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‘Soeway, overalls thick with oil and grease, so his expression ‘What’s the matter?’ he said softly ‘Run out of people to discipline?’
Nicol glanced at his bleeding knuckles ‘Get on with your work, Tims’ Bile rose in him
‘Get on with your work? Who d’you think you are? Colanced behind him at the empty corridor No one was visible on G Deck; those not on duty were all in the hangar area, enjoying the dance He wondered, briefly, how long Ti you, is she? Not giving it up, like you thought?’
Nicol took a deep breath He lit a cigarette, extinguished the er and thumb and thrust it into his pocket
‘Got an itch you can’t scratch?’
‘Youman on this ship, Tims, but in a couple of days’ time you’ll just be another une’ He tried to keep his voice calm, but he could still hear in it the vibration of barely suppressed rage
Tie forearms across his chest ‘Perhaps you’re not her type’ He lifted his chin, as if a thought had occurred to hiot Everyone’s her type, provided they’ve got two bob’
The first punch Tims seemed to expect and ducked away The second was blocked by the stoker’s own blinding upper cut It caught Nicol unawares, exploding under his chin so that he crashed backwards into the wall
‘Think your little whore will still find you pretty now, Marine?’ The words cah the sound of the engines, the distant hu against the side The blood in his ears ‘Perhaps she just didn’t think you were h for her, with your prissy unifor orders’
He felt the stoker’s breath on his skin, could smell the oil on him ‘Did she tell you how she likes it, did she? Did she tell you she liked to feel my hands on them titties, liked to--’
With a roar, Nicol threw hi down He pummelled blindly at the flesh before hi with He felt the reat fist coain But he could not stop now, even if he felt hier He hardly felt the blows that rained down upon hier of the past six weeks, of the past six years, forced their way out of hih his clenched teeth So similar – perhaps his humiliation in front of a woman, perhaps the inequities of twenty years’ service – seemed to provide the motor for Tims’s own assault, so that in their welter of blood and blows and punches neither istered the siren, despite the proximity of the Tannoy above their heads
‘Fire! Fire! Fire!’ caency Party, close up at Section Base Two All marines to the boat deck’
The Queen of the Victoria contestants were being led froe, their polished s her winner’s sash round her like a lifejacket Margaret glied in the sea of bodies, she found herselftowards the door Behind them, the tables stood abandoned, apple charlotte and fruit salad on the plates, glasses half empty Around her, the wo to a little crescendo of fear with every new piped instruction She held one hand protectively across her belly and hting against a particularly strong current
A voice shouted from somewhere ahead, ‘Quickly, ladies, please Those with surnaather at Muster Station B, all others to Muster Station A Just keep e of the crohen the woht her ar forward, a physical barrier to the starboard exit
‘I have to pop downstairs’ Margaret cursed under her breath as someone elbowed her in the back
‘Nobody is allowed downstairs Muster stations only’
Margaret felt the crush of bodies pushing past her, s of several hundred brands of scent and setting lotion ‘Look, it’s very i’
The woman looked at her as if she was a fool ‘There is a fire on board,’ she said ‘There is absolutely no going downstairs Captain’s orders’
Margaret’s voice rose, a mixture of anxiety and frustration ‘You don’t understand! I have to go there! I have to make sure – I have to look after my – my--’
Perhaps the WSO was ht back She blew her whistle, trying to steer soht, then pulled it from her pursed lips and hissed, ‘Don’t you think everyone has soine the chaos if we let everyone start digging around for photograph albums or pieces of jewellery? It’s a fire For all we know it could have started in the woet so the exit hatch Margaret gazed around her, trying to locate another way down, and then, her chest tight, moved forwards in the crush
‘Avice’ Frances stood in the doorway of the silent dor at the motionless form on the bunk in front of her ‘Avice? Can you hear ht this was because Avice, like most of the brides, now declined to speak to her She would not nor, perhaps in the pale set of the other woain
‘Just go away,’ caression of the words
Then the siren had started Outside, in the gangway, a fire alar, shrill and insistent, followed by the sound of rapid footfalls outside the door
‘Attack party close up at fire in centre engine Location centre engine All passengers to the otten ‘Avice, that’s the alarht perhaps Avice had not understood what the siren meant ‘Avice,’ she said irritably, ‘that o’
‘No’
‘What?’
‘I’’
‘You can’t stay here I don’t think it’s a drill this tih Frances She realised she aiting for the sound of an explosion The war’s over, she told herself, and forced herself to breathe deeply It’s over But that didn’t explain the panicked sounds outside What was it? A strayvibration in the air that told of a direct hit ‘Avice, we’ve got to--’
‘No’
Frances stood in the irl’s behaviour Avice had never been in battle: her body would not thrill with fear at the o with Margaret, for Pete’s sake?’ Perhaps it was because it was Frances asking her to leave
Avice lifted her head It was as if she hadn’t heard a thing ‘You’re okay,’ she said, her voice hard ‘You’ve got your husband, in spite of everything Once you get off this ship you’re free, you’re respectable I’ve got nothing but disgrace and humiliation ahead of me’