From Col. Edward Mustard’s Correspondence File
14: Lieutenant-Colonel Pepper on Memory in London
London, 1st October 1768
My dear Fellow I am delighted to hear of your Intentions and I wish you every Success in your Endeavour. I have drawn on regimental Funds (you can make it good in due course) to purchase that which you requested and hope that it is sufficient unto the Task. I am sending it post-haste with young Wainthrop, who has grown into a most presentable Youth but is, frankly, less Useful to me here in London than Pettigrew. I will assign Larkins and Drew to keep him out of Trouble. Of course, you will know all this if you are reading this Note.
It was splendid to see you and catch-up over the Summer. Of course, as ever you brought strange and troubling Tidings that have caused me much Disturbance ever since. I have long thought on your Tale of the Events of the Solstice. I was just Arrived in London at the Time and, of course, have no Retention at all of the Events you describe. Yet for all that, the more I consider that Period, the more slippery become my Recollections. It is as if I know what I did during those Days, but cannot recall any Particulars. Occasionally I think that I am on the Verge of remembering Something but then it eludes my Mind’s Grasp once more like a fading Dream.
I have tried quizzing various of the Men and some Trusted Friends and Acquaintances about their recollections. Most seem Keen to avoid the Subject altogether. I find that those who are prepared to engage with my strange Mind Games seem Confused, Uneasy and Unwilling to speak of that Time. I fear I may have garnered a bit of a Reputation for Strangeness in this Pursuit.
Perhaps His Royal Highness is in the same Situation. It seems likely that he has by now read your Report. The Fact that you have received no Royal Summons suggests that the King intends neither to dismiss you from your Post for Insanity, nor to proclaim you Saviour of the Realm. My Guess would be that he remembers Something – he was after all closely Involved. However, in his Position it must be Difficult to bestow Rewards for Services that None remember. The World might think him Mad.
You may be interested to know that my Contacts in the Company are all Agog at the sudden Fall of Mr Hunter. The official Version is that Mr Hunter is Overseas on a Secret Mission and is not expected to return any Time soon. However, few Insiders believe this to be the Case. Not only has Hunter gone, but so too have all his chiefest Adherents and Allies within the Company. There are dark Rumours that Hunter and Co. became too big for their Boots and became Victims of a Purge – though this would be quite Extraordinary. Company Factions have fallen before, but the Losers in such Struggles usually find themselves Compromised, Disgraced and Banished, not Disappeared or Slain out of Hand, while their Minions are absorbed into other Factions or demoted to lesser Roles. The Darkest Rumour is that Hunter and his Associates summoned a Demon and that it ate them.
I wish you well and hope you enjoy the forthcoming Ball. I was considering whether I might be able to clear my Desk in time to join you there, perhaps bringing a small Honour Guard. Alas, I have a Number of Urgent Matters that I must attend before I can consider it. I do sometimes wonder, as you fight the Good Fight against the Evils of the World, that you occasionally recall that I am here struggling against Dragons of a different Kidney. They are not very Interesting Dragons, to be sure, but they can be quite Fearsome and quite often Breathe Fire. On that note, I must leave you, for I have an appointment at Horse Guards for a grim Battle over a Requisition of Horses, to which some fancy-pants Dragoon “Guards” Colonel seems to have taken a fancy. If I do not make it down to Surrey in time I shall no doubt see you here in London in due course.
Your Friend and Obedient Servant,
Nathaniel Pepper, Lieutenant-Colonel, Mustard’s Dragoons