‘In that area. What do you know about it?’
‘A centre for heavy industry,’ Caroline said promptly. ‘Not armaments, but farm machinery, some lorry building, a few metalworking plants.’
‘It’s a river port, too,’ Aubrey said, in an effort to hold up his end. ‘And an important railway hub.’
Tallis grunted and pushed the folder across the desk. ‘There’s more here.’
George scooped it up. ‘Hmm ... I didn’t know it was the centre of Holmland playing card manufacture.’
‘I take it that lorry building and playing cards wouldn’t cause the sort of perturbations the surveillance people are talking about,’ Aubrey said. ‘So you’re suggesting that something new is happening in Stalsfrieden?’
‘New and disturbing,’ Tallis said. ‘Disturbing enough to make us concerned.’
‘When do we leave?’ Caroline asked.
Aubrey hesitated. He’d been thinking that their role was consultative here.
‘You are a novice team, in the extreme,’ Craddock said, pointing with his letter opener. ‘Normally, we wouldn’t be sending you out for months. In many ways, your training has only begun.’
Aubrey’s excitement grew. That didn’t sound like a contradiction. They were going on assignment! He clamped down on his enthusiasm, lest he talk them out of it.
‘These are unusual times,’ Tallis said. ‘We’ve mobilised all our experienced people, they’re already scattering themselves throughout Albion and the Continent, monitoring sensitive sites, inserting themselves into suspect organisations.’ He sucked a breath in through his teeth. ‘If I had my way...’
Craddock tapped the desk with the letter opener. ‘What our esteemed Commander Tallis is trying to say is that we have little choice but to use inexperienced teams like yourself. With trepidation, of course, but these are straitened times.’
Tallis’s face was something like a gargoyle, something like a topographic map as it tried to express his reluctance. ‘At the bottom of it all, you are now members of the Albion armed forces, for better or for worse, so it’s your duty to respond when needed.’ He paused. ‘And remember: you are subject to military discipline, but you have the support of the entire Albion fighting forces.’
Commander Craddock took this up. ‘Which is a roundabout way of pointing out that the military is a hierarchical beast. From Brigadier Ramsthorn down to the lowliest, rawest recruit, the chain of command is an inviolable thing.’
An inkling nudged Aubrey at that moment, a sense of knowing what Craddock was about to say. It wasn’t totally a comfortable feeling and Aubrey was on the verge of actually squirming before he caught himself.
‘The upshot of this,’ Craddock continued, ‘is that before you’re let loose, your commission needs clarifying. For each of you. You may have to deal with Gallian officers, and your status must be confirmed.’
‘Brevetting you as lieutenants is standard procedure, but don’t get big-headed about it,’ Tallis said. ‘It’s the most junior commission we could come up with while still allowing you to hold your head up with the Gallians. Just don’t go swaggering about in front of any of our veterans, the ones who’ve earned their braid.’
Craddock and Tallis shared a look. ‘Which leads us to the matter of a unit commander,’ Tallis said. ‘Despite being irregular and unorthodox, we’ve decided that a command structure is needed. Fitzwilliam, we’ve chosen to brevet you as a captain, in charge of these two. Congratulations,’ he added, and the word appeared to cost him some effort.
Aubrey was astounded. ‘Thank you, sir,’ he managed. ‘Sirs.’
He glanced at Caroline. Aubrey was sure she would have made an excellent unit commander. He wondered if Craddock and Tallis had considered her.
She nodded at him, coolly, and he was certain she was thinking the same thing. ‘Congratulations, Aubrey. I’m sure you’ll lead us well.’
Only if I do it very, very carefully. ‘I’ll do my best.’
‘Well done, old man.’ George slapped him on the back. ‘I’ll continue to suppress my obvious leadership capabilities, of course. I don’t want to rock the boat.’
‘I appreciate it, George.’
Leadership. Official leadership. Aubrey swallowed. Responsibility redoubled.
Craddock studied his letter opener for a moment. ‘What is across the border from Stalsfrieden?’
‘Divodorum,’ George said. ‘The vinegar capital of Gallia.’
‘It’s the home of the University of Divodorum,’ Caroline added.
Aubrey considered this. The University of Divodorum wasn’t one of Gallia’s foremost institutions, but it had been around since the sixteenth century and attracted many foreign students. As with most ancient universities, the town had grown up around it.
‘You’re to be an advance team,’ Craddock said. ‘Blend in with the university students, set up a base, and then we’ll send across a team of sensitives. Closer to the source of the emanations, they may be able to divine more about what’s going on.’
Aubrey frowned. ‘Why are we being so clandestine? Why aren’t we working with Gallian authorities?’
Tallis made another face. This time, he managed to get frustration, irritation and weariness into his grimace. ‘We are. You will have some contact, but we’re being very careful about respecting Gallian sovereignty, with the recent brouhaha and all.’
Of course. Dr Tremaine’s carefully orchestrated revelation that the long-vacated throne of Gallia actually belonged to the royal family of Albion through a long and tortuous tangling of lineage hadn’t torn apart the alliance between the two countries, as Dr Tremaine had no doubt hoped. A number of Gallian patriotic groups were agitating for such, however, with demonstrations and riots, and relations were generally strained.
Which is not a good thing when embarking on a war, Aubrey thought.
‘Albion military presence in Gallia might be seen as provocative,’ Caroline said. ‘Especially among the civilian populace.’
‘Exactly,’ Craddock said. ‘So a secret operation appears best. You will be required to take no action – simply setting up a base and helping the surveillance team once it arrives. Keep the lowest of low profiles.’
Aubrey had a frisson of fear. This was real, going so close to the enemy border.
Craddock leaned forward. ‘One more thing: we have reports that the Holmlanders have agents throughout Divodorum.’
Tallis grunted. ‘It’s what we’d do. Have people cross the border, intelligence gathering, making preparations. You won’t know who to trust, so trust nobody.’
‘We’ll be on our own,’ Aubrey said. The creeping apprehension wasn’t fear, Aubrey told himself. And if it was fear, it was probably healthy. It would help keep him alert, wary. Alive.
‘Apart from one local liaison agent,’ Craddock said. Carefully, he placed the letter opener in front of him. Aubrey took note of how it was exactly parallel with the edge of the desk. ‘A Gallian who will make himself known to you. He may be useful.’
Aubrey sat back in his chair and put his hands together, rubbing them slowly. He glanced at his friends. Caroline was solemn, but looked determined. She put a hand to the brooch at her collar and then frowned thoughtfully. He could imagine her arranging all the implications of what they’d just been told and then ticking them off once she was satisfied. Very little escaped Caroline. George had his arms crossed and showed not a trace of levity. He looked like someone who’d been told about an impending, unavoidable operation, something to be endured rather than enjoyed.
Aubrey knew exactly how they felt.
Thirteen
