decent job again if folk were reminded she was one of the shanty-town women.
Mrs Buchan was alone in her room and for that Rhiannon was grateful. If she was to be humiliated at least it would be in private. She bobbed a curtsy. âI hope I havenât done anything wrong, Mrs Buchan?â
âItâs come to my attention that you are of questionable reputation.â Jayne Buchan stared at her in open curiosity. âIs it true that you were once . . . how shall I put it? . . . a loose woman?â
There was little point in lying. âItâs true, Mrs Buchan, but I gave up that life a long time ago. I worked as a respectable housekeeper for Mr Cookson the engineer for almost a year.â
Mrs Buchan stared at her. âAnd you were not averse to sleeping in his bed, I understand?â
Rhiannon sighed in resignation. âThatâs right. It seemed fair exchange for a life of comfort with only one man to please instead of many.â
âWell, I donât see how I can keep you on here.â
âThatâs all right, Mrs Buchan, I understand. Iâll pack my things at once.â
âWhat made you do it, Rhiannon? Surely working in service â indeed, anything â must be preferable to being a whore.â
Rhiannon was stung by Mrs Buchanâs tone. She drew a deep breath, willing herself to be calm. She longed to ask if Hetty had been the bearer of ill tidings but what was the point? She decided to be truthful, and if it shocked Mrs Buchan out of her smugness so much the better.
âI lost my innocence while I was still only a child,â she said flatly. âThe lodger in the house where I lived thought he would teach me a lesson about life and he kept on teaching me until I was old enough to protest.â She shrugged. âAfter that it seemed easy to fall into another manâs arms in return for food and a place to sleep.â
âHow dreadful.â Mrs Buchan stared at her in wide-eyed horror. âWas this man ever punished?â
Rhiannon shook her head. âWhy punish a man for deflowering a girl from the slums? It probably happened every day where I lived. I lost my self-respect. I thought I was worthless, fit only for the company of drunkards who would use me for a night then pass me on to the next man. Iâm sorry for it now and if I could go back Iâd change my life.â She sighed heavily. âI donât expect you to understand, Mrs Buchan. Iâll go and pack and get out of your way as soon as I can manage it.â
âNo, wait,â Mrs Buchan said. âIâm impressed by what you say and, whatâs more, Iâm going to keep you. I think you deserve a chance in life, a chance you never had as a child. I can see youâve repented of your old life and tried to reform.â She paused. âAnother thing, Cook speaks highly of you and I have a lot of respect for her opinion. If you keep out of trouble while youâre here Iâll have no reason to dismiss you.â
Rhiannon looked at her in surprise. âWill you really keep me on?â
âI never say anything I donât mean.â Mrs Buchan smiled. âIâve got a feeling you and I are going to get on very well indeed. You may go now, Rhiannon.â
âThank you, Mrs Buchan.â At the door Rhiannon paused. âWas it Hetty who told you about my past, Mrs Buchan?â
âHetty? Why, no. It was that dreadful Miss Cookson. She was at a rather inferior gathering I attended at the assembly rooms and she forced her card on me. When I refused to take it she became quite sharp and told me I was employing a whore of Babylon. Silly woman.â
âWell, donât worry, Mrs Buchan, I wonât let you down. You have my word on that.â
âI know you wonât, Rhiannon, because if you do, youâll be out on the streets before you can look round.â She smiled. âBut remember what I told you
Major Dick Winters, Colonel Cole C. Kingseed