Chapter 15

As Anjali arrived at the front of the weaving mill, later that day, there was a police car parked in one of the visitors’ parking spaces. There were two firefighters packing a firehose away onto a fire engine, which was standing outside the open shutter of one of the three weaving sheds.

Eileen, now dressed in a plain working suit, led Anjali from the security gate to a meeting room, behind a rusted coffee machine in the reception area. On the way, they passed through the largest of the warehouses, crossing the edge of the machine floor. The mechanical tenacity of the weaving machines rattled in their ears. They followed the floor markings that led behind the largest of the machines. Anjali could see the rough cloth it was producing.

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‘We have had to call off the planned meeting, as things have become more heated and more quickly than we expected,’ said Eileen as soon as the meeting room door was shut against the noise of the machines.

‘We have had a small fire in one of the weaving sheds - the one we will be shutting. It is a bit too much of a coincidence. There is a belief amongst the production managers that it was started deliberately.’

She poured Anjali some plain water from a jug on the table.

‘We will see what the fire investigation service people say.’

After that morning’s discussion with her uncle, Anjali was keen to begin the design work the Factory Manager had hinted at in the hotel - and establish some firm ground beneath her feet. Eileen was plainly agitated and Anjali, seeing that this was the wrong time to push the subject, allowed Eileen to pursue her revised agenda.

‘The Factory Manager asked me to meet with you,’ Eileen said, ‘and give you a briefing so that you know how things are.’

She looked down at some notes she had made on a pad of lined paper.

‘We have received confirmation, just this morning, that we can make the changes we suggested at the Board meeting.’

‘They have accepted all the proposals from the presentation?’ asked Anjali.

‘Er - yes and no - it is good news really. The Danish family have decided not to close the main mill, just some of the most outdated machines. Production of more refined fabrics will transfer to one of the group’s other mills. This will become a management and development house, but much of the basic production we will keep here. Our older machines are all written out of the accounts, and so are suited to low-cost contracts. We also have lower wage costs than of the other mills in the group. We are a relatively remote site, you see.’

‘You will be developing new designs and new material here?’ Anjali was feeling that she was being swept away by a torrent of events. She was keen to grasp hold of something, and she had grasped the words ‘development house.’

‘In time,’ replied Eileen. `We carry out coarse weaving of sheep's wool - in the larger weaving shed - for coats and capes and flannel with a plain or twill weave. The military is a good customer – and sheep's wool always processes very cleanly in the damp air of Briardale valley. We will be producing all such material for the Danish group here. We need to get that right first.’

Eileen looked down at her notes again, apparently trying to make sense of what she had written.

‘It seems that the family was already thinking of transferring the red headed lady to run their German production site. My Factory Manager is sure that his presentation to the Board convinced them that they could do that without putting their investment here at risk.’

She looked up and added, with sincerity strapped loosely around every word, ‘My Factory Manager is very appreciative of what you have done for him - for all of us. Your work will always receive acknowledgment in this company.’

Eileen rose from her seat, indicating that this meeting had reached its conclusion.

‘I am sure that you will be hearing from us soon. We know - we have seen - how important it is that we use all our ability to influence. It is such influence that keeps everything under control.’