Chapter 11 Lingard Estate 1972 Linen Hall Library Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIFF Lingard101 Manuscript Kevin, Brede English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard101 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard101_1.jpg LHL Archive 93 CHAPTER ELEVEN Kevin walked stiffly along the path beside the river. His head throbbed, and from time to time he had to stop to rest. He carried his left arm in a sling; his shoulder had been badly bruised. At the hospital they had said it was lucky he was such aso strong and well-built. He had come out of it allremarkably well. But still he was shaken, and he had never before felt such weakness in his body. He would not be able to work for a week or two and he knew that Mr MaloneKelly would not be able to pay him when he wasn't working. Sickness benefit wouldn not make up his pay. Another worry for his mother, who was full enough of worries already. She had been worried when he had come out this evening. "You can't go out, Kevin," she had said, but he had told her he must. He could not let Sadie down, leave her standing waiting for him wonder- ing what why he had not come. And he had no way of sending her a message, no one he could have asked to go to her house and explain. Brede might have been willing but he would not have asked her to take the risk for him. Seven struckA clock sounded the half hour. He limped the last few yards to the spot where they had arranged to meet. She was not there yet. He sighed with relief. He leaned against a tree and took a few deep breaths. He had made it, even though he had had to walk like an old man! He grinned to himself. It was cooler tonight than it had been the evening before, or perhaps it was just he that was feeling the cold. Rest in bed for a week, they had told him. Lie in bed for a weekl It Text Joan Lingard Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:51 946 Chapter 11 Lingard Estate 1972 Linen Hall Library Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIFF Lingard102 Manuscript Black eye, District English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard102 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard102_1.jpg LHL Archive 94 would be like lying in prison. There were not so many people around tonight either. Of course it waws adel> Monday night. Sundays nights brought out the young couples. One or two passed him, glancing at him as they passed. He knew he must be a fine looking sight for sore eyes: head bandaged, a black eye, arm in a sling. He looked back along the path searching for any sign of Brian Rafferty in case he had been followed. But he was sure that he had not. He had sent out Gerald earlier to see what Rafferty was up to, and Gerald had come back to say he had seen Rafferty and his friends heading out towards another district. His family knew who had beaten him up but they also knew as he did, it was better not to tell the police. When they had questioned him at the hospital he had said that he had no idea who had jumped him. He would be jumped again if he had told: that was a certainty. An elderly man came along with his dog. He was throwing a stick for the dog and when the dog brought it back his owner clapped him and said, ’’Good boy, Jack. ' They looked happy, the man and his dog. As he drew level with Kevin, the man stopped. "Are you all right, son?" he asked, coming closer. "Yes. Thanks." "Are you sure? YouDo you want me to help you along the path ?" No, no, Kevin assured him, he was all right, he would not pass out. The dog stood panting between himbeside them, the stick between his teeth, waiting to be praised. "All right, Jack, all right," said the man. Text Joan Lingard Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:51 947 Chapter 11 Lingard Estate 1972 Linen Hall Library Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIFF Lingard103 Manuscript Accident, Watch English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard103 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard103_1.jpg LHL Archive 95 The man's face swam out of focus as if it was drifting under water. Kevin blinked, took another deep breath and steadied himself against the tree. The man put his handdel> arms round him. "You're not all right, are you? Come on, I'm going to take you home." "No.2" "Where do you live? I have a car just along the street." Kevin shook his head. "Let me sit down," he said weakly. He slid down to the ground and sat with his head resting against the bark of the tree. He felt a bit better now. He could see the man's face clearly again: concernedvery bright blue eyes looking at him with concern, creased forehead, a neat little moustache. The man was crouching beside him, and the dog was still waiting patiently with the stick. "I think you need a doctor." "I'm just weak. I had an accident, you see, last night." "I don't like leaving you here like this." The man shook his head. "I'm waiting for someone. What time is it?" The man looked at his swatch. "Twenty past sevenTen to eight" "Twenty past?Ten to eight?" "Is she late then?" The man smiled a little. Kevin nodded. "Maybe she won't come." "She'll come." "You sound pretty sure." "Well, I know her." Text Joan Lingard Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:51 948 Chapter 11 Lingard Estate 1972 Linen Hall Library Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIFF Lingard104 Manuscript Family, Protestant English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard104 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard104_1.jpg LHL Archive 96 "I should hope so." Kevin tried to smile but the wound in his head hurt when he did. The man sat down beside him. "I'll wait with you till she comes." "No, don't bother. You don't need to." "But if she doesn't come..." "She will." "I tell you what. I'll walk the dog along the rest of the path and come back this way. If she's not comehere by then I'll take you home. All right?" Kevin agreed. But Sadie would come. Unless of course her family was keeping her in the house... It would take a lot to restrain Sadie. Ke knew she had dropped out of her bedroom window before now. He watched the man and his dog go out of sight. A clock chimed the half hour. She was not going to come. Of course she would come. She must come. She would not let him down. Why should she come? She was a pretty girl, she could find plenty of boys, Protestant boys,to take her out. Safe boys. But Sadie never played safe. Why should she want him? His head was confused. He put his hand to it. If she did not come by the time the man returned then he would go. He was not capable of waitnging any longer. He heard the man's voice before he saw him. "Oood boy, Jackl" And then the dog came running, the stick firmyl betw in his jaw, to stop beside Kevin's feet. Text Joan Lingard Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:51 949 Chapter 11 Lingard Estate 1972 Linen Hall Library Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIFF Lingard105 Manuscript Barricades, Catholic English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard105 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard105_1.jpg LHL Archive 97 Kevin look up at the man. "I think I should take you now, don't you?" Kevin nodded, tried to rise, collapsed at the knees. The man put his armshands under his armpits and helped him on to his feet. "Now lean on me and take it easy, and you'll be all right." They moved slowly along the path. Kevin's legs felt like candles beneath him. "Where do you live, boy?" Kevin hesitated. He knew the man was a Protestant: one could always tell How? Really? Unexplainable when you had been brought up to tellknow the difference at a distance of fifty yards. The man might not want to bring his car into Kevin's street, past barricades and army patrols. "I'm a Catholic," he said. "And I'm not," said the man. "But if you think that means I'm going to drop you by the side of the river you've another think coming' "But I live in a troubled area. You don't have to take me right into it." "Well, we'll see about that when we get there," said the man cheerfully. He looked back at his dog and whistled to him. "What's your name, boy?" "Kevin." "Pight, Kevin, a few more yards, and we'll be there." "Kevin! Kevin!" Sadie's voice reached Kevin; it was, loud, almost frantic. Kevin stopped. She had come! "She's come," he said Text Joan Lingard Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:51 950 Chapter 11 Lingard Estate 1972 Linen Hall Library Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIFF Lingard106 Manuscript Jackson, Blake English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard106 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard106_1.jpg LHL Archive 98 Sadie was running, her feet flying along the path scarcely touching it, her hair streaming Qut behind her. They waited for her the man, the dog and Kevin. "Why,it’s Sadie Jackson," said the man. "Fancy that!" "Oh, Kevin!" she cried, when she reached them. Her breath came in loud gulps. She put her hand under her ribs. Kevin smiled at her in spite of the throb in his head. He had known all along that she would come. He had had no cause to doubt her. "I nearly missed you," she gasped. "3ut you didn’t, Sadie," said the man, "and that’s the main thing." Sadie turned to him. "It's- " she paused "- Mr Blake." She had almost called him Twinkle Blake. That had been his nickname at school. Twinkle, because of his eyes. "Haven't seen you since you left school. But I recognised you at once." He chuckled. "You could always run fast." "Do you know one another then?" asked Kevin. "I taught her at school. Come on, Sadie, let's get this boy into the car. He's going to keel over in a minute." Between them they supported Kevin to the car and eased him on to the front seat. Blood was seeping through the bandage on his head now. Sadie got into the back of the car with the dog. "Are you going home with Kevin?" asked Mr Blake, then he added, "But you can't very well, can you?" "No." Text Joan Lingard Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:51 951 Chapter 11 Lingard Estate 1972 Linen Hall Library Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIFF Lingard107 Manuscript Summer, Suburbs English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard107 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard107_1.jpg LHL Archive 99 "Could you drop us off somewhere?" asked Kevin. "We need to go some place quiet to talk," said Sadie. "O.K.", said Mr Blake. "I know just the place." Kevin slumped back in his seat, eyes closed. Sadie and Mr Blake talked of old pupils and teachers at the school exchanging pieces of news, and he told her that he had retired the previous summer. He was driving them out to one of the suburbs. The houses changed from terraced to small semi-detached with no gardens, and then to slightly larger ones with gardens and hedges and gates. Mr Blake turned off the main road and stopped in a quiet street. "This is my house," he said, indicating one with a white gate and a laburnum tree overhanging the pavement. "You can come in and sit in peace." "That's greatSmashing!" said Sadie. They helped Kevin indoors and laid him on the settee in the sitting room. It was a comfortable, tidy room, with family photographs on the mantlepice and piano. "I'm a widower," said Mr Blake. "My wife died two years ago and my family's grown up." "So you live alone?" said Sadie. "Yes. Sit down, Sdaie, I'm going to make you both a cup of coffee and then I'm going to ring my doctor and ask if he'd mind having a look at Kevin's head. He's an old friend of mine and he'll oblige me, I'm sure." Kevin tried to protest but found he was too tired. Sadie sat Text Joan Lingard Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:51 952 Chapter 11 Lingard Estate 1972 Linen Hall Library Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIFF Lingard108 Manuscript Blake, Sadie English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard108 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard108_1.jpg LHL Archive 99 ( cont) on the edge of the settee and took hold of Kevin’s hand. "I’m sorry I was late, Kevin. You see, Brede came to see me - " ”Brede?” "She told me what had happened." "She asked you not to come, didn't she?" "Yes. Yor your sake. She was worried about you and I didn’t know what to do. But I couldn't bear the thought of you waiting." "I'm glad you couldn't." His hand tightened round hers. Mr Blake came in carrying a tray. Sadie jumped up to help him. Text Joan Lingard Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:51 953 Chapter 11 Lingard Estate 1972 Linen Hall Library Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIFF Lingard109 Manuscript Fainting, Bleeding English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard109 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard109_1.jpg LHL Archive 100 "The coffee won't be up to much, I'm afraid, " he said. "I'm not very handy in the kitchen. Still, I do my best. I've foundgot hold of the doctor and he's on his way." As Kevin drank histhe coffee, colour returned to his cheeks. His face, normally so brown and healthy, had looked waxy and yellow. When they were finishing their coffeeWhen the doctor bustled inarrived Sadie and Mr Blake went throughretired to the kitchen to wash up the dishes. "I'll wash," said Sadie. "And I'll dry," said Mr Blake. He stood with the tea towel in his hand waiting for her to start. "I told the doctor a little bit of what had happened so that he wouldn't ask Kevin too many questions. Goodness knows, he must be sick of questions! Poor lad. But he's a brave one, Sadie, he wouldn't give in. He was sitting there waiting for you and all the time he was on the verge of fainting. You're lucky to have such a nice boy." "I know." Sadie's face was serious. "But it's not easy." The doctor joined them in the kitchen. He washed his hands at the sink. "Nothing serious, " he said. "At least,no more than it was before. But the stitches hadn't burst. The wound was bleeding, that was all. I've changed the dressing and made him more comfortable. Of course he Should never have been out walking about at all." "I'll see he gets home safely," promised Mr Blake. "Good." The doctor went off swinging his black bag. "You go on through and talk to Kevin now, Sadie," said Mr Blake. Text Joan Lingard Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:51 954 Chapter 11 Lingard Estate 1972 Linen Hall Library Thursday, March 10, 2016 TIFF Lingard110 Manuscript Grinned English https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/content/lingard110 Linen Hall Library Linen Hall Library Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA https://www.niliteraryarchive.com/sites/default/files/Lingard110_1.jpg LHL Archive 101 "And in a wee while I'll run him home. He needs to get to his bed soon. " Sadie found Kevin sitting up with his back against a cushion. He looked much better. He even grinned at her, and then winced. "Ouch!" "All right, you,Serve you right" said Sadie,"you can lay off the grinningNo grinning for you for a while." She smiled at him. "Come and sit beside me and tell me something nice." He patted the edge of the settee. She sat down. "I want to talk to you but I don't know if it's going to be nice. You see, I decided I'd come to see you tonight, but I decided it would have to be the last time." Text Joan Lingard Tuesday, September 6, 2016 - 10:51 955