Page 55 of The Laudanum Ladies' Society

The maid who had recently refused Jenny admission with a bit of a sneer in her voice, she recalled with a heavy heart. ‘I thought she was more respectable than to frequent a place like that,’ she said primly.

Gwen frowned. ‘I don’t care whether she’s respectable or not. I’m worried for her. Augusta’s man does not look like the sort I would want my daughter or sister to associate with.’

‘No, you’re right. I don’t really think this is the sort of place she should be alone.’ Jenny turned and looked back at Sally. The young woman was shaking her head, though her eyes were up and meeting his, so whatever they were saying, she appeared to be happily in control of her decisions. The bruiser leant over her in the way that some men do when they believe they are irresistible, and Jenny shuddered.

‘Perhaps I’m being unfair. Just because he looks like a bit of a brute doesn’t mean he isn’t a charming man.’

‘I’m not sure Augusta employs people for their charm,’ Gwen said. ‘But look, he’s leaving now.’

The bruiser had presumably given up trying to talk to Sally and was now strolling down the street towards another pub a few doors away. Sally stared after him for a while, then turned in the opposite direction and walked away with a jaunty step.

Gwen tapped Jenny’s arm. ‘Come on, let’s cross the road. I don’t want him to spot us.’

They crossed and walked in the direction of the underground station, passing quieter side streets where shopfronts were closed for the night and only lights from above in their houses gave any means to see by. The sight of a figure sitting alone on a low wall made Jenny stop.

It was Miriam, dressed in her heavy overcoat and hat with a pencil in her hand. Jenny’s heart quickened. Their argument was still freshly painted in her mind, and the urgent need to speak to her flickered through Jenny’s frame. The only thing that prevented her running to Miriam was the need to keep their connection secret from Gwen.

The decision was made for her when she noticed with horror that Augusta’s man had also spotted the lone woman and was now sauntering across to her, hands tucked into his trouser pockets and his coat pulled back to reveal his garish waistcoat and cravat. It was too dark to see his expression, but Jenny could picture the vulpine smirk as he approached another woman.

She felt Gwen’s hand tighten on her arm.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘He’s found another woman to prey on, and I know her, too.’

She wondered now whether it was a coincidence that Miriam and the maid were in the same area, or whether they had gone together, and a sharp claw of jealousy snagged at her heart.

‘Let’s just hold back a minute. I don’t want either of them to see us.’

They crossed over to the other side of the street to linger near a row of shops. It was unlikely that Augusta’s man would recognise Jenny, given how she was dressed, but Miriam most certainly would, and the man might recognise Gwen. They slowed in front of a haberdashery shop window. Gwen studiedthe display of linens and rolls of fabric, while Jenny tried to look like a bored young man and leant back in against the door post.

Miriam and Augusta’s man were talking, but unlike the maid who had appeared happy to speak with him, Miriam was giving him short shrift. At one point she crossed her arms furiously and jutted her chin forward in a manner that made Jenny grin with relief. Miriam could definitely hold her own against the brute.

The man’s posture changed. He loomed slightly and spoke, causing Miriam to throw her head back and laugh in his face. Jenny tensed, expecting him to retaliate but he appeared to deflate, rather like a human-shaped balloon that had been blown too big and then let too much air out in one go. Miriam jabbed her finger sharply at him, then gathered her skirts and her umbrella and swept away, leaving him standing there.

Too late to take diversionary action, Jenny realised that Miriam was heading directly towards her and Gwen. Their eyes met. Miriam paused briefly and Jenny smiled at her, as a sense of longing swept the hurt away, but then Miriam looked straight ahead, resolutely ignoring her.

As she drew close, Jenny was unable to bear it any longer and stepped into her path.

‘Miriam, talk to me, please.’

‘We have nothing to talk about,’ Miriam replied. She looked at Gwen and raised a brow. ‘What are you doing here, Jenny?’

‘Not that it’s any of your business, but I’ve been attending a lecture with my friend.’ Jenny gestured to Gwen who bobbed her head a little awkwardly. ‘Miriam, I don’t want to argue. This is important. The man you were talking to?—’

‘Oh, him!’ Miriam waved a hand dismissively. ‘Called himself Mr Craig. He asked me if I considered entertaining men and would I like to meet some friends of his. It’s an old story: he finds out what a woman needs or wants, then tells them he has “connections” in the theatre or music halls. He won’t getanywhere with me, though. There’s nothing I want that he can give me.’

Miriam’s eyes bored into Jenny, who flushed. She and Gwen exchanged a worried look.

‘Did he bother you?’ Miriam asked, frowning.

‘No. But we recognised him—’ Gwen said.

Jenny shook her head quickly, and squeezed Gwen’s hand. Gwen stopped talking but looked puzzled about the interruption.

‘He was speaking to Sally, the housemaid at your lodgings,’ she told Miriam. ‘She didn’t look happy but nor did she try to push him away.’

Miriam heaved a sigh and rolled her eyes. ‘Oh, that foolish girl! She has some silly notions that one day she might become a famous actress, and that all she needs is a patron. If Mrs Godolphin finds out she’s been out in the evening without one of the other girls, she’ll be furious. She dismissed Sally’s predecessor without references for walking out with a young man without permission. I will speak to Sally tomorrow.’