Jack Steel Adventure Series Books 1-3: Man of Honour, Rules of War, Brothers in Arms

‘It is clear that the French Grenadiers, their officer in particular, were pursuing you with a specific prize in mind. Otherwise they would not have dared venture so close to our lines. I can only wonder if Major Jennings is now with the French; whether he has yet been discovered by your Grenadier officer. I do not suppose that he will be very comfortable in his new billet, either way.’

‘A turncoat he might be, Sir, in his loyalty to the Duke, but I cannot believe that even Jennings would turn traitor to his country. Although I am afraid that Colonel Farquharson cannot now bring himself to talk to me, so mortified is he by his relation’s behaviour.

‘But whoever it was alerted the French to my mission, it seems now that Jennings has done their work for them. And in truth, it is I who am at fault, Colonel. I should have been suspicious at his arrival on the march. I should have seen his true purpose. Above all I should not have allowed him to catch me off guard in the heat of battle. I am truly sorry.’

‘I believe, Steel, that I know who may have brought in the French. Jennings had a Sergeant did he not?’

‘Stringer? An accomplice?’

‘The Sergeant, it seems, has been running a racket with the French and selling them supplies. He was dealing through one of the commissaries. Jennings must have let him in on the reason for their expedition and naturally, seeing that there’s money in secrets, he tells his go-between who, for a price, tells the French. It’s not until the second ambush that Stringer realizes he’s signed his own death warrant. Of course the French don’t get him, thanks to you. But the hangman will. Man’s a born traitor. We’ve already arrested his friend. He admitted everything and he’ll swing for it tomorrow.’

‘But not Stringer? You haven’t taken him.’

Steel looked desperate.

‘You must know, Colonel, that Stringer is my chief hope of finding Major Jennings.’

Hawkins placed a hand on his shoulder.

‘Don’t fret, Jack. I guessed that you might have plans for him. Sergeant Stringer believes that he’s got away with it. He’ll be nervous, but that just might make him all the more eager to keep you sweet. He’s yours until you find Jennings. Then he belongs to me.’

There was a cough and both men turned. ‘Let us hope, gentlemen, however we catch our fox that we are not too late to undo the wrong that has been done.’

The voice belonged to Marlborough, who, as they had been talking with their backs to the entrance, had quietly entered the tent. He was alone and Steel turned and met his gaze, giving a short bow.

‘Your Grace. I was not aware …’

‘No, Lieutenant Steel. Indeed. I hear that you have been sorely tried. Two engagements with the enemy. Infantry and cavalry. Hussars if I am informed aright. How did you find them?’

‘They are fine horsemen, Your Grace, but I am of the opinion that too much of their reputation rides upon their appearance. We gave them a good licking, Sir.’

‘And were damn near licked yourself in the process. You were only saved by John Hay’s dragoons. Am I not right? But I do hear that you fought valiantly, Steel. And at least you are safe, eh? How are your injuries?’

Marlborough gestured at Steel’s leg.

‘Have you the proper attention? I have a doctor.’

The icy, grey-green eyes stared deep into Steel’s soul.

‘Thank you, Sir. I have the best of care. And it was no more than a scratch, Your Grace. And a knock to the head.’

‘Given you, I believe, by our friend Major Jennings.’

Steel was at a loss for words. He wondered exactly how much Hawkins had already told the Duke. Marlborough continued:

‘You did everything that was in your power to secure those papers. Everything. Indeed you had them in your very possession. You were not to suspect that Jennings would prove turncoat. You looked at the papers?’

Steel was unsure how to reply but decided on the truth.

‘Yes, Your Grace.’

‘So you know their content?’

‘I saw an address, Sir, in France. The date. Your name. Nothing more.’

‘My signature. Yes. And the name of the … Of another man. You recall the date?’

‘1696. November, I believe, Your Grace.’

Marlborough paused. He seemed for a moment unaware to whom he was speaking.

‘Yes. That was the date. I was asking for King James’ pardon. For a wrong I believed I had committed against him and his house and against my own honour.’

Marlborough recovered himself and looked again at Steel.

‘It was a foolish notion. Another time. Another country. I was another man.’

He walked over to the table, where the servant handed him a glass of wine. He took a long drink and set it back down.

‘And so, God bless the Queen. Nevertheless, gentlemen. Now I think that we should all be very much afraid for I am quite exposed. Open to destruction. My future and the fate of this army, whether or not we prevail in the coming battle, now hangs on the actions of Major Jennings. It was not your fault, Steel, but as I intimated before your departure, should you fail, then we are undone. And I am very much afraid that now that moment is come upon us. What, do you suppose, are we to do? Where will we find the Major?’

Steel was about to speak when Hawkins cut in:

‘Your Grace, we must on all accounts remain calm in this matter. We know that Jennings rode towards the French, he did not ride directly for Flanders and the coast. It should be some consolation that he is still in the country and on the continent.’

Steel spoke:

‘He is with the French, Your Grace. I am quite sure of it. He dare not return to the army at present.’

Marlborough let out a mocking laugh.

‘Ah, I know what you will now tell me, Mister Steel. I have had it before today, from Hawkins. And from my Lord Cadogan and Cardonell. You will tell me that a lone English officer was spied riding on a French cavalry horse by a patrol of our dragoons. That he rode through the French picquets and into their lines. And I dare say that it was Jennings. But that was five days ago. Why, the man could be on his way to the Channel ports by now.’

Steel shook his head.

‘No, Your Grace. With all respect, Sir, I know that he is not. I know it. Look at it from the French point of view, Sir. An English officer gives himself up to them. Tells them he has information that will bring down Marlborough and that he must be given an escort to the coast. Ask yourself, Sir, what you would do. You are about to engage in a battle with your entire force. A momentous battle which will decide the entire campaign, the war perhaps. That is now the sole focus of your attention. Whatever this English officer does now will not change the inevitability of that encounter. Of course, you would like to believe him. But would you? Surely, Sir, your response would be to keep him with your army – on parole – until after the engagement? And then, if you win, send him back to England to offer terms. And if you lose, then you have a secret weapon on which to fall back and wreak catastrophic revenge upon a commander who thinks himself the victor.

‘Surely, it would seem to any French commander that providence had indeed smiled upon him in delivering Major Jennings. Believe me, Your Grace. Jennings is with the French. And that is where I will find him.’

‘Pray do not tell me, Mister Steel, that you propose that you should infiltrate the French camp? We are barely a day away from the fight. Attempt such a foolhardy enterprise and not only would you place yourself in mortal danger but we would be without one of our ablest officers.’

‘No, Your Grace. And you flatter me. But I do agree, Sir, that would be foolish. No, I intend to find Jennings in the course of the battle. And when I have found him then I shall kill him – and retrieve the papers. You have my word on it, Sir.’

Marlborough turned and began to toy with the silver-mounted coconut shell, his favourite drinking cup, which stood on the table in the corner of the tent. At length he turned back to Steel. His face looked ashen.

‘Very well, Mister Steel. Although I shall send out scouts to scour the country for the man. And, Hawkins, you must find his accomplices. But I believe that the principle suspects may already have left us. Tomorrow our army will join with that of the Imperial forces under Prince Eugene. Our friend the Margrave of Baden has departed for Ingolstadt with 15,000 men. Do not look concerned, Steel. In truth his departure is a blessing to me. The man was ever a hindrance. And now, with him happily diverted in a siege, we are free to get to the real business of this campaign. As we speak, Prince Eugene’s army is marching towards us. An army 20,000 strong, gentlemen.’

His eyes ablaze now, Marlborough moved across to the easel which held the tattered cloth map. He smoothed his hand across its surface, narrowing his distance to sweep the road between Münster and Hochstadt.