The Shadow of War by Jack Murray (read this if TXT) 📕

therewas not a spare ounce of flesh on his frame.

‘Whatdo you think you’re doing, you young fool?’ were Stan’s first words as he cameinto the forge.

Dannylooked down at his shirt which he’d removed. His father had told him beforeabout hammering iron in this manner. The sparks could burn naked skin. Hegrinned at his father and said, ‘Don’t worry. Nearly finished. I didn’t want todirty the shirt. I don’t have anything else to wear for the carol concert.’

Hisfather shook his head and turned away but then a thought occurred to him and hewalked back to the forge.

‘Bythe way, Charles Desmond spoke to me yesterday. He said you’d put the price ofhorseshoes up.’

‘Ihave.’

‘Whenwere you thinking of telling me?’ asked Stan.

‘Youasked me to handle the business affairs. I am. What did you tell Mr Desmond?’

‘Thatyou’re handling the business affairs now,’ replied Stan, looking at his sixteen-year-oldson, not without a degree of wonder. The boy had been working at the forge fornigh on three years now. He’d grown into a man so quickly. When was it apparenthe’d also taken over the business? Stan knew that neither he nor Tom had a headfor commerce. Danny had taken to the business side like a bee to flowers.Desmond wasn’t the first farmer to complain to Stan about the change in pricesbut, oddly, none complained about Danny. They liked him. But they didn’t wantto pay more, which was hardly a surprise.

‘I’veput the price up on the shoes. It hasn’t changed since 1929.’

‘Thatlong?’ exclaimed Stan in shock. Danny nodded and continued beating the hell outof the iron on the anvil. ‘We should put the prices up then,’ agreed Stan.

‘Aye,we should,’ grinned Danny.

‘Youcan tell ‘im yourself, then. I can see him coming now.’

Dannylooked up and, sure enough, in the distance he could see the old farmer walkingalong the road towards their house. Stan nodded to Danny and left him to dealwith the farmer. Putting down his hammer, Danny walked over to the outside sinkand pulled the handle for water. He quickly cleaned himself off and then used atowel to remove the excess water. By the time the farmer had arrived, Danny hadhis shirt on and was sitting waiting for Desmond.

‘Hellothere, Danny,’ said Desmond. The farmer was a stout man of fifty, with a floridcountry complexion and grey whiskers impressively resplendent on his cheeks.‘Did I just see your father there?’

‘Youdid,’ said Danny, grinning widely, ‘He was asking when we’d increased theprices of the shoes.’

‘Ahyes, that’s why I’ve come to see you,’ said Desmond. ‘I had a feeling yourfather knew little about it. He said speak to you.’

‘Isthere a problem?’

‘Yes.This letter you sent says you’re nearly doubling theprice. Look Danny, wheat prices are less than they were ten years ago. I can’tafford this increase, really I can’t.’

Danny looked sympathetically at the farmer. It was true, the priceof wheat had been stagnant for a long time due to imports from abroad andover-capacity in the industry.

‘I’ll tell you what, Mr Desmond. We do need to increase the priceotherwise we’re losing on every shoe we make. Why don’t we leave the price asit is, but you give us three dozen eggs each week?’

‘I see you still want to steal eggs from me, you young scamp. Twodozen.’

‘Three dozen, Mr Desmond. You’re not just here to talk to me aboutthe horseshoes, are you?’

Desmond looked at Danny in surprise and then smiled slowly.Finally, he said, ‘No, I’m not just here to talk about the price of shoes.’

‘Your boy Ben wants to work at the forge.’ It wasn’t a question.

‘He does. I can’t interest him in the farm work and as he’s theyoungest, the other two lads and the other workers are all I need. Can you usehim?’

‘Yes,’ responded Danny.

‘I’ll send him along.’

‘Along with three dozen eggs,’ said Danny with a grin. He held outhis hand and the two men shook on the deal.

After the farmer had left, Danny returned to the house. His fatherlooked up from the table.

‘So?’ asked Stan.

Danny took him through the conversation with Desmond. His fathernodded. He was impressed. The solution was fair and took account of Desmond’s situation on thefarm. The forge was doing well, and an extra pair of hands was needed.

‘Whatage is the boy?’

‘Fifteen.’

‘Morechildren,’ said his father grumpily, but he was quite pleased with how thingshad worked out. Danny shot his father a look and laughed.

‘Iknew you’d be pleased.’

Tomcame down the stairs, dressed in his Sunday suit. He’d caught the end of theconversation.

‘Morechildren?’ he asked, looking at his father in surprise.

Hisfather looked shocked also and removed the pipe from his mouth. Danny, alwayson the lookout to for a prank said, ‘Yes, didn’t dad and mum tell you?’

Tomlooked from Danny to his father in shock and even a little disgust. Stan saidnothing, half amused at the exchange. Finally, Tom asked, ‘Dad? We’re going tohave a baby?’

Bynow Stan was in on what Danny was thinking, ‘You look surprised.’

‘You’reboth a bit old,’ pointed out Tom.

‘Andyou, son, are a bit of a ninny,’ replied Stan more sternly than he felt.

Tomturned from his sombre-faced father to his brother, who was now laughing somuch he had to sit down.

‘Veryfunny.’ Tom turned towards his dad who was also smiling now.

‘Dannyhas organised for the Desmond boy to join us. We need it.’

‘Wedo,’ agreed Tom, sitting down and giving Danny a gentle clip around the head tostop him laughing. Then he continued, ‘How did he take the price rise?’

Stantold Tom about the new arrangement.

‘Goodidea, Dan, we’ll be able to feed him n’ all.’

‘That’swhat I was thinking, too,’ said Stan. ‘Desmond was one of my first customers; we’re doing right by him and us.’

This was as close to praise as either Stan or Tom were ever goingto get. Not that Danny was worried. As long as they left him to run things, hewas happy. Both men also seemed happy that Danny had taken the lead in businessmatters. So far it seemed to be working well.

Stan glanced at the two boys together. His boys. Boys? They’dgrown up and he couldn’t havefelt prouder. Both good, hard-working young men. His heart plummeted as hethought about