Joe touches the brim of his hat, too proud to lift it off his head altogether. ‘Afternoon Mr Thomas, sir,’ he says and puts his big hand on Jessica’s shoulder. ‘Jessica, this is Mr Thomas.’
George Thomas grunts, ignoring the greeting. ‘This isn’t girl’s work, Joe.’ He turns to Jessica. ‘What do you know about sheep, eh?’
Jessica keeps her eyes on her boots, and answers shyly, ‘A bit, sir.’
‘A bit? A bit isn’t enough, lass. Can you shear?’ It’s a cruel question, Jessica is plainly too small to handle a fully grown ewe. ‘If it’s a lamb, sir,’ she replies, looking up at George Thomas for the first time.
‘Hmm. Can you crutch? Tar? Sweep? Pick up and throw a fleece?’
‘The first three, sir. I reckon I’ll be able to do the other when I’ve grow’d a bit and they’ve learned me.’ Jessica holds George Thomas’s eyes for a moment then looks down at her boots again. ‘She’s a good worker,’ Joe mumbles.
‘She’s a cheeky young bugger,’ the boss of Riverview Station replies. ‘Got all the answers. If you ask me, she’s too clever for her own good.’
Joe stiffens, not knowing how to take the remark, but Thomas doesn’t seem to notice. ‘Joe Bergman, you’ve been shearing in my shed for fifteen years and I’ve no quarrel with your work. I know you haven’t a boy of your own to help, but .. .’
Joe cuts in quickly, ‘I wouldn’t take a boy in her place, sir. The girl’s a damn sight better than any lad her age.’
George Thomas is unimpressed. He’s not the sort to take notice of other folks’ opinions. ‘It’s putting temptation in the way of the men, I don’t like it.’Joe looks surprised — the idea that Jessica might be a temptation to men hasn’t entered his head. ‘I’ll be in the shed meself, Mr Thomas, keeping a sharp eye on her.’ ‘Hummph!’ George Thomas thinks a moment and then seems to make up his mind. ‘We’ll put her in with Jack and young William Simon, it’s their first full season on the shears.’
Joe smiles. ‘She’ll do you proud, sir.’
The owner of Riverview now turns to Jessica. ‘You’ll be the tar boy and sweep for the two lads. Jack’s my son and he’ll probably make a mess of things, always does, but young Billy’s a good boy and he’ll teach you or throw you out, one or the other, I don’t much care which. I hope you know what you’re doing, Joe,’ he says, prodding him in the chest with his forefinger. ‘She’ll get no special treatment, mind.’
‘Don’t expect none, do we, Jessie?’ Joe says, gripping her shoulder and trying to hide his pleasure.
‘Well, there’s one you’ll get right off, girl. You’ll take your dinner at the big house with my girls, though I don’t know that it’s much of a favour at that.’ He turns to Joe. ‘I don’t want her eating with the men in the shearers’ quarters.’
‘There’s no need, Mr Thomas, we couldn’t put your missus out. She can sit with me, we’ll bring our own tucker,’ Joe protests.
‘Like hell you will, Joe. The shearing shed’s one thing, the shearers’ quarters another. I don’t want her eating there, it’ll make the men jumpy.’
‘Too right,’ Mike Malloy adds, ‘I said that me self.’
Joe shrugs, none too happy. ‘If you say so, Mr Thomas.’
George Thomas turns to his foreman and scratches his head under his hat, the posh city hat bobbing under his fingers. ‘I must be out of my flaming mind, but sign her up, Malloy.’ He pauses a moment and gazes at Joe. ‘First sign of trouble out she goes, and it doesn’t matter who starts it, you hear me, Malloy?’
‘Right, Mr Thomas,’ Mike Malloy replies.
‘Thank you, sir,’ Jessica says shyly.
George Thomas spins around at this. ‘Look girl, you’re just another tar boy. That’s the lowest there is around here. From now on you won’t talk until you’re spoken to and you never speak to me. You hear me?’ Jessica bites her bottom lip, saying nothing, not sure now whether she’s got permission to answer this. ‘Do — you — hear — me?’ he thunders.
Jessica jumps. ‘Yes, sir, thank you Mr Thomas.’ George Thomas shakes his head. ‘Christ, I must be bloody mad.’ He turns back and looks at Joe, placing his hands on his hips. ‘She won’t get the same wages as a tar boy.’
‘What? Even if she’s as good?’ Joe asks.
‘She’s a girl, Joe.’
‘So?’ Joe’s face darkens.
‘So she’ll take sixpence less a day, one shilling a day, no arguments, six bob a week, take it or leave it.’ Now Joe looks down at his boots and the silence grows. ‘Well, what’s it to be?’ George Thomas demands, jutting out his chin.
Jessica can see that Joe’s temper is going to get the better of him, and she clutches his arm. They need the money too much to lose this job now. Getting up her courage, she draws George Thomas’s attention to herself, giving Joe time to calm himself down.
‘Mr Thomas,’ she stammers, ‘we’re more than happy with the pay, it’s real generous of you, I’m sure.’ She tries to say it in the voice she’s heard Hester use when she’s talking to Ada Thomas.
‘You!’ George Thomas shouts, pointing his finger at Jessica. ‘Keep your trap shut! Don’t you ever listen, girl?’