An Uncertain Peace (The Making of a Man Series, Book 3)

by Andrew Wareham

  "Did you ever read of Lord Castlereagh, Sir Richard?"

  "Committed self-murder in the Twenties, did he not? There was some mention in a book I read, 'the pressures of office preying on his mind'."

  "He was subjected to a number of extortion attempts, and had behaved sufficiently badly that he thought it better to pay off the blackmailers, thus giving them even more evidence and causing them to increase their demands until he broke. My mentor in our business was involved in the investigations and tidying-up after the unfortunate event and warned me of the need to watch all of our leading figures and to prevent such an affair ever occurring again. We have been able to prevent any repetition, but at the price of observing behaviour we would far rather have known nothing about! I firmly believe that all men on once being elected should be locked into chastity belts!"

  "Mr Gladstone included?"

  Hewitt would not be drawn further.

  "So, I have no need to go to Canada, you say, sir?"

  "No, but I would be rather glad if you was to make your number with General Grant again and perhaps suggest that Her Majesty's Government would be pleased was he to make fewer promises to his Irish regiments. There is a belief among the Catholics of the North that the victorious Federal Army will turn its attention to the questions of the Canadian border. It has been suggested that was a force of Fenian men to break the border and move into Canada then the Army would come to their rescue when the Redcoats advanced on them."

  "Thus to invade Canada to protect American citizens, and then never to leave again?"

  "That is the plan. It will not happen until the Confederacy is crushed, and will never come about if the South should survive."

  "Is it possible that the Confederates may still win?"

  "Not as such, but if Lincoln should not be re-elected then the Democrats will make a humiliating peace that gives the Southerners all they want. The election speeches of the Democrats all say that the war must end, that white lives are being thrown away for an end to black slavery - they make it clear that they do not want the slaves ever to be made free and they will permit the Union to die to achieve that end. If Lincoln achieves a military success in the next month, he will survive; it is as simple as that, and it is on a knife edge in the field. Grant will take Atlanta and will win in the West, given a little more time, but he may require just too much time to get there. Sherman will do the job for him, that I do not doubt, but he must do so within the next two weeks in practical terms."

  "What says Her Majesty's Government?"

  "Nothing - it is all one to us. A Confederate victory brings a broken America, poverty-stricken and weakened fatally. A Union victory brings a rich and powerful nation into being, one that can eventually be made an ally and provide a counter to France and Prussia, and Russia if she ever becomes a modern state. Britain can live with either result. There are those who would prefer the aristocracy to prevail - as you know; there are others who wish to trade with a great country. It really does not matter to us - as long as we keep our noses clean! You are to be very careful while in the States, Sir Richard!"

  "I am the very model of discretion, Major Hewitt!"

  "Of course, sir! By the way, the nasty man, Curtis-Manvers, who you will remember, is said now to have had an acquaintance in England, a gentleman who is claiming that he was assassinated by an envoy of Her Majesty's Government. There has already been an attempt to raise a question in the House of Commons, and there is fear that your name may be mentioned in public. If that should happen then you may find life difficult in the States - and we may not be able to keep the matter as quiet as we would wish, I fear. It might be wise to consider selling up some of your more overt business interests; you could keep the land, that tends to be unseen, but the firm of Parsons and Burke might be too visible for your safety."

  "That in effect means I must stay out of the States in future, Major Hewitt."

  "That would be my advice, Sir Richard. There would be a number of opportunities in Europe and in Africa that you could consider, still working with my people, if you so wished. There will be the chance of advancement in your military career, of course."

  Dick was not in the least interested in his military career, except inasmuch that the rank sounded respectable, and 'colonel' would sound even better than 'major' in the ears of the County.

  "Thus, a swoop upon the States and then to leave for a number of years until all is forgotten. The newspapers remember nothing beyond next week, so public notoriety is not a problem; politicians can have longer memories, unless properly bought, and I cannot afford to bribe one half of the Republican Party. That means to stay away for at least two Congressional terms, I think. Unless... do you know anything of Jim Fisk?"

  "Sufficient to avoid him, Sir Richard - the man is a stranger to discretion! He owns any number of politicians and makes no bones about saying so - he is dangerous company. The word from Washington is that he will not live to old age - he treads too carelessly in his private life as well and that will provide the excuse for a challenge, pistol in hand, or even to shoot him down like a dog."

  "A pity. I thought for a moment to use him, but if one cannot, then so be it. Miss Parsons had some dealings with Carnegie, I know, and he is more discreet than Fisk, though no less ruthlessly criminal, I understand."

  "A thoroughly untrustworthy man, Sir Richard. Again, I would advise you to keep well clear of him. He is concerned to present a clean public face and wishes to be known as one of America's great men - which means that he will bury his mistakes very deep. If he considered at some later date that assisting you had been an error then he would bury you very deep. He certainly could keep your name out of the public eye, but his price in terms of services done would be high, and he would soon connect you with our people and be in the way of demanding favours from us."

  "Then there is no alternative. That may make my lady wife happier - I believe she is a little upset at the prospect of leaving England for good."

  Major Hewitt wondered just how important the lady's opinions might be, but feared it might not be tactful to ask.

  "Thus, Major, I am to go to Washington and then to the field headquarters of General Grant to whisper in his ear. He is not an easy man to influence, sir, so I will speak to him plainly, I think. The overt threat of war would not intimidate him, but the statement that Her Majesty's Government would be prepared to treat a Fenian invasion as an internal matter but would have no hesitation in bringing in a mass of troops from India in response to a single American soldier crossing the border might well cause him to pause. The prospect of a British army on the Californian coast would be one to deter any sensible man."

  "It is a very unlikely possibility, but, of course, an army that took the goldfields would pay for itself... How very tempting!"

  It seemed to Dick that his idle words would very soon be floating along the corridors of Whitehall. A victory for the Democrats, leading to a weakened America, might very soon be followed by British adventuring, he thought.

  "Well, Major Hewitt, after that I must speak to Miss Parsons and arrange to sell out my interests in her firm. I will lose money, I suspect, because she is no mean businesswoman, but that cannot be avoided. Then I shall escort my lady to Niagara, having told her she should see the falls, and perhaps a visit once more to the old stamping grounds of Kansas City, for I learned much there. Then it will be back to England, and to settle myself in Dorset for a few weeks before placing myself at your convenience again. Unless, of course, matters do not come out as planned."

  "'The best-laid plans of mice and men...', Sir Richard."

  "Burns, I believe, who disguised a fundamental lack of talent in impenetrable dialect, thus to seem remarkably profound! I have heard him described as one of the best things to come out of Scotland, which does not say much for what is left behind!"

  "Tut! Her Majesty is much enamoured of all things Scottish, Sir Richard! One must therefore admire the genius of the Celts, Picts and Scots, and whatever oth
er primitives one may discover in the glens. I am told there are many to be found there, except where the sheep have displaced them, to the benefit of civilisation in such places!"

  Dick called for more coffee, rather pleased with their exercise in wit.

  "I shall take cabins on the next available Cunarder, Major Hewitt. I presume that all outstanding arrest warrants have been cancelled?"

  "You are no longer a wanted man in America, Sir Richard - all has transpired to be a mistake."

  "May I enquire whether any of your people are busy in Liverpool at the moment, Major Hewitt?"

  "You may not, Sir Richard, but I can say that it is not impossible that the French gentleman has attracted some attention. I do not, however, have the bodies to hand to keep him under active surveillance at all times. I will take steps to have him identified to you, relying wholly on your discretion, of course."

  Now, what exactly did that mean, Dick wondered. Hewitt had mentioned the desire to 'talk' to the gentleman, which suggested that he did not want him killed out of hand. Not in his own cellars, that would be an undesirable place to hold the man - he must discover what empty storage areas there might be in the shipyard, and arrange for a set of manacles as well.

  Dick made his way to the shipyard in the morning and found a note there advising him to drop into the Chop House a furlong or so down the street at about eleven o'clock. He ordered a cup of tea and was advised that he should try one of their Eccles Cakes, a local speciality; he paid the extra penny and admired the delicacy, as was incumbent upon him. A customer sat at another table by the counter left the premises, slipping a folded piece of paper onto his plate. Dick palmed the note and glanced quickly at it.

  'By the door, in tweeds and a silk hat.'

  An unremarkable gentleman, except that tweeds should have a country hat rather than a town topper - not quite the correct style. Bearded, as was fashionable, trimmed a little closer than most, but that was a matter of personal taste. Wearing brown boots, not black - there was a giveaway, no one wore brown boots, not in town!

  So, a foreigner.

  Did he have a description of Dick, that was the next question. He showed no signs of recognition, but he should not if he was a professional in the trade.

  Tweeds were bulky, fit loosely, ideal for concealing a pistol; it was better to assume him to be armed.

  He was finishing his tea, nodded to the waiter, and handed him a sixpence, pocketed with no change. A known, regular customer who always gave a tip; in exchange he would be told if any questions were ever asked, or so he hoped.

  Dick waited a minute, called to the waiter, handed him a shilling.

  "Police. The foreign gentleman who left a moment ago. Who is he? Where does he live?"

  Ordinary policemen did not give tips; they simply offered threats. One who gave away whole shillings was out of the normal run of things - it would be far too dangerous to know nothing.

  "The Frog? Not local, lives in town someplace, not round 'ere. Comes in by cab, so 'e do. Keeps looking at the yard up the road; talks to some of the shipwrights, so 'e do. Asks 'em about the armour plate and the guns, but the guns ain't been delivered yet and they don't know, so 'e's got to wait for another week. Midday, 'e goes into the Boilermakers Arms and buys a pint for one or two of the blokes what drops in there."

  "Thank you." Dick handed over a half-crown. "You probably will not see him again. If you do, or if another man comes asking the same sort of questions, go up to the gatehouse at the yard and tell the watchman. He will pass the word on and there will be a man with a half-sovereign in his hand in here next day."

  "Yes, sir. What if I ain't sure, sir?"

  "Pass the word on any stranger you see more than once; you will be paid."

  The waiter promised to do his loyal duty; Dick believed him, he probably earned less than a pound a week.

  The Boilermakers Arms was situated on a street corner, like most pubs; it had two doors, one for the Public Bar, the other for the Saloon, which would be more comfortable and for the use of white-collar workers only.

  Just before noon the Frenchman came down the road towards the Public Bar. Dick had been studying the fruit in the window of the greengrocer's next door and turned as he passed, pushed the barrel of his pistol into his stomach.

  "You are under arrest. Stand still! Where is your gun?"

  "Me? I have no..."

  The Frenchman gasped as the gun barrel jabbed into the pit of his belly.

  "Where is your gun? Next time it is a bullet."

  "Under my coat."

  Dick felt inside the man's jacket, left-handed; he came across the butt of a pocket pistol, pulled it out, concealed in his hand.

  "Just one? If we find a second on search it will not be well for you."

  "A knife on the other side."

  A short-bladed but very sharp clasp knife, adequate to cut a throat but new and clean, unused looking.

  "Walk in front of me. Up the road, to the shipyard gate. It does not matter to me whether I bring you in dead or walking - I have made my money!"

  Dick judged the implication that he was not a policeman would not be missed; a less official gentleman would have fewer constraints upon him.

  The watchman saluted as Dick arrived and pulled out the set of irons he had been given earlier. Hands together and linked to the ankle chains; he would be running nowhere.

  "Call a boy across, if you please."

  One of the yard's office boys came trotting across, was sent off to the Lime Street office with a piece of paper.

  "We have an hour to spend, sir. Do you wish to talk to me? Voluntarily? In public, where all can be seen? If you do not then you will be questioned in the cells at the station; the special cells, the ones underground and out of sight and hearing. You were carrying deadly weapons and therefore will be treated as a murderer, unless you show very willing to be helpful. You must understand that you will face trial and will very likely hang because of the gun and knife. If you are instead to be sent back to France, or possibly be offered a ticket to America, if you would prefer, then you must talk."

  "I did not want to have a gun, but the Irishman said I must. I have no wish to shoot any man."

  "What Irishman?"

  What had the French to do with the Irish? The poor fellow had virtually guaranteed himself a session with the interrogators with that one statement.

  "I must speak to the Embassy in London."

  "Do not be stupid! You are to talk to us alone. You are a criminal, caught in the possession of arms and in converse with Irish revolutionaries. You will either tell us all you know willingly or you will face the hangman. If we catch the Fenian gang then you may live as a free man - and that is not certain. You may be lucky. I would advise you to talk now, before the men in the cells downstairs get you."

  The threat was sufficient - he was not a professional, made no attempt to negotiate a price for all he knew.

  "I was only sent to look at the ships you are building, that is all. That is my work. I lived in London for many years with my parents and learned my English, so they chose me to do this. They were at the Embassy, my mother and father, servants to the Ambassador, that is all. I am not an important person. I looked at the big ironclad ships building in London; then I was told to come here and make a report on the small ships with turrets. I was told to go to the hotel and then send a letter to a man called Murphy, by hand, not by post, at a newspaper shop; he would show me the way around Liverpool and where the yards were. When he had done that, I was to tell him the place where he would find a wagon - a little warehouse it was. I did not see what was inside - it was closed with wooden sides. He is to make arrangements for me to go to Newcastle next, to make reports on the place making the big cannons; I am to tell him then where there is another wagon. His name is not really Murphy, I think."

  "You will tell us where the wagons are. They may contain the bombs the Irish have been making."

  There had been a series of small gunpowder b
ombs detonated in the Liverpool area in the previous weeks. The police had tightened up on the blasting powder stores in the Welsh quarries and around the mining areas and there had been a lessening of the problem; wagon loads of black powder would provide new fuel to the campaign.

  A closed carriage pulled up at the gatehouse and three men came inside and grabbed the Frenchman by the arms and hauled him out. A fourth nodded to Dick and asked whether the Frenchman had said anything.

  "Supplies of something, possibly powder, to a Mr Murphy, you say? Well done, Sir Richard! We will speak to this newspaper shop owner as well as raiding the warehouses that kept the wagons. We should be able to pick up Mr so-called Murphy easily enough - the Frenchman must have a contact with him and he will tell us all about it. We must do all as quickly as may be possible, before they have word of his arrest. We could not persuade the police to pick him up on the off chance, Sir Richard, and they objected to our doing so unlawfully, as they saw it. As the owner of the yard and protecting your own property, of course, you had a freedom that we did not. You could be very useful as an armed assistant in any raid that might eventuate, Sir Richard, if you would be so good. Four of us is not sufficient."

  "Send the word to my house. You will make the raids tonight, I presume?"

  "If we have the information, yes. We would want Murphy first, and hopefully he will give us names and addresses."

  Dick nodded - he did not wish to be told more.

  "Plaistow - we are to assist with the apprehension of some Irish traitors tonight. Fully armed. I want you to watch, stood behind my back and protecting me but mostly just seeing what the others do. Learn all you can and we will talk about it tomorrow. You will also find out whether a gun is for you - it might not be."

  Plaistow was excited at the prospect; he had no doubts about his ability to pull a trigger if necessary.

  A carriage pulled up in the mews after dark, stopped out of the direct range of the two gas lamps there. Dick and Plaistow, both dressed in black, slipped out of the back door and inside.