"_" "_" "_" "_" "Tremblay!" "Ici!" "Papa..." "Please wait, please!" "Have mercy." "Please." "This is your own doing." "This is not your land." "You shouldn't be here." "But don't worry..." "I'll be seeing ya." "Ah!" "Ah!" "Take the guns, pelts, powders and supplies." "Leave nothing." " Philippe, come!" " Whatcha done?" "I found him hiding." "Do you know who I am, boy?" "Declan Harp." "I want you to do me a favor." "I want you to run on home and I want you to tell him." "You tell him I'm here." "You're letting him live." "Word will spread." "They'll know this is you." "I'm counting on it." "_" ""Declan Harp then bound the three soldiers and began torturing them." "He cut off most of their skin, removed their fingers, disemboweled them, and while they still lived, removed their genitals." "Once he was finished, he executed 'em." "He made off with the entire cache of pelts from the outpost as well 12 kegs of gunpowder, sixteen muskets, and two weeks worth of provisions."" "Impressive." "That's high praise indeed, coming from you, Lord Benton." "I just mean..." "That your methods are somewhat legendary." "Hmm." "Anyone can remove a body part, Captain Chesterfield, the trick is to be able to do it while keeping the captive alive so as to obtain the information they withhold." "One of the tongues of the slain was removed." "Defeats the purpose, don't you think?" "Remove the genitals and the tongue will move." "I could have Harp and his men drawn and quartered within two days of landing in the New World!" "What do you know of Declan Harp?" "I know he's half-Irish, half-native." "You trained him yourself, and you held him in high esteem before his betrayal of the company." "Send me." "I'll bring you back whatever part of Declan Harp you want." "Our profits are declining, Chesterfield." "We are losing millions." "This is a matter I must personally see to." "Sir, Harp is little more than a wild animal" " living in the forest." " Living with the natives, developing trade routes, gaining their trust." "His savagery is precisely what makes him dangerous." "Ah!" "Besides..." "Declan Harp's defiance has the potential to be a much bigger problem." "He makes us appear weak to our competitors." "Killing him is not enough." "We must make an example of him." "We must make him suffer." "_" " Stop!" "Thieves!" " Come on, Clenna," "I thought you could keep up with the boys!" "Shut yer arse, Michael Smyth!" "Good, say our names loud and all!" "Lose him in the market, double back!" "Hey, stop!" "Ah, no wonder you're so slow," "you can't see a thing under there." "One eye is all I can handle with your ugly mug." "What's going on here now?" "Saving your sister's all." " You're welcome." " That'll be the day." "Merchant's gone." "Let's see what's for dinner." "It's rotten." " All of it." " You grabbed the rubbish sack." "We can't keep doing this." "We need to nick something big or we're not gonna survive another winter here." "You make it sound so easy." "Never said it was gonna be easy." "The ship!" "Where would we hide it?" "We're not gonna nick the whole ship, you dimwit." " We're gonna rob it." " This is bollocks." "Look how heavily guarded that boat is." "It's perfect." "No, it's pretty ducking far from perfect!" "There's no way we can get near the gold." "If there's even any on board it'll be guarded like a virgin's honey pot." "We're not going for the gold." "Then what are we going for?" "Gunpowder." "Gunpowder, is it?" "Could you pick something that won't blow the face off ya?" "Do you know what we could get for a keg of black powder, Clenna?" "'Cause I'm done with this shit." "Even if we're caught and hanged we're no worse off." "I need something more, we need something more." "I want a life for us together, free from this misery." "Besides, if we can't summon the courage to steal a keg of black powder from a bunch of fat English arseholes then we deserve to die in this hell." "_" "Bang." "Bang." "Hello, Rivard." "Right on time, Harp." "Ah, these are spectacular quality!" "How many more of these are you able to get?" "For you?" "None." "I'm confused." "Perhaps you don't understand my French accent so well." "I understand you." "Then why refuse a paying customer?" "Well, that's a conversation I need to have with your employer." "Ah, I work for no man." "I work for the Fleur-de-lis." "You work for the highest bidder." "Samuel Grant, a wealthy American new to Montreal." "Grant is one of several men with whom I do business." "I wanna meet him." "No." "Why would you want such a thing?" "Do not overestimate your standing." "You're just the middleman." "I cannot do business like this." "I guess I'll take my business to one of your competitors." "No, okay, okay!" "I'll speak to Grant." "I'll try to set up a meeting, but he's going to ask what you have to offer." "This amount of furs will not be enough." "The Lake Walker tribe." "The Cree?" "You have an agreement with them for trade?" "I will." "Fine." "But if you cut me out of this, you..." "You will, uh, very badly hurt my feeling." "Set it up, Rivard." "What's all this fuss about pushing off tonight?" "Lord Benton is in some kind of hurry, and I ain't gonna be the one who gets in his way, Mule." "Oh, bloody pain in my arse." "I'm taking a piss." " Did you see the size of that one?" " This changes nothing." "If anything it's more reason not to get caught." "Tom..." "If there's any sign of trouble make a serious racket and we'll sneak off." "Be careful, Clenna." "Don't act like you care, Michael Smyth, that's how babies are made." "Powder." "Gently, or the last thing to go through your mind will be your arse!" "Clenna, a little help please." "Having a lunch, were ya?" "Ooh, what the hell?" " He said if I yelled he'd kill you!" " Shut your mouth!" "Now, what are we gonna do with you shit rats, huh?" "Run!" "I got 'em!" "Tommy!" "Clenna, run, run!" "They're on the run!" "Over there!" " Where is he?" " I think he jumped." "Should we report this?" "Fuck to that." "Search the ship." "Make sure there ain't any more of 'em." " All right?" " Two!" "Give me some line!" "A little looser!" " How's that?" " All that squared away!" "No." " All right, watch your backside!" " Oh no, no!" "Swing it around now, lads!" "Hey!" " Did you hear about last night?" " No." "Three little shits tried to sneak onto the ship, two boys and a girl." "What happened to the filthy little bastards?" "Ah, Mule killed one of 'em, says he stabbed him and tossed him overboard." " What about the girl, she dead, too?" " Nah, got nabbed." "She'll be under lock and key at Bow Street, she's a pretty little thing." "They're gonna eat her alive in there." "Stop it!" "Can never be too sure." "My brother just died!" "Oh, I can comfort you." "Ah!" "Get her in there!" "Don't!" "No!" "Come back here!" "Please!" "Please!" "Please." "_" "Let's get, let's get the raw cheese!" "Good evening." "A long journey!" "You must be thirsty, Father?" "Dry to the very bone, Ms. Emberly." "I see that governor Threadwell is your guest tonight." "Every night." "I'm afraid my profession, though spiritually rewarding, leaves me with an empty purse." "Well then, you're in luck." "There is another currency I can accept as you well know." "There's news from the north Labrador Sea." "A ship, on its way here, rounded the head of Hudson's bay a fortnight ago." "Who's on board?" "A senior HBC company man." "Very important." "I'll find out tomorrow, you have my word." "In the meantime..." "I require..." "I require many things." "I require brandy, and I require you, my dear, on your knees, with your skirts up over your head!" "You've missed the fact that I am wearing britches," "Governor Threadwell." "Uh, perhaps the Governor knows who's aboard that ship..." "Coming down the bay, a company brig." "That would be Lord Benton with my reinforcements." "It's about bloody time." "He's a formidable man, Benton." "We fought the Prussians together." "He once saved my life twice in one week!" " Reinforcements!" " Reinforcements!" "It makes sense." "Lord Benton's outpost was burned, his men killed." "He wants to handle it personally." "Bringing with him the power and might of the great company with the backing of all England herself." "God help us all." "No, priest, what he brings is opportunity." "Down here, let's go." "Come on, hurry up!" "So did you get those plates?" "Yes, sir, the ones from Lord Benton's cabin." "And the other thing I asked for, did you get that?" "Yes." "Then give it here!" "Very nice." "You can't keep making me steal things!" " They'll find out." " Shut your gob!" "No one'll find out, and if you tell, boy," "I'll slit your throat!" "What's this?" "What we got here, then?" "You dirty bugger!" "Been down here all this time, have ya?" "!" "Eating my biscuits?" "!" "All hands on deck!" "All hands on deck!" "Let's go!" "Let's go!" "Someone among you has taken something that belongs to me." "This is your opportunity to step forward if you wish to have mercy shown." "No one?" "I want everyone on this ship searched." "I have it here, my lord!" "I found it on this uh..." "On this, on this stowaway." "This lad ducked down in the hold." "He must've snuck into your quarters and stole this." "I wondered whose it was." "Throw him overboard." "He's lying!" "It was him!" "It was the boy!" "The cook made him do it!" "I heard them in the cargo!" "Wait." "Where are you from?" "Ireland." "The south country by the sounds of it." "Yes." "I'm telling the truth, my lord." "The cook made the boy do it." "Check his bunk, he has more." "Lying bastard!" "Check his bunk." "Right..." "Watch out!" "Now here's a man who appreciates a sharp blade." "I... no!" "Brave lad, aren't you?" "What's your name?" "It's..." "Michael Smyth." "Take the galley boy below deck." "We'll deal with him later." "And get young Michael here some food and a bunk." "You heard the man!" "Come!" "Should we talk later when you're... less distracted?" "Do I look distracted to you?" "No, sir." "At last count there were nearly a dozen companies cutting into our business here:" "Declan Harp, the Scottish Brown Brothers, and a handful of other parasites out of Montreal." "They are all choking off our trade." "This is all our territory." "Only if we can control it." "We must first destroy Harp's operation." "It will send a message to the others:" "we will not tolerate competition of any kind." "Attempt it and you will suffer the wrath of this great company." "The problem, sir, we can't destroy him until we know where he is." "He has hidden eyes everywhere." "How are we gonna get close to him?" "A Trojan horse." "Which has just arrived." "Come!" "You wanted to see me, Lord Benton?" "Oh, this one looks young and strapping." "Some respect." "This man saved my life." "Come in, Michael." "Did they feed you?" "They did, yes, thank you." "And you had a chance to rest properly." "Yes." "Good." "Now it's come to my attention that you and your friends tried to rob a keg of powder from my ship?" "Right." "That." "It's a bit of a misunderstanding, my lord." "I'm convinced of it." "You risked your health to disarm a dangerous man today." "I am obliged to repay you." "It's not necessary, but if you insist" "I find gold to be the easiest for such transactions." "You've never seen a piece of gold in your worthless life, boy." "Pay no attention to Captain Chesterfield, he has a delicate constitution at sea." "A man needs to make his own way in this life." "No handouts." "But how would you like to work for the most powerful company in the world?" "How do you mean?" "I need you to find someone." "A trapper," "Declan Harp." "His father was originally from your part of the world." "You will tell him that you were a stowaway on this ship and that you want to make your fortune in the fur trade." "Countrymen helping each other out." "That's your way, innit?" "You will gain his trust." "Then you will return to me with his exact location and the number of men under his command," "for which you'll be paid handsomely in silver." "And we'll forget all about those robbery charges." "There was a girl with me." "Clenna Dolan." "Her brother was killed in the attempt and she's been taken prisoner in London." "She's paid her debt with the loss." "Clenna Dolan." "I'll send word the next ship back." "She'll be released." "And the cook's boy, he goes free as well." " Don't push it." " Done." "This Declan Harp, how will I find him exactly?" "We have a guide at Fort James who can take you into the wilderness." "Let it be known that you're Irish and looking for your countryman." "Spread that about and the chances are Harp will find you." "I won't let you down, sir." "I hope not, for sweet young Clenna's sake." "_" "Who is this muskrat, hmm?" "Jean-Marc Rivard here to see Mr. Grant." "Mr. Grant, thank you for seeing me." "Oh, that's a beautiful coat." "I don't believe I've ever seen its source." "It's seal." "Oh, from the ocean?" "Hard to set a trap there, huh?" "Uh..." "I need you to travel north with me up to James Bay." "There's someone you should meet." "You asked me to meet with you so that you could ask me to meet with someone else?" "Well, when you put it that way it seems somehow a bit silly, but, uh, this man is a special supplier looking for a particular type of buyer." "So why didn't you bring him here?" "We have to go to him." "I pay you to meet with these suppliers so that I don't have to." "Perhaps I should find someone else who understands what I need." "Well, like a wife, eh?" "He will only speak with you." "Mr. Grant, I would hate for you to miss an opportunity to make a lot of money." "And who is this supplier?" "Declan Harp." "The man who used to work for the Hudson's Bay Company and now steals from them?" "That's who you want me to meet?" "It sounds bad when you put it like that." "Does it?" "I've no intention of traveling into the wilderness to meet with a notorious cutthroat." "You may leave me." "No, no, no!" "You two have much in common, Mr. Grant!" "You are both men on the rise!" "You are both ambitious, intelligent." "You are the men of the future!" "Harp's power is growing." "He can deliver the Lake Walker tribe and all their furs!" "Work with him and with me, we could destroy the competition." "Lord Benton, the Hudson's Bay Company, wipe them off the map!" "Okay, Monsieur Rivard," "I will meet with Declan Harp..." "But he comes to me." "All right!" "Tie it down, man!" "Tie it down!" "Land ho!" "Land ho!" "It's the New World, Michael!" "I've never seen anything like it." "Let go." "Where do you want these?" "C'mon then." "You killed my friend you piece of shit!" "Yeah, I'm glad the little shit rat got what it deserved." "He had a name, Tom, you better show him some respect!" "I should just stick my blade in your chest and let you bleed out like a little piggy." "Lord Benton will have you hanged." "All I gotta do is take you to our guide, you can go die out there all by yourself." "Watch where you're going!" "We're not looking for any trouble." "Stay out of this, and you, get out of my way, little man, or I'll snap you in half." "Hey wait!" "Come on." "There is trouble." " Come on, then." " I didn't do this!" "It doesn't matter." "Nothing can be done for that fool now." " Hold on, look!" " Is he dead?" "Did you see it?" "He stabbed him right in the neck, literally out of nowhere." "He just died right on top of me!" "Welcome to Fort James." "Watch your step." "Come on." "Where are we going?" "The last thing you want is those soldiers asking questions." "Here." "This is for me, dear?" "Non, uh..." "You must tread softly in this place, my son." "The soldiers have only one thing on their minds:" "protect the gold and the fur is the gold." "Wait, who are ya?" "Father James Coffin at your disposal." "And you are?" "Michael Smyth." " What's a priest doing in this part of the world?" " What else?" "Bringing the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to these miserable sinners." "And you've just arrived." "Lord Benton's ship." "Company man, are you?" "Heading out to the wilderness." "I'm supposed to be meeting a guide." " I have silver to pay him." " That's me." "I'm your guide." " You're a priest." " Also a guide." "Call it a sideline, but I've seen a great deal of this wild land, Michael Smyth." "I can find whatever piece of wilderness you're looking for." " I'm looking for countryman of mine." " Oh?" "Goes by the name of Declan Harp." "Extremely unwise." "Harp is a madman." "Maybe I should look for another guide then?" "Wait a moment, my son, are you sure you have enough silver to pay for a good guide?" "Sure, I already told you so." "Very well." "I'll take you to Declan Harp, but uh, at least let's rest up first before our long journey." "I know a quiet little place." "Well, on your way!" "Come on, time to go." " Go!" " Ah!" "Enough of that now, step off." "Another drink, Mike?" "Look, I've already paid for our ale," "I'm not paying for any more until you take me to Declan Harp." "This should cover it." "And then some." " So you're a thief?" " Just his price for salvation." "We all have one, you know." "And are you gonna rob me too when I turn me back?" "Of course not!" "You have so little." "which is good, because it means you don't have the sickness yet." "The sickness?" "When you put too much silver in the hands of the kinds of people who come here, it awakens something." " Drunkenness and thievery?" " Yes..." "Among other things, and a need for more." "Some people have no self-discipline." "The priest and the boy." "I want to know what they're saying." "Yes, Miss Emberly." "Most think the sickness is about money, and it's really about power, Michael." "Some want more power, and some don't want to give up the power they have." "When someone gains more, someone else has to lose it." "You have to be careful here or you will get pulled in by the sickness too." "And you have to know that going to the interior to meet Declan Harp" "may cost you your life." "On the house!" "Are you seeking salvation, my love?" "Because I'm the only one in here who can give it to you." "I'm afraid it's probably a little too late for me, Father." "Nonsense!" "You'll be in my dreams tonight." "Well, then you better start dreaming." "Are you really a priest?" "The boy then ran off, disappeared into the crowd." "And you witnessed the entire incident?" " And he didn't kill our man?" " No, it was a frontiersman." "I didn't see his face." "The boy's entirely innocent of the crime, that one, at least." "Well, thank you for coming to us." "It's my duty, Milord." "Clearly the boy has value to you?" "Did you see where he went?" "No, I didn't, no." "He looked frightened." "Can't say that I blame him, bearing witness to a brutal murder like that" " and just upon arrival." " Indeed." "I will certainly keep a watch for him." "Yes, I'm sure you will." "My Lord, if I might pro..." "If I might propose, there's not much happens here in fort James that I don't know about." "Perhaps we could be of help to each other." "I'd like to help you right now in fact, Miss Emberly." "Imogen here is part of my house staff." "Perhaps she can be of some use to you in your establishment." "Oh, that's very generous of you" " but I couldn't possibly..." " Nonsense." "I insist." "I'll find her lodging tonight." "She can start in the morning." "Excellent." "I don't trust her." "That's why we now have eyes and ears in her little tavern." "Now you go and find Michael Smyth." "He's out there somewhere with no guide." "Fix it!" "Oh, I could..." "I could..." "So what's the story with your friend?" "Uh..." "Oh..." "He is not able... to hold his ale." "Tell me more." "Quite a mess." "It's Mary, is it?" "Yes, sir." "If you're looking for Miss Emberly she'll be here momentarily." "You don't want this slipping down too far, encourage the animals that venture in here, do you?" "Captain Chesterfield." " Thank you, Mary." " She can stay." "Tell me something, Mary." "Was there a boy in here last night?" "An Irish lad fresh off the boat?" "Yes, sir." "Was he alone?" "He was with the Father, sir." "A priest?" "Not a guide?" "!" "No, sir." "What else?" "That's it." "They had too much to drink and they left." "What else?" "!" " Stop it!" " You stay back or I'll fucking gut you!" "Where did they go?" "They were chased to the river by some men." "Let her go!" "You and I don't need to be enemies, Captain Chesterfield." "Friends like you I don't need." "You offered me your help, but you leave me passed out drunk." "What kind of priest are ya?" "!" "What kind of priest are you in need of?" "I'm beginning to doubt your wellness." "Open your eyes, Michael." "This is no place for a boy like you." "Take it." "Walk back into town, pay for the next ship returning to England." "Go home!" "I can't." "Surely you could explain to Lord Benton that this is not the life for you!" "I can't go home." "The girl I love back in London, her life is in my hands." "This silver would get me home, but it wouldn't free her from prison or keep her from being hanged." "I made a deal with Lord Benton," "I have no choice." "You said you would take me to Declan Harp, Father." "Now take me!" "Michael, the truth is..." "Easy now, my son," " we're of no danger." " Ha!" "Put your hands up!" "He said you might say that!" "Captain Chesterfield." "What the hell was that for?" "!" "For making me come out here and track you down." "It seems we're off on a bit of the wrong foot." "Captain Chesterfield, is it?" " Father James Coffin..." " I know who you are." "What are you doing with the Irish boy?" " Well, uh..." " He's my guide." "Your guide?" "This is your goddamn guide!" "Yes, well, honestly, it's all been very chaotic..." "You haven't an honest bone in your body, priest." "It's true that God works in mysterious ways," " but one mustn't blame the messenger..." " This snake had no intentions of taking you anywhere near Harp." "Now that is a bit of hasty judgment" " without all..." " Shut your fool mouth before I cave it in." "It's late." "Make camp by the lake." "Don't let these two out of your sights." "All right, sir, come with me." "Let's go, come on." "That's it." "You're lucky I found you." "If you don't find Harp," "I have a feeling something bad will happen to that sweet little girl of yours." "And I swear to Christ he pissed himself right there in front of me!" "That's not what she said!" "I know, exactly." "Come on, lads." "Do you want see your other rifle!" " Have some of this." " Pass it round, pass it round, yeah." " That's not the same." " Did you bring that out?" "It's a ration." "Oh, dear mother of Mary, we are in the fire now." "Deliver me, Lord, of all people, your loyal shepherd in this time of great peril!" "Follow." "Now." " No, no, please!" " Follow." "Now!" "You don't understand!" "I'm a man of God!" "A priest of the church!" "Please!" "These are Harp's men." "They are ruthless." "Why did you say you'd be my guide if you didn't actually have the courage to take me?" "It's time you stop talking." "This is a far worse place than I've ever seen." "Hey!" "Michael, I've done my work brought you to the interior, my job here is done." "If we survive this you should know that I expect full payment, and a little extra for my trouble." "I found them in the bush." "Three soldiers." "Why were you with English soldiers?" "I had nothing to do with those hateful pigs." "Their leader threatened to kill me." "I, I just want to be paid as per my contract with young Michael here and I'll be on my way." "You're not going anywhere, priest." "The soldiers found us wandering in the wilderness, lost." "They were gonna take us back to the fort." "And why were you wandering in the wilderness?" "I was looking for you." "I want to make my fortune in the fur trade and I hear you're the man to help me do it." "You're gonna have to do better than that, lad." "Why are you with this..." "Priest?" "I hired him as my guide but... but I learned he was lying to me" " and had no intention of helping me." " No, Michael, that is not completely true." "Mr. Harp, I am a man of many contacts." "Many of them are great suppliers of fur." "I could easily connect you to them upon my return to civilization, of course." "I know this one." "He's a loudmouth drunk." "He can't be trusted." "You're right, that's me, but I, but I can change." "I'm better than that, you'll see." "What better place to turn over a new leaf than here?" " He needs to die." " Harp," "I am a man of divine provenance!" "Keeping me in your company will put God on your side!" "You are of no value to me." "You can't just kill him!" "I won't let you kill him!" "You watch, boy!" "Take 'em both!" "I have information on Lord Benton!" "I have information on Lord Benton!" "All right, boy, you have my attention." "Tell me about Benton or join the priest."