Fairbrother, dressed for dinner in plain clothes, had arrived ahead of his time at the castle, hoping to be able to read some of the commercial intelligence which he supposed the newly arrived Indiaman had brought. He sat comfortably at ease in a small ante-room perusing the shipping news in Lloyd's List, enjoying a cigar and a large measure of whiskey and soda.
The door opened. 'Captain Fairbrother, sahib, there is an officer come from England who claims an acquaintance, sahib.'
Fairbrother turned his head languidly. 'Upon my word, Howard!' He rose and held out a hand, which he preferred to bowing.
Lord John Howard took it, smiling broadly. 'My dear fellow, how very good it is to see you!'
'What brings you here?' asked Fairbrother, not able at all to conceal his astonishment, for Hervey had said many times that Howard was tethered by chain to the Horse Guards.
'Exactly speaking, the Empire, an Indiaman. We came in this afternoon. My business . . . well, I have news for our mutual friend that I would tell him myself. And I wished to take leave of the Horse Guards for a few months and see a little something of where we fling far our gallant troops. I hoped, indeed, to ride with you both on one of your frontier sojourns!'
Fairbrother smiled ruefully. 'I think I may say – I speak for myself, of course – that the frontier holds no immediate call upon our time.'
Lord John Howard looked both disappointed and puzzled.
Jaswant returned with a tray.
'Take a little whiskey and sit you down, and I'll explain myself better.'
Howard took a great deal of whiskey and a very little soda, and settled comfortably into a low chair.
'But first tell me, if you would, what is this news of Hervey's that tempts you from the drawing rooms of London?' Fairbrother took a long draw on his cigar, hardly supposing that Howard would oblige him with an answer, for all the whiskey-generosity.
But he was wrong. Howard did not feel himself at all bound by confidentiality, since the news was entirely official. 'Here,' he said, producing a piece of folded paper from a pocket.
Fairbrother took hold of it, intrigued. He sat back in his chair and looked Howard steadily in the eye. 'It is nothing that Hervey would have me know from his own lips?'
Howard shook his head and took a good sip of his whiskey.
Fairbrother unfolded the paper, and read:
His Majesty is pleased to approve the Commander-in-Chief's desire that the under-named officers be promoted Major-General.
Colonel Stamford Blakeborough Lieutenant-Colonel The Earl of Holderness
(Signed) Willingham Asst. Private Secr.y
He frowned, and folded it again. 'Upon my word, Howard, this is hardly calculated to be pleasing to our friend. He had a regard for Hol'ness, but I should scarce suppose it ran to thinking him fit for such a promotion! And this brings you to the Cape?'
Howard held up a hand enigmatically.
'Come, man! Or is it . . . Ah, I see. The Sixth is now up for purchase!'
Howard shook his head.
'But why should the commander-in-chief wish to promote a man who has fits at the least provocation? I suppose he does not know of them, of course. And that business on manoeuvres at Windsor . . . all Hervey's doing, the success that night. Hol'ness had a fit in the middle of the river and Hervey took over the whole affair – and swore everyone to secrecy!'
'I don't doubt it. Indeed, I knew of it. And so did the commanderin-chief. Bushels don't always conceal lights, you know.'
'Then what—'
'The Duke of Wellington himself wrote to Lord Hill and requested that Hol'ness be placed on the major-generals' list to be appointed lieutenant-governor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and since the Duchy appointments are in the prime minister's gift . . . I fancy the duke imagines Lord Hol'ness will not disgrace the court. Lady Hol'ness is, of course, in waiting to the Princess Victoria.'
'Well,' said Fairbrother, blowing out a great deal of smoke. 'It all astonishes me.'
'You are not inclined to know why the duke favours Hol'ness?'
'If you are able to tell me, I have no objection in knowing.'
Howard smiled, and took another good measure of whiskey. 'It would seem that the duke attended a concert of music in the summer, and was much delighted by the playing and singing of a certain lady.'
'I understand the duke is fond of music, yes. And I fancy you will tell me the lady was a handsome one.'
'The lady was, word has it, Lady Lankester – that is, Mrs Matthew Hervey.'
Fairbrother's eyes widened. 'Indeed?'
'At supper afterwards, apparently, the duke asked after Hervey, and she informed him that he was to be gazetted to the infantry in Canada on return from the Cape, and that she was much disappointed in this, and—'
Fairbrother sat upright. 'You don't mean that the duke wished to create a vacancy in the Sixth by promoting the lieutenantcolonel?'
'I have been unable to think of any other explanation. And, in its way, it is a perfectly proper thing. It certainly serves!' Howard took another sip of his whiskey, and smiled contentedly. 'Evidently Mrs Hervey plays the pianoforte with a good deal of passion.'
Fairbrother sat back in his chair. 'You mistake the matter, Howard. I have heard Kezia Hervey play the pianoforte. She does so with a great deal of anger, not passion.'
Howard looked rather taken aback. 'I am not best qualified to judge these things. But a happy outcome nevertheless.'
Fairbrother sat up again, frowning. 'But see; how anyway does this help? The Cavalry's changing hands for twenty thousand and more – far beyond Hervey's means!'
'Lord Hill has the discretion to appoint without purchase. He does so in Hervey's case.'
Fairbrother rose at once, with the keenest expression of pleasure, and pulled the bell-rope.
The khansamah came.
'Be so good, Jaswant, as to send at once for Colonel Hervey-sahib. It is most imperative.'
For the next quarter of an hour they sat in happy contemplation of the news from the Horse Guards, so that when Hervey did come – from out of his bath and hastily dressed in plain clothes – the two good acquaintances were thoroughly fuelled with excellent malt and equally good cheer.
'Howard! What a deucedly fine surprise!' Hervey clapped both hands on his old friend's shoulders, thoroughly disposed now to being as cheery as they.
'My dear Hervey, I bring you the most excellent news. So excellent, indeed, I could not forbear to bring it in person rather than send it. You are to have the Sixth, and without purchase! At the special bidding of the duke!'
Hervey was all astonishment. 'The duke?'
'Ay. His doing. The details we may leave until later. And Lord Hill ordered that it be without purchase.'
Hervey continued to shake his head. 'I can scarce believe it.'