The River Folk Read Online Free PDF Page A

bedroom above would not hear. ‘Mary Ann? Open the door, love.’ Bessie tried the doorknob, but the door was locked. ‘Unlock it, lass. Can you?’
    There was a moment’s pause whilst they all heard her fingers struggling with the lock. Then there was the sound of a key turning. Bessie tried the door again and it opened. Dressed only in a vest and knickers, her thumb in her mouth, the girl was shivering and sobbing quietly, trying, Bessie guessed, to keep the sound low so as not to anger her father more.
    ‘Aw, me little love . . .’ Bessie gathered her into her arms and, though Mary Ann was no longer a small child, Bessie picked her up. The girl wound her arms around the woman’s neck and buried her face in her shoulder. For a moment, Bessie patted her back soothingly, rocked her and murmured, ‘There, there. It’s all right. It’s all right.’
    There was nothing else she could say, though even to Bessie the words had a hollow ring. Now, inside the darkened house, Bessie could hear the man lumbering down the stairs and through the rooms towards the back door, knocking furniture over in his path. Bessie prised Mary Ann’s clinging arms from around her neck and handed her to Dan.
    ‘Tek her into our house, Dan. Out of his way.’
    Dan reached out, gathered the girl into his arms and carried her away. As he went, Bessie heard him murmuring to her, ‘You come with me, little ’un. I’ll soon razzle up the fire in the range and you can have a nice drink of hot milk . . .’
    Bessie turned to face Sid Clark, who was now standing in the open doorway, swaying from side to side, his hands against the doorjambs on either side for support.
    ‘You interfering owd beezum. I’ll have the law on you for this. Ab . . . abduct . . . abduction, that’s what it is.’
    Bessie spoke loudly and clearly. ‘And I’ll have the law on you. Knocking your missis about and frightening your lass half to death. Have you touched her, ’cos if you’ve laid a finger on that bairn, I’ll . . .?’
    ‘Oh aye.’ The man was smirking now, confident of his ground. ‘And what do you think the law’d do, eh? They can’t touch a man in his own home. Not for chastising his own, they can’t.’
    ‘Oho,’ Bessie said sarcastically. ‘You know all about it, don’t you? Had the coppers round to your house more than once, I bet.’
    The man glowered. ‘I told you – mind your own business.’
    ‘If a child’s getting hurt, then it is my business. I’ll make it my business.’
    ‘Well, she ain’t. I never laid a finger on her.’
    ‘What about your wife?’
    ‘That’s nowt to do wi’ you. A man’s got a right—’
    ‘No man’s got a right to belt anybody,’ Bessie thundered, her voice carrying through the black night and echoing round the yard to the listeners. ‘Least of all, a little thing like her, who can’t stand up to you.’
    ‘Like to take me on yourself, would you?’ the man sneered. ‘Reckon you could, do you, missis?’
    Bessie pushed up the sleeves of her nightdress. ‘Oho, wouldn’t I just, mester . . .’ she began, and took a step towards him.
    ‘Bess . . .’ came Bert’s warning voice, but either side of her, her two remaining sons moved closer.
    The man blinked, and glanced around at the menacing faces. Swiftly, he stepped back and slammed the door. From behind its comparative safety he shouted, ‘I’ll have me day with you, missis, you see if I don’t.’
    ‘Not if I see you first, mester, you won’t,’ Bess shouted back and gave the door one last thump, whilst Bert shook his head worriedly and muttered, ‘Leave it now, Bess.’
    ‘But I want to see his wife’s all right, I—’
    ‘You’ve done enough, lass,’ Bert said firmly. Then beneath his breath, he added, ‘More than enough.’

Four
    ‘You go back to bed, all of you. You too, Bert. You’ve all got work in the morning. I’ll stay down here with Mary Ann. I’ll make her a bed up on the couch in the front room and sit with