Flora.’
‘I’m not sure that he’s altogether discreet.’
‘Don’t trouble yourself on that score,’ he said. ‘I’ve impressed upon him the absolute need for discretion. Secrecy is our main weapon. Dalton appreciates that.’
‘I’m worried about his wife.’
‘Morag will take no part in it.’
‘Perhaps not but she’ll be aware that her husband is up to something. What if she objects or lets the cat out of the bag?’
‘Stop fretting,’ he advised. ‘Dalton’s marriage is very different to ours. He doesn’t have a wife like you who is passionate about the causes in which she believes. Morag Dalton is a little mouse of a woman with nothing to say. That’s why he was so astounded when I told him that
you
were involved.’ He smiled quietly. ‘Dalton just couldn’t believe that a woman would be prepared to take action against the railway companies. It’s something that
his
wife would never even contemplate.’
‘Morag doesn’t have enough spirit to fight for anything.’
‘Forget the woman, Flora. The point is that we have a convert.’
‘True – as long as he doesn’t get cold feet.’
‘Oh, I don’t think so. Dalton’s got nerves of steel.’
‘Does he realise what he might have to do?’
‘He knows that we’ll be acting outside the law.’
‘Have you told him how far you and I have already gone?’
Howie shook his head and put an affectionate hand on her arm.
‘It was too soon for that,’ he explained. ‘I didn’t want to shock him and run the risk of frightening him off. Let’s draw him in first. When he’s fully committed, we can spring our surprise on him.’ His smile verged on the triumphant this time. ‘I think he’ll be full of admiration at what we’ve so far achieved.’
The visit to the quarry entailed a train journey to Wamphray and a bumpy ride in a trap. Colbeck enjoyed the first and used the second to prise information about the locality from the driver. He arrived at the quarry with a clear idea of its extent, its workforce and its operation. He also learnt that it did not cease its output on a Sunday. Because it was so isolated, the quarry felt able to stay in production and gather more rock with the aid of gunpowder. The driver was asked to wait in order to take him back to the railway station. Colbeck, meanwhile, took a look at the vast hole excavated out of the ground. Stone was being quarried and loaded onto carts for transportation. As if to acknowledge his presence, a deafening blast was set off and the noise reverberated around the hillsides. A thickset man with a wispy beard came out of a hut to approach him. Colbeck introduced himself and learnt that he was talking to the supervisor.
‘How can I help ye, sir?’ asked the man.
‘I believe that you employ a fellow named Lackey Paterson.’
‘We employ a large number of people, as you can see. I cannae remember all their names. But I do ken we’ve more than one Paterson here.’
‘Is there some way of finding this particular man?’
‘Aye, sir. We keep a record of who’s working where on each day. It may look like a mess when ye stand heer but we’ve a proper system.’
‘Then I’d be grateful if you could tell me where Paterson might be.’
‘I will, sir. Excuse me a moment.’
The supervisor stepped into the hut to consult a ledger. He was away for a couple of minutes. When he emerged, he was bristling with anger.
‘Lackey Paterson is no’ heer,’ he said.
‘Are you sure about that?’
‘The work record doesnae lie. If he was at the quarry, there’d be a tick against his name but there’s only a cross. The wretch hasnae been heer since last Saturday. I’ll no’ put up wi’ that. I’ll no’ let Lackey Paterson or any other mahn under me take time off when it suits him. He’s done for at the quarry,’ he said with venom. ‘If ye find the lazy guid-for-nothing, tell him to stay awa’. He’s no’ got a job heer any longer.’
Colbeck was not
‘I’m not sure that he’s altogether discreet.’
‘Don’t trouble yourself on that score,’ he said. ‘I’ve impressed upon him the absolute need for discretion. Secrecy is our main weapon. Dalton appreciates that.’
‘I’m worried about his wife.’
‘Morag will take no part in it.’
‘Perhaps not but she’ll be aware that her husband is up to something. What if she objects or lets the cat out of the bag?’
‘Stop fretting,’ he advised. ‘Dalton’s marriage is very different to ours. He doesn’t have a wife like you who is passionate about the causes in which she believes. Morag Dalton is a little mouse of a woman with nothing to say. That’s why he was so astounded when I told him that
you
were involved.’ He smiled quietly. ‘Dalton just couldn’t believe that a woman would be prepared to take action against the railway companies. It’s something that
his
wife would never even contemplate.’
‘Morag doesn’t have enough spirit to fight for anything.’
‘Forget the woman, Flora. The point is that we have a convert.’
‘True – as long as he doesn’t get cold feet.’
‘Oh, I don’t think so. Dalton’s got nerves of steel.’
‘Does he realise what he might have to do?’
‘He knows that we’ll be acting outside the law.’
‘Have you told him how far you and I have already gone?’
Howie shook his head and put an affectionate hand on her arm.
‘It was too soon for that,’ he explained. ‘I didn’t want to shock him and run the risk of frightening him off. Let’s draw him in first. When he’s fully committed, we can spring our surprise on him.’ His smile verged on the triumphant this time. ‘I think he’ll be full of admiration at what we’ve so far achieved.’
The visit to the quarry entailed a train journey to Wamphray and a bumpy ride in a trap. Colbeck enjoyed the first and used the second to prise information about the locality from the driver. He arrived at the quarry with a clear idea of its extent, its workforce and its operation. He also learnt that it did not cease its output on a Sunday. Because it was so isolated, the quarry felt able to stay in production and gather more rock with the aid of gunpowder. The driver was asked to wait in order to take him back to the railway station. Colbeck, meanwhile, took a look at the vast hole excavated out of the ground. Stone was being quarried and loaded onto carts for transportation. As if to acknowledge his presence, a deafening blast was set off and the noise reverberated around the hillsides. A thickset man with a wispy beard came out of a hut to approach him. Colbeck introduced himself and learnt that he was talking to the supervisor.
‘How can I help ye, sir?’ asked the man.
‘I believe that you employ a fellow named Lackey Paterson.’
‘We employ a large number of people, as you can see. I cannae remember all their names. But I do ken we’ve more than one Paterson here.’
‘Is there some way of finding this particular man?’
‘Aye, sir. We keep a record of who’s working where on each day. It may look like a mess when ye stand heer but we’ve a proper system.’
‘Then I’d be grateful if you could tell me where Paterson might be.’
‘I will, sir. Excuse me a moment.’
The supervisor stepped into the hut to consult a ledger. He was away for a couple of minutes. When he emerged, he was bristling with anger.
‘Lackey Paterson is no’ heer,’ he said.
‘Are you sure about that?’
‘The work record doesnae lie. If he was at the quarry, there’d be a tick against his name but there’s only a cross. The wretch hasnae been heer since last Saturday. I’ll no’ put up wi’ that. I’ll no’ let Lackey Paterson or any other mahn under me take time off when it suits him. He’s done for at the quarry,’ he said with venom. ‘If ye find the lazy guid-for-nothing, tell him to stay awa’. He’s no’ got a job heer any longer.’
Colbeck was not
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