Page 1 of The Cheapside Runners
1.A Man of Trade
A/N: The Bow Street Runners, established in 1749 by magistrate Henry Fielding, were London’s first professional police force. Initially, just six men operating from Bow Street Magistrate’s Court, they investigated serious crimes, pursued highwaymen, and executed warrants throughout England. They were paid per arrest and through government stipends.
By 1800, they had expanded into a more organised force with both uniformed patrol officers (“Bow Street Patrols”) and plain-clothes investigators. They gained respect for solving high-profile cases and developed forensic techniques. However, they remained relatively small—never more than 70 officers—and focused mainly on serious crimes rather than routine policing.
Prior to 1812, notable successes included breaking up major criminal gangs and establishing a mounted patrol to combat highway robbery around London.
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“Mr Darcy, I have a gentleman to see you on what he says is important business,” Albert Soams, the butler at Darcy house in London, said in his usual grave tone while holding out a salver with a single card on it.
A glance told Fitzwilliam Darcy that it was a business card, rather than the more usual personal calling card. From this, he deduced that his butler was just being polite in use of the wordgentleman, as the visitor was clearly a tradesman. That said, he expected his visitor to be gentleman-like in his appearance or Soams would have said something entirely different. He decided he may as well see what the man was about. He was stuck in London in the summer, which was more than a little disagreeable with the heat and the smoke, but his business required it for another fortnight.
Further perusal told him something out of the ordinary was occurring. He had never heard of the particular firm, but the name suggested the business should probably be dispatched sooner than later.
“Cheapside Runners… quite a name for a business. Have you ever heard of them, Soams?”
“No sir. The name seems reminiscent of the Bow Street Runners, and the services listed suggest as much, but I can surmise little else.”
“Let us see what this Mr… ah… Gardiner has to say.”
It seemed obvious the man was trying to capitalise on the Runner’s reputation, and equally likely he was engaged in something to do with crime, but nothing else could be surmised.
Soams left and escorted a man of middling years into the study. He did, in fact, look gentlemanly, though his appearance seemed more business calculation than preference. The man looked like he could be jovial or serious as the occasion demanded, which seemed a useful trait for someone in his line of work. He was perhaps a decade Darcy’s senior, though still trim and strong looking, as if his profession had some physical demands or he went to the effort to keep himself in good condition. That said, Darcy was a very wealthy gentleman who need not even lift his own teacup if he chose, and yet he still was strong enough to help out in the fields with the harvest, box at Gentleman Jack’s, or fence at Angelos for hours at a time—so not much could be implied reliably from his appearance, save the fact that he was obviously not an indolent sluggard.
“Mr Darcy, I appreciate you seeing me without notice,” Mr Gardiner asserted respectfully, though to Darcy’s keen ear, it seemed to be simple politeness more than any feeling they were unequal in any way.
“Mr Gardiner, it is my privilege,” he said because it was the right thing to say, little though he believed the sentiments.
They both bowed, and Darcy added, “May I offer refreshments?”
“I have heard worse ideas.”
Darcy nodded to Soams, and the gentlemen took two seats with a table between them. Soams always called for hot water when a guest arrived, so he had no trouble bringing a tea tray and serving immediately.
“How may I be of assistance,” Darcy said once all the social niceties were finished.
Gardiner set his teacup down. “I presume you have some inkling of the nature of my business from my card. We do certain types of confidential investigations… what amounts to policing of a sort. That said, our business is of quite a different nature than our more famous namesake.”
“All right,” Darcy said, since nothing the man had said thus far was of any more than an introduction.
Gardiner took another sip of tea and continued, “Despite the similarities in our names, my operation is completely different. We specialise in particular areas, including some that might not strictly speaking becrimesper se, but they fall into the purview of what we consider punishable actions. We work entirely privately, and we specialise in one particular area—which I will expand on presently.”
“Very well, I get the gist of it,” Darcy said, not particularly interested thus far but willing to hear him out. “How does this apply to me?”
“We come to the crux of the matter. I particularly wish to speak to you about your father’s godson, one George Wickham.”
“What about him?” Darcy growled angrily, somewhat regretting hearing the man out.
“I have a question about him. You see sir, he has come to our notice. Our business involves the protection of certain people, mostly young ladies, and I am supported by fees from guardiansand the like. Whilst we are about our business, we occasionally run afoul of people who, while not specifically targeted at our clients, still present a general threat. In such cases, we prefer to act first and ask questions later. My specific question to you is as follows—do you have any particular reason to protect Mr George Wickham from the consequences of his actions?”
“What can you possibly mean? Are you trying to extract something from me to protect my father’s ill-chosen godson? If so, you have hit on a dry well. I am finished cleaning up that man’s messes,” he said, breathing hard and angry as he could be.
His companion did not bat an eye. “Shall I take that asno, then?”
“Absolutely. What has the miscreant done now and what are you planning to do about it?” Darcy asked, against his better judgement.
“Let us just say he found a sudden burst of patriotism. The navy presses thousands of men into service every year. I supply a few of them, and absent your intervention, this Mr Wickham will ship out within the month. My men are holding him in our gaol, but if they hear nothing within the week they will proceed.”
