Read Online The year of the virgins by 1906-1998 Catherine Cookson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: 1906-1998 Catherine Cookson
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was determined to remain standing where she was, but when she glanced behind her at the black man standing a few feet from her and seemingly not intending to move until she did, she thrust her body forward, at the same time throwing off Joe's hand from her elbow.
Joe exchanged a glance with Harvey; then together, they followed her out of the room.
It was two o'clock in the morning when they reached home, and Winifred, still without speaking a word, made straight for her room. And a stunned feeling seemed to have descended upon the others too as they sipped at the hot drinks supplied by Maggie who, without complaint at the late hour, had set about preparing rooms for Flo and Harvey.
With the exception of Stephen, everyone was astir before eight o'clock that morning. Stephen had been heavily sedated the night before. Apparently he had witnessed the accident from his attic room and he had screamed and wailed and had become so obstreperous that the doctor had to be called to attend to him.
Maggie had been up since six o'clock. She had cooked a breakfast which no-one wanted. She was now in her sitting-room facing Daniel. Her eyes were red and swollen, her voice broken, as she said, 'He didn't escape after all, did he?'
Daniel swallowed deeply before he replied, 'No, he didn't escape.'
'But if he's as bad as you say, she could lose him yet. We could all lose him, but I think I'd rather see him dead than helpless, because then he'd be back to square one, or even beyond that.'
'Oh no! by God, he won't. They've got their own house, and, as I understand it, Annette hasn't been injured much, and she'll look after him. And there's always nurses. No, by God! Maggie, that's one thing I'll see to: in some way they've got to be on their own. She might never be off their doorstep but at least they'll be in their own home. And he'll have a wife.'
She stared at him before turning away and going to the chest of drawers, from which she took out a clean apron. Putting it on, she said, 'Will you all be back for lunch?'
'I doubt it,' he answered.
'Will Flo and Mr Rochester be staying on?'
'I don't know . . . What do you think of him? Were you surprised to see who she had become engaged to?'
'Perhaps at first, but later, no. I should imagine there's many a woman would be glad to link up with a fellow like that, an educated one an' all, and he so good looking. But then aren't they all? I've never seen an ugly black man. Have you?'
'Come to think of it, no, not really. Anyway, we're both of the same mind: I think she's done well for herself, no matter what his colour is. Now, I must be off.' He
stood for a moment gazing at her; then, taking a step forward, he thrust his arms about her, and hers went around him, and they held each other close; and with his head buried in her shoulder, he muttered, 'Oh, Maggie, I'm heart-broken, not only for meself but for him. I dread to think what's in the future.'
Pressing him from her, she rubbed the tears from her cheeks with the side of her finger before saying, 'You can do nothing about that. Yesterday should prove that. Man proposes but God disposes. Go on now; and phone me from the hospital, will you?'
He nodded at her but said nothing more and went out.
In the hall Flo and Harvey were already standing waiting with Joe, and on seeing him, Flo walked quickly towards him, saying, 'I've tried to speak to her but she won't open her mouth.'
'Where is she?'
'In the breakfast-room drinking a cup of tea; she hasn't eaten a thing.'
'Well, that won't hurt her.' His voice was grim. 'She's got plenty of fat to live on. Go and fetch her. Tell her we're ready and waiting.'
'She's been ready and waiting for the past hour or more.' Flo sounded somewhat upset at Daniel's attitude, but did his bidding.
Tension seemed to be rising, and so Joe turned to Harvey and asked, 'Will you be going back today?'
'It isn't at all necessary. We're both on a week's holiday; we could stay on if we could be of any help.'
Joe exchanged a glance with Harvey; then together, they followed her out of the room.
It was two o'clock in the morning when they reached home, and Winifred, still without speaking a word, made straight for her room. And a stunned feeling seemed to have descended upon the others too as they sipped at the hot drinks supplied by Maggie who, without complaint at the late hour, had set about preparing rooms for Flo and Harvey.
With the exception of Stephen, everyone was astir before eight o'clock that morning. Stephen had been heavily sedated the night before. Apparently he had witnessed the accident from his attic room and he had screamed and wailed and had become so obstreperous that the doctor had to be called to attend to him.
Maggie had been up since six o'clock. She had cooked a breakfast which no-one wanted. She was now in her sitting-room facing Daniel. Her eyes were red and swollen, her voice broken, as she said, 'He didn't escape after all, did he?'
Daniel swallowed deeply before he replied, 'No, he didn't escape.'
'But if he's as bad as you say, she could lose him yet. We could all lose him, but I think I'd rather see him dead than helpless, because then he'd be back to square one, or even beyond that.'
'Oh no! by God, he won't. They've got their own house, and, as I understand it, Annette hasn't been injured much, and she'll look after him. And there's always nurses. No, by God! Maggie, that's one thing I'll see to: in some way they've got to be on their own. She might never be off their doorstep but at least they'll be in their own home. And he'll have a wife.'
She stared at him before turning away and going to the chest of drawers, from which she took out a clean apron. Putting it on, she said, 'Will you all be back for lunch?'
'I doubt it,' he answered.
'Will Flo and Mr Rochester be staying on?'
'I don't know . . . What do you think of him? Were you surprised to see who she had become engaged to?'
'Perhaps at first, but later, no. I should imagine there's many a woman would be glad to link up with a fellow like that, an educated one an' all, and he so good looking. But then aren't they all? I've never seen an ugly black man. Have you?'
'Come to think of it, no, not really. Anyway, we're both of the same mind: I think she's done well for herself, no matter what his colour is. Now, I must be off.' He
stood for a moment gazing at her; then, taking a step forward, he thrust his arms about her, and hers went around him, and they held each other close; and with his head buried in her shoulder, he muttered, 'Oh, Maggie, I'm heart-broken, not only for meself but for him. I dread to think what's in the future.'
Pressing him from her, she rubbed the tears from her cheeks with the side of her finger before saying, 'You can do nothing about that. Yesterday should prove that. Man proposes but God disposes. Go on now; and phone me from the hospital, will you?'
He nodded at her but said nothing more and went out.
In the hall Flo and Harvey were already standing waiting with Joe, and on seeing him, Flo walked quickly towards him, saying, 'I've tried to speak to her but she won't open her mouth.'
'Where is she?'
'In the breakfast-room drinking a cup of tea; she hasn't eaten a thing.'
'Well, that won't hurt her.' His voice was grim. 'She's got plenty of fat to live on. Go and fetch her. Tell her we're ready and waiting.'
'She's been ready and waiting for the past hour or more.' Flo sounded somewhat upset at Daniel's attitude, but did his bidding.
Tension seemed to be rising, and so Joe turned to Harvey and asked, 'Will you be going back today?'
'It isn't at all necessary. We're both on a week's holiday; we could stay on if we could be of any help.'
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