Soldier of Fortune

Edward Marston

Soldier of Fortune

Abigail Piper was overcome with emotion. Having been rescued from being ravished by Seurel, she had seen Daniel surrendering himself on her behalf to the two men. Her feelings of guilt were more intense than ever. She wanted to go back to plead for Daniel's release but she knew that it would be pointless. The chances were that they had already killed him. Henry Welbeck was troubled by the same thought. He immediately began to contemplate revenge. When they had ridden across the plain and into the trees, he eventually spoke to her.

'Who were they, Miss Piper?' he asked.

'I don't know.'

'You must have heard them call each other by names.'

'One was called Charles,' she said, 'and he was English. The Frenchman was called Frederic. He was a dreadful man.'

'What else can you tell me about them'

'Not very much, I'm afraid. They spoke in French all the time.'

'Where did they take you?'

'We spent the night at an inn but I have no idea where it was. I was in a complete daze most of the time. I couldn't eat or drink anything and I didn't get a wink of sleep.'

'Did they bother you in any way?' asked Welbeck tentatively.

'The Frenchman would have,' she said, tensing at the memory of Seurel's kiss, 'but the other man held him back. I'm so grateful to escape from them at last.'

'So am I, miss. It's the captain I'm worried about now.'

'They wouldn't tell me why they wanted to kill him. All that the Englishman would say was that it was something to do with what happened in Paris. Do you know anything about that, Sergeant?'

'Nothing at all,' replied Welbeck discreetly.

'What could Captain Rawson have been doing in Paris?'

'I have no idea.'

'It must have been something very important.'

'Whatever it was, he'll be sorry about it now. Dan Rawson may have taken one chance too many.'

'I don't follow.' 'There's no reason why you should, Miss Piper,' he said quickly, unwilling to confide what he feared. 'You've obviously had a harrowing time. No food, no sleep and the anxiety of not knowing what was going to happen to you — the sooner we get you back to camp, the better.'

Edward Marston

Soldier of Fortune

After riding for five miles or more, they stopped to make sure that they were not being followed. Daniel Rawson still had his hands tied behind his back and his horse was pulled along by its reins. It was an uncomfortable way to ride but he consoled himself with the fact that he was alive to do it. His red coat and tricorn hat still lay on the plain where he had been forced to discard them. He hoped that they would soon be retrieved by British soldiers.

They had paused on rising ground that enabled Charles Catto to have a good view of the terrain over which they had just travelled. He used his telescope to scan the landscape.

'Well?' said Seurel.

'There's nobody there, Frederic.'

'Good.'

'They have more sense than to track us,' said Catto. 'They know that, at the first hint of pursuit, we'd kill their precious captain.'

Seurel chortled. 'Then leave him without his head.'

'Was that your doing?' asked Daniel, surprising Seurel with his command of French. 'Was it you who beheaded Lieutenant Hopwood?'

'It's a special talent I have,' boasted the other.

'Killing the wrong man does not require talent.'

'I've already pointed that out to him,' said Catto brusquely.

Seurel was petulant. 'What does it matter?' he claimed, waving a hand. 'We have the right man now.'

'No thanks to you, Frederic. It's only by the grace of God that Captain Rawson was not killed by that shot you fired near the camp.'

'So that was his doing as well,' noted Daniel.

'He's inclined to be hot-headed at times,' said Catto. 'It's something you should remember if ever you're tempted to make an escape bid. Frederic will be prompted to kill you.'

'I think I understand all about Frederic just by looking at him. You clearly provide the intelligence that he signally lacks.' Seurel voiced his protest. 'I believe that you joined us as Private Will Curtis.'

'That's correct.'

'May I know your real name?'

'Charles Catto. I'm employed by General Armand Salignac.'

'In other words, you're a traitor.'

'Not at all,' said Catto smoothly. 'France is my spiritual. home. I have stayed true to my principles. As for betrayal, you are hardly the right person to accuse another of a crime you've committed yourself.'

'I've never betrayed my country,' affirmed Daniel.

'No, but you did betray Madame Salignac.'

'That was a private matter.'

'It's become a political matter as well, Captain Rawson. The general may be a cuckold but he's not blind. He knows that you didn't seduce his wife out of pure and unbiased love. You took the lady to bed in order to squeeze her dry of every last detail she knew about the French army.'

'Madame Salignac and I were simply friends.'

'You are a spy.' 'I'm a soldier who's proud to serve his country.'

'Well, you'll not be serving it again, Captain Rawson.'

'Tell us about Madame Salignac,' asked Seurel with an oily grin. 'What was she like as a lover? What did she let you do to her?'

'Shut up, Frederic!' said Catto.

'But I want to know the truth.'

'Then you'll have to seduce her yourself. And in case you're wondering,' he went on, turning to Daniel, 'it wasn't the lady herself who confessed your name. It was her maid, Celestine. The general soon broke her. He knows everything now.'

'Is that why he sent you after me?' said Daniel.

'The general has a vengeful streak. "How ever long it takes, how ever much it costs, I want Captain Rawson killed." Those were his very words. But, instead of simply taking your head as a trophy, we can deliver your whole miserable carcass.'

'How much is he paying you?'

'That's between us and General Salignac.'

'Whatever the amount,' said Daniel, trying to negotiate with him, 'His Grace, the Duke of Marlborough would readily double it to buy my freedom.'

Catto laughed derisively. 'Let him treble it, if he wishes,' he said, 'then double that same figure. Frederic and I would still treat it with scorn. There's no way out of this, Captain Rawson.'

'None at all,' added Seurel forcefully. 'We are loyal to France.'

'And so is General Salignac. Before he kills you, I'm sure he'll want to hear everything you have to tell him about the Confederate army. He has a gift for making even the most reticent men talk. By the time the general has finished with you,' he said, kicking his horse into action and towing Daniel along behind him, 'you'll wish you never persuaded that lovely wife of his to spread her legs for you.'

Edward Marston

Soldier of Fortune

The first thing that Abigail Piper did when she reached the camp was to change out of her dress and wash herself thoroughly. As she did so, she unburdened herself to Emily Greene. The maid was sympathetic.

'It must have been a torment, Miss Abigail.'

'I felt certain that they intended to kill me.'

'But they didn't — thank God!' said Emily. 'We've got you back at last. You must try to forget all the horrible things that happened.'

'How can I do that when Captain Rawson is in such jeopardy?' cried Abigail. 'He surrendered to those villainous men in order to set me free but it's not a freedom I can ever enjoy.'

'I can see that.'

'He saved my life, Emily, and I made him lose his!'

Overwhelmed by fear and remorse, Abigail burst into tears and collapsed into Emily's capacious arms. Soothing her as best she could, her maid let her cry her fill then found a clean handkerchief with which to stem her tears. Only when she had recovered something of her composure did Abigail feel able to report to Marlborough, taking Emily with her in case she lost her control once again.