like Vincent Shaw who would surely dismiss him.
âHow long ago was this?â
âA year. I went to Sheffield for a time and then I went to London.â
âAnd now youâre gracing Nottinghamâs fair city with your presence?â
Rob gave him the requisite number of âyes, sirsâ after that and then he went back to his lodging, packed his things and left. He hadnât been at the station for many minutes when a tall, dark haired man with a long flowing coat grabbed him by the shoulder.
âWhere are you going?â Vincent Shaw demanded.
âThe next train.â
âNo, youâre not. How am I meant to manage without my best moulder? Youâre coming back with me.â
âBackâ meant the Shaw house which he had been so lately dismissed from. There the family were just starting dinner, the smell of food was wonderful. Vincent propelled him in and said, âThis is young Berkeley. He missed his meal last time he was here. Robert, this is my wife, Ida, and my son, Harry and that exquisite creature at the far side of the table is my daughter, Sarah. Sit down and donât talk with your mouth full.â
Sarah Shaw was everything that any man could ever have wanted in any woman and Rob fell in love with her at that very moment. She was nineteen. Rob had never been in love before, but he recognised it for what it was when it happened. He even felt rather sorry for himself for a few moments. Sarah Shaw was as beyond his touch as though she had been royalty. Worst of all she seemed to like him, in the friendly way which Rob discovered the Shaws had. They were open, sociable people who had many visitors at their house, and that evening, when Vincent and Ida left the room, Sarah and Harry stayed and talked until it was late. Rob had never been in such company before. He liked it. They were educated and enquiring, interested and interesting, well read and well travelled and Harry Shaw was an engineer, not like any rich manâs son that Rob had ever seen before.
After that evening Harry called in at Robâs lodging andasked him out and, having discovered that Harry had a liking for his company, Rob went out and had his hair cut and bought a new suit. Harry was careful with Rob too, Rob noted with some amusement. He never took Rob anywhere that he couldnât afford or talked about things in which Rob had no part. Harry smoked and drank and went to Doncaster races and slept with high class prostitutes, so Rob was told, but two or three evenings a week they just sat in the nearest pub over a drink and talked about work. Rob knew that Harry wouldnât have kept on seeing him if he had been bored.
Harry was kind too; he introduced Rob to those of his friends he thought might be informative, helpful or entertaining, and quite often he took Rob home to dinner or later just for a drink and to sit by the fire.
Sarah was to be married the following spring. That autumn the young man came to Nottingham to see her, and there was a party at the house. Rob had not expected to be invited, but Harry said he wasnât going if there was nobody to talk to, and Lawrence Carlington was said to be bringing friends with him for the weekend.
The evening of the party Rob was quite happy with Harry and his friends until Sarah brought Lawrence over and introduced them. Lawrence turned merry eyes on Rob.
âYouâre from the north, I understand. My family has pits there. You arenât a pitman of course?â
âNo,â Rob said. âMy family has pits and a steel foundry.â
âPitmen are small like goblins. They never wash, I understand and they keep coal inside their houses. Very strange. You must find Nottingham extraordinarily civilised, though of course there are pits here too. Even this is a little far north for my taste. I have told Sarah that after we are married she will have to invite her family to stay with us. The fascination for industrial towns
âHow long ago was this?â
âA year. I went to Sheffield for a time and then I went to London.â
âAnd now youâre gracing Nottinghamâs fair city with your presence?â
Rob gave him the requisite number of âyes, sirsâ after that and then he went back to his lodging, packed his things and left. He hadnât been at the station for many minutes when a tall, dark haired man with a long flowing coat grabbed him by the shoulder.
âWhere are you going?â Vincent Shaw demanded.
âThe next train.â
âNo, youâre not. How am I meant to manage without my best moulder? Youâre coming back with me.â
âBackâ meant the Shaw house which he had been so lately dismissed from. There the family were just starting dinner, the smell of food was wonderful. Vincent propelled him in and said, âThis is young Berkeley. He missed his meal last time he was here. Robert, this is my wife, Ida, and my son, Harry and that exquisite creature at the far side of the table is my daughter, Sarah. Sit down and donât talk with your mouth full.â
Sarah Shaw was everything that any man could ever have wanted in any woman and Rob fell in love with her at that very moment. She was nineteen. Rob had never been in love before, but he recognised it for what it was when it happened. He even felt rather sorry for himself for a few moments. Sarah Shaw was as beyond his touch as though she had been royalty. Worst of all she seemed to like him, in the friendly way which Rob discovered the Shaws had. They were open, sociable people who had many visitors at their house, and that evening, when Vincent and Ida left the room, Sarah and Harry stayed and talked until it was late. Rob had never been in such company before. He liked it. They were educated and enquiring, interested and interesting, well read and well travelled and Harry Shaw was an engineer, not like any rich manâs son that Rob had ever seen before.
After that evening Harry called in at Robâs lodging andasked him out and, having discovered that Harry had a liking for his company, Rob went out and had his hair cut and bought a new suit. Harry was careful with Rob too, Rob noted with some amusement. He never took Rob anywhere that he couldnât afford or talked about things in which Rob had no part. Harry smoked and drank and went to Doncaster races and slept with high class prostitutes, so Rob was told, but two or three evenings a week they just sat in the nearest pub over a drink and talked about work. Rob knew that Harry wouldnât have kept on seeing him if he had been bored.
Harry was kind too; he introduced Rob to those of his friends he thought might be informative, helpful or entertaining, and quite often he took Rob home to dinner or later just for a drink and to sit by the fire.
Sarah was to be married the following spring. That autumn the young man came to Nottingham to see her, and there was a party at the house. Rob had not expected to be invited, but Harry said he wasnât going if there was nobody to talk to, and Lawrence Carlington was said to be bringing friends with him for the weekend.
The evening of the party Rob was quite happy with Harry and his friends until Sarah brought Lawrence over and introduced them. Lawrence turned merry eyes on Rob.
âYouâre from the north, I understand. My family has pits there. You arenât a pitman of course?â
âNo,â Rob said. âMy family has pits and a steel foundry.â
âPitmen are small like goblins. They never wash, I understand and they keep coal inside their houses. Very strange. You must find Nottingham extraordinarily civilised, though of course there are pits here too. Even this is a little far north for my taste. I have told Sarah that after we are married she will have to invite her family to stay with us. The fascination for industrial towns
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