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[and_far_away]

He promised Sally he'd be back, after Matt's funeral. But he's well aware that she didn't really expect him to keep that promise... and really, if Matt hadn't asked him to do this, she might have been right.

Still. Matt did ask. And so a dusty, travel-worn man rides one day into Keighley town square, a week or so after leaving his farm in France with a letter in his pocket.

Comments

[chosen-npcs.livejournal.com]

He is met by a few of the villagers, and these villagers look somewhat nervous about his presence before one of them recognize his face below the road dust and give a shout of greeting. He's at first stared at before the rest recognize him and then a small crowd approaches the horse.

[and-far-away.livejournal.com]

He picks out some of the faces, well-known and remembered, and they get a quick salute as he dismounts.

"Afternoon, all."

[chosen-npcs.livejournal.com]

"And what brings you here, Sharpe? More trouble?"

There's a muttering in the crowd, but also a laugh or two.

[and-far-away.livejournal.com]

"Not if I can help it", Sharpe assures them. "Not this time. I did come for a reason, though."

[chosen-npcs.livejournal.com]

The leader, who he might recognize as one of Matt's 'lieutenants' nods his head thoughtfully.

"That so? And what's your reason? Not that we don't love to see you about..."

That gets a few more laughs.

[and-far-away.livejournal.com]

He gives them all a steady look, turning to take them all in, then produces the letter from his pocket.

"This reached me, a few weeks ago. Seems a man we all knew left it in trust, but the one delivering it had some trouble finding me."

[chosen-npcs.livejournal.com]

The leader gives the letter a glance before blinking.

"That's Truman's hand, right enough."

A few people try and crowd to see.

[and-far-away.livejournal.com]

"He wrote it before he died", Sharpe announces, loud enough for all to hear. "Why it's taken so long... the man who had it didn't hear of his death, and I'm not an easy man to find these days. Why he sent it to me... maybe he just wanted to bring me back."

It would have been like him to do that.

[chosen-npcs.livejournal.com]

Matt's rather devious in that manner, yes. A good man, but never really an honest one.

"Well, what does it say?"

The crowd closes in.

"Read it to us! Give us his last words!"

[and-far-away.livejournal.com]

Sharpe just nods and unfolds the letter.

Then he starts to read (http://trurabblerouser.livejournal.com/381.html).

[chosen-npcs.livejournal.com]

The townspeople blink. There's not much to say to that.

"May we keep it, then?"

[and-far-away.livejournal.com]

He nods, folding it up again and passing it to the nearest man.

"It were never meant for me. Just you keep it safe."

[chosen-npcs.livejournal.com]

The man with the pipe reaches out and takes it, stuffing it into a pocket for safety's sake. Then he bows his head to Sharpe.

"Thank you for bringing it, considering."

[and-far-away.livejournal.com]

"Considering many things", Sharpe says with a sad smile. "He asked it of me. And I made a promise to someone else, besides."

[chosen-npcs.livejournal.com]

The man nods.

"Of course. You'll be finding her that way."

It was an easy enough guess.

[and-far-away.livejournal.com]

That gets a quick laugh.

"Right where she always was." He turns that way, then after a moment back to them. "I can't stay long. But I reckon you'd not want me to - I'm not my brother, and you know what he'd want better than I do."

[chosen-npcs.livejournal.com]

The man nods.

"Right enough, though you're not half bad, all the same."

[and-far-away.livejournal.com]

And Sharpe grins, and gives them a far more precise salute this time. "You either. Good luck to you all."

And without another word, he turns to lead his horse towards Sally's house.