Hakeswill watched as Harper looped the string over the peg. So this was Sharpe’s bloody woman? It looked like that, from the way she smiled at him, touched his arm, and Hakeswill knew he should have pushed the bayonet through the slut’s throat when he had a chance. God, but she was beautiful, and he felt the desire still there and he would have her, by God, he would have her! Then he looked at Sharpe’s face, tight with anger, and Hakeswill shrugged. So he was about to have the hell beaten out of him? He had been beaten before, and a beating meant no rape charges, and anyway the girl was the only witness and she was obviously unharmed. His face twitched violently, and he could not stop it, and then he remembered how the girl had angered him, made him rush his attack, and he decided that the same tactics would work on an angry Sharpe. ‘Whores for the officers, does she, Captain? How much? I can pay for her filth. ‘
Harper growled, Teresa started forward, but Sharpe checked them both. He looked only at Hakeswill, took two paces towards him, and it seemed as if he had not heard what the Sergeant had said. He cleared his throat, spoke mildly. ‘Sergeant Hakeswill. You and I, through no choice of mine, find ourselves in the same Company. Do you understand?’ Hakeswill nodded. So the jumped-up little bastard was going to do his officer act! Sharpe spoke calmly. ‘We have three rules in this Company, Sergeant, are you listening?’
‘Yes, sir!’ Hakeswill fancied the bitch. He would have her, too, when the time came.
‘Those rules are as follows, Sergeant. ‘ Sharpe spoke in sweet reasonableness, as a Captain to a valued noncommissioned officer, though whether he was a Captain or no, he still had no idea. ‘First, that you fight well, that you fight to win. I know you can do that, Sergeant, I’ve watched you. ‘
‘Yes, sir!’ Hakeswill barked the response.
‘Second, that no man gets drunk without my permission. ‘ Sharpe wondered if his permission would be worth a used musket ball in a few hours, but then let Rymer look after Lieutenant Price. ‘Understand?’
‘Yessir!’
‘Good. And third, Sergeant.’ Sharpe was now two paces from Hakeswill, ignoring the muttered Spanish threats from Teresa. ‘Third, Sergeant, that you steal nothing, except from the enemy, and except when you’re starving. Understand?’
‘Sir!’ Hakeswill was laughing inside. Sharpe had turned as soft as bloody butter!
‘I’m glad you understand, Sergeant. Shun!’
Hakeswill sprang to attention and Sharpe kicked him between the legs. Hakeswill snapped forward and the officer’s right hand cracked into his face, too high, but with enough force to send him staggering backwards.
‘Shun! I’ll tell you when to move, you bastard!’
Habit froze the Sergeant, as Sharpe had known it would. Hakeswill’s survival in the army depended on absolute obedience to orders. Beyond that, anything could be done, but to disobey orders was to risk losing his stripes, his privileges, and his position to torment others. Hakeswill was hurting badly, but he stood still. Perhaps, the Sergeant thought, Sharpe had not gone quite as soft as he thought, but no man had got the better of Obadiah Hakeswill and lived to boast of it. Sharpe faced him again. ‘I’m glad you understand, Sergeant, because that will make our life easier. Don’t you agree?’
‘Sir!’ It came out as a grunt of pain.
‘Good. What were you doing to my woman?’
‘Sir?’
‘You heard, Sergeant.’
‘Getting acquainted, sir.’
Sharpe hit him again, hard in the great belly, and again Hakeswill bent forward and again Sharpe brought up the heel of his hand into the face, this time on the Sergeant’s nose so that blood started from it. ‘Still!’
Hakeswill was shaking with anger, the years of discipline fighting the desire to hit back, but he stilled himself, stood to attention, and then the involuntary twitching spasm jerked his head and Sharpe bellowed again. ‘Still! I didn’t give you permission to move!’ Sharpe stepped closer, almost inviting Hakeswill to hit him. ‘What happens next, Hakeswill? I suppose the Company will begin to lose things. Spare boots, camp kettles, pipe clay, brushes, belts, and good Sergeant Hakeswill will be reporting the losses, am I right?’ Hakeswill did not move. ‘And then it will be sabotage on weapons. Threads stripped on the flint screws, missing tumblers, wet mud down barrels. I know your tricks. How many floggings do you want before they’re all paying you money? Three, four?’