Daft old wife to weep over something long by that couldn’t be mended, her nature hers, his his, all chances gone in that dust of days they’d known together in Segget, in love, in estrangement, in fear and disgust—all ash with him and finished forever. And on this day of all she must try to decide … sell herself like a cow, a cow’s purpose, in order to keep a roof over her head.

And abruptly she was minding Robert’s study in Segget, the panelled walls black-lined with books, the glint of peat-light on the chairs, the desk, Robert sitting deep in a chair, head in hands, she herself looking down at him in pity and disgust because of that weak God he feared and followed. And with that memory something seemed to blow through the room, blowing out the picture like a candle-flame … she had finished with men forever, and could never again stir to a semblance of life that something which died when Robert died. Better a beggar in Duncairn’s wynds than sell herself as she’d almost planned.

And so she would tell Ake Ogilvie tonight.

When Alick Watson reached home in the Cowgate after coming off picket at Gowans and Gloag’s he met the old woman going trauchling out, away to her afternoon cleaning up for a widow body that bade in Craigneuks. She said God be here, are you back again? Well, try and do something for once for your meat. Your sister’s lying in her bed, no well. If she wants anything, see that you get it her.

Alick said he could do that without being blackguarded, Meg was his sister, wasn’t she? And the old woman said not to give her his lip, the useless skulking striking sod, wasn’t he black ashamed to live off his folk’s earnings? And Alick said Away to hell. Did I ask to be born in your lousy bed in this lousy toun? and brushed past her, swearing soft to himself because of that stricken look in her eye.

Inside he got ready a cup of tea, bread and corned beef, and sat and ate, Meg asleep in the other room, he heard her turn and toss once, and stopped and listened, better to busy himself with souch sounds he needn’t think then of what he had done … slipped the pepper poke into Ewan’s pouch, Christ! if the other chaps ever found out—

And then Meg called Alick, I heard you come in. Will you bring me a drink of water?

He carried it to her and put his arm under her, lifting her, she was heavy already though he was the only one of the silly sods that had seen it yet. And because he aye had liked her so well, as she him, though they’d never let on, he found a sharp pain in his breast as he held her. Then she pushed him away in a minute, and was sick.

Alick said that he’d better go get the doctor, and she said not to talk like a neep-headed cuddy, couldn’t a lassie be sick now and then?