Read Online Whose Business Is to Die by Adrian Goldsworthy - Free Book Online

French,’ Williams said, feeling his own frustration bubbling up again. Dunbar was gesturing for him to stop, and he guessed this was already a well-troddentheme, but he could not desist. ‘There was no sign of it, none at all, and yet they are all so convinced.’
    ‘Fools.’ Colborne steadied himself, breathing hard for a few moments. He had a reputation for never swearing – an attribute Williams greatly admired and did his best to match, but a rare one in this army. He suspected that he had come very close to seeing the habit broken.
    ‘Fools,’ the colonel said more softly. ‘We saw the charge from here – the most beautiful thing I ever did see – and the French were swept from the field. An aide tried to tell me that they were surrounded, but I sent him back to assure Marshal Beresford that they were not. We saw it all as plain as day, and yet we were not believed.’
    ‘The marshal did not have clear sight of the action,’ Williams offered, knowing that it was a weak justification. A general in charge of an army should find the best spot from which to survey the field. Moore would have done, and so would Lord Wellington.
    ‘Fools or knaves.’ Colborne repeated the phrase. There was something rueful about the way he spoke the next words. ‘There was a most brilliant coup de main staring us in the face and we threw the chance away.
    ‘Well, I had better ride and see what our lords and masters want of the brigade, since they have not deigned to inform us.’ Colborne kicked angrily at the side of his horse and cantered off down the hill.
    Dunbar sighed. He had removed his cloak to show the silver epaulettes and green facings of his regiment, for like the colonel he served in the 2/66th and the two men knew each other well. Williams found the captain to be a friendly man and a good soldier, and was sure that without the latter quality he would not have held this post regardless of his affability.
    ‘The colonel has had a trying day,’ Dunbar said. ‘He cannot abide mismanagement or lack of spirit, and unfortunately he expressed himself fully when the marshal’s aide came to us. Sadly, General Stewart was with us and he took the criticism as apersonal insult – though I have no doubt that none of it was directed at him.’ Major General Stewart had commanded the brigade until he was moved up to have charge of the entire Second Division. He was a slim terrier of a man, well liked and well respected.
    ‘Stewart demanded a retraction. The colonel would only say that a brilliant opportunity had been squandered. The general looked at him coldly and said, “Well, then, in future, Colonel Colborne, I shall only address you in the most official manner.” Just like that, and then he galloped off. It is sad for they have always been good friends. I have heard the colonel say more than once that General Stewart is the bravest man he has ever known. So sad.’ Dunbar shook his head.
    The French were now a dark smear on the landscape, almost at the horizon. No one was following them, and the heavy dragoons had dismounted to rest their horses. Williams wondered where Hanley was, and where the cavalry had gone.
    ‘We are such a happy army,’ Dunbar said, half to himself.

5
    T he horses pounded over the earth. The grass was wet, but the soil had been so dry that now they were on the plain it had simply sucked up the rain and was still as hard as rock. Hanley felt his horse excited by the sheer joy of running with so many others, a herd rushing it did not matter where so long as they were running.
    At the start the Portuguese cavalry had kept to formation, moving no faster than a trot. Then they saw a dozen dragoons forming up – they must have fled off to the side and avoided the onslaught of the 13th Light Dragoons.
    Swords scraped on scabbards as they were drawn and without orders the leading squadron charged, the others following. They did not cheer, but shrieked like excited children. Hanley gripped his own