Emily was late getting back to the workshop and Nell was on the point of leaving. The other two girls had gone already.
‘I know you want to get home, but can you spare me five minutes?’
Nell laughed. ‘Just so long as you don’t expect me to start on that lot tonight.’ She nodded towards the heavy basket of unfinished cutlery, which Emily was carrying and took it from her. ‘My, this is heavy. However have you managed to carry all this?’
‘I’m developing muscles I didn’t know I had!’
‘The sooner you learn to drive that nice little car your lovely husband has bought you, the better. And talking of that, have you thought any more about taking Trip up on his offer for you to rent another workshop in his factory?’
‘Yes, I have. I think we have enough work coming in from regular customers now to warrant it.’
‘Are you sure it will continue to come in, though, Emily? And does Trip want a long lease?’ Despite Nell’s lack of a formal education she was streetwise.
Emily shook her head. ‘No. We’ve already talked about it and he’s said he’ll charge us rent month by month.’
‘You’re very lucky. Most folks would want at least a year or two, if not more.’
‘What do you think I married him for?’ Emily said flippantly, but Nell was deadly serious as she said, ‘Don’t give me that, Emily Trippet. You married him because you’re besotted with him.’
Emily laughed. ‘You’re right, of course.’
‘Anyway, I’d best be getting home.’ Nell moved towards the door, the discussion over as far as she was concerned. ‘I’m still a bit worried about Lucy.’
‘Is she still having trouble with those girls at school?’
Nell laughed wryly. ‘No chance. I saw their mothers. They won’t be bothering her again. No, she’s still a bit fearful when she walks home from school. That’s when Mick picked her up, you know. Mind you, it’s made the little tyke come home at the proper time. No more wandering about the streets.’
‘Just one more thing . . .’ Emily said hastily and went on to tell Nell about her visit to the Dugdales’ home and all that had happened, ending, ‘You are all right about Lizzie still working for us, aren’t you?’
Nell’s mouth tightened as she considered for a moment, whilst Emily held her breath.
‘As long as you’re sure – we’re sure – that she’s telling us the truth.’
‘If we find out she’s not, Nell, she’s out. I promise you that.’
Nell nodded. ‘All right, then. Let’s see how it goes, shall we?’
Lizzie returned to the workshop the following morning, quiet and subdued. She was nothing like the bubbly, outgoing girl she’d been when Emily had first met her, but she was pleased to see that the other girls, taking their lead from Nell, greeted her in a friendly manner. Emily sighed. She hoped that time would heal all the hurt but she feared it would take a long while.
That same night, it seemed that Emily’s tentative hopes for an end to all the animosity were even further away than she’d thought.
Street fighting broke out and for the next five weeks, mayhem reigned in the city. Steve Henderson’s mob had been established the longest, but younger youths now formed their own gangs and rampaged through the streets, threatening the citizens. There were even a couple of fights up on Sky Edge over the betting, and threats towards men leaving their work on pay day escalated. In a time of hardship, this extra fear brought many citizens to the edge of despair.
But no one could find Mick Dugdale.
Bess was relieved and prayed each night that her son had gone and would have the sense now to stay away. She mourned his loss and when Emily visited one evening, she was in a nostalgic mood.
‘He was a lovely little lad, you know, Emily. You wouldn’t have ever thought he’d’ve turned out the way he has. I don’t know where I’ve gone wrong, really I don’t. Of course, maybe not having a father might have been one reason, but my dad – when he was alive, bless him – was like a father to both of them.’
‘I remember Granddad,’ Lizzie put in, handing round cups of tea and sitting down to join in the reminiscing. ‘He was a lovely old boy. Mr Hawke always reminds me a bit of him.’
‘He was very good to us when I was left a widow. Him and me mam both were. I wish now I’d never named Mick after his granddad. He’d be devastated to see what his grandson has become. He’d be so ashamed.’
‘But I thought Granddad’s name was Lionel? Not Michael.’
‘No, no, not his Christian name. I didn’t like the name Lionel, so I used the surname – Hartley – as Mick’s second name.’
‘And I’m called after Grannie, am I?’
‘Yes, Elizabeth. You and me are both named after her.’
‘I have to say that Mick was good to us when we first came to the city,’ Emily said. ‘You all were, but I didn’t realize at the time that he was threatening poor Mr Hawke into helping us to set up in business. If I had known . . .’
Bess gave a deep sigh. ‘Aye well, I’m not so sure that folks believe me an’ Lizzie when we say we were in complete ignorance about his carryings on. People just saw all the goodies he brought us and thought we were all in on it. Eee, I was that naive.’
‘Me too,’ Lizzie murmured. ‘I thought he was just sticking up for his sister.’
The mention of Nathan Hawke had reminded Emily that she had not visited him recently and, silently, she resolved to call to see him on her way home.
‘I should be going,’ she said, standing up. ‘Are you sure you’re both all right?’
When the two women nodded, Emily added, ‘Be sure to let me know if there’s anything you need. Anything at all. I’ll see you at work tomorrow, Lizzie.’
Emily walked swiftly through the dusk, being careful to keep to the main streets. When she knocked on Nathan’s door, she was not surprised to see him peer out of the window first to see who was standing there.
‘Emily, my dear girl, come in, come in,’ he said, throwing the door wide open. ‘What are you doing out in the dark?’ He peered behind her. ‘Isn’t Trip with you?’
‘No, I’m fine, Mr Hawke.’ She chuckled as he led her through to his kitchen and saw her seated in his own chair by the range. ‘I happen to be on good terms with the most notorious gang leader in the city. Strangely, I’m not afraid to be out on my own at night, though I have to admit, Trip doesn’t like it.’
‘Quite right too.’
‘I’m sorry it’s been a while since I called to see you. How are you?’
He waved aside her apology. ‘You’ve had a lot on your mind, my dear. And I’m fine, except for this wretched arthritis that’s getting worse by the day. I can still get about, you know, but I’m so slow these days, it’s frustrating.’
Emily repeated what she had said to Bess and Lizzie. ‘You must let me know if there’s anything you need. Promise me?’
Nathan smiled and nodded. ‘I will. Thank you. Now, tell me how are things with the business? Are you still managing to find enough work to keep all your employees busy?’
They chatted for a while longer, but after she had been there about half an hour, he said, ‘Much as I love your visits, Emily, I really think you should be getting home. Trip will be worried. But before you go, I have some news. The workshop in Broad Lane has been rebuilt since the fire and is ready for rental again. I don’t know if you’d want to work there again after what happened to you and Nell. It must have terrifying memories for both of you. But if you wanted to rent it again, it’s yours.’
Emily’s eyes gleamed and her mind worked quickly. ‘I’d love to rent it. May I have a few days to talk it over with Trip? We had been talking about me taking a workshop in his factory, but to have the one in Broad Lane again would be ideal.’
‘Of course. No hurry. It’s been long enough getting rebuilt,’ he added wryly.
‘Thank you for offering it to me.’
Nathan smiled at her. ‘There’s no one else I’d rather have as my tenant.’
Not wanting to cause him anxiety, she got up to leave. ‘I’ll come again soon – in daylight,’ she teased. ‘Or bring my own bodyguard.’
He laughed. ‘You do that. I’d like to see Trip too.’