Colleen McCullough - Morgan’s Run

“Enough punning. Be prepared, Richard, for removal from Gloucester. I have already written to Cousin James-the-druggist, who should descend upon you armed with tools of survival not far into 1786. And gird your loins for a shock. Once you board the hulks moored around the Royal Arsenal, you encounter London. There are three of these penal palaces. The Censor and the Justitia have been there for a decade and have earned much attention and many visits from Mr. John Howard. The third, the Ceres, is only now coming into commission. The hulks are operated under contract to the Government by a London speculator named Duncan Campbell. A canny Scotchman, of course.

“I am very sorry to have to tell you that the Thames hulks are for male prisoners only. You will enjoy no tender female ministrations nor calming influences. The hulks are floating hells, and I mean every word of that. I know I am comforting Job, but Job you are, Richard. And better a Job who knows what he is in for. Guard yourself well.”

“I havenews,” said Richard, putting the letter down.

“Oh?” asked Lizzie, darning complacently. It couldn’t be bad news because his face was placid.

The needle stopped moving; her eyes rested fondly upon Richard my love (which had become his nickname). She knew absolutely nothing about him, for he had volunteered no information about himself beyond the terminology of his crime. Of course she loved him, for all that she would never bed him. In bedding lay a pain she knew she could not bear-a child with death snapping at its heels.

Her new hat, a dizzying confection of black silk and scarlet ostrich feathers, was perched incongruously on her head. He had given it to her for Christmas, carefully explaining that it was not a gift from him, but from someone he knew in London named Mr. James Thistlethwaite. A lampoonist, which he had informed her was someone who made obnoxious politicians, prelates and officials look very small and ridiculous through the power of the written word. She had no trouble believing that; as she could neither read nor write, persons who could earn a living from being literate were next door to God Himself.

So now, complacent needle going in and out and around a hole in one of Old Mother Hubbard’s stockings, she could ask in mild interest, “Oh?”

“My lampoonist friend in London says that everybody sentenced to transportation to Africa will be moved from the county gaols to the hulks in the Thames. Men convicts, that is. He says naught about what is to happen to the women.”

They were going through an underpopulated phase, so much so that the Michaelmas assizes had not been held that year. Scarlet fever had claimed too many lives to warrant Michaelmas assizes; instead there would be Epiphany assizes in January of 1786-if the numbers made it worthwhile.

Therefore some twenty people heard Richard’s news, and stilled to immobility. Those awaiting trial stirred first. The old brigade revived very slowly, eyes widening, heads turning, all attention riveted upon Richard my love.

“Why?” Bill Whiting asked.

“Somewhere in the world-I am not sure exactly where-is a place called Botany Bay. We are to be transported there, and I suppose we sail from London, as they are sending us to the Thames hulks, not to Portsmouth or Plymouth. The men only. Though it seems that women felons will also be going to Botany Bay.”

Bess Parker huddled against a white-faced Ned Pugh and wept. “Ned! They are going to separate us! What will we do?”

No one had words of comfort; best ignore her question. “Is Botany Bay in Africa?” asked Jimmy Price to break the silence.

“It seems not,” Richard said. “Farther away than Africa or America. Somewhere in the Eastern Ocean.”

“The East Indies,” said Ike Rogers, grimacing. “Heathens.”

“No, not the East Indies, though they cannot be too far away. It is south, very south, and but newly discovered by a Captain Cook. Jem says it is a land of milk and honey, so I daresay it will not be too bad.” He groped for a geographical anything. “It must be on the way to or from Otaheite. Cook was going there.”

“Where is Otaheite?” asked Betty Mason, as devastated as Bess; Johnny the gaoler would not be going to Botany Bay.

“I do not know,” Richard confessed.

The nextday-New Year’s Day of 1786-the convicted felons of both sexes were marched to the gaol chapel, where they found Old Mother Hubbard, Parsnip Evans and three men they recognized only because they occasionally accompanied the mystery men from London who examined the construction work. John Nibbet was the Gloucester sheriff; the other two rejoiced in the appellation of Gentlemen Sheriffs-John Jefferies and Charles Cole.

Nibbet had been appointed spokesman. “The city of Gloucester in the county of Gloucestershire has been notified by the Home Department and its Secretary of State, Lord Sydney, that certain of the prisoners held in the gaol under sentence of transportation to Africa are to be transported elsewhere than Africa!” he bellowed.

“He did not draw a breath,” muttered Whiting.

“Do not court a thrashing, Bill,” Jimmy whispered.

Nibbet continued, apparently not needing to draw breath. “And further to this, the city of Gloucester in the county of Gloucestershire has been notified by said Home Department that it is to act as collecting agent for male transportees from Bristol, Monmouth and Wiltshire. When all have been assembled here, they will be joined by the following prisoners already in the Gloucester gaol: Joseph Long, Richard Morgan, James Price, Edward Pugh, Isaac Rogers and William Whiting. The entire group will then proceed to London and Woolwich, there to wait on the King’s pleasure.”

A long wail terminated the Sheriff’s proclamation. Bess Parker ran forward, stumbling in her fetters, to throw herself at Nibbet’s feet, wringing her hands together and weeping wildly. “Sir, sir, honored sir, please, sir, I beg you! Ned Pugh is my man! See my belly? I am to have his child, sir, and any day! Please, sir, do not take him away from me!”

“Cease this caterwauling, woman!” Nibbet turned to Old Mother Hubbard with a direful frown. “Does the prisoner Pugh have a permanent connection with yon yowling female?” he demanded.

“Aye, Mr. Nibbet, for some years. There was an earlier child, but it died.”

“My instructions from Under Secretary Nepean specifically state that only male felons without wives or wives at common law imprisoned with them are to be sent to Woolwich. Therefore Edward Pugh will remain in Gloucester Gaol with the female transportees,” he announced.

“Damned considerate,” said Gentleman Sheriff Charles Cole, “but I do not see the need for it.”

Old Mother Hubbard murmured into Nibbet’s ear.

“Prisoner Morgan, d’ye have a permanent connection with one Elizabeth Lock?” barked the Sheriff.

Every part of Richard’s being longed to say that he had, but his papers would be examined and they would inform these men that he had a wife. The fate Annemarie had given him lived on. “I do have a permanent connection with Elizabeth Lock, sir, but she is not my wife even in common law. I am already married,” he said.

Lizzie Lock mewed.

“Then ye’ll proceed to Woolwich, Morgan.”

The Reverend Mr. Evans said a prayer for their souls, and the meeting was over. The prisoners were escorted by a very glad Johnny the gaoler back to the felons’ common-room. Where Lizzie lost no time in hauling Richard into a fairly private corner.

“Why did you not tell me you are married?” she demanded, her plumes nodding and bouncing.

“Because I am not married.”

“Then why did ye tell the Sheriff ye were?”