‘Please carry on,’ said Thea, waving a hand at the fire. She smiled awkwardly at Joan as they passed, who had now returned to her calm, professional self. Thea and Harriet lay motionless, staring at the drapes. It was awkward. ‘Thank you,’ Thea said, as the fire was finished, and Joan and Mrs Phibbs headed for the door.
‘Tea for you both?’ asked Joan.
‘Please,’ said Thea, thinking they could both do with it. Joan bobbed, and the door closed behind them.
‘They were calm about that,’ said Harriet.
‘Mrs Phibbs had it with her last employment,’ said Thea. ‘And then with me. Joan seems accepting too. We’re very lucky.’
‘You are,’ said Harriet. ‘Sorry about kissing you,’ she mumbled.
‘Good to check,’ said Thea.
‘But nothing doing.’
‘Absolutely not.’
Thea slumped back again, feeling utterly defeated. ‘I have to find something else,’ she said. ‘Anything that will prevent me going mad with boredom.’
‘I have been trying,’ said Harriet. ‘To move on, like we said.’
Thea scooted onto her side to look at Harriet. ‘You have?’ She waved a hand between them. ‘Other than whatever this was?’
Harriet nodded once. ‘I have. I found this little place in the Haymarket. Not too far from here actually. It’s a house exclusively for females.’
‘What sort of house?’ asked Thea. ‘A poor house? I didn’t have you as one for charity work?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ said Harriet. ‘One that has ladies and where you can go and…’ She trailed off.
‘And?’
Harriet tutted. ‘Come on, T. Where you can go and receive the services of ladies and a little relief for a modest fee.’
Thea felt her mouth drop open. ‘You mean a brothel?’
‘Absolutely not!’ Harriet managed to sound indignant even in her inebriated state. ‘It is a bordello.’
‘That is the same thing,’ hissed Thea.
‘No, it’s not. It’s posher,’ said Harriet. Thea could see her pout in silhouette from the candlelight.
‘Harry!’ Thea exclaimed again. ‘That is hardly the way to–’
‘–actually, I think it might be.’ Harriet cut her off. ‘It’s helping no end with the tension; there’s no emotional attachment and I can almost bear Emma’s chat about blue and white pottery when I’ve had a good seeing to.’ Thea continued to stare at her. ‘Don’t be such a prude, T, loads of people are at it.’
‘Not the respectable people.’
‘Au contraire,’ said Harriet. ‘So called respectable people are the worst. Mother Courage has a great many stories, I can tell you.’
‘Mother Courage?’ hissed out Thea, trying to be quiet. ‘Is that who you…?’
Harriet waved a hand. ‘Oh no, it’s her establishment. I’ve been seeing this one girl who’s new. Bit slight for me but lovely ginger hair and not too spoiled yet.’ Thea started to get nauseous. ‘Lovely forearms too. She has this wooden thing I’ve never seen before, and it goes–’
‘What?’ said Thea suddenly.
‘This wooden thing–’
‘No,’ said Thea. ‘You said forearms.’
