Soldier of Fortune

CHAPTER EIGHT

When she came hurrying towards him, Daniel Rawson did not know whether to be pleased or disturbed by her arrival. He was relieved to see that she was alive and apparently uninjured but troubled that she would expect much more from him than he was able to give. Her face was shining with such exultation that he could not resist giving her a warm smile in return and offering both his hands. Instead of seizing them in a gesture of greeting, however, she flung herself against him and forced him into a full embrace. Watching soldiers made ribald comments and Daniel felt self-conscious.

'How nice to see you again, Abigail,' he said, gently detaching himself from her. 'I'd heard that you sailed for Holland but I never imagined that you'd catch up with us.'

'I can do anything when I set my mind to it.'

'So I see.'

'Especially when I have someone like Emily to help me,' she said, turning to indicate her maid who stood beside the wagon. 'Emily has been a saint. When I asked her to come with me, she was afraid that Father would punish her for it but she came nevertheless. I think Father will praise her for the way she's looked after me.'

'You've caused Sir Nicholas a lot of heartache.'

'That couldn't be helped.'

'He wrote to the Duke of Marlborough to tell him what you'd done. That was how I got to hear of your little adventure.'

'Oh dear!' she exclaimed. 'I was hoping to surprise you.'

'You've certainly done that, Abigail,' he said. 'When I saw those troops riding up, the last thing I expected was for you to jump out of one of their wagons. Where have you been since you left England?'

'I've so much to tell you, Daniel. It's been extraordinary. Is there somewhere we can talk in private?'

'Yes, of course — we'll go to my tent.'

'Come and meet Emily first,' she insisted. 'She deserves thanks for getting me here in one piece.'

Daniel walked back to the wagon with her and was introduced to the maid. He had glimpsed her on his visit to the Piper household in London but had spared her no more than a cursory glance. Emily looked flushed and weary. When she shot Daniel a look of intense admiration, he realised how much Abigail had been singing his praises. Behind her deference and her blind loyalty to her mistress, he sensed that Emily was a resourceful young woman, brave enough to endure the vicissitudes of travel through foreign countries and robust enough to stand guard over Abigail.

Calling a man over, Daniel instructed him to escort Emily to the area where the camp followers were accommodated. The women who trailed the army in the baggage wagons were no longer the prostitutes and slatterns of former days. Because they caused distraction and spread disease, Marlborough had outlawed them from his army. In their place were the wives and women friends of the soldiers, willing to accompany their men into places of great danger and acting as washerwomen, cooks, seamstresses and, occasionally, as nurses on the way. Emily went off with the soldier, who carried what little luggage she and her mistress had brought.

As they walked together through the camp, Daniel collected many envious stares while Abigail harvested appreciative whistles and muttered words of wonder. He was grateful to take her into his tent and away from the public gaze. Abigail gazed lovingly up at him then she suddenly burst into tears.

'What's the matter?' he asked, enfolding her tenderly in his arms. 'You're safe now, Abigail. There's no need for you to cry.'

'I never thought we'd get here,' she said, biting her lip. 'Some terrible things happened to us on the way. It was dreadful. What frightened me most was that, even if we did manage to reach the army, you might not be here. Our journey would have been in vain.'

'Why not sit down and tell me all about it?'

'It's so wonderful to see you again, Daniel.'

'And it's wonderful to see you,' he said, guiding her to a stool and sitting beside her. 'Now dry your eyes and let me have a proper look at you.'

Abigail took a handkerchief from her pocket and dabbed at her tears. The exigencies of travel had left their signature on her. Some of her bloom had gone and her hair was matted and lacking its former sheen. Her cheeks had hollowed slightly, making her beauty a little ravaged. As he appraised her, Daniel could see all the things that had attracted him to her but he no longer regarded her through the eyes of a potential lover. What she now aroused were his paternal instincts. Instead of wanting her in his bed, he felt impelled to protect her by taking on the role of a father.

'It was your fault,' she said quietly. 'You were responsible for my decision to come here.'

'I gave you no encouragement to do such a thing, Abigail.'

'Yes, you did. It was when we met over dinner that night. Lord Godolphin asked you about some of your escapades and you said — I remember it clearly — that there were times when you had to act on impulse and follow your inner promptings.'

'I was talking about the heat of a battle,' he recalled, 'about decisions made in a time of crisis.'

'That was exactly my position,' she said earnestly. 'When I heard that you were leaving me, I was faced with a crisis. So I did what you advised, Daniel, and acted on impulse. I let my heart rule my actions.'

'But think of the consequences.'

'I reached you at long last and that's everything to me.'

'Didn't you consider how hurt and anxious your parents would be? They must be sick with worry — and so must your sister. The wonder is that Dorothy made no mention of your flight in her letter.'

Abigail was stung. 'Dorothy wrote to you?'

'Her letter caught up with me in the Netherlands.'

'But she told me that it would be wrong to write to you. In fact, she dissuaded me from doing do, saying that it would make you think less of me if I put pen to paper. Yet all the time,' she went on, anger reddening her cheeks, 'my sister planned to send you a letter herself. That was vile treachery. What did she say?'

'She simply wrote to wish me good luck,' said Daniel, hiding the truth from her. 'I can only assume that her letter was sent before you decided to sail after me.'

'Has she written to you again?'

'No, Abigail.'

'Are you sure?'

'I had one short letter and that was that.'

'Have you kept it?'

'No,' said Daniel, 'and even if I had, I'd not have shown it to you. It's private correspondence, Abigail. It has no relevance to you.'

'It has great relevance,' she said, still enraged. 'It proves what a lying and deceitful sister I have. Dorothy is not content with having her own admirers, she's trying to steal you as well.'

'That won't happen,' he assured her.

'Do you give me your promise?'

'Yes, Abigail.'

'What Dorothy did was unpardonable.'

'On balance,' he said, 'I think that it might have been better for all concerned if your sister had not written to me and if you had not pursued me halfway across Europe.'

Her face crumpled. 'Aren't you pleased to see me, Daniel?'

'I'm always pleased to see you,' he replied gallantly, 'but I'd rather do so in the safety of an English house than in a theatre of war. You've seen the size of our army, Abigail. The French and Bavarians will throw just as many men into the field. It's simply not a place for a young lady like you to be.'

'I thought you'd be touched by my devotion.'

'I am — very touched. You've shown amazing courage.'

'Yet you wish I hadn't bothered to come.' 'I wish it for your sake,' said Daniel, squeezing her hand. 'If you stay with us, you'll witness the most appalling things. A lot of those soldiers we saw as we walked past just now will give their lives in battle before long. War is a cruel and repulsive business, Abigail. I want to shield you from all that.'

'But I feel perfectly safe now I'm with you.'

'We can't stay together for long. I have duties.'

'I understand that, Daniel. Knowing that we're in the same camp is enough for me.' Her eyes moistened again. 'That's all I want. Surely, it's not too much to ask.'

He was moved by her plea. Though he wanted to send her back home, he felt it would be too unkind to tell her so at that moment. Abigail deserved time to recover from her travails and a chance to enjoy some leisure, albeit briefly, with the man she adored. She would soon see how hard and unremitting life in an army camp could be for a woman. Harsh experience of the realities of warfare would be more persuasive than anything he could tell her.

'No,' he said softly, 'it's not too much to ask, Abigail. It was a treat to see your face when you recognised me.'

She brightened at once. 'I'd recognise you anywhere, Daniel.'

'You said that terrible things happened to you on the way here.' 'Did I?'

'Tell me all about them.'

'I just want to enjoy being alone with you, Daniel.'

'You can do both at the same time,' he said. 'If you had trouble or met with hindrance, I want to know about it and so will the Duke. Everything you've done in the last six or seven weeks is important to me, Abigail. Tell me the full story.'

Edward Marston

Soldier of Fortune

Bad news was a fact of life during a campaign and the Duke of Marlborough had long ago learnt to accept that. Outbreaks of disease among the troops, the late arrival of reinforcements, adverse weather conditions and a whole series of unforeseen hazards could throw the best-laid plans into disarray. Marlborough never fretted over bad tidings. He responded by taking prompt action.

'Word has come from Prince Eugene,' he said, waving the despatch. 'He doubts if he can hold the line against the French and that Marshal Tallard will out-manouevre him.'

'It was asking a lot of the Prince,' opined Adam Cardonnel.

'The task I set him was too formidable. Even with the Danish infantry to support him, he had insufficient men. He can pursue Tallard but lacks the troops to intercept his progress.'

Marlborough was in his quarters with his secretary and his brother, Charles Churchill, General of Foot and a very experienced soldier. A handsome man in his late forties, Churchill resembled his brother in appearance and manner. He was concerned by the news.

'Tallard will be here earlier than we anticipated,' he said.

'Yes,' agreed Marlborough. 'Even though he lost so many horses on the way, he's coming through the Black Forest at a steady pace. We can only hope he'll be delayed by bad weather in the mountains and by angry foresters who have no love for the French.'

'Prince Eugene will hound Tallard but be unable to stop him.'

'It means that we have to press on hard and establish supply depots at Donauworth. Once we cross the Danube and go deep into Bavaria, our depots at Nordlingen will be too far away.'

'And it would be possible for the enemy to cut us off from our supply line,' observed Cardonnel. 'That would be fatal.'

'Where are Marshal Marsin and the Elector?' asked Churchill.

'Snug and well-defended in Dillingen,' relied Marlborough. 'They realise that Donauworth is our most likely target. The latest reports say that the town and the Schellenberg above it are being fortified by Count d'Arco.'

'Do we know what resources D'Arco has at his disposal?'

'Yes, Charles — he has veteran French and Bavarian infantry at his command, together with dismounted dragoons and two batteries of guns. Bavarian militia and a French battalion have garrisoned the town.' Marlborough consulted another despatch. 'The latest estimate we have puts the force on the Schellenberg at over 12,000.'

'That's a substantial number,' remarked Cardonnel.

'The hill must nevertheless be stormed,' said Marlborough. 'If we take Donauworth, as we must, we can proceed with the next stage of our plan. I won't even entertain the notion of failure.'

'What role will the Margrave of Baden have?' said Churchill.

'We'll need him to give us close support, Charles. I had hoped that he could act independently of us but that would leave us with a shortage of troops.'

'There may be some benefit there.'

'In what way?'

'We can keep an eye on him, John.'

Marlborough gave an understanding nod. Prince Louis- William, the Margrave of Baden, was a fine soldier. He had been appointed commander-in-chief of the Imperial army in Hungary in 1689 when he was still in his mid-thirties. Victory against Ottoman forces with a two to one advantage over him had earned him the nickname of 'Turken-Louis'. He went on to take command of the Imperial armies on the Rhine. He was a valued ally, not least because of the success he had achieved against the French in the previous year. A question mark, however, remained over his loyalty. According to intelligence reports received by Marlborough, the Margrave of Baden was maintaining friendly correspondence with the Elector of Bavaria even though they were on opposite sides.

'Nobody can doubt his bravery and skill,' said Cardonnel.

'But can we trust him?' said Churchill. 'That's the point.'

'I believe that we can.'

'We have no choice,' said Marlborough, pursing his lips. 'If he's prepared to fight alongside us, it doesn't matter if he's sending billets-doux to Louis XIV. As long as he's not making secret deals with the enemy to betray us, we must rely on him.'

'The Emperor clearly does,' said Cardonnel.

'Yes, Adam, and he's a shrewd judge of character.'

'I still think he needs to be watched,' advised Churchill.

'He will be,' said Marlborough. 'Well,' he added, striking his thigh with a hand. 'I think we know our course of action. We'll have an early night, rise at three and press on hard towards Donauworth. With luck, we'll reach the Schellenberg before they've had time to complete the fortifications. Battle will be joined at last, gentlemen.' He smiled at the prospect. 'It can't come soon enough for me.'

Edward Marston

Soldier of Fortune

Daniel Rawson was patient. As he listened to her long narrative, he did not interrupt Abigail Piper once. Her account was detailed and, from time to time, she referred to her diary so that she could give the correct sequence of events.

She told him about the terrifying voyage, about her journey through the Netherlands and how she and Emily had been cast adrift at one stage. They had been caught in heavy rain, chased by outlaws and forced to sleep in a barn more than once. They were on German soil when they were rescued by the detachment of Dutch soldiers who had eventually delivered them to the camp.

'I knew that we'd get here in the end,' she said, beaming at him.

'How could you be so sure?'

'Im lucky by nature, Daniel. That's how I came to meet you in the first place.'

'I certainly had good fortune when I met you,' he said fondly. 'My stay in London was brightened by our acquaintance.'

'It's more than an acquaintance, surely?'

'Yes, Abigail, it is. I look upon you as a dear friend.' She almost swooned with pleasure. 'But that doesn't stop me from being cross with you for putting your life at risk. I get paid to do that. You do not.'

She smiled dreamily. 'I simply had to come.'

'I accept that,' he said, speaking quickly before she could make a declaration that he felt would be embarrassing. 'However, the truth of it is that you and your maid acted in a way that could have proved suicidal.' He leant in closer. 'Have you told me everything, Abigail?'

'Yes, of course.'

'Are you certain about that?'

'I'd never lie to you, Daniel.'

He was not accusing her of lying but of suppressing some facts. Though she appeared to be telling him the full story of her travels, he had the impression that something was missing, some unpleasant detail that she had either pushed out of her mind or simply held back from him. Abigail Piper had been changed by the long trek. She looked at once younger and older than before, an innocent, defenceless girl with no knowledge of the darker aspects of human behaviour and a mature young woman who had entered adulthood somewhere between The Hague and the Rhine valley. Daniel was bound to wonder what she was hiding but he decided that it was not the moment to press her on the subject of painful memories.

'You must speak to the Duke,' he said.

'I'd prefer to stay here with you, Daniel.'

'He'll wish to see with his own eyes that you are safe and sound so that he can send word to your father to that effect.'

'There's no need for Father to worry about me.'

'I'd say there was every need. You left without warning.'

'I had to, Daniel,' she said. 'If I'd told my parents what I had in mind, they would have forbidden me to leave the house. Dorothy would have done everything in her power to stop me as well.'

'In some senses, they'd have been right to do so.'

'My parents might have been,' she conceded, 'but not my sister. Dorothy would have held me back out of sheer spite.'

'I'm sure that she cares for you, Abigail.'

'She does — when it suits her.'

'Well, I don't want to come between you and your sister. But she would need to have a very cold heart not to worry about you and pray for your safe return.' He crossed to the tent flap and opened it. 'Follow me. It's not far.'

'Shall I see you later on?'

'To be honest, I think it unlikely.'

'Just for a few minutes,' she pleaded.

'We'll see, Abigail,' he said, careful not to commit himself. 'Let me take you to the Duke's quarters. He'll be as thankful as I am that you came to no harm.'

She gave a strained smile and went out after him. On their way through the camp, Daniel exchanged a few niceties with her, ignoring the curious stares they attracted on the way. After introducing her to Marlborough, he left the two of them together and walked briskly towards the area where the baggage wagons had been parked. He soon found Abigail's maid, standing beside a tent as she sorted out items of clothing that needed to be washed.

'May I speak to you for a moment, Emily?' said Daniel.

'Yes, sir,' she replied, flustered by his sudden appearance.

'Your mistress is with His Grace, the Duke of Marlborough. She's been telling me about the adventures you had along the way.'

'Miss Abigail was very brave.'

'I fancy that you showed just as much bravery, Emily.'

'I did what I had to do, Captain Rawson.'

Emily Greene had lost weight during the many weeks they had been in transit. She still had the same homely appearance but her flabby cheeks and plump body had shrunk slightly. The maid had aged visibly as well. Abigail Piper had had a vision of her beloved to beckon her on. Emily had been driven by loyalty to her mistress. It was a loyalty that Daniel took into account. The woman would never volunteer information about Abigail that she felt was confidential. Daniel had to be tactful.

'What was the most enjoyable part of your journey?' he asked.

'Getting here alive, sir,' she replied.

'Yes, you had one or two uncomfortable moments, I hear.'

'They're all in the past now — thanks be to God.'

'Miss Abigail was telling me about an inn you left in the middle of the night. You must have been desperate to do that.'

'We could not stay there, sir.'

'So I gather,' said Daniel, who had not been told the real reason for their abrupt departure and felt it was one of the things that Abigail had deliberately kept from him. 'Miss Abigail told me all about it.'

'She talked about it for days afterwards.'

'That's understandable. It must have been a shock to her.'

'It was more than that, Captain Rawson,' said Emily, believing that he already knew the full details. 'The man had been so nice to us when he let us ride in his wagon. The last thing Miss Abigail expected was that he would come to her room at night and force himself upon her. I got to her just in time.'

'She's eternally grateful, Emily.'

'I couldn't believe what had happened.'

'Is this the man who was travelling with the body of his wife?'

'That's right, sir,' said Emily. 'His name was Otto but I called him a lot of other names that night — God forgive me! Miss Abigail is young and unused to the ways of the world. It frightened her that such people could exist. She said that she'd be too ashamed to tell her parents that she'd been molested like that.'

'I can imagine.'

'She's a devout Christian — and so am I. We know what the Good Book tells us, sir. Only one person ever has the right to such favours.' She smiled shyly. 'Miss Abigail is saving herself for her husband.'

Daniel swallowed hard. As a serving soldier, his duties took him all over Europe and he had never considered marriage because he would be away from a wife for long periods. Marriage would also inhibit his private life and he was not yet ready to sacrifice that at the altar. Abigail, however, after meeting him only three times, had already chosen him as her future husband, revealing the depth of her feeling by embarking on a pursuit of him. Guilt welled up inside him. Always pleased to arouse admiration in a beautiful young woman, he was wounded by the knowledge that, in Abigail's case, infatuation with him had almost led to rape by a drunken stranger.

Striding back to his tent, Daniel had much food for thought.

Edward Marston

Soldier of Fortune

They followed the Confederate army as it moved south, keeping a few miles to the rear of it. The chances of Charles Catto being spotted by someone he met during his fleeting enlistment in a British regiment were remote but he nevertheless took pains to alter his appearance. Having discarded his uniform, he wore nondescript attire and grew a beard that changed the whole shape of his face. Frederic Seurel was the same surly and unprepossessing individual as before. Travelling over muddy roads and being soaked by rain day after day had not improved his temper. As they searched for shelter that afternoon, he was gloomier than ever.

'How ever will we get to him again, Charles?' he asked.

'There has to be a way.'

'I think we should forget the whole thing.' 'Then you had better make your will,' said Catto, 'because General Salignac will have you hunted down and killed for failing to obey his orders.'

'I had no orders from him. You were given the assignment.'

'I told him that you would assist me. He wanted to know your name and be assured that you could do as you were told and keep your mouth shut. There's no escape from this, Frederic.'

'But we've been trailing Captain Rawson for two months.'

'Yes,' said Catto with a reproachful glance, 'and we had the perfect opportunity to kill him until you bungled it.'

Seurel felt unjustly accused. 'How was I to know that someone else would be in that tent? Anyway,' he went on, 'I did show you how quickly I could kill a man and take off his head. When I get close enough to Captain Rawson, I'll have him dead within seconds.'

'Make sure it's him next time.'

They rode on through a copse and came out the other side to see a wayside inn ahead of them. Catto stretched his arm to point.

'That's where we'll spend the night,' he said. 'It's a pity we can't lure the captain there. If we could separate him from the army, we'd have a much better chance of killing him.'

'Why don't we send him an invitation?' asked Seurel, grinning.

'We might just do that — though not in the way you think.'

'You mean we set a trap?'

'I mean exactly that,' Catto told him. 'And there's one advantage to our long journey. I know we've spent many weeks in the saddle but we're getting closer to General Salignac all the time. His orders were to leave Paris and lead his men to Bavaria where he was to join up with the Elector. In other words, he's not all that far in front of us.'

'Are you going to make contact with him?'

'Not until our job is done, Frederic.'

'We could use more money.'

'We won't get a single franc from the general unless we can prove that Captain Daniel Rawson is dead. And we must make sure that we're the ones who kill him.'

'Must we?' said Seurel.

'Yes — if the captain is shot dead in battle, we will have failed. That's why we must get to him first, Frederic,' he said. 'So keep that dagger of yours as sharp as a razor.'

Edward Marston

Soldier of Fortune

The Duke of Marlborough opened a satchel and took out the letter before handing it to Abigail Piper. They were in his quarters.

'What's this, Your Grace?' she asked.

'It's a letter from your father,' he explained. 'It was enclosed with the last missive he sent to me. Should you ever reach us, he implored me to give it to you and to make sure that you read it.'

Abigail looked uneasy. She could imagine what her father had written and did not want to face any recriminations. There had been several moments during her travels when she had thought wistfully of the comforts of home and she had suffered pangs of remorse about the way she had fled from London without informing her parents where and why she was going. It had not taken Sir Nicholas Piper long to find out that she and Emily had boarded a ship for Holland. From that discovery, it was clear what her motives were.

Marlborough watched her closely. Though he had given her a cordial welcome and treated her with unfailing kindness, he was not pleased to see her in the camp. With a battle in the offing, he did not want to be distracted by the problems of the Piper family. At the same time, he had a duty of care to the daughter of an old friend. Abigail was hesitant. Marlborough provided some encouragement.

'It's your father,' he said gently. 'Read what he has to say.'

'I'll look at it later,' she decided.

'I only have your word for that, Abigail. When I write back to him, I want to be able to assure him that I actually saw open his letter. Go on — what are you afraid of?'

'I don't know, Your Grace.'

'You can't disown your own father, Abigail.'

Mastering her reluctance, she opened the letter and read the looping hand of Sir Nicholas Piper. Her father began by telling her how much he loved her and begged her to return as soon as possible. There was no word of condemnation or even of mild criticism. Instead, he had made a conscious effort to understand what she had done. He did not, however, hide the pain inflicted on the family. Abigail quailed as she learnt that her mother had been so shocked that she had required treatment from her physician. By the end of the letter, Abigail was so affected that she was even prepared to believe her father's assurance that her sister, Dorothy, had sent her love and her best wishes.

'There,' she said, lower lip quivering with emotion, 'you may tell Father that your bore witness to my reading it.'

'And what is your response, Abigail?'

'I will need to study it again in private, Your Grace.'

'As you wish,' said Marlborough, 'though I think I can guess the plea that it contains. In making this astonishing journey, you have more than proved your love and your courage but this is as far as you can go. You must see that.'

'Please don't force me to leave!' she cried.

'I'm not forcing you, Abigail, I'm simply inviting you to travel back to The Hague with more speed and less danger than you met on your way here. I send despatches every day to the States-General. Why don't you and your maid accompany the next messengers?'

'We've only just got here.'

'Then you achieved your objective,' he pointed out. 'You caught up with Captain Rawson and left him in no doubt about your feelings for him. He will have been mightily impressed. When he returns to England, as he will in due course, I'm sure that he will call on you at the earliest possible opportunity.'

'But that could be several months away.'

'The time will pass very quickly.'

'Each day will seem like a week,' she said plaintively. 'You must understand my position, Your Grace. I didn't travel halfway across Europe to be packed off home immediately.'

'You've arrived at an inopportune moment.'

'Emily and I will not be in the way, I swear it.'

'That's not the point at issue, Abigail.'

'Then what is, may I ask?'

Marlborough chose his words carefully. 'We're on the eve of battle,' he explained, 'and that means we shall enter the realm of the unknown. Nobody can predict what will happen. The one certainty is that a large number of our men will lose their lives or receive hideous wounds. No woman should have to look on such sights.'

'That's exactly what Daniel — Captain Rawson — told me but I am more robust than I look. I won't faint at the sight of blood, Your Grace. In any case, the baggage wagons will be well away from any action, surely. We'll be completely safe.'

'It's not your safety that concerns me, Abigail.'

'What else is there?'

'Your pain,' he said, speaking as softly as he could, 'your grief, your sense of being cheated by Fate. To speak more plainly, I think you should leave the camp before we close with the enemy in order to spare yourself what might — and I put it no higher than that — be a tragedy for you. I feel it would be far better for you to receive news of it at home where you'd have family and friends to comfort you.'

'Why should I need comfort?' said Abigail in bewilderment. 'I came here simply to be close to Captain Rawson. That fact gives me all the comfort I require.'

Marlborough was moved by the love in her eyes and the pride in her voice but he did not feel it right to conceal the truth from her. If she was determined to stay, she had to be prepared for disaster.

'Do you know what a Forlorn Hope is?' he said.

'Yes, of course, Your Grace.'

'Then you know how dangerous it is.'

'Captain Rawson told us about a Forlorn Hope that he once led. It was very successful and it earned him a commendation from you. It may have cost lives but it achieved what it set out to do.'

'Unhappily, that is not always the case.'

'It is whenever Captain Rawson is involved,' she asserted. 'I've never met anyone as daring as him.'

'He's a remarkable soldier, I have to agree. But he is a realist, Abigail. He knows that anyone who takes part in a

Forlorn Hope is going to look into the very jaws of death.'

She became anxious. 'Why are you telling me this?'

'We will shortly be attempting to storm a fortified hill near Donauworth,' he said seriously. 'We believe that there may be as many as 13,000 French and Bavarian soldiers defending it. Heavy casualties are therefore expected. The assault will be led by a Forlorn Hope.' He paused for a moment then broke the news to her. 'Captain Rawson has volunteered to be part of it.'

Abigail was rocked by the news. At the very moment when she had finally been reunited with her beloved, he was about to take the most enormous risk on the battlefield. Having journeyed from England with thoughts of marriage to Daniel Rawson, she now feared that she might instead soon be attending his funeral.