Read Online Flashman in the Peninsula by Robert Brightwell - Free Book Online
Authors: Robert Brightwell
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eye that latched straight on to Campbell, whose jaw had started to sag at the sight of her. The second sister winked at me and whispered that it was time for us to leave.
‘My companion just wants to show me a portrait of her mother,’ I told Campbell over my shoulder, but I was not sure he was paying attention. Once out of the room, my girl closed the door and turned the key in the lock.
‘We would not want him escaping too soon would we?’ she said with a grin, but it was soon evident that escape was the last thing on Campbell’s mind.
After a sudden exclamation of, ‘Oh you are pros...’ there was giggling from the girls and then, ‘Oh God’ repeatedly from Campbell, accompanied by the sound of breaking crockery. We listened for a few seconds but then I felt fingers undoing buttons and in a moment I found that I had literally placed myself in the hands of a skilled professional who drew me away upstairs.
Fifteen guineas will buy you a lot in Portugal, and we stayed there for the rest of the afternoon and the night. I recall steak and eggs arriving at one point along with bottles of red wine, but it was hard to enjoy a peaceful repast with the ardent noises coming up from below. With the girls giggling and Campbell yelling, they seemed to be making up for three years in one night. I swear he was howling in Gaelic at one point and another time I heard him roar to one of the girls that he was going to bend her over and ... Well what he shouted was not for sensitive ears, but suffice it to say that it would have made John Calvin choke on his beard.
Chapter 5
I woke up the next morning feeling well pleased with myself. A good rattle always leaves me in fine fettle. I left the house early and as I passed the ground floor room I tried the door. It was now unlocked and the interior looked as if it had been hit by a hurricane. There was a tray and a pile of broken crockery in the corner, half eaten plates of food and bottles on the floor, and in the middle of the room was a mound covered by rugs and a blanket. From it protruded a male foot and two female calves of different complexions, while a loud snoring emanated from within. Saint Flashy I thought, your duty is done.
I strolled back to the palatial building that Wellesley was now using as his headquarters. Apart from sentries, few people seemed to be about, so I went up to the map room where Wellesley had given us a briefing the previous day. At first I thought it was empty but then a familiar voice barked from a corner of the room by the window, ‘Ah Flashman, perfect timing. You haven’t seen Campbell in your travels have you?’
‘I have not spoken to him since yesterday sir,’ I answered honestly, if not fully. Wellesley was sitting in his usual plain blue coat at a small table by the window, reading through a pile of despatches.
‘Well help yourself to coffee and join me over here will you, there is something that we need to talk about.’ Once I had settled in the chair opposite the table he continued, ‘You ought to know that I have had a despatch about you from Horseguards.’
‘Really,’ I said guardedly; I sensed from the tone that this was not good news.
‘Yes, that damnable fellow Tasker seems to think you are involved in the Clarke affair somehow. He uses the duke’s name to require me to advise him of anything to support his suspicions. It is a gross impertinence.
‘That is ridiculous sir, I can assure you...’ but Wellesley waved my protests aside.
‘Don’t worry. I have no doubt as to your innocence. You are not the only one, there are three other names on the list and I am sure that they are innocent too. But Horseguards seems determined to get to the bottom of the matter. They have insisted that I take Sir William Erskine onto my staff as he is close to certain members of the court. He is to be an unofficial investigator and I am ordered to give him every assistance. Do you know the man? No? Well he is a dangerous and
‘My companion just wants to show me a portrait of her mother,’ I told Campbell over my shoulder, but I was not sure he was paying attention. Once out of the room, my girl closed the door and turned the key in the lock.
‘We would not want him escaping too soon would we?’ she said with a grin, but it was soon evident that escape was the last thing on Campbell’s mind.
After a sudden exclamation of, ‘Oh you are pros...’ there was giggling from the girls and then, ‘Oh God’ repeatedly from Campbell, accompanied by the sound of breaking crockery. We listened for a few seconds but then I felt fingers undoing buttons and in a moment I found that I had literally placed myself in the hands of a skilled professional who drew me away upstairs.
Fifteen guineas will buy you a lot in Portugal, and we stayed there for the rest of the afternoon and the night. I recall steak and eggs arriving at one point along with bottles of red wine, but it was hard to enjoy a peaceful repast with the ardent noises coming up from below. With the girls giggling and Campbell yelling, they seemed to be making up for three years in one night. I swear he was howling in Gaelic at one point and another time I heard him roar to one of the girls that he was going to bend her over and ... Well what he shouted was not for sensitive ears, but suffice it to say that it would have made John Calvin choke on his beard.
Chapter 5
I woke up the next morning feeling well pleased with myself. A good rattle always leaves me in fine fettle. I left the house early and as I passed the ground floor room I tried the door. It was now unlocked and the interior looked as if it had been hit by a hurricane. There was a tray and a pile of broken crockery in the corner, half eaten plates of food and bottles on the floor, and in the middle of the room was a mound covered by rugs and a blanket. From it protruded a male foot and two female calves of different complexions, while a loud snoring emanated from within. Saint Flashy I thought, your duty is done.
I strolled back to the palatial building that Wellesley was now using as his headquarters. Apart from sentries, few people seemed to be about, so I went up to the map room where Wellesley had given us a briefing the previous day. At first I thought it was empty but then a familiar voice barked from a corner of the room by the window, ‘Ah Flashman, perfect timing. You haven’t seen Campbell in your travels have you?’
‘I have not spoken to him since yesterday sir,’ I answered honestly, if not fully. Wellesley was sitting in his usual plain blue coat at a small table by the window, reading through a pile of despatches.
‘Well help yourself to coffee and join me over here will you, there is something that we need to talk about.’ Once I had settled in the chair opposite the table he continued, ‘You ought to know that I have had a despatch about you from Horseguards.’
‘Really,’ I said guardedly; I sensed from the tone that this was not good news.
‘Yes, that damnable fellow Tasker seems to think you are involved in the Clarke affair somehow. He uses the duke’s name to require me to advise him of anything to support his suspicions. It is a gross impertinence.
‘That is ridiculous sir, I can assure you...’ but Wellesley waved my protests aside.
‘Don’t worry. I have no doubt as to your innocence. You are not the only one, there are three other names on the list and I am sure that they are innocent too. But Horseguards seems determined to get to the bottom of the matter. They have insisted that I take Sir William Erskine onto my staff as he is close to certain members of the court. He is to be an unofficial investigator and I am ordered to give him every assistance. Do you know the man? No? Well he is a dangerous and
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