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SHARPE’S banquet
Richard Sharpe and the
Waterloo Banquet
Novel by Paul Kaster
1822 June 16
Chapter 6
London
Arthur woke to one of the kittens licking his face. Slowly he rose from the straw. The cats gathered around him.
“Poor puss We can eat soon.” He goes to the door. He knocks. Then again. When no one answers, he calls
“Hello!” And then calls again.
Finally his guard opens the door.
“Awake? Hungry?”
“Yes. Cats too. Can I have something for them?”
The guard looks to where Arthur points.
“See what I can do.” he says as he pushes the door shut behind him.
Arthur waits. He hums a tune that he has heard his grandfather play on the penny whistle.
“Wish grandfather is here too.”
He hums more of the song. Before he finishes the song, the guard returns.
“Extra bread and ham for you and the cats.”
“Thank you.”
“Eat well. Your grandfather comes before I bring you more food.”
“Grandfather comes?”
“Yes, your father says that you will go home with your grandfather.”
Arthur nods.
The guard watches the boy. He is sad for having to keep the boy here. Boy is strong. Many his age would be crying
Alex went through the plan with the smugglers. They have almost twenty men to face whatever Lewrie will do to rescue Arthur without paying. Even though Alex served in the army, he had served in the cavalry. He had never had to deploy men to attack or defend a position. The house and barn were obvious to post men.
“Need to prepare in case Lewrie comes from the flanks.”
The smugglers leader listens. “The flanks?”
“Up or down the river.”
“We have three swivel cannons.”
“Put two up the river with muskets to cover. Other with cover down river. Make sure no one can see them. May need them to intercept Lewrie’s river cavalry.”
“That leaves seven men for the house.”
“Barn guard, you and me with them meet Lewrie from the pier.”
“Should be enough.”
Neither man recognized that they could be attacked from the village.
When Sharpe returned from Wakering, he had started to form a plan. Shows the others the map.
“Pier. House. Barn. Road. Village. Barley on east side of barn. Wheat on west side. One guard on only door to barn. Windows too high. House hundred yards from barn.”
Marlott looks at the map. “How close can I get in the barley?
“Also hundred yards.”
“Girondoni shoots accurate at that. Almost no sound.”
“Girondoni?”
“Lewrie’s air rifle. Sent it with me. Thought it could be useful. Especially since you will have my Baker.”
“Good idea for a sailor.”
“Yes, Lewrie is not our every day sailor. Fought with the army often.”
Sandman has been looking at the map too. “Angle from house to road looks like there is a blind spot here.” He points along two lines behind the barn.
“What are you thinking?”
“If I can come up the road from Wakering, can go to back of barn. Can try to use bayonet to open some boards into the barn. When John shoots the guard, I can take Arthur from the barn to John.”
Sharpe nods. He likes the plan.
“If no one hears the Girondoni, I will shoot just to signal Lewrie. If any of the smugglers react, I will shoot that man as our signal.”
They all nodded that they agreed the plan was good.
“What about Simmerson?” Rider asked.
“Simmerson says he can bring militia cavalry.”
“Smugglers won’t expect horses. They are watermen. Will give their attention to the river.” John says.
“Militia should sweep the river and then rush the house.”
”Hope the commander of the militia has some smarts. Have to trust that he does. Simmerson doesn’t.”
They left the inn confident that they had a successful plan. They would need about an hour to reach Wakering. They leave at 9 and go by separate routes.
Along the way they saw some people who appeared to be going to churches. By 10, they had all arrived at Wakering. Sharpe paid to have their horses taken care of until they returned. When they waited thirty minutes without seeing any signs of Simmerson, they set off. It would take nearly and hour to reach Shoebury.
At the eastern edge of the barley field, they separated. Sharpe continued along the eastern edge of the field until he could see a direct view of the house. He then entered the field to set up his shooting position.
Sandman and Marlott moved along the northern edge of the field but out of the view from the road. Sandman stopped when they had almost reached the barn. Marlott said that he would go around to be able to see the front of the barn. He chose a spot where he could see the guard and Sandman.
They had not encountered any smugglers. Once they were in position, they sat ready. They would wait about an hour.
Lewrie and Deavers left London at 8. Deavers concealed the Manton and Nock pistols on board the steamboat. Since the boat was propelled by paddle wheels on each side, there were several places to hide the guns from the sight of anyone ashore. If all went well, it would take about 4 hours to reach Shoebury.
Yesterday, Lewrie had sent word to Hugh. Hugh will come up river with a cutter. When Lewrie signals that they have Arthur, Hugh will bring his cutter to add his men to the fight.
All did go well for Lewrie. Just before noon, he arrives at the pier. As they tie up, Courtney and another man wait on the land end of the pier for him. Courtney signals for Lewri to come to him.
Alan takes the satchel with the gold and bank certificates as he leaves the boat. He stops ten feet short of Courtney.
“Courtney”
“Lewrie. Have the money?”
Lewrie shows the gold and bank drafts from Baring’s. “Haven’t signed the drafts yet. Show me Arthur.”
Courtney sends man to get Arthur. It is 900 yards from the river to the barn.
Sharpe watched Lewrie meet Courtney. He signals Marlott to shoot the guard. John signals Sandman that he will shoot.
Sandman moves from the field to the back of the barn. He tries to remove boards, but the barn is made too well. He signals John that he will have to go to the door to enter.
John sets up his shot. He has noted that the guard moves every five minutes as if walking a post. When the guard walks and turns back towards John, John shoots. Without having to relaod each shot, he fires twice. The gun makes almost no sound and would not be heard at the house.
Both bullets hit the guard. John watches him fall to the ground. He then signals Sandman and Sharpe.
Sandman moves quickly around the building. He opens the door.
“Arthur?” he says. In return he hears.
“Grandfather?”
“No, but your grandfather sent me. He is here. Get your thinkgs. We need to go.’
Arthur doesn’t have anything so he goes to the man.
Sandman cautiously opens the door. Looks to assure that no one will see them. He takes Arthur to the cover of the barley field..
Sharpe watches Sandman and the boy. When they are out of his sight, he aims on the smuggler walking with Lewrie and Courtney. Carefully, he waits until the smuggler is a safe distance from the other two. He pulls the Baker’s trigger and immediately starts to reload. When the rifle is ready, he searches and finds the man who was going to the barn.
Lewrie hears the shot. He pulls a bosun’s cosh from the satchel and hits Courtney on the back of the head. The stocking-like cosh has a two pound lead ball at the end. Courtney drops instantly. Alan kneels next to Courtney, ties Alex’s hands behind his back Alan withdraws to the boat.
Deavers runs a flag up the boat’s mast. Hugh will have one of his crew watching for the flag. When the flag is secure, he grabs the pistols and gives a pair to Lewrie. The boat pushes off. Lewrie and Deavers prepare to shoot from boat.
The smugglers upriver from the pier watch the events at the pier. They heard the shot and were ready to act. Although they have the swivels and muskets, they hesitate to shoot at the boat. They have heard of boilers exploding on these new steam boats and mill engines. The explosions have killed within many yards of the detonation. If they hit the boiler with their shots, they could suffer the same. They decide to go to the house to join the fight.
Their counterparts downriver also must choose. Before they can leave their position, they see Hugh’s cutter rowing towards the pier. The cutter flies the flag of the Royal Navy. Its crew is clearly ready to fire their seven guns that are run out and ready for action. One swivel gun versus seven 6-pounder guns is not good odds. Their leader, too, decides to go to the house.
As they break cover to their right, they hear the calls of a cavalry commander to advance their horses. From the edge of the barley field, a dozen militia cavalry with a red-coated general riding behind them. The smugglers decide to run and hope that they can get to the house before the cavalry gets to them.
When the shooting started, smugglers from the house join the fight. Sharpe and Marlott wait until five men have exited the building and gone towards the pier. Sharpe shoots those closest to the pier. Marlott shoots those that try to return to the house.
The militia stop some of the smugglers then move to the house. Some of the militia watch over the door while others go inside. Quickly, they bring six of the 50 pound chests out of the house. Each pair of riders holds a handle of a chest. carry the chests holding handles between pairs of riders. In surprisingly short time, the milia have the chests and ride away towards Wakering.
Simmerson leaves the field with them. As he goes, he waves to Sharpe. “Thank you for the gift. Until next time, Sharpe!“
The fight is almost out of the smugglers. Hugh arrives with the cutter. With Alan, they deploy from the pier. Hugh collects wounded and unwounded survivors They collect eight and find five dead.
Sandman brings Arthur to Alan.
“Grandpa!” Arthur calls as he runs to Alan. He jumps into Alan’s arms.
Arthur sees his father lying on the pier. “Is that pappa?”
“Yes Arthur. He has done bad things. He is a prisoner now. He won’’t hurt you, your sister or your mother any more.”
Arthur looks at his father and then at Alan. He then looks back to the barn. “I found cats. Can I keep them?”
Alan pauses. “More cats? Why not. It will give the boy something to distract from being taken.”
“Yes, let’s get them.”
Lewrie takes Arthur hand to walk to the barn.
Sandman, Marlott and Sharpe have emerged from their hides.
“Good shooting, John.” Sharpe says. “That air gun is quiet. I heard nothing. Saw the guard drop and Rider going around the building to know that you shot.
“It is a fine gun. Not sure I could keep it working in the conditions we had to fight through. Lewrie is welcome to it. I’ll keep my Baker.”
“You do take care of it.” Sharpe hands it back to John. “Thank you for letting me use it.”
Marlott carries the rifles with him to meet Hugh. They agree that they will take the smugglers and the remaining two chests on the cutter. back to London.
Sharpe meets Lewrie as he comes to the barn. “Richard, this is Arthur.”
“Hello Arthur.”
The boy quickly says “Hello.” He is eager to get to the cats.
“Boy found cats. He wants to bring them home.”
“Go get your cats, Arthur. Meet you at the pier after?”
“Yes.”
By one o’clock, they are finished and ready to leave. On the steamboat, Lewrie will take Arthur and the cats and Sandman will take Courtney to London. Marlott will go with Hugh.
Sharpe will go back to Wakering to retrieve the horses. With Deavers, he will ride back to London.
That night, back in London he meets Sandman at Lewrie’s house. Sandman is still there. He talks with Charlotte about Arthur.
Arthur is playing with the cats. Sharpe notices how much Arthur is like his own son.
“Arthur is shaken, but safe now. He found a litter of kittens. I agreed that he can keep all of them. He wants to give you one.”
“I’ll consider it.”
“Thank you Richard.”
Alan watches Charlotte and Rider.
“Seems Charlotte appreciates that Rider saved Arthur.”
Sharpe explains “She could do worse than Rider.
“Tomorrow Rider will hold Alex’s fate in his hands. Magistrate will determine future of the smugglers. Will you come to give your words?:
“Will be there. Like to sleep now.”
“Until tomorrow.”
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