by Val Wood
‘And have you been working for Jamie as well?’
‘On and off,’ Lizzie said. ‘When it suited me; I came back here cos I thought Cherie would be safer than out on ’streets.’
Lily nodded thoughtfully. So Cherie is still innocent and Lizzie has been protecting her. How easy it is to jump to wrong conclusions about people.
‘Well, young ladies,’ she said softly, ‘I have a plan. If you’re willing we can work together, stand together and mek a better life for each and every one of us.’ She told them briefly of her discussion with Jamie. ‘I already know what Alice wants; she wants her own little house and a husband to look after her.’
Lizzie snorted derisively. ‘Fat chance o’ that.’
‘So what do you want, Lizzie?’ Lily asked.
‘Well, not a man for a start!’ Lizzie laughed shortly. ‘I’ve had enough o’ them to last me a lifetime. They think they’re using me, but they’re not: I’m using them. They want summat I’ve got so they’ve got to pay for it. But what I’d really like,’ her mouth pouted and she gazed dreamily about her, ‘is a shop that sells nice clothes: gowns ’n’ cloaks ’n’ that. Not a second-hand tat shop like Rena’s I don’t mean, but one that sells new clothes for folks wi’ money. I’d be ’best-dressed woman in town then, cos I know about fashion,’ she said defiantly, ‘even if I don’t have ’money for it.’
She would be too, Lily considered, for there was a certain air about the way she wore her worn shawl and swished her torn skirt. She was still wearing her own clothes, whereas Cherie wore the grey dress given to her in the charity house.
‘And what about you, Cherie?’ Lily asked. ‘What’d please you?’
Cherie looked down at her hands and twisted them together. ‘I don’t know,’ she whispered. ‘I felt safe when I was at home with my ma and da, even though we had nowt much. When they died I thought my brother would ask me to live with them, but his wife said she’d enough mouths to feed as it was and that I had to fend for myself or go to ’workhouse.’
Lily shuddered. Having seen the place she could understand Cherie’s preferring a life out on the streets.
‘So what I’d really like,’ Cherie continued, ‘is a place where I’d feel safe again. It’s not that I don’t want to work,’ she added hastily. ‘I worked in ’flour mills and cotton mills until I was dismissed and then I couldn’t find another job o’ work. But I’d want a place to come back to.’
‘Why were you dismissed?’
‘Cos I’d got to fifteen and they tek on younger bairns for less money.’ She hesitated. ‘But I was allus falling asleep,’ she said. ‘I was that tired all ’time and they said I was a danger to myself. I might have fallen into ’machinery, you see.’ She yawned. ‘I’m tired now,’ she confessed. ‘I could just crawl into that bed wi’ Alice.’
Alice shifted up in the bed. ‘Come on then. I’ve slept wi’ more than two in a bed afore now.’
In a minute, Cherie had slipped off her boots and slid in beside Alice. Lily looked at Lizzie. ‘Well,’ she said. ‘It looks as if it’s just you and me to set about this place. What do you think? Are you going to stop here or tek a chance out on ’streets?’
Lizzie grinned. ‘I’m going to stop.’ She took off her shawl and rolled up her sleeves. ‘Let’s get started. We’ll chuck out all ’rubbish, and then when Jamie comes back wi’ fuel we’ll get ’fire going and then them two,’ she nodded towards the bed, ‘can get themselves up to help us scrub out.’ She looked at Lily. ‘We’ve told you what we want, Lily. But you haven’t said what you want.’
Lily heaved a sigh. It seemed as if all she cared for had gone for ever. Her beloved Johnny was the only man she had ever wanted. Billy Fowler had been meant to fill that gap in her life, but marrying him had been a terrible mistake. Ted and Daisy were the ones she had to think about now. Daisy was safe for the moment, but could Lily bring her here, to a house of ill repute? And as for Ted, will he ever find me? For surely he’ll come looking when he discovers that Billy sold me.
‘I have a son and a daughter,’ she replied. ‘They’re the ones that I care about. I must work to give them a home.’
Lizzie looked aghast. ‘You can’t bring them here! It wouldn’t be right!’
Lily laughed. ‘Got some morals, have you, Lizzie?’
‘Aye,’ Lizzie said, looking offended. ‘I have!’
Whilst Lily raked out the old ash from the kitchen range and then scrubbed it clean of ancient cooking grease, Lizzie found a sweeping brush and a pair of steps and swept the ceiling and walls free of cobwebs. ‘Phew,’ she exclaimed, wiping her face with a dirty hand. ‘We’ll need a bath when we’ve finished in here.’
‘And we shall have one,’ Lily said. Her face and hands were covered in soot and coal dust. ‘As soon as this fire is going we’ll set ’pan on top and fill that tin bath upstairs wi’ hot water.’
Lizzie leaned on the brush and contemplated. ‘I’ve really enjoyed myself,’ she said. ‘I never thought that having a clean sweep would make me feel so satisfied.’
‘Aye.’ Lily dusted herself down. ‘It does. When I had my own little cottage – it was onny one room, mind – I kept it clean as a new pin. I felt right proud of it, and when ’agent came to collect ’rent he allus used to say it was a pleasure to come into it.’
‘How did you manage to pay ’rent?’ Lizzie asked. ‘If your husband was away?’
‘Parish helped me, and I worked. Did washing in farmhouses, and I worked in ’local hostelry. I nivver stuck fast because after my ma died I used to worry about leaving ’bairns on their own. I’d put Daisy to bed, but Ted was a young varmint; he’d pretend to be asleep but I allus knew that as soon as I was out of ’door he’d be out of bed and off outside to play.’ She shrugged. ‘But what could I do? I had to work. Anyway, my neighbour had a garden where he grew vegetables and I persuaded him to let Ted have a small patch of earth to grow things.’ She smiled as she reminisced. ‘So that’s what he did, and often when I came home later Ted would be flat out on ’rug in front of ’fire, still with his muddy boots on and his face and hands dirty, just worn out with ’exertion of working outside.’
‘So where is he now?’ Lizzie asked.
Lily put her hand to her face and squeezed her eyes tight. ‘I don’t know,’ she said. ‘I don’t know.’
Jamie came back a little later with a sack of coal, kindling and a barrowload of wood. ‘I’ve asked ’coalman to call regular,’ he said. ‘But go sparingly with ’coal – it’s costing me a fortune.’
Lily looked at him. ‘We’ve got to do this properly,’ she told him. ‘Otherwise you’ll have a bawdy house just like ’rest of ’em down ’street. If you want gents to come here they won’t want to be sitting in shabby surroundings.’
He bit on a piece of loose skin on his finger and said nothing for a second. Then he nodded. ‘All right. You get it looking tidy. Then tell me what you have in mind.’
‘It needs a lick of paint,’ she said. ‘Then I want things changing round. I’ll have that room that Alice is in, then I’m handy for ’front door and seeing who’s coming in and going out. That middle room can be a sort of parlour where folks – men,’ she said reluctantly, ‘can sit and have a drink or even a bite of supper.’
‘Supper!’ he exploded. ‘You want to give ’em supper! I’ll tell you they’ll want to be off home as soon as they can afore their wives miss ’em.’
‘Not all of them,’ she said patiently. ‘And I thought we could give them a drink or supper before they …’ She pointed upstairs. ‘Before they …’
‘Tek girls upstairs,’ Lizzie said pointedly. ‘It’s no use beating about ’bush, Lily. That’s what they’ll be coming for, supper or not!’
‘Yes, I know,’ Lily admitted. ‘But I thought mebbe we could make it more sort of high class.’
Jamie stared at her. Then he blinked. ‘There are places like that,’ he said. ‘But I hadn’t thought – but then …’ He pondered. ‘Why not? I’d need
to spend more money, though. To mek it suitable.’
‘And you’ll need more girls,’ Lizzie said practically. ‘It can’t be done with just me and Alice.’
‘And Cherie,’ Jamie said.
‘Not Cherie,’ Lizzie and Lily said together.
‘She’s not experienced,’ Lizzie said.
‘I’ve got other plans for her,’ Lily added.
Somebody hammered on the front door. Jamie looked alarmed. ‘Sounds like ’constable,’ he whispered. ‘Go and placate him, Lily. Tell him it’s a rooming house.’
She raised her eyebrows at him and went down the hall to the door, opening it with a half-smile on her face, prepared to be amiable. But it wasn’t the constable but a young fair-haired woman in a grey dress.
‘Hello,’ she said. ‘What ’you doing here?’
‘Everybody asks me that,’ Lily sighed. ‘It’s Betty, isn’t it? You’d better come in.’
Lizzie and Betty eyed each other. ‘Didn’t think you’d stick it out,’ Lizzie mocked.
‘Lasted longer than you, anyway,’ Betty retaliated.
‘I didn’t intend stopping,’ Lizzie snapped. ‘I onny went cos of Cherie.’
‘What’s going on, then?’ Betty asked. ‘Why are you here, Lily? I thought you said you weren’t in this line of work.’
‘I wasn’t,’ Lily said. ‘I’m not. There’s been a change o’ plan. Perhaps you’d like to hear about it?’
‘Mebbe,’ Betty said in a non-committal way, and Lily thought that her tone of voice wasn’t as harsh as Lizzie’s. It was as if she had conquered her lowly accent and tried to improve herself.
Lily outlined the plans for the house and the customers they wanted to attract. ‘Businessmen,’ she said. ‘Tradesmen too, but not any riff-raff who might use violence.’ She told her about Alice being beaten and Betty shuddered.
‘It’s what I’m scared of more than owt – anything,’ she said. ‘Even more than catching disease.’ She looked at Jamie. ‘We’ve had our arguments, I know,’ she said, ‘and you’ve taken advantage of us, but I’d like to stop and give it a try.’
‘You can,’ Jamie said. ‘But that’s on condition that you and Lizzie don’t fight.’
‘I’ll not fight,’ Betty countered. ‘It’s degrading!’
‘Ha, listen to milady,’ Lizzie said. ‘Who do you think you are?’
‘That’s enough!’ Lily spoke as if they were children. ‘I’ll not have any bickering. We’ve got to work together. If either of you’ve got a complaint you come to me and I’ll try to sort it out.’
Jamie grinned. ‘Good! I’ll leave you to it, Lily. Last thing I want is two she-cats scrapping.’
‘And that’s enough of that sort of talk,’ Lily said sharply. ‘We’ll have some respect, Jamie, if you please.’
He pulled a face. ‘Sorry,’ he said, giving a mock bow. ‘I’ll try to remember.’
‘Before you go,’ Lily said, ‘I’ll give you a list of what we need. Cushions and antimacassars and suchlike to cover up ’shabby furniture. Then when we’re ready you can tek Lizzie with you and you can get us all some new clothes.’
‘New clothes!’ he gasped. ‘I’m not made o’ brass.’
‘Not new,’ she explained. ‘Second-hand! Lizzie will know what to get, won’t you, Lizzie?’
The girl’s face brightened. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘Course I will.’
‘As for you, Betty,’ Lily said, ‘I’ve got something else in mind for you.’
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The following day, Lily put down her sweeping brush and duster, washed her hands and face in warm water, brushed her hair with a hairbrush she had found in a cupboard and announced she was going out.
‘Where’re you going?’ Lizzie paused in the act of draping a shawl over a chair in the room now known as the parlour. Jamie had brought a bagful of shawls and curtains and various pieces of material which they had soon found a use for, and already the room had taken on a different appearance.
‘I’m going to see Daisy,’ Lily said. ‘Poor bairn will think I’ve abandoned her.’ And I don’t know what Mr Walker will think if I tell him where I’m working, she thought. I’ll feel so ashamed.
She borrowed a shawl to put round her shoulders, marched down the steps of the house, and, keeping her gaze straight in front to avoid any eye contact with young women loitering around the other houses, walked briskly down the street. Halfway down she noticed an old woman sitting on a doorstep; she held her chin in her hands, her bony elbows propped on her knees, and she turned tired eyes towards Lily as she passed.
On the corner of the street two constables stood swinging their batons as they conversed; they looked towards Lily as she approached them. She nodded her head regally and gave a slight smile. ‘Good morning,’ she said and was gratified to see them touch their helmets with their forefingers, though they had rather confused expressions on their faces.
Just as well to have the law on our side, she thought, though I don’t doubt they’ll be knocking on the door before long. Great heavens, whatever am I doing in a situation like this? I’m an honest, law-abiding, good-living woman. Or at least I was. And once again she cursed under her breath the name of Billy Fowler who had brought her so low.
She lifted her chin and straightened her shoulders as she opened the door of the apothecary’s shop. Oliver was behind the counter with his back to her, tidying up the shelves. He turned round and smiled as he recognized her.
‘Mrs Maddeson! How nice to see you. Are you feeling better?’
‘Thank you, I am,’ she replied, thinking how polite he was for such a young man. How tonguetied my Ted would be, greeting a woman. ‘Is your father in?’
‘Regrettably not,’ he said. ‘He’s gone to see a patient. Dr Brown sent for him.’
‘Oh!’ She’d worked herself up to this visit and now she’d have to come again. ‘Could I see Daisy then? Please,’ she added.
‘Of course.’ He came round to her side of the counter. ‘You’re not going to take her away from us, are you?’
She looked at him in surprise. ‘Well, I asked your father if she could stop until I found work. I didn’t want to impose—’
‘We’ve enjoyed having her here,’ he said. ‘And I met your son,’ he added. ‘He’s not at all like Daisy, is he?’
‘You met Ted? When?’ she asked breathlessly. ‘Is he here? In Hull, I mean?’
‘Erm, I’m not sure where he is now.’ Oliver fidgeted. ‘Daisy will tell you about him. I think she’s with my mother at the moment. Would you like to come through to the house?’ He opened a door and invited her into a dark hallway. ‘I can’t leave the shop but I’ll just let my mother know you are here.’
Oh, no, she breathed. Not Mrs Walker.
Oliver called out, ‘Mother! Can you come a minute?’ There was no reply so he called, ‘Molly! Are you there?’
The maid came scurrying through another door from the back of the building. ‘Molly, will you take Mrs Maddeson through to my mother, please? She’s come to see Daisy.’
‘Are you tekking her home?’ Molly asked the same question as Oliver had. ‘She’s settling in nicely.’
‘Is she?’ Lily said. She had thought that Daisy might be fretting for her, but it seemed that she wasn’t.
Molly tapped on another door and waited a second before opening it. ‘Mrs Walker,’ she said, putting her head round the edge. ‘Mrs Maddeson is here to see Daisy.’
Mrs Walker must have said something to her, for Molly then ushered Lily into the room. She blinked in astonishment, for there was Mrs Walker in a chair with her feet on a footstool and Daisy standing behind her brushing her long straight hair.
‘Forgive me if I don’t get up, Mrs Maddeson,’ Mrs Walker said. ‘I have a bad headache and Daisy offered to brush my hair to try to relieve it.’
Lily smiled. Little minx, she thought. She loved to brush my hair and pin it up for me and then she would chat and I’d find out that she wanted something f
rom me. I wonder what it is she wants from Mrs Walker.
Lily dipped her knee to Mrs Walker, who she thought seemed less brusque and more amiable with her hair undone and hanging down her back.
‘I trust that Daisy has been useful to you, Mrs Walker? It was most kind of you and Mr Walker to tek care of her while I was unwell.’
Mrs Walker gave a slight nod. ‘I hope that you’ve recovered from your ordeal and are returned to health?’
‘Yes, ma’am. I’m as fit as I ever was.’ Lily glanced at Daisy, who smiled demurely and kept on brushing Mrs Walker’s hair. What’s she up to? And how come she’s offered to do Mrs Walker’s hair? I didn’t think Mrs Walker would have even spoken to her.
Mrs Walker half turned towards Lily. ‘And have you found yourself a position? A job of work?’
Lily hesitated. ‘I have,’ she said quietly. ‘It will do me for ’time being anyway, though it’s not anything I’d have thought of doing.’
‘What kind of work? And somewhere to live? Somewhere you can take your daughter?’
‘That’s why I wanted to talk to Mr – well, you and Mr Walker, ma’am.’ Lily stumbled over what to say. She could hardly tell this woman she was going to be ruling over a brothel, or a bordello as Jamie would have it. ‘It’s housekeeping work, Mrs Walker, and I’ll have to live in.’
Mrs Walker pushed Daisy’s hand away and turned round to face Lily. ‘So what you’re saying is that Daisy can’t go with you. Have you tried for other work?’
‘Yes,’ Lily said. ‘In ’hostelries and ’inns; but there was nothing that would tide me over so that I could pay for a room for Daisy and me.’ She bit on her lip. Perhaps I didn’t try hard enough, but what more could I do? ‘I thought if I took this job I’d be able to save up enough to pay rent on a room and then look for other work.’
