Date: Tue, 7 Mar 2017 17:11:23 +1300
From: arthur carkeek <artcart65@gmail.com>
Subject: drummer boy chapter 12 book 2

DRUMMER BOY
CHAPTER 12
BOOK 2
THE ROAD NORTH
BY ARTHUR


Thomas awoke in the morning to a slightly overcast day; winter was closing
in and the fine hot and sunny days would soon be a thing of the
past. Thomas was not really surprised to see Mister Percy sitting at table
when he came down for breakfast; it was times like these that Thomas truly
appreciated his own cooks as he smelt the weak cafe and saw the sparse
spread of food on the waiting table.

Thomas sat opposite Mister Percy and poured his first cup of cafe, he
started a little when Mister Percy reached across the table with a silver
flask and poured what appeared to be a good dash of brandy into Thomas's
cup.

"It will make up for the lack of flavour." Mister Percy was almost
chuckling as he saw the look on his young friends face as the brandy topped
up the cup.

"So mister Percy, what brings you here at this hour?"

"Just a chat to bring you up to date with what's been happening and perhaps
an idea of what is to come in the next campaign season."

Thomas took another sip of the weak cafe and squinted a little as the
brandy hit the back of his throat.

"So what are we to do?'

"Well Wellington has been pushed back to Ciudad Rodrigo so he will encamp
there for the winter; I think he has ideas of pushing forward to the east
once the new season starts. His first objective will probably be towards
Burgos, I think he is hoping to catch the French before they can
consolidate their forces to stop him. During winter he will be receiving
more reinforcements, something the French cannot do while Napoleon is tied
up in Russia. The way things are going for him in the north I doubt
Napoleon will win out and that will only mean he will have nothing to
reinforce his Generals down here. Wellington's plans at this stage are to
divide the French army's and then pursue them one at a time until he has
them where he can send them all packing back to France."

"So you think that by us going to the north and raiding behind their lines
we can help to once again pull much needed troops from Wellington's front?"

"Yes that's the basic idea but we also want you to do what you do best,
take every advantage you can to disrupt them not only for Wellington but
for the Spanish advance as well. I know you will be seeing the Prince
tomorrow but just be careful; there is some dissention in the Cortes and
the return of the King may well upset people in some quarters."

"The Spanish King is back?"

"Not yet but Ferdinand is making noises about returning once the French are
on the move out of Spain. The Cortes are not very happy about it and have
signed a document they claim to be the new Constitution of Spain. Ferdinand
is still being held at the Chateau of Valencay but there are murmurs that
this will not last long if Napoleon has to retreat from Russia in
disarray."

"So if the King returns to the Spanish throne, what will happen to my men
and army?"

"At this point I don't know; most of what I have told you is just
speculation on my part but the signs are pointing towards him
returning. Something you should know and be made aware of is that he is not
the same type of man that your friend the Prince is. Ferdinand is a greedy
and self indulgent man and is only concerned with his own welfare; when, or
if he returns I would be inclined to watch what is going on very
closely. You have a lot of supporters in the Cortes as well as having the
Prince on your side and I don't think the King would really want to go
against the people if it came to your titles and land but, with that man
you can never tell."

"So you suggest that for now I continue doing what I am doing and that's to
keep the French on their toes?"

"Yes, your way of warfare is not only making the French try to rethink
their strategies but it is adding a lot of fear into their new troops. Do
you think you will be able to continue into the winter with your attacks?"

"Once we get to the north that should be little problem, with less
distances to travel we can cover a large part of Spain in very quick time."

"What of your supply lines, have you thought them out yet?"

"We are thinking of using our usual cove to unload and then transporting it
all by wagon to where we will be; it will add time to the delivery but it's
the only thing I can think of."

"Why don't you move it all to your warehouse and docks in Oporto? You have
everything you need there and the travel north will be cut drastically as
well as your ships not having to cover such distances?"

"Oh yes I had forgotten all about that, I'll have to tell Major Jones to
remake his plans and we will probably have to have a large party to thank
the people of Vimeiro for all they have done for us over the last four
years. Thank you Mister Percy, I knew there had to be another way but could
not think of anything."

"Well I wouldn't worry too much young Thomas, you have a lot of things to
think on now you are a General and this is only a minor thing. Now then
what do you have on your lap for the rest of the day?"

"I have to let the Prince know I am here and find out when he wants to meet
but after that I think it will be back to Vimeiro and get ready for our
move north."

"Well young man I would not put all my coin on that happening in the next
few days; the Prince probably already knows you are here so I would not be
surprised to get a call from him sometime today."

"Yes you are probably right; nothing seems to get past him especially this
close to his headquarters."

The two friends sat in companionable silence as they both sipped their luke
warm cafe; the brandy only making it drinkable as it cooled. As the two sat
opposite each other, Thomas's friends began to arrive for their own
breakfast; the comments they made at what they saw would not have made the
tavern keeper happy if he had heard them.

Carmelo, Estaban and Lorenco joined the two friends and began to eat the
sparse fare on the table and attempt to drink the thin weak cafe; their
faces saying everything they thought about their first meal of the
day. Thomas could see the gears in Carmelo's head turning as he tried to
force another piece of greasy lamb down his throat along with a somewhat
old tomato that had seen better days.

With the sparse breakfast now pushed aside, Mister Percy gained his feet in
preparation to leave; Thomas eased his own chair back and was about to
stand when he heard a disturbance near the tavern door, Thomas looked in
the direction of the tavern entrance.

Thomas saw that three of his Lieutenants, Snot Morgan, Simon Kent and Peter
Wright were holding their pistols on a young Officer while behind him he
felt the presence of Fairley standing close by. Sergeant Fairley was the
only non Officer in his group as he was expected to go wherever Thomas
went.

"Lieutenant Morgan! What's going on?"

"Stranger in the room Sir."

"Lieutenant Morgan you should know what the uniform of His Highnesses
Cavalry Officers looks like. For god's sake let the poor man through before
you scare the hell out of him."

"Yes Sir, sorry Sir."

"That's alright Lieutenant, just next time give the man a chance before you
poke a pistol in his face."

"Yes Sir."

Snot sat back down at the table with his face flushed but his attitude said
he felt he was right to stop any stranger that may be a threat to his
General and some of the whispers also agreed as the others also sat
down. The newly arrived young Officer made his way to Thomas's table where
he came smartly to attention and saluted before handing Thomas a sealed
message.

Thomas quickly cut the missive open with one of his boot knives; much to
the shock of the young Officer standing in front of him. With the message
open, Thomas quickly read the short order.

To General Don Thomasino de Toro

From H.H. Prince Pedro Pimentel

Don Thomasino,

It would be my pleasure to offer you and your Senior Officers an
appointment at my Hacienda where we last met to discuss the future of your
forces and the future of Spain. I hope that 10 of the clock on the morrow
is suitable and fits within your own needs. Please inform my Officer if
this time agrees with you.

Prince Pedro Pimentel

C.C. Caballeria Espanola



Thomas looked up at the young Officer and told him that he accepted the
kind invitation from the Prince. The young man smartly saluted, turned
about and left quickly to relay the message. Thomas turned back to his
friends just as Mister Percy took his leave. For the rest of the day,
Thomas and his Officers could rest up and take time to relax; the months to
come were going to be busy and it was a good chance to rest before action
had to be taken once more to free the peninsula of the French.

The rest of the day was spent taking their ease; there was little
discussion about what they may be asked to do the next day at the meeting
and more about the low quality of the food in the tavern. Even after
Carmelo took the tavern keeper aside and told him a few home truths about
who his special guest was it seemed to make little difference to the man;
he just shrugged his shoulders and mumbled something about food costs in
the city then walked away.

The next morning the breakfast spread had not improved nor had the quality
of the cafe; Carmelo got a look on his face that could only bode ill for
the tavern keeper at some time in the future.

Thomas and his most Senior Officers left for the meeting with a good hour
to spare, the city of Lisbon was now the central hub of the war effort and
the population had grown dramatically in the four plus years of the
war. Thomas let Estaban take the lead in front of the coach he was obliged
to sit in; it was fortunate that he had allowed as much time as he did as
the crowds slowed the progress of the coach as it tried to make its way to
the Hacienda on the outskirts of the city.

Once they had arrived at the gates of the Hacienda, Thomas saw that it had
changed little since the last visit and that there were still a large
number of troops guarding the property. They were quickly let through the
large solid gates and the coach was driven up to the main door where the
Prince stood waiting for them.

Prince Pedro Pimentel smiled at Thomas as the coach drew to a halt at the
bottom of the stone steps and Thomas descended to stand alone while his
three Senior Officers dismounted their own horses and let them be led away
by the Hacienda hostlers.

Thomas walked up the steps with his three friend's just behind as the
Prince stepped forward with his hand out to greet them. Thomas shook hands
with the Prince and then followed the man inside the cool shade of the
building where they were once again led to the room used for planning.

There were no other Officers present this time and Thomas and his friends
were directed to four empty chairs while the Prince took one at the head of
the map covered table. It was not long before the Prince got down to
business and explained why he wanted to meet Thomas without other Officers
present.

"First of all Don Thomasino, I would like to congratulate you on the plans
you set in motion prior to the taking of Salamanca; everything you said
would happen not only succeeded but even surpassed what I was
expecting. There are those among my own Officers who still cannot grasp how
you managed to make it work so well. The landing of your forces on the
beach was really a master stroke and obviously caught the French totally by
surprise. Now then I am sure that Colonel Cruickshank has already met with
you and informed you of what may happen during the next campaign season and
I would like to know what your thoughts are on the matter."

"Your Highness, at this stage we have no definite plans except for moving
our camp north to Braganza. We will run our supplies through Oporto and
then we plan to attack the French rear and supply lines throughout the
winter but at this stage that is as far as we have gotten in our planning."

"Well it certainly sounds as though you may cause even more problems for
the French if you are able to attack at will during the worst months of the
year. Did Colonel Cruickshank inform you about Napoleons coming problems in
Russia?"

"Yes Your Highness but he did mention that it was not a certainty but it
may hold promise if the Russians are able to hold him and force him to
retreat during the winter."

"Yes I am sure you're quite right, if it all comes to pass then the French
army here in Spain will be at a disadvantage and if you are able to limit
their supplies then we may see the beginning of the end of their rule
here."

"My men and I will try to do our best Your Highness."

"I'm sure you will Don Thomasino, now to other things. Did the Colonel
mention that we may see the return of the King?"

"Yes Your Highness, it was mentioned."

"Do you have any thoughts on the matter Don Thomasino?"

"No Your Highness, I have no knowledge of things to do with politics or
royalty and I'm not sure how it would make any difference to us."

"I see well there are many plans afoot and some of them would not be in
your best interest; however, I still have some little sway over what may or
may not happen at this stage so I can tell you that Spain will honour its
debt to you and your men; on this you have my personal word. There are
those within the Cortes that are against the return of the King and this
could create a few problems for some but you can be assured that your lands
and title will be made safe regardless of what the eventual outcome
is. There may come a time when I will have to recall you from Braganza, I
hope you will be able to leave there in time for a meeting if it is called
for."

"As always Your Highness we are at your disposal whenever you need us; if
you send a messenger I will come as soon as I can get away. It may take a
little extra time if I am away from camp but I promise to attend as soon as
I can Your Highness."

"You do not stay in camp when your men go out to fight Don Thomasino?"

"No Your Highness, we all fight together." Thomas paused as he looked at
his three friends before continuing. "Although there are some who would
like to stop me Your Highness but I feel I need to be with my men."

"A most unusual attitude for a General Don Thomasino; I do hope you are
taking all needed precautions when in the field with your men?"

"Yes Your Highness, my men make sure I do not get into too much trouble
even if I want to."

"Good, I don't know what we would do without your unconventional way of
battle; it has been most effective and saved many lives when battle is
finally joined with the French. Now the last thing I wanted to ask you, do
you have everything you need for the upcoming winter?"

"At this stage Your Highness yes, but until we are back in the north I will
not know for sure; however with my supply line so close we should be able
to manage what we want to do until summer is once again here and the new
campaign season is underway."

"Well Don Thomasino I can only wish you luck and hope that we meet again in
good health once the winter is over. There is one last thing I wish to
ask."

"Yes Your Highness?"

"Tomorrow night there is to be another ball which will be hosted by
Viscount Wellington to celebrate his victory at Salamanca earlier in the
year; he has asked if you would put in an appearance as he wishes to thank
you for your efforts prior to the battle and, I believe that during some
stage of the battle you also intervened to assist in a victory."

"So this is why you have asked for all my Officers to be present with their
full dress uniforms, Your Highness?"

"Exactly Don Thomasino, there is always safety in numbers. The ball will be
held at the Resident here in the city, I am sure you are now familiar with
it."

"Yes Your Highness, very familiar."

"Good then shall we say at seven of the clock tomorrow evening; I will meet
you inside once you have entered, perhaps another small show of force."

Thomas smiled along with the Prince as they all stood up to shake hands
once more before leaving; the thought of another ball did not go down well
with Thomas but then his duty as a Spanish Officer meant he could not avoid
the evening.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing; that evening Thomas noted that
there had been a remarkable change in the quality of the food. When he
asked about it, Thomas was told that the tavern keeper had had a change of
heart and sold his tavern to others; the improvements in the food were
welcomed as their table was filled with some of the best the city could
provide.

Thomas knew better than to inquire about the sudden change and a single
quick glance in Carmelo's direction went a long way to explaining it
all. Carmelo sat in his chair with the air of a man who was comfortable
with his life and the wide smile he was wearing told Thomas of his friends
involvement with the new changes; it was all he needed to satisfy his
curiosity and he left well enough alone.

It was six thirty of the PM when Thomas and his Officers left the tavern
for the Residence. Thomas had insisted that Carmelo, Estaban and Lorenco
all sit in the carriage with him; if he had to ride in the damn thing then
they could bloody well suffer along with him. The rest of the Officers were
all mounted on their fine horses and dressed in their best uniforms; it was
a stirring sight for the city folk to observe as they rode past in
formation.

When the troop of Officers in black arrived at the gates of the residence,
Thomas saw that the front courtyard was being used by a large gathering of
troops which formed an honour guard that stretched from the gateway to the
wide steps of the main house. Thomas's carriage stopped in front of the
gate and his Officers formed up behind and dismounted, their horse were led
away by a small army of hostlers as the men formed up around the carriage
and stood at attention as Thomas and the others dismounted.

With everyone ready, Thomas led his men through the open gates and along
the wide stretch of the courtyard; the honour guard stood on either side of
the marching Officers at attention and with their muskets at the position
of salute. It took a few steps before Thomas recognised the honour
guard. To his left were men of the 33rd, his old Regiment; and to his right
were those of the 2/30th Foot, the same Regiment of the young Ensign he had
helped at Salamanca.

As he neared the steps, Thomas saw the larger than life figure of a
familiar face although it was now marred by a new scar that ran from the
right corner of the man's face and disappeared into his large mutton chop
whiskers; Thomas stopped in front of the man and smiled up at the same
stern face.

"I see you are still standing Sergeant Major, did you forget to duck?"

"Aye Sir still standing I be. Duck Sir, a Sergeant Major does not duck Sir
as those damn Frenchies found out."

Thomas let a small chuckle break through as he looked at the sparkle in the
Sergeant Major's eye. Thomas completely ignored the fact he was holding up
the line of new arrivals in his pleasure to see an old and familiar face
after so many years had passed.

"And how did you manage to get such a cosy duty Sergeant Major; I would
have thought an old soldier such as you would rather be in a tavern
somewhere."

"That I would Sir but seems there is some young General expected that the
powers decided should have honours; Mind you Sir, they do say he is really
just a young ranker in disguise but I wouldn't know nothing about such
Sir."

"Then I will have to keep an eye out for him Sergeant Major; perhaps I can
learn something from him."

"That you may Sir, they does tell me he can be right devil given half a
chance Sir."

"Then it is all the better I keep my eyes open. It was good to see you
Sergeant Major but I better get inside or there may be words said about my
lack of manners."

The Sergeant Major straightened up just a fraction more as he let the
faintest of smiles as Thomas touched the tip of his bicorn hat and led his
men up the steps towards the open doors of the Residence. Waiting just
inside the foyer and partially seen by Thomas was the very erect and
formidable figure of Viscount Wellington; he was surrounded by his most
Senior Officers all of which were quite familiar with their young black
clad guest.

The Residence was on a very large and select piece of ground, it was easily
capable of having four hundred guests at one time. Thomas led his Officers
up the steps until they reached the patio before the foyer where they came
to a halt in front of a youngish Captain of the Cavalry. The Captain came
to attention and saluted before he asked Thomas.

"Sir, whom may I introduce to the gathering?" It was apparent by the look
on the Captain's face that he was not sure if the strange Officers would
understand him and the further fact that the one who seemed to be the
senior most of them looked to be no more than about eighteen or nineteen
years old. The youngish Captain did not find out the true age of the
General until much later in the night. Carmelo stepped forward as they had
all arranged before hand and took over the introductions for the Captain.

"Captain, you may introduce General Don Thomasino de Toro, Commander of the
1r Regimiento Guerrillas Espana and his Officers."

The Captain smartly about turned and led Thomas and the others through the
large doors and into the main foyer, from there he took them to a huge pair
of open wooden doors where the Viscount stood with a line of Senior
Officers as they waited to greet their guests.

The Captain came to attention and, in a clear and loud voice introduced
Thomas and his Officers to the large crowd already gathered inside.

"My Lord, Ladies and Gentlemen Officers, General Don Thomasino de Toro,
Commander of the 1r Regimiento Guerrillas Espana and Officers."

The Captain stepped to the side as Viscount Wellington stepped forward and
held his hand out to Thomas.

"Welcome to the Residence General Thomasino de Toro, I hope you and your
Officers will enjoy your evening and perhaps at some time you could spare a
few minutes of your time to meet with me in private."

Thomas was at first a little surprised at the invitation but did not let it
show on his face; instead he shook hands with the Viscount and said.

"Thank you My Lord Viscount, I would like that very much and am at your
convenience."

Thomas took note of the Prince standing further inside the large ball room
surrounded by another large contingent of Officers. Viscount Wellington
released Thomas's hand and indicated for him to go on through into the ball
room proper as he had other guests to greet.

Thomas led his men into the ball room where he was quick to join the Prince
as they watched the dancers move to the modern music of the time. Thomas
noted that there were a lot of old familiar faces amongst the Senior
Officers but there were also a large number of new young faces amongst the
Junior Officers. Campaigns such as had just passed in the last season took
a huge toll on young Officers so he was not really surprised at the many
new faces.

Thomas and his men joined those of the Prince, they now had quite a little
army of Officers in one section of the ballroom and it was noted by a
number of the guests. Thomas and his men stayed amongst the Spanish and
Portuguese contingent, they all felt comfortable with men they knew well
and, now that there was no longer a language barrier, many of the
conversations were of things outside military matters.

It was another hour before Thomas saw a young English Officer coming in his
direction obviously with the intent of speaking to him; little did Thomas
know that the arriving young Officer had been given very explicit
instructions from his superior; to whit, Viscount Wellington.

"Captain Miles, would you please take a message to General de Toro for me
and ask him if he would care to meet with me in my office. I would stress
that you are to show all due respect and honour to his rank and then
accompany him so that he does not have to prevaricate in finding my
office."

Captain Miles snapped to attention and saluted before leaving in the
direction of the young General; he was well aware of the young man's
reputation as well as knowing that the Viscount would brook no deviation
from his orders. Captain Miles drew close to the large group of foreign
Officers and came to attention as he looked at the young General.

Thomas waited for the young Captain to speak as his other friends drew
silent and watched the Captain with uncertain eyes.

"The Viscount Wellingtons compliments General de Toro; he asks if you would
do him the honour of joining him in his office and that if you agree then I
am to escort you to him Sir."

Thomas looked at the very correct Captain and let the faintest of smiles
lift the corner of his mouth as he replied.

"Thank you Captain, if you would please lead the way."

The Captain was at first surprised by the Generals accent but then
remembered his orders from the Viscount; with a salute to the young General
he turned about and led Thomas towards the private office where the
Viscount awaited him.

The Captain knocked on the closed door and it was immediately opened by
Colonel Lewis to whom Thomas gave a big smile of welcome. Once inside
Thomas saw the Viscount had loosened his jacket and was seated not at his
desk, but in a large softly padded chair off to one side, there was another
vacant chair opposite the Viscount. With a single gesture, Viscount
Wellington indicated for Thomas to take the other chair while Colonel Lewis
left them to their own devices. Thomas waited for the Viscount to speak
first.

"General, may I call you General Marking? It may save me some confusion."

Thomas nodded that he didn't mind and waited for the Viscount to continue.

"General Marking I find myself at something of a quandary and at the same
time a little disconcerted. I am sure you are by now well aware that
General Beresford has been recalled to England for his unconscionable
actions and his report. This is a new position for me to be in and I am
sure you are well aware that I am not in the habit of offering apologies
for any of my actions. However if there is one occasion where I find myself
in the need to change my attitude it is now. General Marking, I would like
to offer my sincerest apologies for the events that took place after the
battle of Albuera and in the way you were personally treated. My views and
those of the War Office are that you were indeed treated appallingly and
for that we are eternally sorry."

"Thank you My Lord Viscount, I am only sorry that the event ever came to
this point and I accept your apology without reservation; I am well aware
that it was not the fault of either yourself or the War Office."

"Thank you for your understanding General Marking. There is one thing I
would like to discuss with you but first I must congratulate you on
assisting a certain young Ensign at Salamanca; I am sure your actions have
secured the young man a good future with his Regiment and for that we are
all grateful. The last thing I would like to discuss with you General
Marking is your position at this present time. I know that we cannot offer
you all that the Spanish have done but we would sincerely like to ask if
you would reconsider your position and return to our forces. Napoleon's
armies are on the back foot and I'm sure we will have him out of the
Peninsula within the next two years even though there is still a lot of
hard fighting to do before that time arrives."

Thomas nodded his understanding as the Viscount paused to get his reaction.

"Thank you My Lord but I am sure you can understand that at this stage I
must in all conscience stay with my present command, there are those who
rely on me and I cannot let them down. However, I will as always try to
relieve your army when I can by continuing my attacks on the French behind
their lines and also assist in any battle where I do not have to put my men
at unnecessary risk."

"Well I can only thank you for your honesty and hope that some time in the
future we can repair the rift that has developed between our forces; that
you would be willing to continue to assist us is taken as a sign that all
is not lost. Have you thought about what you will do when this war is over;
perhaps where you would decide to reside when peace arrives?"

"No My Lord, at this stage all my thoughts must be for my men and what is
occurring at the present. When the time comes I will have the time to
consider my future but they will also include my men's future; they have
stood by me even at the worst of times and I cannot throw them aside for my
own personal endeavours."

"A truly magnanimous attitude General Marking, we can only hope you have
the chance to put it all in effect and that once the fighting is done you
will find a peaceful place to live out your life; you truly have my respect
and the respect of many of my Officers."

"Thank you My lord but it is my people who have made it all possible, I
could not have done what I have so far without their valued help."

"I can appreciate your concern for your people General and how much you
value them. Now then I think I have taken up more of your time than I
should, perhaps we should return to the ball and I hope we can look forward
to a better relationship in the future."

"Thank you My Lord, I also hope that things will improve for both our
sakes, as you know I still have my family in England so there are times
when I am torn between them and the need for me to watch out for my
friends."

"I can fully understand that General Marking, I think we should leave it as
said and then see what the future holds for us both. Again my thanks for
your understanding."

Thomas stood at the same time as the Viscount and; with a shake of hands
the two onetime adversaries called a truce, re-buttoned their jackets and
left the office for the ballroom and the rest of the night's entertainment.

With his meeting over, Thomas rejoined his friends and the Prince to watch
the festivities of the ball; it was as he stood beside the Prince that
Thomas saw some of his younger Officers beginning to relax and enjoy the
occasion although most of it also included a few glasses of very good wine
and brandy. Thomas smiled as an evil and fleeting thought crossed his mind.

With his younger Officers drinking a little more than was good for them,
Thomas decided to start back to Vimeiro before first light; he whispered
his nefarious idea to his three closest friends and they quickly agreed
with wide grins on their faces. The thought of many sick faces and rumbling
stomachs and hung-over heads gave the four friends something to look
forward to.

As the evening progressed Thomas was called aside by the Prince for a
private discussion; as they stood close in one of the small alcoves at the
side of the ballroom, Prince Pimentel told Thomas about his worries for his
young friend and his move to the north.

"Don Thomasino, I have to give you a small warning, if you are going to set
your new base at Braganza you will be close to Leon and there are still
those who live there that are not yet friendly to Spain; you will also have
a number of men coming and going from further east in Navarre; if I were
you I would watch any newcomers closely. There are many diverse small
armies of guerrillas and not all of them are lead by good men so I would
try to keep your wits about you. In the north I do not have as much sway as
here in the south so there may be little I can do if trouble occurs."

"Thank you Your Highness for the warning; we have run into similar types
before so I will keep a sharp eye out for any that look untrustworthy."

"Good Don Thomasino, that's all I can ask, none of us here in the south
want you to be put into a situation that you cannot control. Well my young
friend, that's all for now, I am sure you more than have your hands full
with your upcoming move north so we can leave it there for now. Again you
have the thanks of the Cortes and the people of Spain."

"Thank you Your Highness, as always we shall try to do our best in
expelling the French."

"I'm sure you all will Don Thomasino, now then let's get back to the
others; there is still fun to be had for those who seek it."

The two friends returned to the others and settled in to see the ball
out. It was late in the evening when Thomas called his men to him and gave
the order for everyone to return to the tavern; he did not tell the younger
Officers that they would be leaving before sunrise as most were too far
into their cups to have taken notice as they staggered out of the Residence
and called for their horses.

There were a few ribald remarks for the three youngest Officers when they
fell from their horses on their ride back to the tavern; it was nothing
when compared to how they would feel within a few hours when they had to
start the return to Vimeiro.

On arrival back at Vimeiro the first thing for Thomas to do was check the
organisation of his wagons and mules for the move north. The long journey
back to the valley had not been without incident; much to the merriment of
the older and wiser Officers. The younger ones who had over indulged now
paid the price for their bravado and many were still looking a little
unsteady when they entered their home valley with many a ribald remark
thrown their way by wiser heads.

Once everyone had settled back into the routine of the valley and the need
for preparation for the move; Thomas was not surprised to learn that much
of it had already been planned by the ever resourceful Major Jones. All the
wagons had been checked for any defects and their now large herd of mules
were also ready for the long march. As Thomas looked around the valley that
had been their home for more than four years, he felt a small lump in his
throat at the thought of leaving it all behind.

On the afternoon of the 27th of September, Thomas decided to begin the move
north early so his wagons and guns had a chance to make up time. The
Infantry would go along with the wagons and mules not only as an escort but
it would be easier for the men than trying to stay with the mounted
cavalry. Thomas had decided to stay behind with his two Friends Carmelo and
Estaban; Lorenco was given full charge of the wagons, mules and Infantry
for the move as he and his men would as normal take the vanguard even
though there was little chance of any French troops attacking the strong
supply train so far to the west.

The supply train would take the road directly through the pass of the
Estrella Mountains to Guarda, from there they would move straight north to
the River Douro which they would cross at the town of Moncorvo, it would
then be a long straight run to Braganza across the wide open plains. With
winter so close they could get caught out by early or sudden storms so all
precautions that could be taken were looked into.

Thomas and the mounted troops would take a different route, one that led
them through to Oporto first and then on to the new camp site that Major
Smithson had marked on one of his very detailed maps for Thomas. By the
time the wagons and mules were fully loaded it was the 29th of September so
there was little else to do but get them on their way north.

As he watched the supply train move out of the valley he could not help but
notice the four armed guards that marched alongside the small donkey cart
of Lieutenant De Silva; Thomas turned to Carmelo and was about to ask why
the small cart had such a large escort but Carmelo beat him to it by
lifting one eyebrow and smiling; for Thomas it meant it was better not too
ask so he turned away and watched as the mules filed in behind the wagons;
the heavy guns were last in line.

By early evening the valley seemed deathly quiet as Thomas looked around at
the home of four years. Without the noise and voices of his men he was
beginning to feel a little lost even though he still had three hundred
Cavalry nearby but the valley just felt deserted and empty. With the
leaving of his main body of troops the valley had partially died, it was as
though some of its life force had been taken from it and now there were
only the bones left for those still left behind.

On the morning of the 30th September, Thomas led his Cavalry out of the
valley and down into the town of Vimeiro; it was time to pay homage to the
people who had become, in many cases, the second family for many of his men
and boys and to thank them for the steadfast support at even the worst of
times. The rest of the 30th was spent in Vimeiro where a large fiesta had
been organised for Thomas and his men which continued well into the late
hours of the night and was enjoyed by everyone present.

At dawn on the 1st of October Thomas and his men said their farewells to
the people who had been their second families but left them with the
promise that Thomas would at some time return to see them all once more
just as soon as the French had been pushed from the lands of Spain. Thomas
led his men onto the coastal road that led directly to Oporto, they would
traverse the coastal road where it was mainly low lying plains where they
could make good time and hopefully be in Oporto in just a few days or at
most a week.

Thomas had underestimated the distance even though he had travelled it
before; it was fully ten days before he saw the outskirts of Oporto in the
distance after he crossed the Douro at Gramido but it was still a pleasure
to see the end of the journey now so close. Thomas had been given
instructions by Mister Percy on how to find his dock and warehouse; it was
right on the outskirts of Oporto and almost the last dock on the
waterfront.

When Thomas saw the dock that was now considered a part of his holdings
along with the shipping company, he could plainly see that it was quite old
although not run down as would be expected by a place of such age. The dock
itself was well made and extended along the river front for some distance,
there was enough space for two smaller ships to tie up at the same
time. Behind the dock was a large warehouse; its red tiled roof was in good
repair and the white-washed walls had been freshly coated. There were three
large double wooden doors along the front of the warehouse that faced the
open dock.

Thomas almost had a small smile on his face when he saw a very familiar
banner flying above the warehouse; there would be little mistake in knowing
who was the owner; the black bulls head at the centre of the banner made
sure of that. Above the central door was a freshly painted sign saying that
the warehouse belonged to the "MARKING SHIPPING COMPANY" Thomas felt a
small shudder run through him as he saw the brazen sign; it was time to
look for the chandler and see what had been going on and what new
arrangements would have to be made.

As Thomas led his three hundred men through Oporto he did not see the looks
they gathered as they passed by the people. While it was not unusual for
the People of the port to see troops in their town it was unusual to see
the ones now riding in formation with the loud clatter of hooves on the
cobble stones; everyone in both Spain and Portugal knew who the black clad
riders were but they had never seen them so far inside the town or with
such a large contingent of Cavalry. That evening in Oporto there was much
speculation as to why their famous young Patron was in their town with such
a large force; the rumours were never answered.

As Thomas led his men along the open dock, he spied an older man standing
outside the first double doorway. He looked to be in his middle years and
was of a thinnish build, his once dark hair was now tinged with grey and he
wore a pair on rimless spectacles. As the man saw Thomas lead his men
towards him he immediately straightened up and prepared to meet his famous
owner for the first time.

Thomas stopped his horse near the waiting man, before he dismounted he
asked Estaban to take the rest of the men and find somewhere they could
make camp for a few days while he talked with the waiting man; Carmelo
would stay with Thomas and it was no surprise for anyone that Sergeant
Fairley also wanted to stay along with ten others. Thomas frowned as he saw
the ten men sit their horses while Estaban rode way with the rest but he
knew there was little he could really do about it; Carmelo and Estaban had
made it standing orders that Thomas was to have a guard detail at all
times; even in the safety of Oporto.

Thomas cleared the frown from his face at what he considered unnecessary
caution on the part of his two friends but also knew he would not be able
to really do much about it; he would just have to accept it and move
on. Thomas dismounted in front of the waiting man and then stepped towards
him with his hand out.

The man stood erect and grasped Thomas hand with a surprisingly firm grip
for one who Thomas though looked more like an office bound book keeper.

"Welcome Don Thomasino to your warehouse and docks, I am Eduardo Forsca and
have the honour of being the chandler and manager of your company here in
Portugal. Mister Cruickshank told me you may come to visit at some stage so
this is indeed a great honour for us all and I hope I can be of some
service to you while you are here. If there is anything you wish to know I
would be happy to answer all of your questions."

"Thank you Senor Forsca, I am happy that at last I can get to see what has
been arranged here. Is there somewhere we can talk so I can find out what
is going on; I must confess I am not familiar with business matters and
need all the help you can offer to understand it all."

"It will be my greatest pleasure Don Thomasino, I am at your disposal any
time, day or night; you have only to ask and I will see that it is done."

"Thank you again Senor Forsca, would you have an office we can go to, there
are things I wish to ask you and I don't think the dock is the right place
to discuss these matters."

"Certainly Don Thomasino, if you would like to follow me I will take you to
the office immediately."

Thomas followed Senor Forsca back into the first warehouse with Carmelo,
Fairly and his ten man guard close by. Thomas almost had to stop as he
entered the large warehouse, the smells and sights were totally knew to him
and he did not know where all the goods could have come from. From what
Mister Percy had said this was just for the supplying of his army but in
the warehouse there were many things that had little to do with the war
effort; Thomas now had many more questions than first thought as he looked
at the towering rows and stacks of produce and goods.

Senor Forsca led Thomas and his friends through the narrow lanes between
the goods until they came to a small walled off section of the warehouse;
inside were two younger men working over high desks and making entries into
large ledgers. Thomas almost smiled as he thought of Major Jones sitting at
one of the desks; the young Welshman would be right in his element.

Senor Forsca led Thomas into another smaller room that had a solid looking
desk with wall to wall shelves filled with ledgers, there were only two
straight backed wooden chairs in the room and one was behind the
desk. Senor Forsca indicated for Thomas to take the chair behind the desk
while the man stood in front and waited for his owner to speak.

Sergeant Fairley and his ten men stood outside the office but close to the
second door on guard while Carmelo stood by the door but inside the
office. Thomas indicated for Senor Forsca to take the other chair and then
waited until the older man was comfortable before asking any
questions. While he waited for the man to get comfortable, Thomas looked
around the rest of the office. On the wall closest to the door was a large
chalk board; on it were the names of five ships and beside each name was a
date and place name; it all looked very organised but Thomas did not really
know what it all meant.

"Senor Forsca perhaps you could begin by explaining the workings of the
company to me; as I said earlier I am somewhat ignorant of business
matters."

"Certainly Don Thomasino. Well firstly you now own five ships as you can
see on that board by the door. They are made up of two captured Sloops and
one Brigantine and then you also have your original ship, the Avante along
with the ship Beatrice Graves which is under contract for a two year
period. The Sloops and the Brigantine have been renamed once they underwent
work to make them more seaworthy and safe by means of adding cannon to
their decks. The first sloop has been named the Pipito, the second is now
the Bernado and the Brigantine has been called the Sea Nymph. The three
smaller ships travel in convoy to England for your supplies but they also
carry goods we purchase from here and other places so they are fully loaded
both ways. The Beatrice Graves crosses the sea to the new world and does
trade with the new colonies taking our goods and products and returning
with cotton and tobacco. The Avante has travelled to the Islands of the
Indies with both French and local goods and exchanges them for Rum and
Sugar. The Rum is unloaded at your London agents and is then sold on to the
Royal Navy; the Sugar is carried back here where she then reloads our
products to return once again to the Islands for more trade."

"You mentioned French goods, where do they come from and how did you manage
to get them?"

"Ah yes, well Don Thomasino, perhaps it is time to tell you more about
myself. I am from a small village in a place called Fuenterrabia; it is on
the border with France and is positioned right on the coast. I am sure you
may be able to guess what our main business is being so close to France and
yet part of Spain. In that place I have many relatives, all of which are
involved with the local pastime of buying and selling at a certain
profit. My family has four coastal Luggers with a very shallow draft and
are able to go right in close to certain beaches on the French coast where
they buy wine and cognac. Once loaded they make their way back to
Fuenterrabia and store the goods until the three smaller ships put in there
on their way back from England they then load it and deliver it back
here. Your agent in England always makes sure there is space enough for the
goods that are being held for you. With France now in the throes of war
there are many who have little problem in selling their goods to us as well
as we have contacts in France that have dealt with my family for
generations."

"It sounds like a very lucrative business Senor Forsca and I am sure your
family is doing well. Now then what of our supplies, do you have enough to
keep us supplied if I was to send twenty wagons a month to you?"

"Yes Don Thomasino we can accommodate them easily although there is one
thing I must ask."

"What is that Senor Forsca?"

"We seem to have a large store of English food supplies that are never
asked for; what should I do with them or do you wish to have them
transported to your camp?"

"What type of food are they Senor Forsca?"

"It is that peculiar canned meat the English love so much and there are
many boxes of the small hard bread they make; are they of use to you and
your men Don Thomasino?"

Thomas sat and thought for a few seconds, the last thing he wanted for his
men was corned beef and hard tack. Thomas smiled at Senor Forsca before
answering.

"No Senor Forsca, we have no need of it but if I may suggest that you find
a good agent and perhaps he can sell it on to the English army, my men and
I have the full use of fresh foods so have no need of any of it."

"Would you prefer that I ask your London agent to stop sending any of it;
it would make more space on the ships for the goods from Fuenterrabia?"

"Yes that sounds like a good idea Senor Forsca; as long as we keep getting
a good supply of powder and shot there is little else we need."

"Very good Don Thomasino I shall make the arrangements. Now then is there
anything else I can do for you during your stay in Oporto?"

"Yes Senor Forsca, I am in need of accommodations for my Officers and I, my
men will camp just outside the city until we are ready to leave; can you
recommend a tavern for us to use?"

"Perhaps you would prefer a small Hacienda that is vacant at this moment. I
have an acquaintance that has just recently been forced to vacate his home;
it is on the outside of the city so perhaps your troops could also find
quarters there."

"That sounds ideal Senor Forsca, I will send word to Colonel Estaban to
reroute the troops there if you will tell me where it is?"

"Certainly Don Thomasino and there is one more thing I would like to
suggest. Would you and your Senior Officers consider dining with me and my
family this evening; there is one more thing I wish to show you but it is
at my home."

"Thank you Senor Forsca, it would be our pleasure to join you; I have only
to send word to my other men to set camp at the Hacienda and then we can
join you at the time you desire."

Over the next few minutes Thomas noted the address of the vacant Hacienda
and then called for one of the guards outside to carry the message to
Estaban; Thomas and the others would join Estaban shortly after they had
completed any more business at the dock. At six of the clock Thomas rode
with his three Senior Officers to the address Senor Forsca had given
him. The house was not far from the docks but far enough back from the sea
front that it was away from the centre of trade and gave his manager and
family some peace from the rigors and noise of the docks.

Thomas found the house with little trouble and he was pleasantly surprised
by its size and good condition; it was a home built for a large family and
looked as though it had been well lived in by its occupants. Senor Forsca
met Thomas and his friends at the small gate where a young boy took their
horses and led them away to another gate further down the lane where he
disappeared inside to look after the mounts.

Thomas was greeted by Senor Forsca who had a broad smile on his face as he
held the gate open for his guests.

"Welcome to my home Don Thomasino, if you would like to follow me inside I
will introduce my family, they have been waiting with great expectation to
meet the young man who has turned out to be our saviour from the horrors of
the French."

"Thank you Senor Forsca, my men and I have been looking forward to this
evening."

"Good then I hope you will enjoy yourselves. Is the Hacienda sufficient for
your men's needs?"

"Yes it's perfect; you will have to tell me how much it costs so we can
make some recompense to the owners."

"There is no need for any recompense Don Thomasino; the Hacienda has been
vacant for some time and it is good that it can be of use. Now then if you
will follow me I will introduce my family."

"Do you have many children Senor Forsca?"

"Yes Don Thomasino, I have seven sons and one daughter although my daughter
is now married and lives with her husband but all of my sons still live
with us; it is a way for me to keep watch over them as they are all
employed in one way or the other by the company."

Thomas followed Senor Forsca into the house where he saw a line of five
boys ranging from the youngest who was the same boy that had led their
horses away and looked to be about ten years of age, up to a young man who
looked to be in his early twenties. Senor Forsca introduced the boy's one
after the other until he came to a heavy set woman who could only be his
wife.

"And lastly Don Thomasino, my Wife; Donna Maria."

Thomas bowed slightly to the smiling woman and then asked Senor Forsca.

"Senor Forsca, I though you mentioned you have seven sons, are the others
away working?"

"No Don Thomasino, they are out on guard, they will join us when their time
is up and two others will take over for them."

"On Guard Senor Forsca? I don't think you have many Frenchmen to worry
about now their lines are deep in Spain."

"Oh Don Thomasino it is not the French I worry about, it is the local
brigands. You see Don Thomasino in our business and for over two hundred
years my family has dealt only with cash, I know the banks like to deal
with nothing but paper in the form of letters of credit but the people we
deal with will only take coin for all transactions so I keep it all here
under lock and key. I do not trust the banks Don Thomasino and why should I
pay someone else to do what I can do for myself."

"That's true senor Forsca but how do you keep it all and know what you
have?"

"Ah, there is where my eldest comes in." Senor Forsca pointed to the twenty
something young man and said. "Hernandez is very good with numbers and
books; he keeps a very accurate tally of every coin that passes through our
hands. If you wish he can show you his efforts and tell you to the last sou
what is owed to you and the company. It is all held here in our family
vault for your inspection and is available to you on demand at any
time. When I sold the company to Mister Cruickshank I told him of our ways
of doing business and he agreed we should continue in the same vein. Should
you desire it we can change it to suit your own demands."

"The matter of monies has never been easy for me to understand Senor Forsca
but if Mister Cruickshank thinks it is the way to go then I am willing to
abide by his decision. Perhaps you can show me your vault after dinner so I
can understand it further."

"If will be my pleasure Don Thomasino but first let us have a drink while
my wife finishes the preparations for dinner."

Thomas nodded his agreement and followed senor Forsca into a side room that
was obviously set up for the reception of guests, only the oldest of the
boys followed them in and took a chair off to the side when the drinks had
been poured and given out. The conversation was now relaxed as Senor Forsca
told Thomas of his family history and how he had come to sell his dock
business to Percy Cruickshank.

It appeared Senor Forsca was having a litle trouble with the dock due to
the great influx of English traders who were taking over so many parts of
the waterfront for the war effort; when he was offered the chance and a
great deal of cash to sell his dock and warehouses as well as take over as
manager of it all for the hero El Toro he was only too glad to comply and
worked hard to make sure it was all a success. His family ties and contacts
went a long way to helping the fledgling company of Marking Shipping to
slowly gain a good market in many different arenas.

Dinner was as normal for this part of the country; very, very good and had
Thomas and his friends laughing along with the many family jokes while they
ate. That Donna Maria was an excellent cook went without saying, with such
a large family to feed she would have had a lot of practice and young men's
bellies were not always easy to fill. As the diners sat at the end of the
fine dinner and while sipping some excellent Oporto wine, two of the
younger boys rose and left the room, they were soon replaced by two of
their brothers who had been the ones on guard. The two newcomers were
quickly introduced to Thomas and the wide smiles of greeting indicated they
were happy to meet the great El Toro in their own home.

Thomas felt a real familiarity with the family setting, it was something he
had not had before and he wondered how things might have been if he had had
so many brothers around him when he was younger; the feeling gave him a
sudden pang of nostalgia as he thought of the little brother he had not yet
met; he determined he would do everything in his power to make sure his
brother would know the true meaning of family.



TBC.