She swallowed hard. She would get used to it, she’d have to, and however hard the job was she would get used to that too. Mind over matter. She nodded to the thought. And no more wallowing in self-pity either. The Lord helps those who help themselves. How often had she heard her mam say that in the past? And it was right. She sat up straighter. This was the start of the rest of her life, that’s how she had to look at things now, and if she could survive that night two weeks ago when her world had fallen apart, she could survive anything. She wouldn’t let Olive beat her – she was stronger than that. She would make a success of her life, she would, and one day she would rub Olive’s nose in that success. Her mouth set, she nodded again. Her day would come . . .

PART TWO

Choices

1924

Chapter Six

‘You all right, man?’ Walter Gilbert’s voice was quiet, which was unusual. Even when he considered he was whispering it was normally a bellow.

Adam’s answer was a curt ‘Aye,’ as he wrenched at the prop he was trying to move.

‘Only you’ve not said owt for hours.’

‘Nowt to say.’

‘You had another barney with Olive?’

‘Leave it, Walt.’

‘Aw, man, come on. Look, Da’s asked me to talk to you. He’s worried. We all are.’

Adam now swung round on his belly from where he was lying in the cramped confines of the coalface. His shift of forty men were busy moving the face further in, which meant withdrawing the props to let the roof drop, always a dangerous part in the proceedings.

‘I said, leave it,’ he muttered, looking at his brother whose face was as black as his own.

‘I can’t.’ Walter was the oldest of Adam’s brothers at thirty, and a trace of the importance he attached to his place in the family came through as he added, ‘Like I said, Da asked me to have a word.’

‘You’ve had it.’

‘You and Olive and the bairn haven’t been round to Mam’s on a Sunday since Christmas, and even then you were like a bear with a sore head and as miserable as sin. It put a damper on everyone’s day, I can tell you.’

‘Good job I’ve stayed away then, surely?’

Walter swore, before saying, ‘You’re an awkward beggar an’ no mistake but I don’t like to see you like this, man. I know you an’ her didn’t have the best of starts but you’ve got the bairn now and she’s a little cracker. Surely that counts for something? And Olive keeps the house nice and she’s a good cook an’ all. Mam reckons you could have done a lot worse, all things considered.’

‘Is that right? That’s what Mam thinks, is it?’