Blood Bond Read Online Free PDF Page A

carefully prepared submission that she and the other senior members of the community had worked on until two o’clock that morning should be delivered regardless, Diana jumped to her feet. ‘Your Lordship—’
    â€˜Sit,’ he said, without looking up.
    Diana remained on her feet. Damian lifted his pistol from the table. Undeterred, but gripping the edges of the table to stop her hands shaking, she continued. ‘We do, of course, appreciate your need—’
    â€˜Appreciate, appreciate,’ interrupted Nigel. ‘The only thing you need to appreciate is that if you, or anyone else, disobey my orders, this dog will get the beating of its life.’ To emphasise the point, he jerked the lead so fiercely that Mary-Claire toppled onto her side and began coughing, the collar momentarily choking her.
    Cheryl looked across at Diana. ‘Sit down!’ she yelled at her aunt. This time Diana capitulated. Damian laid his pistol back on the table and the three brothers folded their arms and leaned back arrogantly in their chairs to await their father’s performance.
    Finally, it seemed, Nigel was ready to speak.
    â€˜Haver needs to continue to function efficiently,’ he began. ‘When Mark robbed this community of half its labour force, he created a major problem for us all.’ The members of the community looked at one another incredulously. It wasn’t only the escape that had depleted their numbers: Damian, Jasper and Greg had massacred four of their relatives. Of this Nigel had made no mention, no apology.
    â€˜In order to compensate for Mark’s actions, your working day will be extended. Lunch will be reduced to half an hour and you will not finish work until five-thirty in the evening.’ A groan swept through the Great Hall.
    â€˜Sunday will no longer be a day of rest.’ There was an even louder groan, followed by angry muttering. Sunday had only ever been ahalf-day of rest, but at least it had been a break.
    â€˜Silence!’ yelled Nigel. He waited until the murmuring died down before continuing. ‘The treadmill will no longer be used as a punishment for misdemeanours.’
    â€˜He’s twigged that if he wastes labour on the treadmill his service will suffer,’ Diana whispered to Theresa.
    â€˜Instead, if any of you step out of line, this dog will be punished on your behalf,’ Nigel continued, jerking Mary-Claire’s lead once again. Cheryl’s crying grew louder. For once Nigel did not attempt to silence her; her sobs added substance to his threats. ‘Behave yourselves and she’ll be OK. Misbehave and she’ll get a beating.’
    â€˜Bastard,’ breathed Diana.
    Paul rose to his feet. ‘Your Lordship,’ he stuttered, ‘let Mary-Claire go and we’ll keep the treadmill going, and work the longer hours too.’
    Nigel glowered at him, annoyed by the interruption. ‘Well, since you’ve obviously got more energy that I realised, the work day will be extended from five-thirty until six o’clock.’
    Everyone looked accusingly at Paul as he slumped back down on the bench.
    â€˜ Really misbehave,’ Nigel sneered, ‘and I’ll be choosing a new dog.’ His eyes searched the hall, settling on each of the younger children. The inference was clear. Haver was short of labour. In a single stroke he had replaced the threat of executing the remaining adults under his earlier three-strikes rule with a threat to the lives of innocent children.
    Diana realised other implications too. ‘Fool,’ she whispered to Theresa. ‘He’s just moving his major problem of population to future generations.’
    It was as if Nigel could read Diana’s lips. ‘Also due to the thoughtless actions of Mark,’ he continued, ‘we need to re-build the Haver population. That means you women doing your job.’ The females of the group looked uncomfortably at one another,