Power of the Sword - Smith Wilbur - Страница 51

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She pulled up in front of the verandah just as Twenty-man-Jones hurried out of his office struggling with his jacket and necktie.

We weren't expecting you until tomorrow at the very earliest. 'Your friends were. She pointed at the shattered window, and his voice went shrill with indignation.

They attacked you? That's unforgivable. I agree, she said. 'And I'm not going to be the one who does the forgiving. Twenty-man-jones wore a huge service pistol bolstered on his skinny hip.

Behind him was little Mr Brantingham, the mine bookkeeper, his head bald as an ostrich egg and much too large for his narrow rounded shoulders. Behind his gold-rimmed pince-nez; he was close to tears, but he carried a double-barrelled shotgun in his pudgy white hands.

You are a brave man, Centaine told him. I won't forget your loyalty. She led Twenty-man-Jones into her office and sat down thankfully at her desk. How many other men are with us? Only the office staff, eight of them. The artisans and mine staff are all out, though I suspect there has been pressure on some of them. Even Rodgers and Maclear? They were her senior overseers. Are they out also? I'm afraid so. Both of them are on the strike committee. 'With Fourie?

The three of them are the ringleaders. I'll see that they never work again, she said bitterly, and he dropped his eyes and mumbled: I think we have to bear in mind that they haven't broken the law. They have the legal right to withhold their labour, and to bargain collectively Not when I am struggling to keep the mine running. Not when I am trying to ensure that there will be jobs for at least some of them. Not after all I've done for them., I'm afraid they do have that right,he insisted.

Whose side are you on, Dr TWentyman-jones? He looked stricken. 'You should never have to ask that question, he said. From the first day we met I've been your man. You know that. I was merely pointing out your legal position. Immediately contrite, Centaine stood up and reached for his arm to console him.

Forgive me. I'm tired and jumpy. She had stood up too quickly and the blood drained from her head. She turned deathly pale and swayed giddily on her feet. He seized her and steadied her.

When did you last sleep? You have driven from Windhoek without rest. He led her to the leather sofa and forced her gently down upon it.

You are going to sleep now, for at least eight hours. I'll have fresh clothes brought down from your bungalow., I must speak to the ringleaders. No. He shook his head as he drew the curtains. Not until you are refreshed and strong again. Otherwise you could make mistakes of judgement. She sagged back and pressed her fingers into her closed eyelids. You are right, as always., I'll wake you at six this evening, and I'll inform the strike committee that you will interview them at eight. That will give us two hours to plan our strategy. The three members of the strike committee filed into Centaine's office, and she stared at them for fully three minutes without speaking. She had deliberately had all the chairs removed except those in which she and Twenty-man-Jones sat. The strikers were forced to stand before her like schoolboys.

There are over a hundred thousand men out of work in this country at the present time, she said in a dispassionate voice. Any one of whom would go down on his knees for your jobs. That won't bloody work, said Maclear. He was a nondescript-looking man, of medium height and uncertain age, but Centaine knew he was quick-witted, tenacious and resourceful. She wished he was with her rather than against.

If you are going to use foul language in front of me, Mr Maclear, she said, you can leave immediately. That won't work either, Mrs Courtney. He smiled sadly in acknowledgement of her spirit. You know our rights, and we know our rights. Centaine looked at Rodgers. How is your wife, Mr Rodgers? A year previously she had paid for the woman to travel to Johannesburg for urgent treatment by one of the leading abdominal surgeons in the Union. Rodgers had gone with her on full pay, and all expenses paid.

She's well, Mrs Courtney, he said sheepishly.

What does she think of this nonsense of yours? He looked down at his feet. She's a sensible lady, Centaine went on.

I would think she is worrying about her three little ones. We are all together, Fourie cut in. We are all solid, and the women are behind us. You can forget all that, Mr Fourie, please do not interrupt me when I am speaking. Playing the high and mighty lady muck-a-muck around here is going to get you nowhere, he blustered. 'We've got you and your bloody mine and your bloody diamonds over a barrel. You are the one who has got to do the listening when we speak, and that's the plain fact of the matter. He grinned cockily and looked to his mates for approbation. The grin concealed his trepidation. On one side he had Lothar De La Rey and his threat. If he could not come up with a good enough excuse for not performing his obligations he knew he was a dead man. He had to aggravate the strike until someone else transported the diamonds and gave him an escape. You aren't going to get one single bloody diamond off this property until we say so, lady. We're keeping them here as hostages. We know you've got a really whopping packet sitting there in the strongroom, and that's where it will stay, until you listen to what we have to say. He was a good enough judge of character to guess what Centaine Courtney's reaction to that threat would be.

Centaine studied his face intently. There was something that did not ring true, something devious and convoluted in his manner. He was being too deliberately aggressive and provocative.

All right, she agreed quietly. I'll listen. Tell me what you want. She sat quietly while Fourie read the list of demands.

Her face was impassive, the only signs of her anger that TWentyman-Jones knew so well were the soft flush of blood that stained her throat and the steady rhythmic tap of her foot on the wooden floor.

Fourie reached the end of the reading and there was another long silence. Then he proffered the document.

This is your copy. Put it on my desk, she ordered, disdaining to touch it.

The people that were retrenched from this mine last month were given three months pay in lieu of notice, she said, Three times more than they were entitled to, you know that. They were all given good letters of reference, you know that also. They are our mates, Fourie said stubbornly. Some of them our family. All right. She nodded. 'You have made your position clear. You may leave now. She rose and they looked at one another in consternation.

Aren't you going to give us an answer? Maclear asked.

Eventually, she nodded.

When will that be? When I am ready and not before. They filed towards the door, but before he reached it, Maclear turned back and faced her defiantly.

They've closed the company store and cut off the water and electricity to our cottages, he challenged her.

On my orders, she agreed.

You can't do that. I don't see why not. I own the store, the generator, the pumphouse and the cottages. We've got wives and children to feed. You should have thought about them before you started your strike!

We can take what we want, you know. Even your diamonds. You can't stop us. Make me a very happy woman, she invited. Do it. Break into the store and steal the goods from the shelves. Dynamite the strongroom and take my diamonds. Assault my loyal people. Nothing would please me more than to see the three of you in gaol for life, or dancing on the gallows tree!

As soon as they were alone again, she turned to Twenty-man-Jones.

He is right. The first and only consideration is the diamonds. I have to get them safely into the bank vaults in Windhoek. We can send them in under police escort, he agreed, but she shook her head.

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