Sharpe's Peril Page #4

Two days,

then we're away.

So, who is he, then, Paddy?

Your Colonel Sharpe?

That would be "Mr Harper"

or "Sergeant Major Harper",

when addressing me, Private Croop.

Who is he, though? He put Colour

Wormwood in a brown study.

You'd know, Dan, you'd know.

For of all studies, I swear, there's

none as brown as yours.

He's no proper officer,

that much is plain.

He's more of an officer than you'll

ever meet, Croop.

He don't talk like no officer.

He may not have

the holiday and lady terms

that some of your peacocks so easily

command,

but when your back

is against the wall,

he's the one man you want beside

you.

How is the Subedar?

Very weak, ma'am.

He has lost much blood.

Though he suffers me to touch him,

he will take of me no water.

Even this I am only able to do

when he sleeps.

Dustoor hai. It's the custom,

a stricture of his birth.

But if he does not let me help him,

he will die.

Perhaps, but...

Subedar Pillai would sooner death

than to break his caste.

Colour Wormwood.

Volunteers for a forage party.

Your section will serve.

Begging your pardon, sir,

but that's coolie work.

Can't have King's men cutting corn,

not while Company troops are sat on

their arses.

Company troops are needed here,

Colour.

To protect the column.

And if the bandits should return,

sir?

Company troops made a pretty poor

show of it last evening.

And Mr Beauclere is only a lad.

A mount of pluck is worth a ton of

sh*t and that lad has got pluck.

So would you

with a name to live up to.

'Appen his father

were a brevet major.

Captured Marshal Jourdan's

baton at Vittoria.

Begging your pardon, again, sir,

but I wouldn't put much money

into that tale.

There's only one Beauclere I know of

at Vittoria.

And he was no brevet major.

Bewrayed his breeches at the first

volley and turned tail.

Provosts found him after the battle,

at an inn, drunk as a judge

and in such a condition,

put a rope to his neck.

You are mistaken, Colour Wormwood.

There was another Captain Beauclere

upon the field that day.

Indeed, sir.

And was there?

I do not know the particulars of

this other fellow,

but I assure you

it was my father who captured

Jourdan's baton.

Aye.

Stay with the column, then,

if that is your will.

Thank you, sir.

Something you wanted of us,

Mr Beauclere?

It's Miss Bonnet, sir.

She's taken a horse.

I tried to stop her, sir, but...

she said she would only be some

short while.

What the hell

do you think you're about?

I wanted to ride.

I can see that. Perhaps you've

forgot.

But only last night we were attacked

by Chitu's bandits.

They will be far behind us by now.

I wouldn't be so sure.

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