THE DEPRIVED...Chapter 2...Part 3.

A continuation of my book.

Danny motioned for her to sit down again.
“But why did old Nellie send you here in the first place. She would have known you would not be able to do the job, what with your carriage and that quiet Irish lilt, very much a lady.” he said, his mouth curling to a smile.
“She said you might be able to use me at the tables, not as a Night-Girl but as someone who could encourage the men to buy drinks and so give me a farthing each time I had a man pay for my drink. The idea was that you charged the man full price for my drink and just gave me coloured water instead.”
Danny laughed loudly.
“She always was a clever old trout, was old Nellie! No, you’d never make a Brass.” he laughed.
“A Brass?”
“Sorry, that’s street-gab.” apologised Danny. “A Brass is another name for a Night-Girl and how they earn money. You know brass is a word meaning pennies.”
Mary was not entirely sure what Danny was talking about though she knew she was not up to working as a Night-Girl.
“You’re right though. I wouldn’t be much good at it, would I?” agreed Mary.
“Wait a minute.” said Danny. “Have a look at my girls working here. Go on, take a good look.”
Mary looked around the floor, seeing the girls as they worked. Some sat on men’s laps, kissing them before leading them up the stairs. Others danced while trying to hold up a drunken partner and at the same time lightly dipping their hands into the man’s pockets.
“Go on.” said Danny again. “Tell me what you see?”
Mary told him what she had seen.
“But take a good look at them. The women are all hard-faced and tired, each one of them having been through the mill of life. Most here are ground down and vicious.”
It was true, Mary thought. The women here, though young and vivacious had old faces, some disfigured by knife scars or lines from a harried life.
“Do you see how they are? Now look at you. You are young and vibrant with an open and honest face. Do you see how you would stand out against the other girls?”
Mary could see what Danny meant but needed a job so badly.
“I really need a job.” she said simply.
Danny sat in thought.
“Come back tomorrow night. Come at eight o’clock and I will see what I can do. I have an idea which might work.” he said and suddenly rose.

“Henry!” he shouted.
One of the two tough men at the bar came over.
“Henry. See the lady gets home safely.” he ordered.
“Oh, I’ll be alright!” Mary exclaimed, somewhat embarrassed. “I can make my own way home.”
“Nonsense! Henry will walk you home. Take care of the lady, Henry.”
Henry walked two paces behind Mary as she walked home and arriving at the house he watched Mary enter then without a word he began to retrace his steps back to the Seven Bells tavern.

“Are you sure it is safe, Mammy?” asked Beth.
“Of course it’s safe Beth. I don’t think Danny will allow anything to happen to me.”
Beth was not happy that her mother would be working in a public house from the evening till the early hours of the next morning. But she also realised her mother must find the money for the rent and for food.
“You will be able to look after Sam, won’t you, Beth?”
“Yes of course.” answered Beth, looking over at Sam who sat on a chair staring out of the window.
It seemed the older Sam got the more serious he became, almost morose at times as if he nursed a secret anger.
“You don’t mind, do you Sam?” Beth asked. “Just you and me till Mammy gets home?”
“I can look after myself.” Sam asserted without looking up.

Mary had put on the only good frock she possessed, a prim cotton print with a high neck and flowering skirt. She had seen the dresses the women in the pub had worn, with plunging necklines and garters showing on rounded thighs. Would she ever get the courage to wear anything like that? Or use the coarse language they used when talking to the men. Mary shrugged off such thoughts and smiled secretly when she remembered how Danny had talked of her unblemished skin and rosy cheeks, kept unblemished by the clear Irish air.
“I’m going now.” she said and stooped as Beth reached up to hug her closely.
“Goodbye Sam.”
Sam gave no indication of hearing her.