Company Of Spears

‘Just so. Not that he has the least objection to the Catholics.’

‘Merely to medieval Italians?’

She smiled as she took the glass of sherry which Hervey had poured for her. ‘You know very well how agitated he can become about these things. He somehow associates the Guelphs with the Tories.’

Hervey inclined his head. ‘I had never thought of Eyre as a Whig, and still less a republican.’

Emma frowned. ‘He is no more Whig than am I; or you. At present he is very contrary. He cannot make up his mind about this king. I think he would favour revolution if the Company could take over in government!’

Hervey was inclined to see more than irony. ‘Things are awry, but not so great as to tempt such thoughts?’

‘Oh, you know Eyre very well. He likes to imagine he could better arrange everything than people in Whitehall.’

‘He is almost certainly in the right there!’

Emma held up a hand. ‘Do not you begin! He needs no encouragement; rather the opposite indeed. By the way, shall you come with us to Gloucestershire? The house will appeal to you, I think. It is built in the Moghul fashion. Eyre is excessively keen to see it.’

Hervey looked thoughtful. ‘I’m sorry, I had quite forgotten. And Lady Lankester is to accompany?’

‘She is. We go on Friday, until seven days following. Eyre says we can post in just the one day.’

‘I think it possible to post in a day, though I imagine your bones will be rearranged.’

‘Shall you come?’

‘I should like to very much, but there are one or two matters to attend. I didn’t say, but there’s a fearful bad eruption of something in our horse lines, quite possibly farcy.’

Emma was not dismayed. ‘Can you be of particular service in that? I very much think that a week in the country would set you up capitally, Matthew. You have driven yourself excessively these past months, if I may say so. Eyre has told me of it.’

Hervey inclined his head. ‘I think that it would not quite do for me to be absent with such a thing as farcy taken hold, though I won’t deny a week in the country – or even a few days – would be agreeable. That was my intention in Wiltshire, though the wretched fever came again.’

Emma looked pained. ‘You take the quinine still, I hope?’

‘Not as a rule, no. Not since being in Lisbon.’ He brightened. ‘But hear: what Eyre does not yet know is that I may soon have the proper command of the regiment. You recall my speaking of Daniel Coates, who taught me to ride and shoot and all?’ Emma nodded.

‘He died a week ago and left me a considerable sum to purchase a lieutenant-colonelcy. And I have applied, and Lord George Irvine, our colonel, is to support me.’

Emma sighed with true satisfaction. ‘I am excessively pleased for you, Matthew. It is exactly as you deserve, and your regiment will be most fortunate to have you.’

Hervey basked for a moment in the warmth of her smile. ‘Thank you. Though perhaps until the eggs are in the pudding…’

‘Of course. But I should say, Eyre will not entirely share my joy.’

Hervey frowned. ‘Oh? How so?’

‘Has he spoken of the Cape Colony?’

‘Yes. I’m sorry, I should have congratulated you before. It is splendid news. Except that I have no desire to lose your company. I imagine you shall go with him?’

It was not the answer to the question she had in mind, and Hervey’s own question in turn surprised her.‘Of course!’

‘And young Somervile?’

‘Indeed! You would have me leave him here?’

Hervey thought of Georgiana and his own practice. ‘No, Emma, I would not have you leave him for a moment.’

There was no awkward pause, as well there might have been had they not known each other for so long. But even so the appearance now of Jaswant was welcome.

‘Memsahib, dinner is served,’ he said, in rapid Urdu.

‘Mehrbani, Jaswant. We shall dine as soon as Somervile Sahib is dressed.’

Again, the Urdu was so fast that Hervey was only just able to understand. He had neither spoken nor heard it in twelve months, and in truth he had never been nearly as fluent as Emma. ‘You know, I have not sat down with you both since before …’ He thought better of it, and returned instead to the unanswered invitation. ‘You know, I might travel down to Gloucestershire on Saturday. Things should be in hand by then.’

Emma beamed. ‘I am so pleased.’

‘But what is it that prevents Somervile’s unrestricted joy at my own news?’

Emma rose, holding the smile. ‘I think I shall leave him to explain for himself.’