“That’s about right,” she said.
“It must be gratifying to be able to make something which is so beautiful.”
“For how long, M’am, that’s what we all say?”
I felt embarrassed. “Why … why not?”
A sullen look came over her face. “These cursed machines … they’re going to take away our living.”
“I have heard that it will be better for the prosperity of the town if…”
I could not go on. She gave me a scornful look. I noticed the darn in her worsted gown and I was very conscious of my fur trimmed coat and my shoes made of the best leather. I felt ashamed to speak so glibly of a matter which was of such importance to her. I wanted to tell her of my sympathy and understanding but I did not know how to.
And just at that moment I heard strange noises. There was a thumping sound as though some very heavy article was being dragged across a floor. There was a scream… followed by shouting.
I looked at Mrs. Fellows in alarm. She had turned very pale. “God help us,” she murmured. “It’s come. I knew it would … and now it’s come.”
I clutched her arm. “What’s happening?”
“It’s the men… It’s been brewing, and now it’s come. It’s the mob … breaking in … And God help us … the men will be with them.”
I turned to the door.
She held on to me. “I wouldn’t. It’s rough … No place for a lady.”
“Mr. Barrington …”
“He brought ’em in, didn’t he? He shouldn’t have brought them in. It’s his fault if harm comes …”
I wrenched myself free and opened the door. The big room was deserted. I could hear shouts from above and I thought Edward is up there. They are destroying the machines … and what will they do to Edward?
Several people were rushing down the stairs as though eager to be gone. They ignored me. They were wild looking men with fanaticism written in their faces. As I ran up the stairs more came out of that room and I was almost knocked off my feet. But they did not look at me, nor did they attempt to impede my progress.
And there I was in the room where a few days ago Edward had proudly showed me his machines. I stared in dismay at the sight of so much destruction. The machines were smashed. Several men were still attacking them with hammers and pieces of iron. I saw the man Fellows whom I recognized and I saw Edward too.
“Stop it,” Edward was shouting. “Stop it, Fellows, stop it. You’ve joined them have you, Fellows? You’ve joined the wreckers.”
He had gone towards Fellows who picked up an iron bar. I caught my breath. Edward advanced; then Fellows struck. Edward reeled and then fell among the remains of what had been his precious machines.
I ran to him and knelt beside him. He was unconscious. I thought he was dead, and sorrow and remorse swept over me. He had been reluctant to bring me; it was I who had wanted to come. It was my fault. I had brought him here.
I just knelt beside him looking at him in anguish.
I was suddenly aware of Fellows standing there.
I cried: “You’ve killed him.”
“Oh no … no.”
“Get help,” I cried. “Get help at once. Get a doctor. Bring him here without delay.”
Fellows ran away. I did not know whether he would do my bidding or not.
There was silence now… terrible silence. These men had done their work …
They had come to break the machines and they had killed Edward.
I do not know how long I stayed in that room among the crippled machines with Edward lying there among them … white and still. Some parts of a machine had fallen across his legs. I tried to move them but I could not do so. It was eerie. I dared not leave him and yet I knew I must get help. I kept thinking of Fellows. When I had first met him he had seemed gentle, respectful. But how different he had been in that room when he had lifted the iron bar and struck. The light of fanaticism was in his eyes. The mob, I thought. The mob does not reason. It is caught up in the desire to destroy everything and everybody in its way. Their fury had far outgrown fear of poverty and starvation, it had changed them from law-abiding citizens to destroyers. “Progress,” Edward had said.
“Oh Edward,” I whispered, “you must not die. I will love you. I will love you. I will make myself into a good wife. I will never let you know that it was because Peter Lansdon preferred Amaryllis to me that I wanted to show them I did not care. I will be loving and tender always. You must live so that I can show you that I am not entirely selfish, Edward …”
He opened his eyes. “Jessica,” he said.
“I’m here. I’m staying with you … always …”
He smiled and closed his eyes again.
How silent it was! How long had I been there? Somebody must come soon.
It was like an evil dream. It seemed so unreal. And yet it was true, startlingly true. I thought of the first time I had heard Edward speak of the trouble over the installation of the machinery. I had listened with mild interest and it had led to this, and I was involved … deeply involved.
After what seemed like hours and when I was asking myself if I should leave Edward and go in search of help, to my great joy I heard the sound of voices.
Someone was coming. I called out: “Here. In here.”
It was Fellows. He had a man with him.
“I’m Dr. Lee,” said the man; and I almost cried in relief.
The debris which was imprisoning Edward’s legs was removed.
I said: “He’s not… dead, is he?”
The doctor shook his head.
“We’ll have to move him,” he said. “We’ll have to get him back to the house.”
I said: “The carriage is downstairs. Unless they have broken that up, too.”
“I think not,” said the doctor. “Fellows, can you help me. We’ll make a stretcher of something. That’s the only way to carry him. I’ll give him something to ease the pain first.”
I watched them in a daze.
“We’ll get him home,” said the doctor to me. “You’re Mr. Barrington’s fiancée, I believe.”
I told him I was.
“He’ll need looking after for some time, I think,” he said.
And so we brought Edward home.
There were visits of several doctors. Edward lived but he was very seriously hurt. His spine had been injured and he had lost the use of his legs.
“Will this be cured?” I asked.
The doctor lifted his shoulders. He implied that it was not very likely.
My parents and Edward’s come to Nottingham. My father was incensed by the damage which had been caused, not only to Edward but to the machinery as well. Thousands of pounds’ worth of equipment had been destroyed.
Mr. Barrington took over the management of the factory and said it was the only way to show these people that they would not be intimidated by mob rule. They would in due course install new machines.
Our main concern was Edward.
He bore his affliction with extreme fortitude; and that was another admirable side to his nature which I discovered. How would an able-bodied person react, suddenly during the course of one day, finding himself reduced to being an invalid in a bath chair, dependent on others?
He was very quiet. He did not rail against fate—at least not openly. He was so grateful to me because I insisted on staying with him. Mr. Barrington engaged James Moore, a male nurse, to attend to all his needs and he appeared to be a very efficient and interesting man. I was with Edward for the greater part of the day and his gratitude moved me deeply.
“You must get out,” he was constantly telling me. “You must not spend so much of your time in my room.”