tent and he was sweating so heavily that the blush went unnoticed.
“Your sergeant?” Wellesley asked.
“You mean your havildar?”
“Sergeant, sir,” Torrance said.
“I inherited him from Captain Mackay, sir. Sergeant Hakeswill.”
“Hakeswill!” the General said in astonishment.
“What’s he still doing here? He should be back with his regiment!”
“He stayed on, sir,” Torrance said, ‘with two of his men. His other
two died, sir, fever. And he had no alternative orders, sir, and he
was too useful to let go, sir.”
“Useful!” Wellesley said. He had been the commanding officer of the
33rd, Hakeswill’s regiment, and he knew the Sergeant well. He shook
his head.
“If you find him useful, Torrance, then he can stay till Gawilghur’s
fallen. But then he returns to his regiment. You’ll make sure of
that, Campbell?”
“Yes, sir,” the aide said.
“But I believe some of the 33rd are on their way here, sir, so the
Sergeant can return with them.”
“The 33rd coming here?” Wellesley asked in surprise. “I ordered no
such thing.”
“Just a company, sir,” Campbell explained.
“I believe headquarters detailed them to escort a convoy.”
“Doubtless we can make use of them,” the General said grudgingly.
“Is it awkward for you, Sharpe? Serving with Hakeswill?” Officers who
were promoted from the ranks were never expected to serve with their
old regiments, and Wellesley was plainly wondering whether Sharpe found
his old comrades an embarrassment.
“I daresay you’ll get by,” the General said, not waiting for an
answer.
“You usually do. Wallace tells me he’s recommended you for the
Rifles?”
“Yes, sir.”
“That could suit you, Sharpe. Suit you very well. In the meantime,
the more you learn about supplies, the better.” The cold eyes looked
back to Torrance, though it appeared the General was still talking to
Sharpe.
“There is a misapprehension in this army that supplies are of small
importance, whereas wars are won by efficient supply, more than they
are won by acts of gallantry. Which is why I want no more delays.”
“There will be none, sir,” Torrance said hastily.
“And if there are,” Wellesley said, ‘there will be a court martial. You
may depend upon that, Captain. Major Elliott?” The General spoke to
the engineer who until now had been a spectator of Torrance’s
discomfiture.
“Tell me what you need to build our road, Major.”
“A hundred bullocks,” Elliott said sourly, ‘and none of your spavined
beasts, Torrance. I want a hundred prime Mysore oxen to carry timber
and road stone. I’ll need rice every day for a half-battalion of
sepoys and an equivalent number of pioneers.”
“Of course, sir,” Torrance said.
“And I’ll take him’ Elliott stabbed a finger at Sharpe ‘because I need
someone in charge of the bullocks who knows what he’s doing.”
Torrance opened his mouth to protest, then sensibly shut it.
Wellesley glanced at iSharpe.
“You’ll attach yourself to Major Elliott, Sharpe. Be with him at dawn
tomorrow, with the bullocks, and you, Captain Torrance, will ensure the
daily supplies go up the road every dawn. And I want no more summary
hangings.”
“Of course not, sir.” Torrartce, relieved to be let off so lightly,
ducked his head in an awkward bow.
“Good day to you both,” the General said sourly, then watched as the
two officers left the tent. He rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn.
“How long to drive the road, Elliott?”
“Two weeks?” the Major suggested.
“You’ve got one week. One week!” The General forestalled Elliott’s
protest.
“Good day to you, Elliott.”
The engineer grumbled as he ducked out into the fading light.
Wellesley grimaced. “Is Torrance to be trusted?” he asked.
“Comes from a good family, sir,” Blackiston said.
“So did Nero, as I recall,” Wellesley retorted.
“But at least Torrance has got Sharpe, and even if Sharpe won’t make a
good officer, he’s got the makings of a decent sergeant. He did well
to find those supplies.”
“Very well, sir,” Campbell said warmly.
Wellesley leaned back in his chair. A flicker of distaste showed on
his face as he recalled the terrible moment when he had been unhorsed
at Assaye. He did not remember much of the incident for he had been
dazed, but he did recall watching Sharpe kill with a savagery that had