“It’s glad I am to be on the move again, Captain Kennedy,” the soldier said, as they rode away.  “Sure, your honour, idleness is not good for a man, especially when he has lashings of the best of food and drink.  When I came to buckle on my sword belt, this morning, I found it would not meet within three inches, and the coatee is so tight that I feel as if I was suffocated.”

“You will soon work it down again, Mike.  From what I hear of Spain, there is no fear of your getting too much food there.  Rough work and small rations are, I hear, the rule.”

“I am ready for a good spell then, your honour.  I hardly know myself now, for I am flabby and short of wind.  Still, I am sorry to leave the chateau, for I have had the best time I ever had, in my life.  Everyone was mighty kind, and seemed to think that I had done great things in helping to rescue Miss Anne, whereas I did nothing at all, except to follow you.”

Chapter 14:  A Mission.

On arriving at Madrid in the first week in December, 1708, Desmond, after putting up at an hotel, and changing the uniform in which he travelled for his dress suit, proceeded to the headquarters of the Duke of Orleans, and sent in his name, together with Berwick’s letter of introduction.  In a few minutes he was shown into his room.  The duke looked at him in some surprise.

“Are you Captain Kennedy?”

“I am, Your Royal Highness.”

“The Duke of Berwick has very strongly recommended you to me, saying that you had performed excellent service under him, and that he parted with you, with regret, at the express wish of His Majesty.  He speaks of you as a young officer, but I was hardly prepared to see one so youthful.  He says that you are devoted to your work, active and intelligent as well as brave; and as such your arrival is very welcome to me, for although excellent in battle, I own that my officers are less devoted to the hard work and detail that are as necessary as bravery on a general’s staff.

“By the way, I seem to have heard your name before.  Let me see, it was in connection, was it not, with that affair of the Marquis de Tulle and Baron de Pointdexter’s daughter?”

“I certainly had the good fortune to take part in that affair, sir.”

“The king himself was pleased to tell me the details of that adventure, and to speak very highly of your courage and energy in carrying it out.  And so, you are really the hero of that affair?  He said that you were a young ensign in O’Brien’s Irish regiment.  You have risen rapidly, sir, for it is but eighteen months since it took place.”

“His Majesty graciously promoted me to the rank of lieutenant when I was appointed by the Duke of Berwick to his staff.  I obtained my next step after the battle of Oudenarde, for carrying a despatch to the force cut off in the village of Diepenbeck, in which service I received a wound which resulted in the loss of my left hand.  I was several weeks in hospital, and then obtained sick leave and went down for two months to Baron de Pointdexter, which visit resulted in my complete restoration to health.  At the end of that time the Duke of Berwick, who had also returned from the army, was good enough to recommend me to His Majesty, and he thereupon promoted me and appointed me to join your staff.”