Reports and Dispatches | London Regiment HQ 2nd April

[Hope]

Somerset Palace

Located off the Strand yet still with River frontage is Somerset Palace. Once a Royal Residence it had changed ownership several times and as currently being used by it's Steward Lord Langdon, as his headquarters for the London Law enforcement regiment.  Captain Trentmont is in charge of the day to days.  

(The regiment is not housed there, but beyond the city limits.) 

 

Lieutenant Gillis strode into the Palace, recognised by all there the officer might easily linger over casual conversations at a leisurely pace. But not today. News spurred a quickness to her steps, and so Sam Gillis made way with purpose to the main office, jackbooks sounding out loudly through the vaulted ceilings of the halls.   

It was this officers expectation to find Colonel Langdon at his usual meeting with regiment commander Colonel Trentmont.   

[Hope]

Ushered in by a clerk, Gillis found Tremont alone in his office.  Arthur looked at him expectantly.

"Good morning Colonel Trentmont, I'd hoped to find Colonel Langdon here, I hae news." which had been a fair enough expectation.

"He ought be along some time -today. I'd be interested to know what business presses you to hunt for him, I can relay your report and save you the wait." the insightful soldier asked, for this was not the normal habit for Gillis. It must be soemthing of rare importance. 

"Err..." Gillis was uncertain to whether Charles would want his reports to be delivered thus, but knowing that Trentmont was a most trusted family friend to the Whitehurst’s, and the soothing tone of the elder man’s voice was enough to loosen his hand.  "Well you see Sir..."

<fade>

Some quarter of an hour or so later Trentmont was again alone in his office, but with a frech curiosity to mull over as he worked his way though his far less interesting weeks financials.  

[Charles Whitehurst]

Charles arrived at the palace.  He had plans to rendezvous with Gillis and to order two men with picks to accompany him to the former inn.  There was a hidden box to retrieve.

Yet, he heard that Trentmont was looking for him so he moved to join the Colonel, knocking softly at his mentor's door.

[Hope]

"Charles Clarence Whitehurst, there you are."  Spoken affectionately (for they were in private) Arthur was all too happy to procrastinate his review of the bookkeeping.  Standing he stretched the kinks, then moved to welcome with a genial smile. 

He'd known Charles since he was a babe in arms, having been George Whitehurst's (Charles father) commander for many years.  In fact (some years after Charles own Mother’s death) Trentmont’s own sister was to become Charles stepmother before George's untimely demise.  Julia had gone on to marry a Dutchman, and Trentmont had become the Whitehurst boys mentor and advisor. (He for one had been very pleased when Bradly too entered the Kings service.   

"You just missed Gillis." Trentmont said, though it may have been half an hour or even more.  "I’ve been sitting too long, do you mind if we walk, and I shall deliver the reports." 

[Charles Whitehurst]

"Ah bad luck that," Charles replied to the information that he had just missed Gillis.  "But it is always good to see you sir."  As the older man suggested a walk, the younger man was quick to accept.

"I can always use a good walk."  The palace had so many good vantage points to look out upon the Thames.  He was interested to know if anything significant had happened.

[Hope]

"Excellent." Arthur replied, though pausing to lock the door of the office before they turned down the hall (done with a mutter of 'you cant be too careful these days.') 

"So we've the ongoing problem with the commute for the regiment men, those that do not stay with their families that is. It is quite a constraint that they cant be housed within the London area. So much time is lost with the traveling to and fro, and the inconvenience of it is especially notable when someone is ill or a situation has developed where we need to send either for replacements or reinforcements. Not to mention the social inconvenience also, it is a long way to need go after the men have had a couple of drinks in town after hours.  I have had any number of letter from the men, petitions really, desiring a change to that situation. While I appreciate it is nothing that I personally can alter either way, This is something that would need to go before the House of Lords to alter."  

Moving through a never used salon, still finely decorated as it the habitat of princesses, he fetched his key and unlocked the doors out to the garden.  "What may I tell the men?" 

Opening the doors a gust of fresh air welcomed them, it being suddenly notable at that moment just how cooped up the building itself was.    

[Charles Whitehurst]

Charles listened to the concerns expressed.  They were nothing new.  He had tried to get permission to build a barracks inside the city.  It had been denied at the time, though Charles felt as if he had outsmarted Parliament by having his regiment center at Somerset Palace.  It was not an official barracks but it was a convenient rallying point.

"A good number of the men live in the city already," Charles noted.  He had sought to recruit commoners familiar with the streets of London.  "As for the rest, we need to show Parliament that it is to their advantage that London have armed defenders within its walls.  Perhaps the war will aid us.  When the Dutch came up the Medway, there was talk of the Lord Lieutenant raising a standing force to defend London, or so I thought I heard.  Once there is a real threat to the city, our cause will be within reach.  In the meantime, I think, we tell the men that we are working on a petition to Parliament."  He stopped talking though he continued to follow Trentmont.  He hoped the older man would find his answer satisfactory.

[Hope]

"Hmm, yes if there was some manner of incident that might make Parliament see to the good sense of it.”  Arthur agreed sagely, setting out to take a stroll along the paths in the somewhat ill-kept garden.  “What has the world come to when we need a threat in order for good men to sleep near to their work.  I’ll tell them it’s to be petitioned, everyone knows nothing happened fast when you are dealing with Parliament.”

Moving on to the usual things…

“So we are pleased to note that reported crimes in the upper districts have continued to reduce." Since CW lived in one such area, Trentmont thought he'd like to hear that.   

"There is still a problem with beggars in the city, and streets Thameside where good folks like to walk to take in the view are expecially renown for it, also The Stand and even Westminster market.  Any number of times we’ve thrown scally wags in a cart and taken them out of London – told them to be off.  But like a bad penny they keep turning up again.  Firmer action seems to be needed.”   

“You’ll be pleased we managed to catch that con artist money lender we’ve been after at last.  I shouted the men that got him a few drinks after!  He’s now in the pillory.”

“Oh and, one of the men was talking about the St James the other day.  We’ve not really been paying the Park much attention, but, is pretty rough in there of a late at night, with crimes against morality, and not just the ladies if you get my meaning.   The Keys are supposed to be held by the Lord Mayors office but seems like every Tom, Dick and Harry has one these days.  I was wondering to the idea of an amnesty for folks that shouldn’t rightly have one, to hand their key on in with nothing more said of it?”     

[Charles Whitehurst]

Charles followed along as the weekly report was conveyed.  Crime was down.  Was that not part of the reason for the regiment.  It would help them with Parliament and with the merchants that made contributions to the regiment to help defray the costs of protection.  "Grand!"

The beggars were another problem.  "There is no building large enough to hold all the beggars.  Maybe we can load them on ships for the colonies as indentured servants.  If they do not work, they can be released to fight the natives in the forest."  Charles was conceiving of grand plans.  "Can you imagine London without beggars?"  Frankly, the young officer would be up to imprisoning the lot of them or forcing them to grow crops in the country.  "Maybe we encourage rumors that the north is so vacant of folks that every beggar that goes up there shall receive a plot of free land.  By the time they get there they will be too tired to come back," he chuckled.  Clearly there was no good answer for the vermin.

"The money lender?  What was his con?"  Charles had not recalled past conversations on him.

A frown appeared on his face when the plight of St. James Park was relayed to him.  "A shame," he grumbled at the thought of the invasion of low born scum.  "An amnesty sounds grand, but I do not know that it will be effective unless we start to crack down on the trespassers."  They needed an incentive. 

[Hope]

"But on the down side we have increased numbers of burglaries reported in lower districts." 

"Sure we could do that, do you know anyone who'd take on such a load? I can have the men round up a thirty or forty of them no trouble, ready and waiting for your instructions."   Forcibly emigrating beggars might be the sort of thing that would need parliament to sign off on, or maybe the young and rash officer did not worry about that sort of thing. 

"I don’t know if lucrative work offers will entice beggars though, problem is they have  it too good here in London. Free land and opportunity would be more likely to lure the good folk out of London." Trentmont mused of that other idea Charles had.

"Yes, the chap with the blue feather." *

"A two fold plan, I like it." Arthur was quick to agree, "Incentivising a new found honesty, got a nice ring to it don’t you think."  

 

 

* just throwing him in there, he was in a series of adventure hooks I"d made a few years ago now, just thought to tidy him off and add a bit more colour to the report. 

[Charles Whitehurst]

Burglaries in the East End were less important to the young lord.  The key was to protect the decent folk.

The idea of forced emigration held an appeal.  If the beggars had to choose between prison or the New World, surely they would choose the latter.  Trentmont was right about the northern scheme.  Layabouts had it too good in London, preying on merchants and decent folk.  "I wonder whether churches might be of assistance," he mused aloud.  A bit of honest teachings and motivation might redeem a soul here and there.

"Never trust a man with a blue feather," Charles laughed without much thought.  He rather liked the long white plumes of the Life Guard.  "We should ship them to France."

The plan for St. James Park was more appealing.  "Who should we appoint to head up this two prong plan?" he queried.  He had little appetite for it unless he might supervise a massive arrest.

[Hope]

Trentmont, a man with the wisdom that came from many years on this earth, did not see things quite like young Charles here.  Charles was happy to accept continued crime in the lower districts, but Arthur did not let the topic slide right by. "We need to keep the House of Commons on side too, most particularly if we want to extend our mandate beyond what we do currently."

"Further, I would liken it to the old saying, look after your pennies and your pounds will look after themselves. Can you see how that could apply Charles?" said in a fatherly tone. 

Charles suggested that the Churchmen might see the value to emigrating the beggars out of London into the beyond.  "I would say that is an avenue you could work on."  Arthur replied, pleased that Charles was becoming interested in his London role again.

The evolution of a plan to clean up the Saint James Park nightlife was certainly a good example of Charles renewed interest.  "If Bradley had three of four more years experience behind him I'd suggest him.   But its likely to be like scooping up rats, they aren’t going to leave quietly.  We, of course, shall need to allow dignity to any one of import that we happen to net. It is the criminals themselves that need to be arrested. Once they are absent, then good folks shall no longer be lured in to the depravity.  I should not wonder if the Park Cleanup is a plan that you'd easily sway your Reverend to support. " 

"And... ah yes, and there was a message from Gillis for you too, that he's located the ship your persons of interest arrived on."  Gillis had been vague, secretive really, and Arthur wondered if Charles would now elucidate.

[Charles Whitehurst]

Expecting a man looking forward to his 23rd birthday the next month to show some wisdom might be asking a bit much.  That is very much why Charles needed a man like Arthur Trentmont.  Without a guiding hand, the young earl was easily distracted and impulsive.

"But our men would be spread too thin if we were to cover places like the East End," he noted aloud.  "The shopkeepers pay us support to keep the regiment supplied.  Gutter rats do not."  Still there was some appeal in the older man's point.  It would be a show for Parliament.  "Maybe one squad, during the day, might attempt some of the darker alleys of the West Side."  He looked for approval of the limited offer.

As for the church, Charles was not particularly keen on the idea of personally trying to visit the Bishop of London and various parsons to solicit their aid.  Frankly, the task seemed hopeless to the young man.  There would always be crime and miscreants in London.  It was like snow in the winter.  You might shovel it away but a new snowfall would take its place. If he had time in his busy schedule of solving mysteries and womanizing, he supposed he might take up the gauntlet; or, in this case, the Miter.

"As for the Park, why don't we plan a squad to be stationed at each entrance and then sweep inward and see what we catch in our net at night.  After two or three nights of it, maybe we will scare off the bad persons."  He looked for approval.

The subject of Gillis was more tricky.  He had shown the Colonel the Duchess of Savoy's letter in February but he had not taken his mentor into his confidence yet about the dagger and ghosts.  It was too incredible for a level-headed man to accept.  He might think less of Charles as a result.  "Maybe this is about news of a Savoyard and an Englishman arriving together."  It was best to throw off the Colonel.  "I was thinking about sending Bradley down to the taverns along the wharves to look for the Englishman with a star shaped mole and to look for any arriving Savoyards.  There cannot be many of them coming to London, especially in time of war."  They had discussed previously that, if there was a true risk to the Duke of York, that they could not fail him like they failed Queen Catherine.  It was more important conceivably than any patrols in the park or elsewhere. 

[Hope]

 

‘Playing it safe will advance our cause nothing; the men are not pansies Charles.  Many actively seek opportunity to gain recognition. Parading the sleepy streets of Piccadilly and Pall mall at night is fine for men heading into dotage, but for the rest its maddeningly boring.”

“Yes lets have a squad during the day as you say, then two more at night – one on a visible patrol and the other to target any leads that the day squad might learn of.”  Arthur spoke slowly, “lets fill the gaols with miscreants, that shall impress all within London.  When there is no room left, it might then assist in your bid to have men, women and children of no social value shipped off to the colonies.”

Charles plan with the park seemed sound.  “I like it.” Trentmont replied plainly.

“Would you join the men for the first night, give them a rousing speech or some such, it will boost morale.”   

“Yes that is what I supposed.” Of the arrivals he agreed, while meanwhile noticing Charles looked uncomfortable of the topic. He’d Known the young man since he was a lad, thus ‘read’ him easily.  But perhaps Charles had a tension over the thought of applying Bradley to a possibly dangerous role. “It will be a good opportunity for usefulness, I would not hesitate to advise him of all of the details surrounding the mission either, you as his brother may teach him many lessons that may ultimately help him advance his own career.”  

[Charles Whitehurst]

"Very well sir, it is hard to argue with your logic."  He even smiled at that.  Even though Charles was the head of the regiment, Charles Whitehurst would always defer to his mentor in military matters.

"Of course I will lead them."  It sounded like fun.  Rounding up miscreants was almost as much fun as laying with a lady.  "Maybe we get a parson to give some sort of benediction against wickedness at the start?  The Church might like it."  He was thinking of trying to woo the church to his side in all matters and this seemed to be a feeble first effort.

"I'll speak to Bradley about it then."  It might be an assignment that Bradley was suited for.  With that, he hoped to disguise his continued discomfort.  "Was there anything else sir?"

[Hope]

"Thank you Charles, I shall work upon new rosters and get something in place as soon as practicable."

On the Park, Charles voiced his interest in attending. "Excellent." he said, then chuckling at Charles innovation, "Our men might feel like a modern incarnation of templars if the mission comes with the Churches blessing.  Yes, that would be a grand thing Charles. How much time do you need to get such a thing arranged.  Hmm. perhaps we aim for Thursday then, that would be the 7th."   

Yes, it had been concern for Bradley surely, that had bothered Charles, but he then seemed to adjust to it. Arthur nodded his head, after all he was charged by the Whitehurst boys Father to look out for all of the lads.  Seeing Bradley on this path just felt right to the career soldier. 

"That about wraps it up." he replied, turning then he looked back towards the great house from where they stood at the far end of the garden. "A working bee on the gardens seems in order. Perhaps I ask the men to rally to it, and as a thank you after we could put on a picknick for the men with their wives and families. If we've got the budget for that sort of thing of course?"