[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

that sort of thing going on. We didn't leave a whole lot of them alive."
"I heard bits and pieces about the `Fort Cushion massacre,' yes that's what
the southron papers call it, you understand," Bell said. "If you ask me, the
blonds surely had it coming. If they try to face their betters with weapons in
their hands, such things will
happen."
Page 226
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Colonel Biffle visibly relaxed. "Glad you see it that way, sir. Ned didn't
give the order to kill the bastards, but I can't say he was sorry it happened,
either."
"Who could be sorry about getting rid of blonds? We just smashed a couple of
regiments of them ourselves," Bell said, and then got down to business: "You
tell me Ned is two days away?"
"That's right." Biffle nodded again.
"Excellent, Colonel." Bell felt as happy as anything but his drugs could make
him. "I
look forward to his joining us. We'll show the stinking southrons there's
still life in
Geoffrey's men."
"Er yes, sir." Colonel Biffle coughed a couple of times, then went on, "Uh,
sir, Lieutenant General Ned, he asked me to ask you, just what have you got in
mind once you put his unicorn-riders together with your army?"
"What have I got in mind?" Bell struck a pose. "I'll tell you what I've got in
mind, by the gods. I aim to lift the southrons' yoke from Franklin, reconquer
Ramblerton, sweep down into the province of Cloviston my home province, I'll
have you know roll on to the Highlow River, and then, again with the help of
the gods, cross the river and attack the town of Horatii in Highlow Province."
That'll impress him, Bell thought.
But Biffle remained unimpressed. "No, sir," he said. "Sorry, sir. That's not
what Ned of the Forest had in mind not even a little bit. What he meant was,
what do you aim to do about Brigadier Spinner? The two of them, they purely
don't get along. Lord Ned swore a great oath he'd never fight alongside
Spinner again, on account of Spinner stole his best men after the battle by
the River of Death. That was one more of Thraxton the
Braggart's nasty little tricks."
Bell grunted. There lay his glorious vision of northern triumph, shot dead by
a petty political squabble. Or perhaps not so petty: he remembered rumors that
had slid through the Army of Franklin while he was recovering from his
amputation. Now, maybe, he could find out if those rumors held any truth.
"Tell me," he said, "did Ned of the Forest really challenge Count Thraxton to
a duel?"
"He did, sir. By the gods, sir, he did. I was standing closer to him than I am
to you right now, and I heard it with my own ears," Biffle answered. "He made
the challenge, and Thraxton didn't have the stones to answer it."
"Isn't that interesting?" Lieutenant General Bell murmured. As his maneuvers
against Joseph the Gamecock proved, he wasn't above political squabbling
himself.
Having a weapon to use against Thraxton the Braggart might come in handy. You
never could tell.
"I want you to know, sir, Lord Ned, he's dead serious about this business,"
Colonel
Biffle said. "He said, `Biff, you tell that fellow if I'm stuck under Spinner,
I'll stay down here in Franklin and give the southrons a hard time all by my
lonesome.' His very words, sir; Lion God claw me if I lie."
"He would disobey a superior's direct order?" Bell rumbled ominously.
That didn't impress Ned of the Forest's regimental commander, either. "He's
disobeyed a whole great pile of them in his time, Ned has," he replied, "and
usually he's come off better on account of it."
"I ought to send him packing for dickering with me like this," Bell said.
Colonel
Biffle only shrugged. Plainly, he didn't care one way or the other. However
difficult Ned of the Forest was, Bell knew him to be a genius at handling
unicorns. Brigadier Spinner was competent enough, but nobody had ever accused
him of genius, and nobody ever would. No matter how grandiose Bell's visions,
he also knew he needed all the help he could get to bring them off. He plucked
Page 227
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
at his beard. "You may tell Lieutenant General
Ned that I will place Brigadier Spinner on detached duty harrying General
Hesmucet's men here in Peachtree Province. Will that satisfy him?"
"Yes, sir," Biffle said. "I'm sure of it."
"All right," Lieutenant General Bell said. "We'll do it that way, then." It
wasn't all right. He had every intention of writing King Geoffrey about it.
But, while that would put him on the record and make him feel better, Ned of
the Forest was unlikely to get excited about it. Ned did what wanted, not
what anyone else wanted. No, Bell didn't like he bargaining with subordinates.
But no matter what he liked, he couldn't afford to lose this one.
Now that Biffle had got what he or rather, Ned wanted, he was all courtesy
himself. He gave Bell a smart salute and said, "I'll head back to Lord Ned
fast as my unicorn can take me, sir, and we'll see you in a little more than
two days' time."
"Good," Bell said. He hardly noticed Colonel Biffle leave the farmhouse. He
was looking south with his mind's eye, looking south toward the victory that
had eluded him in Peachtree Province, looking south toward glory.
* * *
Doubting George was gnawing on some pork ribs when Colonel Andy ducked into
his pavilion. George's adjutant looked even more like an irate chipmunk than
usual. "Sir,"
he said, "there's a messenger from General Hesmucet waiting outside. You're
ordered to the commanding general's headquarters at once."
"Well, if I'm ordered, I should probably go, eh?" Doubting George heaved his
bulk off the folding chair where he was sitting. "And if it's at once, I
probably shouldn't finish dinner first. You're welcome to the rest of the
ribs, Colonel. They're mighty good."
"It's not right, sir," Andy said in injured tones.
"What? The ribs?" George said. "You might as well eat 'em. Gods only know when
I'll get back."
"No, not the ribs," Colonel Andy snapped. "The ribs have nothing to do with
it. The orders General Hesmucet's going to give you they're not right."
"Well, maybe they are and maybe they aren't," Doubting George replied. "But,
right or wrong, they're legal and binding, because he's the commanding
general. If I didn't believe in following legal and binding orders, I'd be
fighting for King Geoffrey today, wouldn't I? And then you'd want to kill me."
"Never, sir," Andy said stiffly.
"Oh, of course you would I'd be the enemy," George said. "But I'm not, and I
don't intend to be. And so . . . I'm off to General Hesmucet's. Enjoy the
ribs." He left before his adjutant could carp any more.
Trouble is, I agree with every word Andy's saying, George thought as he
climbed aboard his unicorn. But, whether he agreed or not, he could obey
Hesmucet or he could go home. After a moment, he shook his head. He couldn't
even go home. Over in
Parthenia, the traitors still held the estate they'd confiscated.
Hesmucet's aides and sentries saluted when he rode up to them. When he
dismounted, one of them took charge of the unicorn. Another one said, "General
Hesmucet will see you right away."
"Well, good," George said agreeably, "because I'm going to see him."
"Hello, George," Hesmucet said when his second-in-command went into the
pavilion. The general commanding quivered he practically glowed with
excitement.
George knew what was coming even before he spoke: "I've got it, by the gods!
Marshal
Bart and King Avram have given me leave to march across Peachtree, tear up
everything in the way, and take Veldt."
"Congratulations, sir," Doubting George said. "I trust you'll send me a
postcard or two as you go?"
Page 228
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Hesmucet coughed and turned red. "I told you, Lieutenant General, I need
someone I
can count on in Franklin, to keep Bell from making mischief."
"Yes, you told me that," George said. "Just because you told it to me, though,
doesn't mean I have to like it." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]