Brothers in Arms. Iain Gale

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СКАЧАТЬ her as a natural part of the regimental family. They were aware too of what she had gone through, and respected her for it. Besides, she was Captain Steel’s wife.

      A captain he might be, and on the not ungenerous sum of £170 a year, but Steel was again hungry for promotion. For, as lovely as she was, Henrietta had already begun to make something more than an emotional impact on his life. Steel had not previously been aware just how expensive a woman could be. True, she had brought with her a small dowry, but it was hardly in line with her status as the eldest daughter of the Duke of Rumney, and Steel wondered whether her father, knowing his modest station and uncertain prospects, might not have deliberately held back a portion in case of some … unseen eventuality. In addition, a great deal more money had now been necessitated by Henrietta having insisted on bringing a maid from England and her declaration that they must live in an entire suite of rooms. Where, previously, a town billet for Steel as a bachelor officer had meant a simple bed in a tavern room, it now seemed that they must live in some style and be able to entertain. Two bedchambers, a salon, an office and a dining room were the bare minimum, according to his wife. Not to mention the maid and a share in the cook and the kitchens. Not to mention her other requirements. Steel had not known that women could accumulate such … stuff. His life had been transformed, and as much as he adored Henrietta, Steel found it an added burden and began to understand what Slaughter had meant when he had advised him long ago that soldiering and matrimony did not make happy bedfellows.

      Nevertheless, when he lay down in their marriage bed and held her small, softly naked form, all such thoughts left Steel’s mind and he was lost in such delights as he had never dreamed of. He had thought he might have grown soft during those months away from the war, nestling in the luxury of a feather bed and the arms of his wife. But in the past few weeks he had learnt that the regiment had seen little action, and he had passed up no chance of glory.

      The shrill whine of a cannonball passing overhead snapped him back to the present. But even as he looked absently at the continuing battle his mind still pondered the prospect that before the year was out he would have to find some means of improving his situation. Promotion to major would help, bringing in another hundred a year. However, it would, he realized, as likely as not take him from his beloved Grenadiers. Unless, of course, the regimental adjutant should come to grief in the present campaign. Steel had never liked Charles Frampton, and after that episode following Ramillies with the major’s now hushed-up part in the distribution of scurrilous pamphlets against Marlborough the man was still less appealing. Naturally the business had been all but forgotten. Frampton was too good a soldier in the field to be lost. His accomplice, in truth the instigator of the scheme, had been punished and Frampton given a severe reprimand and encouraged to donate several hundred guineas to the regimental funds. Steel could hardly wish his brother officer, any officer, such ill will on the field of battle. Nevertheless, for a man in Steel’s position with mounting debts and precious little money, filling dead men’s shoes was the simplest way to get on. Perhaps, he thought, there might be booty. Marlborough might have forbidden any man to loot thus far on any campaign, on pain of death, but it seemed likely there would be legitimate plunder to be had if they prevailed this day and advanced into France. ‘If they prevailed.’ He smiled. Steel had become used to winning. But how could they win if they could not fight?

      He turned to Hansam. ‘Damn whoever it is that makes us wait. Aye, even Marlborough for once for his infernal caution. Surely, Henry, we must go soon? Look at the men.’

      He tested the bridge with his boot. He felt the wooden timbers give and heard them creak as they swayed and strained against the ropes that lashed them to the pontoons.

      Hansam spoke. ‘It seems strong enough, Jack.’

      ‘It had better be. There’s an entire brigade to pass over it soon.’ Very soon, he prayed. He pointed across the river. ‘Look there, Henry. Down on the field. What d’you see?’

      ‘Why, our men outnumbered by the French. That surely is why we are here.’

      ‘But we must wait. Malborough is too clever. His plan lies in drawing out the French as quickly as possible. He shows Vendôme a part of his army as a temptation. He dares him to come and destroy Cadogan before they should arrive in force.’

      ‘It is bold, Jack. What if the French should succeed? If they are too quick off the mark?’

      ‘Then, my dear fellow, we shall have marched here for naught. For all will be up with our army and we shall need to double back up that hill to Lessines faster than we came. But imagine, Henry, should the plan succeed. If those men down there with Cadogan can hold off for just a little longer and draw in just enough of the French army without yielding, then here will be a moment when Marlborough can come up with the bulk of the army on his terms. Timing, you see, is everything. But that makes it no easier for us or the rest of the brigade. All we may do is watch and wait.’

      There was a respectful cough at his side. ‘Beggin’ your pardon, sir, but when shall we go, d’you suppose? I can’t hardly remember seeing the men so peevish. They’re like terriers by a warren. Don’t know what to do with the’selves.’

      Sergeant Slaughter was with him, as he had ever been since Steel had transferred into the regiment some seven years ago. Since then the two men had shared a bond of friendship of the sort that could only be forged in battle and which transcended the usual relationship between officer and sergeant. Indeed, some of Steel’s brother officers made no attempt to disguise the fact that they found it distasteful and inappropriate. But for Steel this was the way a war should be fought and the proper way for a company or a regiment to function. Hierarchy and order were vital, of course. But to share such an empathy as he had with a man like Slaughter was something rare: a bond of brotherhood that no one could know who had not been a part of it.

      The French gunners on the opposite slope had changed their trajectory now, and the balls were beginning to creep closer to Steel’s brigade. A ranging shot struck the river bank and was stopped dead by the mud.

      Steel turned to Slaughter. ‘That’s the last we’ll see like that. They’re just gauging our distance. The next one will strike home. Henry, time to take posts, I think.’

      He had hardly finished speaking when all three men saw puffs of smoke from the enemy guns, instantly followed by the unmistakable black dots of fast-approaching cannonballs. Four ranged to their left, finding targets in the next battalion, but the remaining four came directly towards Steel and his men. There was no time to avoid them. No point. The only thing to do was to stand your ground and pray that your luck would hold. Steel watched as each black dot became a circle, then an orb, one of which, approaching him at an unthinkable speed, magically lifted at the last moment to pass over their heads, sucking the air into a vacuum as it passed. Steel breathed out audibly with relief. A few files away a sudden cry told him that others of the company had not been so lucky.

      Steel turned to the sergeant again. ‘I wish to God that we were gone, Jacob. I can’t think the men can stand it much longer. They’ll lose heart or they’ll lose their edge.’

      ‘Aye, sir, or they’ll lose their heads.’

      Another roundshot came perilously close to the company but thankfully veered right to carry away the head of the horse ridden by a field officer of Meredith’s, together with the lower portion of the unfortunate man’s leg. Steel nodded at Slaughter and noticed one of his corporals patting one of the recruits on the shoulder and placing him firmly back in the line. ‘The new lads seem to be wobbling, Jacob. Will they carry it off?’

      ‘They’ll do it, sir. Don’t doubt that they will. But I’m with you, sir. We must go soon.’

      A ragged fanfare of bugles made them look to the left where a great cloud of dust thrown up from the earth СКАЧАТЬ