„Britain’s influence,” Argenton said. „We want Britain to persuade the Portuguese leaders to accept Soult as their king.”
„I thought you’d found plenty of support already,” Christopher said.
„I’ve found support,” Argenton confirmed, „but most won’t declare themselves for fear of the mob’s vengeance. But if Britain encourages them they’ll find their courage. They don’t even have to make their support public, merely write letters to Soult. And then there are the intellectuals”-Argenton’s sneer as he said the last word would have soured milk-”most of whom will back anyone other than their own government, but again they need encouragement before they’ll find the bravery to express support for Marshal Soult.”
„I’m sure we would be happy to provide encouragement,” Christopher said. He was not sure at all.
„And we need an assurance,” Argenton said firmly, „that if we lead a rebellion the British will not take advantage of the situation by attacking us. I shall want your General’s word on that.”
Christopher nodded. „And I think he will give it,” he said, „but before he commits himself to any such promise he will want to judge for himself the likelihood of your success and that, my friend, means he will want to hear from you directly.” Christopher unstoppered a decanter of wine, then paused before pouring. „And I think you need to hear his personal assurances. I think you must travel south to see him.”
Argenton looked rather surprised by this suggestion, but he thought about it for a moment and then nodded. „You can give me a pass that will see me safe through the British lines?”
„I will do better, my friend. I shall come with you so long as you provide me with a pass for the French lines.”
„Then we shall go!” Argenton said happily. „My Colonel will give me permission, once he understands what we are doing. But when? Soon, I think, don’t you? Tomorrow?”
„The day after tomorrow,” Christopher said firmly. „I have an engagement tomorrow that I cannot avoid, but if you join me in Vila Real ie Zedes tomorrow afternoon then we can travel the next day. Will that suit?”
Argenton nodded. „You must tell me how to reach Vila Real de Zedes.”
„I shall give you directions,” Christopher said, then raised his glass, „and I shall drink to the success of our endeavors.”
„Amen to that,” Argenton said, and raised his glass to the toast.
And Colonel Christopher smiled, because he was rewriting the rules.
CHAPTER 3
Sharpe ran across the paddock where the dead horses lay with flies crawling in their nostrils and across their eyeballs. He tripped on a metal picketing pin and, as he stumbled forward, a carbine bullet fluttered past him, the sound suggesting it was almost spent, but even a spent bullet in the wrong place could kill a man. His riflemen were shooting from the field’s far side, the smoke of their Baker rifles thickening along the wall. Sharpe dropped beside Hagman. „What’s happening, Dan?”
„Dragoons are back, sir,” Hagman said laconically, „and there’s some infantry there too.”
„You sure?”
„Shot one blue bastard,” Hagman said, „and two greens so far.”
Sharpe wiped sweat from his face, then crawled a few paces along the wall to a place where the powder smoke was not so thick. The dragoons had dismounted and were shooting from the edge of a wood some hundred paces away. Too long a range for their carbines, Sharpe thought, but then he saw some blue uniforms where the road ran through the trees and he reckoned the infantry was forming for an attack. There was an odd clicking noise coming from somewhere nearby and he could not place it, but it seemed to offer no threat so he ignored it. „Pendleton!”
„Sir?”
„Find Lieutenant Vicente. He’s in the village. Tell him to get his men out on the northern path now.” Sharpe pointed to the track through the vineyards, the same track by which they had entered Barca d’Avintas and where the dead dragoons of the first fight still lay. „And, Pendleton, tell him to hurry. But be polite, though.”
Pendleton, a pickpocket and purse snatcher from Bristol, was the youngest of Sharpe’s men and now looked puzzled. „Polite, sir?”