As the Crow Flies
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about the Jeffrey Archer novel. For the David Henry Hwang play, see As the Crow Flies (play).
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| First edition cover | |
| Author | Jeffery Archer |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
| Released | May 1991 |
| Media Type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 617 pp (first edition, hardback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0060179163 (first edition, hardback) |
As the Crow Flies is a novel by Jeffrey Archer. The novel was originally published in hardback by HarperCollins in May of 1991. HarperCollins and Random House both published paperback version of this book in 1992.
Contents |
[edit] Plot introduction
The story tells the tale of the Trumper retail empire, through the (often overlapping) points of view of several of the main characters. The narrative characters are Charlie Trumper, Becka Salmon (later Trumper), Daphne, Colonel Hamilton, Mrs. Trentham, Daniel Trumper, and Cathy Ross. Guy Trentham is a non-narrative character who links most of these viewpoints together.
[edit] Charlie
The story begins with Charlie, grandson of a barrow costermonger. His father works on the docks but is often absent. When he is around, he usually spends his money on drink instead of his family. Charlie is the youngest of the family, and has three older sisters. His mother died while giving birth to him. For as long as he could remember, Charlie wanted to sell fruits and vegatables just like his granpa (as he puts it). He learns the trade well, and has nothing good to say about "Posh Pork", a girl in his school who wishes to study art history.
Charlie's father is eventually given a white feather, and ends up enlisting in the British Army to serve in World War I. Charlie, having saved the money he earned helping his grandfather, buys the "biggest barrow" for his own enterprise, only to find that his granpa died. Charlie tries running his own business, but has to learn several lessons the hard way. He is eventually bailed out by the Jewish father of "Posh Porky" (Rebecca Salmon), a baker, who loans him money to pay the rent. He is impressed with Charlie's ability to learn from his mistakes and feels he has the ability to be successful. However, Mr. Salmon dies and Rebecca Salmon approaches Charlie with an offer to take over his bakery on a partnership basis. They agree on a 60/40 split, and Charlie learns the bakery trade as well as he learned the costermonger trade.
However, when his father is killed in WWI, Charlie enlists to take his place, leaving instructions to Rebecca to sell everything and keep his share secure for when he returns. Charlie fights in WWI under Colonel Hampton and Captain Guy Trentham. He befriends another recruit, Tommy, (who was a pickpocket and was given the choice of enlisting or serving time). Twice they charge the enemy lines. The first time, Charlie wakes up in a hospital with having lost a toe. The second time, Charlie, Tommy, Guy manage to get behind enemy lines. After some killing, they retreat to their own front. It is here that Guy Trentham shoots Tommy, because he had proof that Guy turned a coward under fire. Tommy had left a will giving everything to Charlie. The most important thing he receives is a painting, which was later revealed to have been stolen by Guy Trentham. Tommy is awarded a medal, and Guy Trentham a Military Cross, which his mother promptly has custom engraved with his initials. After the troops are demobilized, Charlie returns to London. He makes enquires and is led to a shop in Chelsa. He is astonished to see a greengrocer shop bearing the words "Charlie Trumper, The Honest Trader, Established 1823."
[edit] Rebecca Salmon
Rebecca Salmon continues the tale, with her own version of events. Her prized possession is a book of art given to her by Daphne, a girl of nobility and common sense (though not of brains). She decides she wants to work in the art field, and becomes an excellent student. She also learns a lot about the bakery trade from her Jewish father, who was both honest, smart, and had potential. When Rebecca's father dies, she approaches Charlie asking him to go into business with her. They agree on terms, and she goes off to study art history at university.
She shares rooms with Daphne, only after her mother gives her approval. She finds it impossible to continue the business of Charlie's costermongering and her father's bakery, and sells it to the highest bidder. She puts the proceeds into investments that she was unable to access when Charlie's irresponsible sister, Kitty, tells that her Charlie had been killed in WWI. A short time later, her ego gets the better of her when she finds a greengrocery shop for sale in Chelsea. She makes enquires, and offers 100 pounds for the freehold. She only has 40 pounds at the time, and did not know where to go when the offer was accepted. She is rescued by Daphne, who has her lawyers draw up very strict terms. Rebecca hires somebody to manage the store until Charlie returnes.
When he does, she tells him everything. Charlie goes about the business of costerminger, rearranging the shop and doing great business. However, when at a foursome for dinner, he finds himself paired with Daphne, against Rebecca and Guy Trentham. Guy Trentham invites Rebecca to his country place for a weekend. Mrs. Trentham marks the event with several snide comments about her. Guy tells Rebecca he loves her, and promises to marry her just before he is shipped to India. With these words, he seduces and impregnates her. However, he fails to provide either a ring or an announcement of their engagement. At urging, she writes to Guy about the child, but gets no response. Eventually, Rebecca realizes she's been a fool, and a week after giving birth to Daniel, marries Charlie.
[edit] Daphne
Daphne is a member of the upper classes in England, though she went to school with Rebecca Salmon. She hardly remembers her, except that she gave a book of art to her and got free cream buns from her father. However, when approached by Rebecca about sharing rooms, she takes delight in finding out that Rebecca's mother was worried about her rather than the opposite. She took Rebecca in as a roommate, to the delight of her parents, who were worried about a single woman living alone.
Daphne takes considerable interest in Rebecca's future, both as an academic, and as a businesswoman. She learns of Becky's foolish offer on the greengrocery shop, and after careful investigation of the opinion of several people about Charlie, she backs the deal on her own terms. When Charlie returns home after WWI, Daphne realizes that Rebecca's faith in him was justified. She becomes determined to play matchmaker between them, and educates Charlie in social niceties. She eventually unites them, and makes her own marriage in her own social class. However, having gained great insight into retailing, she also knows the British banking system. She knows that the banking clan is snobbish, and does not back a successful businessman if he does not have a title. She very wisely suggests the Trumpers get a "front man" - a man with the right background who will open doors for them with his connections and class. Colonel Hampton nicely fits the bill, even though he is not Daphne's first choice. Daphne also responds to Guy's letter in which he tries to explain the events leading to Rebecca's pregnancy. Daphne is totally insulted by his attempt, in which he assumes that she is guillible, and would believe the story that Rebecca forced herself on him.
[edit] Colonel Hamilton
Colonel Hamilton was the company commander of Charlie and Guy Trentham's unit in the first World War, but he was discharged after the war. At loose ends, he initially encounters the post-war Charlie in his greengrocers shop while running errands for his wife. He invites Charlie to the company dinner, where he encounters Rebecca, Charlie's date. At the dinner, Rebecca suggests he become their "front man". While initially reluctant, he decides to observe the shop secretly before making a commmitment. Once satisfied that Charlie is a hard worker and is generating business, combined with his lack of other employment options, he accepts the offer. While he knew he was in over his head when it came to business, his background and old school tie allowed him to get the loan for the Trumper company. He gets involved in the business, offering suggestions, but defers to Charlie's judgement. He does, however, agree to be chairman of the company. His background, new position, and the success of Charlie's business allows them to get additional loans to acquire additional freeholds on buildings in Chelsa Square.
Daphne, after receiving Guy Trentham's letter, picks him to confide in. Colonel Hamilton advises her on how to respond, and also asks his wife what he should do. She advises him to either write to Guy, write to his commanding officer, or forget the whole mess. He opts for the second option, and also attempt to discuss the matter with Guy's father. He instead encounters Mrs. Trent, who coldly insists Guy had nothing to do with Rebecca's pregnancy. He later learns that Mrs. Trentham bought a block of flats in Chelsa Square, soley to keep Trumpers from getting them.
[edit] Charlie Again
In recap, Charlie marvels at the shop that bears his name, when Rebecca introduces him to the manager. He finds he has a flat above the shop, but spends most of the night rearranging the displays for better traffic. In no time at all he's back at costermongering, and building up a devoted base of customers. He starts on his program of aquistion, marries Rebecca, and also secretly starts taking university classes. He also attends Daphne's wedding to Percy and admires the paintings. Along with the painting Tommy left him, starts his lifelong interest in buying paintings. Upon Daphne and Percy's return, he finds out from Percy that Guy Trentham was forced to resigned from the army, based on only on his actions with Rebecca, but also an affair with the adjunts wife.
Charlie and Rebecca move into a house, and she gets pregnant again. Charlie has the little painting reframed, but is assaulted by Guy Trentham on the way home, who steals the painting. He also finds that Guy broke into his home, and causes his wife tramau which resulted in a stillborn daughter.
Rebecca recovers, and Charlie focuses on business once again. One of his employees delivers him a list of girls apply for work in his florist shop, with a note on one of them. She was unqualified for the position, but had been a maid for the Trentham family. She was discharged for having an affair with the second footman, who she was still going with. Charlie employs her as a maid for his family, but her real job is to gather information on the Trenthams (the maid is still going with the footman).
This information comes in handy when the art gallery in Chelsa Square is auctioned off. While Charlie and Rebecca develop a plan to twart Mrs. Trentham, it ultimately fails, as she bids higher than them for the property. Just before she's about to win the auction, Charlie returns with a new, higher bid, and the bidding goes to very high levels. Mrs. Trentham wins, with a bid of twelve thousand pounds. When asked what he was doing by Rebecca, Charlie responds that he knew she would go up to ten thousand pounds, as it was her bank balance.
[edit] Mrs. Trentham
Mrs. Trentham begins by stating she is not a snob, and retells the story from her perspective. She glosses over her rude manners towards Rebecca, stating only that she was the type of girl who brought out the worst in her. She is relieved when Guy brings another girl over a few weeks later. She similarly believes Guy when he tells her that he wasn't the father of Rebecca's baby, and we learn that she deliberately arranged for a meeting with herself instead of her husband (an M.P.) with Colonel Hampton, as she scheduled it during a three line vote.
She employs a private detective to dig up dirt, and learns through him that Charlie is not denying the child was his, and his name is on the birth certificate. However, she does learn her son resigned his commission, and would have been cashiered if he hadn't resigned. Upon his return to their estate, he has the stolen painting. Mrs. Trentham arranges to hide the painting, set up false clues regarding the assault, and sends her son to Australia. From there she tells the story that he was offered a partnership in a cattle business that was too good to pass up. She continues to send him money.
After the auction of the art gallery and auction house, she realizes she doesn't have enough money to pay in full, and sacrifices her deposit. She then learns about Guy's impending death, and sails to Australia to bring his body back home and arrange matters in Australia.
[edit] Charlie Again
With the threat of a general strike, Charlie resolves to keep business as usual, and buy a few more shops at low prices. However, he prepares for unrest with drills, and responds well. Mr. Forhgill, the owner of the art gallery, approaches Charlie, saying that Mrs. Trentham was unable to pay for his shop. Charlie agrees to buy the place, but only at the maximum his board would allow. It will be Rebecca's new job after she has completed her theisis for her master's degree (she had already been employed at Sotheby's, starting at the front desk and working her way up). Both attend the graduation ceremony for it, but to Rebecca's shock, Charlie has also been awarded a degree in mathematics, having secretly been attending classes for eight years.
Things at the gallery are rough, as Charlie keeps trying to steal the best pieces for his own art collection. However, things are smooth enough that he and Rebecca take a trip to the United States. He instantly falls in love with Bloomingdales, and spends the next several days taking notes about the entire operation. He is eventually noticed by security, who question him about his actions. He reveals who he is, and meets John Bloomingdale. The two talk about retailing and department stores, and become friends. In Chicago, he is similarly impressed with Marshall Fields and it's owner. He resolves to build a store greater than either of those in London.
Upon his return to England, he meets a Jewish refugee who had patiently waited outside his office for several weeks, even though Charlie was in America. The refugee is attempting to sell jewelry; all he has left from his flight from Germany. Charlie buys the man's jewels, and makes him the manager of the jewelry department in the process. He also realizes war is inevitable.
He faces another problem in the form of his sister, who was caught shoplifting. He declines to press charges, but bars her from the store. War starts, and the first victim of the shops is Mrs. Trentham's flats. The second victim is his greengrocers shop, which Charlie takes a personal affront. He re-enlists in the army, but is summoned to Prime Minister Churchill's office. Churchill needs him for logistics; obtaining and distributing food for both the troops and the home front. Charlie studies the problems, and makes recommendations. When he realizes there are not enough men to drive trucks or work on farms, he tells the minister of food to get women instead. Daniel, his son, enlists, but does not go to the front. He was a mathematic student, and worked on a top secret project (cryptology, including the breaking of the enigma code). He notes that Daniel looks a lot like his father when in his captain's uniform. Charlie also learns of the death of Mrs. Trentham's father, and seizes the chance to buy the remaining shops in Chelsa Square before she can grab them.
