‘Then we must rid the Nizam of his French advisers.’

‘That’s not going to be easy.’ Arthur raised his eyebrows wearily. ‘His army is the only thing that stands between the Nizam and his Mahratta enemies, and he’s not certain how far he can trust his French-officered battalions.’

‘What is their strength? Compared to the two East India Company battalions you mentioned.’

‘The Nizam has twenty-three battalions in his army.’

‘Ah. Not very good odds, then, should it come down to a fight.’

‘Not as bad as you’d think,’ Arthur replied. ‘The Company battalions are larger, and far better trained and equipped than the others. Even so, they could not hold their ground for long if the other battalions turned on them. The Nizam knows the quality of the Company troops and knows that his best chance is to have us on his side. Especially if an alliance with us might lead to the return of those lands already seized by the Mahrattas.’

Richard stroked his chin thoughtfully. ‘Tricky . . . We have to find some way of removing those French officers, and increasing our military presence in Hyderabad.’

‘Precisely.’ Arthur nodded. ‘And the Nizam is only the most immediate of our concerns. Our intelligence people tell me that the rulers of the Mahratta lands covet our territory. More worrying is the threat that Tipoo is preparing for war with us.We must resolve the problem in Hyderabad without making war. If there is a war, and Tipoo throws his lot in with our enemies in Hyderabad, then things could become decidedly tricky for British interests in India.’ Arthur paused and looked steadily at his brothers. ‘We must proceed very carefully and deal with one threat at a time.’

‘I understand,’ Richard replied.‘I must do all I can to keep the peace with Tipoo while we deal with the Nizam. Meanwhile we’ll make all the necessary preparations for war with him.’

‘That would be prudent,’ said Arthur. ‘I just hope we have enough time to gather an army powerful enough to deal with Tipoo.’

‘Have you any other bad tidings for us?’ Henry asked in exasperation.

‘I fear so.’ Arthur paused a moment to collect his thoughts. ‘India has been beset by warlords of one kind or another for many centuries and the East India Company is in grave danger of simply looking like the latest oppressor. I have to confess that the natives have every reason to judge us alongside their own rulers.There’s a tendency amongst some of the Europeans of the lower orders - the gora log as the Indians call them - to treat the natives like slaves, and to act as if they are above the law.They will cheat them out of money and goods, and beat them mercilessly if the whim takes them. The situation is little different amongst the better class of European. Many of the Company’s senior officials are equally corrupt. Hardly surprising given the fortunes that can be made from trading, bribery and straightforward theft. It seems that almost every Englishman who sets foot in India wants to return home as rich and powerful as Clive.’

‘Well, there’s not much we can do about that.’

‘But we must do something,’ Arthur protested. ‘Otherwise we will never win the common people over to the idea that British rule is in their best interest. Moreover, I believe it is our duty to set a new standard. While you are the Governor General, Richard, there is a chance to change things here for the better. And you can count on Henry and me to support you.There is a great opportunity for England here in India, a great opportunity indeed. If we can rule by good example, if we can deal with the natives in an open and honest way, and bring them peace and order, then they will welcome British intervention, even British rule.To which end, I beg you to lead by example, Richard. If we can only convince the natives that we are motivated by an instinct for public service and fairness, then who knows how much of the subcontinent will come over to us.’

‘That will mean stepping on quite a few toes,’ Richard responded shrewdly. ‘If the spirit of larceny is as widespread as you imply.We’ll have to weed out the incompetent as well as the dishonest if we are to achieve anything worthwhile. And we’ll have to make sure that we do what we can to improve the lot of the common people. It’s not going to be cheap.’

‘No more than John Company can afford, surely?’

The brothers laughed for a moment before Richard continued. ‘Very well then, it seems that we three have a mountain to climb. But, for now, that concludes our business.’ He stood up. ‘I’m afraid that I still have several more people to see today. We’ll speak again at dinner.’

Arthur was a little surprised, and hurt, by his curt dismissal. Richard might well be the highest ranking English official in India, but he was still Arthur’s brother, and Arthur found it difficult to reconcile their relationship with his role as a subordinate. A junior one at that.

Henry escorted Arthur to the door and nodded a farewell as he held the door open.

‘Arthur!’ Richard called after him, and he turned back. Richard stared at him a moment before he continued. ‘It is good to see you again. I can think of no man I’d rather have as my military right hand.’

Arthur smiled faintly.‘Thank you, Richard. I promise, you will not be disappointed in me.’

He strode out into the corridor and heard the door close behind him. Outside the Governor’s headquarters he squinted as he emerged into the blistering midday heat.There was stillness in the grounds of the fort as everyone who could took shelter from the sun. A sole redcoat tramped slowly along the battlements above the main gate as Arthur made his way back to his rented house. The peace and quiet of the presidency would soon be a thing of the past, he mused. One way or another, war was coming to India and there was no telling if England would prevail, or Tipoo and his French allies.

Chapter 34

In the following weeks there was a constant stream of communications between the new Governor General and the Company’s resident at the court of the Nizam, Captain James Kirkpatrick. Kirkpatrick was told to relay the message that England strongly desired closer relations with Hyderabad and would guarantee to support the Nizam, by force if required, against any threat to his position. It was Richard’s conviction that the French officers in the Nizam’s employ might have sufficient sway over their men to unseat the Nizam and replace him with a more compliant ruler.

These thoughts were very much on Arthur’s mind as he drew up plans for removal of the French threat in Hyderabad, as well as the initial draft of a plan for the invasion of Mysore and the defeat of Tipoo. The difficulties presented by such an operation were the same as those that had faced General Cornwallis when he had attempted to bring Tipoo to heel seven years earlier. Cornwallis had managed to bring his army up to the enemy capital of Seringapatam and lay siege to the heavily fortified city. But then his food supplies had run short and he had been forced to retreat, with the added humiliation of having to abandon his heavy guns.This lack of mobility had bedevilled every attempt by English forces to push into the heart of India, and was the reason why the three presidencies were anchored to the coast and forced to communicate with each other by sea.

Colonel Wellesley, as he called himself now, and his small staff pondered the problem for nearly a month before hitting upon a solution that would be as simple as it was effective, and he at once sought a meeting with his brothers to explain his ideas. The instant he entered the office of the Governor General he sensed the tension.

‘What’s happened?’

Richard gestured to a document lying on the desk between him and Henry. ‘The governor of the French colony on Mauritius has announced a formal alliance with Tipoo. He claims that French soldiers will be sent to Mangalore as soon as possible.’