Daring Masquerade

by Margaret Tanner

  "Well, Mrs. Calvert, I've read through the police reports. You've certainly landed yourself in a fix."

  "I didn't do anything wrong."

  "Several witnesses gave sworn statements about what you said."

  She read through the reports, and rage surged through her. No deliberate lies as such, but the witnesses had lied by omission, and taken what she said completely out of context.

  "It isn't like they said. I only wanted to stop them from ruining my husband's property to get access to the forest. They lit a fire and nearly burnt our house down."

  "These are very serious allegations. Now I'm sure I could get them reduced, if you entered a guilty plea. After all, you're distraught at your brother's tragic death, your husband is away fighting, and in your delicate condition."

  "No. Why should I plead guilty to something I didn't do?"

  "I'm trying to help you. If you're convicted on all charges, you risk life in prison or the death penalty."

  "I'm innocent."

  "The evidence against you is damning."

  "It's a set up. Bromley wants to get rid of me."

  "Mrs. Calvert, please."

  "With Ross away it would..." Her tongue ran away with her again. This man could have also been bribed by Bromley.

  "I didn't do anything wrong, so I'm not going to say I did."

  "Perhaps it might be better if you got someone else to represent you."

  "Yes, good idea," she shot back. "If you don't believe me, how can you expect anyone else to? Thank you for your time. Send your bill to my husband's uncle, care of Andrew, he'll forward it."

  "Mrs. Calvert, really."

  "I don't want you as my lawyer," she said, furiously.

  "If that's the way you feel," he said indignantly, signaling for the guard to escort him out. "I don't think we have anything more to discuss."

  "You're right, we don't."

  Harry inwardly trembled, her position grew more tenuous by the minute, but no point having a lawyer who did not believe in her. The only thing left to do now was wait for Elsie, and get her to contact Judge Renshaw. Her last hope. If he wouldn't help, she was doomed.

  She wanted to cry and scream at the injustice of it all, but forced herself not to break down and give the guards the satisfaction of seeing her broken. Even here in jail many inmates thought her the most despicable woman in the country.

  "Look at her," a woman accused in a voice shrill with condemnation. "All la-de-da, and she's helping those Germans kill our boys. My son's in the army."

  "For your information, you old cow," Harry retorted angrily, ignoring Ruby's hissed warning. "My husband is away fighting in France, and Gallipoli killed my brother."

  "Shut up, for God's sake." Ruby pinched her arm. "Stop drawing attention to yourself. Most of these women hate your guts. They'd like to see you dead."

  "Oh, my God." Harry lowered her head.

  "Why do you think they keep you in a cell on your own and watch you all the time?"

  "Really?" Sick with dread, she swallowed down on a wave of nausea.

  "Bloody well keep working. If they take you out of here it will be solitary confinement, you silly little bitch."

  "I can't control my tongue. It's what got me in here. I can be so stupid. Why have you befriended me?"

  "Curiosity, I've never met a traitor before." She laughed, but her laughter did little to soften the calculated hardness in her eyes. Ruby had lived a hard life and it showed.

  "Suppose I felt sorry for you with those other bitches all set to make things bad for you." She shrugged. "You're a fighter. I like that."

  "I wouldn't have survived in here without you. It's been terrible." Her hands shook so much she jabbed the sewing needle into her finger. "I have to stop this injustice. To think Ross is away fighting for freedom, and a rich man can tell lies, bribing people to keep me in here, so he can ruin our land."

  "Hun lover." A woman deliberately elbowed Harry in the back as she spoke.

  Being in prison was terrible, but knowing practically everyone in here hated her was soul destroying.

  At meal times Ruby always pushed them to the front of the line so their food was at least warm. For those at the end of the queue, by the time they got their ration it was cold, and often there wasn't much left.

  "Kitchen duty is the best job in the prison," Ruby explained. "You need money to get in there, unless Matron Jones takes a liking to you, but then it still costs you."

  She did not dare ask what the payment was, in case Ruby told her. She didn't want to hear the words spoken out loud. The food tasted little better than slops, watery stew with a few slivers of meat and a couple of small pieces of vegetable, if you got lucky. No wonder the women looked lean and hungry, many of them with hacking coughs.

  An all-prevailing, horrible smell permeated the place, a damp, rank mustiness. In the morning, when a woman came along with a large drum on wheels to empty the night buckets, the stench became so vile in the confined space, Harry dry-retched.

  * * *

  Two terror filled days passed before Elsie came to visit. No such thing as the privacy of Matron Jones' office as it had been for Andrew and the lawyer. Rank and position obviously counted for something, even in here.

  Harry burst into tears on seeing Elsie, even if it was through a barred door. "Andrew contacted you?"

  "Yes, Mr. Calvert, too. I can't believe what's happening."

  "Listen, Elsie, I don't think they'll give us much time. You have to get on to Judge Renshaw for me. Ross' brother Eric saved his son's life on Gallipoli. He's my last hope now."

  Elsie went to squeeze Harry's hand, but jumped back when a guard growled, "No physical contact or the visit will be terminated."

  "I don't know where this judge works from, but he lives in Melbourne. I'm relying on you. Don't let me down, will you? I can't survive in here for much longer."

  "Don't say that. You're so brave."

  "No, I'm not, not in here anyway. These last few days have been an absolute nightmare."

  "I bought you a change of underwear and some rose soap. It's not much, but it's all I could afford."

  "I didn't mean for you to spend your own money. I'm an ungrateful pig. I'll never be able to repay you."

  Elsie shrugged. "I used the money you gave me and I gave everything to the guard. Maybe they thought I might smuggle a knife in to you." She gave a nervous little giggle.

  "Have you heard from Ted?"

  "A couple of letters from France. He's well."

  "I've only had one letter from Ross since he arrived there. He mentioned having leave in Paris."

  "Time's up." The guard stomped in to escort Elsie out.

  "Thanks for coming, Else."

  "Chin up. You can rely on me."

  When she received her package, the rose soap was missing, but there was a pair of bloomers and a chemise, so at least the scratchy calico wouldn’t rub against her skin.

  * * *

  Three days had passed since Elsie's visit, and Harry became demented with worry because there had been no word from Judge Renshaw. What if he wouldn't come? After all, Eric had saved his son, not her. Even Ruby's crude optimism could not lift her from the depression that weighed her down. The fear of being incarcerated for years. Giving birth in prison. Separation from her baby and losing Ross.

  "You'll survive, Harry, you've got guts. If you get sick of being married to your officer, come and work for me."

  "Ruby!" She laughed. "I couldn't."

  "Yes you could. It's not like you haven't been with a man before."

  "Ross is my husband and I love him. I couldn't bear to let another man touch me." She shuddered.

  "You would if you got hungry enough." Ruby's eyes turned hard with bitterness.

  "Is that how you started?"

  "More or less. My father was a drunken bastard. When I was about thirteen my mother died and he expected me to take her place."

  "What!" Disgust curdled Harry's stomach.

&nbs
p; "I serviced his friends as well. He charged them, but kept all the money."

  "Didn't you have anywhere to go, anyone you could turn to?"

  "No."

  "You poor thing." Impulsively, she took Ruby's hand and gave it a squeeze.

  No matter how hard done by you think you are, there's always someone worse off.

  "When I turned fifteen, I ran away. If I was going to make money by opening my legs," she said crudely, "I was going to keep it all."

  "How awful."

  "It wasn't so bad once I started working for myself. Some of the men kept coming back, treated me good, too."

  "How do you stop from having a baby, I always wondered about that? Do the men do something?"

  Ruby laughed. "Men do something? Most of them don't give a bugger if they give you a bastard."

  "Tell me. What can they do? I asked Ross once but he wouldn't tell me."

  "There's a rubber sheath they can put over themselves. It's called a French letter."

  She could not believe she was discussing such things. Could scarcely believe she was in jail, either.

  "Ugh."

  "Yeah, well most men don't like them much either, or they can withdraw just before the come."

  Harry exhaled a shocked breath. "I don't want to hear anymore."

  Ruby grinned, and Harry realized the other girl enjoyed shocking her.

  "If you want to look after yourself, there are some doctors you can go to. They'll give you something you can insert to act as a barrier before you let a man take you. Lots of rich women use them. It's only the bloody poor women who have lots of babies if you ever noticed. You can make one these things yourself out of beeswax."

  Harry was relieved when one of the guards told her to shut up and get on with the work. No wonder Ross acted embarrassed when she asked him.

  Well, at least she knew how to stop him giving her a baby every time. She wouldn't mind having twenty babies, if only he would come home safely from France and hold her in his arms again.

  Maybe he was already dead.

  The color must have faded from her face, because Ruby tapped her cheek.

  "What's wrong? Don't faint on me."

  "I've been thinking about Ross. Maybe he's already dead." Her eyes filled with tears. "He could be dead and I wouldn't know."

  "The government notify you if something happens."

  "I know. The minister brought the telegram about Gil, my brother, being wounded. But I'm in jail, would they tell me here? "

  "Don't know, probably. Anyway, didn't you say his uncle lives on a farm with you?"

  "Yes, I mean Jack would get a message to me, wouldn't he?" She scrubbed the tears away with the back of her hand.

  "You know he would."

  "They mightn't pass it on to me," Harry wailed.

  "Course they would. Matron would enjoy giving you a message like that, vicious old bitch."

  Ruby was right, Matron would enjoy passing on a message that would cause someone terrible grief. Thank goodness she was such a cruel, vicious woman. The very fact she hadn't asked to see her meant Ross was safe—for the moment, at least.

  Oh, Ross, what's to become of me?

  Later in the day a guard marched up to her. "You have a visitor." Without saying anything else she escorted Harry into Matron's office where a distinguished, slightly stooped man waited. He wore a black suit, his crisp white linen the finest money could buy, and the way Matron fawned over him, he must hold some important position.

  "Here's Mrs. Calvert now, sir."

  "Good afternoon, I'm Judge Renshaw."

  "Oh, Judge." Harry's lips trembled. "Thank you so much for coming."

  "I'd like some privacy with Mrs. Calvert. Thank you, Matron, for your understanding."

  "Certainly, sir. Could I bring you some tea?"

  "Thank you, Matron, but no, unless Mrs. Calvert wants some."

  "No thank you." Harry nearly said yes, knowing full well Matron would have to use her best tea set because of the judge, but would hate letting a mere prisoner use it.

  The judge did not speak until they were alone.

  "I'm sorry I didn't get to see you sooner, Harriet. I may call you that?"

  "Of course. Did Elsie tell you what happened?"

  "Yes, I spoke to Jack Calvert as well. This whole situation is a disgrace."

  "Can you get me out of this horrible place?"

  "I think so, my dear. Unfortunately, it might take a couple of days. Are they treating you humanely?"

  "Yes, I suppose so. I don't think I would have survived except for one of the other prisoners, Ruby. She befriended me. Most of the other women hate me. They think I'm a traitor." Tears trickled down her cheeks and the judge handed her a neatly folded handkerchief.

  "You've been very brave. Hold on for a little while longer. My brother is a personal friend of Billy Hughes."

  "The Prime Minister?" she squeaked

  "Yes. Don't worry, he'll be hearing about this outrage. I've also got a friend in Cabinet. I've already spoken to him. Don't be surprised if you read about one or two politicians resigning suddenly for family reasons or ill health over the next few days."

  "Judge Renshaw, I've been so frightened. I know I shouldn't have gone to the mill and said those things, but I wanted to save Devil's Ridge. Ross would be devastated if he got back from France and found it destroyed."

  "You lacked judgment going to the mill, but you showed great courage fighting for what you believed in. No one should condemn you for that. You're feeling all right, my dear?" He patted her hand. "Jack told me about the baby. Do you want to see a doctor?"

  "No, not now, if I'm getting out. I want to go back to Devil's Ridge and wait for Ross to come home. Is that too much to ask? I want him to come home. He's done his bit. It isn't fair. He got wounded at Gallipoli. He lost Eric. I lost my brother Gil because of what the war did to him. Haven't we given enough?"

  "Yes, it does seem unfair, some families giving everything to the war effort, others doing very little."

  "I know. Ross told me about your other son being killed, I'm sorry."

  "Thank you." Sadness filled his eyes and his shoulders slumped. "I still have one son left, and I wouldn't have him if it hadn't been for Eric. I'll never be able to repay the debt I owe him or his family."

  "You're helping me, that's enough."

  "Oh no, Harriet. I would have helped you anyway."

  "Would you?"

  "Yes. You might think it strange, but I don't like injustice." Life momentarily stirred in his eyes, and she saw the man he must once have been before the tragic loss of his son.

  "What Bromley and his cronies did to you was an absolute disgrace. To think he nearly got away with it sickens me."

  "Will anything happen to him?"

  "Not in this life, anyway, he's been too cunning. Paid others to do his dirty work. There's no way of proving his involvement; he made sure of that. He won't be cutting down any more virgin forest, though. Yesterday the government revoked his license."

  "Everyone will blame me for having the mill closed."

  "It's been taken over by a group of businessmen. They'll be cutting plantation timber so it should remain open for a while, but who knows after the war. If they extend the railway they'll be able to get timber from further afield, which will make the mill viable for many years to come. I have to go my dear, I'm due in court in twenty minutes." He glanced at his pocket watch. "I'll be in touch as soon as the paper work is processed and this ghastly mistake rectified. I'll let Matron know that you're innocent of any wrong doing, and I know she'll spread the word." He smiled grimly. "Have no fear of that."

  "Thank you. I'll never forget what you've done for me."

  He chuckled. "I haven't done anything yet."

  "Yes, you have." Impulsively she threw her arms around his neck. "You've given me hope."

  The guards' behavior instantly changed once the judge departed. Even some of the other women looked slightly shamefaced. Ruby remained the s
ame though, and Harry knew she owed the prostitute a great debt.

  "This is all the money I have." She thrust the notes and coins Andrew had given her into Ruby's pocket. "This isn't enough to repay you for what you did for me. I only wish I had more."

  "It's plenty. I didn't do much. Funny, you know, I'll miss you, Harry. You're probably the closest thing I ever had to a woman friend. Had plenty of men though." She gave a loud bark of laughter.

  "To be honest, I know it sounds awful, but I couldn't invite you to Devil's Ridge to stay, Ross and Jack would have a seizure. They wouldn't understand what you did for me, but if you ever need money, contact me. I'll always help you. Drop me a line anyway now and again, if you like."

  "Not me. Can't write properly. I won't forget you, but you won't ever see or hear from me again. I'm glad we were friends. I enjoyed it while it lasted. You go back to your farm and produce some nice babies. Don't worry about me, I'll be right. Hope to open my own establishment one day, and then I'll employ others to look after all but my special customers."

  "Ruby!"

  "It will be high class. The authorities don't bother about high-class bordellos because too many of their own kind frequent them. It's the poor ones they go after."

  "Couldn't you do something else?"

  "What? I don't know anything else."

  "Run a hotel or something."

  "Once a harlot, always a harlot," she said in a sing-song voice. "I don't mind the work now I can pick and choose which men I have."

  Harry couldn't think of an answer to that statement.

  "I could send you some decent soap and things if you thought they would pass them on."

  "The money you gave me will see me through, I haven't got much longer to serve. Anything decent you send gets stolen. Bloody guards are bigger thieves than the women in here. Bloody funny, don't you think?"

  "No, it's disgraceful. Things are primitive enough. Surely it's not too much to expect parcels to be handed over without having things stolen out of them."

  "Yeah, and they think we're bloody criminals. They're dirty sods the whole lot of them."