Hand Of The Baptist – Jonathan Hopkins

“He’ll vouch for me.” The sergeant still regarded him with suspicion. “Fine,” he eventually relented, “follow me.” Which at least meant Lock did not have to search through every numbered wagon marked with whitewashed HQ lettering until he found the right one. Picker would know it. “What are you doing here, sarge?” The guard looked from one to the other. “So you do know this man?” “For longer than I cares to say, sergeant,” Picker confirmed. “On my life, you can trust him not to steal anything.”

From the north came a huge blast of sound, rolling through the evening sky like a thunderclap that seemed to go on and on. Tied to the back of the wagon, Picker’s grey horse ran back to the end of its tether rope. The trumpeter quickly stepped across to soothe the frightened animal. The sergeant of the guard automatically tugged the musket sling from his shoulder, “Bloody hell!”

The thunder slowly died, replaced by a murmur. “What the hell’s going on over there?” Lock wondered aloud. The three men stood quiet, listening, Picker’s horse a little more settled but still uneasy. “Something’s happening,” the trumpeter said, “he can hear it.” “Not an attack,” Lock cupped a hand behind one ear. “There’d be more musketry.” “Sounds like east of town,” the sergeant-guard still had his ears pricked.

“Wasn’t the Spanish posted there?” Lock did not know, but it seemed Picker was better informed. “Major Killen told me the general had them form there this afternoon, in the olive groves,” he said. “Amongst the ditches and walls. Easier to defend, he said.” That would make sense, Lock thought.

Maybe Wellesley did not entirely trust his allies to hold firm if they were attacked out in the open. The murmur grew. “What the hell is that blasted noise?” The sergeant of the guard was still trying to place it when the first Spanish troops appeared from the darkness. Dishevelled, weaponless, panting as if trying to escape something. Picker shouted at one who ignored him to run on, but then another stopped to take a breather.

“Los Franceses!” “Crap,” the sergeant-guard said. “I’ll need to warn my men.” He darted away, yelling, “Stand to arms!” Lock turned to Picker, “What are you doing here?” “The major wanted fresh gloves. You?” Lock showed him the sword, “I need to hide this.” “Why?” Picker stared at it in the creeping darkness. “Looks just an old, rusty sabre, to me.”

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. No part of this book may be reproduced nor stored in a retrieval system, nor transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the copyright holder, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library. Published in 2026 by Amazon.com OceanofPDF.com The Cavalry Tale Series The story of Joshua Lock and John Killen Book 1: Walls of Jericho From first meeting to the battle of Vimeiro Book 2: Leopardkill Sir John Moore’s march through Spain and the retreat to Corunna Book 3: Dog Watch Return to Iberia and the combat at Amarante. OceanofPDF.com For Seren, once she’s old enough to understand that not all dragons are soft and cuddly.

OceanofPDF.com Their hoof-thunder shook it, full gallop they took it That stern steel-fringed gully before them; and soon Seemed all the grim hollow a welter and wallow Of fallen charger, and Light Dragoon The Charge of the 23rd Light Dragoons at Talavera: Cecily Fox Smith (1882-1954) Come not between the dragon and his wrath. King Lear: Act 1, Scene 1 William Shakespeare OceanofPDF.com Contents Title Page Copyright The Cavalry Tale Series Dedication Epigraph Foreword Prologue Part I Map1 Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Map 2 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Map3 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Part II Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Epilogue Author’s Tail Acknowledgement OceanofPDF.com Foreword Headquarters, Portugal 19th May ‘09 My very dear Lord Halcombe I thank you for your recent letters which I have only now had the opportunity to read due to delays in the mail reaching us and the time it has taken for my journey here.

I rejoice to hear all is well at home and can only hope your difficulties on the estate, thanks to the present War, may be eased a little by the latest news from this country. As you may judge, I reached my appointed destination despite a spell of bad weather at sea during which we came across the famed naval captain Lord Cochrane, with whom you are likely familiar.

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

Book Information

• Unique ID: c34a819ae51ae9ba
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• Title: –
• Author: Unknown
• Pages: 331
• Language: English (en)

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• Estimated Reading Time: 529.35 minutes
• Total Words: 105,869
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