MORNING SERIAL

SHE turned to Ieuan. “I hope your father’s given you a talking-to for once. It’s time someone should, for it’s daunted I am – long ago.” Ieuan squirmed. He wanted to scream. Was there ever any peace for him? Did mam have to shout and rave all the time? What was wrong with her? “Listen, Mam,” he said, returning her stare, determined to stand up to the petty bullying she had so consistently imposed on him, “what have I done to make you feel so angry with me?” He saw her lips tighten. For the moment she was confused. Her self-assurance wavered. She opened her mouth, but no words came.

“Your mother’s not angry with you,” he heard his father say. “You’ve got the wrong end of the stick, boy. Come now, eat your supper. Don’t take things to heart so much.” “I’m not taking things to heart, Dad,” Ieuan returned. “Mam’s always finding something to grumble about. I-I’m not being disrespectful, but, after all, I’ve got a right to try to educate myself. I’m not going to stick in the foundry all my life, dad, and neither you nor mam’s going to force me to.” A silence hung over the small kitchen. Gweneira and Phyllis fidgeted in their chairs. They glanced nervously at their mother, as though afraid that they, too, would soon be involved in the argument which they sensed would surely develop from Ieuan’s boldness.

Then the mother spoke, and this time her voice was cold and dispassionate. Her eyes betrayed her contempt.

“You’d better hold your tongue, Ieuan Morgan. The sooner the better you learn to respect your elders. Don’t it teach you that in your books? I’ll not force you to stay in the foundry, indeed! Since when do I have to be dictated to by a boy, I’d like to know?” “I’m not dictating,” Ieuan protested.

“Keep quiet! Your opinions I’ll ask for when I want them. While you’re in this house you’ll do as I say, my lad. Oh, yes, don’t start getting fine ideas about how important you are. Twelve shillings – that’s what you brought into this house when you were working. And now it’s ten. Ten shillings a week – not enough to keep you on bread. But are you starving?