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SHARPE’S banquet
Richard Sharpe and the
Waterloo Banquet
Novel by Paul Kaster
1822 June 17
Chapter 7
London
Lewrie woke to Arthur and his kittens crawling on him.
“Good morning, grandfather.”
“Good morning Arthur.”
Anne watches from the door. “He wanted to see you.”
“Cats were hungry.”
“New and old cats?”
“All our cats.”
“He pushed all the cats together at the food.”
“Charlotte and I will watch him while finish with the smugglers.” She mouths without saying “And his father.”
Alan comes to her. “Alex can be sentenced to die.”
“Not good for the children.”
“Will appeal to magistrate to spare him.”
Anne pauses before offering. “Children need a father. Don’t need Alex though. He will be trouble for them.”
“Send him away?”
“I think that would be better.”
Alan considers Anne’s advice. “May be good for Charlotte, too.” He thinks about Charlotte and Rider yesterday.
“May suggest to the magistrate to have Alex renounce all connections to us in order to be spared and be sent to New South Wales.”
“Sad to say. But, yes, that would be good. Will he agree?”
“His choices will be death or transportation. Yes, I think that he will.”
He pauses. When Anne says no more, he says “Now, I would like to eat. As long as Arthur hasn’t fed all my sausages to the cats and dog.”
By noon, Sandman, Marlott, Sharpe and Lewrie meet at the Bow Street magistrate’s office. The guards bring in the eight smugglers and Courtney.
“Mr. Sandman, what do you bring me?” The magistrate asks.
“Nine smugglers that we caught with opium.”
“Opium you say. Who represents them.”
A man wearing the color of a solicitor stands. “I do, your honor.”
“What say you for them?”
“Not guilty.”
“Mr. Sandman. What do you bring as proof?”
“Two chests of opium that we seized. Testimony of five witnesses in addition to mine.”
The magistrate looks to the chests. One is open. It clearly contains opium.
“Present your witnesses.”
Rider sends Marlott, Hugh, Deavers Sharpe and Lewrie to tell what they know.”
The magistrate hears every tesstimony. After Lewrie finishes, he asks the smugglers’s solicitor. “What bring you to refute these men.”
The solicitor signals for one of the smugglers to come forward.
“Me mates and me were tending to our crops. These men ‘ere came at us shooting. Killed our mates, too.”
“Anything more?”
“No, sir.”
“So, almost twenty of you were working the fields, on a Sunday. In a town known to support smuggling. I’m told that some of you used firelocks and that three small cannon were recovered, but not brought as evidence.”
The magistrate looks to Hugh. “No sir, the Royal Navy claims the weapons as prizes. Their futures will be resolved at a prize court.”
“Very well, Captain Lewrie.”
To the smuggler “What use have you of a cannon for farming.”
The man is slow to answer. “Cannon keep poachers and thieves away, sir.”
The magistrate chuckles. “Bit much to use cannons, I think.” He finishes writing what he has heard, before speaking again.
“The charged will stand.”
The smugglers and Courtney stand.
“I charge all of you with the crime of smuggling. The lawful punishment for smuggling is Death by hanging.”
One man sobs. The others just stare.
Courtney has been conspicuously quiet. He stands out from the others just by his clothes. He turns defiantly to Sir Alan.
“Your honor, as a gentleman, I am separate from these men. I wish to be tried by a jury of my peers.”
The magistrate looks to his notes, “Mr. Courtney, is it?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You had your turn when your solicitor presented your case. You are too late. And, as I understand from Sir Alan, you can be charged additionally with the crime of kidnapping.”
Before Courtney can speak again, Sir Alan speaks.
“Your honor, if I may?”
“Yes, Sir Alan.”
Alan faces Courtney, “I offer to withdraw any and all charges against Mr. Courtney.”
Alex waits to hear what comes next.
“In exchange, I offer that Mr. Courtney may be spared the death penalty, be transported to New South Wales to pay for his crimes there AND to renounce all claims to members of my family, including his children.”
The magistrate looks to Courtney. “What say you?”
Alex glowers at Alan but does not reply.
Alan sternly speaks to him. “Mine arse on a bandbox, man! Sorry your honor. You will hang. You have no one left to save you. No friendly sails on the horizon. No life boats on a sinking ship. Cut your cables. Go start a new life.”
Alex continues to stare.
Alan turns to the magistrate. Before he speak, Alex says. “I agree.”
One of the smugglers calls, “I want the same as ‘im, your ‘onor.”
The other seven ask the same.
The magistrate calls Sandman and Hugh to join Lewrie.
“What say you? Shall we be generous?”
“May get future smugglers to surrender instead of fight if word is out that they won’t hang.” Hugh says.
“Agree.” Rider adds. “Spare them all.”
The magistrate turns to the solicitor. “I declare that these men ARE convicted of smuggling. In lieu of death, I sentence them to be sent to a penal colonly in New South Wales at the earliest.”
A collective sigh comes from the group.
The magistrate continues “And, for you, Mr. Courtney. I will have a document prepared that you will renounce all connections to the Lewrie family. In affect the document will annul your marriage. You WILL sign before you leave this court. Should you NOT sign, you WILL hang.”
Alan looks at Alex. Alex continues to glower, before reluctantly nodding.
The magistrate finishes, “This concludes our business.” To his clerk, he asks, “What is next?”
Lewrie gather outside the magistrate’s building.
“Again thank you for what you have done. I want to reward you for your efforts.”
Sharpe is the first. “Sir Alan, I have no need of a reward. I am happy that Arthur is home and safe. And, if you don’t mind, I take my leave.”
“Thank you Richard. Another quest to pursue, perhaps?”
“Cricket. Match going on today.”
“Rider, do you hear that? Cricket match today.”
“Perhaps tomorrow, Sir Alan. Hugh, John and I have much to do to finish the business of the smugglers.
“Go then, Richard. But please do stop on the return from the match to the Nerot. Inform of us of the day one results. I will provide refreshment.”
“Don’t know how long.”
“No matter. Stop when it is over.”
Sharpe nods and leaves.
The match had already started when Sharpe arrived. He bought a meat pie and a black beer to eat while he watched. He enjoyed the sounds the distraction of the game. Tomorrow, he would go to Wellington’s banquet. It was not too late for him to go home.
It was early evening when the match ended. Marylebone Cricket Club’s 1st team played Marylebone Cricket Club’s 2nd team. The first day’s results were 154 to 83. While team 1 has a large lead, team 2 could overcome that on the next day.
As he returns to the Nerot, he stops at Lewrie’s. Anne greets him.
“Alan waits for you. He is with Arthur, Caroline and Charlotte. Rider is here too.”
Sharpe smiles. “Rider?” To himself “Alex out. Rider in? Doesn’t waste time.”
Anne takes him back to Alan.
“Ah, Richard. Good of you to come.”
“Mr. Sharpe, did you watch cricket?” Arthur asks. Arthur likes cricket.
Sharpe tells of the cricket. Arthur asks about each batsman and how the runs scored.
“I need you with me to fill the score sheet. I don’’t remember all that you ask.”
Sandman offers. “Shall we take Arthur to tomorrow’s finish? If his mother approves?”
Arthur looks to Charlotte, “Momma, may I go? Please?”
Charlott is reluctant to say no. She is happy to see that Arthur has quickly forgotten about what his father has done.
“Yes, Arthur. I ask that one of our family go with you, though.” She looks to her father.
Hugh likes cricket more than he does, but Hugh has gone back to his cutters.
“Yes, I will go.”
Anne understands Lewrie is being kind, so asks, “May I join too? I have not been to a cricket match. And, so I am not the lone woman to go, Charlotte will you join Rider and the rest of us?”
“Christ on a band box!” Alan thinks. Anne is playing matchmaker. Already?”
“Oh yes, mother, do join us.” Arthur says.
So, tomorrow will be a very full day for Sharpe. Cricket with Lewrie’s family and then Wellington’s banquet.
“I should go. I will need to rest.” He thinks.
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