They were alone in the tent. While Cardonnel had been writing some letters, Marlborough was poring over a map of Flanders. He was so motionless that his secretary began to wonder if he’d dozed off from exhaustion. Cardonnel reached out to touch his shoulder.
‘Are you still awake?’ he asked, softly.
Marlborough stirred. ‘Of course I am, Adam. I can’t but be awake. At a time when I most need it, I seem to have forgotten how to sleep.’ He used a palm to suppress a yawn. ‘If my wife knew how ill I feel, she’d probably rush here with a brace of physicians and a bag full of potions. That’s why I keep the full truth about my condition from her.’
‘You can’t hide it from me, Your Grace.’
‘I know. What you see is what I see in the mirror every day and it’s a dispiriting sight. But for this periwig,’ he went on, toying with the elaborate curls, ‘you’d notice how grey my hair has become. I’m sinking into senility.’
‘Yet you still have more vigour than the rest of us.’
‘I don’t feel that I do, Adam. But enough of my ailments,’ he said, sitting up and trying to marshal his thoughts. ‘Beside the work we have to do, they are an irrelevance. And I’ll wager a king’s ransom that the French army won’t suspend their activities simply because the enemy commander is feeling a trifle unwell.’ He indicated the map. ‘What’s their next move? That’s what I want to know. What are Burgundy and Vendome up to?’
‘They are probably asking the same question of you.’
‘And so they should. We must keep them guessing.’
‘They are probably still wondering how we managed to thwart their planned attack on Antwerp. That was a setback for them.’
‘Thanks to good intelligence, we nipped that plot in the bud and it was vital that we did so, Adam. We can’t let a citadel like Antwerp fall into their hands. It’s so well fortified,’ said Marlborough. ‘It’s the reason I want it to become the capital of the Spanish Netherlands. Brussels is too difficult to defend for any length of time. Antwerp would be a much more secure base.’
‘I agree with you, Your Grace, but the idea did not exactly win favour with the Dutch.’
Marlborough groaned. ‘None of my ideas ever excite them,’ he complained. ‘I know I’ve said it a hundred times before, Adam, but trying to lead a coalition army is like fighting with my hands tied behind my back. I can never do exactly what I want at a precise time of my choosing.’
‘Granted — then it’s all the more credit to you for achieving such remarkable victories in this war. You’ve overcome both the might of the French army and the shortcomings of our Allies.’
‘We may have to do so again, Adam,’ said Marlborough, placing a finger on the map. ‘Latest reports place the French here at Soignies. I’d hoped to divert part of their army by a feint to the Moselle but Prince Eugene’s force is not even fully assembled yet. Do you see what I mean about having my hands tied?’ he went on. ‘We need Eugene here this very minute. Instead, he’s held up in Vienna on government business. Don’t they realise that this war is government business as well?’ he asked, slapping the table for effect. ‘While our best ally is still in Vienna, we are left facing the entire French army.’ He took a deep breath then smiled apologetically. ‘Forgive me, Adam. I’m telling you nothing you don’t already know. It just eases my mind a little if I vent my spleen in private.’
‘You certainly never do so in public, Your Grace,’ said the other with admiration. ‘Your forbearance is an example to us all. In your dealings with our allies, you always contrive to appear gracious and accommodating.’
‘And you know the reason why.’
‘Yes…we’ll never win this war without them.’
‘Too true, alas,’ said Marlborough. ‘That’s why we have to tolerate Dutch caution and Prince Eugene’s delay. Allies are such a crucial component of any success in the field — and it’s high time we had a real success.’
‘Nobody will ever forget Blenheim,’ said Cardonnel, stoutly, ‘and Ramillies was, I reckon, even more significant. The French have achieved nothing comparable in this war.’
‘Yet they still keep coming back at us, Adam, turning our gains into losses. Even though they’ve sustained enormous casualties, they’ve somehow mustered an army of 100,000 men. Think how much money and sheer effort went into recruitment. They must have scoured every corner of France. And while they were rebuilding so furiously, how did our Parliament react?’
‘Disappointingly, Your Grace.’
‘Disgracefully is a better description. When the Recruiting Bill came before the Commons, the provision for a compulsory levy of men was thrown out. It’s heartbreaking. If we get no backing from our own country, how can we possibly equal French numbers?’
‘New recruits are no match for seasoned soldiers.’
‘Burgundy and Vendome have both at their disposal. They know that they’re stronger than we are. I fear they’re about to venture.’
‘They’ve shown little sign of it so far, Your Grace. French armies in the past have tended to watch and wait.’
‘This time it could be different,’ said Marlborough, gloomily. ‘Vendome outwitted us last year so he’s full of confidence. Then we have the Duke of Burgundy, fresh to the field, keen to show his mettle, anxious to impress his grandfather, the King. Yes, I know he lacks experience,’ he went on as Cardonnel was about to speak, ‘but Vendome can provide that. What Burgundy offers is youthful enthusiasm and the natural conceit of royalty — he believes that’s it’s his right to win.’
‘You’ll soon relieve him of that misapprehension, Your Grace.’
‘I might do if I had a full complement of men at my disposal. As it is, we’re at a clear disadvantage. We just have to hope that the French don’t launch a major attack in the near future,’ confided Marlborough. ‘Otherwise, we could be in grave danger.’
‘When we left England,’ remembered Cardonnel, ‘you wanted to provoke an attack. You hoped that our apparent weakness would tempt Burgundy and Vendome to offer battle. You even talked about abandoning Brussels, if need be, and withdrawing to Antwerp.’
‘That plan was conceived on the assumption that Prince Eugene would already be on the Moselle and thus able to march north in support of us. But he’s not even here yet. Oh, I would love a battle, Adam,’ said Marlborough rising to his feet with a touch of his old defiance. ‘I’d love to lock horns with the French again. We need a victory that will echo around the whole of Europe. It’s the only way to bring the Grand Alliance back to life again.’
Daniel Rawson had to wait over a week after his visit to the farm before he had the chance to call on Henry Welbeck. The sergeant was in a typical pose, legs apart and hands on his hips as he berated the men who were digging some new latrines. On a hot day, they were positively dripping with sweat. Daniel’s arrival prompted Welbeck to move well away from them. The men heaved sighs of gratitude.
‘Good afternoon, Henry,’ said Daniel, cheerfully.
‘I see nothing good about it.’
‘We’ve got some sunshine at last. Doesn’t that gladden your hard old heart?’
‘No, Dan, it doesn’t.’
‘Oh?’
‘Fine weather might tempt the Frenchies to offer battle,’ said Welbeck, grimly, ‘and we’d be outnumbered. That’s why everyone in the camp is so nervous. They feel an attack is on the cards. From the moment we moved here, we’ve been on the alert.’
‘You’ve not been too alert,’ said Daniel, peering at his friend’s unshaven face. ‘Have you forgotten where you put your razor?’