Simon Scarrow - Fire and Sword

‘Well, there’s only one way to find out, Corporal. Get it down there yourself. Right now.’

‘Yes, sir.’ Blake saluted, then turned away, and Arthur could almost sense his irritation at being ordered away from his warm office. But, he reasoned with an amused smile, the corporal was rather too corporeal and would benefit from the exercise. Then, as the man’s footsteps receded, Arthur sat back in his chair and closed his eyes, recalling as best he could Kitty’s face and the sound of her voice and the touch of her hand, and slowly a host of other memories from many years before played out in his mind and filled his heart with warm delight.

A month later Arthur went to London to see William in order to plan their defence of Richard. William ensured that he was introduced to many of the leading figures of the day and briefed him on those who could be counted on to speak up for Richard, and those who could be numbered amongst his enemies. Richard did himself no favours by remaining contemptuously aloof and refusing to counter the charges laid against him. Arthur had sent Kitty a brief note informing her that he would be staying at William’s London home temporarily and that any letter should be sent there in the first instance.

While he waited for her reply Arthur made the most of the chance to see old friends, visit the theatre and attend social events. It was at a raucous party at Swann’s, a Chelsea club favoured by the cavalry, that he ran into Richard Fitzroy, an old friend with whom Arthur had served since his earliest days in the army.The main salon was filled with army officers, mostly youngsters, and as ever it was the hussars who were making the loudest noise. Arthur had been invited to join an acquaintance from his days in India, but the man had not turned up and so Arthur sat at a table in one corner and watched the antics of the younger men with an amused detachment as they competed to see who could throw a goose feather the furthest. Their frequent roars of encouragement echoed round the room and drew the occasional disapproving glance from more senior, or serious-minded, officers sitting at the other end of the salon. As Arthur watched, a cheery-faced individual in a red jacket pushed through the throng towards him. Arthur grinned as he recognised an old friend.

‘Hello, Arthur!’ Fitzroy beamed as he reached Arthur’s table and clasped his friend’s hand warmly. ‘Haven’t seen you in a while. What brings you here?’

‘The search for decent companionship,’ Arthur replied with mock weariness.

‘Ah, yes. I had heard that you were thinking of entering Parliament. My commiserations. But why do it at all?’

Arthur shrugged. ‘The family requires it. And so it is. Anyway, how about you? I see you are a colonel now.’

‘Ah, yes.’ Fitzroy glanced awkwardly towards the epaulette on one shoulder. ‘My father finally stumped up the money for a colonel’s commission, and he’s never going to let me forget his generosity. Best make the most of it, I suppose. Before a lucky shot, some bloody campaign fever or the wedding bells do for me.’

‘No plans to get married yet, I assume?’

‘Hardly. I’ve been back in Dublin for a while. The place is growing a little more tame than it was in our day, but there’s still enough going on to warrant remaining a bachelor for a while yet. Ran into a few old faces. One in particular asked to be remembered to you.’

Arthur suddenly knew exactly what Fitzroy was going to say and felt his stomach knot itself with anticipation.

‘Really? Who might that be?’

‘That Pakenham girl you used to be so attached to. What was her name?’ Fitzroy frowned for a moment and then snapped his fingers. ‘Kitty! That’s it. Ran into her at a castle ball. She saw me first and made a charge straight at me. Else I’d have bolted for cover!’

‘What are you talking about?’

Fitzroy chuckled.‘Well, she has changed a good deal since we last saw her. I barely recognised the girl.Well, girl is hardly the word to describe her. And has not been for a while, I’d hazard.’

‘I expect we have all changed,’Arthur replied coolly.‘We’ve matured, Fitzroy.That’s all.’

‘Matured?’ Fitzroy’s eyes twinkled. ‘I dare say. But in some cases I think the better word would be weathered. And the once fair Kitty, and she was very fair as I recall, has turned into something of a thin old stick. Shame, really. Ah well . . . Anyway, she asked me about you, and about our campaigns in India. I gave her the abridged version, since there were some fine girls about and the hour was already late. Before I got away she said to send you her warmest regards if you and I should meet. And here we are!’

‘Yes, here we are.’ Arthur forced himself to smile. Inside, he had felt his heart sink at Fitzroy’s words, and then his conscience pricked with guilt and he felt the beginnings of anger. ‘Despite her mature looks, I am sure she is the same Kitty that we once knew.’

‘Perhaps. But I’d say that she has lost a lot of that spark that she used to have. Quite the lively filly, she was. I think you’d be surprised by the change in her, Arthur. Damn good thing you didn’t marry her back then, I’d say.’

Arthur’s expression froze and Fitzroy’s brows knitted together in bewilderment. ‘Are you all right, Arthur?’

‘Quite fine, thank you.’

‘Ah, good! Thought you were having a turn there.’

‘No, nothing like that.’ Arthur took a deep breath and shrugged. ‘It’s just that I have sent Kitty a formal letter of proposal and I’m waiting for her reply.’

Fitzroy stared at him a moment, mouth slightly agape. Then he roared with laughter and slapped Arthur on the shoulder. ‘Oh, that’s a good one! For a moment there I thought you must be serious.’

‘But I am.’

Fitzroy started to smile again, then his lips froze as he took in the mirthless expression of his friend. He swallowed nervously. ‘I see. Well, I, er, I don’t quite know what to say, Arthur. Are you quite sure she’s the woman you want to marry?’

‘Quite sure.’

‘I had no idea. I mean, Kitty said nothing about having seen you since we got back from India.’

‘That’s because I haven’t seen her.We have been in touch by letter.’

‘Good God!’ Fitzroy looked astonished. ‘You’ve proposed to Kitty without so much as seeing her? That’s madness. But tell me truly,Arthur. You really haven’t see her since we left Ireland?’

‘Yes.’ Arthur’s irritation with his old friend was growing more acute with each utterance from Fitzroy. It was bad enough that he had such a low regard for Kitty, but it was worse that he so obviously thought Arthur a fool.Trying to thrust aside the description of Kitty as she was now, Arthur felt compelled to defend her character, and his pride. Besides, he had made a promise to her to renew his offer, before he had left for India. He had given his solemn word, and Arthur was bound to honour that. His breeding, his family name, his feelings for Kitty and his conscience ruled out any other course of action. He drew a long deep breath as Fitzroy shuffled with embarrassment.

‘The thing is, Fitzroy, that I am a man with sound judgement and integrity. I know that my affection for her is not based on the superficial attraction of beauty, but on the substance of her character. I love her for her mind, Fitzroy. I don’t imagine for a minute that you could comprehend such a thing.’

‘Steady on, Arthur. I meant no offence. You are one of my oldest friends. But I have to say that it seems a little unwise to me for a fellow to commit himself to a wedding with a woman he has not seen these eleven years.’

‘She has not accepted me yet.’

‘There is some chance, then?’