Samuel.

"We've watched him for a week." Samuel put a spoonful of oats into his mouth after he spoke.

Mrs. Campbell hadn't been pleased when Omar extended their stay. However, as soon as he put five shillings in her hand she cheered up, and was more than obliging. He looked at the woman sitting across the table from him, and wondered if she had started to understand any of what they said.

"Is it wise to speak of this in front of the lady, Samuel?"

Samuel looked from Omar to Mrs. Campbell, and then back again. "She doesn't have a clue of what I'm saying."

"Are you sure?" Omar said, and then took a spoonful of his porridge.

"Mrs. Campbell. That is if you really are a missus. My friend Omar would like to take you to his bed tonight." Samuel put his hand on the woman's arm so she would look at him. "Would you be agreeable?"

"Oh." Shelly Campbell lifted her head in surprise when he touched her. "Was he talking to me?" Her face turned red as she looked from Omar to Samuel. "What did he say?" Shelly smiled. This was the first time the young man had ever looked at her directly or indicated he was speaking to her.

"Ah... yes, madam." Omar grinned. "He said the porridge is very good, and thanks you for taking care of us."

"My, my. Oh dear. Tell him it's no trouble. Would he like some more?" Before Omar had a chance to answer she was up, and grabbing the pot with the ladle in her hand.

Samuel quickly covered his bowl with his hand and shook his head. The porridge was cold and gluggy. "Thanks very fucking much, Omar," he said gently in Arabic.

"And I thank you. What if she understood, and said yes to coming to my bed?" Omar chuckled and looked Shelly up and down. "I like women with weight, not thin like this one." He laughed some more. "A man needs something to hold onto when he rides."

Samuel grinned and smiled up at Shelly. "No thank you," he said in English.

"He speaks English!" Shelly's mouth dropped opened as she took a step back.

"No, madam. Only these words. He asked me to teach him this so he could say thank you to you personally." Omar shrugged his shoulders and lifted his palms. "Or, no thank you, as the case may be."

"Wonderful, Mr. Omar. He might get a handle on the language if he stays long enough." She put the pot back on the stove and sat down. "Will you be staying in England, or will you be going back to..." Shelly frowned. "Where are you from?"

"Algiers, madam. And yes, we will be returning there. My master will conclude his business very soon, and then we will say goodbye to you."

"You know what? You foreigners aren't too bad. I think I might miss you when you go."

"Yes, especially when we've paid you ten shilling to feed us shit," Samuel said in Arabic.

"What did he say," Shelly beamed.

Omar grinned and looked from her to Samuel, and then back again. "He was asking what we were talking about. I'll tell him later."

"He won't mind?" Shelly frowned. "I mean, he is your master, and if you don't answer him won't he get angry with you?"

"No. He is a very good master, and only whips me when I disobey, which isn't very often."

"He whips you?" Shelly clutched her hands to her mouth. "My goodness me. He looks like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth."

"Pardon, madam." Omar had never heard this expression before. "What does this butter melt mean?"

"Silly me." Shelly laughed. "It means he has the face of an angel, and a person wouldn't think of him as ever being cruel."

"This is a very strange way to say this, Madam Campbell. I will remember it." Omar looked over at Samuel and thought, if only she knew what he was planning.

*

"Algiers?" Samuel gave Omar a distasteful look. "You couldn't have said Rabat?"

Omar shrugged. "We can't tell any truths. It is better to lie."

"The woman wouldn't know the difference, Omar."

"Exactly." Omar shrugged again. "So, what does it matter. Let us not fight over this."

Just hearing the name set Samuel on edge, he took a deep breath, and put any thoughts of Algiers aside. As they walked down the street, Samuel thought about Mrs. Campbell. He'd wondered if the woman was ever going to shut up, so they could continue discussing his plans for George Somersby. "I'm getting impatient, Omar. I want this man out of my life so I can move on with it."

"He has visited Granby Street twice. Both times he had been at his club in Farringdon beforehand. The butler told me he was at his club on Monday night. If he is a man of habit, we can assume he sticks to a routine. Monday, Wednesday and Friday he takes a prostitute. Tuesday and Saturday he went to the Gaming Hells in Pall Mall. Thursday night he stayed in, though he did go to Hyde Park earlier in the day, where we lost track of him. He and the woman went to church Sunday, and he stayed in that night. Today is Monday so we could wait near Granby to see if he turns up, and then kill him there." Omar finished talking and looked at Samuel as they walked side by side. "You need to kill him swiftly."

"I want him to know who's killing him, Omar." Samuel sighed and looked forward. "We need to move to another boarding house." He looked back at his friend. "How much money do we have left, now that you've paid dear Mrs. Campbell most of it?"

"I have five guineas of old English currency. Is it useable?"

"Of course." Samuel thought some more. "Is that all of it?"

Omar grinned and jiggled a pouch hidden under his kaftan. "I stole the captain's purse while you were dismembering him." He tweaked an eyebrow. "Sovereigns and guineas."

"Excellent." Samuel smirked. "We need horses and English clothes. Nothing fancy. I want to know what he does at Hyde Park. We will leave Mrs. Campbell's early tomorrow morning, buy the clothes and horses, and then find a new place to stay. Perhaps in Pentonville or Finsbury. Nowhere near the places he frequents, yet close enough." Samuel looked at Omar and smiled. "I'd like to kill him in Hyde Park, in broad daylight. What do you think?"

"Samuel. Really?" Omar shook his head. "It's too risky."

"Perhaps, but I want him to see my face clearly. I'll dress in English clothes. I won't take any unnecessary risks. Once I've killed him, we leave straight away for Dover, and then sail to Calais as Moroccans. I can't suddenly turn up after I kill him to claim what's rightfully mine. Two months would be a good gap in time."

"This I agree on, but Hyde Park." Omar shook his head in doubt.

Samuel is getting impatient to kill George.  I hope he doesn't kill him like he did Lios, in broad daylight.  He could get caught.

Photo taken from Herald Sun.