The Doorstep Girls Read online

  ‘Mr Newmarch? Sounds familiar. Who’s he?’ her father asked.

  ‘He’s a manager or something at ’mill. I told him I’d be looking for something else as I couldn’t manage on short-time work.’

  Her mother sat up in bed and stared at her, and her father laughed. ‘Well! I bet he was devastated when you told him that,’ he said. ‘He’ll really miss you not being there!’

  Grace gave an embarrassed grin and described what had happened at the mill, when she had led the group of women to ask for their wages. ‘It was all right,’ she said. ‘Mr Newmarch was quite understanding about us needing our money.’ She gave a little shrug. ‘I’ve spoken with him before,’ she explained. ‘When I went with him to ’Groves after the accident with ’ferry.’

  ‘You never said that he was there, Grace,’ her mother said in astonishment. ‘How was that?’

  ‘Didn’t think it was important,’ she replied.

  ‘Wasn’t he the one you saw at Dock Green?’ her father questioned. ‘When you were worried that he might think you were a troublemaker and give you notice?’

  ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘He was. But I hadn’t met him then and I was nervous. Now that I’ve met him, I’m not. I think he does care about his workers.’ She pondered. ‘Not like his brother, Mr Edward. He doesn’t seem to care about anybody.’

  Bessie Robson had eagerly taken the money which Ruby had given her and set off towards Savile Street, close to the New Dock. It was a long walk but she didn’t have enough money to buy what she called real opium, and so she was heading for a reputable grocer, one who knew how to mix raw opium and spirit and could come up with a mixture which was satisfying to an average craving. Twenty-five drops of laudanum was equal to one grain of opium, and one teaspoon held about one hundred drops. Bessie, however, didn’t possess a teaspoon, not even a tin one, and so she would take the laudanum straight from the bottle. One gulp, she reckoned, was more or less the same as a teaspoon.

  She was panting as she neared the grocer’s shop and eager for the sense of well-being which the mixture would give her, but, as she approached the door, panic hit her. The shop was closed, with the blinds drawn.

  ‘His wife’s sick,’ somebody called out to her. ‘He’s had to rush home.’

  ‘But I need my loddy!’ She turned to the person who had shouted, and recognized her. ‘Who else’ll be open?’

  ‘Come wi’ me, if you like. I’m going to ’Ship, you might get some there.’

  ‘I can’t walk that far, Tess,’ she said. It was beyond the direction that she had just come from. ‘My legs –’

  The woman shrugged. ‘Up to you. You can walk with me if you’ve a mind to. How much money have you got?’

  ‘Not much,’ Bessie confessed. ‘Onny enough for a small bottle.’

  ‘Tell you what then, Bessie.’ Tess came across to her. She was thin as a stick and dressed in dirty rags. Her face was wrinkled and grey so there was no determining her age. ‘I’ve got enough for a jug of ale. You buy ’loddy and I’ll buy ’ale and we’ll share.’

  She leaned towards Bessie, giving a toothless grin, and Bessie backed away. ‘All right then, but by heck, Tess, you don’t half stink! Where’ve you been?’

  ‘My old man’s locked me out,’ she said. ‘He said he was sick of me spending his brass on ale and loddy. He’s put a bolt on ’door so’s I can’t get into ’house.’

  ‘So where’ve you been?’

  ‘You know them pigsties back of New George Street? Well, I slept wi’ pigs last night, warmest place I could find. Lots o’ straw, roof was sound, sounder than our house anyway. I’d have stayed all day but pig fella came and turned me out.’

  Bessie wrinkled her nose. She was used to smells but this stench was appalling. ‘Why you going all ’way to ’Ship?’ she asked. ‘Been thrown out of all the others?’

  The woman nodded. ‘Aye, that’s about ’strength of it. I owe money in all of ’em, so I can’t go in.’

  ‘So where’ve you got money from now?’

  Tess grinned again. ‘Beggin’,’ she said. ‘If you follow folks for long enough, they’ll ’ventually give some money to get rid of you.’

  ‘Specially if you stink,’ Bessie muttered.

  ‘Aye,’ she answered, with no offence taken. ‘Specially then.’

  So Bessie turned around and set off back the way she had come, past the cluster of courts and alleyways which bounded her own home territory and towards The Ship. This hostelry served the boatmen and workers from the mills and factories crowding the side of the river Hull.

  ‘You go in and get it, Bessie,’ Tess urged. ‘They’ll not lend me a jug. I never took ’last one back and they might remember.’

  Bessie took her money and entered the inn, pushing her way through a crowd of women and children who were waiting outside. The last time she was in here she’d met her son Josh, who’d bought her ale and tobacco and then taken her to the Whalebone Inn where they’d had supper. She remembered little of that evening, didn’t even remember getting home and she hadn’t seen Josh since. She sighed and muttered, ‘That’s men all over, but I expect he’ll turn up again sometime.’

  A river-man that she knew greeted her and passed her a glass of gin which seared her throat as she tossed it back. The landlord served her with a jug of ale but told her that she couldn’t take it home and must drink the ale inside. She took a long drink from the jug before calling to Tess to come in, and they sat in a dark corner just inside the door.

  ‘I need some loddy.’ Bessie looked around the room. Sometimes there were foreign seamen who would give an old woman an odd grain of opium or a scraping of tobacco, but there were none in here tonight and everyone else seemed to be counting out their money carefully when paying the landlord. ‘What day is it?’ she asked. ‘Is it Sat’day?’

  ‘Aye, it might be.’ Tess took a gulp from the jug. ‘How would I know?’

  ‘If it’s Sat’day, then folks is spending their wages.’ Men were sitting around a table giving out small piles of coinage to others, who then went to the landlord to buy ale or beer. ‘Them women outside’ll be lucky if there’s enough left to buy a bit o’ bread.’ She took the jug from Tess and drank deeply. ‘I remember that all right,’ she said. ‘Waiting for him to come home and then having to go and look for him so’s I could feed ’bairns. Don’t you, Tess?’

  Tess had been staring at Bessie as she drank. ‘No,’ she muttered. ‘My old man allus brought his wages home, and I never kept any bairns, they all died when they were babbies. Hey,’ she grumbled, as Bessie took another deep drink from the jug. ‘I bought that! You were going to buy ’loddy.’

  Bessie handed over the jug and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. ‘Well, I will, when I see somebody who might have some.’ She cast her eyes around the room again and then to the door where a crush of people were entering. ‘Ah! Jamie! He might have some.’

  She called him over. ‘Have you got any loddy? ’Shop was shut when I went. I’ve got ’money.’ She opened her palm to show him.

  Jamie grinned. ‘So you have, Bessie! And where did you get that?’

  ‘Our Ruby,’ she smirked. ‘She’s a good lass. Looks after her ma. She’ll have got her wages today, I expect, so she’s treated me.’

  He looks pleased with himself, she thought. His ma must be doing good business and he’s living off the proceeds. Whoremonger!

  ‘So what kind do you want, Bessie?’ He took the coin from her hand and tossed it casually in the air and caught it. ‘Ruby will have worked for this, so you’d better spend it wisely. Don’t go wasting hard-earned cash!’

  He had a satisfied smile on his face and she viewed him suspiciously. She didn’t trust him, never had. But she needed her dose. ‘Whatever you can get,’ she snapped. ‘And look sharp about it.’

  ‘All right. All right. Keep your wig on.’ He put his hand in his coat pocket and brought out a small bottle. ‘It just so happens that I have some here, and you can have it.’
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  ‘It’s onny a little bottle.’ She reached to take it.

  He snatched it away. ‘Beggars can’t be choosers, but this isn’t your common or garden cordial,’ he said. ‘This is ’real stuff. Bought off a foreign ship. It’ll give you some great dreams, Bessie. Tek you to places you never knew existed.’

  ‘Tek it,’ Tess broke in urgently. ‘And don’t forget half of it’s mine.’

  ‘Fetch us a measure then,’ Bessie demanded of him. ‘She’ll want her full share.’

  ‘Course I will,’ Tess bellowed. ‘You’ve shared my ale. That was ’agreement.’

  Jamie brought back two measures and carefully poured the contents into each of them, measuring exactly, and handed them to the women. ‘Sweet dreams, ladies,’ he grinned and winked.

  Tess tossed hers back immediately and then took another gulp from the jug, but Bessie put her nose to the measure and gave a sniff. ‘It’s not ’usual mix,’ she said. ‘What’s it got in it? Brandy? Gin?’

  Jamie shook his head. ‘Don’t know. Didn’t ask. I was just told it was ’best to be had.’

  Bessie took a sip, then licked her lips. ‘Tastes all right.’ She took another sip. ‘Yes, it’s good.’ She tossed back the remainder. ‘We’ll have some more of this sometime, Jamie.’

  He nodded. ‘I’ve let you have that cheap, Bessie. Next time it’ll cost you more, but you’ll soon have plenty of money so you’ll be able to afford it.’

  ‘What?’ Bessie shook her head to clear it. Laudanum usually calmed her instantly, but now she felt quite light-headed and giddy and Jamie’s hair had a silver halo around it. ‘Whatcha mean?’

  ‘You mean you don’t know?’ He affected amazement. ‘Ask Ruby, she’ll tell you.’

  He left them and wandered over to another group of people. Bessie drained the jug of ale, then watched him through blurred and narrowed eyes. ‘What does he mean?’ she asked Tess, who was slumped in her chair. ‘He’s up to summat.’ She staggered to her feet. ‘I have to go. I’ll be seeing you.’

  She managed to get to the doorway and was propelled outside by a group of laughing workmen. ‘Watch your step, Ma,’ and ‘One too many, Bessie?’ from someone who seemed to know her. She sat down heavily on the step and slumped forward. She could hear voices, and feet tramped around her, but she had no idea whose voices or feet they were or even where she was.

  People drifted noisily past her. Laughing women floated above her in flimsy chiffon gowns. Dark-skinned foreign men, wearing turbans and golden slippers, swung silver swords above their heads as they raced on white horses in a starlit sky. Someone bent down to speak to her, but she couldn’t understand what he was saying and he shook his head, and walked on. Freddie came towards her and she reached out to touch him. His face was covered in soot and he stretched out a dirty hand to her. Someone pulled him back. It was Josh and he was covered in slimy seaweed.

  ‘Help me,’ she called, but her voice came out in a hoarse whisper. ‘Ruby! Where are you? Help your poor old ma.’

  Ruby walked by. She looked beautiful. She was wearing a red velvet dress which brushed against Bessie as she passed her, and she didn’t even look down. ‘Ruby!’ she cried again, but knew now that Ruby was part of her dream and couldn’t hear her.

  Someone else bent down towards her. Some devil with a huge grin on his face. ‘Come on, Bessie,’ the devil said. ‘Let’s get you home.’

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Ruby left the rooming house and hurried towards home. This was not the place for a lone woman to be, so close by the river and in the dark. Perhaps I should have asked Jamie to wait for me, she pondered. She glanced over her shoulder, but then thought that her decision had been for the best. She could decide now what to say to him, for he was sure to ask if she was seeing her client again.

  Mr Newmarch! How incredible that it should have been him, and how amazing too that he should remember her when there were so many women workers at the mill. And he wants to see me again! I wonder if he does or if he was just saying that as an excuse to get away without losing face? Well, I’ll know come Monday.

  She gathered the skirt of her dress around her as she entered the pitch-black alley leading to Middle Court, in case she should brush against the walls and dirty it, and rushed through with her head down. There was no light in the court except for the glimmer through the Sheppards’ window which showed they had a low fire, and a flickering light in the room opposite where Daniel’s parents lived.

  The warm glow in that room indicated that the fire had recently been lit, for she could see quite clearly a dancing flame in the hearth, and someone huddled over it. She glanced in as she passed and saw Mr Hanson sitting hunched with his chin in his hands.

  Perhaps he’s worrying over Daniel being at sea. He’s had no experience, anything could happen. Dear Daniel, I do miss him so. I want to cry when I think of him and I hope, I really hope he doesn’t think badly of me when he comes home. I want him always to think well of me. Not that I’ve done anything to be ashamed of. Not yet. I’m still as I was and I could stay this way. I don’t have to go with Mr Newmarch even if he asks me.

  She felt the warmth of the coins in her hand. But am I committed to him, just as I am with Jamie? Of course, I could pay Jamie off now if I want to with the money Mr Newmarch has given me, but he’d smell a rat. I know Jamie. He’d suspect I was cutting him out.

  She went into their room and took off the dress and carefully wrapped it back in the bag it had come in. Then, lifting the mattress, she slipped it underneath and dressed in her old garments so that her mother wouldn’t suspect anything.

  There was a commotion at the door and she cautiously opened it. Bessie, either drunk or asleep, was leaning heavily against Jamie.

  ‘I didn’t know if you’d be back yet, Ruby.’ He winked at her. ‘Everything all right?’

  ‘Everything’s fine,’ she answered briefly. ‘What’s happened to Ma?’

  ‘I found her outside ’Ship. Thought I’d better bring her home before she froze to death.’

  ‘Ship?’ Ruby gave a shudder. She’d walked right past there, she might so easily have been discovered. Though she intended telling her mother of her new life, she wanted to plan what to say and to tell her in her own way.

  ‘Is she drunk?’ She put her face close to Bessie’s and sniffed. ‘What’s she had?’

  ‘She was drinking summat out of a bottle,’ Jamie said. ‘She mebbe bought some loddy from somebody.’

  Together they lowered Bessie down on the mattress. She lay there, snoring. ‘So?’ Jamie said. ‘Everything was all right? No problems with your gentleman?’

  ‘None,’ Ruby said. ‘I’ll pay you tomorrow if you don’t mind, Jamie. I’m really tired.’

  ‘I’m sure you are, Ruby, but I’ll have ’money now. That’s ’way I work.’ He gave her a thin smile. ‘Will you be seeing him again?’

  She handed him the exact money that he’d arranged with Mr Newmarch. He counted it and gave her half back. ‘I don’t know,’ she answered. ‘I’m not sure I want to continue. It’s an ordeal,’ she lied. ‘Men don’t realize.’

  ‘I don’t suppose we do.’ The expression on his face wasn’t distinguishable because of the gloom in the room, but she knew from the tone of his voice that he had expected a different answer. ‘But it’ll be easy enough next time. And don’t forget you still owe me, Ruby.’

  ‘I won’t forget,’ she said. ‘I’ll pay you back as soon as I can.’

  ‘I know you will.’ She heard the smile in his voice this time and knew that he was banking on her always being in his debt. ‘I’ll try for somebody for next Saturday, shall I? Or before?’

  ‘I’ll let you know, Jamie,’ she said. ‘When I’ve made up my mind.’

  She hardly slept that night. Her mother tossed around in her sleep and sometimes sat up shouting, calling for Ruby and for Freddie. ‘For heaven’s sake, Ma,’ Ruby cried out in exasperation. ‘Be quiet. I’m worn out!’

  But even her own br
oken slumber was peppered with dreams. Images of Mr Newmarch smiling at her and beckoning, and behind him the grinning face of Jamie with his open palm stretched out towards her. There was an obnoxious smell and the sound of someone groaning, and she woke to the sound of her mother retching over the mattress.

  She looked around her and remembered the neat room where she had met Mr Newmarch, the proper bed and the bright fire, and she saw now where she was living. She sat up and wept. I have to get out of here. I’ll tell Jamie.

  ‘I’m sorry, Ruby,’ her mother snivelled. ‘Somebody must have given me some bad loddy.’

  ‘Don’t tell me, Ma. I don’t want to know. Don’t give me excuses. If you want to kill yourself, then go ahead.’

  ‘You give me the money, Ruby,’ she whimpered. ‘If I hadn’t had it I couldn’t have spent it.’

  Ruby gave a laugh which turned into a sob. ‘So it’s my fault? I might have known! Do you know where I got ’money from, Ma?’

  Her mother stared at her. Her face was grey, her eyes bloodshot and her mouth slack and wet. She shook her head. ‘Your wages?’

  ‘Not my wages, Ma. I got it from Jamie.’ She hadn’t intended telling her this way, but she couldn’t help herself. ‘He lent it to me. I’m going to join his merry band of street women. Last night was my first night.’

  She saw the shame dawning in her mother’s eyes, and said, ‘But nowt happened and I’m not going to explain why, but that’s ’life I’m going to live from now on. I want better than what we’ve got, Ma, and I’m going to have it.’

  Grace rose early on the Sunday morning and peered out of the window. It was a dreary dull day but not raining. She riddled the fire and as the ash was still hot, she put a few sticks on top and hoped that they would kindle. She dressed and went outside to the pump and swilled her face, and glanced across at Ruby’s house, wondering how she was this morning. I hope she got home all right and that there wasn’t any trouble, she thought. Perhaps Jamie brought her home. She looked across at his house but the curtains were firmly drawn. No-one else seemed to be up; all the houses had their doors closed.