‘Id still like to kick the bastard’s teeth in, sir.’
‘I assure you the Tippoo might do that without any help from you,’ Gudin said grimly.
Sharpe and the Colonel spurred ahead of the prisoners to cross the bridge back to the city where they dismounted at the Mysore Gate. Sharpe handed the mare’s reins to Gudin who thanked him yet again and tossed him a whole golden haideri as a reward. ‘Go and get drunk, Sharpe,’ the Colonel said, ‘you deserve it.’
‘Thank you, sir.’
‘And believe me, I’ll tell the Tippoo. He admires bravery!’
Lieutenant Lawford was among the curious crowd who waited just inside the gate. ‘What happened?’ he asked Sharpe.
‘I buggered up,’ Sharpe said bitterly. ‘I bloody well buggered it up. Come on, let’s spend some money. Get drunk.’
‘No, wait.’ Lawford had seen the redcoats coming through the flame light of the gate torches and he pulled away from Sharpe to watch as the thirteen prisoners were pushed at bayonet point into the city. The crowd began jeering.
‘Come away!’ Sharpe insisted and he tugged at Lawford’s elbow.
Lawford shook off the tug and stared at the prisoners, unable to hide his chagrin at the sight of British soldiers being herded into captivity. Then he recognized Hakeswill who, at the same instant, stared into the Lieutenant’s face, and Sharpe saw Hakeswill’s look of utter astonishment. For a second the world seemed to pause in its turning. Lawford appeared unable to move, while Hakeswill was gaping with disbelief and seemed about to shout his recognition. Sharpe was reaching to snatch a musket from one of the Tippoo’s infantrymen, but then Hakeswill turned deliberately away and composed his features as though sending a silent message that he would not remark on Lawford’s presence. The twelve grenadier prisoners were still a few yards behind and Lawford, suddenly realizing that yet more men of his battalion might recognize him, at last turned away. He pulled Sharpe with him. Sharpe protested. ‘I want to kill Hakeswill!’
‘Come on!’ Lawford hurried down an alley. The Lieutenant
had gone pale. He stopped beside the arched doorway of a small temple that was surmounted by a carving of a cow resting beneath a parasol. Little flames sputtered inside the sanctuary. ‘Will he say anything?’ Lawford asked.
‘That bastard?’ Sharpe said. ‘Anything’s possible.’
‘Surely not. He wouldn’t betray us,’ Lawford said, then shuddered. ‘What happened, for God’s sake?’
Sharpe told him of the night’s events and how close he had come to making a clean break back to the British lines. Tt were bloody Hakeswill that stopped me,’ he complained.
‘He could have misunderstood you,’ Lawford said.
‘Not him.’
‘But what happens if he does betray us?’ Lawford asked.
‘Then we join your uncle in the bloody cells,’ Sharpe said gloomily. ‘You should have let me shoot the bastard back at the gate.’
‘Don’t be a fool!’ Lawford snapped. ‘You’re still in the army, Sharpe. So am I.’ He suddenly shook his head. ‘God Almighty!’ he swore. ‘We need to find Ravi Shekhar.’
‘Why?’
‘Because if we can’t get the news out, then maybe he can!’ Lawford said angrily. His anger was at himself. He had been so beguiled by exploring the existence of a common soldier that he had forgotten his duty, and that dereliction now filled him with guilt. ‘We have to find him, Sharpe!’
‘How? We can’t ask in the streets for him!’
‘Then find Mrs Bickerstaff,’ Lawford said urgently. ‘Find her, Sharpe!’ He lowered his voice. ‘And that’s an order.’
‘I outrank you,’ Sharpe said.
Lawford turned on him furiously. ‘What did you say?’
‘I’m a corporal now, Private.’ Sharpe grinned.
‘This is not a joke, Sharpe!’ Lawford snapped. There was a sudden authority in his voice. ‘We’re not here to enjoy ourselves. We’re here to do a job.’
‘We’ve done it bloody well so far,’ Sharpe said defensively.
‘No, we haven’t,’ Lawford said firmly. ‘Because we haven’t got the news out, have we? And until we do that, Sharpe, we’ve achieved nothing. Absolutely nothing. So talk to your woman and tell her what we know and get her to find Shekhar. That’s an order, Private Sharpe. So do it!’ Lawford abruptly turned and stalked away.