Daughters of Courage by Margaret Dickinson

Author:Margaret Dickinson [Dickinson, Margaret]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781447290902
Publisher: Pan Books

Thirty-Five

‘I really should go and see Mr Hawke. Mrs Dugdale told me she’d seen him recently and he’s not looking too well. And it’s ages since I saw him,’ Emily told Trip.

‘Why don’t you take Lewis to see him one afternoon? I’m sure he’d love to see the little chap.’

So, on the next Saturday afternoon, Emily took the lively four-year-old in his red pushchair along the streets to the small terraced house where Nathan Hawke lived. He was a long time answering her knock and Emily was startled by the change in him. His shoulders were rounded in a stoop and he shuffled his feet. He had lost weight and his clothes hung loosely on him, but his smile was as welcoming as ever.

‘My dear young lady, how lovely to see you and you’ve brought young Master Trippet to see me too. Come in, come in. Now, let’s see what I can find for you to play with, young man. My, how he’s grown. Is he ready to start school yet, Emily?’

‘Well ready,’ Emily said, with feeling. ‘Poor Mrs Dugdale has quite a task to keep him occupied all day long. He’s as bright as a button and active with it.’

He led the way to the kitchen and whilst the surfaces were a little cluttered, Emily was relieved to see that everywhere was clean and there was evidence of meals having been cooked recently.

‘How are you, Mr Hawke?’

‘Quite well, thank you,’ he said, as he bent to place a box of assorted buttons on the hearth. At once, Lewis tipped them out onto the rug and began to sort them into neat piles. ‘And you?’ Nathan went on. ‘Tell me all about yourself and your family. How’s business? I expect things are difficult.’

Emily wasn’t sure that his answer about his own health had been entirely truthful, but he seemed cheerful enough and his interest was as keen as ever. Whilst Lewis played happily, Emily told him about her latest venture.

‘The buffing business is holding its own – just, though Trip has had to lay off some of his workers or turn part of the factory into individual workshops for rental.’

Nathan nodded. ‘That’s always been done.’ He smiled. ‘Long live the little mesters, eh?’ Having been one himself for all of his working life, Nathan had an empathy with the self-employed craftsmen.

‘And Nell’s to have another child, you say?’

‘Yes, it’s due some time in February.’

‘And you?’ he asked gently.

Emily couldn’t stop the smile fading from her face. ‘We’d like another one, but it doesn’t seem to be happening.’

‘Maybe you’re working too hard.’ He laughed wryly. ‘But I don’t suppose it’s any good me asking you to slow down, is it?’

‘Not a scrap.’

When he’d waved his visitors goodbye and closed the door behind them, Nathan returned to his chair beside the range. He sank into it with a sigh and sat for a long time deep in thought. Emily’s visit had reminded him what an enterprising, yet kindly, young woman she was. She was tough and determined and yet that strength was tempered by an innate kindness for others.

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