A Wanton Tale by Paula Marie Kenny Read Free Book Online

do you think she is?’ She asked of the others addressing no one in particular, but her eyes were accusing. Lou, Ellen and Alice had been frantically searching through the pockets of the few dresses that she had left behind. But she had left no clue as to where she had gone. They had deduced that she must have done a ‘moonlight’ at around half past five in the afternoon.
    ‘Honest, Aunty I don’t know where she went, do you Lou?’ Asked Ellen.
    ‘No I bloody well don’t. Why are you asking me? Do you know Alice?’
    After a year in Betsy’s establishment Alice was no longer the timid mouse who had arrived as a twelve year old. ‘She doesn’t even like me, hardly speaks. How do I know where she’s gone, good riddance anyway, never liked her.’
    In the quietness of her parlour Betsy poured herself a large measure of gin and stared wildly towards her treasure trove, the Fu Dogs. She frantically whipped off the heads of the ornaments then quickly counted out the money, all seemed to be in order. ‘She hasn’t robbed me, that’s something to be thankful for.’ It would never dawn on Betsy that others could be more devious than her. She lit her cigar and pondered that the back of Lily could be a blessing in disguise.
    Freddie returned from Su May’s, he had walked home after sleeping off his drunken stupor. Betsy wouldn’t allow Freddie to be drunk in the house in case he made a racket. He regularly got it in the neck from Betsy. He was an easy target to blame when anything went wrong. He was becoming more of a hapless buffoon every day as his heavy drinking and opium habit worsened. Betsy had always said that it would be his job to keep an eye on the girls and he had failed. Lily had made fools of them.
    Alice turned down the oil lamp in the dark attic room. It was eleven o’clock and all three were turning in and were putting on their night attire. Considering their situation, they all wore crisp cotton nightdresses which were surprisingly unremarkable, if anything rather staid and conservative. They were surprised by Lily’s sudden departure but not at all shocked. Alice had guessed that Lily had something up her sleeve.
    There was an uncomfortable silence and a heavy atmosphere, each one thought perhaps one of the others knew something. There had never been a bond of trust between them and even less so now. Although they were all bone tired it was hard for them to catch their sleep. Betsy and Freddie were having a screaming match in the parlour and the sharpest, loudest most shrilly voice was Betsy’s. The last thing they heard her bellow was, ‘There’s no men coming here tomorrow, I’m going out.’ The girls were disturbed by the whole episode and had a fitful night.
    The following day, they all pretended to be surprised when Betsy shouted up the stairs. ‘There won’t be any men coming here today, do you hear?’ It was Betsy’s coarsest voice. A woman who never went into too much detail, she always got her message across and said as little as possible. Arrogant and aloof at times she never had long and meaningful conflabs with ‘that lot’ as she called them.
    Lou heaved herself up from her creaky iron bed and went to the door. ‘Fine by me, where are you going?’ Betsy was in her finery, hat on and clutching her purse. Lou’s question was met with a glower and with a swish of her huge skirts, she turned on her heels and teetered to the door. The girls were puzzled but mildly amused that Freddie would have to face the punters. They would not be best pleased and slippery Freddie, who recoiled from responsibility, would hate having to turn them away. He often went out in the early hours of the morning and should have been well back by now. The girls had an idea that he must be up to no good. They couldn’t think for the life of them why he would be regularly going out at such an ungodly hour.
    After Betsy had left, the girls were thankful to have the house to themselves.
    ‘I saw Lily