11th June: Returning with gifts

He then reached into his jacket and produced a jingling leather pouch which he would open and reach in, before producing a coin and flipping it to Cotton.

"See if that helps you get something better. As you were....oh and next time don't make it so obvious."

He strode off, and upon inspection Cotton would find the coin was a half crown.

Cotton was taken off-guard by the coin and only caught it by clapping his hand to his chest, pinning the coin between the two.

"What the...?" he began, stunned. They hadn't been that obvious, he thought.

"Thank you, sir," he managed, though the officer was walking away by that point. He brought his hand down and opened it to find a silver half-crown gleaming in the afternoon light.

He gave a low whistle. Two and a half weeks' wages to buy wine with...

"...Wot is it?" Pye studied Cotton. Judging by his reaction whatever the officer threw at them was not a small sum. But....should they really have trusted the man, or would he come about claiming that they've stolen that half a crown off of him and have them all arrested?

Once the officer was out of sight he relaxed finally.

"You English are crazy in head I thin, ja? or maybe just officers.... vat he give you Cotton?"

He showed the other Riflemen the coin in his hand. "Half a bloody crown - two an' a half shillin's, is what it is, Pye," he replied, trying to work out how much wine they could buy for that, and chuckled. "Reckon most officers is touched in the head, a bit. Though the Rifles' officers are the best in the Army - an' we got the best officers in the Rifles, I think. Got the best Captain, anyhow."

He blinked at the coin and then grinned at the other riflemen.

"That one must be crazy in the head more zen most ja? that is lots of vine ve buy vith zat, ja?"

Cotton nodded. If they disregarded the Lieutenant's advice, and went for the sort of stuff soldiers usually went for, they could get enough wine - hopefully - to go round the whole Company. Though they wouldn't get drunk on it, not on half-a-crown. It would take more than that to buy enough to get them all drunk.

"Don't argue with it, though, Hartmann. If the officer wants to give his money away, I ain't goin' to stop him." He grinned.

"..he ain't fair saying t' wine was no good." Pye glanced at the bottles and then at his cup."..ain't no need ter say it neither after he's drunk a whole cup o' it." He might have given them money but his attitude had been much to desire in Pye's opinion. Then again, he reasoned, most officers were like that. It was a part of being an officer.

"Officers're used to spendin' money on wine an' gettin' better wine than we have," Cotton observed. "Good thing he don't know the sort of rot-gut stuff we usu'lly drink." He looked across at Pye. "Did he have a whole cup, then?" He hadn't been looking closely enough, obviously; he'd thought the officer had only had half a cup. Still. "There's plenty left, ain't there?" he added, holding the bottle up to the light to check how much still remained in it.

"He drank a whole one, aye." There was still enough wine left. He was just annoyed that the officer, who could buy himself all of the wine of Spain and Portugal together had taken their wine, which was a gift for their achievements and frankly, just for them. That he handed money to them to buy more seemed to Pye less important and did not change that fact. He frowned. Perhaps he was more upset than he needed to be and so hesitantly he looked at the bottle again. "May I have a sip too." He had not had one yet, and he was certain to have a small bit poured in so that more was left for those who were not present and able to drink just yet.

"'Course you can." Cotton held the bottle out for Pye to take. "Thought you'd had some already, seein' as you was the one brung it over."

"No. I'm youngest rifleman here. I didn't think it right ter drink ahead o' the others." He poured himself a little from the bottle once it was uncorked. "More'n we go and get ter Newbury and t' rest who's not got any yet?"

"Think you an' Hartmann's about the same age," Cotton said, looking between the two.

"He'd like a drop, sure, though I dunno as the surgeon'll agree." He grinned. "Though what the surgeon don't see, the surgeon can't fuss about."

"Well, we can distract t' surgeon while yer give it ter Newbury. Got someone ter act all poor, so he's all lured out...or.." He paused. "We can just see that he's not around, and sneak in then. Much easier, that."

Which was pretty much what Cotton had planned to do. "He's me partner, don't s'pose the surgeon'll mind too much if I go a-visitin'," he said. He wasn't sure how Newbury would take it if Pye came along too... Hell. He wasn't sure how he would take it if Pye wanted to tag along.

"Then.. you better go." Newbury would be glad to see his partner and have something to drink with it, that is what Pye was certain of. "..Can I come half way. Don't need to see t' surgeon an'.. you two need some time 'lone." He glanced briefly at the Germans. "So, jus' half way be a'right? Take both them bottles and bring back what's left ter the others." He gulped down the content of his cup for some courage.

"I'll take one, you lot can share the other one around between you's all," Cotton answered. "When we get to the next village, reckon I'll be more likely to be able to go shoppin' than you - I'll go an' find the posada an' see if I can get some decent wine in. Unless anyone would rather someone else went?"

"Oh not it's fine, by me... And i think the rest of this place conversation will go on that new officer and wine..." he sighed and looked at Pye "don't think you need to feel like disturbing, could learn you to know aswell as Hartmann... And thanks for the wine lad" He said and offered a polite smile to Pye not wanting him to feel like he was disturbing nor would he sound ungreatful for the wine.

"..Learn what?" Pye had not payed much attention and was now confused as to what Falkenbeck meant by what he had said. He nodded to Cotton agreeing that the man should take the bottle. "When will we have a go at our next rabbits?" He inquired innocently.

Rabbits? Klepper grinned. "Hunting? Venever ve like," he said. "Vith the permission, of course."

"It's allus a good idea to be able to add summat more to the pot than jus' rations. It'd be fair dull if we had nothin' of our own - an' we wouldn't be worthy of bein' Riflemen if we couldn't add summat else to the pot when we need," Cotton added.

"Hmm. True. Could I be shown um.. How ter hunt with yer sort o' traps? Think it might spare on t' powder n' all" It wasvthat and the fact that thatway he might be able to catch an additional rabbit with which he could pay to the 33rd without much notice or sacrafice of his friends and fellow riflemen.

"Ich bin ein batman!". The joyful shout was heard even before the slender figure of rifleman Rottländer came into view. As usual he didn't arrive at a walk, but was running and skipping over the stubble grass.

He came to a halt, his grin nearly splitting his face. "Für den new engineer! I werde cook!" He had to stop for a moment to catch his breath, excitedly bobbing up and down, but then he informed the company at the fire in a torrent of German:

"I will have to cook for him, and clean his things, and he has a wonderful horse for which I will care, and he's a lord, and I'll get more pay for it!" Once again he had run out of air, but he bridged the gap by gesticulating excitedly."The sergeant says he's one of the 'Nobs' and I'll probably be given vails and live like a king!"

Suddenly his face fell, making him look like a lost puppy. He looked around imploringly.

"Only what do I say to him? And what if I don't understand what he wants?"

The...what? Pye stared at the new arrival. Whatever he had spoken, he spoke in German which meant that the rifleman was completely lost at the onslaught of words. He was grateful that it was not directed at him, but whatever had excited this man, had certainly must been big. He skipped as if he had just found the secret hiding place of either all of the gold of Spain or of wine and beer.

And just as suddenly, he looked quite the opposite. Distraught and worried. A few earlier words that he was able to pick were mostly English so really, there was something with the new engineer. But other than that?

Oh. Wait. Was he...batman, cook, engineer. Now, if he pieced these three things together he could make a wild guess as to what had happened. He shook his head and in an attempt of hospitality - extended with some uneasiness to the Germans - he offered. "...Would you like some wine to.. uh.. celebrate?" He spoke slow as if speaking to a dumb man, thinking that if he spoke in such manner the other man would understand him. The logic mimicked that of an Englishman shouting as speaking something louder must certainly explain the meaning of the words.

Freddie listened intendly, but was lost towards the end of the sentence. But the extended bottle of wine together with the words he had understood could only mean one thing.

"You mean I should offer him wine?" He tried to repeat the phrase. "Wood you like some waine?" Freddie clapped his hands together. "That's good! I know how to pour wine!"