Read Online Road to Berry Edge, The by Elizabeth Gill - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Gill
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thinking about, it was Michael. She hoped that he wouldnât come back again that night; she was obviously incapable of saying ânoâ to a McFadden, and he was so easy. He would eat anything and was complimentary so that she wanted to plan meals. He hadnât gone out the night before for a drink, they had sat by the fire and talked - Nancy didnât remember the last time she had done that with a man - he had brought Clarrie downstairs and rocked her back to sleep.
That morning he had left before she was awake, everything spotless as though he had not been there. The loaf of bread had been smaller but he had cleared up after himself.
As for Rob, he had been a complete surprise to her. She remembered him vaguely as a boisterous young man who worked hard, but he was so genuinely polite, so well spoken, so careful of her and caring, asking her about her wages and her hours and her family circumstances. Rob was obviously the kind of man who could sort things out, Nancy thought, and it was a rare quality. On top of that he was a picture, with enquiring grey eyes and cool elegant manners.
Harry was more open than Rob, he chatted and smiled and his eyes were rather warmer on her than Nancy felt comfortable with, but, since his actual behaviour was very proper, she felt safe to meet his gaze and enjoy his teasing.
Another maid was to be started so that Nancy could go home at Friday teatime and not be there on Saturdays or Sundays. She would have liked to argue with Rob about this because she was convinced the Sunday dinner could not happen without her, but she could tell that he wouldnât tolerate argument from anyone, so she had said nothing and been grateful for his help.
âI understand my Michael spent the last two nights here,Nancy,â Alice said now. âI thought you called yourself respectable.â
Nancy, to her own annoyance, began to blush under her mother-in-lawâs harsh gaze.
âYou took my Sean and look what happened,â Alice said. âMichaelâs all Iâve got left.â
âItâs nothing like that,â Nancy said quickly.
âWhat is it like then? My son in your bed.â
âHe wasnât in my bed!â
âHeâs a good looking man, Nancy. Thereâs plenty after him and you know what people will think.â
âI donât care what people think. He got knocked about in a fight, he didnât want you worrying.â
âI worry more when he doesnât come home. I wonder which slut has him in her bed. One of these days heâll get it wrong and have to marry some lass I wouldnât even want in my house. Then what will I do?â
âIf Michael had wanted to get married he wouldnât have waited until now, Alice. Heâs just a wage packet to you, isnât he?â
âI know about widows,â Alice said, âyoung lasses like you who are used to a man in their bed. Heâs a good wage packet, I donât want you pinching him.â
âDonât worry, I wonât be,â Nancy said.
Six
The steelworks at Berry Edge was a shock to Harry. He had never seen such a big business in such a bad way. He and Rob walked slowly around it, to the various shops and mills where the different goods were made for mines, ships and railways. They went into offices where nothing seemed up to date and there were few orders. Rob took Harry around the yards and the different processes, and in all the buildings and grounds, over the railways where the ore came from Spain and the coke came from the various pits around Berry Edge, which the works owned and where the coal was made into coke. Harry found from the beginning that he loved the way the different processes were carried on and how it all meshed together: the ores from different parts of the world blended red, the coke being brought in from the mines, the melting troughs, the openhearth processes, the way that it took so many hours to produce the
That morning he had left before she was awake, everything spotless as though he had not been there. The loaf of bread had been smaller but he had cleared up after himself.
As for Rob, he had been a complete surprise to her. She remembered him vaguely as a boisterous young man who worked hard, but he was so genuinely polite, so well spoken, so careful of her and caring, asking her about her wages and her hours and her family circumstances. Rob was obviously the kind of man who could sort things out, Nancy thought, and it was a rare quality. On top of that he was a picture, with enquiring grey eyes and cool elegant manners.
Harry was more open than Rob, he chatted and smiled and his eyes were rather warmer on her than Nancy felt comfortable with, but, since his actual behaviour was very proper, she felt safe to meet his gaze and enjoy his teasing.
Another maid was to be started so that Nancy could go home at Friday teatime and not be there on Saturdays or Sundays. She would have liked to argue with Rob about this because she was convinced the Sunday dinner could not happen without her, but she could tell that he wouldnât tolerate argument from anyone, so she had said nothing and been grateful for his help.
âI understand my Michael spent the last two nights here,Nancy,â Alice said now. âI thought you called yourself respectable.â
Nancy, to her own annoyance, began to blush under her mother-in-lawâs harsh gaze.
âYou took my Sean and look what happened,â Alice said. âMichaelâs all Iâve got left.â
âItâs nothing like that,â Nancy said quickly.
âWhat is it like then? My son in your bed.â
âHe wasnât in my bed!â
âHeâs a good looking man, Nancy. Thereâs plenty after him and you know what people will think.â
âI donât care what people think. He got knocked about in a fight, he didnât want you worrying.â
âI worry more when he doesnât come home. I wonder which slut has him in her bed. One of these days heâll get it wrong and have to marry some lass I wouldnât even want in my house. Then what will I do?â
âIf Michael had wanted to get married he wouldnât have waited until now, Alice. Heâs just a wage packet to you, isnât he?â
âI know about widows,â Alice said, âyoung lasses like you who are used to a man in their bed. Heâs a good wage packet, I donât want you pinching him.â
âDonât worry, I wonât be,â Nancy said.
Six
The steelworks at Berry Edge was a shock to Harry. He had never seen such a big business in such a bad way. He and Rob walked slowly around it, to the various shops and mills where the different goods were made for mines, ships and railways. They went into offices where nothing seemed up to date and there were few orders. Rob took Harry around the yards and the different processes, and in all the buildings and grounds, over the railways where the ore came from Spain and the coke came from the various pits around Berry Edge, which the works owned and where the coal was made into coke. Harry found from the beginning that he loved the way the different processes were carried on and how it all meshed together: the ores from different parts of the world blended red, the coke being brought in from the mines, the melting troughs, the openhearth processes, the way that it took so many hours to produce the
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