4th October: Visiting the Lord

"...True." Willoughby did not look pleased at having to jeapordise their secret by sending the letters out to anyone at all, but he did see reason that they needed to practice and thus would need to know about the routine ahead of time.

"...Alright, we will do that but.." He raised his hand a little as if to stop Torrington from interrupting him. "We will write to them that they should practice where they are certain at not being seen and that they should not disclose the contents of the letter to anyone.. not even their loved ones, or dear friends, or their own family. While I am certain that the family would not wish to betray this... ladies are equally frivilous at talking of matters that ought not to be discussed with those who do not know to keep their mouths shut when a secret is a thing they speak about."

"We had military operations with less thoughts for secrecy ..."

Torrington found a second pen and inkwell and better paper.

"Here ... Would you prefer that we deliver the letters in person? I have a few more hours of time before I am expected to dinner."

"Indeed, but London society... natters and gossips worse than any officer or soldier, drunk or sober." Willoughby said pointedly. "I would trust Rottlaender and Pye, though we may as well deliver them in person if that should be suitable." Though as he considered it, he was leaning more towards the two riflemen. Neither could read well enough or would betray Torrington's trust by reading the letters and both would guard the letters with their life, so fervent they always seemed to do their duty. "If anything... they are the last to allow the letters to go into the wrong hands."

"They certainly will. And each of us is used to keeping our mouthes shut."

Torrington started to copy the diagrams, finding it actually a rather interestning exercise. The sketches needed to be clear and easily understandable, but at the same time simple enough so that he could copy them quickly.

"I will certainly agree on your opinion of society, though."

Willoughby sat himself beside Torrington and began on his batch. He tried to copy the images to best of his ability, and did not do a too bad a job at it. Of course the point was not, whether one or the other would achieve artistic excellence, but whether the images would then be understood as to what they represented and whether this could then be performed accordingly. He copied also the comments that came with the images smiling lightly.

"Then.. let us send the boys. They willl have finished their deliveries before we ever finish our glasses of whatever we might have chosen."

Without looking up, Torrington rang the bell on his desk an instructed Wilson to get Rottlaender, Pye and tea. Busily writing, he agreed:

"Quite probably - the press won't catch them by virtue of speed alone. Besides this, is there anything else we need to organize? What shall we do with all the applications that no doubt will be misdirected to us instead of Fairfax?"

"I am contemplating on whom to give my space, though I think I will be having a harder time at deciding who I must omit in this." Willoughby looked thoughtful, considering what they could do with the applications. "Well... we could just simply return them, ignore them or forward them to Fairfax, but with the indication that we hold no preference of them?" He copied another of the pictures and then the comments that went with, having gotten quite quick now with it, while his hand was steady and neat. "Who will you invite to come? I think we may get some for our chosen ones?"

"I think so, yes. My father indicated that each of us would get four vouchers for our most immediate needs and could apply for more like all others. I have not yet puzzled out how to distribute them, though. Mama and Bella, certainly, if they want. Father can attent due to serving on the committee anyway. James ... well, he hopefully wants to support us, although his enjoyment of the event might not be as great as some other applicants. Thine and his family ... well, all of them are four in itself, but I thought of giving the vouchers to the boys if they behave, and will hope that my brother-in-law will manage to aquire some for Liza and himself. On the other hand, if one of our friends should pop up at the last moment, it would be good to have some at hand for them, too, so I thought I might apply in mother's name for her and Bella."

"I think Burlingame said that he would apply his four to Lady Ines, to her mother and possibly his own parents. I have mine most probably for Lady Catherine and Lady Anne. The rest I am still undecided. If my grandfather decides that he will attend even though he disapproves of it, then one is certainly for him. As for the last, it should then go to one of my cousin's parents so that they may be chaperoned." He looked expectantly at the door then ducked his head down again to finish the last picture and begin on the new letter.

"If you need one more, you can probably ask Sympher - he said he had no family here, and I think the proper chaperonage of your cousin is something he will understand."

Torrington finished his last letter and poured sand on it, then started to fold it.

"Worchester probably will need more than his free share, too, but then, his father should have no problems getting some of his own as well. Here ... Do you wish to enclose any personal messages, or can I seal it?"

"I might, though I think that if I am unable to provide a fifth seat for Earl of Keswick, he could possibly obtain one himself." He contemplated on it. "I wonder if the whole of the delegation will be present."

He glanced at the letter and then paused. "I would simply add that the contents of the letter should remain confidential and are not to be shared with anybody who is not participating in the competition, not even a spouse, a loved one or an intimate friend." He said as he straightened a little.

"I believe it should be reasonably clear that the contents are not to share with outsiders. Do you really want to add this strict admonishment? I would not particularily care to recieve a letter implying I would be frivolous enough to give our plan away - we are all officers, after all", Torrington warned, somewhat uneasily.

"I would not be surprised if some might share it with their siblings.. and while siblings may be endearing, they also have friends who are less of an ear and more of a mouth." Willougby answered simply and gazed at the letter.

"Some might take it too lightly and not consider this a matter as one of the military importance where secrecy is required. I would rest more easily if a simple note would be given so that none of them could then say.. but I had thought it was fine if I shared it with my closest..." Willoughby may have had faith in the engineer and also the cavalry, maybe even another branch, but some he had certainly not, though he did not wish to elaborate on it.

"It is not an admonishment as much as a request, I would thing, an indication how important the contents of the letter are."

Torrington did not look convinced; the idea that one would share a secret (and for that matter that a request would stop it) seemed rather alien to him - but then, he had been among the more paranoid in the Peninsula.

But as this was Willoughby's project, he nodded his head in aquiescence and added the requested.

He finished just as Wilson came back and opened the door for the two former riflemen - obviously at one point he had managed to get Rottlaender to understand that it was polite to wait until the butler had alerted his master to their presence before storming into the room.

Willoughby grinned as he saw the two former riflemen again. They had offered some good natured entertainment and they were just too much fun sometimes with their antics. Of course a few years had changed them a little, but even if their bodies may have aged and matured, their eyes seemed just as youthful.

"If anything should be considered obscure, then it is the fact that I can't tire of seeing them again. " His smile was bright and also a little hopeful. "May I steal your Freddie when I will need something done insanely quick?" He asked playfully, though good naturedly. "Has Pye extended his collection of chickens?" He inquired a little, seeing the bright, if a little sheepish look on that man's face.

Freddie saluted very crisply, although his beaming smile nearly split his face.

"Captain Mylord Gwydyr, Sir! I brought you tea! My special tea!"

He suddenly looked a bit unsure, holding out a tin box.

"If you want it, Sir ..."

Torrington just smiled and made a 'be my guest' gesture with his hand.

Willoughby stood up, looking very excited and grateful for the offered tea. "Perfect." He could not contain himself. "Whether I would want it?" He shook his head, his grin broadening. " I would love it! And .. I would be most grateful for it!" He added sheepishly.

While Rottlaender handed Willoughby the box, beaming again, Torrington gathered the sealed envelopes in a neat stack, then sorted them according to the way the youngsters had to take.

"Here, you two - these notes are to be delivered personally. I have written the directions on each envelope, can you read them well enough to find your way?"

Pye looked a little anxious when Torrington mentioned that he had to read the addresses from the envelopes. Since the time at the Peninsula and his meager beginnings at copying his name until it was perfect, then learning to write slowly but steadily, he certainly had improved a lot.

It did not however make him feel any more at ease, at trying to make sense of the scribbles even if, after a quick glance, he thought that he could actually understand. His signature was still so much like Torrington's hand writing and probably would never change. "Um....yes?" He said, his voice not as confident as it should be, though eager to please and try his best.

Freddie nodded as well, more eager, since he loved to proof that he could properly read now. He even had started on a book!

Torrington handed the letters over.

"Stick together, give the letters only to the person they are directed to, and if a butler gives you grief, show him this, and if he does not yield or the recipient is really not there, have him deliver a message to call on me here."

He scribbled a few words on one of his cards and handed it over as well.

Pye nodded in union with his friend and took the letters that he was supposed to deliver. He also waited for the cards then looked at Freddie again. "So...this'un are really secret?" He asked, being smart enough to figure that if a letter was not to be given to just anybody, it was most certainly not just a common letter.

Instead of Freddie, Torrington answered gravely:

"Yes, really secret. But I have full confidence in you too - you will manage admirably. Here - in case you need directions, the ones I marked on the plan are the houses you need to go to."

The engineer had quickly fixed up a copy of a London map for them - not even relizing the fact that for other people reading maps and finding your way by them in a city might not be quite as easy. But then, the youngsters had been with him long enough now that most likely they had gotten used to his way of thinking.

Pye peered at the map, looking so seriously that one could imagine him giving orders for the next 'storming of the bastille' or some similar officerly action. He nodded several times, and what he did seem to do is quickly match the letters he had in hand, to the positions on the map. They were just as quickly put in the correct order, from the one closest to where they were now, to the one furthest.

He glanced at Freddie's handful briefly then very carefuly folded the map. "We will deliver them very schnell and only to the people named on the envelope, sir! We'll guard them with our lives otherwise and will not let anyone else get'em!" He hesitated and grinned. "An'...we will make double, no tripple, no....Hundertmillionmal sure that the person that gets it, is named like this!" Because, frankly, neither of them knew how the people looked but would never the less make sure that unless they were mos definitely identified as the person named, they would also NOT get the letter. If any names sounded familiar to either of them, it would be the one who could identify the person, that would deliver that exact letter!

Torrington laughed briefly.

"One of the persons is Major Vickery, and you also have seen Worchester before - he was the ADC who came to tell us to storm Arinez during the Battle of Vittoria. Be very polite to him - he is a Marquess, and will be a duke. Sympher speaks German, Rottlaender, so you will be able to talk to him easily, and anyway, he always seems to wear his uniform, and there aren't too many of the German Artillery around."

He considered the others.

"Have you ever introduced them to Burlingame, Gwydyr?", he asked his friend.

"I did. I think that Rottlaender even impressed him at one occasion...at least, with his tea." Willoughby smiled. "..Not quite sure what it was about, but.... the other occasion involved a chicken and my fellow ..then cornet.. who did not quite appreciate it." He looked at Pye, who grinned back sheepishly.