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Guy followed Albert out to the carriage, and the driver opened the door for them. “I do appreciate you taking me to the colliery,” Guy said as he sat across from the banker.
“I wasn’t given a choice,” Albert muttered. “My father was rather insistent on the matter, but I contend it is a waste of time.”
“And why is that?”
“Why should you care about the workers at the mine?” Albert asked.
“It is my job to care.”
Albert huffed. “They get paid for their time,” he declared. “If they aren’t happy, they can quit and find a new job.”
“It has been my experience that jobs are harder to come by these days.”
Albert tugged down on the sleeves of his purple jacket. “There is always menial work for these simple-minded people.”
“Why do you assume they are simple-minded?”
“You shall see,” Albert replied dismissively.
They didn’t speak much after that, and Guy didn’t mind. He found Albert’s condescending manner to be quite irksome. It wasn’t long before they arrived at the coal mine, but he was not prepared for what he saw.
Dilapidated buildings sat back from the entrances to the mine. Blackened, half-naked men were carting coal from the pit as other men barked orders at them. A steam engine was operational, and he was pleased that the colliery at least had one of those. It helped pump water out of the mines, thus saving lives.
“When did the colliery acquire a steam engine?” he asked.
“Many years ago,” came Albert’s vague response. “My father was against it, since it requires a great deal of coal to operate.”
“The old technique of using pumps run by windmills was not nearly as effective,” Guy said. “Furthermore, it allows the men who used to carry up the buckets of water to be free for other tasks.”
Albert frowned. “The windmill cost was minimal, compared to the expensive cost of the steam engine.”
“Doesn’t the steam engine save lives?”
“I suppose it does.”
Guy’s eyes roamed the buildings until he saw a group of dirtied children huddled around the young woman he’d seen in town.
He gestured towards the young woman and asked, “Who is that young woman?”
Albert let out a sigh. “That is Miss Locke,” he replied. “She is insistent on bringing clothing, blankets, and food to the children.”
“You speak as if it is a bad thing.”
“It is, because all of those children should be in the pit right now,” Albert replied.
“Every child needs a break.”
“We don’t pay them to take breaks,” Albert said. “Come, I will introduce you to Miss Locke.”
“I would appreciate that.”
They exited the coach and walked towards the building where Miss Locke was. When the children saw Albert approach, they immediately dispersed without saying a word.
Guy watched as Miss Locke frowned at Albert. “That was poorly done on your part,” she commented as she held a basket in her hand. “I was handing out food to the children.”
“Those children should be working,” Albert contended.
Miss Locke stiffened. “Those children should be playing.”
