ways, an atheist was even worse than a Catholic. Sloan would have to address the issue eventually, but even she was taken by surprise when he began to mention scriptures in her presence relating to God’s hatred of men who engage in “unnatural acts.” Evidently, he had decided that Casey the boy, who was small and “pretty,” was homosexual. Ironic, but dangerous. She usually tried to avoid him, but now annoyance caused her to jump to Tom’s defense.
“Is that what you think he was doing? I didn’t notice you climbing up there to help Artie.” Her whisper was furious, but he answered mildly.
“Why, Mr. Andrews’ reputation is well-deserved, lad. Wouldn’t think to disparage him, not at all.” He started to turn away, but stopped, eyes narrowing as his gaze pierced her. “Don’t hurt the legend none, though. Makes you notice him, I guess.”
Casey flushed, closing her mouth against a retort that would only make things worse. Damn! Sloan had noticed her attraction to Tom, and put exactly the wrong spin on it. There’d be no good to come of that, she was sure.
~~~
"The thing is," she told Sam as she furiously chopped a cabbage for dinner that night, "despite the riots and other problems in Belfast, the workers at the shipyard get along pretty well."
Sam checked the cooking chicken. "I remember in history class–seventh grade or so–we did a section on Titanic and the shipyard. One of the things they told us was that Harland & Wolff had one of the fairest work policies in all Ireland. They didn't hire many Catholics, but the ones they had could work in safety, for the most part."
"It's true," Casey said. "Some of the Catholics and Protestants are friends with each other, at least at work. There aren't many who are like Mike Sloan, but it doesn't take very many to cause a lot of trouble. Sloan's a foreman. If he wants to make trouble for a Catholic worker, he can. And they let him hold these meetings at lunch time, where he'll get the workers riled up about something and blame the Catholics for it." She leaned against the counter and stared at the floor. "You can always tell when he's been doing that. It's real tense in the yard for a while. Usually after a few hours, everyone's back to normal–they start working together and forget about the issues. But it can be scary."
"And Sloan thinks you're gay?" Sam handed her the plates for the table, an eyebrow raised at her. "I could've told you something like that would happen."
She sniffed. "Gay, and interested in Tom Andrews. Can't I just tell him to mind his own business?"
Sam laughed. "Get real, Casey. Everybody these days knows " he put two fingers up in quotation marks, "that homosexuality is wrong. It's sinful. That's something the Catholics and the Protestants agree on." He tossed her the napkins. "No one would be on your side."
She caught the napkins, glaring at him. "What can he do about it? He can't prove it." But she looked worried. "If he starts spreading rumors, it could look bad for Mr. Andrews, though."
"Oh, I doubt he'd try that, Casey." Sam stared off into space, thinking. "I wonder if this guy is related to Thomas Sloan, who's a member of parliament. A very sectarian, bigoted MP. Hates Catholics; totally committed to the Protestant cause. If so, your Mike Sloan has a formidable position as a political influence in the yard. But he still depends on Lord Pirrie more or less approving of what he does. And Pirrie is an enigma when it comes to Home Rule. He's generally for it, if I remember my history right. But he waffles because he wants to advance in British society, and the British are obviously against it." Casey looked confused and Sam offered a brief smile. "Basically, Lord Pirrie will want to avoid action for or against a man like Sloan. So Sloan can get away with a lot. But I don't think he'd get away with slandering Lord Pirrie's nephew."
They sat at the table as Sam dished up the food. "You may be somewhat protected from Sloan by
“Is that what you think he was doing? I didn’t notice you climbing up there to help Artie.” Her whisper was furious, but he answered mildly.
“Why, Mr. Andrews’ reputation is well-deserved, lad. Wouldn’t think to disparage him, not at all.” He started to turn away, but stopped, eyes narrowing as his gaze pierced her. “Don’t hurt the legend none, though. Makes you notice him, I guess.”
Casey flushed, closing her mouth against a retort that would only make things worse. Damn! Sloan had noticed her attraction to Tom, and put exactly the wrong spin on it. There’d be no good to come of that, she was sure.
~~~
"The thing is," she told Sam as she furiously chopped a cabbage for dinner that night, "despite the riots and other problems in Belfast, the workers at the shipyard get along pretty well."
Sam checked the cooking chicken. "I remember in history class–seventh grade or so–we did a section on Titanic and the shipyard. One of the things they told us was that Harland & Wolff had one of the fairest work policies in all Ireland. They didn't hire many Catholics, but the ones they had could work in safety, for the most part."
"It's true," Casey said. "Some of the Catholics and Protestants are friends with each other, at least at work. There aren't many who are like Mike Sloan, but it doesn't take very many to cause a lot of trouble. Sloan's a foreman. If he wants to make trouble for a Catholic worker, he can. And they let him hold these meetings at lunch time, where he'll get the workers riled up about something and blame the Catholics for it." She leaned against the counter and stared at the floor. "You can always tell when he's been doing that. It's real tense in the yard for a while. Usually after a few hours, everyone's back to normal–they start working together and forget about the issues. But it can be scary."
"And Sloan thinks you're gay?" Sam handed her the plates for the table, an eyebrow raised at her. "I could've told you something like that would happen."
She sniffed. "Gay, and interested in Tom Andrews. Can't I just tell him to mind his own business?"
Sam laughed. "Get real, Casey. Everybody these days knows " he put two fingers up in quotation marks, "that homosexuality is wrong. It's sinful. That's something the Catholics and the Protestants agree on." He tossed her the napkins. "No one would be on your side."
She caught the napkins, glaring at him. "What can he do about it? He can't prove it." But she looked worried. "If he starts spreading rumors, it could look bad for Mr. Andrews, though."
"Oh, I doubt he'd try that, Casey." Sam stared off into space, thinking. "I wonder if this guy is related to Thomas Sloan, who's a member of parliament. A very sectarian, bigoted MP. Hates Catholics; totally committed to the Protestant cause. If so, your Mike Sloan has a formidable position as a political influence in the yard. But he still depends on Lord Pirrie more or less approving of what he does. And Pirrie is an enigma when it comes to Home Rule. He's generally for it, if I remember my history right. But he waffles because he wants to advance in British society, and the British are obviously against it." Casey looked confused and Sam offered a brief smile. "Basically, Lord Pirrie will want to avoid action for or against a man like Sloan. So Sloan can get away with a lot. But I don't think he'd get away with slandering Lord Pirrie's nephew."
They sat at the table as Sam dished up the food. "You may be somewhat protected from Sloan by
Similar Books
