“Then put it on and come back here.” The brigadier glanced down at his own uniform. “I’ll need clothes as well.” He took some pound notes from his pocket and passed them over. “I’ll need trousers, a jacket, coat. Find something my size among the clerks. See that they are paid for the clothes. Then bring them back with you.”
Sergeant Major Brown saluted and did a smart about-face. Somerville automatically returned the salute — then called out to Brown. “That’s the last salute for the time being. We are going to be civilians, members of the public. Don’t forget that.”
When he had given Brown the money, he realized he had very little more remaining in his wallet. He was going to need funds to fashion their escape from the city, perhaps a good deal of them. That was easily rectified. He went down the corridor and up a flight of stairs to the paymaster general’s office.
The halls and offices were deserted; everyone was either watching from the front windows or had fled to safety. He righted an overturned chair and went across the room to the large safe. The key was on the ring in his pocket; he unlocked it and opened the door. Gold guineas would be best, coin of the realm, and welcome anywhere. He took out a heavy bag that thunked when he dropped it on the desk. He needed something to carry it in. He opened a closet and found a carpetbag behind the umbrellas there. Perfect. He dropped two bags of coins into it, started to close it. Opened it again and took out a handful of coins from one of the bags and put them into his pocket.
He was back in his office before Brown returned, dressed for the street and bearing an armful of clothing. “Not of the best quality, sir, but was all I could find in this size.”
“That will do fine, Sergeant… Brown. You’ll carry this bag. Careful, it has gold coin.”
“Yes, sir…” He stopped as the rapid firing of a gun sounded through the open window. It was followed by a roaring, racketing sound, something he had never heard before. Somerville and Brown crossed the room to look carefully down into the street. They gaped in silence at the strange contrivances passing by below.
They had wheels — but were not drawn by horses. They were propelled in some internal manner, for clouds of fumes poured behind them, the source of the strange hammering noise. A blue-clad soldier rode in the rear of each contrivance, somehow directing it.
At the front, crouching behind armor plate, was a gunner. The nearest one turned the handle of his rapid-firing weapon and a stream of bullets poured out.
A bullet crashed through the glass just above their heads and they drew back from a last vision of the attacking troops following the Gatling guns.
“They are going in the direction of the Mall,” Brown said grimly. “They’ll be attacking the palace.”
“Undoubtedly. We must wait until the stragglers have passed — then follow them. We are going to the Strand.”
“Whatever you say, sir.”
“Then we must find a cab. There should still be some in the streets.”
They stood in the doorway until the last soldiers had gone by. There were uniformed corpses in the streets now; a cavalryman lay nearby, dead beside his mount, sprawled in the animal’s entrails. Like Somerville and Brown, a few other figures scuttled along the pavements to safety. They walked quickly, taking shelter in another doorway when an American cavalryman galloped past. After that it was a hurried dash to the Strand and down it past Charing Cross station. They could see people huddled inside the station, but they did not stop. All of the cabs were gone from the forecourt. They had to walk as far as the Savoy Hotel before they found a cab waiting outside the entrance there. The frightened cabbie stood, holding his horse, his face white with fear.
“I need your cab,” Somerville said. The man shook his head numbly, beyond speech. Brown stepped forward, raising a large fist; Somerville put out a restraining hand. “W
e are going to the docks—” He thought quickly. “Go through the City, away from the river, until you are well past the Tower. You’ll be safe in the East End.” He dug one of the guineas from his pocket and passed it over.
The sight of the coin did more than words ever could to move the cabby to action. He took it, turned and opened the door for them. “The East End, sir. I’ll go through Aldgate, then to Shadwell to Wapping. Maybe to Shadwell Basin.”
“Whatever you say. Now go.”
The sound of gunfire grew more distant as they went up Kingsway. There were more people here, hurrying through the streets, as well as a few other cabs. The City of London seemed undisturbed, although there were armed guards outside the Bank of England. They reached Shadwell Basin without any incidents and Brigadier Somerville saw, tied up in the basin there, just what he was looking for.
A Thames lighter, brown sail hanging limp, was on the far side of the basin. He called up through the hatch to the cabbie. There were three men sitting on the deck of the sturdy little ship when they alighted beside it. The oldest, with a grizzled beard, stood up when they approached.
“I need to hire your boat,” Somerville said without any preamble. The man laughed and pointed with his pipe at the direction of the river. Above the rooftops of the terraced houses the dark bulk of a large ironclad could be seen moving by.
“Guns and shooting. You ain’t seeing old Thomas on the river this day.”
“They won’t shoot at a boat like this,” Somerville said.
“Begging your pardon, your honor, but I ain’t taking any man’s word for that.”
The brigadier dug into his pockets and drew out some gold coins. “Five guineas to take us downriver. Five more when we get there.”
Thomas looked wary. He couldn’t get five guineas for a month’s, two months’ hard labor on the river. Greed fought with fear.
“I’ll take those now,” he finally said. “But ten more when we get there.”
“Done. Let us leave at once.”
Once they were out of the basin, the big sail was hauled up and they made good time through the muddy water. Rounding the Isle of Dogs, they looked back and saw an approaching warship coming down the river behind them. Thomas shouted commands and the sail came down; they drifted close by the docks on the shore there. The ship went smoothly by, the sailors visible on deck giving them no heed. They went on when it had passed, moving quickly and uneventfully until Tilbury came into sight.