Deborah Hale - A Gentleman Of Substance

As she wended her way through the crowded rooms of the building with a fresh tray of sandwiches, Lucy noticed one young woman sitting off by herself. Her thin fingers clenched around a mug, the woman stared listlessly out the window. Even her high-waisted dress did not conceal her bulging belly. Lucy’s heart immediately went out to her.

Sinking down onto a stool beside the woman, she held out her tray. “Would you care for a sandwich? They aren’t very dainty I’m afraid, but they’re good and nourishing. You’ll need to keep your strength up.”

The woman set her cup down on the wide window ledge beside her. She took a sandwich from the plate and nibbled at one corner of it.

“I’m Mrs. Strickland. The vicar who brought you in here is my father. I hope we won’t have to wait much longer for good news of your husband.”

The woman gave Lucy a queer look. “My name is Alice Leadbitter, ma’am. And it ain’t my husband who’s down the mine. In fact, he’s helping them dig. Only wish I could. It’s so hard to wait and not be able to do anything. My boy’s down in that mine, Mrs. Strickland. Poor little mite. He’ll be that scared.” Her lower lip began to quiver, and Lucy could see Alice Leadbitter’s eyes misting with tears.

“Your son? Mrs. Leadbitter, you can’t be any older than I am. How could you have a son working in a coal mine?”

“I’m twenty-four. My Geordie is eight years old. He only started working last month.”

A boy of eight employed at such dangerous, backbreaking work. Lucy could hardly believe her ears. She’d heard tales of child labor in the big industrial cities to the south, but here in the Penines? Drake would soon put a stop to that practice. But where was Drake? She’d seen him ride out for High Head at a furious speed. All afternoon she’d kept glancing over her shoulder, expecting him to blaze down on her with a stern lecture about her conduct.

“I didn’t want him to go.” Mrs. Leadbitter wiped her tears with the back of her hand. “I told John the lad was too young to be working. John said he’d started working on his pa’s farm when he was a good bit younger than our Geordie. We needed the money, with another mouth to feed soon.

“So there was nothing for it but to put Geordie to work. Then this happened. How long will their air last? What if the gas builds up and explodes? I’ll never forgive myself if…if…”

Lucy reached for the woman’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

“Beg your pardon, ma’am.”

Lucy glanced up to see Anthony Brown returned from delivering food to the rescuers. “The fellows up to the mine shaft nearly tore me to pieces getting at that grub. They said could you send more?”

“That we shall, Anthony. But first, what is the news? Mrs. Leadbitter’s boy is in the mine, so she’s naturally anxious to know how soon he’ll be out.”

The man flashed Alice Leadbitter an apologetic glance. “Fraid I wouldn’t know that, ma’am. Don’t know as the chaps doing the digging have any notion how soon they’ll break through. They’ve shifted a pile of earth and rock, though, I can tell you. There’s one fellow there—a stranger. Big tall man, digging for all he’s worth.”

“My husband,” Lucy cried, barely aware of the pride in her voice.

“Oh, that explains it,” said Anthony. “I offered him a drink from one of them bottles. Well sir, he takes a swig and then he says, ‘Best use this brandy’s ever been put to.’ Another swig and a sandwich and he was right back to shoveling again.”

Lucy nodded. “Go ask the women over at that table to refill your basket, Anthony. I’ll be with you directly.” She turned to Mrs. Leadbitter. “You heard what Anthony said. My husband is personally leading the dig. He’s a very determined man, Mrs. Leadbitter. He’ll get your Geordie out safe and sound.”

Alice Leadbitter’s reply was drowned out by a low, rumbling sound in the distance.

Someone cried, “There’s been another rock slide!”

A furor erupted in the overseer’s office as anxious women rushed to the windows. Lucy sat rooted to her chair. Drake was out there now, burrowing toward the trapped miners. What if he was now entombed, himself? Or crushed by a falling boulder? With a start Lucy came to herself again. She and Mrs. Leadbitter were holding each other’s hands so tightly, their knuckles had gone white.

The first of the injured rescue crew arrived at Lucy’s makeshift aid station within minutes. She pushed down her paralyzing fear for Drake’s safety by concentrating on her duties.

“Bring him this way. Put him on the bed. Shift that settee into this room as well. Has anyone seen my basket of bandages?”

Peering closely at her first patient, Lucy recognized him as the stranger who had appeared at Silverthorne that morning. Had it been this very day? Lucy felt as though she’d been at High Head for a week at least. The man’s leg was distended at a painful-looking angle below the knee. Fortunately the fractured bone had not pierced the flesh of his leg.

Lucy glanced around, hoping to spy the doctor she had sent for. She did not feel confident to set a broken bone. The man’s other injury, a gash on the forehead, she immediately tended with a clean cloth and hot water.

“Will he be all right, Mrs. Strickland?”

Lucy looked into the anxious face of Mrs. Leadbitter, who now held the man’s hand as tightly as she’d recently held Lucy’s.

“It could have been much worse, Alice. Once the doctor gets here, he can set your husband’s leg.” Lucy handed over her cloth and water basin. “Since you’re here, I’ll leave you to wash and bandage his forehead while I see to the others.”

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