David’s fingers were clutching the frayed cuffs of Nathaniel’s jacket. When Nathaniel let go of David’s wrists, jerking back and away as he did so, David’s hold was broken. He gave a high, blood-curdling scream as he fell, hurtling down between the double skin bulkhead to land on the top of the tank below.

Nathaniel sat back on his heels, staring at the hole where David had been a moment before. His head was spinning and a feeling of nausea spiralled up into his throat. After a long moment he nerved himself to peer through the hole. He could see David’s body, still and lying at a strange angle, and men running to the scene of the accident.

He swallowed hard against the bile in his throat, unable to move for a moment or two, but it wasn’t until he had climbed down from the top saddle tank and one of the other men confirmed David was dead that he brought up the contents of his stomach where he stood.

He was conscious of a couple of men taking him along to the canteen and getting him a cup of tea and then others gathering around, one patting his arm and several talking in low troubled voices. Everyone knew that he and David were best mates and had grown up together and furthermore David was well liked. One or two workers began to curse and swear, reeling off the number of accidents that had occurred in the last years, the majority of which had been caused by falls from staging or girders or rudders. Bartram’s might have a better track record for serious incidents than most other shipyards, but even so men lost their lives every year working in the plant.

The men were shushed into silence as the foreman approached. It didn’t do for management to catch wind of complaints. When Mr Ferry sat himself down beside Nathaniel the other men dwindled away. Even for a death the work didn’t stop.

Ralph Ferry, a big red-faced man, sat shaking his head before he said, ‘It’s a damn shame, lad. A damn shame. His wife’s recently had a bairn, hasn’t she? This’ll hit her hard. Look’ – he hesitated, licking his lips – ‘I’ve got to go and break the news to her. I don’t suppose you’d come with me? A friendly face, like? I’ll see to it you don’t go short in your pay packet.’

Nathaniel moved his head slightly. ‘Aye, I’ll come.’ He was wondering what was the matter with him; after the initial shock of what had happened he felt numb. He had killed a man. Not just any man, but Davey, his best pal. He’d killed him and yet he didn’t feel anything.