Free Lance
Page 36
‘It is most shocking, indeed,’ Caroline agreed calmly. ‘Oblige me by raising your knee - so. Hold steady; this may hurt.’ She trickled water in the gash and swabbed the blood. ‘Be persuaded your war is ended, sir. Henry, surely, can take command and do what needs to be done.’
General Wrangham bustled in, blinked at the gorgeous trappings and the battered form on the couch. ‘Ha, Amaury! I am sorry to find you hurt. A capital battle you fought, by God - and a glorious victory!’
”Tis not complete, Sir John,’ Amaury croaked. ‘We must hunt and destroy, or the Bhonsla will recoup his strength and come again ... your men are fresh... pursue directly, I beg!’ ‘Impossible! Our horses are quite done up, could not raise a trot. The Marathas have run like the wind; infantry and bullock guns will never overtake ’em.’
Amaury groaned. ‘All wasted, then.’
‘Nonsense, sir!’ the general said decisively. He sat on the edge of the couch and gripped Amaury’s limp hand. ‘You have taken forty guns, all the transport, every stick of baggage. And this’ - he gestured widely round the pavilion - ‘treasure enough to make you rich for life. What more can you desire?’
‘Berar will return... with a stronger force.’
‘I vastly doubt it. Mornington makes war on all the Maratha states, and Wellesley is marching. Within months, I vow, Berar will cease to exist!’
‘And Dharia likewise vanishes down the Company’s hungry gullet.’
‘I daresay, I daresay. You can’t, with all your skill, prevail against Wellesley’s armies. Nor will the Company tolerate an independent state inside Berar. ‘Tis probable,’ said Wrangham enjoyably, ‘those pedantic quilldrivers in Mornington’s secretariat will turn Dharia into a District, and appoint the rajah Collector! God strike me blind - you a civil servant!’
Caroline said firmly, ‘Papa, your observations are excessively disturbing. Captain Amaury is unwell. Pray go away, and leave him in peace!’
‘Hey? Ah, quite so, quite so! Very well, m’dear. Mr Todd, how are your guards disposed? We must ensure those damned najibs don’t plunder the camp at will. A picket, for a start, in the buzar...’
Earnestly conversing, they strolled from the pavilion. Caroline settled a cushion under Amaury’s head and drew a coverlet to his chin. He moved restlessly, and muttered, ‘There is much to be done. I cannot lie here helpless as a babe in arms.’
Caroline found a footstool and sat beside the couch. ‘Rest assured, sir, you will not move for two days at the least - and then you travel in a palenkeen.’
‘So?’ Amaury bared his teeth. ‘By whose authority?’
‘Mine,’
‘Vixen.’ His eyelids drooped. ‘I have not thanked you … for your attentions... probably saved my life.’
‘All I ask is you do not throw it away by foolish endeavours for duties beyond your strength.’
‘Very well. I submit.’
Amaury seemed to doze, his breathing quick and shallow. Caroline watched him, her face unguarded, all her heart in her eyes.
He stirred, and woke. ‘Confounded dreams... you went... for ever.’ His hand sought Caroline’s, held it tight. ‘As indeed... you will... to Madras…’
‘No.’
‘Why not? Ah, I had nearly forgot... Henry wants ... resign commission ... stay in Dharia... command my army. Stupid... I shall not permit…’
‘Henry’s desires are quite a matter of indifference to me - and you are talking too much.’
A trickle of blood diluted with sweat coursed Amaury’s cheek from the bandage swathing his head. Caroline moistened a cloth and wiped it away. ‘Tut! You have opened the wound. Now I must rebind it. Keep still!’ She unwound the linen, renewed the pad, tied the bandage and lowered his head on the cushion. ‘Now try to sleep, I beg you!’
‘In a moment. Caroline... you do not... love Henry Todd?’
‘I never have.’
‘Yet you insist... on staying. Why? So difficult... I cannot think...’
Caroline put her lips to his ear. ‘Go to sleep, my dear. You know the reason well.’
Amaury lay very still, staring at the pavilion’s painted ceiling. The ghost of a smile touched the dry cracked lips.
‘Caroline Amaury... Ranee of Dharia?’
‘More like,’ said Caroline dryly, ‘Mrs Collector Amaury, Dharia’s Senior Bibee!’
GLOSSARY
bahadur Brave
banian Head servant of a household
betel Nut of the Areca palm
bibee Woman
dacoit A robber or brigand
dhooly A covered litter
durbar Conference
fanam Coin worth about 7 farthings at contemporary value
Fringee Native term for a European
hackery Covered cart drawn by buffaloes
havildar Sepoy infantry NCO, equivalent to sergeant
hircarrah Mounted irregular used as scout, messenger or spy
jemadar Native officer of cavalry or infantry, roughly equivalent to second-lieutenant
lac A hundred thousand
lascar Native seaman
mirasdar Official appointed to administer a group of villages
mohur Coin worth about £2 at contemporary value
naigue Sepoy infantry NCO, equivalent to corporal
najib Musulman irregular infantryman
pagoda Coin worth about 8 shillings at contemporary value
peon A low-quality irregular soldier
risaldar Native officer of cavalry, roughly equivalent to lieutenant
subhadar Native officer of infantry, roughly equivalent to lieutenant
yakdan Animal-borne leather box