‘Let us be clear, sir.You’d like me to organise the operation.’
‘Yes.’
‘Then who is to command it? Me?’
‘I haven’t decided yet.’ Sir John’s gaze flickered away from Arthur and out through the window on to the gardens below. ‘I certainly think you would be as fit a man for this command as any senior officer in India. But I will need to consult with the senior officer in the presidency, General St Leger. If we agree, then the command is yours. In the meantime, I’d be grateful if you took charge of organising the operation.’
‘Very well, sir.’ Arthur felt a surge of pride at being given such a responsibility, mingled with anxiety that he would be superseded before he was given the chance to wield the force once it was put together. He cleared his throat as he rose from his chair. ‘Thank you, sir. I promise I won’t let you down.’
Sir John nodded, without shifting his gaze from the gardens. ‘Do your duty, Colonel. That’s all anyone can ask of you.’
‘I will, sir.’
Throughout the hot months of June and July, Arthur made preparations for the capture of Manila. The Indiamen assigned to the assault force were anchored opposite the fort and their boats made available for training the 33rd in landing procedures. The redcoats sweated in the searing sunlight as they were rowed from the ships to the river bank where they disembarked as quickly as possible and formed up in their companies on the shore, ready for action. Then they were drilled for an orderly withdrawal to the boats in the event that their attack on Manila might fail. After that, the boats were rowed back to the Indiamen and the soldiers clambered up the sides of the ships, only for the entire performance to be gone through again.
As the men went about their drills, Arthur and his small staff drew up lists of all the supplies and equipment that would be required for the voyage to Manila, the assault, and then a subsequent two months’ rations in case the Spanish launched a counter-attack.Training and hygiene schedules had to be worked out for each vessel, since Arthur was adamant that his soldiers were not going to suffer the same debilitating conditions that had dulled their edge of the voyage from England.
When the first packet of letters from Kitty arrived, Arthur read through them again and again, briefly taking in her notes on the social life in Dublin before concentrating on the sections where she spoke of her feelings for him. Every nuance of every word was carefully weighed before he allowed himself to believe she still loved him as strongly as ever. He held the letters in his hand tenderly, as if they were an extension of her body, and then carefully put them away in his writing box before turning his mind back to his duties.
Then, at the start of August, when the preparations were complete, Arthur was summoned to Sir John’s office early one morning. As he strode from his house up the track that led to the fort he glanced out across the river to where the flotilla lay serenely at anchor. Even at this distance the red coats of his men were visible on the ships they had finished boarding the day before. The expedition would be able to sail this very day, if Sir John gave the order.
For the first time in his life in uniform Arthur felt pleasure at the prospect of an independent command. With the capture of Manila, he would surely be granted ever greater responsibilities, and the beginnings of a reputation that would free him from the shadow of his oldest brother. Even Tom Pakenham would be forced to sit up and take notice of the name Arthur Wesley. And Kitty would surely be thrilled at his success. The brief flight of fancy ended abruptly as he reminded himself that the expedition had not even weighed anchor yet. He was fantasising like a young fool, he reflected bitterly. He must learn to control his feelings and thoughts more thoroughly.
Arthur entered headquarters and made his way up the stairs to Sir John’s office. The Governor General was not alone. Seated in one of the chairs on the far side of his desk was the slight, dapper figure of General St Leger.
Sir John smiled warmly as he waved Arthur towards a spare seat. ‘Wesley, I have some news for you! An overland dispatch arrived yesterday.Your brother, the Earl of Mornington, has been offered the post of Governor General.’
‘Has he accepted, sir?’ Arthur asked eagerly.
‘The dispatch didn’t say. But he’d be a damn fool not to, eh?’ Sir John grinned for a moment, and then the expression faded quickly as his gaze transferred to the other officer present. ‘There is one further piece of news. General, would you be so good as to explain.’
General St Leger nodded and turned to Arthur with a kindly smile that immediately made Arthur’s heart sink as he guessed what was coming.
‘The thing of it is,Wesley, that I’m going to assume command of the expedition.’
‘Oh . . .’
‘Now I realise that you’ve put a lot of work into this. The 33rd’s a damned fine regiment, and so’s their colonel. Everyone in Calcutta says as much. No one doubts that you’ve a fine career ahead of you, and you would have made a fine job of leading this operation.’
Arthur did not want to hear any more platitudes. His first big opportunity to make a name for himself was being taken away and he had to know the cause. ‘Why are you taking command, sir?’
‘Ah, well, I don’t suppose you are unaware of the fact that the destination of your - my flotilla has become common knowledge in Calcutta. Moreover, a Danish merchant ship arrived a week ago and left yesterday, for Manila.’
Arthur felt cold rage course through his veins as he turned to the Governor General. ‘Then why wasn’t the order given to impound the ship until after the expedition sailed, sir?’
‘I have no legal right to do that, Colonel.’
‘But we are at war, sir!’
‘Not with Denmark,’ Sir John said firmly. ‘Not yet, and I have no desire to go down in history as the man who provoked the Danes into fighting alongside France. I had to let the vessel sail.’
Arthur pressed his lips tightly together before he made another angry comment, and there was silence for a moment. Then General St Leger spoke.
‘I think it’s safe to assume that the Spanish will know we are coming. They might have had a little time to improve their defences, but given that they are Spanish that should not worry us unduly.’
His attempt at lightening the mood failed. Arthur continued to glare at him, and St Leger continued in a flat tone. ‘Given that the odds have shifted somewhat in the enemy’s favour I thought it was important the expedition be commanded by a senior officer with some experience, and I accept that responsibility.The Governor General is of the same mind, is that not so, Sir John?’
‘Yes,’ Shore replied with a guilty glance at Arthur. ‘It makes sense.’
‘So,’ the general opened one of his hands towards Arthur, ‘I’d like you to assume the role of my second in command. As I said, you’re a fine officer and what’s more you know the men and you know the plan better than anyone else in Calcutta. Do please do me the honour of serving with me on this expedition.’
For a moment Arthur was tempted by some churlish spirit to turn the offer down. If they were so keen to take the expedition away from him, then let them suffer the consequences of a last-minute change of command. But it would not be these officials who suffered if things went badly. It would be the ordinary men once again. Arthur knew that he must accept this latest humiliation. He owed the men of the 33rd that much at least for all the loyal service they had shown him.
‘I’d be pleased to accept, sir.’ He forced himself to smile.
General St Leger slapped his hand down on his thigh. ‘Good man! I knew you’d see the sense of it.There’ll be another chance for you, Wesley. Take my word for it, this war against France has the makings of another Iliad.’
‘I hope that Manila falls more quickly than Troy did, sir.’
‘What? Oh yes, of course.’ St Leger frowned as his conceit was pricked. ‘Now then, you can brief me fully on the plan and then we will set sail at once.’ He turned to Sir John. ‘Of course, that’s once you give the order, sir.’