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Authors: Harry Bowling
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where ’e’s concerned.’
‘Galloway is an old man now, Carrie,’ Nellie said, looking up at her. ‘ ’E knows the wrongs ’e’s done ter people all frew ’is life. ’E knows that one day there’ll be a judgment.’
Carrie caught Joe’s eye and he shrugged his shoulders, not wanting to get involved in the discussion.
‘Galloway might not be the force ’e was,’ Carrie went on angrily, ‘but ’e’s still the guv’ nor. All right, Frank Galloway’s in control but the ole man’s still pullin’ the strings. Don’t ask me ter ferget all what’s ’appened, Mum, ’cos I can’t. ’E got rid o’ Dad after all those years o’ loyal service an’ we were chucked out on the street. It was the Galloway firm, too, that was be’ind that trouble wiv our transport. An’ what about Charlie, Mum?’
Nellie suddenly dropped her head and Carrie could have bitten her tongue off. ‘I’m sorry, Mum, I shouldn’t ’ave said that,’ she whispered, squeezing her mother’s shoulders. ‘It was stupid.’
Joe got up and left the room, and as the door closed Nellie raised her tear-filled eyes. ‘It’s all right, luv, I know yer didn’t mean anyfing by it,’ she said in a cracked voice, ‘but yer see I’ve never got rid o’ me own feelin’ o’ guilt, an’ Gawd knows I’ve suffered over the years, knowin’ what a good man yer farvver was an’ ’ow I deceived ’im. It takes two ter make a baby an’ Charlie was the result o’ my weakness. I can’t put the blame solely on George Galloway. What transpired was fate. What makes two people come tergevver in the first place? Of all the young ladies around, what made our Charlie fall fer young Josephine, the one gel wiv the same blood? Gawd knows, I dunno.’
Carrie slipped down on her knees in front of her mother and took both her hands. ‘Dad can’t be ’urt now, Mum,’ she said quietly. ‘An’ yer mustn’t keep blamin’ yerself. Galloway took advantage of yer an’ if ’e’d ’ave bin closer ter ’is poor daughter she’d still be ’ere now. Josephine ’ad nobody ter turn to. She killed ’erself out o’ despair. There’s only one person ter blame, an’ that’s George Galloway.’
Nellie forced a smile. ‘Anyway, don’t let it turn yer mind, gel,’ she said, patting her daughter’s hand. ‘If yer really gonna let the ’orses go, make sure it’s fer the right reasons.’
Carrie kissed her mother’s forehead and sat down once again on the arm of her chair. ‘There’s only one reason, Mum,’ she replied. ‘I don’t want ter frighten yer but as far as I can see there’s gonna be a war before long, an’ this area’s likely ter get bombed. At the meetin’ last week some o’ the transporters were discussin’ their ’orse transport an’ quite a few of ’em ’ave decided ter send the ’orses out o’ London if war starts. I’m not waitin’. I’ve already ordered two more lorries wiv the ’elp o’ the bank, an’ I’m seein’ somebody about the ’orses next week. I’ve got all the work I can ’andle an’ they’re regular contracts, so I can pay off the loan easily.’
‘What about the carmen?’ Nellie asked.
‘I’ve got ter talk to ’em this Friday,’ Carrie replied. ‘I don’t see any trouble.’
Nellie stared down thoughtfully for a few moments and then her eyes met Carrie’s. ‘D’yer remember when yer was little?’ she asked. ‘Yer wouldn’t go ter school if there was a chance of a ride out in the country. Remember the time the stable in Page Street caught light an’ yer grabbed that Cleveland that Galloway used ter use? I thought it was gonna trample yer farvver’s ’ead in that night. You got it out safely though. I don’t fink anybody else could ’ave managed that ’orse. Remember Titch, an’ the big Clydesdales? Yer cried all night when Titch died. I ’ope yer not gonna miss the ’orses too much, gel, that’s all I
‘Galloway is an old man now, Carrie,’ Nellie said, looking up at her. ‘ ’E knows the wrongs ’e’s done ter people all frew ’is life. ’E knows that one day there’ll be a judgment.’
Carrie caught Joe’s eye and he shrugged his shoulders, not wanting to get involved in the discussion.
‘Galloway might not be the force ’e was,’ Carrie went on angrily, ‘but ’e’s still the guv’ nor. All right, Frank Galloway’s in control but the ole man’s still pullin’ the strings. Don’t ask me ter ferget all what’s ’appened, Mum, ’cos I can’t. ’E got rid o’ Dad after all those years o’ loyal service an’ we were chucked out on the street. It was the Galloway firm, too, that was be’ind that trouble wiv our transport. An’ what about Charlie, Mum?’
Nellie suddenly dropped her head and Carrie could have bitten her tongue off. ‘I’m sorry, Mum, I shouldn’t ’ave said that,’ she whispered, squeezing her mother’s shoulders. ‘It was stupid.’
Joe got up and left the room, and as the door closed Nellie raised her tear-filled eyes. ‘It’s all right, luv, I know yer didn’t mean anyfing by it,’ she said in a cracked voice, ‘but yer see I’ve never got rid o’ me own feelin’ o’ guilt, an’ Gawd knows I’ve suffered over the years, knowin’ what a good man yer farvver was an’ ’ow I deceived ’im. It takes two ter make a baby an’ Charlie was the result o’ my weakness. I can’t put the blame solely on George Galloway. What transpired was fate. What makes two people come tergevver in the first place? Of all the young ladies around, what made our Charlie fall fer young Josephine, the one gel wiv the same blood? Gawd knows, I dunno.’
Carrie slipped down on her knees in front of her mother and took both her hands. ‘Dad can’t be ’urt now, Mum,’ she said quietly. ‘An’ yer mustn’t keep blamin’ yerself. Galloway took advantage of yer an’ if ’e’d ’ave bin closer ter ’is poor daughter she’d still be ’ere now. Josephine ’ad nobody ter turn to. She killed ’erself out o’ despair. There’s only one person ter blame, an’ that’s George Galloway.’
Nellie forced a smile. ‘Anyway, don’t let it turn yer mind, gel,’ she said, patting her daughter’s hand. ‘If yer really gonna let the ’orses go, make sure it’s fer the right reasons.’
Carrie kissed her mother’s forehead and sat down once again on the arm of her chair. ‘There’s only one reason, Mum,’ she replied. ‘I don’t want ter frighten yer but as far as I can see there’s gonna be a war before long, an’ this area’s likely ter get bombed. At the meetin’ last week some o’ the transporters were discussin’ their ’orse transport an’ quite a few of ’em ’ave decided ter send the ’orses out o’ London if war starts. I’m not waitin’. I’ve already ordered two more lorries wiv the ’elp o’ the bank, an’ I’m seein’ somebody about the ’orses next week. I’ve got all the work I can ’andle an’ they’re regular contracts, so I can pay off the loan easily.’
‘What about the carmen?’ Nellie asked.
‘I’ve got ter talk to ’em this Friday,’ Carrie replied. ‘I don’t see any trouble.’
Nellie stared down thoughtfully for a few moments and then her eyes met Carrie’s. ‘D’yer remember when yer was little?’ she asked. ‘Yer wouldn’t go ter school if there was a chance of a ride out in the country. Remember the time the stable in Page Street caught light an’ yer grabbed that Cleveland that Galloway used ter use? I thought it was gonna trample yer farvver’s ’ead in that night. You got it out safely though. I don’t fink anybody else could ’ave managed that ’orse. Remember Titch, an’ the big Clydesdales? Yer cried all night when Titch died. I ’ope yer not gonna miss the ’orses too much, gel, that’s all I
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