Tomorrow the World by Unknown

Author:Unknown
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788633024
Publisher: Canelo Books
Published: 2018-12-19T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

It was just striking seven when they knocked on Bridget’s door.

Half asleep, she stumbled out of bed to peep through the window. She couldn’t see who it was because they were too close to the front door. She went to the crib where Ruth was beginning to whimper. Bridget picked her up and held her close to her breast. Instinctively, her gaze went to the bed. ‘Tom?’ She ran into the other bedroom. He wasn’t there either. Leaning over the banister, she called downstairs. ‘Tom! There’s someone at the door!’

No answer.

She didn’t understand. ‘I thought he wasn’t working today. He promised we’d spend the day together. We’d talk things over, that’s what he said.’

Bridget returned to the bedroom and put on a robe. She hushed Ruth, who seemed to sense her anxiety. ‘He must have changed his mind and gone off to work,’ she decided. ‘But why didn’t he wake me?’ It was very strange.

A dreadful thought occurred to her as she hurried downstairs, the child fretful in her arms. ‘What if he’s sorry about last night? What if he’s changed his mind and everything is just as it was?’ It didn’t bear thinking about.

Cautiously, she opened the door. ‘I’m sorry, Mrs Mulligan,’ the officer said. ‘Can we come in?’

Confused and afraid, Bridget led them through to the parlour. Ruth was quiet now, nuzzling close. ‘What is it?’ Her heart was beating like a mad thing. ‘What do you want with me?’

‘I think it best if you sit down. Let me hold the child.’ It was a kindly voice, but not one she knew. ‘I’m Tom’s foreman… at the quarry.’ Swallowing deeply, he stepped back a pace. He hadn’t realised it would be so hard.

The officer intervened. ‘I’m afraid it’s bad news.’

Bridget’s eyes opened wide. ‘Bad news? What do you mean?’ The foreman took the child. Bridget made no protest. ‘Please,’ he said. ‘Bridget… won’t you sit down?’

Woodenly she obeyed him and he handed Ruth back to her. All manner of ideas were rushing through Bridget’s mind, turning her heart inside out and making her blood run cold. Had Fanny come to a sorry end in that bloody old caravan? Or Nelly next door? She liked her tipple – had she got drunk and caused an accident? Was she badly hurt? Another, greater fear lurked deep in her consciousness but she refused to acknowledge it. Tom… it was Tom… Defiantly she shook her head, pushing the thought away.

‘I’m sorry, Mrs Mulligan,’ the foreman was saying, ‘an accident at the quarry… I have to tell you…’ His voice went on, like a hammer in her brain. ‘… nothing we could do. I’m so sorry.’

She sat rigid, her eyes staring but not seeing, her face pale and quivering.

Softly at first, she cried out. The cry became a piercing wail and, shaking from head to toe, she clung to Ruth. ‘He’s not coming home,’ she sobbed. ‘Your daddy’s not coming home.’

It was a long time before they left her, and when they had gone she didn’t even realise they had brought Nelly to comfort her.

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