just as brutish as the French. It’s disgusting.’
Amalia was tentative. ‘Did you tell His Grace what happened?’
‘How could I? It was too embarrassing.’
‘Lieutenant Bouteron should be called to account.’
‘I’d sooner forget his foul name.’
‘He should be punished.’
‘It would be a case of his word against mine,’ said Sophie. ‘If I made a complaint, it would be heard by the duc de Vendome and he’ll always support his officers. That’s the tragedy of it all, Amalia. I have no recourse to justice. I have to bear my disgrace.’
‘It’s not a disgrace — it was forced upon you.’
‘I’d much rather pretend it never happened.’
‘Somebody should pay,’ insisted Amalia.
Sophie looked dejected. ‘I wish that they would.’
They ate on in silence for a while then Sophie brightened a little.
‘I never thought I’d get to meet the Duke of Marlborough,’ she said. ‘He’s so charming. I expected a much older man.’
‘His Grace is always very considerate.’
‘He and his secretary, Monsieur Cardonnel, were kind to me and I was surprised. When all is said and done,’ she said with a shrug, ‘I’m French. I’m one of the enemy.’
‘I only think of you as a good friend,’ said Amalia.
‘Thank you.’ Sophie reached across the table to give her hand an affectionate squeeze. ‘One day, perhaps, when this war is over, we shall be able to meet again — in Paris, perhaps.’
‘I’d prefer it to be in Amsterdam.’
‘Then that’s where it will be.’ They traded a warm smile. ‘You’re blessed to have a man like Captain Rawson in your life.’
‘You don’t need to tell me that, Sophie. I say it to myself every day. He’s been my saviour. This time, he was yours as well.’
‘In your place, I’d be very concerned about him.’
‘Oh, I am, Sophie.’
‘We both saw how many soldiers there are in that camp.’
‘He managed to reach us, nevertheless.’
‘But can he get in there all over again?’
‘I hope so,’ said Amalia, sounding far more confident than she actually felt. ‘This time, he only has himself to worry about. That should make it a lot easier.’
‘Yes, it should,’ agreed Sophie. ‘I’d just love to know how he’ll go about it. You’re as close to Captain Rawson as anybody. What sort of a plan do you think he’d have?’
‘It won’t work,’ said Henry Welbeck with categorical certainty.
‘I believe that it’s worth a try,’ said Daniel.
‘It could be suicide.’
‘That’s the talk of a defeatist and I’d never call you that, Henry. You’ve always believed that we could succeed in the past.’
‘Granted,’ said Welbeck, ‘but that was when we were surrounded by a British army and its allies. When we have sufficient numbers, we’re a match for anyone. This time, there are only two of us.’
‘I see that as an advantage.’
‘Well, I don’t, Dan.’
‘It’s so much easier for one person to remain hidden. You must see that, surely.’
‘All I see is that I may end up as the fox with a pack of slavering hounds on my trail — and I can’t run fast enough.’
‘You won’t have to run at all, Henry.’
‘I won’t?’
‘No,’ said Daniel. ‘You’ll be hiding up a tree.’
Welbeck quaked. ‘Hell and damnation!’ he yelled. ‘This gets worse and worse!’
They were about three miles from the French camp at a point where the road ran through the woods. Any traffic going to the camp would have to pass that way and Daniel was counting on deliveries of food or other supplies. What troubled Welbeck was that the plan had been made on the spur of the moment, as was Daniel’s habit when he needed to improvise. The sergeant lacked his friend’s ability to make things up as he went along. He liked order, control and the sense of being part of a huge military unit. Cut off from his regiment, he felt isolated. Welbeck was uncomfortable enough being so close to the French camp. The idea of implementing Daniel’s plan only brought him out in a cold sweat.
‘I have a better idea,’ he said.
‘And what’s that, Henry?’
‘I’ll buy you a new sword — two or three of the bloody things, if necessary. Now, please let’s be sensible and leave.’
‘Don’t you want the excitement of deceiving the enemy?’
‘We’ll talk about it when we get back to our camp.’
‘We’re staying here,’ said Daniel, ‘until the right chance comes. All that you have to do is to fire the pistol.’
‘Then what happens? Every one of the soldiers guarding the wagons will race to see who can hack me to pieces first.’
‘They won’t even notice you high up in a tree.’
‘And how am I supposed to get up there? I hate climbing.’
‘Then I’ll help you. We brought rope with us. I’ll climb up there first then haul you up after me.’ He touched Welbeck’s shoulder. ‘I can’t do this without you, Henry.’
‘In my view, you can’t do it at all.’
‘Why do you think that?’
‘To begin with,’ said Welbeck, ‘you’ve forgotten our horses. As soon as they hear a pistol being discharged above their heads, they’ll probably bolt off through the trees.’
‘They won’t be anywhere near you,’ Daniel told him. ‘They won’t even be on this side of the road. If they were, they could easily be discovered. We’ll tether them deep in the woods on the other side so that you can collect them after we’ve gone.’
‘And what am I supposed to do then?’
‘Watch and pray, Henry. Think inspiring thoughts.’
‘The only thing that’s inspired me about this venture is that we finally caught those deserters. That’s the kind of work I like, Dan. Rounding up dirty renegades is what I do well.’
‘You can do anything well if you put your mind to it.’
‘Not if it involves climbing,’ protested Welbeck. ‘I like to fight with my feet on the ground, not perched up in a tree.’
‘You won’t have to fight at all,’ said Daniel. ‘You’re my decoy.’
After a lengthy argument, Welbeck was finally cajoled into taking part in the plan. They first took their horses into the woods on the opposite side of the road and tethered them in a clearing. Returning to the place from which they’d started, they searched for a hiding place. The trees were in full leaf and many had high branches strong enough to support a man’s weight. Daniel chose with care, shinning up a trunk with ease then throwing the rope over the sturdy bough on which he wanted his friend to sit. When the rope was tied in position, he used it to haul Welbeck up through the fretwork of branches. The sergeant was spluttering as he was pulled upward through the air and he didn’t dare to look down. He eventually reached safety and he put a hand to his chest. Sitting side by side astride the bough, they were like two birds of prey discussing what they’d managed to catch that day.
‘Don’t ever ask me to do that again, Dan,’ said Welbeck.
‘Why not?’
