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The door opens... and it seems Sharpe wasn't expecting it to open here right this moment, because he's not alone when he walks in.

He's going slowly and carefully, for reasons that become clear when he gets all the way in... and so does the very small boy clinging to his hand and toddling after him.

Welcome to Milliways, Patrick Lassan.

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Sharpe laughs. "Oh, I don't doubt it."

"Probably got your sense of honor, then, to balance out the two."

A small smirk before he turns back to Patrick.

"And aren't you a handsome young man."

He offers a hand for the child to examine.

The child, growing more confident now at his father's obvious friendship with this man, moves a little closer to study the hand.

"I'll do my best", Sharpe says softly. "I don't think he'll go wrong, between Lucille and me."

"You'll be a fine father," but he doesn't stop looking at Patrick with a smile.

So would you have been. But he doesn't say that.

"When he's a little older, he could come and stay with you the odd night, if you wanted. Get to know you."

He nods.

"I'd like that."

Sharpe nods back, one hand resting lightly on the boy's head.

"I want him to have all his family, as far as I can make it happen."

"It seems this place is good for something then."

And he grins at Richard again.

"Aye, that it is." He's... so very pleased that his son will have this chance to know Matt. Casually, he adds, "And I'll bring the next in, too, come winter."

Blink.

"You've another?"

"Not yet, we don't."

Big grin.

And he smirks.

"Busy man."

"Something like that", he agrees, amused.

Patrick has had one of those small-child energy crashes and fallen asleep.

And Matt's holding him carefully.

"So you're settled now?"

"As I'll ever be."

He still gets the urge for action, sometimes... but it passes.

"Better for you, or at least better for him," he nods to Patrick.

"Yeah. My army days are over now, brother. For good."

Well, so he thinks, anyway.

"So you say now."

"The war's done", he says with a shrug. "And I made her a promise. And then... there's only so far any man can push his luck."

He's got no desire to die.

"Wars are never done," and he looks sad as he says this, "and they know where to find you, I'll bet."

"Aye, they know where to contact me. But I'm under no obligation to go back, Matt. I resigned my commission and all."

"They'll find something," he says. He doesn't trust the government, not in the least. Not when he'd seen those working for it starve women and children.

"There's nothing the army could use without breaking their own laws", Sharpe tries to reassure him. "Patrick's back in Dublin or Donegal by now, and he and I are the last of the Chosen Men."

"And you think men won't break their own rules to get what they want?"

"I think if they wanted me back in the army badly enough to go to that trouble, brother, I'd have no business refusing. I'm not the only good shot in England or France, nor the only good soldier."

His voice is wry.