Chapter 13: The Aftermath

Six o'clock on a Christmas morning is not the best time to try and arrange the transportation of dead bodies and prisoners to Devizes, or indeed to arrange to transport anything anywhere. There were several barges tied up alongside Burbage Wharf, but most of the bargees were either drunk, or dead drunk. I found one crew, who were just about conscious, and ordered them to take me, some guards, the bodies and the prisoners to Devizes.

The barge captain refused, until I told him I was used to steering a plough behind a horse, and I doubted if steering a barge behind a horse would be much of a problem for me. Therefore I would commandeer the barge, in the name of the King, and take it to Devizes myself. He was horrified to think that his livelihood would be entrusted in the hands of a plough boy, and so, reluctantly, he cast off, and we travelled the sixteen miles to Devizes in about three hours.-- It was nigh on ten of the clock when we tied up at Devizes Wharf.

As the church bells rang, to celebrate the birth of Our Lord, the good burghers of Devizes were on their way to morning service. Meantime, I was marching along at the head of a procession of a cart carrying two dead bodies and a groaning wounded man, a manacled prisoner accompanied by four soldiers with fixed bayonets, and a complaining barge captain asking for payment for fetching us to Devizes.
The HQ of the battalion was situated in the town hall, but on arrival I found no one there but a corporal's guard of six men. Sir Edmund and Frederick Bywaters were the guests of Lord Branston, and were enjoying his hospitality at Branston Manor, which was some six miles to the east, near Bishops Canning. Major Graffoe was somewhere in town, either drunk or copulating, or both, no one knew where exactly. I was in a quandary of what to do next when Surgeon Armityge appeared. He quickly summed up the situation.

"Send a messenger to Branston Manor; place the unwounded prisoner in the town jail, put the two bodies in the morgue, and I will attend to the wounded man in my surgery, which is next door to the morgue. As for the bargee, give him a promissory note and tell him to return tomorrow and see the Regimental Paymaster."

Armityge was so much more than a surgeon, and I thanked him for his advice.

"I can see that you are nearly out on your feet Captain. I suggest you go to the Red Lion, which is the best of the local hostelries, and get something to eat, have a nap, and then write up a report of the night's events." He gave me a slight bow, and took the wounded man off to his surgery.

I did as he had suggested and afterwards made my way to the Red Lion, which was open but empty. I found a comfortable chair by a blazing fire, and had just sat down when a pretty young serving maid came over to me.

"Can I get you anything master? A drink, some food?"

I asked for some food and she went away. Although she had a slender, young, almost childish body, she walked with the grace and sensuality of a much older and experienced woman. I fell asleep, holding in my mind's eye the imprint of her walking away with her hips subtly swinging.

I awoke with a start, and for a moment I didn't know where I was. There was a hum of conversation in the room, someone had removed my boots, and placed a blanket over me while I slept. Sat across from me was Captain Milton Keynes of the grenadier company.

"Ah, Sleeping Beauty awakes!" He smiled at me. "You sleep as sound as a babe, Elijah. I forbade anyone to wake you from your slumbers; it was high time that you got some sleep. Now we can eat; Emily has laid up a table for us in an alcove, where we will not be disturbed by the good people of Devizes, as they wassail the night away."

"What is the time? -- And who is Emily?"

"It is four o'clock, and Emily is the young maid you saw on your arrival."

I quickly pulled on my boots. I was suddenly ravenous, and needed to fill my belly with some food. All else paled into insignificance.
There was a tureen of a thick vegetable broth, and a plate piled high with bread, a side of cold ham and joint of roast beef completed the menu, together with quart of strong ale to wash it all down. I set to, and Milton watched me with a smile on his face.

"It would seem that you have been short of food as well as sleep for some time."

Between us, we soon cleared the table of the food, and Emily came in to remove the plates. She stood close to Milton, and I heard him murmur to her,

"I have your Christmas present, ready to give you later, my love."

She whispered back, barely loud enough for me to hear.

"As I have yours, too, Milton." She gave him a knowing look, as old as Eve, as she left the room.

I was astounded; Keynes was a man of at least thirty-five years of age, while Emily looked to be twenty years younger, possibly more. He saw my astonishment, shock, and yes, some distaste too, on my face.