An Awkward Conversation, 10th June

"I began to suspect that something was wrong during our conversation when he said that he had been wounded and was leaving Portugal, although he was not planning on returning home." He sighed. "He had introduced himself as Captain Jemet."

And why on earth had he brought this topic up in the first place?

He held out a glass of wine, in case Padstowe needed it.

For a moment Padstowe did not say anything, yet he had turned a very funny colour. Eventually he spoke, but there was a slight tremble to the edge of his voice.

"Might I ask for a description of this officer?"

"Yes, of course... He was a little taller than me, with dark hair, dark eyes... and he looked extremely pale." Which last was only to be expected from a ghost, of course. "Very handsome. Well, as far as I could tell, of course."

"That is his description..." Padstowe shook his head, suddenly feeling very sick. "...but that cannot be the case. Henry Jemet died at Vimeiro - it must have been some other Jemet."

"I know. I did ask if you believed in ghosts... Here," he held out the wine-glass. "I daresay you would prefer the decanter, though."

Padstowe took the glass, his hand shaking a little, taking a sip of wine.

"What led you to believe that he was a ghost?" Padstowe asked. "You sat talking to him, as you would any other man, for all his pallor. And how did you know of any connection between a late Captain Jemet and myself - but wait, you said an officer. What was his rank? His uniform?"

"He was in the 50th Regiment, the same as yourself. The same rank, too." He shrugged, which pulled a little at his side, but he ignored the slight discomfort in the face of the bigger discomfort that was their current conversation. "He mentioned that he had been wounded, and was leaving Portugal, as I said, and then I asked him where he was going, if not home. He said something about... about a place from which there was no return. And I asked if... if his wound was so bad, then - although he had seemed as fit as you or I when he walked in." He chuckled grimly at that. "Well, fitter than either of us are currently, anyway. And he said... he told me that it was already too late for him, though he did not say any more than that."

"There is no other Jemet in the 50th, to be sure," Padstowe said. "though it beggars belief... Did he charge you with any message? Why did he visit you?"

"He told me that he wished to spend the evening in the company of a brother officer. And he mentioned that you had led the charge at Vimeiro - which I salute you for; I watched you do so. He did not give me a message for you, although he did tell me to look you up." He filled Padstowe's glass again. "I suppose he did not want you to lack for friends. Although, of course, there is very little chance of you being without friends."