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.

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Sharpe's Family

PART II

Chapter 6

APRIL, 1786
LONDON, ENGLAND



For six months, Fitz McGraw took Richard and the others to parts of London to pick the pockets of marks. When they went east, they went only as far as Temple Gate.

After the bounty of Richard’s first mark, the men that they have selected were not as ‘generous’. Fitz’s shares of the purses was at most a shilling. Fitz had taken them through the streets from Moorgate to Cripplegate, Aldersgate, Newgate and Ludgate. Throught these old gates sit astride roads into and out of London. All of these are to the north side of the Thames River. Today, he would venture to the south. Too many times lately, when he was ready to select a mark, he was able to recognize the man as someone that they had stolen from another time.

Vauxhall Gardens sits across from Westminster. He has heard that a festival is being held at the Gardens. Many people will bring the first berries and fruits of spring to sell. Stands will be set up to sell other foods. At festivals, people come with money. They move from one tent to another focusing on what they will buy or eat. They are bumped often by others. Festivals are good times for pickpockets.

He leads them past Charing Cross. Richard has not passed this way before. He questions Fitz as they go. As they hurry through the traffic on the road around the cross, Richard asks, “What is that?”

“Charing Cross. Marks six roads meeting place. That statue is King Charlie. Cross used to be ‘ere. Mark village of Charing when all d’is was outside London.”

Before he arrived in St. Giles, he had seen only the small part of London around Wapping. With all that he has travelled since, he thinks London must be the largest place in the world. Although he still remembers being told about some place called H'India. He wonders if H’India is bigger.

A short time later they pass a large building on their right, he notices soldiers on horses. “Who lives there?”

“No one lives there. Horse Guards. That’s the army’s home. Generals and princes come and go.”

“Princes? They have money?”

“Not worth it, Dick. If they catch us pickin’ pockets, can scream. Soldiers come on their horses. Can’t run faster than a horse. Horses are much bigger d’an us too. Break yer bones, d’ey could.”

Richard notes the soldiers in their uniforms and on their horses quickly as Fitz is determined to take them to the bridge.

Fitz knows they are close when he sees the clock tower on the houses of Parliament. The clock in the tower chimes the quarter hour as they first see the river and the bridge. Richard marvels at the sound of the chimes. Around the city he has heard the chime before, but only faintly. Here, the chime is very loud. Before he can ask, Fitz says, “That’s Big Ben, Dick. Houses of Parliament. Ministers make the laws there.” Softly he adds. “Some o’ d’em laws we break. Big Ben d’ere tells the time o’ day. Chimes every quarter hour. Top o’ d’ hour chimes the number of the hour. If’n we don’t hurry, we’ll be ‘ere to ‘ear it chime ten. Need to move. Time t’ cross the bridge.”

Again Fitz anticipates Sharpe’s question. “Westminster Bridge. Takes us t’ Lambeth and then Vauxhall Gardens.”

Finn, Siohban and Aileen have walked ahead of Fitz and Sharpe. All three have been to Vauxhall before. And by travelling as a two-some and threesome, they draw less attention from people that they pass. Finn signals to Fitz that he is turning to the right towards Vauxhall.

“Finn’s turning. Take us maybe fifteen minutes more to reach da Gardens.” Fitz says. “When we get d’ere, y’ go with Siohban ahead of Finn and Aileen. Many boys and girls come t’ da Gardens t’gether t’ make eyes at each other. Ya ‘re bigger d’an yer age. Marks’ll t’ink ya d’ere ta make eyes at Siohban. Finn and Aileen ‘ll find marks in d’ crowd. When they clip the purses, they’ll come t’ ya and Siohban. Siohban ‘as ‘er belt and ‘ook under ‘er skirts. She’ll ‘ide da goods. Ya ‘ll protects ‘er. If’n she b’ alone, dangerous for ‘er.”

As they approached the Gardens, the numbers of people grew. They could see costermongers selling fruit or vegetable from their carts. Fitz kept them moving towards tents they could see further ahead.

Fitz moves them past the line waiting to pay to enter the Gardens. “Costs a shilling each to go in d’ere.” Fitz has paid one of the vendors who sell fish cakes to let them enter with them. Fitz pays the vendor. The vendor pays the guard at the gate. They pass through the gate with the vendor without incident. Fitz nods to the man as they leave him.

Inside the Gardens, people walk among the trees and bushes. Fitz guides them back to the west. Most of the food stalls, stages for performers and the Rotunda are there. People will be gathered close together.

Fitz finds a spot near the Rotunda for Richard and Siohban to stand.

“Stay ‘ere. Do as I told ya. If’n anything bad ‘appens. Make yer way to the Vendors’ gate. We meet there.”

Richard was sure that he could return to the gate. He had watched each turn that they made after they entered the Gardens.

Fitz, Finn and Aileen moved away to the south of the Rotunda to start finding marks in the crowd. Richard stands close to Siohban while they wait. He watches the people near him. Couples dressed in clothes much bettter than he wore walked passed them and eyed the pair. Siohban turned her head to avoid the looks. Richard too avoids the looks by looking at Siohban. He tries to copy the looks he sees some of the boys and men give to the girls and women that they walk with.

Aileen approches them through the crowd. She passes a small purse to Siohban as she passes them and continues to the east. Siohban hides the purse within her skirts. Shortly, Finn approaches them and too passes a purse to Siohban. After Aileen and Finn repeat this two more times, Fitz joins Sharpe.

“We need to move. If’n we stay over there too long, risk being caught. Walk be’ind me. Not too close.”

Fitz slowly strolls with some of the crowd to the east of the Rotunda. On their left, the grounds open up to a semi-curcular building that is used to present attractions. At the end of the building, a path that crosses the park north to south emerges. Fitz turns to his right and follows the tree-lined path. Forty yards ahead, that path intersects the second west to east path that crosses the park to the south of the Rotunda.

At the corner, Fitz stops. “Stand here at the edge of d’ trees. Aileen and Finn will find ya ‘ere.” Then he returns in the direction of the Rotunda.

Aileen comes to them before Fitz is out of sight. She passes Siohban a purse as she turns the corner. Finn follows her briefly. After he passes the purse to Siohban, he stops. Around the corner are two well-dressed men standing with two women younger than they.

“Dick, the bigger o’ d’em looks like ‘e may ‘ave a treasure. Ya bump, ‘im. I’ll clip ‘im.”

“Fitz says to stay with Siohban.”

“Siohban, walk afore Dick. ‘e k’n bump the big man for me, den meet ya.”

“Dat good fer ya, Dick?”

Sharpe looks at Siohban who shrugs her shoulders at him.

“Start walking Siohban. I’ll meet you after the group there.” He points to a group of ten or more people further down the lane.

Siohban starts to walk so that she will reach that group after Sharpe bumps the mark. When she is far enough beyond the big man, Sharpe moves at a brisk pace. He angles as if he is in pursuit of Siohban, but moves on a line that he will collide with the larger man. Finn follows him by a few paces. As Sharpe approaches the man, he hears him talking to the other man. Before Richard realizes that he recognizes the man’s voice, he collides with the mark. The man bellows, pats his waistcoat and turns as Sharpe moves away. Before Sharpe can turn away, Jem Hocking stares into his face.

“I know ye, boy. Ye are Richard Sharpe. Come ‘ere.”

Jem grabs Sharpe’s wrist. Sharpe, kicks Jem on the shin, hit hims in the stomach. Jem continues to hold him and call for help. Sharpe draws his knife and drags the point of the blade across the knuckles of Jem’s hand that holds Richard. Jem howls as he is taken by surprise by the long knife-scratch to his hand. Jem releases Sharpe to nurse his injured hand.

As soon as Jem releases him, Richard flees. Unlike when he ran from the sweep, he flees with the panic of a small animal that has escaped a predator. He runs to the group and past Siohban. She watches him make his way through the crowd and then turn into the trees.

While Jem and Richard were held together, Finn had come up from behind. As Sharpe flees, Finn gets between Jem and Sharpe. Jem reaches down to shove Finn out of his path to Sharpe. He ignores looking at Finn and what the boy is doing as he focuses on catching Sharpe. Finn’s intereference allows Richard to elude Jem.

Behind him Richard hears Jem bellowing for others to stop Sharpe. By the time Jem is able to pursue, Sharpe is out of sight. Eventually, shambling and staggering, he slows to walking pace. He is alone in the Gardens although with many people to mask his movement.

Without wasting time, he finds his way to the route that they followed into the Gardens to return to the Vendors gate. For a short time, he hears Jem Hocking yelling his name and shouting that his purse has been stolen. Sharpe knows that he must avoid running. When he reaches the gate, he finds the fish cakes vendor and stands behind the seller’s stall.

It seems a very long time before Fitz and Siohban and then Finn and Aileen join him.

Fitz asks, “What ‘appened, Dick?”

“Jem Hocking recognized me. He is the lord of the orphange that I ran from.”

“We need to go. Men like dat ‘as power.”

Fitz leads them out of the Gardens and away to the bridge. As they walk, all of them watch the crowds to see if any large men are ahead or behind. They move as two and three as they did on the way. When they cross the bridge and turn north, Fitz has them join.

“I t’inks we are safe. We goes straight to see Michaeleen. No stops. If’n we ‘as trouble.” He looks at Sharpe. “Go alone. Ya should knows da way from ‘ere.”

They nod to him, then walk on.

None of the others talk with Richard as they walk. He wants to ask questions but understands that Fitz is avoiding him.

At St. Giles, Fitz takes them to Michaeleen.

“Give ‘im da purses, Siohban.”

Michaeleen collects ten purses from Siohban. Fitz and he take them to count the coins. Michaeleen and Fitz talk while they sort. Fitz makes gestures that show that he is disturbed about something. Sometimes, he looks towards Richard. When Fitz calms down, they return to meet with the others.

“Nine purses. One florin, fifteen shillings, two sixpence, one thruppence, seven pence, two ‘alfpennies and ten farthings.”

Richard adds the numbers. He thinks that he heard nine hundred farthings worth of coins.

“Ninety farthings to Finneas, Aileen and Siohban. Aileen gets same share. She touched purses.” Siohban gasps at the number. She miles a broad grin. Aileen and she trade happy looks.

“Thirty farthings for Sharpe.”

Sharpe had determined that he should get half as much as the others, not a third. He has learned not to question Michaeleen. He did not need to ask.

“Dick, Fitz tells me that ya busted a good day. Ya were told to stay with Siohban. Ya didn’t. Almost got caught.”

Fitz looks at ‘im. Sharpe feels the need to defend himself.

“Finn told me to help him. I said that I was to stay with Siohban. Finn planned way to get a wealthy mark and I could leave Siohban only short time. The mark knew me.”

“Knew ya?”

“Yes, mark was Jem Hocking, lord of the orphanage in Wapping.”

“Hocking has money?”

“Yes.”

“Powerful man? Travels around London?”

“Powerful. Don’t know where he travels.”

Michaeleen thinks on what he has learned.

“Dick, ya been good and lucky for us. I t’ink ya may meet this Jem Hocking again on any street in London. I took ten farthings from ya for da trubble. Ya gets forty, but we can’t ‘ave ya wit us anymore.”

The others look at Michaeleen, but say nothing.

“But, I t’ink ya could ‘elp Tom Bennet. One o’ ‘is house boners got caught. ‘e needs ‘nother.”

Sharpe thinks to protest, but realizes that Michaeleen has decided.

“Where do I find Tom Bennet?”

“Ask Maggie. She knows ‘im.”

“’ere’s your share.” He hands Sharpe coins. Sharpe looks at them to assure that they are worth forty farthings. Without anyone saying more, he leaves them to go to Maggie.

Sharpe returns to his room. Maggie is working. He lies on their bed to rest until she returns.

“Dick. Dick.”

Richard had slept. Maggie was trying to wake him.

“Maggie?”

“Dick. Fitz told me Michaeleen turned ya loose.”

“Yes, I have forty farthings for today. Then told that I’m done.”

“Fitz told me to tell ya to go see Tom Bennet.”

“Yes. Tom Bennet.”

“Tom runs a place near ‘ere. ‘as boys that bone houses. Sells t’ings from the houses they bones.”

“I’ll make sure ‘e trains ya.”

“Ya said ya ‘ave forty farthings? ‘ungry?”

Sharpe nods. Maggie leads him to the kitchen to eat.



Tom Bennet’s place was several alleys away. As Maggie led him there, he noticed a gateway on his right. The gateway opened into an entranceway that ran between two houses. At the far end was a stairway that climbed to an old attic.

Richard wasn’t paying attention. He was still watching the opening when he bumped into a short man who was reading a book as he walked.

“Excuse me.” The other man said. Richard noticed that the man wore his hair in long ringlets.

“’e is sorry, Mr. Schwartz.”

Richard nods to him without saying anything. The man continues on and into the entranceway that Richard had been watching.

Maggie tugs his coat.

“Nice old man, that. One of the Jews that lives ‘ere.

“Jews?”

“People from the ‘oly Lands’ long time ago.”

Richard doesn’t understand, but asks no more.

“No one bothers ‘im. Comes and goes. Knows Tom. Sees ‘im wit’ some o’ the t’ings that Tom’s boys collect. Come on.”

Richard and Maggie continue until they come to the door of another inn. She leads him in. Tom Bennet has lived in St. Giles all his life. His parents owned the inn. When they died, he took over. Running the inn took more money than he collected from customers. Years ago, when one of his customers offered to pay him with a pair of candlesticks, he asked where the sticks had come from. The young man said that he had liberated them from a shop in Islington. Tom knew a man who could sell things, so he agreed. For many years, he and the other man had ‘liberated’ property around London. They did so well that when other customers could not pay, Tom had them help burgle houses.

Eight years ago, Tom’s partner was killed in a fight. Another thief and he disagreed on the money from one of their thefts. They killed each other. At first, Tom took his partner’s role with the thieves. Gilbert Wright was one of the boys who stole for him. Gil had showed promise as a leader of the others. Tom gave him chances to prove himself. Now, Gil runs the burlars while Tom fences the things that they steal while he manages the inn.

“Tom.”

“Maggie. What brings you here?”

“My friend Richard needs work. Wonders if ya k’n use ‘im?”

“What can you do Richard?”

Maggie taught him what he should say. “I can do sums of money, used my hands to pick oakum, carried baskets of laundry, handled animals in the dogpit and bumper for pickpockets.”

Tom listens. He waits to see if Sharpe offers more. “Tall. Looks strong. Lift Maggie.”

Sharpe looks puzzled.

“Pick Maggie up. Stand her on that table, there.” He points.

Sharpe looks at Maggie who nods at him. He awkwardly moves his arms to find a way to lift Maggie. She guides his hands to her hips then leans over his shoulder. He lifts her legs from the floor, carries her to the table then places her on the table top. Once she is secure on the table, he swings her legs so that she is entirely on the surface.

“Maggie, get down. Sharpe lift her so that she stands on the table.”

Maggie rolls her legs to the edge of the table, then stands down.

Sharpe stoops down to wrap his arms around the skirts below Maggies knees. Maggie rests her hands on Sharpe’s head. He lifts her straight up then puts her feet on the table. Maggle pushes off to stand on the table.

“Can you see in the night?”

“Yes.” Sharpe doesn’t know if he can but always was able to move in the dark at the orphanage.

Bennet chuckles. “Cat’s eyes? Well I think we’ll have to see if you can. Maggie leave him here. I’ll try him.”

“Let’s see what Gil can teach him.”

Maggie smiles. “T’ank ya, Tom.” She nods to Sharpe, then leaves them.

“Walk with me.”

Sharpe follows Tom. Tom leads him through twists and turns of the alleys behind the inn. Sharpe notes all the turns as they go. When they come to a narrow, shabby building in the middle of ten other similar buildings, Tom stops, then enters the door. The room they enter is small and holds only a small table and chair. Tom calls out. “Gil.”

From a door at the back of the room, a young man joins them. “Mr. Bennet. How may I ‘elps you this day?”

“Gil, this is Richard Sharpe. I think that he may be able to help you. Help us.”

Gil looks at Sharpe. “Looks big and strong. Should be able to lift our faggers.”

“He’s yours to try.”

Bennet nods at Gil, then leaves them.

“I’m Gilbert, Gil” He pronounces it as Jeel Bear. “Everyone that works with me knows how to open doors, even doors that are not to be opened.” He winks. “Let’s start with teaching you how to open those doors.”

Gil leads him from the room through the door to the rear. Candles light the next room. A table stands against the wall to his left. On the table lies a collection of locks and latches. From a box, Gil retrieves two metal pieces. One is straight but pointed at one end. The other is about the same length, but at one end is bent at an angle.

“This is a pick.” He holds the pointed piece. “This is a wrench. You use this to open locks instead of using a key.”

Gil spends the next hour showing Richard how to use the pick and wrench to open his collection of locks. With each lock, Richard is given the pick and wrench to demonstrate that he can repeat what Gil has taught him. Richard learns and demonstrates quickly that he can open each lock.

As Gil finishes teaching Sharpe, a boy enters the room from a door at the rear of that room.

“Ro, come in. Meet Richard Sharpe.”

Ro walks to them. He is shorter than Richard. “Roland Stiles.” He offers his hand.

Sharpe shakes it.

“Ro is one of our faggers.” When Richard makes no response. “A fagger is put into a building through a window or an unlocked door. Needs to be small and quick. Find good loot. Get out.”

Ro grins. “Big lads like you toss me, Twee or Pierre in. We come out with loot.”

Gil adds “Jean Pertuis and Pierre Le Moyne are the other two faggers. You join Le Bon and Raison as boners. We work in pairs. You take my place. Tomorrow we practice on our doors and windows. Then we walk London to find houses or shops that hold treasures for us. Come back mid-morning.”

Richard is excited for the morning to come. Now, he will return to Maggie.



JUNE

Richard and Twee practiced on the doors and windows in the St. Giles home. Gil wants Richard to be able to open a door within seconds before he will send him to open a house in the city. Until he is ready, Gil also has the two walk London to find buildings for them to burgle. Today they walk through Islington. As they pass White Conduit fields, the number of people increases. From ahead, the crowd cheers.

Richard stops to see what attracts the crowd. Before him is an open field marked with lines that form a large white circle and a box at the center of the circle. At each end of the box, two men stand opposite another two men. The forward man of each pair holds a stick shaped like a long paddle. Richard is quickly reminded of the game he had played with a stick and ball at the orphanage. This field is much bigger than the yard that he used. Around the box, nine men stand until a ball is hit.

Richard signals to Twee that he wants to watch the play. Twee joins him.

“What’s this Dick?”

“They are playing a game.” Since he watched games and betting at the dogpit, he offers. “Most likely men over there at the side of the field bet money on who will win.”

Twee follows Sharpe’s pointing finger.

A man near them hears them talking.

“First time for you lads to watch cricket?”

“Cricket?” Sharpe asks.

“Yes, the game there. Today, White Conduit Club team is playing team from Kent. White is batting in its second inning. In the first inning that new man, name o’ Tom Walker, bowled with ‘is arm out from ‘is side. Wrecked havoc wi’ Kent’s batsmen. Kent’s captain protested White’s captain told Walker to bowl underhand. Even so, he changed speeds. Kent’s batsmen still had trouble. Match started on Thursday. Tis’ second, inning. Kent is batting. White has two hundred twenty and six runs. Kent has two hundred twenty so far. Lumpy Stevens is bowling.”

Sharpe and Twee watch as the White team bowler delivers. The bowler releases a hard, fast delivery. The Kent batsman is ready and hits it. He and the other batsman run to the other end before the ball is returned.

The man next to him grumbles. “Another run. Two ‘undred twenty and one for Kent.”

The White bowler faces the new batsman. He releases the next delivery. Kent’s batsmen is prepared for another fast delivery. He swings too early but still tries to hit the ball. As he hits, he steps out of the crease. The ball feebly rolls on the ground back to the bowler who retrieves it and breaks the wicket to score the runner out.

The man next to Sharpe yells “Huzzah!”

He looks at the boys. “Match over. White wins two hundred twenty and six to two hundred twenty and one.“

Sharpe asks him. “What are White and Kent?”

“White is White Conduit Club. It is London’s best cricket team. Kent is the team from Bishopsbourne, in county Kent.”

Sharpe doesn’t know what a county is. “Is Kent far?”

“Near on seventy miles to the east. Near Canterbury.”

Sharpe avoids asking about Canterbury. He assumes that seventy miles must be far.

“When I play this game, we always toss the ball fast.”

“The best bowlers know how to throw fast and when to bowl slower to trip a batsman. You saw Lumpy do so today. We call Lumpy a ‘Master bowler’.”

“How did he learn?”

“He plays for many years. Got name of Lumpy because he uses the lumps in the pitch to bounce the ball. Batsman doesn’t know where the ball will go.” The man pauses, looks at Sharpe as if sizing him then asks, “You want to learn?”

Sharpe eagerly nods.

“Come by when we ‘ave no crowds. At that building, ask for me, Tom Lord. What’s your name boy?”

“Richard Sharpe.”

“Well, Richard Sharpe. You look big enough to learn to play cricket. I was fifteen when I started.”



SEPTEMBER

Gil had continued to teach Richard how to open locks, approach a building so that no one suspects that you plan to rob it and how to make sure not to get caught. He had told him that getting caught could mean going to jail to be hung or being injured or killed during the robbery.

“Dick, you don’t want to end up like ol’ Tom, Dick and ‘arry.”

“Who?”

“Dunsdon brothers. Dick bled to death when Tom and ’arry had to cut off one of his arms to free ‘is ‘and which was trapped in a door-shutter. They was trying to rob a ‘ouse.”

“Hanged for stealing?” “If’n you get caught stealin’ while the sun shines. Sent to prison. If when sun sets, hang. But, breakin’ ‘ouses when sunshines is more likely to be caught. We robs at night.”

He looks sternly at Sharpe. “Don’t get caught. Don’t get yer partner caught.”

Sharpe also learned how to pick the right houses.

“You worked with pickpockets, eh? Door’s lock is to a house boner like coats are to yer pickpocket friends. Lock will tell ya if’n the house has any treasures.”

Sharpe smiles as he remembers what Fitz told him how pickpockets were like house boners. Them must tell each other the tricks of their trades.

Sharpe trained with Twee as often as Gil would let him. When Twee and he would roam London, he made sure that he visited Islington and the White Conduit Club. Tom Lord introduced him to Lumpy Stevens and Tom Walker. Last month at Bishopsbourne, Tom Walker had nearly scored two centuries while batting. His team handily defeated Kent again. Both Lumpy and Walker let Richard train with them when he visited the pitch because Tom Lord had taken a liking to Sharpe.

While Sharpe has been with Lord, Lord shared his story.

“Born in Yorkshire. Da was Roman Catholic yeoman. Lost our lands in 1745. After, we moved to Norfolk. Learned to play cricket when I t’was fifteen. I was your size.”

Sharpe doesn’t tell him that he is only ten for fear that he wouldn’t teach him.

“Few years later, moved ‘ere to London. Got work as a bowler. Now, I watches over this club.”

“Don’t know Yorkshire or Norfolk.”

“Both are counties north of London. Lots of sheep. Not much cricket playing.”

As the days grew shorter, Gil decided to send Sharpe and Twee for Sharpe to rob his first house. Gil had helped them to select a house near Moorgate. They had noticed that after sunset, no lights lit the interior of the house. Gil had passed the door on several occasions to observe the locks.

“’Tis a lock ya can open, Dick.”

Sharpe was nervous as he and Twee approached the door. He had practiced counting while he picked the lock. If he could not open it by the time he counted three they would leave. By the time he counted two, the lock opened. Twee quickly went inside. Sharpe counted to twelve by the time Twee returned. Gil had taught them to finish by the time he counted to twenty. Twee stepped out carry a small sack. Sharpe pulled the door shut. They stepped off away from the house, As they went, they stayed in the shadows to avoid anyone seeing them.

Gil was very pleased when he opened Twee’s sack. They had made off with a pair of silver candlesticks and snuffer.

“Each o’ these weighs about a pound. Wi’ the snuffer, when melted down, they could give us near twenty shillings. I get ten. Each o’ you get five.”

Twee and Sharpe grinned. Five shillings would let Maggie and him continue to stay at the inn. After five months, the money Sharpe had earned with the pickpockets was almost gone. Maggie’s earnings had helped. And they had spent money only sparingly. He was eager to tell Maggie.

Gil nodded. “Well done boys. Now let’s talk about when and where ya will find more treasures, eh?



MAY, 1787

For months, Twee and Sharpe opened buildings that Gil found for them from Moorgate west and south. Sometimes they had to leave before Twee found anything of value. Often they found items that returned them a shilling or two. But, it has been enough to keep Maggie and him fed, clothed and covered. Most days, Twee and he met with Gil and the other ‘boners’ to make sure that they didn’t go to the same neighborhoods too often and avoided each other.

When Spring arrived, Tom Lord had shared with him that last year he had been approached by the Earl of Winchilsea and the Duke of Richmond to find a more private place to move the While Conduit Club. Last month, he had succeeded to lease land from the Portman Estate near Dorset Square, St. Marylebone. From St. Giles, it was to the west. Lord fenced the area off and prepared a cricket pitch. White Conduit Club played the first match on the field.

Sharpe was excited. Today, would start the first match dubbed a first-class match. In a week he would celebrate his eleventh birthday, at least he thinks that he will be eleven. He is still not sure what day is his birthday. But, he learned that if his mother was killed during the Gordon Riots, his birthday is after June 7. Mother had told him that he would reach four. If those are so, then June 8, the day that he thinks he went to Jem Hocking’s, he will choose to celebrate. He would celebrate early with Tom and the Club cricket match.

“How do you like the pitch, Dick?”

“I think it is much better than at Islington.”

“The Club owners have dubbed it Lord’s Cricket Ground.” He beamed a huge smile. “I guess they like what I created.”

“The Earl and Duke plan to change the name of our club to ‘The Marylebone Cricket Club’. With Lumpy and Tom trying to bowl different than what people think they should, the Earl and Duke commissioned some people what can read and write to update the Laws of Cricket. Might see some changes next year. For now, Lumpy and Tom can’t t’row side-arm or over the top.”

“Can’t?”

“Not you either.”

Sharpe frowns. He has been learning from both.

“Speeds?”

“Yes, still can change speeds.”

Sharpe grins. He has learned how to prepare to bowl the same way no matter whether he bowls fast or slow. And, Tom Walker has taught him how to bat against the way Lumpy and Walker bowl.

Tom sees Sharpe’s grin and grinss too.

“And, today, I get to play. First time mentioned.”



SEPTEMBER

Three more matches were played at Lord’s Field. Sharpe asked Gil to give him time to watch each. Sharpe and Twee were robbing enough houses each month to satisfy Gil and their own purses. Maggie was happy with him, too. She has been busy each day at the inn. When they join together in their room, she enjoys hearing of his adventures with Twee and cricket.

“Dick, ya must be a grandee. Knows the pickpockets. Knows the house boners. Knows the cricket players. Expect ya can fit in wit’ any.”

Sharpe thinks that she is teasing him.

“Maggie. Me, a grandee. Sure t’ing. T’ink on it. ‘as to ‘ave some ‘un watchin’ o’er ya to survive d’is long. And, ta ‘ave as much chink as ya ‘as.”

Sharpe realizes that Maggie is sincere in what she is telling him. “You may be right. Luck has been with me. Grandee? Don’t think so.”

“Well, Dickie, ya are m’ grandee.” Maggie smiles. “Now make sure ya serves Tom Bennet a ‘fore ya serves Tom Lord. Bennet pays ya.” Maggie’s tone is more severe with these last words.

“Yes, Bennet before Lord.”



Richard follows Maggie’s advice. Twee and he always deliver on the houses Tom Bennet sets for them. Because they succeed, Tom Bennet avoids scheduling houses for them when there are cricket matches at Marylebone. Tom Lord lets Richard come to the matches without paying the sixpence all must pay to enter the fences. The grounds around the pitch can hold as many as five thousand. Richard stands with Tom because he helps the team while they play. Tom has him organize their equipment and clothing, replenish beverages, and generally any way that he can be useful.

Richard missed going to the cricket fields with the season finished. After two idle weeks, he asked Bennet if he could use help with more houses.

“Don’t want to bone more houses than we do. But, friend asked me to help move things from a warehouse. Interested?”

“Yes.”

“Be here by time it goes dark. No later.”

“Here. Dark.”

Richard didn’t think that moving things in a warehouse would be dangerous. But, Bennet always paid him well.

At dark, Richard met with Bennet.

“Walk with me.”

Bennet walked out of the Rookery towards the river. At the water they turned east on the street that paralleled the river. At the first dock, Bennet greeted two men.

“Evening Filch. Butler.”

“Bennet. This your boy?”

“Yes.”

The one Filch, looked at Sharpe. “He’ll do.” He walked to a boat along the dock, then climbed in.

Butler, Bennet and Sharpe followed him.

Butler and Filch pushed off, then used oars to move to the middle of the river. They let the current carry them east. Not very long, the river turned south. Filch steered them to the land on their left. By the light of the moon, Sharpe was able to see that docks lined the bank. Behind the docks were large buildings. Filch tied the boat to the dock. He climbed out, then helped the other three out of the boat.

“This way.”

Filch went quickly to the warehouse directly ahead. He found a door, then entered. Inside, he lit a lantern. Richard could see that casks and sacks lined the walls of the building.

“We move all of this out. Lugger boat outside. Need to finish this and gone before first light.”

Bennet waved a hand for Richard to follow him.

“We carry the sacks. Filch and Butler use wheels to move the casks.”

Bennet hoisted a sack to his shoulder. Waited for Richard to do the same. Then they went outside. At the lugger, men greeted them to load the items that they brought. Trip after trip, they carried sacks. After several hours, Richard was tired, but could see that they would finish while it was still night.

When they carried the last sacks to the lugger, Filch pointed to the boat that they had come in. The four transferred their items to the lugger, then boarded the boat. Filch and Butler had to row to travel against the current. Richard was curious what they had done.

“Did we steal tonight?”

“In a way, Dick. Mr. Finley owns the warehouse. He sells stores to ships’ captains who are bound for foreign ports that they will be away for months. He requires that they pay him in advance. The captains then own the stores. He lets them keep in his warehouse. The day before the captains come to load their ships, Finley has us ‘steal’ all. When the captains come here, he claims that thieves took the captains’ goods. The captains are angry, but can do nothing as they need to sail. They believe Finley every time.”

Richard thought about thieving that wasn’t really thieving.

They arrived at their dock as the first light of day lit the city. After they were on the dock, Filch handed Bennet a fistful of coins. Bennet took them, then walked toward the Rookery.

“Here’s yours, Dick.”

Richard looked at the coins. It was a good morning.

Before he parted with Bennet, he asked, “Where was that where we went?”

“Isle of Dogs. Not really an island. No dogs. Was a marsh. Country needed more docks. Built there.”

“Like no dogs. Don’t have to worry about dog sounding us out.”

“Right you are. Maybe do this again, eh?”

“Maybe.”

Richard went home to sleep and tell Maggie about the Isle of Dogs.

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Fiction Index | Sharpe Tales Home | Sharpe's Family Index | Chapter 7

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