by Anna Jacobs
The two days of camping allowed Reece to chat to the drivers, who owned their own team and were doing well, already saving to buy a second team and wagon.
As they relaxed with him, they shared their scorn of gentlemen immigrants who didn’t want to get their hands dirty.
‘There aren’t as many rules here,’ one said that night as they sat round their own camp fire some distance away from the gentlemen’s camping spot. ‘You’ve a better chance of making a go of life than you’d ever have in England.’
‘If you want to be your own master, that is,’ the other driver said quietly. ‘Some don’t.’
‘I do,’ Reece said without hesitation.
‘There you are, then. You’ve come to the right place. Y’need a wife, though. Makes a big difference, a good woman does.’
When they all sought their beds, the gentlemen lay in a tent and Reece lay under a tarpaulin one of the drivers attached to the side of the wagon. He looked out at the stars twinkling in the clear night sky. Had he ever seen stars as bright before he left Lancashire? He didn’t care about the hardness of the ground, or the nip in the winter air that had him snuggling under the rough blankets. The drivers had produced rolls of bedding, which they called ‘swags’ and had shown him how these could be carried on the shoulders if you were on the tramp.
He’d have liked to spend a few weeks exploring the colony on foot. He’d have liked lots of things, and even though he couldn’t see how his future would turn out, he felt happier than he had for a while. Men like these drivers gave him hope for the future. Surely if he worked hard, chose his land carefully, he’d make a success of life here?
He’d do his best at whatever his employer wanted him to do for the time agreed, though. That went without saying. He’d always honoured his promises.
10
Cassandra woke with a start as a woman’s voice said, ‘I’m going to help you feel more comfortable, but if you make any attempt to escape, my friend will hit you on the head.’
The bonds were untied and when she reached up automatically to pull off the blindfold, they let her.
There were two women, one on either side of her, and a man was standing nearby. The older of the two women pointed to the door. He grinned and left.
Cassandra let them do what they wanted, grateful for being cleaned and allowed to put her clothes on.
‘I’m sorry about this,’ one woman whispered. ‘I thought they were only going to hold you prisoner or I’d not have let them bring you here. I don’t care what they do to men – I hate men! – but I won’t help them to hurt other women.’
‘Poor bitch,’ the other said. ‘It ain’t right what they’re doing, Jane. They’ve gone too far.’
The door banged open just then and a voice Cassandra knew only too well said, ‘What the hell’s going on here?’
She shivered uncontrollably.
‘We’re making sure it’s not murder,’ the woman in charge said, hands on hips.
‘What does it matter if she dies?’
‘It matters to me. I’ve done a lot of things people think wrong, but I won’t let you kill her in my house. And if you go on like this, it will be murder. You never said you were going to treat her so badly. What are you, animals in rut?’
‘Be careful how you talk to me, Jane.’
‘And you be careful how you treat me, Pete. I’ve got friends too.’
There was silence for a few seconds and Cassandra could hardly breathe as she waited to see who won the encounter.
His voice turned sulky. ‘Why shouldn’t we enjoy ourselves with her? It’s what the old biddy asked us to do. We don’t usually get paid to do it.’
‘You won’t carry on like this in my house because I say so.’ Her voice became cajoling. ‘If you leave her alone from now on, I’ll make sure one of my girls sees to you every day while this one’s here. My girls are a lot more fun anyway.’
There was silence then he laughed. ‘All right. She lies there like a dead fish anyway now she’s stopped struggling.’
When he’d gone, the second woman said, ‘I’m not doing it with them. He’s turned rough, Pete has, lately.’
‘I’ll pay you double the usual fee and make sure someone’s standing by in case you need help. Or are you going to let them kill her?’
A long silence then, ‘Oh, all right. I’ll do it. I don’t know what’s got into Pete lately. He used to be a decent enough fellow, even if he was a thief.’
‘Who knows what changes people? Come on. Let’s get her up to my room.’ Jane turned back to Cassandra. ‘If you give us any trouble, they’ll bring you back here and I won’t be able to stop them.’
‘No! Please, no. I’ll do anything, anything.’ She heard her own voice break and couldn’t stop sobbing.
Jane shook her hard. ‘Stop that! It does no good.’
It took her a few minutes to calm down, however hard she tried.
‘Poor bitch,’ the other woman said again.
‘She’ll get over it. She’s still alive, isn’t she?’
‘Thanks to you, Jane. And they might still change their minds.’
‘I’ll make sure they don’t.’
‘I don’t know why you bother.’
‘Because I hate men and I know what it’s like to be forced – and hurt. So do you.’
‘Yes.’ There was silence for a minute or two, then she said, ‘As long as I get the extra money.’
‘Have you ever known me break my word?’
‘No, Jane. You’re a good ’un. I like working for you. You treat us fair.’
‘I’m a “good ’un” as long as you do your job well.’ She turned back to the bed. ‘Come on, you. I’ve not got all day.’
Cassandra made a huge effort, unable to believe that the horrors which had nearly destroyed her were over. If it started again, she’d lose her reason, she knew she would.
They helped her up three flights of stairs and into a well-furnished sitting room, where they told her to sit on a chair. There were two oil lamps here and she blinked at the brighter light, her eyes watering after being blindfolded for so long.
Jane picked up some scissors. ‘I need to cut your hair off.’
‘What?’
‘The person who’s paying them wants your hair to prove to your sisters that they’ve got you prisoner.’
Instinctively Cassandra’s hands went up to her head.
‘I’ll tie it back and chop it off, then tidy up the ends for you. It’ll grow again in no time.’ Jane studied her, eyes narrowed. ‘You’re not going to give me any trouble about this – or about anything else – are you? I’ve risked a lot for you.’
Cassandra swallowed hard. ‘No. I’ll not give you any trouble.’
‘Sensible. I thought you would be. I’ve seen you around town, couldn’t help noticing, you being so tall. You never did look stupid.’
The scissors snipped and Cassandra felt cold air at the nape of her neck. Strange to have short hair like a man, but a small thing compared to what else had happened to her. How many days had passed since she’d been here? She’d lost count, couldn’t even be bothered to ask.
Would they let her go eventually? Or would they kill her?
She didn’t know. And for all Jane appeared friendly, Cassandra didn’t really trust her. The woman had allowed the men to keep her prisoner here and this was clearly a brothel.
No word came about Cassandra for five days. The sisters spent much of the time looking out of the window, watching passers-by, waiting for a knock on the door, crying now and then, unable to settle to anything.
One morning another note from their aunt was delivered.
I shall be coming to see you this afternoon at four o’clock precisely. Make sure the house is clean and tidy.
I. Blake
‘What do you think she wants?’ Xanthe wondered.
‘I don’t know. Probably to throw us out.’ Pandora walked round the ground floor of the cottage, but was soon satisfied that
all was in order.
After that, there was nothing to do but wait.
At exactly four o’clock footsteps tapped along the path and the front door opened without the courtesy of a knock.
Isabel walked in, staring round, surprised to find it immaculate. ‘Well, at least you don’t live like pigs.’ She took a kitchen chair and waved a hand to the others to sit. ‘I don’t intend to crick my neck looking up at you. Such maypoles you are! Men don’t like women to be that tall. It’s no wonder you’ve none of you married.’
She waited until they’d sat, pleased to note how pale they were, how reddened and puffy their eyes were, how anxiously they were looking at her.
‘I’ve made arrangements for you three to go to Australia. You’re to leave town on Monday and will be taken to stay at a migrants’ hostel in London until the ship leaves.’ Glee danced through her at the utter shock on their faces.
‘Why should we go to Australia?’ Pandora asked.
‘Because there is nowhere in the world further from Outham and because once and for all I wish to be rid of the embarrassment of having you living here.’
‘We can’t go anywhere. We’re waiting for Cassandra to come home. And anyway, we don’t want to go to Australia.’
Isabel allowed herself to laugh, but it nearly got out of hand and it was an effort to control it. ‘Oh, dear. Oh, dear me. Don’t want to go, they say!’
‘How can you laugh? Our sister’s missing. We don’t know whether she’s dead or alive. We’re not going anywhere till we have her back.’
Isabel stared at the beautiful one, wishing she could slice into that flawless skin and mar it for ever. ‘You won’t get her back, but I can assure you she’s alive.’
They looked so astonished, another chuckle escaped her.
‘How do you know that?’ the gentle-looking one asked.
‘Because she was taken prisoner on my orders and won’t be released till you three have left the country.’
The silence went on for a long time, then the beautiful one asked, ‘Why?’
She had to admire that, Isabel admitted. Straight to the point. No hysterics. This one was sharper than the others. ‘Because I needed to find a way to force you to leave Outham.’
‘I don’t believe you.’
She smiled and let them wait for her answer, then reached into her bag. ‘Do you recognise this?’ She waved the long piece of hair in front of them, tied at one end with the ragged piece of ribbon they all recognised.
They gasped and one moaned.
‘You cut off her hair?’ the gentle-looking one’s voice was a scratchy whisper.
‘I ordered it to be cut off. It’ll be her thumb next time if you still need convincing. Your sister has a scar on her thumb and a birthmark on her belly, does she not? You’d recognise that thumb and we could slice off the piece of skin with the birthmark as well.’ She smiled. She had them now.
‘How do we know she’ll be safe if we agree to do as you wish?’
‘Because I’ll give you my word, hand on the Bible, and since I’m not an immoral trollop like you, my word means something.’
‘Not to me, it doesn’t,’ the one who did most of the speaking said. Isabel couldn’t remember their stupid, fancy names and didn’t intend to try.
She leaned back. ‘My word is all you’ve got, all that’ll save your sister. Shall you wait for the thumb then? It’s easily chopped off.’
‘I’ll go and get the Bible,’ the gentle one said.
Isabel smiled. She actually meant what she was promising, but they didn’t know why. She wanted Cassandra to live with what had happened to her, to have nightmares about it for the rest of her life. That would teach her to be so impudent towards her betters, to come between man and wife.
Calmly, she swore on the Bible that if these three went to Australia, their sister would be released. ‘But only,’ she added with her hand still on the book, staring at each one in turn, ‘if you give me your word to say nothing to anyone of why you’re going.’
‘You mean we mustn’t tell anyone you’re forcing us to leave?’
She nodded. ‘If you value your sister’s life and want to see her freed.’
‘What will Cassandra do then? How will she manage?’
‘She can do whatever she wants as long as she leaves Outham.’ She didn’t tell them she’d make sure circumstances would keep the other one away from the town. ‘Now, this is what you’re to do ...’
When she’d gone, Maia burst into tears, stroking the tied bunch of hair still lying on the table as she sobbed. ‘They’ve killed her, I know they have.’
‘I don’t think so,’ Pandora said slowly. ‘I think that horrible creature meant what she said and will keep her promise – but for reasons of her own.’
‘Do you really think Cassandra is alive?’
‘We have to believe that.’
‘But we’ll never know for sure, will we?’
‘Perhaps one day. We can tell the Minister where we’re going. If she comes back, she’ll go to Mr Rainey, I’m sure. Then he can write and let us know she’s safe. There is a mail service to Australia, even if letters take months to get there.’
‘We have no choice,’ Xanthe said at last. ‘But I don’t want to go to Australia.’
Pandora’s eyes filled with tears. ‘Neither do I. I love living here, love the moors, can’t imagine being anywhere else.’
They sat in miserable silence for a few more minutes, then Pandora stood up, ‘She said we have to go and see that horrible Vicar at six o’clock. Let’s make ourselves as tidy as we can. And whatever he says or does, you’re not to cry, Maia. You’re not to give him that satisfaction ... or her. We’ve done nothing to be ashamed of. They’re the ones who should be ashamed.’
The Vicar left them standing in front of his desk and looked scornfully at them as he took his seat behind it. ‘Since it’s now obvious that your sister must have been murdered, your aunt has kindly made arrangements to give you a new start in life. You’d better make sure that from now on you behave in a respectable manner and are polite to your betters.’
He looked at them, clearly expecting a response, so Pandora murmured, ‘Yes, sir,’ and nudged her sisters, who echoed her words. It was strange, she thought, how the other two kept turning to her for guidance, even though she was the youngest. Everything was strange lately, strange and horrible.
‘You will leave Outham in two days’ time and be taken to the migrant hostel in London. From there you will sail to Australia on the Tartar. They’re taking a group of female paupers from Lancashire because they’re very short of servants in the colonies, apparently. So that’s what you’ll become once you arrive there, servants. See that you make the most of this wonderful opportunity your aunt has given you for a fresh start. You should be thanking the Lord on your knees for it.’
Pandora again forced herself to say, ‘Yes, sir.’
‘I gather you can all read?’
This time Maia had to pinch Pandora because the scornful way he had said this, as if he expected them not to be able to, made her so angry she didn’t dare speak for a moment or two.
‘Yes, sir. We can all read.’
He thrust the newspaper at her with another scornful look. ‘Read this, then. Show me how well you can read.’
She picked it up and began at the top of the page, reading easily, long words or not. Then she passed it to her sisters, who continued to read the piece just as easily.
‘Enough, enough.’ He made a note. ‘You will have to undergo a medical examination before you go on board the ship. I trust none of you is diseased.’
What had their aunt been saying about them? ‘No ... sir.’
‘I hope you’re telling me the truth, because if you are diseased, you’ll not be allowed on the ship and you’ll be thrown out on the streets. You’re not to come back here, whatever happens. If you even try, I shall have you committed to the Reformatory for immoral behaviour.’
He s
tood up. ‘Very well. I shall send someone to escort you to the railway station on Monday in time to meet the train that stops here at twelve minutes past ten in the morning. The lady supervising the trip to London will be on board with some of her other charges and she will look after you from then onwards. This is a list of what you should take with you. If you don’t have it, your aunt has said she’ll supply you with what’s needed. She is a very Christian, generous woman. Make sure you thank her for her help.’
None of them could force out words of acquiescence to that.
After they left the Vicarage, they didn’t stop to talk, just walked home in grim silence. Only when they were indoors did they spend a few minutes letting their emotions out, furious at the injustice of what was happening to them.
‘This is doing us no good,’ Pandora said in the end. ‘Let’s plan what to do.’
‘I’m not applying to her for help,’ Xanthe said.
‘I am. I want to make her pay as much as I can, so even if we already have what’s needed, we’ll ask her to buy it for us, then sell our other things. We have enough friends to help us do that. We don’t want to arrive in Australia penniless, do we?’
‘I never thought of it that way,’ Xanthe said admiringly.
‘Cassandra would have.’
That silenced them again. Maia wiped away a tear and the others stared down at the floor.
After they’d sorted through their clothing and other possessions, they went to leave a note at the Vicar’s house asking their aunt for what they needed for the journey and giving a list, as well as asking for trunks to put it in.
‘She’ll be more likely to provide it if he knows about it,’ Xanthe said.
‘She won’t care. She’ll do anything to get rid of us.’ Pandora realised she’d screwed her hands into fists and unballed them. She mustn’t let her anger rule her. Or her pain at the thought of saying farewell to Lancashire and all she knew.
‘Do you think it’s true what I heard when I nipped out to the baker’s for a loaf?’
‘What, that she’s not going to bury her husband until we’ve left town?’