Calico Road Read Online Free PDF

brothers died only a few days ago. As far as I know, they all kept quiet about what had happened because I paid them well when my circumstances changed. Now, let’s forget about Tobias Fletcher. My conscience is clear. I’ve left him well provided for and I’ve arranged it so that he’ll leave Backenshaw as soon as I’m dead. I just want to live my last few weeks in peace.’
    But he died the next night, passing away in his sleep.
    One Sunday Meg took a deep breath and announced to her family that she was walking out with Ben Pearson that afternoon. After a stunned silence, Netta let out one of her angry cries and bounced to her feet.
    ‘I’ll not have it!’
    ‘How will you stop me – tie me down?’
    Jack moved between them. ‘But Pearson’s older than you, love, years older.’
    ‘He’s been wed afore – he’ll be after only one thing from a lass,’ Netta sneered. ‘And he’s a boozer, too. You can never trust drunkards. I’m not having it. Jack, tell her not to go.’ When he said nothing she started weeping loudly, calling his name again and again.
    Jack looked at his sister. ‘Why him, Meg?’
    She hated to see that careworn air about him. Like her he was young, but unlike her he seemed resigned to living with their mother, being her support in a hard world, for he’d made no attempt to walk out with any of the lasses from the mill. ‘Because I want a life of my own, Jack. As you should. And because I like Ben. He’s kind.’
    ‘What about his drinking?’
    ‘He’s given it up.’
    Netta laughed. ‘Hah! If you’ll believe that, you’ll believe anything. Once a boozer, allus a boozer.’
    ‘Ben hasn’t had a drink for weeks. I’ve checked. I wouldn’t walk out with him till I was sure.’ Meg went to cram the battered bonnet on her head, wishing she at least had new ribbons to trim it up. She heard her mother continue pleading with her brother to stop her walking out.
    ‘No, Mam, she has a right to a life of her own.’ Jack moved to stand between the two women.
    ‘You’ll be sorry, Meg Staley!’ Netta screeched as she left the house, so Meg slammed the door behind her as hard as she could, something her mother hated. As she walked along the street she heard the door open again and knew Netta would be standing on the doorstep watching. She didn’t turn round. Let her watch.
    Ben was waiting for her at the corner. His face lit up at the sight of Meg and the hard angry lump inside her eased a little. He held out his arm and she took it, walking self-consciously up Weavers Lane with him, seeing people she knew staring at them. It’d be round the mill tomorrow: Meg Staley’s walking out with Ben Pearson.
    They went slowly up the hill past the rich folk’s houses towards the moors and to her surprise she found herself enjoying his company. He spoke so gently to her and he’d even brought food for them wrapped in a clean cloth: new-baked bread and crumbly white cheese. When they sat on a wall to eat it, he told her again she was pretty, and though she shook her head at that, she knew she was at least looking her best.
    ‘Shall we walk out again next Sunday if it’s fine?’ he asked as they came back down the lane.
    ‘If you like.’
    ‘I’ll look forward to it. I’ll see you to your door.’
    She stopped. ‘Better not. Mam’s up in arms about me walking out with you and she’ll only be rude.’
    ‘It’s better we do this openly. As long as you are kind to me, I don’t give a damn what your mother says.’
    Which made her like him even more.
    When Meg went into the house, her mother was waiting for her and slapped her face before she could say a word.
    ‘I’ll teach you to cheek me, you young devil. And whatever Jack says, you’re not going out with that fellow again.’
    She raised her hand for another slap and Meg put up her own arm automatically to fend it off. Suddenly she had had enough of this sort of treatment. ‘If you ever hit me again,’ she shouted at the top