A Wanton Tale by Paula Marie Kenny Read Free Book Online Page A

writing a letter last week and she was acting funny.’ Said Alice.
    ‘Go on.’ Answered Lou impatiently. Ellen was intrigued.
    ‘I’ve never seen her writing, she’s got no one to write to, no relations, no friends either,’ Ellen added, pensively, ‘didn’t even know she could write.’
    ‘I asked her what it was about and she wouldn’t answer, put her arm over the letter and sat on the bed muttering to herself.’ Alice went to Lily’s unslept in bed and her eyes dropped down to the floorboards. She knew that was where Lily kept her money, hidden in a space under a broken board. The board had been removed and the space was empty. For most of the time she was crafty but occasionally, when she was tired, she was off her guard and Alice had seen her crouched there. She also knew she had a good post office book. She glanced up again and spotted the corner of an envelope protruding from under the mattress. Impulsively, she stood up and darted towards the bed. She pulled out the white grubby envelope, the word ‘Friends’ was written on it in a scrawled hand.
    ‘Give it me!’ Ordered Lou, ‘Let me open it.’ Alice handed over the envelope, her reading wasn’t too good anyway. Ellen was rubbing her hands with excitement, ‘She’s left us a message, an important message!’
    Dear Friends,
    ‘Sorry to pull a trick like this on you but I just had to get away, I’ve got my own place now and I’m only telling you this because I know you are all as unhappy as I have been. I trust you and want you to tell the gentlemen where I am. When I’ve built up a business you can come and join me. It will take time but only come to me when you’ve told about twenty, slip them a little note. Remember you are sworn to secrecy, then when you come to me your money will be your own money. I sincerely promise that I will help you get away from those evil bastards. I am in 55 Seymour Street, I am taking a risk telling you where I am but I have every faith in you . Alice I can’t take you. The risk is too much for me, you are not of age.’
    Yours truly, Lily xxx
    Lou and Ellen were elated, they already knew that she had designs on getting her own place but never believed she would do it. They thought it was all ‘pie in the sky’.
    The only one who felt left out was Alice. She didn’t like Lily, although she hated it where she was, she had no desire to go to Lily’s establishment. In fact, she didn’t want to live with any of the women, she was heartily sick of them.
    Lou and Ellen looked more like best friends than ever and excitedly got themselves ready to go out. They didn’t really want Alice with them and made it obvious. She felt she was a nuisance to them and when they were out she just looked like their little sister trailing behind them, so she stayed put.
    The house was silent, it was the very first time that Alice had been alone. The silence was eerie and being on her own gave her time to think. She took herself down to the washroom and had a leisurely wash down. It was a warm summer’s day and she didn’t mind swilling herself with cold water. She didn’t feel like going into the greasy smelling kitchen for hot water. She lathered her face in fine lavender soap and today she was glad not to have to wear make up. Betsy insisted on it for most punters but others preferred her fresh faced. Alice couldn’t wait to wash it all off at the end of the day because she thought that powder and paint made her look old. It made her feel like a different person, someone she was not.
    Despite her experiences, she was still only thirteen and in some ways she had a childlike outlook on life. She longed to be herself but she didn’t know who that self was. Her life before had never been happy. From a tender age, her Ma had sent her out selling firewood and fruit in the street in all weathers. Life was harsh and she felt hard done by. Alice knew that rich children had toys, she had seen them in shop windows, dollies, teddy