‘Do we have any estimate of Junot’s strength?’
Canning nodded. ‘Our Portuguese spies tell us that he has no more than ten thousand men.Your command can handle that.’
‘Yes. As long as the reports of your spies are accurate.’
‘They are. Our agents in Lisbon had proved to be very reliable to date.You should have nothing to worry about. Now I suggest you set about making your preparations to leave as swiftly as possible.’
On returning to Harley Street Arthur immediately wrote a letter to Kitty to inform her of his new command. This time there was little likelihood of his returning to his duties in Dublin for a long time indeed. In which case, Kitty should move to London as soon as possible. He told her that this was the opportunity to serve his country that he had been waiting for for so many years, and that Kitty should be proud of him. Once she came to London, he continued, he would be content in the knowledge that his brothers would ensure that she was looked after, and help her run the family’s affairs until he returned.
Having folded, sealed and addressed the letter to Kitty, Arthur next wrote to the Duke of Richmond to inform him of the coming campaign. He offered his profound gratitude to the Duke for the confidence he had shown in Arthur by appointing him to the post of Chief Secretary. However, his primary duty lay in serving his country on the battlefield, until peace was won. After Bonaparte was defeated Arthur pledged to return to his post in Dublin as swiftly as possible.
Once the letters had been written Arthur turned his attention to making a list of the preparations necessary for the coming campaign. There were staff officers to appoint, books to purchase. He must also arrange to meet a deputation from Spain, and representatives of the Portuguese government in exile. As the day wore on and dusk settled over London Arthur added further pages of notes to the growing pile, until at length, as a footman lighted a lantern to illuminate his study, Arthur sat back in his chair with a smile.
At last he could prove his worth to the world. With ten thousand men he would clear the French out of Portugal, and once that had been achieved the government must surely see that with adequate reinforcements there was ample opportunity of bleeding Bonaparte’s army dry in the hostile plains and mountains of Spain.
The following weeks passed in a welter of details and meetings until early July, when all was ready. Kitty and the two infants had joined Arthur in London and on the eve of his departure he held a final private dinner for his brothers Richard,William and Henry. It was the first time for a number of years that they had gathered together, and as they chattered light-heartedly over the meal, catching up on each other’s news, Arthur could not help thinking back to the days of their childhood when they had played in the gardens of Dangan Castle in Ireland. It seemed an idyllic interlude now. Carefree games on the lawn while faint notes of violin music issued from their father’s recital room. Their mother would sit and sew in the shade of an oak tree and the outside world promised so much.Then came the French revolution and the war, and looking round the table Arthur was proud to note that each of them had risen to the challenge and served their country with distinction. At that moment he felt a surge of affection for his brothers and, slightly the worse for wear, leaned forward and picked up his glass.
‘A toast, my brothers!’
Henry looked at him with an amused smile. ‘A toast? Have you not yet drunk enough, Arthur?’
‘A toast,’ Arthur insisted. ‘I give you family, honour and duty. Long may we hold true to those values.’
Richard nodded. ‘Family, honour and duty.’
The others joined in as they all raised their glasses and then drained every drop.
Shortly afterwards William made his apologies and rose to leave, bracing himself against the table as the room spun round.
‘Oh dear,’ he muttered. ‘I don’t think I am very well.’
‘Come, William!’ Henry laughed as he stood up and moved round the table to support his older brother. ‘Let me take you home. I must bid the rest of you farewell.Thank you for a fine meal, Kitty. God speed and good luck to you, Arthur. Teach those damned Frenchies a lesson!’
‘I will,’ Arthur replied. ‘I promise. God save you, Henry, and you, William.’
When they had left Arthur turned to Kitty, who had been quiet all night. ‘Are you all right, my dear?’
‘I am fine. Quite fine,’ she replied.
‘Really?’ Arthur looked at her closely. ‘You are not sickening for anything?’
‘No. I said I am fine, thank you.’
‘Then why the long face?’
She looked up at him and now he could see the tears gleaming in the corners of her eyes. Her lips were trembling when she spoke. ‘You are going off to war again. I don’t know when you may return, if you return. So far fortune has spared you and sent you home to me in one piece. But can that last, Arthur? One day, a French bullet will find your heart, or a sickness will strike you down. Then I will be left a widow and your children will grow up hardly having known a father. And you ask how I feel?’
Before Arthur could summon a reply she had risen and hurried from the room, leaving her husband and brother-in-law staring after her in surprise.
‘Bless my soul,’ Richard muttered.
‘I’ll speak to her later. Put her mind at rest.’ Arthur poured himself another glass of wine and stared into its red depths.The room was silent for a while before Richard spoke again.
‘Your mood has changed.What are you thinking?’
‘Hm?’ Arthur stirred and looked at his brother. ‘Oh, it just struck me that I have not faced the French since I was in Flanders, fifteen years ago. They were good then, and I dare say that with all the experience Bonaparte has given them they will be even more formidable. They have humbled every army in Europe, except our own. In addition, they outnumber our men overwhelmingly. It is quite a daunting prospect.’
Richard looked at his brother searchingly. ‘Do you think you can beat them?’
‘I think so. They have faced armies who were already unnerved by the prospect of fighting French soldiers. It
