Company Of Spears

His sister looked puzzled. ‘But you said you would be able to spend a little time with us.’

Hervey looked preoccupied. ‘Yes … indeed. I’m sorry. But something has most unquestionably come up.’

V

STABLEMATES

Hounslow, afternoon, 18 March

Hervey reached the cavalry barracks just as watch setting began. He had forgotten that today it would be at three o’clock since there was a levee at Windsor and every other dragoon was required for duty there. For all but the commanding officer the gates would remain shut until the inspections were complete and the guard posted, any who had business in or out of the barracks seeing to it that they were clear of the guardhouse by the orderly trumpeter’s ‘parade for picket’, otherwise suffering the delay. It had been a long drive, but if he had remembered the advanced time of guard mounting he would have adjusted their speed over the last mile or so. He would exercise his privilege now of interrupting the sacred proceedings.

‘Commanding officer!’ shouted Corporal Denny from the leader of the regimental chariot, not allowing the horses to halt and thereby acknowledge that the commanding officer of the 6th Light Dragoons, even an acting one, could be impeded at his own gates.

The sentry scuttled through the postern like a rat started by a terrier. Seconds later the big iron-clad doors swung open, dragoons heaving with all their strength.

‘Details, atte-e-enshun!’ bellowed the corporal for the inlying picket (the detailed men were not actually designated ‘picket’ until the picket officer had finished his inspection).

With scarcely checked speed, the chariot rolled through the gateway arch. Hervey acknowledged the salutes, the gate sentry with his carbine at the ‘present’, the picket officer, a mint-new cornet from his own squadron, and the orderly serjeant-major saluting with the hand, and the rest standing rigidly to attention.

Corporal Denny reined up outside regimental headquarters. The orderly dragoon, who had doubled from the guardhouse, pulled down the chariot’s folding step, and opened the door. It had been six days since Hervey had left for Horningsham (the bout of remittent fever had detained him two days longer than he had intended) and he wanted to see District Orders and the adjutant’s occurrence book before appearing at mess.

There was no one in the orderly room, but in his office were several letters. Three were in hands he recognized: Lord George Irvine’s, Kat’s, and that of his old friend Captain (sometime Commodore) Sir Laughton Peto. He hesitated before opening his colonel’s, for likely it contained the reply to his express asking leave to purchase the lieutenant-colonelcy. Not that he entertained the slightest doubt as to Lord George’s support. Nevertheless he laid it aside for the moment to deal instead with the four unrecognized hands. These, however, turned out to be matters of no great account, which could wait for the morning. Next he opened Kat’s. Before he had left for Wiltshire he had sent her a brief note saying he would be gone some days, but expected to return within the week.

Holland-park

13th March

My dearest Matthew,I too am sorry at your news and trust that you will have a speedy and a happy return. As I told you these two nights past, I go to my sister’s in Hertfordshire today until Sunday next, and beg that you will join me there for as long as may be, for I believe I shall soon thereafter go to Athleague and there stay a full month until the work here at Holland-park is done. Pray let me know immediately you return when it shall be.Your ever loving,Kat.

Hervey felt a moment’s unease at the intimacy of the endearment, though he had seen it on the page often enough (and, heaven knew right well, elsewhere too). Kat would expect him to drive this very evening to Holland Park, but that was out of the question. He must show himself at mess, and there was a field day tomorrow. And besides, was he not resolved on … regularizing his life?

He laid the letter aside and opened that from Peto, which he saw had been delivered in the day’s London post.

The United Service Club

18th March