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there s nothing for you or Jenny to worry about. I ll clear out of here in an
hour or so when it s a bit quieter, if that s all right with you.
He went into the kitchen and found the girl at the sink, an apron around her
waist, washing the dishes.  Need any help?
 You can dry if you like.
 Long time since I did this. He picked up a tea towel.
 Even longer before you do it again.
 Heh, what have I done? he demanded.
 It s just that I can t stand waste, she said.  I mean look at you. Where on
earth do you think you re going to go from here? You won t last long out there
with every copper for miles around on the watch for you.
 Whose side are you on then?
 That s another thing. You can t be serious for a moment  not about
anything.
She returned to the dishes and the Gunner chuckled.  I m glad you re angry
anyhow.
 What s that supposed to mean?
 Better than no reaction at all. At least you re interested.
 You ll be lucky. The day I can t do better I ll jump off Queen s Bridge.
But she was smiling and some of the tension had gone out of her when she
returned to the washing-up.  I was having an interesting chat with your gran,
the Gunner said.  Seems you ve got your hands full at the moment.
 Oh, we get by.
 Sounds to me as if you need a good man round the place.
 Why, are you available?
He grinned.  I wish I was, darlin .
The judas gate banged outside and steps echoed across the yard. Jenny Crowther
frowned.  That s funny, I dropped the latch when I went out earlier.
 Anyone else got a key?
 Not as far as I know. I ll see who it is. You d better stay here.
He waited, the kitchen door held open slightly so that he could see what took
place. Ma Crowther appeared from the other room and watched as Jenny opened
the front door.
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The man who pushed his way inside wore a donkey jacket with leather patches on
the shoulders and had obviously had a drink. He was hefty enough with arms
that were a little too long, but his face was puffed up from too much beer and
the weak mouth the biggest giveaway of all.
 And what might you want at this time of night, Joe Ogden? Ma Crowther
demanded.
 Leave this to me, Gran, Jenny said calmly.  Go on now. I ll be in in a
minute.
The old woman went back into the sitting-room reluctantly and Jenny closed the
door and turned to face Ogden. She held out her hand.  You used a key to open
the outside gate. I don t know where you got it from, but I want it.
He smiled slyly.  Nay, lass, I couldn t do that. I like to be able to come and
go. He took a step forward and put his hand on the wall so that she was caged
in the corner by the sitting-room door.  We could get along just fine, you and
me. Why not be sensible? A lass like you s got better things to be doing than
trying to run a firm like this. Keeping truckies in their place is man s
work.
He tried to kiss her and she twisted her head to one side.  I m going to give
you just five seconds to get out of here. If you don t, I ll send for the
police and lay a complaint for assault.
He jumped back as if he had been stung.  You rotten little bitch, he said,
his face red and angry.  You won t listen to reason, will you? Well, just
remember this  I m shop steward here. All I have to do is say the word and
every man in the place walks out through that gate with me  they ll have no
option. I could make things very awkward for you.
She opened the door without a word. He stood there glowering at her, then
moved out.  All right, miss, he said viciously.  Don t say I didn t warn
you.
She closed the door and turned, shaking with rage.  I ll kill him. I ll kill
the bastard, she said and then broke down and sobbed, all the worry and
frustration of the weeks since her father s death welling up to the surface.
Strong arms pulled her close and a hand stroked her hair.  Now then, darlin ,
never say die. She looked up and the Gunner grinned down at her.  Only one
way to handle a situation like this. Put the kettle on, there s a good girl.
I ll be back in five minutes.
He kissed her full on the mouth and before she could say anything, opened the
door and went out into the night.
Joe Ogden paused on the corner, swaying slightly for he was still about
three-parts drunk. So she wanted it the hard way did she? Right  then that
was the way she could have it. He d show the bitch  by God he would. By the
time he was finished she d come crawling, begging him to sort things out for
her and then he d call the tune all right.
He crossed the street and turned into a narrow lane, head down against the
driving rain, completely absorbed by a series of sexual phantasies in which
Jenny Crowther was doing exactly as she was told. The lane was badly lit by a
number of old-fashioned gas lamps, long stretches of darkness in between and
the pavement was in a bad state of repair, the flags lifting dangerously.
The Gunner descended on him like a thunderbolt in the middle of one of the
darker stretches and proceeded to take him apart savagely and brutally in a
manner that was as exact as any science.
Ogden cried out in pain as he was propelled into the nearest brick wall with a
force that took the breath out of his body. He swung round, aware of the pale
blur of a face and swung a fist instinctively, catching the Gunner high on the
right cheekbone.
It was the only hit he was to make that night. A boot caught him under the
right kneecap, a left and a right screwed into his stomach and a knee lifted
into his face as he keeled over, for the Gunner was never one to allow the
Queensberry rules to get in his way in this sort of affair.
Ogden rolled over in the rain and the Gunner kicked him hard about the body
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half a dozen times, each blow judged to a nicety. Ogden lay there, face
against the pavement, more frightened than he had ever been in his life,
expecting to meet his end at any moment.
Instead, his assailant squatted beside him in the darkness and said in a
strangely gentle voice,  You don t know who I am, but I know you and that s
all that matters. Now listen carefully because I m only going to say this
once. You ll get your cards and a week s pay in the post Monday. In the
future, you stay away from Crowther s yard. Make any kind of trouble at all,
union or otherwise, and I ll get you. He grabbed a handful of Ogden s hair.
 Understand?
 Yes. Ogden could hardly get the word out as fear seized him by the throat.
 See that you do. Now where s the key to the outside gate?
Ogden fumbled in his left hand pocket, the Gunner took the yale key from him,
slammed him back hard against the pavement and walked away.
Ogden got to his knees, dizzy with pain and pulled himself up against the
wall. He caught a brief glimpse of the Gunner running through the lighted area
under one of the lamps and then he was alone again. Quite suddenly, and for
the first time since childhood, he started to cry, dry sobs tearing at his
throat as he turned and stumbled away through the darkness.
Crouched by the open doorway in the loft above the old barn in the exact
positon the Gunner had occupied earlier, the Rainlover waited patiently,
wondering whether the man would return.
The door opened for the second time in ten minutes and the girl appeared,
framed against the light, so close that he could see the worry on her face. He
started to get up and beyond through the darkness, there was the creaking of
the judas gate as it opened. A moment later, the Gunner appeared.
He paused at the bottom of the steps and tossed the key up to Jenny.  This is
yours. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]