conference placed Worsley in command of rear details until F Troop returned, his lieutenant taking the troop to Guntoor instead.

Hervey sighed. ‘Not improper. Unnecessary, perhaps, but in the circumstances …’

‘Colonel, my troop takes the field; I must be at their head.’

‘We’re not facing the French, Christopher!’

Worsley shook his head. ‘If there’s a scrape …’

‘You scruple commendably, I can’t deny. But Hardy’s troop’ll be back in no time. All Edgeworth’s got to do is get them to Guntoor. They’ll not begin operations at once.’

‘All the same, Colonel …’

‘What says Dorothea?’

‘We’ve not spoken of it. I know she’d be of the same opinion.’

Hervey took a large sip of his whiskey. It was quite some thing that a man should know his wife’s opinion so decidedly. He thought for a good minute or so. ‘The firstborn, and all that. And here, not at home …’

‘But even so, Colonel.’