A small excerpt from Chaos Come Again, out in three weeks.

Dorothea was clearly going to have to get used to Lion going away at a moment’s notice. The meeting with his exploring officers as soon as they arrived back in camp, the interruption in the night to deal with a drunken brawl, and with breakfast, a message from Wellington, asking for Lion’s presence at headquarters immediately.

“Of course, I do not mind,” she replied mendaciously to his worried enquiry. “I knew you had to lead your part of the army. I will be here when you have time for me, and find things to do when you do not. You need not worry about me, Lion. I married an officer with responsibilities, and I do not mean to be a burden to you.”

Which was all very well, but now he had ridden out of camp, with Bear, Fox and a platoon of troopers, she had no idea what to do with herself. Both Emily and Amelia viewed officers’ wives as useless ornamentation, and Dorothea had no intention of being that.

But wait. How was this different to what I am trained for? Manage the house and its servants. Ensure that meals palatable to her husband were put on the table in a timely fashion. Look after the welfare of those who answered to her husband as servants or tenants, and more widely the welfare of the poor of the parish.

If she had married in England, she would not have hesitated to call the cook and the housekeeper to her and learn all about the house, and to question them and the local vicar about the estate and the surrounding area.

Who would be the equivalent in her current situation? Major Cassiday, perhaps. He was in disgrace after getting into a fight with Roderick Westinghouse, and had been left behind. He might be able to advise her. She wondered if the troops had a chaplain. He, too, could be helpful.

She would start, however, with Michael’s mistress, if only because she shared a house with the woman. Bianca was a little stand-offish. Asking for her help and advice might attract scorn. On the other hand, she might appreciate it. It might break the ice between them.

Certainly, making friends with Bianca and asking her advice was a better idea than sitting here on the bench outside the farmhouse, staring at the road down which Lion had disappeared, and feeling sorry for herself.