Edward Marston - Fire and Sword

He was about to explain what he meant when he spotted the unmistakable frame of Henry Welbeck coming towards him and hailed his friend with a wave. Since Daniel was in the company of another officer, the sergeant spoke with more formality.

‘Good morning, Captain,’ he said. ‘Good morning, Lieutenant.’ The two men exchanged greetings with him. ‘I was wondering if there was any news about those men who raided two farms then burnt them to the ground?’

‘I’ve heard nothing more,’ said Daniel.

‘Neither have I,’ added Ainley. ‘What I can tell you is that nobody has been arrested for those outrages. To all intents and purpose, the villains got away with it.’

‘Yes,’ said Welbeck, sourly, ‘and they did so in British uniforms. That’s what irks me. We rarely get permission to forage and, even if we do, we try to show respect to any civilians. Word must have spread by now. Every time people see redcoats coming towards them, they’ll shrink back in fear.’

‘The raiders will be caught sooner or later,’ said Daniel.

Ainley was doubtful. ‘I fear that they’ve gone to ground,’ he said. ‘They could take more chances during the winter when very few people were on the roads. They could strike then disappear very quickly. That’s no longer the situation.’

‘No,’ agreed Daniel. ‘There’s a lot more traffic about now and the evenings are drawing out. It’s not so easy to escape being seen.’

‘Those devils have probably returned to camp now,’ said Welbeck. ‘Without knowing it, one of our cavalry regiments is harbouring ruthless killers.’

‘Some people might say that all soldiers are ruthless killers,’ remarked Ainley with a half-laugh. ‘It’s an occupational necessity at times. However,’ he went on, ‘I’m sure that you didn’t come to talk to me, Sergeant. I’ll leave you to Captain Rawson.’

‘Thank you, Lieutenant.’ Welbeck waited until Ainley was out of earshot before turning to Daniel. ‘How ever did that blinking idiot get to become a lieutenant?’

‘He did what most officers do, Henry — he bought a commission.’

‘You didn’t do that.’

‘No,’ said Daniel, ‘but, then, I could never have afforded it. If I hadn’t been promoted on merit, I’d still be stuck in the ranks being bullied by some black-hearted sergeant like you. As for Jonathan Ainley, he’s better than some I could name. He’s a competent officer and respected by his men.’

‘Well, he’ll get no respect from me.’

Daniel laughed. ‘None of us can expect plaudits from you, Henry,’ he said. ‘I sometimes think that you joined the army for the express purpose of despising its officers. According to you, we’re all complete dolts.’

‘There are a few exceptions.’

‘Does that mean we’re slowly winning you over?’

‘There’s not a chance of that, Dan,’ asserted Welbeck. ‘I’ve spent too many years taking stupid orders from well-bred fops who simply want to shoot game, drink wine and play cards all day.’

‘That sounds like an attractive prospect to me. I only wish it were truly like that but we both know that it isn’t. Since we’ve been involved in this war,’ Daniel told him, ‘every spring and summer has consisted of nothing but marches, sieges, skirmishes and occasional major battles. That’s the pattern we’ve been following.’

‘So when will we be on the move this time?’

‘We have to await orders.’

‘You must know what they’re going to be.’

‘I wish I did, Henry, but His Grace hasn’t confided in me as yet. There are a number of elements to be considered before any final decisions can be made. However,’ added Daniel, ‘I can tell you this. The likelihood is that we’ll have an opportunity to meet the French on the battlefield again. They’re eager to avenge their defeat at Ramillies with a decisive victory. That’s why they’ve mustered such a large army against us.’

‘We’ve beaten large armies before. The Frenchies hold no fears for me, Dan. I’ve killed too many of them. What I’m worried about are some of the people fighting on my side.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘The heartless bastards who destroyed those farms,’ said Welbeck, bitterly. ‘They’re hiding somewhere in our ranks and that makes my blood boil.’

‘They won’t stay here indefinitely,’ decided Daniel. ‘I fancy that the temptation will be too strong. It won’t be long before we hear of a marauding band on the rampage again.’

The boy was ten, old enough to do his fair share of the chores on the little farm yet young enough to yearn for childish pleasures. When he’d finished work that afternoon, therefore, he ran off to the stream nearby to dangle his bare feet in the water while he carved a boat out of a piece of wood. Happily engaged with his knife, he didn’t even look up when he heard the clatter of hooves on the road behind him. After shaving the prow of his vessel, he held it up to examine it from every angle. Deciding that it was still not ready, he carved the stern into a more rounded shape then ran a finger over it. Primitive as it was, the boat felt smooth and capable of staying afloat. At the exact moment when he launched it on the water, however, shots rang out from the farm and he jumped to his feet in alarm.

He was less than forty yards away but shielded by the bushes growing along the bank of the stream. As he peered around them, he saw the most horrific sight. Three bodies lay on the ground. They belonged to his father and two elder brothers. Blood-curdling screams from the house were recognisably those of his mother and sister. His first instinct was to run to their defence, but what could he do against armed soldiers in red uniforms? There was an additional shock for the boy. He heard the crackle of fire and saw smoke rising from the barn. The next moment, he was forced to watch the livestock being driven off by some of the men. When the horses had been taken, the stables were set alight. His whole world was suddenly aflame.

If he couldn’t stop them, he thought, he could at least get close enough to see who they were. Keeping low, he crept furtively towards the farm. The raiders didn’t even look in his direction. They were too busy seizing what they wanted. The fire had taken a firm hold now and the crackle had turned into a deafening roar. The boy moved steadily forward until he hit a wall of blistering heat that stopped him dead. When he glanced at the farmhouse, telltale wisps of smoke were now coming through the windows. His mother and his sister had stopped screaming but they were still inside. Desperate to help them, he was held back by the billowing flames.

The attackers were pleased with their work and started to mount their horses. The last man to join them seemed to be their leader because he bellowed orders as he emerged from the farmhouse, doing up his belt. Throwing a glance over his shoulder, he cackled happily before putting his foot in the stirrup and heaving himself up into the saddle. A sudden gust of wind then blew the flames away from the boy for a second. It was as if a curtain had been drawn back. What he saw, and what he would always remember, was the red beard and mad eyes of their leader, a big man with an evil laugh, who took one last look at the bonfire before giving the command to ride off with the day’s spoils. The wall of flame returned to block his vision and the boy could see no more.

Somewhere downstream, his boat sailed bravely on.

The Duke of Marlborough sat tight-lipped in consternation as Daniel delivered the report. Adam Cardonnel was the only other person in the tent and he was equally appalled at what he’d heard. Daniel tried to translate a garbled version of events into something more articulate. When the recitation was over, Marlborough wanted answers.