Back to You, page 6
“Those will bring the men in,” the brunette stated, eyeing my breasts. “Ye’ve been fed well. The men will love your curves.”
They both stared at my figure, appraising me like a show-horse and making me the most uncomfortable I’ve ever been while dressed modestly. I pulled my hands out of her grip and pushed myself off the ground, standing on shaking legs. They rose with me, taking steps back, while eyeing me from top to bottom.
“I’m actually looking for a man,” I stated, changing the subject.
“Is it the one who left ye in this ally here?” the blonde asked.
I tried not to think about why she came to that conclusion. “No. A friend told me he could help me. His name is Thomas O’Connor.”
“Tommy boy!” The blonde clapped. “Oh, we do love our Tommy. He keeps the mean bastards away, and he’s so gentle. Nessa tells me that his hands really do work wonders, and the way that he—”
I held up my hands, not wanting to hear what else she had to say about “Tommy boy” and what his hands could do. “My friend might be in trouble. I was told Mr. O’Connor might be able to help me find her.”
“Why would they say that?” the blonde squinted at me and then looked at the brunette.
“I—um—” I stumbled over my words as the brunette sized me up. I felt this lady was in charge or, at the very least, well respected.
“She a negro?” the brunette asked.
“Black, yes. Why would that—”
She gave me a strange look. “He can help ye. But if ye want us to find him, ye’ll have to give us a lil’ somethin’.”
I was hesitant to ask what that might be. “I won’t have sex with anyone. I’ll find him myself, if that’s the case. Just point me in the direction of the North End.”
They glanced at each other quickly, a silent exchange happening between them. “Shame.” The brunette pursed her lips, her brown eyes sliding down my body. “Ye do us a wee favor, and we’ll point ye in the right direction. What would ye suggest?”
I looked between the two, struggling to think of something that didn’t have to do with my body.
“I can sing…”
“Hmm, that might do. Will ye sing in your drawers?”
“My…oh!” My heart raced when I realized they meant the weird white shorts I wore under my dress. They were loose with lace trim on the ends, ending just below my knee. I was nervous because they tied around the waist but were split down the middle. If I weren’t careful, I’d be flashing my goods. “Can I wear my slip or something over them? With my corset too?”
“Aye,” the blonde said. “That should work fine over your slip.”
“Right,” I nodded, cheeks reddening again when I realized I put my clothes on wrong. I’d have to fix that when I was alone again. All things considered, I dressed with less on in public before. Nothing too scandalous, but the usual short shorts and crop tops modern women wore. As long as these two women kept their word, I could sing without worrying about my appearance. “Okay, it’s a deal.”
The brunette spat in her hand and gave it to me to shake. I tried not to cringe and did the same. I couldn’t help but notice how her hands were dry and calloused compared to my soft ones.
“I don’t believe we properly introduced ourselves. I’m Madam Kelly, but ye can call me Nora, and this here is Bridget.”
“They call me Biddy,” the blonde smiled and hugged me.
“Hello, Biddy,” I smiled back, realizing I might like this girl. She seemed so sweet, and I wondered what made her decide to take this path. “I’m Emilia…” I trailed off, realizing I couldn’t give her my last name without her thinking I was related to Thomas. That’d be fine, except Thomas had no idea who I was and would probably think I was insane if he heard that a strange woman was looking for him and had his name attached to hers.
“C’mon, this way.” Biddy grabbed my arm, seemingly not interested in my last name, and began to lead me out of the ally.
Stepping onto the sidewalk of the street, it was instantly brighter, the sun lighting up the brick buildings in a warm glow. It was unseasonably warm for April, for which I was grateful if I was to be singing in the streets in my underwear.
The faint odor I had smelled in the ally was increasingly pungent here, making me scrunch my nose. It took me a minute to realize it was horse manure. I silently hoped I would get used to the smell if I was to be in the nineteenth century until I found Shay. But, of course, if I found her quickly, we might be able to leave before we had to get used to any part of this time.
“Ye not from around here?” Biddy leaned in close to me, the top of her blonde head reaching my chin. She had to be just over five feet tall with her shoes on. I looked at Nora and realized she was significantly shorter than I as well.
“No.” I shook my head, trying to come up with something. “My family moves around a lot….” I thought of my Italian ancestors and ignored the nagging sensation that I had forgotten something vital about them.
She nodded but didn’t inquire more, and I let out a sigh of relief. I’d have to formulate a better story if everyone was going to believe it.
They led me down a road lined with tall brick and sided buildings—each tavern, store, and inn adorned with old wooden signs. The street was fascinating, radiating an outlandish, old-world feel I’d only partially felt in a museum. However, it was a bit stinky and dirtier than I’d imagined.
“Where is everyone?” I asked. The street was quiet except for a few men walking down the sidewalks and a faint click of a horse’s hooves ringing against the bricks somewhere down the road.
“Don’t ye worry.” Biddy patted my arm. “This street will be bustlin’ come nightfall.”
“Oh, joy.” I gave a tight smile, thinking about how many people would be leering at me later.
“Here we are,” Nora said, swiveling in our direction. She stood, her back straight as she waited for us to reach a door that was only a few buildings down from the ally I woke up in. She reminded me of a raptor, constantly circling its prey until it was ready to pounce and devour it.
I approached hesitantly, walking behind Biddy as we neared the wooden door—using the small woman as if she was a shield against whatever lay beyond. Two rows of windows went three stories up—glass hazy from what looked like age and grime—concealing the deplorable acts committed behind them. I shivered, goose bumps covering my flesh as she opened the door and beckoned us inside.
The room was significantly darker, and I had to give my eyes a few moments to adjust before I made out several wooden tables and chairs scattered throughout, and a bar with no one running it. Cheap perfume, stale alcohol, and something foul that I didn’t want to think too hard about filled the empty room, so strong that I fought the urge to cover my nose.
“Where’s everyone else?” I asked.
“Oh, they’re upstairs,” Biddy smiled and patted me on the arm. “Probably getting a wee bit more rest or primping for our customers tonight.”
I nodded, ignoring the rise of anxiety I was putting myself through. Maybe I could still leave and find my dad’s ancestor alone.
“Ye’ll join us upstairs, aye?” Nora asked, almost daring me to contradict her.
“Sure.” My heart sank at the predicament I got myself into.
At that moment, a young girl ran down the stairs, dress billowing behind her in her haste to get somewhere. When she spotted us, she stumbled, quickly righting herself before straightening her hair and clothes.
“Sorry, Madam Kelly.” She curtsied and kept her eyes down.
“Where ye goin’ in such a fuss?” Nora snapped.
I looked at her in surprise, my suspicions answered not only by the use of her formal title but the way she scolded the young girl. I wondered whose child she was.
“Just outside, Madam.”
“Go,” Nora snapped, sending the girl out on quick feet lest she was scolded again.
“We’re waiting for her cycle,” Nora said, turning towards me. “Then maybe she’ll start pulling her weight around here.”
I felt the blood rush from my face, and my stomach turned. That girl couldn’t be ten. If she started early, men could lie with her within the year.
“Is that necessary?” I asked, unable to keep quiet about it.
“Oh—” Biddy nodded. “She’d bring the men for sure. And if we kept quiet, we might get some more coin from others if they thought she still a virgin.”
“Hush.” Nora swatted Biddy’s head, causing the girl to flinch.
“They just did that for me, is all I’m sayin’,” Biddy mumbled, fixing her hair.
My heart pounded in my ears as I wished I could take that poor girl away.
“Her ma is upstairs, anyhow,” Nora said. “She can decide what to do with her wean.”
Something told me that Nora was lying, and when the time came, Nora would have every say in what would be done with the girl.
“Of course,” I nodded, not wanting to cross her. It was her establishment, and I still needed to find Shay.
We headed up the stairs, the wood creaking under our feet and alerting everybody of our arrival. When we neared the first landing, quiet voices and laughter began to drift down. Nora opened the first door to the right, and the room went silent. Several women lounged on the bed and in a chair, looking as if they were enjoying a brief moment of normalcy that we suddenly interrupted.
“Meet our new act of the night, ladies,” Nora said, using her hand as if she was displaying me.
They eyed me up and down, their cold stares dropping the room a few degrees. I repressed a shiver that went through me.
“What’s she gonna do?” the nearest one asked. She leaned over in her chair and picked up the hem of my dress between her fingers, looking thoroughly unimpressed. “A bit boring, aye?”
“She can sing!” Biddy clapped, delighted to give them the news.
The woman scoffed, rolling her green eyes. She looked away, brushing her red hair back.
“C’mon, Nessa. Lay off her,” Biddy whined. “Play nice.”
“Oh, shut your gob,” Nessa snapped, sitting up as if she was about to lunge at Biddy.
I took a step back, not wanting to get in between them. Nessa sneered and leaned back in her chair, obviously pleased by my unease.
“Enough,” Nora snapped, causing all the women to turn towards her. “Ye will welcome Miss Emilia here, ye hear?”
“Can she even sing?” a brunette on the bed asked, fixing her shift over her legs. They were all in their undergarments, unconcerned about the skin on display.
“I’m not putting me earnings on it.” Nessa smirked, causing the rest to giggle.
My cheeks flared red with anger, and I could not listen to them anymore. “I can sing now.”
I looked to Nora, who raised her brow and gave a brief nod of approval. The girls sat back, looking bored.
I racked my brain for a song they might appreciate and came up with one of my favorites by Camila Cabello.
I looked at the floor and grabbed my necklace, drawing strength from its familiarity. My voice erupted throughout the room, and everyone straightened, their attention drawn to me like a moth to a flame. I smiled, finally feeling a part of myself set free, and I closed my eyes to soak it all in. I softened my voice seductively. The silence in the room hung heavy as a cloak on my shoulders, comforting me. I used its weight to unleash the rest of the lyrics with full force.
I let the last line drift through the room before opening my eyes. When I did, a few girls actually had their mouths hanging open.
I smiled and shrugged. “Would that work?”
“I told ye!” Biddy clapped, turning to each of the girls as if she had already heard me sing. “Teach ye to doubt me.”
“Ye will sing that tonight, aye?” Nora asked, clasping her hands in front of her.
“Sure,” I said, thinking. “Though it might sound better if the girls sang a few parts that aren’t supposed to be mine.”
Nora nodded, agreeing with me. “Just tell them what should be done. Get ready, ladies. Ye should be busy tonight.” She left the room, closing the door behind her.
“I’m not singin’ that,” Nessa mumbled. “Where ye hear that? Should stick to the songs our men like.”
“You don’t have to,” I shrugged, stepping back to let the women move around the room without getting in their way. “I’m hopefully here for just the night. I’m not trying to take any business from you. Nora thinks my singing might bring you more business, actually.”
Nessa rolled her eyes. “Like ye could take any man from me.” She eyed me up and down with disgust, infuriating me. I hated women like her.
“C’mon,” Biddy beckoned, grabbing my arm before I could say anything. “Ye can get ready in me room.”
I glanced back and saw them giggling together as if we were in high school. I gave Nessa the middle finger and was pleased to shut the door on her shocked face.
Biddy’s room was just a few doors down.
“It’s not much,” she said shyly, but with a smile. I looked around, the room big enough to hold a full-size bed, armoire, small vanity table, and fireplace. It was modest in appearance and cleaner than I expected it to be. She sat down on the only chair in the room and began to take off her shoes. “Ye may sit wherever ye’d like.”
I eyed the wooden bedframe with its plain sheets and wondered how often they were washed. Every unmentionable act that could have been committed on it flitted through my mind. I suppressed a cringe. I didn’t want to sit on it, but my feet were unused to the shoes, and I still felt a little weak from my travel. Looking for any soil marks, I perched my butt on its edge, taking care not to touch any of it with my skin without insulting Biddy.
“Will ye like to curl your hair?” Biddy asked, stretching her feet out in front of her as if they were sore.
“Oh,” I said, taken off guard. “Do you think I should?”
She eyed me up and down, more intrigued than anything. “Aye.” She nodded. “Take off your dress, and we’ll see what we have to work with, but I think some curl would be quite pretty. We can bring it up a bit, too.”
I agreed, smiling.
“Mmm,” Biddy hummed under her breath. “I wish I had your figure.” She shook her head as she twisted my hair around a hot iron that she let cool a bit after having it in the fire. After the first few times she proved my hair wasn’t going to burn off, I stopped flinching.
I looked down as if seeing my body for the first time. I never considered it to be the most attractive. My breasts were decent but not overly large, my waist was thin, yet it stuck out a bit when I sat down, and my hips were curvy, but not so much as to attract more attention. Yet when I compared myself to Biddy’s small frame, I couldn’t help but notice how much I stood out. Not only was I darker in appearance, but I was probably as tall as many of their men. And my figure was filled out where the women here were less so, all because I had proper nourishment and a healthy lifestyle.
“Your beautiful,” I said, meaning it. Biddy’s thin face held an innocence that couldn’t be ignored, while her soft blue eyes glimmered sweetly. I had no doubt as to why the men came to her.
“Ye’re too kind.” She blushed, something I was surprised to see. “Where ye from?”
“Oh, well, I’m Italian,” I replied honestly. “But I wasn’t born there.”
Biddy set down the iron. “There. Let’s just…” Biddy stopped talking, putting pins in her mouth as she twisted the sides of my hair, pinning it up as the back of my hair flowed down in curls. “Just a couple here…” She pulled a few ringlets out around my neck and in front, so they delicately caressed my face and neck. Finally, she stood back, hands on hips with pursed lips, and studied me. “Mighty fine.” She smiled at her work, and I couldn’t help but straighten at her appraisal. “The men’s eyes will be drawn to your neck here.” Her hand caressed a long curl down my throat, making me shiver. I wasn’t sure I wanted those men getting any ideas but refrained from telling her that.
Instead, I asked if I could see and looked around for a mirror.
Biddy’s smile faded, turning serious. She went to the door and looked out, for what, I didn’t know. My heart began to race at her odd behavior. Finally, the door clicked shut, and she turned to me, shoulders set straight as if on a mission.
“Can ye keep a secret?” she asked, wringing her hands together. Even with her nervousness, excitement spread across her features.
I agreed, watching her movements like a wild filly ready to bolt. That was apparently good enough for her because she quickly went to the bed, lifting the mattress until she found something underneath it. She pulled a small mirror out that couldn’t be as big as my palm.
“I took this off one of the men one night. He was piss drunk, so I fumbled through his coat, curious, ye know?” She shrugged, smiling at the little mirror. “If the others found out, they’d take it for sure. Or sell it, the wee whores.”
My jaw dropped at her admission, dumbfounded that an object I would probably toss without care could be so admired among them. Cherish the small things. I couldn’t let myself to forget that again.
Biddy must have taken my look of shock as one of excitement because she shoved it at me. “Here, look.”
“Can you hold it?” I asked, taking a step back so I could see more than a section of my face at a time.
“Thank you,” I said, admiring her work. I would have never worn my hair this way in my time—preferring to wear it straight or in loose waves—yet it accentuated my face, while the loose ringlets drew attention to my neck. I had to give it to her; she knew what she was doing.
“Ye should take your dress off,” Biddy said, hiding the mirror quickly.
“Right,” I said, fumbling to remove it. “Actually, do you think I could use…” I let it drift off when I realized there might not be a bathroom here. “Do you have somewhere I can pee?” A blush spread across my cheeks at having to admit this, but I had to go for some time now, and I thought it could give me a minute to fix my dress without her noticing.
“Janey Mac!” Biddy exclaimed, looking contrite, which confused me. “Where are me manners? Ye can use me pot, I’ll take it out for ye later and show ye were the privy is for next time.” She bent down, pulled out a small chamber pot, and set it on the floor. She straightened with a smile before starting to get ready herself.
