Read The Iron Road for Free Online Page B

stillness.
    ‘Ach, I warned ye,’ Mac spat in disgust. ‘I said she’d no’ be any fun. I want another drink.’
    The tension broke and the men turned away, grumbling, as they crowded around Queenie.
    Veryan felt behind her for the latch and slipped out quietly, pulling the door shut behind her. She stood for a moment, her heart thudding against her ribs, and sucked cool fresh air into her lungs. The rain had eased for a moment and a brassy moon played hide and seek behind dark rags of cloud. She started towards her hut, picking her way around silvered puddles. A door slammed, making her jump. As she glanced round a stocky figure stepped out of the shadows.
    ‘I been waiting for you,’ William Thomas growled, grabbing her arms. ‘Time somebody taught you a lesson. Who do you think you are? You got no business interfering.’
    Veryan wrenched free. ‘You have no business beating an eight-year-old child.’
    He grabbed her again. ‘Want a kid to look after, do you? How about I give you one of your own, eh? Like that, would you?’ His fetid breath made her gorge rise. Avoiding her flailing fists, he pulled her hard against him. He reeked of stale sweat and spirits.
    ‘Let go of me!’ Veryan fought furiously. She kicked out hard, and felt intense satisfaction at his grunt of pain.
    ‘Bitch,’ he spat. ‘You’ll pay for that.’
    The shanty door opened spilling light and noise into the evening.
    ‘Here, what’s going on?’ Ned, drunk and furious, hurled himself forward. ‘Gerroff,’ he snarled, taking wild swings at William. ‘She’s mine.’
    ‘You’ll just have to wait your turn,’ William panted, jabbing Ned viciously with his elbow then, fastening his arm so tightly around her she could hardly breathe, he began dragging her towards the narrow alley between two shanties.
    Gasping and struggling, she felt for the knife. Ned flung himself forward fists flying. One struck Veryan a glancing blow, knocking her sideways. She dropped the knife. William doubled up, retching and winded. Head swimming, Veryan tried to get up. But Ned pushed her down again, his wet mouth fastening like a leech on her throat, his fingers scrabbling at her skirts.
    Still fighting she was losing her strength. He had his forearm across her throat and was pressing down. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t see. Terror lent her strength and she gave a last desperate heave. Jack-knifing her legs she kicked wildly. Ned gave a grunt and collapsed, twitching. He gave a strange sighing groan and was still.
    ‘What the hell’s going on? What’s all the row about?’ Queenie waddled forward as Veryan crawled away from the inert body, coughing and gasping.
    ‘Dear life, girl. Woss the matter with you? Shaking like a bleddy leaf you are.’
    ‘Fight … Ned … William.’ The words emerged as a hoarse croak and were all Veryan could manage as Queenie helped her up. The men were carrying Ned back to the shanty. Veryan looked round for William Thomas. He was standing a few yards away. In the moonlight she saw his expression clearly, a gloating grin of pure evil. He moved, pulling Davy forward. The child’s face was a mask of fear. William turned away, half-dragging, half pushing the boy toward their own shanty.
    ‘C’mon,’ Queenie urged. ‘You come back with me. You need a drop of something to calm you down.’
    Veryan shook her head. ‘No.’ She swallowed painfully. ‘I’m all right. I just want to lie down.’
    Queenie shrugged, tugging her grubby shawl across her bolster-like bosom. ‘Please yourself.’
    Sliding the bolt across, Veryan lit the lamp then sat on the edge of her bed, hugging herself as she waited for the queasy faintness to pass.
    A sharp rap on the door sent shock tingling along her nerves and her heart gave a sickening lurch.
    ‘Open the door, girl. C’mon, hurry up.’
    Veryan didn’t move. ‘Won’t it wait, Queenie? I just –’
    ‘No, it won’t bleddy wait. Now you open this door, else I’ll fetch