Disclaimer: These are works of fan-fiction created for entertainment. It is not the intention of the author to infringe on anyone's copyright. No rights infringement intended. Warning: General Audience

The Sharpe Fan Fictions of Paul K.

---

Bernard Cornwell’s

SHARPE’S banquet

Richard Sharpe and the
Waterloo Banquet


Novel by Paul Kaster

1822 19th June

Chapter 11
London




At Lewrie’s house, Sharpe arrives last. Anne greets him as he enters.

“Welcome, Sir Richard.”

“Thank you. LADY Anne.” he returns.

Anne leads him to the room where all have gathered. She has Pettus, the house butler, precede them. Pettus stands in the doorway to lock Anne and Richard from entering.

“MY LORDS! MY LADIES!” He calls.

Everyone in the rooms stops what they are doing to look to Pettus.

When he sess that he has their attention, he continues “I GIVE TO YOU...SIR...RICHARD SHARPE...1ST BARONET OF WAPPING!”

Anne waves for Richard to go before her into the room. He meekly smiles then enters.

He is greeted by loud applause. Everyone form the household has joined including Charlotte’s children. \

Arthur is yelling “Huzzah, Sir Richard, huzzah!’

Harper is the first to move to him. “Congratulations again, sir! May I get you something to drink?” It is clear that Pat has been drinking already.

“Have your brandy flask, Pat?”

“Empty already, it ‘tis, sur. Sir Alan here has some fine brandy of his own. AND this very agreeable corn whiskey.” He beams a large grin as he finishes.

“Brandy will do.”

“Brandy it ‘tis.” Pat goes to get a glass for Richard.

Anne pushes Arthur forward to Richard.

“How are you today, Arthur?”

“Very well, thank you. I...I...I hope that you will take one of the kittens to your home. I thank you for saving me. Grandfather told me how you made the plan and led the others to rescue me.”

“I have my thanks. You are safe. And, I will take a kitten. My son who is about the same age as you will be happy to see your gift. As will his sister.”

“Oh, so you have a son and a daughter like mamma.”

“Yes.”

“This is my sister Caroline.” Arthur says as he steps away.

Caroline quickly greets Sharpe then leads her younger brother to where the dessert foods are displayed.

Anne, Alan and Charlotte approach next.

“All our family celebrates the recognition that King and Country are giving to you, Richard. You are….a hero.”

Sharpe blushes. Before he can say anything, they move on.

Lawford and his niece approach next.

“Sir Richard. Cassie, I think that your uncle Hector would be proud today He saw the potential in Sharpe many years ago.”

“Father has a letter from uncle Hector. He talked highly of you when William and you rescued him. Congratulations.”

Next Chase and Florence greet him. “There’s still room in the Royal Navy for you, SIR RICHARD.”

Florence adds, “And for you to visit Devonshire at any time. It is nearly fifteen years since your last visit.”

“Thank you. I… am grateful to the both of you for your friendship.”

The nod and move on.

Next Sir David and Lord Pumphrey greet him.

“Told you once when the shooting starts that our Country will need REAL soldiers. And, that you are. That you are. Sir Richard.” Sir David wobbles away.

“The General and Patrick have become fans of Sir Alan’s corn whiskey.” Pumphrey says.

“General is correct, Sir Richard, you are REAL soldier. Knew I could count on you to come through no matter the odds against the enemy or the machinations of our allies.”

“Thank you” Sharpe merely says. Of all here, Pumphrey is the least of those that he has respected to work with.

“Had our differences. Respect that you put aside the differences and did the good for all. To you, Richard, to you.” He raises his champagne flute.

Harper returns with a snifter of brandy. “Sir Alan assures me this is legal brandy. He won’t support smugglers.” He laughts.

Pat extends his glass. To many adventures together, to loves found and lost and found again. To settling safe and sound at home. To you, Sir Richard.”

Sharpe touches his glass to Pat’s. They both drink.

After he drinks, Pat asks, “So,….when’s our next adventure, Sir Richard, darlin’?”

Sharpe freezes his face as if he were inspecting the battalion. Then he laughs heartily.

Harper laughs with him.

They touch glasses again



Sharpe is content to circle the room from group to group while he sips his brandy.

Marlott and Sandman have joined the room. Harper is at his finest with them and Lawford they exchanges stories of battles fought.

Lewrie and Pumphrey discuss together the secret missions that they have done and the members of the secret services that they have known. Baird and Chase join them and the talk changes to Naval operations. He hears mention of Capetown. Coruna and South America. They talk of Prize money past and more recently prize money for the opium.

Anne, Florence, Cassandra, and Charlotte talk of children, houses, their men and fashion.

They eat and drink from 2 to 6.Sharpe slowly walks around the room to shake each person’s hand. At the door, Anne sees him out.

“I truly am happy for you, Richard. Alan and I will come to the hotel before you leave. We will bring your kitten prepared for it to travel.”

“Tomorrow.”

Anne kisses his cheek, then pushes him out the door.



20th June 1822 Thursday

London



The next morning, Sharpe was ready to go home.. His purchases and clothes were packed to be easy to carry on the coaches and ship. He leaves the baggage in his room and walks to The Golden Lion for breakfast. There he finds Harper waiting.

“Surprised to see you this early, Pat.”

“Sir Alan decided that his family needed to be spared another late evening. Sent us off shortly after you left.”

“Good to see you.”

Sharpe signaled to the waiter to bring tea and sausages.

When the food arrives, he asks, “Sausages and tea to take with me on the coach?”

The waiter nods.

As Sharpe ate, Harper talks.

“Lady Anne and Sir Alan gave me a standing invitation to see them when I have business here. Kind of them. Told me though that I need to bring Irish whiskey to trade for corn whiskey.” he laughs.

‘Only fair, Pat.”

“So it ‘tis. Wonder how hard it is to grow maize. Have some land. Can’t grow barley. Soil no good. Saw maize growing in Spain on poor soil.’

“Thinking to make your own whiskey, Pat?’

“’Tis a thought.”

“May look into maize for our new field. Already have lots of apples.”

They finish eating. The waiter brings Sharpe's tea and sausages that he will take on his journey.

‘Many of your customers order tea and food to take with them?”

“It is a new thing for us. More come and go on the coaches. Learned how to use wine bottles for the tea. Stocking over the bottle keeps the tea hot. Won’t burn hands. Brown paper under newspaper keeps sausages warm. No grease out to clothes.”

Sharpe liked the bottles and wrapped sausages that they had taken to Southend.“

“I will copy at home for food to take to the fields. Save time. Workers can eat at the field instead of walking to and from the house.” he thinks.

“I like these. Do you use for that breaded fish at the evening meal?”

“No. But, I will give your suggestion to the owner.’

Sharpe and Harper return to the Nerot. Sharpe pays the bill for his lodging and waits for Sir Alan.

At eight o’clock, Sir Alan arrives at the hotel with a carriage.

“Good morning, Sir Richard, Mr. Harper.’

“Good morning, Lady Anne, Sir Alan.’ they both reply.

“Shall we be off to Charing Cross?’

Sharpe gives his baggage to the carriage driver who secures it to the carriage’s rear. He joins the other three in the carriage.

Lady Anne holds a small leather box on her lap. The box has small holes along the top on either side of a handle.

“Arthur sends your kitten.”

‘”He asks that you name it ‘Ramrod’” Alan says.

“Ramrod?”

“At Shoebury, after Sandman took him from the barn, Arthur watched you shoot. You shot, reloaded, shot again, reloaded again. He asked Sandman what you were putting into the rifle. Sandman told him that it was a ramrod.”

“When Caroline and Arthur were naming the cats, he told us that he didn’t know your name yet. He called you ‘Mr. Ramrod’. When he learned your name he gave the kitten your name ‘Mr. Ramrod’.”

“I will take care of ‘Mr. Ramrod’.”

Anne says, “Arthur will be thrilled.”



The ride to Charing Cross goes quickly. The driver moves the baggage from the carriage to the coach.

Sharpe buys his ticket and returns to the others.

Sir Alan says, “I am honored to meet you, Richard. For two boys who picked oakum, we have done well. I feel like I have known you much longer than this week. Until we meet again.” He shakes Sharpe's hand.

Anne kisses him on the cheek, “My dear Sharpe, it is always good to see you. We have overcome another bad situation. May the next time we meet be without such drama.”

As they part, she gives him a letter. “Give this to Lucille.’

He takes the letter and puts in a pocket.

Harper says, “Give my best to Lucille and your children.’

“And mine to Isabella and yours. I want to hear about your corn whiskey.’

Alan asks, “Corn whiskey?’

“Pat thinks he will grow corn to make his own whiskey. He’ll tell you.

At fifteen before nine o’clock, the passengers are called to board the coach.

‘Until next time.” Richard says goodbye and climbs into the carriage.

He sits with the kitten’s box on his lap. “Twelve hours to Portsmouth, then ship to France. Home soon.”

---

Fiction Index | Sharpe Tales Home | Sharpe's Banquet Index | Epilogue

---