Avon Street

by Paul Emanuelli

  He would cut his losses, he determined and set up in some other city where he was unknown; but to do that he needed money. Whether he stayed or left he had to have money and quickly, and he knew, as he had known from the moment he discovered the robbery, that his only remaining source of income was Nat Caine.

  Frank wished that he had had more faith in the banks, but he had always mistrusted them, always been wary of investing in speculative ventures where he might be cheated, or lose everything through some market foible; besides, so many banks had failed and left their investors penniless. He much preferred to hold his wealth in cash and to hold it nearby, ready for a fast escape. But he had never countenanced someone having the audacity to rob him. He still had one asset though that no one could steal, the ideas and knowledge he kept locked away in his mind. The shame of it was that at the very time that he needed Caine most, he was least sure how much he could trust him.

  Placing the writing box on his bed, he threw open the curtains and began drawing out the plans of the first of the houses he had in mind for Caine to rob. He marked the access points, the locations of the valuables to be taken, noting what should be taken and what should be left, and listing who might be in the house. He checked in his diary for any social events that might draw the residents away from their homes, but nothing came to mind.

  He had planned so meticulously in the past, but there was little time for finesse now. The break-ins would have to be late at night. They would have to take the chance that the households would be abed and asleep. But he would have to plan his strategy carefully; Caine would not like the idea of carrying out three robberies so close together. He would have to appeal to his greed, and provided Caine did the three jobs as quickly as possible, a lower cut might be acceptable.

  Then he remembered it; the next big event of the season. Lansdown Fair was due in a few weeks time. Yet Caine always made money at the fair. It was where accounts outstanding were always settled. After the fair Caine’s coffers would be full and his greed would be more difficult to appeal to. Frank knew that he would have to demand that the jobs were done before Lansdown Fair. They would dissolve their partnership and he would take his share while Caine had his mind busy, preparing for settlement day.

  ❖ ❖ ❖

  A few hundred yards away in The Paragon, the household was very quiet on the morning after the robbery. James had slept little and came down early to the kitchen to speak to Mrs Hawker. He found the kitchen table already set with plates of bacon and eggs, kidneys and mushrooms. John broke off from eating and pulled a chair back for James to sit. ‘I’ve been talking with Mrs Hawker,’ he said.

  ‘And will you come with us when we leave?’ James asked.

  John ignored his questioning stare and carried on eating. ‘We’ve decided,’ he said, talking between mouthfuls, ‘that there are friendships at stake here, friendships worth fighting for. Let’s see how Charlie is this morning.’

  ‘Perhaps I was too quick to judge him last night,’ James said. ‘I knew he was drunk, but I’ve never seen him like that before.’

  ‘Neither have I,’ Mrs Hawker said. ‘He needs caring for and a little guidance; someone to help him. He’s not really like that.’

  ‘You have to understand what Charlie was trying to say,’ John replied. ‘Forget his drunken rantings. Neither he, nor I, nor any of the others have any money to speak of. Charlie’s getting older and he knows nothing but thieving. If he goes back to it, he’ll end in prison without doubt.’

  ‘But it’s dirty money and if we keep it we are as tainted as Caine or Harcourt,’ James said, trying to engage John’s eyes. ‘I believed we had a nobler purpose.’

  ‘There’s truth in what you say,’ John said.

  ‘What we do determines who we are and I will not become like Caine,’ James replied. ‘Sean could do so much with that money.’

  ‘Sean’s a good man,’ John replied. ‘Not because he’s a priest. It’s just how he is with his people.’ He stopped eating and stared back, his eyes unblinking and intense. ‘But you’re not the only one with a conscience. What we do, we should agree together. I’ve spent too long taking orders. Just bear in mind, we never talked about what we’d do with anything we took from Harcourt.’

  It was true – John and Charlie had asked for nothing. It was he who had held out the prospect of further booty like a carrot before them after they had cheated the silversmiths, and now he was proposing to take everything from them. He had brought them together and because they had accepted him as their leader he had blindly assumed that they would accept his decisions without question or reason. But there was more than one way of descending to Caine’s level, James now recognised. John and Charlie had risked their lives for him and he had taken it for granted.

  John was still looking at him, expecting some response. He was about to speak when the kitchen door creaked open. They all looked up as Charlie shambled into the room and shut the door behind him, avoiding every set of eyes upon him. He pulled back a chair and sat, knotting the fingers of both hands together on the table in front of him and staring at the floor between his legs. The room fell silent. James saw the shake in Charlie’s hands as Mrs Hawker parted his arms and placed a plate in front of him. His eyes were sunken and his lined face looked older and intensely vulnerable.

  ‘What have you to say for yourself?’ Mrs Hawker said.

  ‘I apologise with all my heart,’ Charlie said. ‘I don’t remember much of what I said or did, but I know I caused pain. I should never have drunk; it is like a sickness with me and I know it. The priest should have half of the money,’ he said, his eyes still rooted to the ground. For a while there was silence and then he looked up uncertainly, and held out a still shaking hand across the table towards James.

  ‘I have one proviso,’ James said. ‘Whatever else we take from Caine, even if it is ten times what we took from Harcourt, the lion’s share should go to Sean and we agree it together, now, or we go our separate ways.’

  ‘You have my word,’ Charlie said, without hesitating. ‘And you have my word that I’ll never drink again.’ He offered his hand and James took it in his own and shook it firmly.

  ‘You can pay off your debts, James, with your share from Harcourt’s house,’ John said. ‘There’ll be more than enough.’

  ‘My debts are largely of my own making,’ James replied. ‘I’d rather get some good out of Harcourt’s money and perhaps ease my conscience a little in the process. My share will go to help my brother and pay off the debts of the tenants. My borrowings can wait until I can pay them by my own endeavours. The last thing I want is to profit from this.’

  Charlie turned to look in Mrs Hawker’s direction and James could tell that he still found it difficult to look her in the eyes. ‘You won’t be going now, will you, any of you?’

  ‘You left the dinner plates in the dining room,’ Mrs Hawker said to him, ‘so I brought them down and put them in the sink. When you’ve finished your breakfast you can wash and dry them and your breakfast dishes and stack them on the kitchen table. I’ll put them away after I’ve had a sit down. We’ll talk then.’

  ❖ ❖ ❖

  When James and John returned to the dining room, all of the money that Charlie had taken as his share had already been returned to the table. James sat reflecting for a while. They had each done what was called for day by day, yet they shared no common plan other than the desire to destroy Caine; a desire that had grown from a simple fight for survival. Now it was about honour, a different type of honour for each, but honour nevertheless. He looked over at John thumbing through the newspaper. They could never have got so far without him, and yet he still gave away so little of himself.

  John must have noticed his glance. ‘Where would you have gone if Charlie had thrown you out?’ he asked.

  ‘I have a bolthole,’ James replied. ‘Richard rented a house for us in Walcot Parade and I have the key. It was a safeguard on the chance that Charlie’s hospitality might run out, or th
at Caine might discover our whereabouts.’ He hesitated, watching John’s reaction. ‘I think the time is rapidly approaching when we should use it.’

  ‘Charlie would be hurt,’ John said.

  ‘He can come with us,’ James replied. ‘We can’t hide here indefinitely. Caine will track us down eventually. It would be safer to keep on the move.’

  ‘Don’t say anything to Charlie yet,’ John said. ‘He’ll think it’s because of last night.’

  ❖ ❖ ❖

  It was almost two hours before Charlie joined them. ‘Today is a new day, Charlie,’ James said, ‘and anything that happened last night is forgotten.’

  Charlie smiled. ‘You mentioned taking more from Caine,’ he said, ‘so I take it we are going to rob his house in Hucklebridge’s Court.’

  James massaged the life back into his face. ‘It’s still too early. We agreed at the outset that we would never defeat Caine with brute strength,’ he said. ‘We have been victorious against Harcourt, more by luck than judgement. Now we must put chance aside in favour of sound preparation.’

  ‘Robbing Caine’s den needs careful planning,’ Charlie said. He seemed enthused, as though he was now on more familiar territory and felt he could contribute, put right the offence he had caused. He was smiling, with new energy, and the last thing James wanted to do was to squash his spirit, but he knew it was too soon to meet Caine head-on.

  ‘You have done a good job, Charlie,’ James said. ‘We know all the ways in and out of Caine’s house thanks to you and John.’

  ‘The best way in is through the back door,’ Charlie said. ‘But there’s allers two guards outside the door and the street is not much used. We couldn’t get near them without being seen and they’ll ‘ave pistols cocked and aimed by the time you reach them.’

  ‘And then we don’t know who we’ll find inside,’ John interrupted.

  ‘There are too many problems and risks,’ James mused. ‘We need to consider other options. We cannot allow ourselves to be trapped into a single course of action. How else might we strike at Caine?’

  ‘There’s his old haunt in Cockroad,’ Charlie said.

  ‘There’s nothing there but grief,’ John said. ‘Diarmuid’s been staying at The Blue Bowl in Hanham and he knows all the comings and goings in Cockroad. Caine keeps it as a bolthole, but there’s no money there and the village is like a fortress, they’re all loyal to Caine. Even the peelers daren’t go there.’

  ‘Bring Diarmuid back to Bath then,’ James said. ‘He’ll be of more use here and it seems there is little more he can learn where he is. Is there any other way that we could strike at Caine, Charlie…? Think!’

  Charlie looked lost in thought for a while and then he smiled. ‘Well there’s Lansdown Fair. I should have thought of it afore.’

  ‘Tell us more,’ James said.

  ‘It’s a Cockroad tradition that goes back long before the gang moved to Bath; before Nat Caine was their leader,’ Charlie replied. ‘Lansdown Fair is the settling day; most of those who the gang extorts protection money from pays up at the annual fair and they take a cut from the pickpockets, card sharps and con men.’

  ‘So he is sure to be there?’ James asked.

  ‘Caine has to be there in strength or he’d lose all reputation,’ Charlie replied. ‘And they’re running the Bath Races this year for the first time in years. That’s going to bring even more money to the fair. Caine will be looking to take a cut from the bookmakers. He won’t give that up if the devil himself was there and if we hit him there, he’d go down. But we’d need to hit him hard.’

  ‘That sounds more promising,’ James said, ‘We can face him down in the open where he has nowhere to hide, but we’d need help, we’d be outnumbered.’

  ‘But we have money now,’ John said. ‘We can get more men. And besides, I get the feeling that there’s plenty in Avon Street who’d side with us now, without pay.’

  ‘We decide nothing for now,’ James said. ‘It will take careful planning, but there must be a way.’ For a while he was lost in his thoughts, almost forgetting that the others were still in the room. ‘We don’t have very long,’ Charlie said. ‘The fair’s in three weeks time.’

  ‘That’s long enough, for what I have in mind,’ James said. ‘In the meantime we must weaken Caine as much as we can.’

  ‘What’s your thinking?’ John asked.

  ‘Caine has built a wall around himself, thicker than the walls of any house,’ James said. ‘He has the local constabulary in his pay and they protect him. He seems invincible to those whom he bullies and exploits and their fear protects him. We need to break down the walls he hides behind. We have to sap his strength before Lansdown Fair, make him and his men feel vulnerable. Make the people he exploits believe that they can stand up to him; that he can be defeated.’

  ‘And how do we do it?’ John asked.

  ‘I’ve set some events in motion, now we need to build on them,’ James replied. ‘I asked the ladies to whom I returned Harcourt’s letters to use their influence and bring pressure to bear on the politicians and the chief constable.’

  ‘How will that help?’ Charlie asked.

  ‘Society may not react to a problem largely confined to Avon Street,’ James replied, ‘but when the upper echelons begin complaining, the council and chief constable will have to be seen to respond.’

  ‘That’s true,’ Charlie said. ‘They’ll listen to lords and ladies where they won’t to real folk.’

  ‘I need you to get me the names of the constables in Caine’s pay, Charlie. When the chief constable’s been whipped into action, an anonymous letter written in a gentleman’s hand, listing the corrupt officers, is bound to have an effect. We must try to ensure that Caine has no friends in the constabulary by the time that Lansdown Fair comes around.’

  ‘I can get you the names,’ Charlie said, smiling with obvious satisfaction.

  ‘Only the bad ones, Charlie,’ John interrupted. ‘No settling old scores. We don’t want the innocent to suffer. We may need the peelers.’

  Charlie laughed. ‘Don’t worry; the peelers will be out in force for the fair.’

  ‘What can I do?’ John asked.

  ‘Get Brendan and the others together and begin picking off one or two of Caine’s collectors again. They should have relaxed their guard by now. It will worry and distract Caine, and more importantly it will make him seem less invincible to the people of Avon Street. But take no risks and cease the moment he responds – no more than three days.’

  ‘I’ll take no risks,’ John smiled. ‘We’ll start against Caine’s men tomorrow, and I’ll bring Billy in this time. He’s got money in his pocket now and if he’s not kept busy he drinks too much of it away.’

  It was clear from John’s face that he had realised what he had said almost as soon as he had said it. James and he looked at Charlie almost simultaneously, but Charlie looked away.

  ❖ ❖ ❖

  Belle was alone in the room when she heard the knock on the door. She was apprehensive, calculating who might be calling, nervous that Harcourt might have sought her out. Hesitant at first, she opened the door a little. When she saw Charlie’s grinning face she allowed herself to smile. ‘I’m alone, Charlie,’ she said, as though the words were everything that needed to be spoken between two conspirators in crime.

  ‘It were you I came to see,’ he replied, ‘though I brought a gift for all of you.’ He fished underneath his coat and held the object out towards her. ‘It’s a pineapple,’ he said. ‘Some folk use them as table ornaments, because they’re so dear, but I’m told as they make very tasty eating. You skins ‘em and cuts out slices and they’re very sweet. I thought it would help the littl’un get stronger.’

  The pineapple probably cost as much as would have fed all three of them for a week, Belle thought, yet she found herself loving him for the ridiculousness of the gesture, and he seemed strangely vulnerable today. ‘It’s a very kind thought, Charlie,’ she said, smiling, ‘bu
t they’re very expensive.’

  ‘Aye, I know that, but we’re all quite well to do now.’

  ‘Were you successful … I mean at Harcourt’s house? I was worried. No one was hurt were they?’

  ‘No one was hurt, except Harcourt, and he were only injured in his pocket and his pride. It weren’t a success that night, but it laid the grounds, and we did the job proper last night.’ It was then that he took out the money wrapped in a handkerchief from under his jacket and offered it to her. ‘This is yours, your share for helping in the robbery,’ he said, thrusting the small cotton sack into her hand. She could feel the weight of the coins, hear them jingling together. She opened the cloth on the bed; there were more gold sovereigns than she had ever seen, and banknotes too.

  ‘It wasn’t for money that I gave what little assistance I could,’ she said, stumbling over her words. ‘I am happy that Harcourt has been punished and even more pleased that no one was hurt.’

  ‘But we are all agreed that you earned this money,’ he said gripping her hand and placing it on the money.

  She looked again at the money, scared to estimate how much was there. ‘I cannot take all this,’ she said, ‘all I did was provide a diversion.’ Her mind would not be still – thoughts of freedom – what she could buy – a house for them all – schooling for Molly – everything she could ever want. Then the nagging doubts took form. Stupid doubts, but yet she could not make them go away. Charlie was watching her; she could see he was confused and possibly offended by her reluctance.

  ‘It was you got James in, and besides you’re one of us now,’ he said. ‘Half of the money is going to help people in Avon Street and those in debt to Nathaniel Caine. Say you will take your share of the rest.’

  She recognised Caine’s name instantly. It was the man that Jenny had borrowed from. ‘But Charlie … ’ she said, her thoughts still jumbled and her words failing. She retreated into the room, away from the bed, trying to compose herself, to make some sense of what was happening. ‘Yes, I’ll take the money.’ She let herself laugh and he smiled in response. ‘But where can I keep it safe?’