'Is something amiss?' enquired Somervile.
'If Brereton had wanted an officer's patrol instead of scouts then he ought to have arranged it so at the beginning. There's scarce point in sending a cornet back and forth like a fly shuttle.'
'Why do we not follow him?'
'Because that would be to disparage Brereton in front of the troop. I wonder what Collins was thinking to allow it.'
Somervile looked at him oddly. 'You expect a serjeant-major to trump a captain?'
'I expect Collins to know what is what!' He almost said 'Armstrong would have!'
They sat silent, if not exactly patient (or even still, for both horses were now fidgeting), until Kemmis returned, at a fast canter, to report to his troop leader. Hervey kept himself in check while the cornet relayed the scouts' intelligence to Brereton, just beyond his hearing.
And then, to his surprise, Kemmis and not Brereton rode back up the column towards them.
'Sir Eyre,' he began, while looking directly at Hervey (the custom of the service being to proceed as if addressing the most senior officer present), 'there is a party of Zulu half a mile or so ahead of the scouts, not many, a dozen perhaps, though the ground might conceal more. They stand in the open, observing, and make no move. Mr Isaacs says they are from Shaka's guards regiment.'
Hervey suppressed his irritation as best he could: he would speak with Brereton later, for the intelligence was nothing but that which Serjeant Hardy himself could have brought – or even the corporal. Kemmis had evidently not observed anything for himself, and knowing Kemmis, it was because there was nothing more to observe.
'And, Colonel . . .'
'Yes, Mr Kemmis, what is it? Do not try my patience.'
'No, Colonel. Mr Isaacs is unwell.'
'What do you mean, 'unwell'? Do try to give a full account of things, Kemmis, else we waste no end of time.'
'No, Colonel. I mean, he's shivering, really quite violently, and he can't see clearly.'
Hervey frowned. 'How then can he tell which regiment the Zulu are from?'
'Serjeant Hardy described to him what he observed, Colonel.'
Hervey nodded approvingly.
'The same as King, d'you suppose?' suggested Somervile, wearily.
Hervey suspected not; he knew the symptoms right enough. 'We'd better have Fernyhough come with us.'
He told Kemmis to call the surgeon up. He almost told him to summon Brereton, too, but thought better of it.
Somervile raised his telescope once more. 'Hervey, do you suppose—'
But Hervey was reining round, intent on speaking to E Troop leader.
Brereton was by now riding forward, however.
'At last,' muttered Hervey.
Brereton saluted. 'Colonel, your orders?'
Hervey forced himself to speak as a colonel to a captain. 'To proceed with caution. I shall go forward to the scouts, to see for myself with Sir Eyre. And the surgeon.'
'Very well.'
'And, Brereton . . .' (he lowered his voice) 'do not have us converse through a cornet again.'
'No, Hervey. Thank you; I realized—'
'Proceed with caution, then. I'll get the scouts moving, and then wait on yonder crest for you.'
'Yes,' replied Brereton, quietly, saluting and turning about.
Hervey and his party cantered to the ridge where the scouts had halted, the lieutenant-governor so intent on his first sight of the famed Zulu that he would have given his gelding its head if Hervey had not insisted otherwise.
Serjeant Hardy saluted as they pulled up. 'Sir!'
'At ease, Sar'nt Hardy. The lieutenant-governor wishes to see what the Zulu look like. I fancy much as we saw them last summer?'
'Ay, sir, but about one in ten thousand as many,' he replied drily, his Cotswold vowels notably more pronounced than those of his fellow-countyman Collins.
They crested the rise together, where Isaacs was sitting hunched on the ground.
Hervey and the surgeon dismounted. 'Shaka's scouts, you say, Isaacs?'
'See for yourself, Colonel,' managed Isaacs, but weakly.
Somervile was already observing.
'I will,' replied Hervey. 'But first let the surgeon take a look at you.'
