‘That is enough,’ Wellington said. ‘You had my word, and my word is good. You will have your coverts and your pay, and no later than any other scoundrel who stood up under fire. It will be half a year before the Government can pay off all its arrears, and you will have to lump it until then. You are not starving, at least, which is more than many an Englishman can say.’

‘Well, then,’ Temeraire said, a little mollified, ‘I am sorry if I was rude, but if you will keep your promises and you do not mean to try and put Laurence in prison, what do you want?’

‘What I want—’ Wellington said, ‘—or rather, what His Majesty's Government wants, is to be shot of you. Submit to the King's justice, and your sentence will be commuted to transportation and labour.’

Temeraire snorted, at the word justice, and with much suspicion had the sentence explained to him. The Government meant for Laurence to be sent abroad to the colony of New South Wales. ‘But that is on the other side of the world! It is as bad as putting you in prison again!’ Temeraire protested. ‘I will certainly not let them send you so far away from me.’

‘No,’ Laurence said, watching Wellington's face. ‘That, I imagine, is not their intention. Sir, it cannot be wise to send Temeraire away, not when the French have Lien. Whatever you may think of me, it is too high a price.’

‘You are a little dull today, Laurence,’ Wellington said. ‘The price is giving your life, and their Lordships think it a cheap way to be rid of a dragon, who, if he takes it into his head, can sink half the shipping in Dover Harbour.’

Temeraire flared out his ruff. ‘That is very rude,’ he said. ‘I would never do anything so cruel to the fishermen, and the merchants. Whyever would I?’

The story of Lien's feat had crossed the country like wildfire, carried with news of victory and Nelson's death by the victorious soldiers marching back to London and their homes. It had not gained much in the telling, there was not much more to gain, either in horror or in amazement. But Laurence was dismayed to find the fear it had whipped up, thus transferred to such irrational argument, and said so. ‘If this is a dreadful weapon, we cannot forget that the French possess it also. To ignore it does no good, anymore than melting down your own cannon because the French had fired one upon you.’