The harnessed dragons sharing the park with them were disgruntled at not being allowed to come along. ‘Well, I am going back with you,’ Iskierka announced, and would not be dissuaded, no matter what Granby said. To Temeraire's deep disgust Admiral Roland finally said, ‘No, it is just as well, Granby, she will only fuss, lying about in Scotland or going on patrol.’

But despite this setback, it was satisfying to be flying south again, even though they were not to stay, because it felt to Temeraire a little as though they were reclaiming their territory; or at least refusing to acknowledge it was not theirs anymore. He still did not like to fall back all the way to Scotland, no matter how much more secure it was. They should certainly not have run there directly from the battlefield, with the French dragons on their heels all the way; but perhaps now they would even have a little fighting, if the French tried to attack the infantry on the march.

Weedon was visible aloft from a long way away: the walls of the depot were built of thick grey blocks of granite, with tall narrow turrets at each corner reaching far into the air, and bristling with pepper guns. Around the walls, enormous stands of long halberds and arrow-head spears had been planted on the ground in lines, so a great company of men might sleep safe from aerial assault, and the remnants of the infantry and cavalry were bivouacked among them. It did not look at all comfortable to attack, and due to the defences, Temeraire had to lead everyone else to land on the far side of the camp.

Wellesley came the long distance out to speak to them with no good grace, especially as he had to walk most of the way. ‘What the devil are you doing here? You ought to be nearly to Scotland by now, and half my cavalry are in fits.’

‘We are here to protect you,’ Temeraire said, injured, ‘and also to talk to you about pay, and our rights, since we did not win treasure.’

‘Why, damn you, you can wait to bring the lawyers into it until after we have run the French out,’ Wellesley said. ‘Good God, you may be sure Bonaparte does not have to argue his way through every battle.’

‘If you would like to be compared to him,’ Temeraire said, ‘then Bonaparte has also made a marketplace in Paris, for his dragons, and has built them pavilions, and he is not penning them up in breeding grounds either, if they do not like to be there—’

Laurence laid a hand on Temeraire's leg, and Temeraire swallowed his remaining remarks; it was difficult to remember that one must be respectful to a senior officer, when the senior officer was so unpleasant in return, and to have to think carefully about what one said, instead of laying everything out plainly, even if it was perfectly obvious and fair.