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Warning: General Audience |
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SHARPE’S Justice
Richard Sharpe and the
Peace of the Congress of Vienna
Screenplay Written by Patrick Harbinson and Bernard Cornwell.
Novel Adapted by Paul Kaster
Chapter 2
TWO DAYS LATER
LONDON
Jane has exhausted the subject of John taking her out to social events.
Jane doesn’t understand that to be seen at clubs, the theater or even to entertain at home requires money. He has little. All he has is his title. He depends on the money Jane has. Jane has not much left from Sharpe’s money and controls it very closely.
John liked to play whist, but lost more money than he won when he played.
With Jane’s talk of going out together, he wants to be able to take her out to satisfy her. Tonight, he would use some of his remaining funds to play. Perhaps he could win some money.
“Jane dear. I’ve been asked to play cards at my club tonight.”
“John, you know I don’t understand card games. What is it that you want? I know you won’t ask me to join you.”
“My dear.” He smiles warmly.
“I just want to let you know that I will go out for the evening.”
He approaches her to tenderly hug her.
“Wish me luck, my dear.”
John grabs his coat and hat, then leaves.
Outside, John summons a cab. He directs the cab driver to take him to the Stratford Club. He exits the cab and pays the cab driver.
Inside, he leaves his coat and hat at the lobby. The club allows people to sign up to play various games and with our without predetermined partners.
John approaches the gaming master.
“Good evening Lord Rossendale. And how are you this evening?”
John smiles. “I am well, sir.”
“And how may we serve you today? Which game would you like to join?”
“I think I will try whist, today. I feel that the gods of cards, “ he chuckles at this, “may be kind to me this evening.”
The master of the room looks at him, smiles then says “Yes, well the gods of cards, may feel generous as we are in the Yuletide season, eh?”
John smile even bigger, “Yes, perhaps Father Christmas may have the lean towards me a little more favorably.”
“Then we shall find a whist table for you. Will you care to wait a few minutes until we may find a table and the other players?
“Gladly, I shall find some refreshment until we are ready.”
John leaves to find a glass of wine until he may play.
After John has sipped his wine, a few times and chatted briefly with some of the patrons that he knows. The gamemaster finds him to escort him to a table that needs afourth.
When John approaches the table, he sees two men and a woman sitting. The men rise and introduce themselves to John.
John is amused when he recognizes that the woman is Lady Anne Camoynes.
“Lady Anne.” Johnny bows.
“Lord Rossendale.” Anne nods her hed.
One of the others suggests, “Shall we start?”
Each player cuts the deck for a card. Anne and one of the others draw the higher cards. They will be partners. Fate is funny. Anne will be an opponent in cards. Will she continue to question him as an opponent regarding his relationship with Jane?
After several hands, John and his partner have been win the first game having reached five points. With the start of the next hand and game, Anne’s partner deals which means that John leads the first trick, “I will try hearts.”
Lady Anne is the next to play. She plays a card on to John’s and offers, “A suit you have become expert in. How is Mrs. Sharpe,..by the way? “
”She is well.”
“Major Sharpe will be happy to hear that you take good care of her.”
“I see that Major Sharpe still intrigues you. Anne”
Since John was a favorite of the Prince of Wales at court, John knew of how Lord Fenner had used Anne and her skills with people Fenner wanted to control.
Anne ignores Johns insinuation, “I am always intrigued by what he will do. I have seen how implacable he is in achieving his ends. Whatever they may be.”
Since the brief meeting on the street earlier, in the week, Anne has been curious about John’s comment about Sharpe being posted to the north.
Anne asks, “What does Sharpe do in the north.”
“I have heard that he commands his own yeomanry. The Scarsdale Yeomanry. Raised by Willoughby Parfitt.”
John knows that Sharpe has been assigned to the yeomanry. He is surprised at this assignment. Since the time Sharpe had been cleared of murder and theft in France, Rossendale had been working his contacts at Horse Guards to have Sharpe assigned to any unit that would take him far away from England.
He thought that he had an agreement that Sharpe would command a unit to take and guard convicts in New South Wales.
But, now he is going to Yorkshire to command yeomanry. How did that happen?
“Anne is surprised. She knows Parfitt.”
“Parfitt! The barrow boy?”
“He has his own yeomanry? Isn’t that the height of pretention. He proposed to me once, you know. Regretfully I could not accept.”
Anne pauses. She decides she can have a little fun with Rossendale.
“Just think. If I had, I could have raised my own yeomanry and got you to command it.”
John looks up from his cards. He wonders what Anne is trying to get from him.
Anne goes on, “You would’ve looked so much better than Sharpe don’t you think Johnny?” She smiles viciously at John.
John starts to say, “I…”
He decides that he has played enough of Anne’s game. He looks to the other players at the table who have been patiently waiting for them to continue the game.
While they have been talking, the others played cards. John won the trick. He now offers “Spades, I shall try spades.”
Anne smiles.
Willoughby Parfitt had sent her an invitation to a ball that he will hold at his estate after Boxing Day. She was not going to attend. Now maybe she should attend. This could be very interesting. Especially, if Sharpe is there. If Sharpe’s wife is with someone else, maybe he is more available to her.
John and Anne continue to play cards. By the end of the evening, John and his partner have won more games, than Anne and her partner. He will collect money from them. He smiles at the thought that he bested Anne.
John is also delighted that he will have some money to entertain Jane for a few weeks.
Anne says to Rossendale, “Johnny, you had a good night.”
John smiles a happy grin. “Yes, it seems the cards were much kinder to my partner and me tonight.”
Anne flatly tells him, “Well, it is good to know that you have at least one lucky partner.” She winks as she turns and leaves. Yes, she would go to Parfitt’s party.
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