by Griff Hosker
“Excellent. Have it sent over to the officer’s mess.”
Later in the afternoon I sought out the mess sergeant. “Sergeant Mann, I sent over a dozen bottles of wine today. Be so good as to open a couple tonight would you.” I smiled, “Compliments of D Squadron.”
He grinned back at me, “In the way of a celebration eh? I won a couple of bob today backing you sir.”
It seemed that all of D Squadron and many of C Squadron had benefitted from my display. The winners were obvious from their good humour while the losers looked as miserable as sin.
That evening DeVere and his associates were subdued. I was inundated with questions about my pistols and carbine. Many of the officers could not believe how quickly it was possible to fire the weapons. “You need to have them primed and in good holsters. I have a spare pair of holsters which allow me to have an extra two pistols if I wish.”
Major Hyde-Smith stood, “Gentlemen, be upstanding. I would like to propose a toast to Captain Matthews. Firstly for his skilful display of shooting and secondly for this wonderful wine he has generously shared with us.”
“Captain Matthews.”
After jackets were loosened and cigars lit Major Hyde-Smith came over and took me to one side. “The wine; is it from your family’s estate?”
“It is.”
“Fortnum and Mason’s?”
“They are the sole supplier, sir.”
“Good. I shall order a couple of cases so that when we return from the Cape we shall celebrate with a decent bottle of something.” It required no answer and so I nodded. “You know you are a deep one. When I first laid my eyes on you I thought that you were a chicken ready to be plucked. I shall watch you, sir, for I think that you will be good for the regiment.”
“Thank you sir for your confidence.”
He leaned in, “And by the way that was an extremely honourable thing you did for young Jackson. It might be the making of him.”
I assumed an innocent look. “I don’t know what you are talking about sir.”
He smiled, “Well keep your secrets but everyone is putting two and two together. Jackson suddenly pays off a debt and the coins are the same ones used to pay off the wager. But I respect your modesty. You are a gentleman.”
The next day I asked the colonel’s permission to ride up to London to speak with Colonel Selkirk. I was in his good books and so he gave me permission. I took Trooper Sharp with me. As we were passing the ‘George and Dragon’ I called in. Mr Popwell was effusive in his thanks. “The wine you sent sir, it has gone down very well. Thank you.” He hesitated, “How much do I owe you?”
“Let us call it a gift and besides I assume you will be buying more and so my family will benefit.”
He bobbed his head up and down in gratitude and then seemed to notice not only my uniform but Trooper Sharp too. “You didn’t say you were a soldier.”
“No, I didn’t and I apologise for that. I didn’t want a fuss with the other officers. You may find it quiet for a while.”
“The last few days have been better sir and my regulars have begun to return.” He gestured me over, “Mind you there has been a highwayman hereabouts. Haven’t had one for nigh on thirty years and now we have a pair of them. They have robbed a couple of travellers. It seems they are a ruthless pair. One man had his head laid open. You take care. Two mail coaches have been robbed and one poor passenger was shot.”
“Thank you for the warning. We will take care.”
It was six hours to London along the main road and I hoped we would reach it before dark. I needed to be briefed by Colonel Selkirk and then return before the regiment sailed. The journey was dreadful. The late January rains drove into our faces and I felt sorry for our horses. It also made conversation impossible. I had hoped to get to know my young servant a little better on the road. That would have to wait.
I headed for the part of London I knew best, close to the river. “It’s too late to go to Horse Guards. We will find rooms.”
Trooper Sharp looked nervous, “I’ve never been to London before sir.”
“Don’t worry. It’s no worse than the George when the 11th are getting drunk.”
He laughed. “You have travelled sir.”
“Yes I have but it was only last year when I visited London for the first time.”
I rode towards the ‘Coal Hole Tavern’. It was rough and it was ready but the landlord was honest, the beds were clean and the beer was good. Badger enjoyed staying here. I hoped I would see my old friend, Geordie.
The landlord, thankfully, remembered me. I suspect the fact that I had paid promptly in cash had helped. “Two rooms sir. That will be fine. We have servant rooms if you wish.”
“The two rooms will be the same quality please, landlord.”
I was pleased I had done that for Trooper Sharp looked grateful. “How many nights?”
“Just the one and stabling for two horses.” He wrote it down in the ledger and I handed him the payment. “Is Geordie in port?”
“Aye, he sails on the morning tide. He will be in soon enough. He is just checking the manifest at the agent’s office.”
“Good. Send our bags up to our rooms and we will have some food and some of your fine beer.”
We headed for the table by the roaring fire. The steam from our damp clothes began to rise the moment we sat down. The beer came first.
“Cheers, trooper.”
“Cheers sir. Thank you for this.”
“For this?”
“Yes sir, for treating me like a person. My dad warned me that some officers see the men as little more than horses that talked. There are some like that in Canterbury but you and Mr Austen, you are gentlemen.”
“You are welcome. Every man deserves respect, regardless of rank, until he does something to lose that respect.”
I saw Geordie enter the inn. He shook his mane like a wet dog. I had to smile. Geordie was larger than life. I stepped towards him and his face lit up in recognition. “Why if it isn’t Robbie M…”
“Matthews. That’s right. Good to see you again Geordie. How are Betty and the children?”
“Oh they’re canny.” He had questions written all over his face but he knew me well enough to say nothing.
“Would you like to join me? We are having a bite to eat.”
“Well aye, that’d be grand.”
Trooper Sharp stood, terror written all over his face. “Trooper Sharp this is Captain Geordie a good friend of mine.”
He stood and shook Geordie’s outstretched hand.
“Geordie, this is Trooper Sharp. One of the soldiers from my regiment.”
As they shook hands I saw the gratitude in Sharp’s eyes that I had not called him a servant.
“Well I sail tomorrow Robbie so we don’t have long.”
“I know the landlord told me and I return to the barracks tomorrow too.”
“Ye look fine in your best bib and tucker. How do you like the army life then?”
“It’s a good life. And is the sea treating you well?”
“I canna complain.”
It was a delightful evening. I think Trooper Sharp was mesmerised by the apparition that was Geordie. He regaled us with tales of the sea and corrupt officials. He spoke of life in Newcastle and the money he was losing because of the peace. The whole evening was a delight. It made me realise that you cannot put a value on a real friend.
The next day we headed towards the west end of London. Before I met with Colonel Selkirk I wished to speak with my banker, Mr Hudson and then Mr Fortnum. I left Trooper Sharp outside with the horses while I went inside to see the banker. My meeting was brief. I wished to know how my finances were doing and was pleased that I had almost doubled my money in the last four months. The peace was not good for Geordie but my half share in a boat and my income from the Alpini estate were paying dividends.
“Now I may be travelling in Europe soon. Have you any arrangements with banks so that I can access some funds over ther
e?”
He frowned slightly, “The situation is still volatile. How much would you require?”
“Enough for emergencies.”
He seemed relieved. “I will write a draft for you and give you a list of banks that will facilitate your request. I am afraid they are all in the major cities.”
“That is not a problem. I have to see Mr Fortnum. I will return in an hour and pick up the documents and some cash for the journey.”
He nodded and then said, “I take it you will not be travelling in uniform, Captain…er Matthews?”
“No, Mr Hudson. I think that would be a little unwise.”
Poor Sharp had to be left with the horses again outside Fortnum and Mason’s but he seemed quite happy to watch all the colourful ladies and their beaus who frequented this fashionable part of London.
Mr Fortnum was delighted to see me again. “The peace has done wonders for our trade and your family’s wine is the most popular item we have.”
“Excellent. Thank you for the wine you supplied me with.”
“You are welcome. I suspect that I may be receiving further orders once those customers taste it so you have done me a favour too.”
“Now the reason I came here is because I will be travelling abroad soon and I need some things.”
He glanced at the uniform. “With the regiment?”
“Er, no. This will be a private visit. I need sturdy, functional luggage for two please.”
“That will not be a problem. Shall I send them to the barracks?”
“If you please and take the payment from my account.”
“Of course, Captain Matthews.”
We crossed London to get to Horse Guards in Whitehall. It still intimidated me for I had only been there once. It was different this time for I was in uniform. Once again Trooper Sharp was left with the horses. “Keep your eyes and ears open, Sharp. We may learn something here.” I knew from my time serving Napoleon that the gossip from headquarters was usually reliable.
I attracted fewer stares, this time, as I walked the corridors. I was in uniform. Colonel Selkirk’s office was nondescript and tucked away from the busier areas. I think it suited his secretive nature.
I knocked on the door and his gruff Scottish voice barked, “Come!” He smiled when he saw me. “Well you look splendid in a British uniform. How are you settling in?”
“Fine.” I was tempted to ask him about his brother’s death. It did not seem as clear cut now that I had been with the regiment. This did not seem an appropriate time besides which I still had to get to the bottom of it..
“Good. Let’s get down to business. Take a seat. Now, as you know I do not trust Boney. Nor, I think, do you.” I nodded. “We need to take advantage of this peace. I am convinced he is up to something but we have no diplomats in Paris at the moment and the news from the ships which trade with France is a little vague. I need you to have a wander around Paris and the north of France. Two weeks should suffice.”
That sounded more than a little vague to me. “What do I do there?”
“Use your eyes and your brain. You know the important men who surround Bonaparte. Find them and see what they are doing. Is he conscripting more men? If he is and they are just intended for the east and Austria that is useful information but if they are gathering in the west of France then we need to know.”
“When I did missions for Napoleon I had a specific task and I knew what I was doing.”
“Well,” he added bluntly, “now you work for me and I expect you to use your initiative. You are a captain in the Light Dragoons. You serve Britain now.”
I saw now that the commission was not a prize but a halter. I sighed, “Well, sir, I have a request to make.”
He looked at me sharply. “A request or an ultimatum?”
“A request. I will be travelling through France as a gentleman.” He nodded. “Then it would seem appropriate if I had a servant.”
He closed his eyes briefly and then nodded. “It makes sense and shows that you are using your mind but I do not see where this is going.”
“I have a trooper servant and he would make a perfect cover for me.”
“He doesn’t know what you do then?”
“No, but when I said I might be travelling to my family’s estate in Italy then he told me he would like to accompany me.”
“Does he speak French?”
“I do not think so, but I thought he could play a mute. People tend to think if someone cannot speak they cannot hear and they can be indiscreet.”
“Yes I see that. Very well you have my permission but you must impress upon him the need for secrecy. Your life depends on it. If you are captured then we will deny all knowledge of you.”
“I realise that.” It seems that both sides of the Channel had a low regard for the men who served them.
He handed me a sack of coins. “Some gold Louis. The French might not like their Royal Family but they like their coins. Some clerk will want you to hand in a record of where you spent this so try to keep receipts.” He took out two documents from his desk and he wrote on one and then asked, “What is this fellow’s name?”
“Alan Sharp.”
He wrote on the second document and then blotted them. He folded them and handed them to me. “Here are your passports.” I put them into my tunic pocket. ”How you get to and from Paris is your own business but you should be back here in two weeks. All I need you to do is to sniff around. You will be going back but your regiment won’t need you for a while.”
It suddenly struck me that the fortuitous posting of the 11th might not have been that. “You arranged for them to go to Cape?”
“Let us just say that they needed a regiment of cavalry there and it fitted in with my plans. Good luck Robbie.”
With that he went back to his documents and I was summarily dismissed. I pocketed the coins and went to search out Sharp. I would give him the chance to reconsider once we were on the road but I now liked the idea of having a companion. I would not be alone.
As we headed down the Dover road I asked him if he had learned anything of value. “No sir. The sentries were just saying how quiet it has been lately. Lots of officers have taken the opportunity to go back to their estates.” He shook his head, “It must be nice to have the option.”
He was, of course, right. “Well Trooper Sharp, if you still wish to travel with me then you can but I have to tell you that it may be dangerous. Your life could be at risk.”
He seemed to consider this and did not speak for a few moments. “Would we be serving our country sir?”
“Yes.”
“Then I am your man.”
I was relieved and I think it showed in my smile for he smiled back at me. “We will be going to France. I take it you cannot speak French?”
“Some would say my English isn’t that good but I have no French.”
“I thought not. It does not matter although I will teach you some words. You will play a mute so that you do not have to speak. That will be hard, I know but you are a diligent lad and you will manage it. As soon as we get back we need to pack civilian clothes. Have you some?”
“Yes sir, but no bag.”
“Don’t worry. There will be luggage awaiting us at the barracks. We leave tomorrow. We will buy horses once we are in France. We shall take the coach from Canterbury.”
He suddenly seemed animated. “I have never travelled in a mail coach before sir.”
“Neither have I. It will be a new experience for both of us.”
The next few miles were spent in a pleasant discussion about the differences between France and Britain. I thought it important that he understand the new world he would be entering. We were a few miles east of Gillingham when the black rain clouds, which had been threatening us for some time, finally decided to drop their entire contents upon us. There was little point in trying to fight it and we took shelter in a dilapidated barn by the side of the road. Fortunately it still had part of its roof and we wer
e protected from the deluge which descended.
“Look sir, there is the mail coach.”
We saw the London to Dover mail coach splashing through the rain. I felt sorry for the driver and guard. Despite their rain coats they would be soaked to the skin. They did not have the luxury of being able to shelter in a barn. The rain was torrential but, as with all such storms, it soon blew itself out and after half an hour we were able to continue our journey.
The road was awash with puddles and debris. “I expect we will soon catch up with the coach. It would not be able to make good speed on a road in this condition.”
The road had a few dips and crests on it and we saw the coach when reached the top of one such rise. It was stopped. “That is strange.”
“Why sir? You said it would have trouble negotiating the road in this condition.”
“I expected it to be going slowly but not to stop. Remember what Mr Popwell said about highwaymen?” Trooper Sharp suddenly became alert. “Have you your pistols?”
“Yes sir but they are not loaded.”
I felt a little irritated. I had impressed on all the men the need to keep your weapons loaded if not primed. Here was my own servant and he was not obeying me. I would speak with him later. “Here take one of mine. It needs priming.” I could see that he was shamefaced about the whole thing.
Our weapons primed we rode cautiously along the road. The fact that the coach had not moved was now even more suspicious. When I heard the crack of the pistol I knew that caution was now a luxury we could ill afford.
“You take the right and I will take the left.”
As I galloped up I saw a body lying next to the front wheel and a masked man holding two pistols. He must have heard Badger for he suddenly turned and fired one of his pistols. It was too hasty a shot and it missed. He threw himself on his horse. I heard the double crack of two pistols. I hoped that Sharp had not wasted his shot. As I galloped past the coach I saw the driver climbing down to see to his wounded guard.
It was futile to try to fire a pistol from the back of a horse at a moving target and so I holstered my gun. I had confidence that Badger would catch the other horse for he was bigger and stronger than the horse we were pursuing. I drew my sword and urged Badger to go faster. Gradually we began to catch up to the horse and rider. The mount was slowing. When I was thirty yards from its rear I saw the 11th stamped on its rump. It was a horse from my regiment.