A Bride for the Prizefighter - Alice Coldbreath Page 0,99
was surveying her with amused incredulity and accepted Effie’s kind gesture by taking a tiny sip of the gin. She managed it without pulling a face or shuddering. “Thank you,” she said, returning the glass to Effie with a forced smile. “I’m afraid Nye won’t permit me to sit in the public bar,” she admitted. “But if either of you ladies would like to join me in my private parlor, then I would be glad to receive you at any time. I can generally be found in there or the kitchen.”
“My, my,” drawled Dottie Jones. “A private parlor, we are privileged.”
“I’ll join you and gladly,” Effie announced. “Jeb plain ignores me when he gets wiv’ all his boxing cronies and that’s a fact,” she laughed. “But probably not till tomorrow, though Mina. We’ve got the bouts to watch and you’ll likely be done in by then and all. You’re run off your feet.”
“Yes,” Mina agreed. “Perhaps you’ll join me there for breakfast tomorrow morning, say at nine o’clock?” With a slightly unfocussed smile, Mina turned and made her way out of the bar with her head held high. She fancied she did not imagine the swell of conversation as the door swung to behind her, but if there was any justice in the world then Nye’s name was being just as bandied about as her own, if not more.
She was glad to escape to the kitchen after her ordeal but even there was not quite the refuge she would have liked. She heard Edna’s voice upraised in the kitchen and when she pushed the door open, she saw she was talking heatedly to Reuben. On her appearance, they both shut up like clams.
“If those is ready, I’ll take ‘em out now,” Reuben said in a surly voice, clearing his throat.
Edna tutted. “Ten minutes ago, would have been preferable,” she snapped. He picked up the platter of hot pasties with ill-grace and stomped out of the kitchen with them.
“Right sorry I am, Mrs. Nye,” Edna said, turning to her without preamble. “It’s my fault the master took on so—”
“No, no Edna, I knew how he would be, it’s not your fault,” Mina interrupted her hastily. She could not bear to hear Edna speak of what had happened. “We are so short of hands that it really ought to be every man, woman, and child on deck.”
Edna bit her lip. “Yes, Mrs. Nye,” she said repressively. “Least now with the lunchtime rush, things will quiet down for a few hours till evening.”
“I suppose so,” Mina agreed. “What time will you be required in the taproom?”
“Not till six,” Edna said pressing her lips into a thin line.
“It’s a great pity Reuben cannot take a turn at serving behind the bar,” Mina observed, rolling up her sleeves and crossing to the sink to wash the large quantity of glasses and tankards that had appeared from the bar dirty.
“That stupid fellow!” Edna spat bitterly. “Could not be trusted as far as he could be thrown.”
Mina filled five trays with clean drinking vessels before the sink was cleared enough for the next lot. “These will all need taking through to the bar Edna, and I confess I am not equal to the task.”
Edna nodded grimly, setting down the potato she was peeling ready for the suppers. “It’s not to be wondered at Mrs Nye,” she said, rounding the table and picking up the first lot. “If I find Reuben, I’ll send him through for the rest,” was her departing shot over her shoulder.
Mina, who had spotted Reuben through the window setting down hay bales in the yard, did not have the heart to disillusion the crosspatch maid. She wondered a moment what the bales could be for before she realized he was marking out a crude ring for the opponents to spar within.
When Edna returned, the trays now stacked with dirty glasses once again, she piled them next to the sink.
“Can I leave you to take charge of the pots, Mrs. Nye,” she asked, making for an overhead cupboard. “Only I need to make the dough now for the loaves for morning.”
“Of course, Edna. And once I’ve done these, I’ll wash up. I cannot bake bread, so you need to concentrate on that.”
“Yes, Mrs. Nye,” Edna agreed looking gratified. They worked silently for the next hour and a half, moving purposely around the kitchen. Once Mina had fetched and boiled clean water for the sink and cleared the dirty dishes, she made a pot of tea