Napoleon's Guard

by Griff Hosker

  “Help me up and then I will think better.” I helped him up and he looked around. “Where are they? “

  “They ran off.”

  “That is convenient.” There was a sarcastic element to his words

  I turned to go to my horse. “I have saved you and done my duty. Good day sir. I had thought for at least a thank you but I can see none is forthcoming.”

  I picked up Badger’s reins and heard the ominous click of a pistol being cocked behind me. “It may well be that I thank you but not just yet. Turn Scotsman, I have not finished with you yet.”

  I was becoming angry. I turned and saw the pistol pointing at my middle. I smiled and slowly opened my left palm. He glanced at it and I swung my right hand to knock the gun to the floor. I then grabbed him by the jacket. “I have had enough of you. You ingrate! I have saved you and now I will go.” I pushed him to the ground and then picked up his pistol. “If you follow me again then I will finish what those highwaymen started.”

  He rose and smiled, “I am sorry. Please forgive me it’s just that...” He suddenly seemed to remember the dead man and he ran over to turn the body over. “Poor David, he is dead.”

  “I take it he was not your assailant?”

  “No he was my brother.”

  I could now, perhaps, understand a little of his behaviour. He would be upset beyond belief if his brother had died. “I am sorry for your loss.”

  “Quickly, put his body on your horse. We need to leave quickly before those men return with others.”

  I was used to obeying orders; even ones I did not understand and I did as he asked. The colonel retrieved his pistol and we headed towards Piccadilly. The colonel said little as we hurried towards the buildings leading to the main thoroughfare. He kept glancing around to see if we were being pursued.

  “Come this way.” He seemed to know where he was going and I just led Badger in the direction he indicated.

  “Your arm will need a doctor.”

  “I know. I am not a fool! Sorry. Thank you for your concern. We are heading for Berkeley House. A friend of mine is there and he is a doctor. It is the nearest safe house that I know.”

  When we reached Portugal Street he seemed to relax more. There were people around but they were wrapped up for the weather. His brother’s body was concealed by a greatcoat and attracted no undue attention.

  “Here it is.” He led me around the back of the grand mansion to the gate at the rear. He rapped sharply on it. A head appeared around the side and there was a whispered conversation. The gate widened and the colonel waved me in. He pointed to the stable. “Take your horse in there.”

  “And your brother’s body?”

  “He is beyond caring and I have something important to do in here first.”

  He seemed callous to me but then I had never had a brother and did not know the way things worked in families, never having had one. I took the body off the horse as carefully as I could and reverently laid it on the ground. I had done this many times for fallen comrades; I knew how to respect the dead. I took Badger’s saddle from his back and then examined his hoof. The linen did not look to be badly stained and I hoped that I would be able to get him seen to soon. I spied a bag of apples hanging from the wall and I gave him one. “I’ll be out as soon as I can, boy!”

  A servant with a torch was waiting for me outside. “If you would follow me, sir.”

  He led me into the kitchen where the cooks were busy preparing food. They assiduously avoided my gaze. We went through a labyrinth of corridors until we reached a magnificent looking door. The servant knocked and I heard a voice say, “Bring him in.”

  I entered the room not knowing what to expect. There was the colonel and three other men in the room. One of the men was a doctor for he was stitching the colonel’s wound. The other two were wearing military uniforms. I did not know British ranks but they both appeared to be more senior than a mere colonel. They glanced at me when I entered and then went back to watching the colonel being tended to.

  When the doctor had finished the colonel dressed and he sipped from the glass on the table. They all turned to look at me. The colonel said, “This, gentlemen, was a spy working for Napoleon Bonaparte the last time I saw him.” All three men looked surprised and began to examine me. It was most discomfiting. “So, as you can imagine, when I was attacked by agents of the French Government who were trying to get their hands on these papers, I was surprised to be rescued by this same spy.”He turned to me and spread his arms.

  “I am not a spy.”

  “But you were.”

  “No sir. I was a captain of the 17th Chasseurs delivering a message that is all.”

  “Oh come now Robert, you do yourself a disservice. You were one of the most accomplished agents I ever met.”

  The small thin faced man said, “Colonel, stop badgering him and let him tell his story.” I noticed that he had a Scottish accent. “And give him a drink. I think he deserves that, at least for rescuing you.”

  The colonel shrugged and poured me a glass of something. I sipped it and recognised it as brandy. “Thank you sir. May I have the honour of knowing your names?”

  The thin faced man said, “Not until we are all happy with you and your story.”

  “Do you mind if I sit? This may take some time.”

  The other senior officer who had a fine beard and moustache said, “Of course but be quick we have dinner in an hour.”

  I sat and began to tell them my story from the time I left Naples. I told everything from the massacre of the 17th and the desertion of Bonaparte to my duel with Hougon. I brought them up to date with the death of Lambert and my visit to Scotland. As I finished I tossed off the contents of my glass. “So you see gentlemen I am wanted by the French authorities and by the British legal system in addition to which I have been disowned by my family. If you want to make up another crime for me then go ahead. It makes no difference to me. I brought the colonel here because he asked me to and I have enjoyed a drink but now, unless you wish more answers I shall leave.” I stood. They looked at each other with unspoken questions on their lips. My hand was already on my still bloody sword. If I had to fight my way out then I would.

  The colonel smiled. “I am sorry Robbie. Now that I have heard your story I can see that I have misjudged you. I apologise for my earlier behaviour which was quite inexcusable.”

  “Thank you for the apology and good night.” I turned to walk out of the door.

  “Won’t you please stay and listen to my story.”

  The old man with the whiskers said, “I say Sinclair. Do you really think that is necessary?”

  “Yes Sir William. I once offered this young man employment and right now I think he is even more valuable than he once was. This man can speak French, Italian and English. He is a fine soldier and he has worked behind enemy lines. Even more than that he never panics, at least I have never seen that trait. He could be as valuable to us as this document I hold and for which my brother died.”

  “I agree with the colonel.” The thin faced man held out his hand. “I am Sir John Moore and like Sir William here I am a general. I would be most interested to speak with you.” He turned to the doctor, “Roger, would you go and ask the housekeeper to set another place for dinner.” The doctor left and Sir John poured me another brandy. “Go on James tell him why you were so suspicious.”

  “As you have probably deduced, for you are patently not a stupid man, I am not an ordinary soldier. I work in the Intelligence branch at the War office. My brother was an agent who brought a valuable piece of information from France. You need not concern yourself with its contents. I met him tonight and I was bringing him here to meet these two gentlemen when we were attacked by those French agents you chased away. Unfortunately my brother was killed but you saved the information. However as I knew that you had acted as a spy for Bonaparte and you were French naturally I thought that you were part of the conspiracy.”

  “But I saved your life.”
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  He shrugged, “In this business deception is always part of the game. You could have been deceiving me to ingratiate yourself into my confidence.”

  I nodded, “But now you trust me.”

  He smiled, “Of course, you have proved your innocence.”

  I smiled back and then leapt to my feet drawing my sword and placing it at the throat of Sir John. “Or I could be incredibly devious just to get into this house and take the document.”

  Sir William gasped, “Preposterous! There are three of us.”

  “Are there? Let us examine that. The colonel is wounded. With due respect Sir William you are old, fat and I suspect slow. The only danger to me is this man and I have a sword at his throat. Within three blows you would be dead and I would be away.”

  Sir William was like a dog with a bone and he would not let it go. “Ridiculous! How would you escape from here?”

  I sheathed my sword, having demonstrated my skills. “I would take the document and walk out the way I came in. I would smile at everyone and then ride away and catch a boat to Calais.”

  There was a stunned silence and Sir John clapped his hands together slowly. “And it would work. I take it by the fact that you have sheathed your sword that you are not a French spy?”

  I bowed my head, “You are correct sir.”

  “I think this young man has promise, James.”

  “I thought so before and now I am convinced.”

  Sir John looked at Sir William, “Sir William?”

  He is quick with that blade but, I say sir, fat? And old? A little much eh?” They all laughed which made me feel much happier about the situation.

  The doctor returned, “Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes.”

  The colonel looked at my hands which were still covered in blood. “Would you like to wash before dinner?”

  “I would appreciate that sir.”

  “And I will send a man up to sponge your clothes too.”

  After my clothes had been cleaned along with me I felt much better and I descended to the dining room. It was a pleasant and civilised dinner. The colonel sat on one side of me and Sir John on the other.

  “You know sir you would make a perfect light infantryman.”

  The colonel laughed, “Sir John, he is too big and heavy. Your men are like jockeys!”

  “But James he has all the skills needed. I have never seen a blade as quick. My God sir when that tip touched my throat I thought I was dead for sure.”

  “I am afraid that I am a cavalryman Sir John, but our French Light Infantry do fight well.”

  “When I have finished working with Dundas we will have better troops believe me.”

  “Now Robbie… what is your new name?”

  “Matthews.”

  “Well, Robert Matthews, I think that it was a good idea to change your name. The French know Macgregor and, it appears, so do we.” I looked downcast. “Oh do not worry about the charges. I will have them dropped and the name of Robbie Macgregor will disappear for ever.”

  I felt a sense of relief. Despite my innocence I never trusted policemen of any description. They seemed lazy and too ready to pin a crime on the nearest man- in this case, me. “Thank you sir.”

  “Now how do you feel about working for me?”

  “How do you mean?”

  “I want you to travel abroad and do for me what you did for Bonaparte.”

  “I do not know if I could betray my country.”

  “Your father was an aristocrat executed by revolutionaries and you were betrayed by this man who is one step away from becoming a king who has not been anointed. We do not want France destroyed. We want the Royal Family returned to where they were. We are not fighting against France, we are fighting against Bonaparte and the tyranny he would bring.”

  It seems simple now but that argument persuaded me. “Very well sir. What do I do?”

  “We need a cover for you and so we will purchase a commission for you in a Light Dragoon regiment. The document I secured tonight suggests that there will be peace soon and that means that officers will go on half pay which will allow you to go to France and spy for us. Then when the war starts again, and believe me it will start again, you will serve with your regiment until I need you to do little jobs for me. How does that sound?”

  I had to admit that I was excited about the prospect. I would be able to fight against the monster that was Bonaparte and I would still be a soldier. I missed the camaraderie of the regiment and the action which accompanied war. It had been the only life I had known since the age of seventeen. I also liked the idea of fighting in an army I admired. “It sounds fine sir.”

  I said little at dinner but listened much. I did learn that Sir John Moore was a general who was forward thinking and appeared to be the new star of the British army. Since the debacle in the Low Countries which had resulted in the satirical rhyme, The Grand Old Duke of York, there had been a change in the direction within the war department. Ironically it was the Duke of York who appeared to be driving those reforms.

  During a lull in the conversation between the fish and the meat courses I asked the colonel a delicate question which had preyed on my mind since we began to eat. “Sir, what of your brother? I cannot enjoy my food knowing that a brave soldier lies in a stable.”

  “It does you great credit, Robert, that you think of someone you barely know. Fear not. The doctor arranged for the undertakers to remove my brother’s body. If I appear to be enjoying the food believe me it is many miles from the truth. It tastes of sawdust but in my profession you have to learn to detach yourself from personal feelings. I will grieve for my dead brother in my own time. He was a brave soldier.” He leaned back as the main course was laid before him. “It is a pity you did not meet for you would have got on well. When I first met you I was reminded of my brother.”

  “Did he serve as a soldier too?”

  “He was a captain in the 11th Light Dragoons.” He smiled at the servant who had just served him his vegetables and then turned to me. “That is how I know there will be a commission available. You will replace my brother in the 11th.”

  He was a calculating man and I was beginning to see just how cold he was. I suppose I should have been used to that having worked for Bonaparte but the men I admired more were the likes of Albert and Jean. They cared about their men. As I listened to the conversation of the three senior officers I began to see that their world was different from that of the ordinary soldier. They were thinking of the big picture whereas those of us in regiments thought only of the men around us who were more important than the pieces of land which the politicians and generals craved.

  As the meal drew to a close and the three senior officers smoked their cigars they all focussed their attention on me. Colonel Selkirk fixed me with his hawk like stare. “So, have you changed your mind having listened to what we said this night? If you leave now you can go your own way again but if you choose to work for me then you become a British soldier with all that that entails.”

  There was an air of expectancy. I sipped the port which still remained in my fine crystal glass and then wiped my mouth with my napkin. “I am still a relatively young man and, for the moment, it suits me to work for you.”

  I could see that Sir William appeared a little put out. “I say sir, that sounds damned ungracious to me. I would have thought that you would have leapt at the chance to serve.”

  Sir John shook his head, “You forget Sir William that this is a man without a country and I understand why he feels the way he does but I also believe that once he has served in a British regiment his loyalties and his views will change.”

  Colonel Selkirk also gave me a wry smile, “Besides which, Sir William, this man is a tricky customer and as slippery as an eel. If he chose to leave us then he would do so easily. I agree with Sir John. He will come to love this country which my brother died for. So sir, have you an answer?”

  “I think I gave it to you. I will serve you.”

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bsp; “Good then you have a week to put your affairs in order. I will get these charges dropped tomorrow. You will come to Horse Guards one week from now and present yourself at my office.” That was it, it was done I would soon be in the British Army.

  I would not need a week to prepare myself but I would be leaving many unanswered questions. I went the next day to a fine stationer for I would need to write letters. It was unlikely that I would see any of my friends again. I could visit Mr Fortnum and Mr Hudson but they were not the friends in my life. I wrote to Geordie, Count Alpini, Sir John and Captain Dinsdale. Each letter was different but each letter told them of my disappointment in Scotland and my change of name. I assured the captain that my offer to buy a share in a boat was still there and I asked him to look after my interests. I told them all that I would be joining the Light Dragoons but kept Colonel Selkirk a secret. They did not need to know that. I took the letters to Mr Fortnum and asked him to see them delivered. He was pleased that I had had the charges dropped but I could see that he was disappointed with my choice of career.

  “You have a fine head for business. There are other empty headed men who can ride horses and fight. You could be a rich man if you chose business.”

  “Perhaps when I am old and tired of the life of action then I will do as you suggest but for now I will follow my heart. I do thank you for all your kindnesses and I hope that we can remain friends.”

  “Of course and you say your regiment is to be the 11th Light Dragoons?”

  “Yes I believe so.”

  He smiled, “Then I will be able to get in touch with you for the officers of all the Light Dragoons are good customers of ours.”

  Mr Hudson was an easier prospect. He and I wrote a document which his clerk witnessed to allow him to invest my money. He was less worried about my future than Mr Fortnum had been. “When you retire from the army I can promise you that you will be a rich man. I am a cautious but wise investor and the wars mean profit for those clever enough to spot the investment opportunities.” He leaned forwards, “I understand that there is to be new docks built along the river called London Docks. I am already purchasing land along the river. As soon as the project is announced then the price of the property will soar and you will have more than doubled your money.” He leaned back, “Of course sir, you will have to pay a fee for my services, but it will be worth it.”