Gaslight in Page Street by Harry Bowling Read Free Book Online

yerself, sod ’em all. Are we all agreed?’
     
    Determined, excited voices rang out and then Aggie stood up, waving her hands for the women to quieten down. ‘The question is, ’ow we gonna find out fer sure when the army’s comin’?’ she asked Florrie.
     
    Florrie grinned slyly. ‘Now listen ter me. Yer all know Nellie Tanner’s ole man is the yard foreman? Well, she’s gonna find out from ’im when they’re comin’. She’s got kids like a lot o’ you women an’ she ain’t none too ’appy about ’avin’ ter keep ’em off the street. Besides, it’s ’er ole man who’s gonna ’ave ter run the bleedin’ nags. She told me only the ovver day she worries over ’er Will gettin’ trampled on if one o’ them ’orses falls over. She told me ’e’s fair copped out by the time ’e’s finished.’
     
    Sadie put up her hand for attention. She was a large, middle-aged woman with dark hair and deep blue eyes. Her flat, friendly face belied a volcanic temper and she was renowned for her ability to stand up in the street and fight like a man. One or two bullying women had come to grief in the past when they had had the temerity to challenge Sadie to a fight, and on one occasion she had been taken to court and fined ten shillings for a street affray in which her opponent, a drunken docker who had questioned her birthright, was laid out cold by a swinging right-hand punch from Sadie’s massive fist. She had seven children by her devoted docker husband, Daniel, who idolised her. Sadie’s brood were often involved in scraps, and more often than not the fights were between themselves. The family had become known as ‘the fighting Sullivans’, although when Sadie and her Irish husband Daniel marched their tribe to Mass on Sunday mornings, they all looked positively angelic.
     
    At the moment Sadie looked far from angelic. She glanced around at the other women. ‘I reckon if we stick tergevver we’re gonna beat ole Galloway, but we’ve all gotta see it out,’ she said resolutely. ‘That connivin’ ole bastard might see us all sittin’ in the turnin’ an’ e’ might well phone up fer the coppers. What we gotta do is refuse ter move. All right we might get nicked an’ put in the Black Maria, but at least we can tell our side of it ter the beak. If we get a decent magistrate we might get a restraint put on Galloway. Some o’ them magistrates ain’t so bad.’
     
    The mention of the Black Maria and possibly going before a magistrate sent shivers through Maudie Mycroft. She went to the women’s meeting every Monday afternoon at St James’s Church, and already had visions of the other ladies there whispering together and giving her dark looks. She could hear them now: ‘Ten shillings fine and bound over to keep the peace. Isn’t it disgusting? Wouldn’t you think the woman would have better sense than to throw herself in front of the horses? Disgusting behaviour! I should think the Reverend Preedy will ask her to stay away. It’s such a bad example to the other women ...’
     
    Maudie fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat. She wanted desperately to speak about her misgivings but she bit on her tongue. If she opted out of joining the rest of the women, they would all think her a coward and pass her by in the street. Maybe she could feign illness, or perhaps go to see her sister in Deptford when the women took to the street? She could say that her sister was suddenly taken ill.
     
    The women were getting ready to leave and as Sadie stood up she grinned widely at Florrie and said, ‘I’m bringin’ me rollin’-pin wiv me, Flo. If one o’ them coppers touches me, I’ll crown ’im wiv it.’
     
    Maudie dabbed at her hot forehead and decided there and then that she just had to find a very good excuse.
     
     
    It was early evening and Carrie and her younger brothers were playing outside the house. Inside in the small parlour William sat beside the empty grate, watching Nellie’s deft fingers