At one stage, Flora had dropped a sheet and Mrs Yung had turned on her. ‘You useless!’ she had cried, shaking her small fist at her, although thankfully she hadn’t raised her hand to her, and it had been all Flora could do to stop herself from walking out there and then.
‘Why do people put up with the way she treats them?’ Flora questioned as she wearily trudged back to their room that evening. Once again, she ached in every single limb and wondered how she was going to bear it.
‘Any job is better than no job at all,’ Colleen pointed out. ‘That’s why me an’ Jia Li stick it.’
‘But there must be an easier way to earn a living.’
‘Oh aye, an’ what is it you’re suggestin’?’ Colleen asked as she winked at Jia Li.
‘Well …’ Flora’s mind was working overtime. ‘Perhaps we could start up our own little business.’
‘Doin’ what? An’ more to the point, where?’
‘There are loads of places to rent. Admittedly they’re all a little run down but I’m sure three of us could do one up and make it liveable.’
‘Eeh, you’re off wi’ the fairies, to be sure,’ Colleen chuckled with a shake of her head.
Flora fell silent but an idea was growing in her head and on the first day off she had, she intended to look into it.
By Friday, when she had been working in the laundry for three days that felt like years, Flora’s arms were covered in small burns and she was convinced that the huge coppers would wait especially for her to walk past before they spat hot water out, which was why when she arrived at work that morning and Mrs Yung informed her that she would be working the mangles that day, she felt relieved. But the relief didn’t last long and within an hour of turning the heavy handles she felt as if her arms were being torn out of their sockets.
‘I’ll have muscles like an all-in wrestler at this rate,’ she grumbled to Colleen who was working on the mangle next to her and the girl chuckled.
‘If you t’ink this is bad just wait till they set you on the ironing,’ she warned and Flora groaned aloud. Surely nothing could be worse than this?
The very next day she discovered that it could when she found herself faced with a mountain of sheets that all had to be ironed till there wasn’t a single crease left in them, then folded into a perfect square.
‘I don’t think I can do this,’ she gasped as they all made their way back to their room that evening.
Colleen chuckled. ‘Sure you can, you’ll get used to it,’ she assured her but Flora wasn’t so sure. Her face was slightly better now: the purple bruises were fading to a dull yellowish grey and she could see out of her eye again now that the swelling had gone down but muscles that she’d never known she had ached and all she wanted to do was fall onto the thin mattress and sleep.
The next day was Sunday but even that proved to be hard work as the morning was spent hefting the tin bath upstairs and filling it with boiling water from the kettle so that they could all have a bath. Then when the bathing was over the water had to be carried downstairs again and emptied into the squalid back yard. Flora’s clothes stank by then but between them Colleen and Jia Li had managed to sort her out another outfit so that she could at least wash the ones she had been wearing.
‘There is rag stall on the market,’ Jia Li informed her as they munched on toast they had cooked at the open fire. ‘You want me to take you?’
‘Please.’ Flora was guarding the money she had left with her life and was reluctant to break into it but she knew that she would have to buy essentials. As she had discovered, the low pay meant that there was little left after Mrs Yung had taken out the rent for the room and they had bought food, but she was still determined to save every dollar she could.
The girls set off for the market and once again Flora was reminded of London as she stared at the assortment of stalls. Some were selling kosher Jewish food, others Chinese and Indian, and the smell of curry and spices was heady in the air. At the rag stall Flora was able to find a suitable skirt and blouse that although faded were of decent quality, along with items of underwear and a nightshirt. She had been grateful to borrow clothes from Colleen and Jia Li up until then, but they didn’t have much themselves and she knew they needed them back. After they’d made their purchases, they set off to explore the area and although Flora didn’t make comment she watched out for the properties that were for rent.
When they finally returned to their room they lay down for a well-earned rest and before she knew it Flora was fast asleep and didn’t stir again until Colleen woke her the next morning for work. Slowly her life was falling into some sort of a pattern and although she didn’t like it she was grateful for Colleen and Jia Li’s friendship and counted herself lucky that they had befriended her. She shuddered to think what might have happened if they hadn’t.
One evening the following week, when they were on their way back from work, Flora said suddenly, ‘I just have to pop somewhere. Go on without me, I shan’t be long.’
Both girls eyed her curiously although they didn’t question her. Sometime later Flora paused in front of a run-down café close to the docks and, taking a deep breath, she went in. It was the same one that she had been to the previous week, the morning after she had run away, and the same blowsy woman who had allowed her to clean up a little in the toilet was still standing behind the counter puffing away on a cigarette.
‘Ah, so you’re back,’ the woman said as she recognised her. ‘An’ lookin’ a bit better than you did the last time I saw you.’
‘Yes, I am, thank you.’ Flora glanced around at the gloomy interior and for the first time she wondered if she was doing the right thing. The place would need an awful lot of work to make it smart again, although she thought most of it was mainly cosmetic. It would greatly benefit from a lick of paint for a start-off.
‘So, what can I do for you today?’
The woman’s voice brought Flora’s thoughts back to her and she swallowed before saying, ‘Actually, I saw from the sign in the window that this place is for rent?’
‘It is,’ the woman agreed. ‘It’s too much for me now. Me old man ain’t in the best of health, but why do you ask?’
‘Well … I was thinking I might like to rent it.’ There, it was said and she watched as the woman blinked with surprise.
‘You? But ain’t you a little young to be thinkin’ o’ takin’ on a business? An’ could you afford the rent?’ She mentioned a sum that seemed reasonable and Flora nodded vigorously.
‘Oh yes,’ she assured her as she shoved her hand down her skirt to withdraw some money from the belt that Mrs Merry had made for her. ‘I have money, look. And I wouldn’t be attempting it on my own, there are three of us. But who is the landlord?’
‘Actually, I am,’ the woman said as she stared at her thoughtfully, then, holding her hand out, she formally introduced herself, ‘I’m Dora Casey. Me an’ me old man own the place an’ to be honest we’d rather sell it an’ be done wi’ it but there ain’t much chance o’ that happenin’ round here, so we decided that we’d rent it out. At least that way we’d still have a bit of an income.’
‘And are there any living quarters that come with it?’ Flora asked.
‘Well, there’s a fair-sized kitchen out the back where I do the cookin’, an’ there’s two fair-sized rooms upstairs but seein’ as we don’t live here we’ve always just used ’em for storage. I dare say you could live in ’em, though, if you were to clear ’em out,’ the woman informed her. Then seeing that Flora was serious she asked, ‘Would you like to see ’em?’
Flora nodded again as the woman opened the flap on the counter, and followed her through to the kitchen. Her first sight of it made her sigh with dismay. It was worse than she remembered. The range was heavy with grease and the floor so filthy that she couldn’t see what colour the tiles should be. There was a window but it was so thick with grime that it let hardly any light in and the walls were heavily stained with tobacco and grease. She opened th
e door into the small, enclosed back yard, although she knew already that there was an outside toilet, which was a plus in Flora’s books, and the two rooms upstairs were a generous size, although it was difficult to see them properly because they were full of boxes, odd bits of mismatched furniture and rubbish.
‘So, what do you think?’ the woman asked as she watched Flora taking everything in. The girl certainly seemed genuine enough and if truth be told she just wanted shot of the place.
‘I think it could work,’ Flora mused.
‘But I must point out the majority o’ people who use this place are sailors.’ The woman’s conscience suddenly pricked her. Flora was so young. ‘Do you think you could handle ’em? Some of ’em are looking for a bit more than a bite to eat, if you get me drift?’
Flora blushed. ‘I understand what you’re saying but as I said, I wouldn’t be here on my own. My two friends would be helping me to run the place and I’m sure we could manage between us.’
‘Ah, then in that case why don’t you go away an’ have a think about it? But bear in mind, if you couldn’t pay the rent you’d be out on your ear, an’ I’d want a month’s rent up front.’
‘I quite understand,’ Flora answered. ‘And I will think about it. Thank you for your time.’
She left and hurried back to the room, eager to put her idea to Colleen and Jia Li who gazed at her in open-mouthed amazement.
‘Us set up in business!’ Colleen was shocked. ‘Doing what?’
‘Running a café, of course,’ Flora said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. ‘At the moment the place is nothing more than a greasy mess selling only the most basic food but I’m sure we could soon clean it up and improve on the menu and do a selection of more interesting dishes. For a start-off my mother taught me to make stew and dumplings, just the sort of filling food that would appeal to the type of people we’d get in there and Jia Li makes wonderful curries. Then there are your cakes, they’re delicious, so between us we could cater for most tastes. I’m sure we could make a go of it and it would be so much better working for ourselves than in the laundry. Admittedly there’s a lot of work to be done there and we’d have to lay some money out on new tables and chairs and other stuff, but I know we could do it.’
‘And just where are we supposed to get the money for these things from?’ Colleen asked practically.
Flora pulled the money from the belt with a flourish and flashed it at them. ‘The man who robbed me didn’t manage to get this, look, and it would be more than enough to get what we need. So, what do you say? Are you prepared to give it a try?’
Both girls just sat there stunned.
‘I be glad to get away from laundry,’ Jia Li admitted eventually with a worried frown. ‘Mrs Yung’s son, Huan, has been bothering me and he scares me. But this is something we must give much thought to. It is big step.’
Flora had noticed how Huan had been hassling the girl over the last few of days, and Colleen had confided to her that it had been going on for a few weeks. Tall and handsome, sadly he did not have a personality to match his looks but was vain and selfish and it was God help any poor girl he chose to target, for his mother would turn a blind eye to it.
‘I understand that,’ Flora told her. ‘But please, both of you, don’t dismiss it.’
‘We won’t,’ they both promised and for then the subject was dropped, although Flora could think of nothing else.
Chapter Twenty-One
A couple of days later when they arrived at work Mrs Yung told Jia Li, ‘You go work in yard today.’
Jia Li visibly paled. Normally she liked working out in the yard. Whoever was out there had to peg the sheets to the line, then fetch them in and fold them before they were sent to be ironed. It was a chance to feel the sunshine on her face but it would mean that she was alone out there and after the way Huan had been harassing her she was suddenly nervous. Should he happen by and come out to her she dreaded to think what he might be capable of. Even so, she knew better than to argue so she quietly made her way through to the yard. Soon the first lot of clean sheets were flapping on the line and she was beginning to feel a little better. Perhaps Huan wouldn’t call in that day after all, in which case she could start to relax. But then mid-morning, shortly before the girls were allowed to take a fifteen-minute break, she glanced up to see him standing in the doorway with a wicked grin on his face. Her mouth was full of wooden clothes pegs and she spat them out and nervously wiped her hands down the front of her apron as she said politely, ‘Good morning, Mr Yung.’
Up until then she had been able to ward off his advances while in the company of the other women and girls but she knew that out here it would be much more difficult.
‘No need for formalities,’ he said, licking his lips as he stared at her dainty figure. ‘It is Huan to you, Jia Li.’ He began to advance on her and she automatically backed away from him until she found her back against the brick wall. Rows of sheets now stood between her and the entrance to the laundry and she began to panic. In seconds he was directly in front of her with an arm resting on the wall either side of her.
‘You know, you are very beautiful.’
As she stared fearfully up into his handsome face her heart began to pound painfully.
‘If you were to be nice to me I could be very generous,’ he crooned and without thinking she put her hands on his broad chest and pushed with all her might, sending him toppling backwards.
‘I no wish to be nice to you. I just work here,’ she whimpered as she tried to skirt around him but already he was up on his feet again and his face had turned ugly now as he brought his hand back and slapped her viciously across the mouth.
‘You do not talk to me this way,’ he ground out through gritted teeth as blood spurted from her mouth. ‘I your boss’s son and if I say you be nice to me you be nice!’ He grabbed her arm and swung her round as if she weighed no more than a feather. Her back connected with the wall again so hard this time that the scream that had been building in her throat died away as the wind was knocked out of her.
‘You nothing but a little whore bitch!’ he screeched and then he threw her onto her back on the hard ground.
She began to cry as she tried to fight him off, but within seconds she knew that her strength was no match for his and despair and terror in equal measure coursed through her. She started to scream even though she knew there was no chance of her being heard with all the noise that was coming from the laundry. And then she heard a ripping sound as he caught the front of her blouse and buttons rolled across the floor.
‘Ah!’ He eyed her pert young breasts with glee as she began to sob then he fastened his mouth to one of her tender nipples and began to bite it, making her yelp with pain. But that was nothing to what happened minutes later when he managed to rip her underwear to one side and he pushed himself into her. The pain of it took her breath away for a moment and she prayed for death to take her, for surely that would be preferable to the terrible agony that was ripping her apart. She felt as if she was being rent in two but he was oblivious as he took his pleasure bucking away on top of her. And then, just as she thought she could bear it no more, he took a deep shuddering breath and collapsed on top of her panting wildly. She just lay there too terrified to move in case he started again until he rolled away and began to right his clothes, then standing he stared down at her with contempt.
‘Do not try to tell my mother I forced you,’ he said threateningly. ‘I shall tell her that you have been tempting me for weeks and who do you think she will believe, little whore! Just think yourself lucky that boss’s son like you.’ And then he strolled casually away as Jia Li rolled herself into a tight ball and sobbed broken-heartedly. As far as she was concerned her life was over. She was spoiled and her beloved Bai, or indeed any other man, would never want her now.
As break time approached, Colleen commented to Flora, ‘Jia Li is late coming t’rough from the yard, isn’t she? We’d agreed we’d go outside and sit in the fres
h air for our break.’
She and Flora were working side by side that day feeding the sheets into the massive coppers and they were both running with sweat.
‘She’s probably lost track of time being out the back on her own,’ Flora puffed as she dried her hands and slipped off her apron. ‘I’ll run through and fetch her.’
She walked through the rinsing room and the ironing room and looked into the yard but all she could see at first glance was rows upon rows of snow-white sheets dancing on the lines.
‘Jia Li.’ When there was no answer she began to duck beneath the sheets, her eyes going this way and that and it was then that she heard a low keening sound that might have been made by an animal in pain and it struck terror into her soul.
‘Jia Li!’ Her voice was louder and more urgent now and as she approached the far side of the yard she spotted a figure lying on the floor shaking uncontrollably, and her heart missed a beat.
‘Oh no!’ Flora dropped to her knees and gathered the shaking girl into her arms.
For a moment Jia Li thought it was Huan come back to violate her again and she struggled violently. Then when she saw that it was Flora she gave a great gasping sob and sagged against her chest. Blood was trickling down her chin and when she opened her mouth to try to speak she spat out one of her back teeth.
‘Dear God, who’s done this to you?’ Flora asked, horrified.
Jia Li was trying to pull the front of her ruined blouse together but before she could manage it Flora could see the bruises already beginning to appear across the girl’s naked breasts.
A Maiden's Voyage Page 17
