Captive Embraces

by Fern Michaels

  “So, Newgate’s a novel experience for you, is it? You didn’t tell us your name,” Theo said, pulling her dark green cloak about her to keep the hem from dragging on the floor.

  “Sirena.”

  “Well, Sirena, how did you know enough to dress warmly? Most of the new ones come in here dressed according to the weather. Seeing it is summer I would have to think this isn’t your first visit to Newgate.”

  “But it is,” Sirena protested. “A ... a friend warned me to dress warmly.”

  “Did your friend tell you anything else?” Theo looked at Sirena with interest, scrutinizing her attire and listening carefully to the way she spoke and watching her mannerisms.

  “He told me I’d have to pay garnish.”

  “And so right he was!” Nell agreed. “Lord only knows what’ll ’appen to me in a week’s time. Me money’s near gone an’ I ’aven’t enough fer a drink o’ water.”

  Sirena pointed to the leaking pail the jailor’s wife had left her. “Help yourself. You might as well drink it before it all seeps out.”

  “You mean to tell me that shrew didn’t tell you for a pence more you could have a pail that doesn’t leak? Really, Sirena, the conditions here become more intolerable each time I come. Here, if you pour it into my pail, we’ll manage to save what’s left of it.”

  Sirena hobbled over to Theo’s supply, carrying her own leaking pail, and carefully poured the water in.

  “I can see you’re new here. That could have been a very costly oversight on your part if it were anyone but me you were dealing with. It could have meant you your week’s water. But it won’t. I believe in share and share alike. That’s the reason I’m here in the first place.”

  When Sirena looked at her questioningly, Theo explained. “I’m a prostitute, Sirena, when I can’t find work at my real vocation, which is the stage. I’m a first-rate actress.”

  Nell started to giggle, nervously pulling at her straggly brown hair and biting her fingernails past the quick. “Act somethin’ fer us, Theo. G’on. She’s the most bee-you-ti-ful lady I ever seen when she play-acts.”

  Sirena smiled. “How long have you two been here.”

  “This time?” Theo asked. “Oh, we’ve been together nigh onto three months now. Nell here was quite worried about her children at first, but she’s over that now, aren’t you, Nell?”

  Nell’s bottom lip began to tremble. “I imagine they’re dead and gone by now, right, Theo? No sense wonderin’ and worryin’ about them. They’ve passed on ta their reward, ’aven’t they, Theo?”

  “You bet they have, old Nell. And a damnsight better than this world it is, believe me. Now, don’t you feel better since you don’t pull your hair out and scream half the day and night calling for them?” Theo glanced at Sirena and her eyes said that Nell was near to the breaking point when Theo finally convinced her that she was worrying herself into Bedlam for nothing. The cruelty of Theo’s words were actually a kindness to keep Nell’s body and soul together.

  “Well, Theo, don’t ye think we should tell our Sirena ’ow to get along here in Newgate? You tell her, Theo, ye know I loves the sound o’ yer voice.”

  Sirena wrote her letter to Baroness Sinclair, omitting the details, telling her only how she and Tyler managed to get themselves locked in Newgate. She was confident the Baron would exert his influence to see to their release as soon as possible.

  The jailor’s wife came by to see them each morning, trying to induce them to spend their last farthing on this luxury or that. Theo, Nell and Sirena were quite fortunate as prisoners in Newgate went. Since they were being held for specific crimes, they were closed out of the Lady Debtors’ Ward, and since they were not hardened criminals, they were spared Condemned Row.

  Nell had been arrested for stealing food for her starving children. She had already had her day in court and had been sentenced to two years in prison. Both Theo and Sirena knew Nell would never outlive her sentence.

  Theo had been a prostitute in one of the most expensive bordellos in London. Her crime had been holding back on her madam. In retaliation, her employer claimed she caught Theo stealing, and since the madam had more money to bribe the officials to seeing matters her way than Theo, the courts had sentenced her to six months and the confiscation of all her personal property which the madam promptly bought at auction at a ridiculously low price.

  Theo’s education of Sirena about the intricacies and intimacies of Newgate was thorough and dramatically told. Even Nell was mesmerized by the sound of Theo’s voice and her gesticulations.

  Sirena learned how fortunate she was not to be located in the Lady Debtors’ Wards where overcrowding was so severe fifty or sixty women were assigned to the same quarters. As there was bedding for only twenty or so, it was impossible for everyone to sleep at the same time. Eating utensils were at a premium and had to be shared.

  Theo had suggested to Sirena that she use her supply of water for washing only, pointing out the algae and specks of sewage floating on its oily surface. “It is much better to spend a few shillings for ale or mead, Sirena, than find yourself sick with dysentery,” she advised.

  Twice a day they were permitted to go into the yard for a breath of air and on their way they were permitted to empty their slop jars. Since on their way to the cistern, they had to pass the long row of cells where condemned men waited for the gallows, it was not a part of the day any of them enjoyed. Not even getting outside in the sunshine was incentive enough to go through that narrow corridor where the prisoners would hoot their approval and shout obscenities while they stretched their arms between the bars reaching and clutching for an unguarded breast or buttock.

  Just the day before Nell had found herself in an inmate’s clutches, and his rough handling before a guard could beat his hands off her with his bull’s pizzle, a leather weapon for commanding discipline, caused Nell to spill the contents of her slop jar down the front of her already filthy gown.

  While beating off the prisoner’s hands, the guard had succeeded in belting poor Nell several times with his club, leaving her with a bruised arm and a blackened eye. But the worst of it was when Nell had been compelled to clean the mess, leaving her to the tauntings and ravings of the men.

  Theo, whose protective instincts toward Nell were admirable, if not wise, had stood her ground and wrenched the bull’s pizzle away from the guard and beat him over the head with it several times. “Watch who you are swinging at!” she had ordered, throwing a haughty look at the inmates, freezing their lecherous leers on their faces. Since the episode, which Theo paid dearly for with nearly the last of her cache to keep from being thrown in Condemned Row, she was known as the Duchess by the men throughout the ward. Where before she had been able to pass their cells with only the usual taunts and groping hands, the men were now more determined than ever to get her into their clutches.

  Nell’s dress had been ruined beyond repair. There simply wasn’t enough water to wash the offal from the already too thin and worn fabric, even if soap had been available. Generously, Sirena had offered Nell several of her petticoats and Theo contributed the waist-length long-sleeved jacket right off her own back. Nell was delighted to be wearing something so fine as Theo’s jacket and she preened and sported it for all to see.

  The jailor’s wife came to their cell and breathlessly asked if they would care to attend a party given by a gentleman in the Tap Room. Her eyes avoided Nell, whom she knew would not please the gentleman. Nell had become more than gaunt; she was taking on the macabre look of a skeleton and the skin was stretched tightly over her cheekbones. She had developed a hacking cough and several times Theo and Sirena had seen blood in her spittle, although Nell tried to keep it carefully hidden. “There’s food aplenty and enough wine to float a ship. Seein’ as ’ow ye two are the closest things to ladies here in Newgate at the present moment, when they asked for some female companionship, naturally, I thought o’ ye.”

  “And how much did they pay you?” Theo demanded. “How muc
h will you kick back to us if we do go?”

  The stout woman bared her blackened teeth and menaced at Theo, “If’n the party of gentlemen ain’t ter your likin’, I can have it arranged fer ye to spend a day with the condemned men.”

  Theo knew she was beaten; the threat would be made good. Standing her ground, Theo took another tack. “And what about poor Nell here? She could do with a good meal and a healthy tot of wine.”

  “As I said, the gentlemen were looking for presentable females, and that one,” she said, jabbing her thumb in Nell’s direction, “ain’t no more than a bag o’ bones! Now, are ye comin’ or ain’t ye?”

  Theo was not about to give up so easily; she suspected the jailor’s wife had received a handsome sum for providing quality ladies and would be loath to return it. “What’s a bit of food and a tankard of wine compared to what you have already profited? Surely, poor Nell will hardly be noticed among the crowd. Sirena and I will go gladly if Nell comes with us. Else you’ll find yourself dragging a couple of slatterns from the Debtors’ Ward and you know it.”

  The woman’s eyes glittered as brightly as the coins she had tucked beneath her apron. “Well, come along then, they’ll be waitin’ fer ye.”

  Sirena looked at Theo questioningly. “Lots of well-to-do gentlemen find themselves in an unfortunate position, Sirena,” the black-eyed redhead explained. Just because they are prisoners doesn’t necessarily mean their social life is past. Come along, I assure you it is only our company they seek, nothing more. The food is usually sent in so you won’t be eating this prison slop. Come along, Nell. Here, let me straighten your hair a bit,” Theo clucked over Nell and used her own comb to untangle the snarls in her dingy brown hair.

  “There’s no time fer that!” the jailor’s wife protested. “Who’s gonna look at her anyhow?”

  “Nell likes to look pretty, don’t you, Nell? It will only take a minute.” The woman stood watching Theo’s ministrations while she tapped her foot impatiently. “There, all done, doesn’t she look nice, Sirena?”

  Nell looked at Sirena hopefully, waiting for her answer. “As pretty as I’ve ever seen her,” Sirena answered smiling, extending her hand for Nell to take.

  “Harrumph! Who’d ever think the likes o’ you would take yerself on a full-grown baby?” the wardeness sneered at Theo. “Well, enjoy ’er. From the looks o’ ’er, she hasn’t got much time left ta ’er!”

  Nell glanced quickly at Sirena, fear narrowing her eyes which now seemed too big for her face. “Don’t listen to her, Nell. She’s only jealous. She knows how fashionable it is to be thin,” Sirena assured. The wardeness had uttered her own secret thought but it was cruelty to have Nell hear it.

  The high rate of mortality in Newgate was a well-known fact. It wasn’t the first time Sirena wanted to take the wardeness’ keys and stuff them down her throat.

  The Tap Room was thick with smoke. The wood burning in the fireplace must have been damp because it was giving off white vapor and a heavy choking aroma. Combined with the pipes which many in the prison smoked, believing tobacco warded off many diseases, the atmosphere was stifling and gloomy. The long benches set near the planked tables were filled with people, mostly men. They were eating heartily and taking great gulps from their tankards.

  Sirena’s mouth began to water as she noticed the fare; crisply done briskets and haunches of lamb and pork, and bowls of fresh fruit! How long had it been since she’d sunk her teeth into an orange? She hadn’t realized how much she hated the moldy bread and charity meat the prison served until now.

  Theo led Nell over to a far table and sat her down. Then she filled a plate with an assortment of meat and picked up a whole bowl of fruit and set it in front of her. She filled several tankards of wine and lined them up in a row, directing Nell to eat and drink as much as she could hold and to fill the front of her jacket with everything that would fit. Especially the fruit.

  Sirena found herself holding a tankard of wine that someone had thrust into her hand and she sipped at its coolness, relishing the flavor after weeks of bitter ale and stale mead.

  “We might as well dig in and fill our bellies, Sirena. There’s no telling when we’ll be this fortunate again,” Theo said, dragging Sirena over to the table.

  Several of the men moved over to make room for them, putting their arms around the women familiarly. Sirena felt herself stiffen. There was a certain price she would never pay to fill her belly.

  Theo made short work of them by fixing her freezing Duchess stare on them till they removed their arms. “I’ve no objection to your company, gentlemen,” she said politely, “only you must remember a hungry girl does not make for pleasant company.” She then turned back to her plate and signaled for Sirena to do the same.

  After Sirena had eaten, swearing it to be the most delicious food she had ever put to her mouth, she was in the process of draining her tankard when she heard a familiar voice.

  When she turned to the voice, she found Tyler at the head of the table, coaxing his companions to eat well else the jailor and his wife will sell the food in Condemned Row the next day. From his proprietorial manner Sirena knew he was the host of this affair. She narrowed her eyes to peer through the smoke. No wonder she hadn’t recognized him. A full, dark beard had grown on his face and his hair was longer and curlier than before coming to Newgate. In spite of her pleasure at seeing him, she wondered where he had gotten the money to host such an expensive affair. Had the Baron and Baroness somehow come to his aid? Had they received her letter? Why hadn’t she heard from them herself?

  Dropping her meat back on the plate and wiping her greasy hands on the petticoat beneath her skirt, she stood away from the table and walked over to him.

  “Tyler?”

  She caught him in mid-laugh and his eyes were shocked to hear her voice. “Sirena!” Quickly he rose from his bench and led her over to a quiet corner. “How are you? How are you faring?”

  “Not as well as you are, Tyler. Where did you get the money to afford this little party? I thought we hadn’t a farthing left between you, me and the whole crew? I thought we gave it all to Frau Holtz?”

  Tyler lowered his eyes in shame, not able to meet her penetrating gaze. Then a thought occurred to him. “And where did you find enough money to keep you looking so well all these weeks?”

  “Lieutenant Fenner gave me his last ha’penny, that’s where. I felt guilty enough taking it too, until he assured me a woman needed it more than a man did,” she said reprovingly. “Have you heard anything about when we come to trial? When I first arrived, I penned off a letter to your parents, thinking you wouldn’t have any money to pay the bribe to have a missive sent out of this Godawful place. I can see how wrong I was.”

  “I could have told you my parents have left the city for the Netherlands. A cousin of my mother is getting married and—”

  “Spare me!” Sirena held up her hand. “Tyler, what are we going to do? We’ll die in this place before they hear our trial and, even then, we may not be released.”

  “It will all be taken care of, Sirena,” he assured. “I’ve seen to it.”

  “Seen to it? How?”

  Again Tyler seemed hesitant to meet her gaze. “I ... I sent a letter to Regan.” Seeing the anger rise in her, he hastened to explain, “Actually I sent it to him in care of Whipple. I had to do it! I knew you never would and I had to sign your name!” he said, telling more than he intended.

  “Sign my name! You stupid lout! You knew Regan would be the last person in this world I would ask for help! Tyler, I could cheerfully kill you!” To emphasize her words, she kicked out and struck him in the shins with the toe of her shoe.

  Tyler hopped around on one foot holding the other up in his hands. “Please, Sirena, listen to me. It was our sole hope! And it’s some time since I sent the last one. I’m praying this letter got through to him!”

  “You sent more than one! With my name on it, so he thinks I’m the one begging him for his help?” Again she ki
cked him, this time on the other leg.

  “Sirena, forgive me,” Tyler cried out in pain, “it was the only thing I could do! Forgive me.”

  Sirena stood with hands on hips, glaring at him through slitted eyes. “How much money have you, Tyler?” she demanded.

  “I don’t know—” he began.

  “Don’t lie to me, Tyler. How much money have you left after this gay affair you arranged for tonight? You’d better tell me else I’ll spread the word you’ve tucked a fortune away up inside your bowels and there’s not a man here who wouldn’t be glad to slit your gullet just to see if I tell the truth.”

  Tyler was horrified. “You’d do that?”

  “Damn right I would. Now, how much have you?”

  “I ... I’m not really certain, but whatever it is, it’s yours. Honestly, Sirena, I wasn’t trying to hold out on you. It’s just that I hadn’t the chance to give it to you. Ask Jan and Willem and the rest of the crew. I divided everything I had between all of us.”

  Sirena believed him and immediately warmed to him. She had been deeply worried how her men were faring here in Newgate. Now that she knew they each had a bit of money to pay their easement, she was grateful to Tyler. “You did that? You shared with the crew? Then you must forgive me, Tyler. Still, my small cache is running dangerously low. How much can you spare?”

  “I’ve forty pounds left—”

  “Forty pounds! Are you certain you didn’t steal the Frau’s purse when you took her to your friend’s house in Waterford? Forty pounds left! And how much did you share with the crew?”

  Tyler winced. “They each received fifteen.”

  Sirena was relieved. She herself had come to Newgate with eight pounds and she had been sharing with Theo and Nell. Her men would do quite well.