Chains Read Online Free PDF Page B

William, plucking out his pocket watch and checking it. “It seems to be that time. Mr. Harkson,” he said, offering the foreman the bunch of keys, “if you would do the honors.”
    â€œCertainly, Sir William,” said Harkson, entering the office and setting down his satchel of tools. “Avert your eyes, please, everyone.”
    I turned to face the door as the foreman unfastened the locks and rotated the dial of the safe.
    â€œYou will need to take some time to say goodbye to all your friends,” said Sir William. “There is a private dormitory for women and children attached to the Vine Street workhouse. It is not ideal, but will prove adequate until we have found you some more permanent quarters.”
    I had never been inside the workhouse but knew that it would be a sight better than the weavers’ shed on Seventh Street. As to long farewells with my steeplejack friends, that was almost a joke. I would shed no tears over leaving Morlak and his gang.
    â€œReady, sir,” said Harkson.
    We turned back to the foreman, who handed the three cloth bags of coins to Sir William, who, hefting them briefly, dropped them into his backpack and shouldered it. The dense clink of the coins set my mind racing.
    I looked back at the safe, but Harkson had already closed and locked it. His eyes met mine and held them.
    â€œTime for my final inspection of the chains,” said Sir William. “This time next week, little Anglet, you may be helping us thread the leader cables for the causeway itself.”
    He beamed at me and moved out into the hot afternoon, leaving me momentarily alone with Harkson, who was still watching me, his head cocked slightly on one side. I looked down and followed Sir William out before the foreman could say anything, and the dragoon came with us, shouldering his rifle.
    The workers had already cleared off the catwalk, gathering at the dock-side end to rinse the oil, grease, and paint off their hands and faces before assembling in their lines to be paid.
    â€œRun along, little Anglet,” said Sir William. “I will meet you on the other side after the inspection and we will set about the next phase of your life.”
    I blinked, thinking fast.
    â€œMaybe I should come with you,” I said.
    â€œThis is about engineering and business,” Harkson cut in. “I think we can manage without the expertise of a Lani painter.”
    He said it smilingly, but when I turned to him there was a pointed steadiness to his gaze which I did not like.
    â€œI can point out what we’ve done,” I said. “These last two days we finished that whole southeast quadrant but I’m not sure you will be able to see…”
    â€œI think we can manage, thank you, Anglet,” said Sir William.
    â€œBut sir, I really think it would be helpful if I…”
    He turned to me then, and his easy, open face was suddenly stern, and though his lip shaped a kind of smile there was no mirth in his eyes.
    â€œMiss Sutonga,” he said. “While I value your work ethic, Mr. Harkson speaks with my authority. If you are to work for me you will need not to question the wisdom of your betters. Do I make myself clear?”
    The change in his manner was so unexpected that I did not know what to say. I flushed, speechless in my humiliation, and looked down.
    â€œI asked you a question, Miss Sutonga,” he repeated, his voice quite cool.
    I did not look up.
    â€œYes, sir,” I said.
    He frowned, as if my reaction didn’t satisfy him enough. “If you are to rise above the rest of your kind, you should give some thought to the natural hierarchy of the world. As flowers are superior to weeds and the eagle has more native majesty than the crow or the vulture, so the peoples of the world are links in a greater chain of command. I don’t make much of this normally, but I expect to see this basic reality mirrored in the behavior of all my