Part 4 (1/2)

Jack Oxford leered at the women. There were one or two of them he was going to take pleasure in dousing. That Sullivan woman had clipped him around the ear when he chased her son away from the yard, and that Axford woman was always giving him funny looks when he pa.s.sed her in the street. He stood with his feet apart and the hose pointing at the women and waited while Galloway addressed them.

'Right then. Yer've 'ad yer five minutes,' the firm owner said in a loud voice. 'Now yer gonna get wet.'

Jack's leering grin widened and he jerked the nozzle in the direction of the women in a threatening manner. Galloway stormed back into the yard. As he was about to turn the water on William confronted him.

'Look, George, there's no need ter go this far. We can exercise the 'orses in the yard. There's room ter trot 'em,' he said quietly.

Galloway glared at his yard foreman. 'I want those 'orses run up the street,' he declared. 'I ain't bowin' ter a load o' scatty women. I've give 'em fair warnin' an' they won't move, so I'm gonna make 'em.'

William stood in front of the stand pipe, his face set hard. 'I still reckon yer makin' a mistake, George,' he said.

The two stared at each other. There were times in their boyhood when there had been a clash of wills and in the past Galloway had always got his way. On this occasion, however, he was not so sure.

'Get out o' the way, Will,' he said in a low voice.

Outside in the street the women had become quiet and Jack Oxford stood with a maniacal expression on his bright yellow face.

The curtains in the house adjoining the yard moved back into position as Nellie Tanner hurried out to the backyard. She had been watching the developing situation with mounting concern. Florrie had not invited her to take part in the women's demonstration. 'I won't ask yer, Nell,' she had said. 'We all know your Will works fer the ole b.a.s.t.a.r.d an' it's likely ter cost 'im 'is job if Galloway sees yer in the street alongside us. Yer done yer bit tellin' us when the army's comin' so don't worry about it. We all know yer position.'

Nellie had agonised over what Florrie said. They were demonstrating for the kids, after all, and she felt deep down that it was her duty to join them, regardless of what Galloway might do in reprisal. Will would not have forbidden her to join the women if he had known, she felt sure. He would take his chances and face Galloway. Now, as she saw Jack Oxford pulling out the hosepipe, Nellie knew what she had to do.

Maudie was shaking from head to foot as she waited. Suddenly she remembered her Ernest's advice. Slowly, she stood up.

'”Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war,”' she began to sing in a shrill voice.

'Sit down, yer silly mare,' Maisie said, pulling at her coat sleeve.

Maudie slumped down in her seat, suddenly feeling very silly, but she was heartened to see Sadie Sullivan jump up.

'Good fer you, Maudie,' she cried out, waving her rolling-pin over her head. 'That's what I say too. Onward Christian soldiers! I'm gonna crown that yellow-faced, stupid-lookin' b.a.s.t.a.r.d right now.'

Florrie caught her arm and Sadie rounded on her. A violent confrontation between the two seemed inevitable, but at that moment a murmur pa.s.sed through the a.s.sembled crowd. The figure of Nellie Tanner suddenly appeared in the street. Without saying a word she marched up to the gate, took out a chopper from beneath her shawl, raised it high above her head and brought it down heavily on the hosepipe.

A loud cheer rang out as Nellie straightened up and stood looking at the women for a moment or two, then without further ado she turned on her heel and walked back into her house, closing the door.

Jack Oxford realised he was not now going to use the hosepipe. He shuffled back into the yard, trailing a length of rubber tubing behind him, with the obscene remarks of the victorious women ringing in his ears.

'Shut them gates,' Galloway shouted, his face a dark mask. 'We'll parade the 'orses in the yard.'

William could hardly believe his eyes when Nellie came on to the scene. Now, as he went to fetch the first horse from the stable, the gravity of her act of defiance began to sink in. Galloway was not the sort of person to forget what had happened and he would certainly remember that it was Nellie who had humiliated him in front of all the women. As he led the first horse out into the yard, William was feeling more than a little worried.

Chapter Five.

Carrie felt miserable as she walked home from school with Sara. It was two weeks since the trouble at the yard and there had been a big row between her parents. It had created a strained atmosphere in the house which even the boys had noticed. Carrie was especially unhappy because she knew that her father was going to Wanstead for fresh bales of hay on Sat.u.r.day and she had not been able to bring herself to ask if Sara could go with her on the trip. In fact, the way things were her father might decide not to take her either, she thought. He had become grumpy and short-tempered, and when she had asked him to let her help him in the yard the previous evening he had said no.

That Friday evening everyone had been talking excitedly about the protest. Carrie had sat in her back bedroom and heard harsh words between her parents. From what she had gathered, it seemed her father blamed her mother for making things difficult for him. But Mr Galloway was wrong to attempt to use the hosepipe on the women, and it was brave of her mother to stop it happening, she reasoned. It was also Mr Galloway's fault that her mother and father were rowing and that her father might not take her and Sara on the next trip. It wasn't fair, she told herself. She had been on the trip many times, but poor Sara had never been once and had been hoping to go next time. Why did she have to tell her friend all about how nice it was and how she would speak to her father about taking her next time? She should have asked him first before saying anything to Sara. Well, she wasn't going to give up, Carrie decided. She would ask him anyway.

Sara had been quiet on the walk home and when they neared Page Street she suddenly broke her silence. 'I don't fink I'll be in school termorrer, Carrie,' she said. 'Me mum's not well an' I might 'ave ter mind the little ones.'

Carrie smiled sympathetically. 'I 'ope she gets better soon.'

Sara fell silent again until they reached Carrie's front door, then she fixed her friend with her pale blue eyes. 'If the trip is this week, don't ask fer me ter go, Carrie. I won't be able ter come.'

The Tanner girl nodded sadly and watched her friend walk away along the turning.

That night after tea her father said that he had to go and clean out the boiler, ready for the chaff-cutting. Carrie asked if she could help him. William was surprised. Whenever he went into the yard to tend the horses Carrie was at his heels, but she had never offered to help him with the messy job of boiler-cleaning. 'All right, but change that school dress,' he told her.

While William cleaned out the fire pan and then set about unbolting the inspection plate on the side of the boiler, Carrie made herself busy sweeping out the shed. Then she sat on an upturned crate by her father's side while he reached inside the boiler to remove the loose scale. Suddenly he cursed and withdrew his hand quickly. Blood dripped from his finger. He sucked on the deep cut, spitting a mouthful of blood on the clean floor. Carrie quickly reached down to the hem of her petticoat and tore off a strip of linen. William watched the serious expression on his daughter's face as she deftly bound up his finger, and a smile formed on his lips. 'Proper little nurse, ain't yer?' he said quietly.

Carrie grinned back at him and suddenly he melted. She was certainly a grown-up nine year old, he thought. Maybe he had been a little hard on the children lately, but it had been difficult at the yard since the trouble with the women. George had been like a bear with a sore head, even though he had managed to sell all twelve of the horses to the army. He had not mentioned Nellie's part in the protest but there had been a strained atmosphere whenever the boss walked into the office. No doubt he blamed Will for Nellie's actions, but George had known her long enough himself to realise she was a very determined woman. Once she made her mind up there was no putting her off.

William set about refitting the inspection plate with Carrie handing him the bolts. When the last one had been screwed down tight, she fixed him with her eyes.

'Dad, I was gonna ask yer if me an' my best friend Sara could come wiv yer on Sat.u.r.day but it doesn't matter now,' she said quietly.

William could see the sadness in his daughter's eyes. 'Don't yer wanna come then?' he asked.

'Of course I do, Dad, but I've bin lots o' times an' I thought it'd be nice if Sara could come this time. She's never bin anywhere, an' I've bin tellin' 'er all about the trip. I said I was gonna ask yer if she could come wiv us, but she can't now.'

'Oh, an' why's that then?' William asked.

''Er muvver's took ill an' Sara's gotta look after 'er,' Carrie replied.

William sat down on the brick base of the boiler and studied his bandaged finger for a few moments. 'Is Sara that gel yer walk 'ome from school wiv? 'Er wiv the raggety clothes?'

Carrie nodded. 'It's ever so sad, Dad. Sara 'as ter look after all 'er bruvvers an' sisters while 'er muvver goes out ter work, an' 'er farvver's a cripple. Sara gets ill a lot. I don't fink they 'ave much food.'

'Fings are bad fer most people,' he said quietly. 'It's lucky fer us I'm in regular work. Mind yer, after what yer mum done ter Galloway's 'osepipe, it's a wonder I ain't got sacked.'

Carrie caught the humorous look in his eyes and suddenly they both burst out laughing.

'Serves the ole goat right,' he spluttered, wiping his eyes on the back of his hand.

'Can Sara come wiv us one time, Dad?' she asked suddenly.

William nodded. 'I should fink so. If she wants to.'

'She'll be so pleased when I tell 'er,' Carrie said, suddenly hugging her father.

William was embarra.s.sed by her spontaneous show of affection and he looked down at his feet. 'Well, we'd better get these tools tergevver an' lock up,' he said, 'or yer mum'll nag me fer keepin' yer up.'

The hour was late and Nellie was making cocoa. She felt happy that the tension between her and William had vanished, and hummed softly as she stirred the hot liquid. William had slipped up on her and put his arms around her waist as she was drawing the blinds. His lingering kiss on the back of her neck had made her s.h.i.+ver with pleasure. She had turned to face him and returned his kiss. Now, as she handed him a large mug of steaming cocoa and sat down facing him, Nellie could see William had become thoughtful. For a while they were both silent as they sipped their hot drinks, then suddenly he put his mug down on the edge of the fender and looked at her.