A Principle of Honour

Chapter 22

The next morning, after the soirée at the Marlow's, James left Brussels. He had been called away on urgent business by the Duke of Wellington, to assess the situation on the border with France. It was far worse than he had first feared. The French had almost closed the border, by stationing troops on all the major roads leading into Belgium. James shook his head. Should it happen, the allies were shockingly underprepared for any French advance.

After the war in Spain, the British had sent a large proportion of its experienced army to fight the war in America. This left them woefully under-resourced at a time when they needed, more than ever, their seasoned campaigners. Not only were they going to have to rely on raw recruits, untested in battle; they were going to have to make uneasy alliances with other countries, including the Dutch and Prussians. But, if anyone could organise this infamous army, it was Wellington.

James had decided to take Stanford with him. Stanford, over the past few weeks, had proved to be invaluable. James now trusted the young man to carry out his orders to the letter. He had also shown James that he was not a young man who was prone to gossip with his fellow officers. If he stayed away from trouble, James was confident he would eventually make an excellent officer.

After nearly a week, they arrived back in Brussels late in the afternoon. After reporting back, the unsettling news to headquarters, he returned to his rooms to prepare for a ball at his brother's residence. He had hoped that his business would have given him an excuse not to attend, but he had arrived back earlier than expected, and Wellington had expressly asked him to attend. Only the possibility of seeing Verity again made the thought of spending an evening at a society function a little more bearable.

'You will come with me tonight,' James said to Stanford, 'it will do you good to learn how to conduct yourself in society.'

'Yes, sir,' Stanford replied.

'Remember to wear your dress uniform. And, you must always be on your best behaviour. When people realise that you work in close collaboration with me, they will start asking you questions about Wellington's orders. At all times, politely plead ignorance.'

'Yes, sir,' he replied to his superior officer.

'I expect you to engage both the ladies and gentlemen present, with a polite nondescript conversation about the situation outside Brussels.'

'Yes, sir,' he replied.

'I also expect you to dance with the young ladies,' he said, raising his eyebrows, 'and I do not want to hear reports of you sneaking them away to dark corners to make love to them.'

Stanford's lips twitched with a smile. 'Yes, sir,' he said, 'I will dance with the ladies.' He paused, before answering, 'and no sir, I will not be caught making love to them.'

James smiled and then said, 'and Stanford, one more thing,'

'Yes, sir.'

'Stay out of trouble,' James added as he waved him away.

'Of course, sir. I will be on my best behaviour,' Stanford said mischievously.

'That is what I am worried about,' he said with a grin, 'now go and get ready. I will meet you here at nine.'

Later that evening James entered his brother's glittering ballroom. As soon as Lady Wrexham had seen him, she made her way over to him. She was an attractive young woman of five and twenty, who always dressed in the latest London fashions. Tonight, she looked resplendent in a dark red silk dress, that revealed a little too much of her décolletage. The Wrexham diamonds that had been passed down from generations of Wrexham countesses sparkled brightly around her neck. All the other young ladies looked at her with awe and a twinge of jealousy.