Fire and Sword by Edward Marston Read Free Book Online

spat out in disgust. ‘He’s no match for us. The Duke has outwitted far better soldiers than Vendôme. We beat Marshal Tallard at Blenheim and Marshall Villeroi at Ramillies.’
    ‘Both of them experienced commanders.’
    ‘Poxy old Vendôme is useless.’
    ‘Give him his due, Henry,’ urged Daniel. ‘He had a lot of success in Italy then kept us completely pinned down here last year. He’s a worthy adversary and we should respect him.’
    ‘I respect nobody in a French uniform.’
    ‘Not even royalty?’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘It’s another little titbit that fell into my lap. Louis is sending his own grandson, the Duke of Burgundy, to put us to the sword. That shows you how seriously he’s taking this year’s campaign. Keep your men well drilled and ready for combat,’ said Daniel. ‘They may have the chance to spill some royal blood.’
     
    Louis de France, duc de Burgundy, was a well-bred yet mettlesome young man in his mid twenties, deeply religious, inclined to arrogance and confident that he had the ability to lead a huge army to victory against the Confederate forces. Notwithstanding a lack of experience, he felt able to make critical military decisions in the field. With so many troops gathered at the French camp in Valenciennes, he didn’t even contemplate defeat. Burgundy was a royal prince in every particular. Impeccably attired and courtly in manner, he was therefore highly offended when the scruffily dressed duc de Vendôme barged his way into the tent without warning. Burgundy turned away instinctively from the unpleasant smell that always accompanied the older man. Vendôme was over twice his age and had notoriously dirty habits. His shirt was badly soiled and hadn’t been changed for several days. There was tobacco on his cravat, wine stains on his coat and his periwig was beginning to unravel. He was brusque,irreverent and angry. Vendôme made little effort to show any respect.
    ‘I wondered if you’d come to your senses yet,’ he said.
    ‘I fancy that it’s your senses that are deficient, my lord Duke,’ said Burgundy with exaggerated courtesy. ‘I hoped that you’d come to appreciate the wisdom of my argument.’
    ‘Wisdom arises from experience.’
    ‘That’s why I’m careful to draw on the experience of older heads such as your own. I’ll always seek the best advice before I make a decision.’
    ‘Then why have you ignored it?’
    ‘In this case, I found your counsel unhelpful.’
    ‘Unhelpful!’ spluttered Vendôme. ‘That’s an insult. We’re in a position to take the initiative and I believe that we should do so.’
    ‘On that point at least we’re in agreement.’
    ‘Then give the order to besiege Huy.’
    ‘I’ve chosen another course of action.’
    ‘Think of its situation, for heaven’s sake! Huy sits on the Meuse. Those wide, open plains nearby will favour a cavalry engagement and we have a marked superiority there. Why not use it?’
    ‘Because I’ve conceived another strategy,’ said Burgundy, evenly. ‘I prefer our initial advance to be towards Brussels. There’s a clear dissatisfaction with Dutch rule among the Flemish population. We must exploit that. Brussels will welcome us.’
    ‘All of Flanders will welcome us if you follow my plan.’
    ‘The matter is settled, my lord Duke.’
    Vendôme turned away and muttered some expletives under his breath. Forced to accept Burgundy as the titular commander-in-chief, he was seething with rage. The previous year he’d skilfully defended French positions in Flanders and kept the Allies at arm’s length. As the new campaigning season began, he’d finally been allowed to risk a major battle, if it could be fought under advantageous conditions. To manoeuvre Marlborough and his army into the places where he wanted them, however, Vendôme needed a free hand but that was being denied him. Every decision had to be ratified by Burgundy.
    ‘Could I simply ask you to think again?’ said Vendôme,