Laurence knew he ought to refuse. It was a generosity offered from friendship, not Hollin's real and considered judgment. ‘Thank you, Hollin; if you think it justified,’ he said at last, the internal struggle lost, or at least some ground yielded. ‘But we shall go straight towards the camp,’ he added, to win back a little of it, and tried to persuade himself that perhaps Temeraire had heard, somehow, of the main body of the army, and gone there. They might find him waiting in Rainham—but no, that passed the limits of optimism. Temeraire would not wait anywhere, if he knew where Laurence was, and likely even if he had not the least idea. He had crossed half of Africa without the slightest notion and had found Laurence in the middle of an unfamiliar continent; so he would certainly not be discouraged by the need to search all of Britain if need be, even in the middle of a war; and as like as not get himself hurt thereby.

They flew much-interrupted, stopping at any farm with a herd of moderate size, and at any town with a clearing large enough for a courier; but they received no news, or at least none that they had wanted. ‘Lost twenty of my sheep, but not to any dragons; to the French, damn their eyes,’ one angry herdsman informed them.

‘They are so close?’ Laurence said, in dismay. They were several hours west of London as the dragon flew, further than he would have imagined the French had come.

The man spat. ‘Came through here yesterday, pillaging buggers; begging your pardon sir, but it is enough to make a saint swear. Three of my best ewes gone into their bellies, and a stud all because of that lunk-head boy of mine didn't get them into the hills in time. But there, who thought they would be here so soon?’

The mayor of Twickenham confirmed the French presence. ‘We have heard from Richmond that they were dropped in dragon-back,’ he said, 'they have been all up and down the countryside thieving. Our lads are gone to fight them north of here. There has been a militia mustered up ‘round Richmond and there are, I believe, some dragons with them there, sir. A courier came here to fetch out our boys, as they had heard nothing yet of what to do. But of any loose dragons not a thing have I heard. We will be sure to keep our cattle under cover, though; you may be most sure of that.’