“I do not like this, do not like it at all. We are in the right place at the right time, aren’t we?”

“We are indeed, sir.”

“Well do you see any vast invasion fleet? I’ll be damned if I do.”

“None, sir.”

“Would you hazard a guess as to what has happened?”

“It seems, well, obvious now, sir. Our intelligence service has been duped, for reasons I do not know. We have been sent on a wild goose chase.”

“I am in compete agreement. Set a course for Florida. Washington must know what we have found.”

At top speed Avenger turned and headed for Florida and the nearest telegraph station.

“You have, then, been presented to the Queen before?” Lord Palmerston asked, then muttered with pain as the carriage lurched over a rough patch of cobbles. His gout had improved greatly, but his foot was still tender.

“I have had that pleasure,” Brigadier Somerville said. Which was not quite the truth. He had no liking of the court and the hangers-on there. He would far rather face shot and shell in battle than go through with this afternoon’s business.

“You’re a brainy fellow,” Palmerston said, with more than a little condescension. “You can explain all the technical bits to her.”

“Will not the Duke of Cambridge be there? Surely as Commander-in-Chief of the army he is in a far better position to clarify matters than I am.”

“I assume so. But that’s neither here nor there. The Duke and I discussed this matter in the club last night. We’re in perfect agreement, dear boy.”

I’ll wager they are, Somerville thought to himself, but did not voice his suspicions aloud. He hoped that this would not be the simple matter of shooting the messenger who brings the news of ill tidings.

All too soon they were rattling across the courtyard of Buckingham Palace, the footman opening the door as soon as they had stopped. When they went inside they found that the Duke of Cambridge was already there, enjoying a pipe in the anteroom.

“Ah, there you are,” he said, climbing to his feet. “Ready to reveal to Her Majesty the interesting details of our great victory.”

“As you say, sir, though I seek no notoriety. If you wish to speak…”

“Nonsense, Somerville. One’s doesn’t want to hide one’s light under a bushel. After all this entire matter was all your idea. Credit where credit is due, old boy, and all that.”

Somerville bowed to the inevitable and entered the reception chamber. Head high and shoulders back, as though bound for the headsman’s axe.

Victoria was peevish this day. “Now what is all this of events in Mexico? We were informed that a fleet had been dispatched to the West Indies. Yet still we hear strange reports—”

“One should not listen to the fiddle-faddle of people who gossip just for gossip’s sake, dear cuz. Let us go to the font of knowledge of the victorious planner himself. Here is Brigadier Somerville to enlighten us all.”

She blinked suspiciously at the officer who bowed stiffly.

“Ma’am. It is my great pleasure to tell you of a great and victorious British feat of arms in Mexico …”

“What of the West Indies, hey?”

“Everything there has gone exactly to plan, ma’am. Success there was dependent upon success in Mexico. Your Majesty, of course, knows of the road now being cut across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, to enable her Majesty’s troops from the Indies to cross from one ocean to another without hindrance. At first we sought to extend the road to the major port of Vera Cruz. This is a goodly distance from the Pacific Ocean. Therefore, upon further consideration, it was decided that a small fishing village would make a superior site that better suited our needs. The road would be shorter so more easily defended. But the village of Coatzacoalcos …”

“What are you saying?” her voice rose in irritation. “We can follow none of this.”

“I do apologize, ma’am.” Somerville’s collar felt tight about his neck and he was beginning to sweat profusely. “I am being too inept. May I just add that our naval forces have taken the enemy completely by surprise. They have landed all the heavy guns from the convoy without the enemy’s knowledge. Have dug them in and have made the port impregnable.”

“Are these the same naval forces that we were informed were going to attack the West Indies?”

“Indeed, ma’am.”

“Then we have been lied to!” she screeched. She rounded on the Duke of Cambridge. “You yourself told us about the West Indies. Wasn’t that a lie?” Somerville gratefully moved back a few steps.

“It was not a lie, dear cuz, but what might be called a ruse de guerre. The Yankee spies here in London are as thick underfoot as fleas. Did we not discover one right in the heart of Whitehall …”

“There are no spies in our court!” Her voice so shrill it hurt the ears. The Duke appeared unconcerned.

“Spies, no. But chattering gossips, yes. They speak without thinking even when the servants are listening. And that gossip is for sale to the lowest kind of newspaper and then, perhaps, to some spy. The Brigadier here suggested that this village, whatchmacallit, be our port from the very beginning.” The Brigadier wilted under the chill majestic glare. “But in the orders Vera Cruz was always given as our goal, to be used to divert attention from the real port. I approved this myself. The real destination was known only to a few people. This distraction worked so well that it came about, rather naturally, to continue the ruse in the orders to the convoy. All of the ships had orders to meet at a certain rendezvous. They believed it to be the correct one. We are sure that Yankee spies had a chance to look at a number of copies of these orders. Perhaps the naval ships kept their orders under close guard, but the merchantmen undoubtedly did no such thing. Then, just before they sailed, each captain was given sealed orders that were not to be opened until after they were well at sea. Only when they were completely out of touch with the land were the secret orders opened.”

“A ruse de guerre that was responsible for saving many British lives, ma’am,” Palmerston said. “I was only informed myself after the fleet had sailed.” Which was not true, but to politicians the truth was just a tool to be manipulated at will.

“It was a great victory in the war to punish those who brought about the death of your consort,” the Duke said in a brazen attempt at misdirection.

Never too bright, and easily distracted, Victoria took the bait.

“Yes, and what of that war? What of your promises?”

“Soon to be carried out. The landings have been made, the port defended, the invasion planned. The Yankees completely taken in by our ruse. Be assured, the entire country is behind you in this. Albert’s memory will be defended and the wicked punished. The wrath of the Empire shall strike them down.”

“How?” Victoria asked. Still not sure what had happened and confused by all the orders and changed orders. “How will we strike the enemy down?”

“We shall invade them in their soft undertummy of the Gulf coast. The armies of the Empire are gathering in Mexico. They will march unharmed from coast to coast. The merchant ships that brought the guns to Mexico are waiting, now safe under the muzzles of those same guns, to board the troops for the invasion. When our ships of the line arrive they will stand guard over the troop ships. Guide them safely to the American coast. A single, irresistible attack will drive the enemy back and open the way to Washington City. Soon after that we will have Lincoln in chains and America once more part of the Empire. Albert will be avenged!”

The United States was being engaged by the British on so many fronts, both on land and at sea, that consultation at the very top level was constantly needed. After a number of heated discussions between the army and the navy over priorities, it was decided that the army, in numbers alone, was the Senior Service, therefore the discussions would take place in the War Department. Building modifications were made, quite close to Room 313, and daily conferences were now held in this newly opened War Room. It was guarded by armed soldiers right around the clock, since the files inside, and the maps on the walls, were all in the new classification of Top Secret.