Flashman - George MacDonald Fraser - One (the first) of a series - I've read a couple of these before; they really are very good.
This is Flashman describing a meeting with his future father-in-law, a mill owner. There are concerns over working class mob violence in the town:
"I told him pretty sharp that there was no danger, but that if there had been, his place was surely at his mill, to keep his rascals in order. He whinnied at me - I've seldom seen a man in such a fright, and being a true-bred poltroon myself, I speak with authority".
I can see myself finishing this book today, and then I have Hey Nostradamus by Douglas Coupland, although I may save that for the plane journey next trip to LoS as it is a nice size and l think that it is the type of book that would impress pretty ladies in nice dresses and there are more likey to be such ladies to impress on a plane than there are in my front room....much more likely to be.