A Wanton Tale Read Online Free Page B

sparkle, Alice felt compelled to try them on. Throwing the necklace over her head she caught sight of herself in the large, bevelled looking glass, she liked what she saw. She delved further into the box and found earrings, assorted ornate hair clips, chokers, more beads and bracelets. This sparkling array of jewellery was new and wonderful to Alice. She wanted to play with them and longed to dress up in some of the fine clothes that were there.
    All she owned were the clothes that she stood in and she wanted better. Her trance like stare at her own reflection was soon interrupted by the appearance of Betsy. She hadn’t even heard her coming up the stairs. Alice nearly jumped out of her skin.
    ‘Oh I am sorry Mrs. Hale, I was only trying them on.’ She was rooted to the spot, her face drained of colour, she was petrified of being accused of stealing. Alice was most surprised by her reaction.
    ‘Don’t you worry Alice, I am glad to see that you like nice things, that necklace looks lovely on you and soon you will have new clothes.’ She then added, ‘That blue dress on you is, well, a bit dreary.’ She looked Alice up and down as she spoke, then her tone changed. ‘Now take those beads off and make yourself useful, it’s getting chilly out there and we need to get these fires on. Then start on the ironing when the girls get back.’
    When the girls returned, Alice was shocked by what she heard them talking about. She had brought a small scuttle of coal up the attic room. She was about to start on the last tiny fire in the house when she heard the girls giggling as they came up the stairs. Lily’s voice carried and was becoming louder as she approached the attic room door. They were clearly not expecting Alice to be there.
    ‘The cheeky cow, did you hear what me sister said in the middle of St John’s Market? In front of all and sundry, the bitch. She asked me if I was ‘gay.’ No I am not, said I and she said, yes you are.’
    Alice had stopped what she was doing, her tiny frame crouched down by the fire had gone unnoticed by the girls. Lily continued. ‘I asked her, what do you mean by gay? She said well girls who come out regular at night dressed up, and get their living by it. You let men fuck you don’t you?’ After this had been said they then spotted Alice.
    ‘We’ve got company Lily.’ Said Ellen, Alice felt so small and vulnerable as the three older women were gazing down at her.
    ‘What does let men fuck you mean?’
    They looked at one another and began to roar with laughter. Alice felt stupid. ‘Why are they laughing? Why is that funny?’ The young girl was totally bewildered. The scene was then interrupted by the rough smoker’s cough of ‘Aunty’ Betsy now standing behind them. Without make up, her skin was tawny looking and her expression was evil.
    ‘Get yourself looking presentable and be sharp about it Lily, be down in ten minutes flat, I won’t be made a fool of by any tardiness do you hear, you three should have been back here long before now.’ Her sharp shrilly voice almost rang a note from the cut glass dressing table set of trinket bowls. An oppressive, heavy quietness descended on the attic room. They soon stopped laughing, they didn’t have much to laugh about.
    Betsy slammed the door behind her and Ellen invited Alice to sit down on one of the easy chairs. ‘Do you like dressing up Alice?’
    ‘Would like to, got nothing to dress up in.’ She answered quietly as she looked longingly at the box of jewellery on the chest of drawers. Alice was mesmerised as she watched Lily get dressed up. She had a lace trimmed corset which the other two girls helped her into, silk stockings, a frothy low cut red dress and a feather boa.
    ‘Pass me some jewellery Alice, you choose, I want earrings, a necklace, a hair slide, rings and oh, bracelets for each wrist.’ Alice eagerly reached for the box and chose some pieces, to her, they were a joy to behold. She was beginning to feel at