'Now, Paddy! What about you?'

Harper laughed. 'You think I'm a fool, eh? Just because I'm Irish?'

One of the drummer boys, sitting on his drum, snored in a corner. Sergeant Havercamp watched as his two corporals, both of whom had taken their shillings obediently as they still pretended to be recruits, poured rum for the three boys in their smocks. He looked up at the big Irishman. 'What's the problem, Paddy? Tell me, eh?'

Harper traced patterns on the wooden table with spilt beer. 'It's nothing.'

'Come on, tell me!'

'Nothing!'

Havercamp rolled a shilling into the spilt beer. It fell onto its side. 'Tell me why you won't take it.'

Harper frowned. He bit his lip, shrugged, and looked at the Sergeant. 'Do I get a bed?'

'What?'

'A bed? Do I get one? A bed?'

Havercamp stared at him, saw the intensity on the big face, and nodded. 'Fit for a King, Paddy. You'll get a bed with satin sheets and pillows big as b.l.o.o.d.y cows!'

'That's grand!' Harper picked up the shilling. 'I'm all yours!'

Sergeant Havercamp failed with the three farm boys. Charlie Weller was desperate to join up, but would not take the shilling unless his two friends joined with him, and they were reluctant. Sharpe watched Havercamp try all the tricks, even the old one of slipping the shillings into their beer so they would pick them out of the dregs in astonishment, but the three lads were wise to that one. They became drunker and drunker, so drunk that Sharpe was sure that one of them would take the preferred, glittering coin, yet at the very moment when it seemed that Charlie Weller would take his anyway, even without his friends, the door to the snug banged open and a woman stood there, screaming in rage, shouting at Havercamp and hitting with her fist at Charlie. 'You little b.a.s.t.a.r.d!'

'Ma!' he shouted. 'Ma! Stop it!'

'Out! And you, Horace and James! Out! Disgrace, you are, disgrace to your families! Playing at soldiers! You think I brought you into this world to see you throw yourself away?' She cuffed Charlie Weller about the ears. 'Only a fool joins the army, you fool!'

'Aye, you're right,' Harper said drunkenly.

Havercamp surrendered the three boys gracefully. He had, to console his loss, twenty-eight men in a barn outside town, he had scooped up four today, and he had high hopes of the wh.o.r.es who were working the inns for him. He would have a tidy enough number to take back to Lieutenant Colonel Girdwood. He smiled rea.s.suringly at his recruits as Mrs Weller left, drained his last ale, and ordered them to their feet.

They had taken the King's Shilling, but they were not quite yet the King's men. Sharpe lay that night in the broken-down stable behind the Green Man and he stared at the stars through the gaping thatch. He smiled. Six weeks before, in the nights after the battle of Vitoria, he had slept in a great bedroom with the wh.o.r.e of gold, the Marquesa, the woman who was a spy and who had been his lover. He had lain with an aristocrat and now he lay in old, filthy straw. What would she think if she could see him now?

The other recruits snored. In the next stable a horse whinnied softly. Beside Sharpe the straw rustled.

'You awake?' Harper whispered.

'Yes.'

'What are you thinking of?'

'Women. Helene.'

'They come and go, eh?' Harper chuckled, then pointed at the broken roof. 'We could go now. b.u.g.g.e.r off, eh?'

'I know.'

But they did not. They were in England, recruited, and going to battle.

CHAPTER 6.

In the morning Sergeant Horatio Havercamp had thirty-four men, the last few brought in by the wh.o.r.es whom he had brought from London and who were paid to dazzle young men with unfamiliar spirits and flesh. Twenty-eight of his men were guarded in the barn outside of town, while the nine new recruits were in the Green Man's stable.

'On your feet, lads! On your feet!' Sergeant Havercamp was still genial, for none of these nine recruits were in the bag yet, even though they did have the King's Shilling. 'Come on, lads! Up!'

A man in a long, brown, woollen coat and with a tall, brown hat stood next to the Sergeant. His nose dripped. He coughed with a cavernous, retching cough that, each time it exploded in his chest, made him groan afterwards with a hopeless, dying moan. He went round the stable, peering at each man, sometimes asking them to lift up a leg. It was the quickest medical inspection Sharpe had ever seen, and when it was done the doctor was given a handful of coins. Sergeant Havercamp clapped his hands as the doctor left. 'Right, lads! Follow me! Breakfast!'

The two corporals, magically transformed into redcoats with tall, black shakoes, helped hustle the nine men towards the inn. It was not fully light yet. A c.o.c.k crowed in the yard and a maid carried a clanking pail from the pump.

'In here, lads!'

It was not for breakfast. Instead, a magistrate waited in the public room, a grey-haired, savage faced, irascible man with pinched cheeks and a red nose. A clerk sat next to him with a stack of papers, a pot of ink, a quill, and a pile of bank notes.

'Right! Let's see you lively!' Sergeant Havercamp whisked them forward one by one, chivvied them to the table, and stood over them as they were sworn in. Only three of the recruits, one of them the quiet young man in his broadcloth coat, could write.

The others, like Sharpe and Harper, made crosses on the paper. Sharpe noticed that the doctor had already signed the forms, presumably before he came out to the stable to glance at the recruits. He noticed, too, that no one offered the recruits the chance of a seven-year engagement; it was simply not mentioned. The form, that he pretended he could not read, was headed "Unlimited Service".

He put his cross in the place the clerk showed him. "I, d.i.c.k Vaughn" d.i.c.k Vaughn" the paper read, "do make Oath that I am or have been ------------", Sharpe declared no occupation and the clerk left it a blank, "and to the best of my Knowledge and Belief was born in the Parish of the paper read, "do make Oath that I am or have been ------------", Sharpe declared no occupation and the clerk left it a blank, "and to the best of my Knowledge and Belief was born in the Parish of Sh.o.r.editch Sh.o.r.editch in the County of in the County of Middles.e.x Middles.e.x and that I am the age of and that I am the age of 32 32 Years". Sharpe decided he would take four years off his age. "That I do not belong to the Militia, or to any other Regiment, or to His Majesty's Navy or Marines, and that I will serve His Majesty, until I shall be legally discharged. Witness my Hand. Years". Sharpe decided he would take four years off his age. "That I do not belong to the Militia, or to any other Regiment, or to His Majesty's Navy or Marines, and that I will serve His Majesty, until I shall be legally discharged. Witness my Hand. X. d.i.c.k Vaughn, his mark. X. d.i.c.k Vaughn, his mark.

The magistrate took the paper and scribbled his own name on it. "I, Charles Meredith Harvey, Charles Meredith Harvey, one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace of one of His Majesty's Justices of the Peace of the borough of Sleaford the borough of Sleaford do hereby certify, that do hereby certify, that d.i.c.k Vaughn d.i.c.k Vaughn appeared to be appeared to be 32 32 years old, years old, six six feet - inches high, feet - inches high, Dark Dark Complexion, Complexion, Blue Blue Eyes, Eyes, Black Black Hair, came before me at Hair, came before me at Sleaford Sleaford on the on the Fourth Fourth Day of Day of August August One thousand Eight Hundred and One thousand Eight Hundred and Thirteen Thirteen and stated himself to be of the Age of and stated himself to be of the Age of Thirty-Two Thirty-Two years, and that he had no Rupture, and was not troubled with Fits, and was no ways disabled by Lameness, Deafness, or otherwise, but had the perfect Use of his Limbs and Hearing, and was not an Apprentice; and acknowledged that he had voluntarily inlisted himself, for the Bounty of years, and that he had no Rupture, and was not troubled with Fits, and was no ways disabled by Lameness, Deafness, or otherwise, but had the perfect Use of his Limbs and Hearing, and was not an Apprentice; and acknowledged that he had voluntarily inlisted himself, for the Bounty of Twenty-Three pounds Seventeen shillings and Sixpence Twenty-Three pounds Seventeen shillings and Sixpence to serve His Majesty King George III, in the ------------ Regiment of ------------ commanded by ------------ until he should be legally discharged." to serve His Majesty King George III, in the ------------ Regiment of ------------ commanded by ------------ until he should be legally discharged."

Sharpe noticed that, although the clerk filled in the personal details of each man as they stood at the table, and though the magistrate's blanks were all filled, strangely the South Ess.e.x's name did not appear in its proper place. At the end of the doc.u.ment there was an attestation that he had received one guinea of his bounty which was pressed into his hand by the clerk. 'Next!'

He was in. Sworn in. He had taken the King's Shilling, and accepted a new-fangled, scruffy pound note to make it into a guinea, and he watched silently as the other men went forward. More money, he saw, pa.s.sed hands as the magistrate left, presumably so that worthy official would ignore the absence of any regiment noted down on the attestation form, then Sergeant Havercamp was bawling at them to get outside, into the inn yard, and there each man was given a chance to drink at the pump and half a loaf of stale bread was pushed into their hands.

The two corporals, grinning in their red jackets, helped push the nine men into two crude ranks. The drummer boys, yawning and sticky-eyed, banged their drums and, before the sun was risen properly, they were marching through the detritus of the hiring fair. The young man in broadcloth, who had given his name to the clerk as Giles Marriott, walked in front of Sharpe. He did not speak a word to his neighbour, the half-wit, Tom. Sharpe noticed, as they crossed the market place in the grey dawn, how Marriott stared at a fine, brick-built house.

'Move it! Come on!' Corporal Terence Clissot pushed Marriott. 'Get a b.l.o.o.d.y move on!'

Yet still Marriott stared back, half-tripping as he walked, and Sharpe turned to look at the house, wondering what it was that made the young, good-looking man stare so fixedly at it. The drums still rattled and it was, perhaps, their sound that made one of the shutters open on the upper floor.

A girl stared out. Sharpe saw her, looked at Marriott, and thought there was a glistening in the man's eye. Marriott lifted a hand half-heartedly, then seemed to decide that the small gesture was futile in the face of this huge gesture he had just made to spite the girl who had jilted him. He dropped his hand and walked on. Yet the half-gesture, so feebly made and so quickly retracted, had not escaped Sergeant Havercamp. He saw the girl, looked at Marriott, and laughed.

They marched south. The hedgerows were thick with dew. The drums, now they were out of the town, fell silent. None of the nine men spoke.

A dog barked. Nothing unusual in a country dawn, except this dog was chasing after them and Sergeant Havercamp turned, snarled, raised his boot to kick at it, then checked his foot.

It was b.u.t.tons. Behind the dog, running just as hard, smock flapping and with a bundle on his shoulder, was Charlie Weller. 'Wait for me! Wait for me!'

Havercamp laughed. 'Come on, lad!'

Weller looked behind, as if to make sure that his mother was not following him, but the lane was clear. 'Can I join, Sergeant?'

'You're welcome, lad! Into line! We'll swear you in at the next town!'

Weller grinned at Sharpe, pushed in beside him, and the boy's face showed all the excitement proper at the beginning of a great adventure. They collected the other recruits and their guards from the barn, then headed south for a soldier's life.

At Grantham, where they were locked into the yard of the Magistrate's Court, Sharpe watched Sergeant Havercamp strike a deal. Twelve prisoners were released to him, manacled men who were pushed into the back of the line. More bread was given to them and Sharpe watched young Tom, the half-wit, thrust the loaf at his mouth and gnaw at it. The boy grinned constantly, always watching for a cuff, a curse or a kick. If he was spoken to he giggled and smiled.

That night three men ran, two successfully getting away, almost certainly to find another recruiting party and gull another guinea from the King. The third was caught, brought to the yard where they had slept, and beaten by Corporal Clissot and Sergeant Havercamp. When the beating was over, and the man was lying bleeding and bruised on the yard's cobbles, Sergeant Havercamp retrieved the King's guinea, then kicked the man out into the road. There was small future in taking a jumper back to the Battalion for the man would doubtless only try to desert again.

Giles Marriott had stared in awe at the beating, flinching when the Corporal's boots slammed into the man's ribs. Marriott was pale by the time the punishment was given. He looked at Sharpe. 'Are they allowed to do that?'

Sharpe was astonished that Marriott had spoken, the young man had hardly opened his mouth since he had come to the inn to get his shilling. 'No,' Sharpe shrugged. 'But it's quicker than turning him over to a magistrate.'

'You've been in before?'

'Yes.'

'What's it like?'

'You'll be all right.' Sharpe smiled and drank the mug of tea that was their breakfast. 'You can read and write. You'll become a clerk.'

Charlie Weller was petting his dog. 'I want to fight!'

Marriott still stared at Havercamp, who was shutting the yard gate on the bruised, bleeding man. 'They shouldn't behave like that.'

Sharpe wanted to laugh aloud at the hurt words, but instead he looked sympathetically at the frightened young man. 'Listen! Havercamp's not bad. You're going to meet much worse than him. Just remember a few rules and they can't touch you.'

'What?'

'Never step out of line, never complain, never look into a sergeant's or an officer's eyes, and never say anything except yes or no. Got it?'

'I don't understand.'

'You will,' Harper said. He had come back from the pump in the yard under which he had dunked his head so that the water now streamed down his face and soaked his thin, torn shirt. 'By G.o.d you will, lad.'

'You! Paddy!' It was Sergeant Havercamp's voice, booming over the yard. 'Turn round!'

Harper obeyed. The water had soaked the thin shirt to his hugely muscled back and showed, through its thin weave, the scars that lay over his spine. Sergeant Havercamp grinned beneath his red moustache. 'Paddy, Paddy, Paddy! Why didn't you tell me?'

'Tell you what, Sarge?'

'You served, didn't you? You're an old soldier, Paddy!'

'You never asked me!' Harper said indignantly.

'What regiment?'

'Fourth Dragoon Guards.'

Havercamp stared at him. 'Now you didn't scamper, did you, Paddy?'

'No, Sarge.'

Havercamp stepped a pace closer. 'And you're not going to give me any trouble, are you, Paddy?' Havercamp, wary of the huge man, was nevertheless resentful of all the beer he had poured into Harper's throat in an attempt to make him join an army that, obviously, the big Irishman had wanted to rejoin all along.

'No, Sarge.'

"Cos I'm bleeding watching you.'

Harper smiled, waited until Havercamp was a pace away, then spoke. 'b.a.s.t.a.r.d!' He said it just loud enough for Havercamp to hear, and just softly enough for the Sergeant to pretend that he had not. Harper laughed and looked at Marriott. 'I'll tell you one other thing, lad.'

'What?' Marriott's face was pale with worry.

'Just remember that all the officers and a good few of the sergeants are b.l.o.o.d.y terrified of you.'

'All the officers?' Sharpe said indignantly.

'Well, almost all,' Harper laughed. He was enjoying himself. He picked b.u.t.tons up, fondled the dog, and grinned at Sharpe. 'Isn't that right, d.i.c.k?'

'You're full of b.l.o.o.d.y Irish wind, you are, Paddy.'

Harper laughed. 'It's the English air.'

'On your feet!' Sergeant Havercamp shouted. 'Come on, you b.a.s.t.a.r.ds! Get on your plates of meat! Move!'

Sharpe was wondering whether he and Harper would have to jump. It could be done, he knew, simply by overpowering the slack guard that watched them each night. He feared it would be necessary because every southwards step seemed to be taking them towards Chelmsford and he could not imagine the ignominy of being delivered to Captain Carline and his plump Lieutenants. Sharpe had embarked on this deception in the belief that they would be taken to wherever the Second Battalion was hidden, yet Sergeant Havercamp was inexorably leading them towards the Chelmsford barracks.

Then, at a large village called Witham, and to Sharpe's relief, Sergeant Havercamp took them off the Chelmsford road. The Sergeant was in high spirits. He made them march in step, putting Sharpe and Harper at the front and the corporals at the back. 'Ill teach you b.u.g.g.e.rs to be soldiers. Left! Left!' One of the drummer boys tapped the pace with his stick.

They spent their last night of travel in a half empty barn. Havercamp had them up early, and they marched in the dawn into a landscape like none Sharpe had seen before in England.

It was a country of intricate rivers, streams, marshes, a country loud with the cry of gulls telling Sharpe they were close to the sea. There was a smell of salt in the air. The gra.s.s was coa.r.s.e. Once, far off to his left, he saw the wind whipping a grey sea white towards a great expanse of mud, then the view disappeared as Sergeant Havercamp turned them inland once more.

They marched through flat farmlands where the few trees had been bent westwards by the wind from the sea. They crossed the fords of sluggish rivers that ran in wide, muddy beds to meet the salt tide. The houses, low and squat, had weatherboards painted a malevolent black, while the churches were visible far over the flat land.

'Where are we?' Harper asked. He and Sharpe still led the small procession as Havercamp turned them eastwards again, into the wind with its smell of salt and its lonely sounds of seabirds.

'Somewhere in Ess.e.x.' Sharpe shrugged. No milestones marked the road they now walked, and no fingerboards pointed to a village or town. The only landmark now was a great house, brick built, with spreading, elegant wings on either side of its three-storeyed main block. On the house's roof was an intricate weather-vane. The house was two miles away, a lonely place, and Sharpe wondered, as they marched along the deserted road towards the great, isolated building, whether the house was their destination.

'Fall out! Fast now! Fall out!' Sergeant Havercamp was suddenly bawling from the back of the line. 'Into the ditch! Come on! Hurry, hurry, hurry, you b.a.s.t.a.r.ds! Into the ditch! Fall out!'