Wanted

Chapter 16

She joined them for dinner only when halfway through the meal Edwards went upstairs to fetch her. There was no shouting this time and John was wondering if Edwards was apologising for whatever she felt he had done wrong, not meaning it but sounding as if he meant it, in the same way as he had made John apologise earlier during the day. John did not go into the hall to eavesdrop this time. He'd been hungry from the hard work in the barn and was too busy eating his meal.

At some point over dinner, Mrs Edwards appealed to her husband again, wanting him to agree to delay John's enrolment in school. He's only arrived; Let him settle some more; It's too much for the poor boy; What if he catches some disease from the other children, were the arguments she brought forward to convince her husband, but to no avail.

Edwards was adamant that John needed to go to school and John was glad about it, especially now that he had decided to stay around a little longer. Maybe.

Eventually she conceded defeat, but not before she told her husband in no uncertain terms that she believed him to be wrong. Claiming again, that he was too delicate to be in school she informed them that she would not stand idly by, as she disappeared in the pantry and a few moments later returned with a brown bottle of Parker's Ginger Tonic, the Cure All of the day. Armed with a tablespoon in her hand, she told them it would help John restore his appetite, and strengthen his mind. He had no idea that he had any issues with either, but imagined it was easier to just go along with it. 

Amused by this, Edwards warned him with a chuckle, "brace yourself boy, it tastes like donkey's piss, and probably does F-all for your head but wonders for her own disposition."

John had to grin, the man was obviously somewhat tipsy from whatever he had drank in the pantry earlier. He liked tipsy Edwards he decided, even though it seemed to make Mrs Edwards even more waspish. She was not amused and scolded them both.

Having wrangled an insincere apology out of both of them, she made John swallow two large spoonful of the bitter tasting thick liquid, but John didn't mind. He had worse. Glad to have food when it was available, he was used to having to eat what he was given. Liking it was a luxury. 'Beggars can't be chooser' and 'hunger is the best sauce' was what his mother always used to say to them, when they weren't fond of what was put in front of them. So this was easy and Mrs Edwards' concern for him even a little endearing.

Pleased with herself she put the bottle back into the pantry and sent John upstairs to bed early with a gentle tussle of his hair and a good-natured smile. "You'll need all the sleep you can get for tomorrow," she told him. He could hear it in her voice that she was still somewhat angry though, but it seemed not with him this time. They had started to argue again as he walked up the stairs but this time their voices remained low so he couldn't make out what they actually said to each other.

A good while later he heard Edwards come upstairs and go into the room beside him, where he heard him move about and hammer until late into the night.

Lying in bed, somewhat nervous but also looking forward to going to school in the morning, he decided he no longer was in that much of a rush to leave. It had nothing to do with the content of the pantry, he told himself. Running away simply needed more planning was the excuse with which he quietened his bad conscience, that tried to remind him that his ma possibly would never see the inside of a pantry that full and was probably going out of her mind worrying about him and his brothers.

He changed his mind again however, when in the middle of the night, he was woken up by Edwards, who was hammering his large fists against the door to their bedroom below.

"Let me in, you auld wagon. I have rights, you know, you wretched old hag. Goddammit," he heard Edwards' loud and booming voice travel upstairs. He was obviously at this stage no longer tipsy but properly drunk. His wife however did not seem to agree with her husband's assertion. For some time later, John heard Edwards march back upstairs, with angry footsteps and swearing loudly to himself.