The Duke's Alliance: A Soldier's Bride(7)

'I would have thought she would wish to live with her mother or perhaps live with your parents – but I should be delighted to have her back.'

Their conversation was brought to a dramatic halt as Beth tumbled from the carriage squealing with excitement and threw herself into Sullivan's embrace. His cousin was led away chattering and laughing, her maid close behind, and two unfortunate soldiers ordered to stagger along with the boxes and trunks.

An officer, a major from his epaulettes, saluted and bowed. 'Your grace, it is an honour to have you here. The wedding is to take place outside the cottage in an hour from now. That will give me ample time to give you all the information that I have about the disappearance of your brother.'

Inside the tent it was no cooler than out. Beau had expected to find it immaculate, everything in its place, but the opposite was true. The place was strewn with items, but he was relieved to see they were not of a personal nature but military related. Maps, documents, notebooks, a compass, a spyglass, a sword and a pistol covered the small wooden table, the canvas bed, the stool, as well as a large part of the floor space.

Major Robertson was unabashed by the untidiness. He smiled and swept the papers from the bed and stool so they could sit down. 'Forgive the chaos, your grace, I don't have time for military precision and I can't let an orderly see what I have here.'

Beau perched on the stool before answering. 'One would assume, sir, that most orderlies would not have the ability to read and write therefore your information would remain secret.'

'Unfortunately, they will all deny being literate as this could lead to extra work, but you would be surprised at how many common soldiers can decipher enough to make them dangerous. I don't suspect them of being traitors, of wishing to sell the information to the French, but they will gossip about what they know and there are always spies somewhere in a camp this large.'

'Surely leaving the papers lying around so openly would mean that one of these spies could wander in and read them for themselves?'

'Fair point, your grace. You might not have noticed, but there are four men guarding my quarters at all times of the day and night. No one comes in here apart from myself and those I invite.'

'Then I apologise for suggesting otherwise. Now, as I must leave immediately after the wedding ceremony has taken place we had better get down to business. How long has my brother been missing and what have you done to try and find him?'

'He and his orderly were expected to rendezvous with the leader of a partisan group but they never arrived. This was in July. You must understand, sir, that we could hardly go in search of them as they were behind enemy lines. We have had to rely on the information we have been able to obtain from villagers and partisans.'

'Which is?'

'Nothing at all, I'm sorry to inform you. There's been no sighting of either of their horses or themselves. It has now been more than ten weeks since they vanished and we must assume that they are either dead or prisoners of the French.'

'I thought it was customary for the names of prisoners of war to be exchanged.'

'That is true. Their names were not on the last list we received but there is a slim possibility that they are being held by one of the roving companies who work more or less independently from their regiment.'

'Then if you would kindly show me the exact position of the proposed meeting so I can mark it on my map, I shall leave you to your work.'

'I can do better than that, your grace, I have already prepared a map and marked on it the route he might well have followed.' He handed over the paper and Beau perused it carefully.

'Thank you, this will make it easier for me to retrace his possible path.'

The major's expression was grim. 'I must tell you that I think this mission foolhardy and highly dangerous. It is only because you have three other brothers able to take over your responsibilities if you perish that convinced Wellington to give you permission to make the search.'

'I do not require anyone's permission. I am not a member of your army, take orders from no one, and have no intention of leaving this country without my brother at my side.' He stood up, folded the map, and pushed it into his pocket. 'What I am about to say might seem at odds with my appearance, but I am convinced I would know if my brother was dead. We are a close family; my siblings are equally sure I will find him alive.'

He offered his hand and the major shook it. 'I wish you godspeed and good luck, your grace, you are going to need it.'

'There is another possible explanation for his absence. He could have been severely wounded and is unable to travel. I believe that is the most likely of the three.'

The hired carriage had already departed and the wedding party was gathering outside the house. The padre was waiting with Lieutenant Sullivan and there were a dozen or so other officers milling around. The fact that there were no other women was a worry – Beth would need someone to guide her. Following the drum was not an easy path for any young lady and especially not one as pampered and volatile as his cousin.

He supposed he should have made more of an effort with his own appearance, but he had no time for such nonsense. Finding Perry was more important than a wedding.

*

Perry had been given a small house for his occupation and one of the local women and her daughter took care of the house and cooked for him. Juan, the son of the blacksmith, had become his orderly. Indeed, he had become far more than that and he considered the young man as a friend. It had been surprisingly easy adjusting to being dressed, bathed and shaved by someone else and he could only suppose that in his past life he had had a manservant taking care of his every need.