moved silently out into the bright light. A round of applause marked their going. Everyone in the hall knew they were the engine men going to switch on the power.
CHAPTER SEVEN
It was only as Sarah settled herself by Rose’s fireside and began to tell her why she’d gone over to Millbrook that the full magnitude of what had really happened slowly dawned upon her.
‘And the men simply turned off the power?’ Rose asked, her eyes wide with amazement, the tone of her voice giving away her growing anxiety. ‘What about your father?’
‘He was badly upset,’ Sarah said flatly. ‘He made no bones about it. He didn’t know what to do. To be honest, Ma, I’d no more idea then he had. Da’s never been one for public speaking, but I think he felt it so badly because he’s so sure Hugh would have known what to say and he never wants to let Hugh down.’
Sarah shook her head sadly.
‘To be honest, Ma, I’m not so sure he could have done any better than Da. It was the menwho were so hostile and if it hadn’t been for the women and wee Daisy, I mightn’t have got far either. The two men from Belfast and Lancashire were trying to make out the spinners were cowards for not supporting their menfolk like the women did in the Land League. The spinners didn’t like that, but most of them didn’t know what to do until Daisy said her piece. Another time it might not go the same way,’ she ended sharply.
Rose looked at her daughter. No, she was taking no joy in her success. Before she could think of anything to say, however, Sarah went on.
‘Here am I, Ma, working as best I can for women’s rights, for better conditions in the mills, shorter hours and better pay, and along come these men with their great ideas.
Bring the employers to their knees. Strike for better pay
,’ she said angrily. ‘Have they no sense at all? It’s not as simple as that. Don’t they ever look and see where that road leads?
She stood up abruptly and paced back and forth across the room.
‘Sometimes I think Hugh was right,’ she said, pausing and looking down at Rose. ‘He used to say the worst thing that ever happened to him was inheriting four mills.’
Rose remembered an autumn morning long ago when Elizabeth told her how hard Hugh had struggled with the work in the mill office whenhis father had sent him to learn the business. Before he’d discovered his talent for repairing and inventing machinery, the mills and everything about them had been nothing to him but a constant source of anxiety and misery. That Hugh had gone on feeling the burden even after he and Sarah were married had never entered her head.
‘You worked so well together, Sarah, I don’t think I realised how hard it was for you both.’
‘No, I don’t think I did either.’
Sarah came and dropped down wearily in her father’s chair.
‘And now the burden is falling on Da,’ she said, looking her mother straight in the face. ‘I think he feels just like I do, that he has to keep things going for Hugh’s sake. But I’m not so sure that’s what Hugh would want. So many things have changed, Ma. And they’ll go on changing and not for the better. Today is only the beginning.’
‘Oh Sarah, do you really think it’s as bad as that?’ Rose asked gently. ‘You’re very tired and it must have been quite dreadful standing up there in front of all those people. I think
you
were very brave.’
‘Thanks, Ma,’ she said, smiling suddenly. ‘Who was it said that the only really brave people are those who are scared but still do it?’
‘I don’t know, love, but I’m sure it’s true. Do you think Daisy was scared?’
To Rose’s surprise, Sarah laughed.
‘No, I think she was so furious with those men behaving as if the women needed jollying along that she just flew in and said her bit,’ she said cheerfully. ‘Do you know, she doesn’t even limp now? That was Richard’s doing.’
‘And Hugh’s,’ Rose added gently.
‘Yes, I didn’t know
CHAPTER SEVEN
It was only as Sarah settled herself by Rose’s fireside and began to tell her why she’d gone over to Millbrook that the full magnitude of what had really happened slowly dawned upon her.
‘And the men simply turned off the power?’ Rose asked, her eyes wide with amazement, the tone of her voice giving away her growing anxiety. ‘What about your father?’
‘He was badly upset,’ Sarah said flatly. ‘He made no bones about it. He didn’t know what to do. To be honest, Ma, I’d no more idea then he had. Da’s never been one for public speaking, but I think he felt it so badly because he’s so sure Hugh would have known what to say and he never wants to let Hugh down.’
Sarah shook her head sadly.
‘To be honest, Ma, I’m not so sure he could have done any better than Da. It was the menwho were so hostile and if it hadn’t been for the women and wee Daisy, I mightn’t have got far either. The two men from Belfast and Lancashire were trying to make out the spinners were cowards for not supporting their menfolk like the women did in the Land League. The spinners didn’t like that, but most of them didn’t know what to do until Daisy said her piece. Another time it might not go the same way,’ she ended sharply.
Rose looked at her daughter. No, she was taking no joy in her success. Before she could think of anything to say, however, Sarah went on.
‘Here am I, Ma, working as best I can for women’s rights, for better conditions in the mills, shorter hours and better pay, and along come these men with their great ideas.
Bring the employers to their knees. Strike for better pay
,’ she said angrily. ‘Have they no sense at all? It’s not as simple as that. Don’t they ever look and see where that road leads?
She stood up abruptly and paced back and forth across the room.
‘Sometimes I think Hugh was right,’ she said, pausing and looking down at Rose. ‘He used to say the worst thing that ever happened to him was inheriting four mills.’
Rose remembered an autumn morning long ago when Elizabeth told her how hard Hugh had struggled with the work in the mill office whenhis father had sent him to learn the business. Before he’d discovered his talent for repairing and inventing machinery, the mills and everything about them had been nothing to him but a constant source of anxiety and misery. That Hugh had gone on feeling the burden even after he and Sarah were married had never entered her head.
‘You worked so well together, Sarah, I don’t think I realised how hard it was for you both.’
‘No, I don’t think I did either.’
Sarah came and dropped down wearily in her father’s chair.
‘And now the burden is falling on Da,’ she said, looking her mother straight in the face. ‘I think he feels just like I do, that he has to keep things going for Hugh’s sake. But I’m not so sure that’s what Hugh would want. So many things have changed, Ma. And they’ll go on changing and not for the better. Today is only the beginning.’
‘Oh Sarah, do you really think it’s as bad as that?’ Rose asked gently. ‘You’re very tired and it must have been quite dreadful standing up there in front of all those people. I think
you
were very brave.’
‘Thanks, Ma,’ she said, smiling suddenly. ‘Who was it said that the only really brave people are those who are scared but still do it?’
‘I don’t know, love, but I’m sure it’s true. Do you think Daisy was scared?’
To Rose’s surprise, Sarah laughed.
‘No, I think she was so furious with those men behaving as if the women needed jollying along that she just flew in and said her bit,’ she said cheerfully. ‘Do you know, she doesn’t even limp now? That was Richard’s doing.’
‘And Hugh’s,’ Rose added gently.
‘Yes, I didn’t know
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