Jessica Read Online Free PDF Page B

none, do we, Jessie?’ Joe says, gripping her shoulder and trying to hide his pleasure.
    â€˜Well, there’s one you’ll get right off, girl. You’ll take your dinner at the big house with my girls, though I don’t know that it’s much of a favour at that.’ He turns to Joe. ‘I don’t want her eating with the men in the shearers’ quarters.’
    â€˜There’s no need, Mr Thomas, we couldn’t put your missus out. She can sit with me, we’ll bring our own tucker,’ Joe protests.
    â€˜Like hell you will, Joe. The shearing shed’s one thing, the shearers’ quarters another. I don’t want her eating there, it’ll make the men jumpy.’
    â€˜Too right,’ Mike Malloy adds, ‘I said that me self.’
    Joe shrugs, none too happy. ‘If you say so, Mr Thomas.’
    George Thomas turns to his foreman and scratches his head under his hat, the posh city hat bobbing under his fingers. ‘I must be out of my flaming mind, but sign her up, Malloy.’ He pauses a moment and gazes at Joe. ‘First sign of trouble out she goes, and it doesn’t matter who starts it, you hear me, Malloy?’
    â€˜Right, Mr Thomas,’ Mike Malloy replies.
    â€˜Thank you, sir,’ Jessica says shyly.
    George Thomas spins around at this. ‘Look girl, you’re just another tar boy. That’s the lowest there is around here. From now on you won’t talk until you’re spoken to and you never speak to me. You hear me?’ Jessica bites her bottom lip, saying nothing, not sure now whether she’s got permission to answer this. ‘Do — you — hear — me?’ he thunders.
    Jessica jumps. ‘Yes, sir, thank you Mr Thomas.’ George Thomas shakes his head. ‘Christ, I must be bloody mad.’ He turns back and looks at Joe, placing his hands on his hips. ‘She won’t get the same wages as a tar boy.’
    â€˜What? Even if she’s as good?’ Joe asks.
    â€˜She’s a girl, Joe.’
    â€˜So?’ Joe’s face darkens.
    â€˜So she’ll take sixpence less a day, one shilling a day, no arguments, six bob a week, take it or leave it.’ Now Joe looks down at his boots and the silence grows. ‘Well, what’s it to be?’ George Thomas demands, jutting out his chin.
    Jessica can see that Joe’s temper is going to get the better of him, and she clutches his arm. They need the money too much to lose this job now. Getting up her courage, she draws George Thomas’s attention to herself, giving Joe time to calm himself down.
    â€˜Mr Thomas,’ she stammers, ‘we’re more than happy with the pay, it’s real generous of you, I’m sure.’ She tries to say it in the voice she’s heard Hester use when she’s talking to Ada Thomas.
    â€˜You!’ George Thomas shouts, pointing his finger at Jessica. ‘Keep your trap shut! Don’t you ever listen, girl?’
    Jessica cringes against Joe’s arm. Joe has regained his composure now, though his lips are drawn tight. He looks straight at George Thomas, his eyes weary and beaten. ‘Righto, Mr Thomas,’ he says, and the two of them turn to leave.
    But George Thomas must have the last word. ‘Joe Bergman, I’ve had no trouble with you and I don’t want any with your daughter, you hear me?’ he calls to their departing backs. ‘Any muck-up with her in the shed, your girlie’s out on her ear!’
    â€˜You already said that,’ Joe replies quietly, but only Jessica can hear him.
    Jessica knows George Thomas has made her father eat humble pie and she can feel the shame burning in him. She’s never seen it done to him before and she hates the boss of Riverview with all her heart. You’re a right bastard, Mr Thomas, she thinks to herself, Joe’s a hundred times better a man than you’ll ever be. She feels her father’s big hand