‘So what are you here for,Wellesley? Come to see Castlereagh?’
‘Yes, my lord.’
Nelson gestured at his face. ‘Seems you have spent some time in the sun. Jamaica?’
‘India. I returned a few days ago.’
‘India.’ Nelson nodded. ‘Bit out of my way. Can’t say I know much about our affairs in that part of the world. But I’m sure you’ve acquitted yourself capably, Wellesley.’ He frowned for a moment before nodding to himself.‘Ah, I have it now.Wellesley! Richard Wellesley is, or was, the Governor General.You must be related to him.’
‘He is my brother.’
‘So you were there helping him out in some capacity, no doubt. On his staff ?’
‘No, my lord. My brother Henry was his private secretary. I served with the army. In the field.’
‘Quite a family affair, then. It must have been helpful for your brother to have two siblings to carry out his instructions.’
Arthur winced at the implied diminution of his achievements. ‘The Governor General decided the policy. I was responsible for our forces on the ground.’
‘Quite so.’ Nelson nodded. ‘And I’m sure you served him well, Sir Arthur.’
‘I did,’ Arthur replied tersely. ‘And with a degree of success.’
‘Good. That’s good.’ Nelson regarded him for a moment and then tapped the newspaper he had been reading.
‘Exciting times, Wellesley. The French fleet is at Cadiz, our ships are massing for the big effort and all Britain wonders what my plan of action will be.You too, I’ll be bound.’
Arthur was a little surprised at the direct display of the other man’s sense of his own importance, but there was no denying that he was keen to know how Nelson intended to beat the French. He nodded.
Nelson’s good eye glinted with pleasure as he leaned back and began. ‘The trick of it, as I’ve always known, is to confound the expectations of the enemy. The thing is that the French have held fast to the old ways of fighting and assume that our line and theirs will sail up and down, parallel to each other, pounding away until the will of one side breaks. I have to confess that our admirals were equally culpable of a lack of initiative until the Battle of St Vincent, when I pulled out of our column and cut their line. Allowed our fleet to defeat them in detail. I did the same again at the Nile.That’s the trick of it: break their line and destroy a division at a time. So we’ll do the same again when we encounter Admiral Villeneuve, and as long as they come on in the same old way we’ll defeat them sure enough.’
‘Most interesting.’ Arthur nodded. ‘But surely, if you approach their line in column, they will be able to bring far more guns against you than you can reply with. At least until you reach their line.’
‘A fair point,’ Nelson conceded. ‘But with French gunnery being what it is, and the stout-heartedness and good training of our men being equal to the occasion, we will prevail. I am certain of it. Certain enough to command my fleet from the first ship in our column.Where I lead, my men will always follow, Sir Arthur,’ he added with a glint of pride in his good eye. ‘They are devoted to me.’
Arthur shifted uncomfortably in his chair. ‘Speaking for myself, I would prefer my men to be well trained and confident rather than devoted.’
‘Perhaps you would, Sir Arthur. But when you have led men as long as I have, and won great victories, then the devotion of one’s subordinates is as inevitable as it is useful. I am sure you will discover that for yourself in time, when you become more experienced.’
Arthur regarded the admiral coolly. ‘I have already acquired a measure of experience, sir, and won my own victories, and I think I managed to understand my men well enough.’
‘Ah, yes.’ Nelson stared at the younger officer with a faint look of surprise. ‘I am sure you are indeed a most competent officer. Do please excuse me for a moment.’
He rose abruptly and strode from the room, leaving Arthur tight-lipped and tense as he took up the newspaper and made himself read some of the small articles surrounding the hagiography that had fed the admiral’s conceit. He could hear Nelson in conversation with someone out in the corridor, but their voices were low and the sounds of echoing footsteps from passing clerks made it impossible for Arthur to make out any words. A moment later the admiral returned and took his seat opposite Arthur. He was silent for a moment before he leaned forward.
‘I now recall why your name seemed familiar to me a moment ago.’
Arthur looked up and raised his eyebrows enquiringly. ‘Indeed?’
‘Yes. You are the hero of Assaye and the victor of Argaum, are you not?’
‘Hero?’ Arthur smiled.‘I’m not so sure about that, my lord. But I had the privilege of commanding the men who won those victories.’
‘And noble victories they were!’ Nelson leaned forward with an eager expression. ‘I read of them a while back. It was hard to fit such singular achievements to a man of your age. My word, it must have been a daunting affair to take on such odds as you faced at Assaye, Sir Arthur.’ He nodded admiringly. ‘Strikes me that we have something in common. The desire to take the fight directly to the enemy, without delay.’
‘It seemed to be the most provident course, my lord. If one does not strike the enemy where one finds him, then the initiative is immediately lost.’
‘Quite so! But that philosophy is shared by all too few of our military leaders, not to mention our politicians.They seem to hold to the notion that French power can be whittled away and worn down.They do not understand the nature of the foe. Emperor Napoleon is a new kind of leader. He has no comprehension of the balance of power that has maintained order across the continent in the past. He does not see himself as a member of the council of European rulers, as it were. Napoleon recognises no one as his equal. His sole ambition in this world is to win glory and gain control over all others. He will not rest until he can exercise his will without limit. So we must not rest until he is defeated absolutely. That is what our credo must be, Sir Arthur. A sentiment I feel that you might share.’
‘I do, my lord.’
Arthur felt himself warming to the admiral, despite the overbearing self-regard that had spoiled his initial impression of the other man. It was clear that Nelson was well aware of the high stakes in the war against France and the need to see it through whatever sacrifices that entailed.
Arthur continued. ‘The problem is that too few of our countrymen are aware of the danger. With Pitt back in power, that may change.’
Nelson’s excited expression faded. ‘Yes, thank God for Pitt. But have you seen the man lately? He looks old and drawn. I fear the burden of steering our people through this conflict has broken him. I doubt he will survive to see the victory to which he has contributed so much.’
‘You are certain we will win?’
‘How can we not win, when there are men like you and me to command our forces on land and sea?’ Nelson suddenly laughed. ‘If you’ll pardon the poor couplet.’
Arthur smiled and a moment later a clerk entered the room and bowed his head briefly. ‘My lord?’