‘The pens in London,’ Lloyd said, accepting a cup of tea with gratitude, though he looked around first for spirits. ‘Well, and they were ours first, weren't they,’ he added with a self-righteous air, so perhaps their provenance was best not inquired after very far.

The dragons from Dover came every so often, and looked wistfully at the work going forward. ‘I do not see why we cannot have one at the covert, too,’ Maximus said, rumbling in dissatisfaction. ‘Iskierka does.’

‘Do I have a few thousand pounds to spare on erecting you a temple?’ Berkley said. ‘Nonsense, all this complaining; you have slept outside your entire life and never once taken an ounce of harm from it,’ but shortly after a collection had quietly been taken up, among the officers, and a friendly rivalry began among the dragons to see whose should be completed first.

Through such visitors, Laurence had some word from London: the King had retired to Kensington, and the Prince of Wales made regent; Bonaparte successfully escaped to Paris, though with his tail between his legs. The newspapers were full of patriotic fervour and mourning for Nelson and the lost seamen, reputed martyrs for their nation.

All the while, no one sought to limit their freedom, nor paid them any official notice, but Laurence had known the situation an ephemeral one. The wheels of government might be some time restoring their course after so great a disruption, but inevitably they would fall into the cart tracks. Laurence's treason could not be ignored.

Wellington's arrival had surprised him only because it was Wellington and not Jane sent to demand his surrender; it did not encourage him. ‘Sir,’ Laurence said, ‘I hope you will speak freely.’

‘Laurence is not going to prison, or to be hanged,’ Temeraire put in, ‘and if that is what you came for, you may go away again. Come back with an army and take him, if you can.’

‘We are not going to start a pitched battle against you and your pack of rogues, if that is what you imply,’ Wellington said. ‘I know about your damned little pact. That Longwing and Regal Copper, are going about Dover telling everyone that if we should come against you, they will fight with you, and so should every other dragon, or their captains will likely be taken away next.’

Laurence looked at Temeraire, who had the grace to look slightly abashed, but not greatly. He retorted, ‘You haven't any right to complain if I do not trust you; you have tried to take Laurence before, and where is our pay? And the coverts, which you promised to open to us.’