Free Lady Lightfingers by Janet Woods Page B

you lost your wife.’
    The man shuffled his feet and said gruffly, ‘Mary left some time ago, when Bert was just a lad. As for the prayer, I knew you needed one as soon as I saw you, for you look like little lost lambs. It took no effort since it came from inside my heart. A soul that’s loved should be sent off right, so the Lord will notice it and give it special attention.’
    â€˜Pa wanted to be a preacher,’ Bert said proudly.
    â€˜He would make a good one,’ she said.
    â€˜Likely you girls should go home now. You’re young and your place is with the living, not with the dead.’
    â€˜I want to stay just a little bit longer.’
    â€˜Happens you’ve got something private to say to your ma then, so we’ll leave you with it, lass. Come on, Bert, let’s get ourselves home.’
    When it came down to it Celia couldn’t think of one thing to say that hadn’t already been said when her mother was still alive. Still, she hoped the little she did say would reassure her.
    â€˜Goodbye, Ma. I love you. I’ll look after Lottie, and I’ll take her to your sisters’ house, like you asked. They might give us a home. But first I’ll have to earn some money for the journey, and I’ll have to take Lottie with me while I’m earning it.’ She gazed down at her sister. ‘Is that all right with you, Lottie?’
    Lottie smiled up at her and nodded. ‘Lottie wanna wee,’ she said.
    Earning enough to keep herself and Lottie alive without her mother’s input was hard enough. Earning enough to take the train to the country was impossible.
    For a week, Celia moped, feeling lost and alone without her mother. They lived off the food they’d brought home from Thomas Hambert’s house and swallowed the last stale morsels. When her stomach began to rattle and Lottie whimpered with hunger and cried out for her mama, Celia realized that she was being selfish by thinking only of her own feelings, and if they were to survive she’d best stop mourning for what had passed and concentrate on the present.
    She took to dipping again, using Lottie as a distraction. And she taught the girl how to cup her hands and smile at people as she held them out. Nevertheless, Lottie slowed Celia down, and she couldn’t take her out in bad weather in case she caught an infection and became ill. She was aware, too, that together they were unprotected, because she couldn’t run fast with Lottie on her hip if someone decided to follow or attack them.
    Yet the inevitable happened. One day, when she hadn’t been vigilant enough, and was wearily unlocking the door, someone pushed her through it and followed her in – a woman.
    Celia grabbed a blunt knife up off the table. ‘Get out!’
    â€˜Oh, you wouldn’t want to use that, my dear, especially with the child getting in the way. Besides, all I have to do is shout and my man will come in.’
    A quick glance showed a muscular back blocking the doorway. The woman pushed the knife aside, calmly seated herself and took Lottie on to her lap. ‘My name is Bessie Jones. I have a proposition to put to you, my dear. A young, handsome gentleman has taken a fancy to you. He’s offered one hundred pounds for your services for a week.’
    One hundred pounds! Celia found it difficult to breathe. She could barely imagine such an amount. ‘Services . . . what do you mean? Does he need a maid?’
    Hard brown eyes came up to hers. ‘Don’t act stupid. You know exactly what I mean, girl. Tell me . . . are you still intact?’
    Celia’s face flamed red and she stuttered, ‘Of course I am.’
    â€˜Good, then we can charge him more for being the first. Men like to think they’re the first.’
    â€˜No . . . I promised my mother—’
    â€˜Your mother did some whoring when she needed to. She worked in my establishment on a regular basis, two days