Camp - first night

[Maggie Cotton]

The baggage train had finally come to a halt in the early evening, and Maggie was heartily glad of it. She had been accustomed to long marches when she was with Jem, but after many months in Lisbon, her feet and legs seemed to have forgotten. She began unpacking her things right away, wanting nothing more than a cup of tea as soon as possible. A few of the other women were already starting a fire, so she offered to find and fetch some water.

[Gabriel Cotton]

The Riflemen had begun looking for wood and water as soon as they were dismissed. This first night would be the hardest - getting used to living in the open again after so spending the winter in Lisbon would take some time. Cotton took the kettle his small group shared and headed down to the stream to fill it, while some of the others went to find wood.

[Maggie Cotton]

Maggie spotted him from a short distance, along with other soldiers on the same errand. She hallooed him amiably and waved, and then wondered if it was improper to interrupt a captain's batman at work.

[Gabriel Cotton]

Cotton grinned at the sight of her and hurried over. "You all right there, Maggie, lass?"

[Maggie Cotton]

"Aye, well enough, but I'll be better when I get a cup of tea." She smiled back at him, surprised at how pleasant it was to see him.

[Gabriel Cotton]

He thought she looked a little tired, which was only to be expected. "Tea's allus good," he said, filling the kettle before asking, "Where you campin', then, Maggie?" He ignored the wolf-whistles from some of the other lads; she was walking out with him, and they could whistle for the moon, for all he cared.

[Maggie Cotton]

She gratified the soldiers by whistling right back at them in mockery. She felt unusually cheerful today. "I'm back there with a few other women. I'm just fetching our water for some tea. What about you?"

[Gabriel Cotton]

"Settling down with me mates over with the Rifles." He indicated where they were bivouacked and looked at her. "Why don't you come an' join us? Plenty of space round our fire."

[Maggie Cotton]

"Really?" The suggestion surprised and pleased her. She somehow hadn't expected it. Not that it would be anything unusual - she had always camped with the 60th before, but that had been at Jem's invitation, Corporal Balstrode. She had since then resigned herself to staying in the baggage train with other ragtag unattached camp followers, since she herself had been unattached until last night. "Well if you're sure it's all right, I'd like to. Captain Vickery won't mind?"

[Gabriel Cotton]

"No, so long as I can still do me job. And you won't stop me doin' that, will you, lass?"

He might have a bit of a surprise, but it wasn't like Maggie was from outside the 60th. She was still entitled to rations from them, as far as Cotton knew, and it wouldn't be fair to leave her with those other followers who had nowhere to go. The 60th were her regiment, after all.

[Maggie Cotton]

"Not at all. I might even be able to help, you know. I've seen what you do with a needle and thread, Gabe Cotton." She laughed and sent him off to get his own tea started, calling after him to "make some for me too! Don't worry, I'll replenish your stock." She laughed at the soldiers who whistled at her, she laughed as she walked back to her campsite, and she laughed to tell the others that she wouldn't be camping with them after all but would be joining the 60th Rifles.

"Well, hoity-toity! Ain't you just the queen of the army now you've got a new man!"

"Hush your mouth, Annie Lawson. You've always got a new man."

They were all in high spirits, tired but laughing. It had been a beautiful day and an easy march. Everything was still fresh and new and plentiful, and everyone was healthy and strong and a friend. Maggie had forgotten what a joyous adventure it could be at times, and she had forgotten the camaraderie. A golden pleasant mellowness settled over her like the lovely golden sunset she had just watched. She was glad she had decided to come.

[Gabriel Cotton]

Cotton was whistling as he rejoined his mates and set the kettle on to boil. He felt like the luckiest man in the Army. Maggie was a lovely girl, and she'd agreed to step out with him. Life couldn't get any better than this, he was sure.

It had been a good, easy march to ease the men back into the way of soldiering, and Cotton had been happy enough to get out of Lisbon. He was a country lad, always had been, and he'd smiled to see a hawk hovering on the wind as they left Lisbon behind them. The air felt clean and fresh and the cheerful laughter of his mates reminded him how good it could be to be in the Army.

Even Vickery smiled as he served the Captain's supper and cleared away afterwards.

Seemed they all felt better out here, away from the dirty, narrow, crowded street of the city.

[Maggie Cotton]

"Want some help?" Maggie asked with a smile when he returned. "Or is it forbidden for a mere woman to touch a lofty captain's dishes?" Her bantering tone had an edge that Cotton had not yet learned to recognize, but she was determined to maintain her earlier mood of cheerfulness even if she had to force it.

[Gabriel Cotton]

Cotton grinned. "I'd like some help, thanks," he said. "That's if a fine lady like you don't mind gettin' her hands dirty." He was proud that she'd agreed to walk out with him, but there was an edge to her voice that he didn't recognise.

[Maggie Cotton]

"Will we wash up at the stream? Or will we heat water like civilised domestics here by the fire?"

[Gabriel Cotton]

Cotton glanced at the plate in his hand. "It'd be a bit difficult to get all this off with cold water. I reckon there's enough left in the kettle to wash up with. Have to get some more water later, though - or early tomorrow mornin', afore we get goin' again."

[Maggie Cotton]

"Hmm, there's not much," she replied, peering into the kettle. "Here, I'll get started with this and you can go get some more." She poured the hot water into a basin and handed him the empty kettle. "Off you go, quick sharp."

[Gabriel Cotton]

"All right, I'm -goin'." He grinned. "Don't get too used to tellin' me what to do though, woman."

He took the kettle and set off back down to the brook. There was a constant stream of soldiers moving to and fro, fetching water for their own needs.

[Ben Perkins]

He was greeted by Ben Perkins, who was carrying a kettle for the same task. "Evening there, Mister Cotton."

[Gabriel Cotton]

"Hello, Mister Perkins, lad. They got you fetchin' and carr'in', have they?" Cotton felt as though he had a grin permanently on his face today, but he didn't care.

[Ben Perkins]

"They do. I reckon it's because I'm the youngest." He laughed good-naturedly. "But say, is that Maggie I saw you with a while ago? I know you two were talkin' last night, but..."

[Gabriel Cotton]

"Aye, that's Maggie. She's come on the march with us, followin' the 60th."

[Ben Perkins]

"Oh." Perkins gave him a blank smile. He was full of curiosity but too polite to ask further questions. He cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Have ye met me mate, Mícheál Carty?" he asked, nodding at another young rifleman who was filling a pan in the stream.

[Gabriel Cotton]

"No, I haven't," Cotton said. "You going to interduce us, then, lad?"

[Guest]

Hearing his name mentioned, Mícheál looked up and waved, splashing the water in his pan down his front. He stopped to laugh at himself for a moment, before he resumed his wave. "God and Mary be with you! I am Mícheál!" he shouted without the least hint of shyness.

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