'That should bring Heinsius to his senses,' said Godolphin. 'If we lose the Duke of Marlborough, we lose the war and the Spanish Succession will go unchallenged. France will be victorious yet again.'

He was about to expand on his comment when there was a tap on the door and a liveried servant stepped into the dining room.

'Excuse me, Your Grace,' he said. 'You have a visitor.'

'I was not expecting one,' returned Marlborough.

'The gentleman says he is here on urgent business.'

'Did he give you a name?'

'Yes, Your Grace — Captain Daniel Rawson.'

'Then bring him in at once,' said Marlborough, getting quickly to his feet and sending the man out with a dismissive wave. 'I've been waiting for Rawson to turn up.'

'Who is he?' asked Godolphin.

'Remarkable fellow — I first met him after Sedgemoor when he was a lad of ten. His father had fought with the rebels and one of my men felt that he was entitled to violate the boy's mother by way of punishment. Daniel Rawson saved her honour by killing him.'

Godolphin blinked. 'A boy of ten killed a soldier?'

'Yes — with the man's own sword. I presented it to him as a gift. He's learnt to use it well, believe me. After his father was hanged, he and his mother fled to Amsterdam. Three years later, he returned here in the army of William of Orange.'

'So he was involved in the Glorious Revolution, was he?'

'From that point on, Daniel Rawson and I have always fought on the same side. I followed his career with interest. He was far too good a soldier to waste his talents in the Dutch army so I persuaded him to join a British regiment.' The servant showed in the visitor. 'Ah, here he is! Good to see you, Daniel.'