Free All in Scarlet Uniform (Napoleonic War 4) by Adrian Goldsworthy

was back to her usual distant self.
    The only emotion she had shown after that was anger at Kitty’s folly, only a little mollified by the news of her marriage. Williams and Pringle had stayed a night with his family on their way to Plymouth, and his mother’s manner towards the new Mrs Garland remained frigid. Williams had quietly given his mother a good deal of his funds, feeling that his other two prudent sisters ought not to be less rewarded than Kitty. That sparked a thought.
    ‘You and Anne enjoyed a good deal of conversation,’ he said to Pringle.
    ‘Your eldest sister is a very fine woman.’
    Williams nodded. ‘Yes, she is, and it is only a shame that others do not share her sense.’ He took a deep breath and spoke quietly, for he did not want anyone else to hear. ‘I am sorry, Billy, so sorry, that my family have caused all this.’
    Pringle waved his hand airily. ‘No matter.’ He looked at his friend and grinned. ‘To be honest I was finding the predictability of life more than a little dull. In many ways I shall be glad to be active again.’
    The ship came out into the channel and was immediately hit by the swell, the deck lurching under them. ‘Oh, dear God,’ moaned Pringle. His face had lost all colour save for a faint hint of green. Williams was a poor sailor, but it still amazed him that Pringle, who came from a naval family, succumbed to seasickness so instantly.
    Williams watched his friend stagger across the deck, heading for the companionway and the thin solace of his cot.
    ‘I really am very sorry, Billy,’ he whispered to himself.

6
     
    T hey did not see Fort La Concepción until they were almost on top of it. All of them were weary, having marched a long way through the winter’s cold. The snow had stopped, but their breath steamed as they walked across the thin blanket of white that covered the rolling fields. They had crossed from Portugal into Spain several miles further back without noticing any great change. Those who had served here before knew that, while the land looked the same on both sides of the border, the people were startlingly different in speech and customs for so small a distance. Yet on this bleak day the two nationalities had something in common, for neither Portuguese nor Spanish villagers were fool enough to be abroad. The night before they had heard howling, and more than once today had seen the tracks of wolves in the snow.
    The snow also made it harder to see the square fort, but only a little harder, for the engineer who first laid it down half a century ago had been a master of his trade. It lay on the top of the highest ground, but was so artfully blended into the landscape that it was almost invisible from any distance.
    ‘In its way, quite beautiful,’ said MacAndrews admiringly, and leaned down to pat the neck of his horse.
    Pringle shaded his eyes as he stared at the low ramparts and then pointed. ‘Looks like smoke, Colonel.’
    The Scotsman followed his gaze. ‘I do believe you are right. Well, a fire and hot food will be most welcome.’ He thought for a moment and then grinned happily. ‘You know, I am still not used to being called that,’ he said. MacAndrews held the local rank of lieutenant colonel as commander of the mission to the Spanish army. Local rank was temporary, tied to a place and lasting only as long as the specific duties that warranted it. It meant no change to his actual rank or seniority within the battalion, and so he had not bothered to alter the insignia on his epaulettes. Still, it was nice to have both the title and the pay, even if it was just for a short while. ‘Well, let us take a look at our new home,’ he said. ‘Will you bring up the rear, Billy?’
    ‘Sir.’ Pringle turned his mule and walked the beast back along the column. A few of the other officers rode mounts of one sort or another. Most walked alongside the men, although all save Williams had most of their baggage stowed on the donkeys that followed,