Down Weaver's Lane Read Online Free PDF

Rishmores for their charity. Grateful! To the very people who had called in the soldiers and caused his father’s death!
    He had no older brother to laugh with now, nothing to laugh at, either, and the anger seemed to have settled inside him in a hard, hot lump.

2

    It was four weeks before George turned up in Manchester again, and though he sent a couple of messages through his cousin Gus, who was a carter, Madge’s spirits sank lower and lower as the days turned into weeks.
    When there were heavy footsteps on the stairs one afternoon she looked up eagerly. That sounded like ... There was a double rap on the door and she called, ‘Come in, George!’
    He peered round the door, grinning at her. ‘Not interrupting anything, am I?’
    She squealed in delight and flung herself into his arms, laughing as he swung her round and kissed her soundly.
    ‘Where’s the girl?’ he asked, breathing deeply.
    Madge smiled knowingly. ‘Out buying a loaf. She’ll not interrupt us if I tell Ma Hurley to stop her coming up.’
    ‘I don’t think your daughter likes me.’
    ‘Oh, she’ll come round. Give her time. She doesn’t trust men, that’s all, and she’s not old enough to find them interesting, thank goodness.’
    ‘She’s going to be pretty, though, when she grows up. Very pretty.’
    Madge forced a laugh. ‘When she learns to wash her face properly and comb her hair. Anyway, I’ll just nip down and tell Ma I’m busy.’
    When she got back he was sitting at the table. He opened his arms and pulled her down on his lap. ‘It’s all fixed, love, an’ I’ve found you an’ the lass a place to live. Took me longer than I’d expected because there’s been some trouble in town - a group of fools trying to smash Rishmore’s new looms. They brought in the military and one fellow was shot dead. Serve the stupid bugger right. There are others waiting for trial. They’ll be hung or deported.’
    ‘Poor things.’
    ‘You’re too soft-hearted. I keep telling you that.’
    She shrugged and changed the subject to the one nearest her heart. ‘Where’s our new house, then?’ When he said nothing, she pretended to punch him. ‘Where? Tell me about it.’
    ‘It’s in Weavers Lane.’
    She stilled. ‘Where exactly in the lane?’ It was the main street of the long narrow town and there were good parts and bad.
    ‘Just past Grandma Hickley’s shop.’
    Her face fell. ‘Oh, George, no! Those old weavers’ cottages were falling down when I lived in Northby. They must be in a dreadful state now. Which one have you rented for me?’
    ‘Not a whole cottage, just a room. You can’t get a whole cottage for love or money at the moment unless you work for Rishmore’s. All the cottages not belonging to them are crowded out. But Jen Miggs has a spare room and she’ll see you’re all right. It’s the biggest room in the place, the front bedroom.’
    ‘One room? Only one room ? We’ve got two here. What am I going to do with Emmy while I’m working, pray? She’s old enough to notice things, you know.’ Madge tried to get off his lap, bitterly disappointed that he had broken his promise, but he wouldn’t let her go. So she pushed his shoulders away with her hands, stared him right in the eyes and said firmly, ‘I’m not going back to live in those conditions. I’d rather stay here.’
    ‘And how will you manage without me? I can’t spare the time to keep coming over to Manchester to see you once I’ve got my new alehouse up and running. It’s bigger than the old one and it’s going to make my fortune.’ He chuckled. ‘That and the girls upstairs!’
    Still she held him off. ‘I’ll have to find someone else to look after me, then, won’t I?’ But her heart sank at the thought.
    ‘You won’t find anyone else as generous as me and you know it, Madge Carter. You were desperate when I met you, selling your body to feed yourself.’
    ‘It was only a couple of times.’
    He threw his head back and laughed.