Always: You'll Never Walk Alone Read Free Page A

responsibilities was to go out every thirty minutes or so and drag in any of the customers who, having fallen down, thought the snow might be a good place to sleep for the night. I would have thought when I was saving them from freezing to death I might have got some appreciation instead of the curses and abuse heaped upon me. But, urine soaked drunks are not amongst the most appreciative people in London.
    I hardly saw Sarah all night. Between my duties and hers, we hardly got a chance to stop, but I did manage to take her a small tankard of beer at midnight and was rewarded with a smile and a “thank you Master Stephen.” Which left me with a silly grin on my face for the next half-hour. Luckily, most of the customers couldn’t focus much past the end of their pint pots by this time, and those that could were either too happy or too morose to notice.
    Business was so good it was four-thirty before the last customer stumbled out of the door and into the snowy night. We were all so tired we just headed for our beds with mumbled goodnights. Even Vicky was too tired to be her usual caustic self and gave me a penny and a pat on the head before climbing up the last flight of stairs to her bed. Reaching my room, I fell onto my bed and was asleep within seconds.
    I was awakened what felt like minutes later by a loud banging. When I opened my eyes, I saw a hazy light coming in the window, so it must have been at least eight o’ clock. I tried to close my eyes and cover my ears, but the banging continued. My sleep-addled brain finally told me that someone was at the front door, but who would be visiting at this time of the morning? The snow continued to fall throughout the night, and I looked out to see a city covered in a pristine whiteness. The snow undisturbed except for one set of horse tracks that led right to the pub door. I leaned out the window and called to the unseen visitor. “Who is it? What do you want?”
    My only answer was a resumption of the banging. Pulling a coat around me, I rubbed my eyes, cursed, shivered and went down to see what was so important that someone would brave this weather and come out so early on such a cold morning.
    I opened the door and a foot of snow tumbled onto the floor. “Can I help you?”
    The stranger was dressed in an expensive riding coat, a large scarf wrapped around his face and a fur hat covered his head. All that I could see of his face were his eyes and two bushy eyebrows, coated with snow. “Let me speak with the proprietor of this establishment.” The last word said with a dismissive sneer.
    “I’m sorry sir he isn’t up yet. We had a very late night. Would you like to leave a message?”
    The next second I found myself sitting on the floor. My ear was ringing and a tear was rolling from my eye. “GET HIM NOW, before I break that filthy neck of yours. You impudent little bastard.”
    My face was stinging as I stood up and went to wake Mr. Cooper. I knocked on the bedroom door and was greeted with loud snorts and snoring from the other side. After five minutes of knocking and no more reaction than I’d first received, I opened the door and put my head around. “Mr. Cooper.” No answer. “Mr. Cooper.” Somewhat louder.
    “What?”
    “There’s a gentleman to see you.”
    More snoring.
    “Mr. Cooper.”
    “What the hell do you want? What time is it?”
    “There’s a gentleman to see you.”
    “Tell him to piss off and come back at a decent hour.”
    “I tried sir but he insisted.”
    “Tell him this is what I think of his insisting.” As he let out a loud fart and covered his head with a pillow.
    I went back down to the gentleman who’d taken the scarf from his face and was pacing around the tavern. His nose was in the air as if the surroundings were offensive to him.
    “I’m sorry sir, but he says he’s not seeing anyone until this afternoon.”
    I thought he was going to hit me again. His face turned crimson and his eyes blazed with such malevolence