Women and War Read Online Free Page A

Cadillac, she found herself almost believing for a moment that one of the pretty cottages was hers already.
    Darlinghurst was a maze of small sloping streets and tall squalid houses. When Tara pointed down an alleyway the Cadillac slid to a stop. Red Maloney closed up his bar but made no move to open the door for Tara to get out.
    â€˜Thank you,’ she said. ‘Sure wouldn’t Maggie have a fit if she was to go by now and see me in a grand car like this one!’
    His eyes were on her again.
    â€˜I have a proposition to put to you, Tara. If you say yes you would be able to ride in a car like this all the time.’
    His words sobered her even more than the fresh air had done. Did he mean what she thought he meant?
    â€˜Oh, I couldn’t Mr Maloney, thank you kindly all the same. It’s against all the laws of God’s church …’
    He laughed aloud. ‘I was going to ask you if you would sing in one of my clubs. What did you think I was going to say?’ she flushed and he went on: ‘ I have two clubs, both of them bigger and better than the Canary. The one is in …’
    â€˜No,’ she said.
    â€˜But you haven’t given me a chance to tell you …’
    â€˜Sure what is there to tell? I couldn’t leave the Canary Club. What would Ed do?’
    â€˜He’ll find someone else.’ His hand covered hers and as he moved towards her she smelled again the whisky smell on his breath that reminded her so of Mammy.
    â€˜No thank you, Mr Maloney.’ She fumbled for the door catch, without success. The Cadillac was a prison of leather and chrome. ‘Let me get out of here!’ she said in panic.
    â€˜Tara!’ he reproached. He caught her chin turning it towards him and at first she was too startled by the vice-like grip even to struggle. So strong were his fingers it seemed to her that if he wished he could crack her jaw like a walnut. Then, still holding her face steady he bent his head to hers. She found herself looking up mesmerized into that craggy face, all lines and shadows in the half-light. Then his mouth was on hers, pressing and seeking so fiercely that she could scarcely breathe. For a moment she remained motionless then as his tongue violated her mouth she began to fight, trying to free herself. Useless. How could any man be that strong? As he raised his lips she gulped thankfully for air then, still trapped, expelled it all as a scream. At once his other hand clamped over her mouth and with the panic now making her desperate she bit at it and tasted blood.
    Red swore violently and released her to suck the blood from his injured hand. Tara knew a moment’s triumph that changed swiftly to fear as he lunged towards her once more, pinning her into the corner of the seat like a butterfly.
    â€˜Try that again and you’ll be sorry!’
    Her sob of fear turned to defiance. ‘ You bully!’ she screamed at him. ‘You’ll rot in hell, so you will!’
    As suddenly as he had grabbed her he let her go, leaning back with an explosive roar of laughter.
    â€˜What is there to laugh at?’ she cried, mortified and not knowing why.
    He shook his head, reached into his pocket and extracted a fat cigar.
    â€˜What do you want with me?’ she cried in fury. ‘Just get on with it, can’t you, if you’re going to! Don’t keep tormenting me like this!’
    â€˜Oh no, Tara.’ She saw the glint of a gold lighter as he lit his cigar and instantly the car was perfumed by the pungent smoke. ‘You have it wrong. I don’t rape little girls in the back seats of motor cars.’
    She stared at him, trembling. She did not understand and not understanding made her more afraid than his aggression had done.
    â€˜Do you know, my dear, that I own three brothels in this town, with the best girls in the whole of New South Wales? They’re not whores. They are courtesans. I can visit them whenever I