the rent money.’
Tom’s eyes flicked to the group of men who were drinking close by. ‘Keep your bloody voice down!’ he hissed.
Dick glared at the pint glass in his father’s hand, knowing it wasn’t his first and uncaring of who might overhear. ‘Mr Bell will be back soon and wants his money.’
‘So what? He’ll get it when I’m good and ready. Just tell him to sod off.’
‘Tell him yourself.’
Tom’s lips tightened in anger. ‘Watch your mouth, son. Now bugger off or you’ll feel the back of my hand.’
‘I ain’t going anywhere unless you come with me.’
There was a titter of laughter, a man saying, ‘It sounds like your young whippersnapper’s laying down the law, Tom.’
Tom’s grip was tight on his glass. ‘That’ll be the day,’ he quipped. ‘In fact, I think I’ll take the lad home for the hiding he deserves.’ He then lifted his pint, gulping it down and slamming the empty glass on the bar before glaring at Dick and adding, ‘Right you. Home–and now!’
Emma heard footsteps on the stairs and her father’s yelling before he shoved open the door, his eyes dark with anger as he glared at Dick.
‘You’ve got a bloody nerve, kicking up like that in the pub. I didn’t know where to put my bloody face.’
‘Can you blame me? If I didn’t drag you out, the rent wouldn’t be paid–again. Mr Bell isn’t going to put up with it for much longer.’
‘I paid some of the arrears last week. Anyway, Bell’s all wind and water. He’s always threatening to chuck us out, but we’re still here, ain’t we?’
‘One of these days you’ll push him too far.’
‘I’ll handle Bell, but if you ever show me up again in my local, you’ll live to regret it.’
For a moment they eyed each other like combatants, but it was Dick who finally turned away.
For a moment Tom continued to glare at his son, but then his eyes lighted on Emma. He paled, shaking his head as though to dismiss the sight. ‘Christ, you gave me a turn. You look just like your mother. Where did you get those clothes?’
‘Alice gave them to me.’
‘Have you found a job?’
‘Not yet. Susan was sent home from school and I had to stay with her.’
‘Bloody kids,’ he muttered, flopping onto his chair. ‘You’d better find a job soon, my girl.’
Shortly after there was a tap on the door and Emma went to answer it.
‘Is your father home now?’ Mr Bell asked.
‘Yes, I’ll get him.’ But when she turned round, her father was already on his feet.
‘I’ll speak to you outside,’ he told the landlord, stepping into the hall and pulling the door closed behind them.
They heard raised voices and Dick put his fingers over his lips, pointing to the door. It hadn’t closed properly, so both of them moved to the small gap, listening to the conversation.
‘I can’t pay all the arrears today, but you’ll get the rest next week, I promise.’
‘You said that last week, and the week before. I’ve been lenient, but there are still eight weeks outstanding. Either you pay me in full now, or I’ll be forced to evict you.’
‘Have a heart, Mr Bell. Since my wife died things have been hard, but my daughter is looking for work now. As soon as the girl gets a job there’ll be more money coming in.’
‘Emma? Are you talking about Emma?’
‘Yes, that’s right.’
There was silence for a moment, and then a cough. ‘What sort of work is she looking for?’
‘She’ll do anything, shop work, a factory.’
Again there was a short silence, and then Emma’s eyes rounded like saucers when Mr Bell spoke again. ‘I too have lost my wife, Mr Chambers, and since then my house lacks a woman’s touch. I’ve been considering employing someone as a cleaner-cum-housekeeper and, as Emma is looking for work, maybe she’d like the position.’
‘What sort of pay are you offering?’
‘It will depend on how many hours she works but approximately one pound ten shillings. If you’re agreeable a portion
Tom’s eyes flicked to the group of men who were drinking close by. ‘Keep your bloody voice down!’ he hissed.
Dick glared at the pint glass in his father’s hand, knowing it wasn’t his first and uncaring of who might overhear. ‘Mr Bell will be back soon and wants his money.’
‘So what? He’ll get it when I’m good and ready. Just tell him to sod off.’
‘Tell him yourself.’
Tom’s lips tightened in anger. ‘Watch your mouth, son. Now bugger off or you’ll feel the back of my hand.’
‘I ain’t going anywhere unless you come with me.’
There was a titter of laughter, a man saying, ‘It sounds like your young whippersnapper’s laying down the law, Tom.’
Tom’s grip was tight on his glass. ‘That’ll be the day,’ he quipped. ‘In fact, I think I’ll take the lad home for the hiding he deserves.’ He then lifted his pint, gulping it down and slamming the empty glass on the bar before glaring at Dick and adding, ‘Right you. Home–and now!’
Emma heard footsteps on the stairs and her father’s yelling before he shoved open the door, his eyes dark with anger as he glared at Dick.
‘You’ve got a bloody nerve, kicking up like that in the pub. I didn’t know where to put my bloody face.’
‘Can you blame me? If I didn’t drag you out, the rent wouldn’t be paid–again. Mr Bell isn’t going to put up with it for much longer.’
‘I paid some of the arrears last week. Anyway, Bell’s all wind and water. He’s always threatening to chuck us out, but we’re still here, ain’t we?’
‘One of these days you’ll push him too far.’
‘I’ll handle Bell, but if you ever show me up again in my local, you’ll live to regret it.’
For a moment they eyed each other like combatants, but it was Dick who finally turned away.
For a moment Tom continued to glare at his son, but then his eyes lighted on Emma. He paled, shaking his head as though to dismiss the sight. ‘Christ, you gave me a turn. You look just like your mother. Where did you get those clothes?’
‘Alice gave them to me.’
‘Have you found a job?’
‘Not yet. Susan was sent home from school and I had to stay with her.’
‘Bloody kids,’ he muttered, flopping onto his chair. ‘You’d better find a job soon, my girl.’
Shortly after there was a tap on the door and Emma went to answer it.
‘Is your father home now?’ Mr Bell asked.
‘Yes, I’ll get him.’ But when she turned round, her father was already on his feet.
‘I’ll speak to you outside,’ he told the landlord, stepping into the hall and pulling the door closed behind them.
They heard raised voices and Dick put his fingers over his lips, pointing to the door. It hadn’t closed properly, so both of them moved to the small gap, listening to the conversation.
‘I can’t pay all the arrears today, but you’ll get the rest next week, I promise.’
‘You said that last week, and the week before. I’ve been lenient, but there are still eight weeks outstanding. Either you pay me in full now, or I’ll be forced to evict you.’
‘Have a heart, Mr Bell. Since my wife died things have been hard, but my daughter is looking for work now. As soon as the girl gets a job there’ll be more money coming in.’
‘Emma? Are you talking about Emma?’
‘Yes, that’s right.’
There was silence for a moment, and then a cough. ‘What sort of work is she looking for?’
‘She’ll do anything, shop work, a factory.’
Again there was a short silence, and then Emma’s eyes rounded like saucers when Mr Bell spoke again. ‘I too have lost my wife, Mr Chambers, and since then my house lacks a woman’s touch. I’ve been considering employing someone as a cleaner-cum-housekeeper and, as Emma is looking for work, maybe she’d like the position.’
‘What sort of pay are you offering?’
‘It will depend on how many hours she works but approximately one pound ten shillings. If you’re agreeable a portion
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