women in distress so as to stop a conveyance.’ He paused. ‘Feist tells me they’ve already got hold of the landlord of the Dog & Bacon, and there’s five voters been
persuaded
to stay at Springfield Park until polling day’s past. The gamekeeper at Denne Park, who promised his vote to us, he’s also been captured. The pressure is on, Mr James. We need to respond, if Feist is correct in the numbers game.’
‘He’s correct,’ I replied briskly. ‘What do you recommend?’
‘You leave it to me. We’ll take up Feist’s offer, to obtain regular intelligence. I’ll draft in some acquaintances, and anyone you canrecommend. With your experience in the Old Bailey and your knowledge of Newmarket I’m sure you’ll be familiar with some useful characters who might be able to serve with us.’
I gave him a sharp look, but he was right. We needed more muscle. I considered briefly. I nodded. ‘It’s in your hands. I’ll need a receipt for what we pay Feist but make it … unobjectionable. As for names … there’s a man called Ned Evans. And there’s Sam Martin and Porky Clark. The sight of those three swaggering around Market Street in Horsham will make up a few minds, I don’t doubt.’
Captain Thomas nodded, his eyes glittering. ‘And meanwhile, there’s the urgent matter of Job Pickett.’
The name was familiar. I frowned. ‘The cowman at Holbrook? The one who refused to support Fitzgerald and was turned out of his job by the bailiff? We’ve been looking after him—’
‘Not well enough. He’s disappeared. But Feist knows where he is, and if we take on Charlie Feist, we can do what’s needed for our supporter, Job Pickett.’ He smiled grimly. ‘It will be a little operation you yourself might wish to take part in, Mr James. You’re well known to be a sporting man.’
3
A nd that’s really how it all moved into a new stage of proceedings.
It began with Job Pickett, and as Captain guessed I was interested in personally going on the raid, partly out of sheer curiosity; partly to discover just how reliable our new recruit Charlie Feist could be. It turned out his information was sound.
There were nine in our party, well-armed with cudgels and knob sticks, and I suspected at least two of the group, apart from Captain Thomas, were carrying concealed firearms. We travelled by gig to Holbrook, the estate where Fitzgerald had established his home and political headquarters, by way of Southolme where we picked up the cowman’s wife. She was a sturdy broad-bosomed woman and a determined one and as we rattled onwards to Holbrook under the pale light of the evening moon she explained what had occurred to her husband.
‘Mr Fitzgerald, he threatened to turn Job out of his work as cowman at Holbrook if he voted for Mr Jervis, but when Job was adamant for the Blues he threatened to turn us out of the cottage. But Sunday morning a message came calling him to Holbrook where Mr Fitzgerald would make him a new offer. When he got there I’m told by the butler that he was treated well, plenty of food and drink, promised a new rig-out for hisself and me and afortnight’s holiday, but my Job is a stickler, you know, and when he refused to change his mind, well, they locked him up in the cellar!’
Captain Thomas leaned towards me in the swaying, lurching trap. ‘That’s when she contacted me. She’d got worried when he hadn’t returned on Sunday evening, went up to the house and was refused entrance. It seems, Mr James, it would not be to our advantage if we were to leave this matter stand. We need to show our determination. We have no choice but to make a frontal attack.’
Now I have to admit, my boy, that this seemed to me to be taking things too far but the Captain’s blood was up and so I did not demur as we rattled along the stony lanes until we were about a half-mile from the big house. As our master strategist and an Army man, Captain Thomas ordered our dispositions: five men to take various
persuaded
to stay at Springfield Park until polling day’s past. The gamekeeper at Denne Park, who promised his vote to us, he’s also been captured. The pressure is on, Mr James. We need to respond, if Feist is correct in the numbers game.’
‘He’s correct,’ I replied briskly. ‘What do you recommend?’
‘You leave it to me. We’ll take up Feist’s offer, to obtain regular intelligence. I’ll draft in some acquaintances, and anyone you canrecommend. With your experience in the Old Bailey and your knowledge of Newmarket I’m sure you’ll be familiar with some useful characters who might be able to serve with us.’
I gave him a sharp look, but he was right. We needed more muscle. I considered briefly. I nodded. ‘It’s in your hands. I’ll need a receipt for what we pay Feist but make it … unobjectionable. As for names … there’s a man called Ned Evans. And there’s Sam Martin and Porky Clark. The sight of those three swaggering around Market Street in Horsham will make up a few minds, I don’t doubt.’
Captain Thomas nodded, his eyes glittering. ‘And meanwhile, there’s the urgent matter of Job Pickett.’
The name was familiar. I frowned. ‘The cowman at Holbrook? The one who refused to support Fitzgerald and was turned out of his job by the bailiff? We’ve been looking after him—’
‘Not well enough. He’s disappeared. But Feist knows where he is, and if we take on Charlie Feist, we can do what’s needed for our supporter, Job Pickett.’ He smiled grimly. ‘It will be a little operation you yourself might wish to take part in, Mr James. You’re well known to be a sporting man.’
3
A nd that’s really how it all moved into a new stage of proceedings.
It began with Job Pickett, and as Captain guessed I was interested in personally going on the raid, partly out of sheer curiosity; partly to discover just how reliable our new recruit Charlie Feist could be. It turned out his information was sound.
There were nine in our party, well-armed with cudgels and knob sticks, and I suspected at least two of the group, apart from Captain Thomas, were carrying concealed firearms. We travelled by gig to Holbrook, the estate where Fitzgerald had established his home and political headquarters, by way of Southolme where we picked up the cowman’s wife. She was a sturdy broad-bosomed woman and a determined one and as we rattled onwards to Holbrook under the pale light of the evening moon she explained what had occurred to her husband.
‘Mr Fitzgerald, he threatened to turn Job out of his work as cowman at Holbrook if he voted for Mr Jervis, but when Job was adamant for the Blues he threatened to turn us out of the cottage. But Sunday morning a message came calling him to Holbrook where Mr Fitzgerald would make him a new offer. When he got there I’m told by the butler that he was treated well, plenty of food and drink, promised a new rig-out for hisself and me and afortnight’s holiday, but my Job is a stickler, you know, and when he refused to change his mind, well, they locked him up in the cellar!’
Captain Thomas leaned towards me in the swaying, lurching trap. ‘That’s when she contacted me. She’d got worried when he hadn’t returned on Sunday evening, went up to the house and was refused entrance. It seems, Mr James, it would not be to our advantage if we were to leave this matter stand. We need to show our determination. We have no choice but to make a frontal attack.’
Now I have to admit, my boy, that this seemed to me to be taking things too far but the Captain’s blood was up and so I did not demur as we rattled along the stony lanes until we were about a half-mile from the big house. As our master strategist and an Army man, Captain Thomas ordered our dispositions: five men to take various
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