Running an Errand

Williams grinned. He had seen enough floggings in his time with the Inniskillings, and the occasional hanging - more than in some other regiments, he knew. But on the other hand...

"I wouldn't say that the officers were mad for the triangle. I've been let off with stoppage of pay - or less - for offences that would get a man flogged elsewhere. But the lads are - Well, those that aren't Irish are Scots - Scots-Irish some of them, and they fight with anyone. Fight themselves if they were in solitary. Particularly when there's drink involved. So there's more than our fair share of floggings. But a well-behaved lad like you, who doesn't get into fights or steal - you should be in no danger. The 33rd are a right nasty bunch - from the officers down. Well, we've seen them." He hesitated. "That makes it less likely that they'd put you there. The general might be an officer, but he wouldn't want his Rifles flogged to death for doing their job!"

Cotton didn't think everyone in the 33rd was as bad as Hakeswill, but he hadn't had any real contact with them one way or the other. It just didn't make sense for the Army to have a whole Regiment of bad apples.

Yes, he kept his own nose clean, but he wasn't in the army because of a run-in with the law. Besides which, he had a good position as officer's batman, and didn't intend risking it for a bit of stupid fun.

"Just because a man don't fight or steal or what-all else don't mean he won't get in trouble. And it's none so easy to work out ahead of time whether you'm in the wrong place at the wrong time. Just tryin' to help a body can get you in trouble, if you ain't careful." And Cotton was one of those people who did help others, without thinking twice about it. "Got in one or two scrapes fr'm doin' that, even since joinin' the Rifles. Just didn't get in enough trouble to face the cat."

"Next time I see an officer being attacked, I will avert my eyes and pass by on the other side," Williams responded. "But you've got to have some fun, and make a few mistakes, or you're not living at all. I've come close - not just that business the other day - and been sure that this time I was for the cat. But so far, I've come through with my back whole."

He wondered what sort of scrapes the lad had been in. He'd run through a fair sized list of minor infringements, but he'd been lucky, sailing close to the wind with his cheek and grin, and getting off with extra drill, or long hours on duty when he should have been out, having a drink.

"Don't take worries on until they arrive," he said. Cotton looked as if he expected to be flogged to ribbons the moment he was attached to a proper Regiment. "Your officer won't let them touch you."

"He's a good'un, is Captain Vickery," Cotton repeated. "Only time I knew a lad in our company to get flogged was back afore Christmas, when Rifleman Chester was caught sleepin' on guard duty. Could've been shot for that, of course. He shifted to another Company after, and I ain't seen him for a bit, now."

He grinned. "Mostly we've had stoppages of rum, or pay - once, someone got both. Can't remember what he'd done to piss the Captain off, though, but there it was. Or somethin' out o' the ordinary, like the women's caps and the privies. Most I ever had was stoppage of rum and an extra guard."

Williams nodded to the package Cotton had laid on the table. "And if I were you, I wouldn't risk coming back late smelling of brandy. You may need to keep on your Captain Vickery's good side, since he's got one." He lifted the bottle. "If you're free this evening, we could finish this at our leisure."

"I don't intend comin' back late, smellin' of brandy or not," Cotton said. He wasn't sure if Captain Vickery had any plans for that evening, or, if he did, whether they involved Cotton's presence. It he was eating in the Officers' Mess again, Cotton could probably slip away once he had everything ready for the morning.

"An' i don't know if I will be free this evenin'. But if I am, where c'n I meet you?"

"Here would be a good place," Williams said. No point in picking somewhere like the square where they had met - he was not going to stand around waiting just in case Cotton could get away. On the other hand, he enjoyed the lad's company, and it was less likely to lead to aggravation. He still felt as if he was on a warning. This place seemed to be quiet, at least at this time of day. "And don't worry if you can't make it. I'll have a drink, find a girl maybe and ... Well, just don't worry about me."