"What do I care how he looks? I am good-looking enough for both of us, I theenk! All these scars show is zat my husband is brave!"
- Fleur Delacour, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Chapter 29
"If you want to know what a man's like, take a go...
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Tommy and Imogen continue to ride on his beautiful black horse down the industrial street, silencing the chaos around him briefly as he goes. He was whispering sweet words into his wife's ear, placing butterfly kisses along her neck. Imogen giggling softly whenever he did.
The street is busy with horse traffic and the odd car and delivery van. Garrison Lane cuts between soaring industrial buildings. The street is alive with children, and, outside every pub, men are gathered, smoking and drinking. On a corner, a beggar is playing an accordion, but he stops and bows as Tommy and Imogen pass. Other men look to their shoes as the two ride by some of them darting into doorways to avoid his gaze.
Outside the Chain Tavern a black Afro-Caribbean street preacher with long straggly hair is preaching fire and brimstone to no one, a large leather-bound bible in his hand... Imogen listens to Jimmy preach.
"And Abraham made his home in a cave, but it was good because God resided there with him. You see children, God does not care if you live in a slum or in a mansion..." As the shadow of Tommy and Imogen and his horse passes over Jimmy, he glances up and nods a greeting.
Tommy slows to allow a line of men to cross the road. They are all blind, walking in single file, each with a hand on the shoulder of the man in front, the leader being led by a dog. These are men blinded in the war, now begging for pennies. The men sing 'Molly Malone' as they walk and the last in line holds a begging bowl. Imogen with the help of Tommy leans down in the saddle to drop a coin into their bowl. As the line of blind men clears, two policemen walking in the opposite direction see the couple. They both look nervous and touch their caps.
"Good morning Mr and Mrs. Shelby."
Tommy ignores them as Imogen smiles in greet, but Tommy urges his horse on.
"Where are we going now my King?" Imogen asks her husband as she leans into his chest, her head tucked under his chin.
"Charlie's yard." He responds kissing her on the top of her head.
The yard is a fantastic collection. It is ostensibly a scrap metal yard but there is junk and treasure of every kind. The Grand Union Canal runs through the yard and there are stables for dray horses beside the water. A bonfire burns in a corner of the yard.
The flames reflect on the high walls that seclude the yard and there is a large, corrugated iron gate. The gate is being hammered from outside and a settled Gypsy named Charlie Strong emerges from a small office to open the gate. He is mid-forties, hard as iron, dressed in a fine tweed suit and cap but with a large golden earring in his left ear to denote his race.
He opens the gate to find Tommy and Imogen standing with his black horse. No words are exchanged as the couple enters and Tommy begins to unsaddle the horse. Charlie turns towards the bonfire and calls out. "Curly? Get here."
From the billowing smoke another gypsy man appears. His head is totally bald, and he wears a dark suit and a gold earring. He approaches at a trot, Imogen smiled gently at the man, as he was in terms and 'simple minded' fella. However, Imogen had discovered that he has a way with horses like no one else.
