The following morning when she went down to breakfast, Flora found another letter from Mr Wainthorp waiting for her. It still felt strange to open mail that was addressed to Connie and she’d almost ignored it. This living a lie was turning out to be a lot harder than she had thought it would be, especially now Toby had clocked on to what she was doing. The letter informed her that her family had politely declined the offer of a monthly wage and she was bitterly disappointed, although in hindsight she supposed she should have realised that her mother was too proud to accept what she would class as charity.
If she hadn’t already have lost her appetite thanks to Toby’s threats the night before, this letter would certainly have taken away any desire for food. She felt sick with guilt and she suddenly missed her family unbearably.
‘Are you feeling unwell?’ Alex glanced at Flora as the girl picked at her food. ‘You look a little pale. Did you have a nightmare again?’
‘No … I’m quite well, thank you,’ Flora answered as Margaret glared at her. ‘But I think I might go out and get a little fresh air this morning.’ She needed to visit the bank to withdraw the money that Toby had demanded, otherwise one word from him and it would all be over. Part of her half hoped that he would say something and just get it over with because the strain of having to watch every word she uttered was becoming too much. The other part of her was terrified of the consequences and so for now she had decided to just give him the money and try to placate him.
The rest of the meal passed in silence. Margaret never attempted to make any conversation with her or Alex and so Flora was relieved when she could excuse herself and escape to her room. She found Patsy there making her bed and the girl gave her a cheery grin. For a moment Flora envied her. Her life had been as simple as Patsy’s was when she had been Connie’s maid but now everything was so complicated.
‘Off out, are you, miss?’ Patsy asked as Flora took her hat and coat from the armoire. ‘Just be sure not to go gettin’ yourself lost.’
‘I shall be fine,’ Flora assured her and without another word she made for the hallway where she met Margaret just going into the drawing room with an armful of magazines.
‘Off out to meet one of your beaus, are you?’ she smirked nastily. ‘Looking like that you’ll probably get asked what you charge, especially if you flirt like you do when we have guests visit!’
Choosing to ignore her, Flora marched towards the door and let herself out into the street, but once outside tears burned at the back of her eyes. Why was Margaret always so horrible to everyone? she wondered. If it was because of Toby then she was welcome to him. In fact, Flora wished to God that it was Margaret he was paying attention to and not her.
She was so lost in thought that she found herself at the doors of the bank before she knew it. She went in and withdrew the money she needed and once it was safely tucked into her purse, she went back outside and began to wander aimlessly along the street. Now more than ever she regretted what she had done, but the problem was she had no idea how she was going to keep up the pretence.
It was some time later when she suddenly stopped to take stock of where she was that she realised she was completely lost. Looking around, she noticed with a start that almost all the people she was passing were Chinese, so she guessed she must somehow have wandered into Chinatown, a part of the city Alex had warned her to avoid. Flora’s heart began to thump. The streets were narrow and dark and lined with tiny shops selling bunches of herbs and spices and the smell of curry added to the stench from the docks was overpowering. She felt as if everyone was staring at her, as if they could sense the hundred dollars she had tucked into her purse. Breathing heavily now, she looked up and down the street, unable to get her bearings. Suddenly the buildings seemed to close in on her, and she could almost sense people creeping up on her.
Turning about abruptly she began to retrace her steps, her bag suddenly feeling like it weighed a ton. She wasn’t even aware that she was almost running and crying until a gentle hand on her arm startled her and she spun about to find herself face to face with a strikingly pretty Chinese girl who looked to be about her age with coal-black hair that hung down her back like a shimmering cape, and deep, dark eyes to match. She was very poorly dressed but she seemed to be kind.
‘Missy is OK … yes?’ The girl seemed so genuinely concerned that Flora began to cry even harder and leaning against the nearest wall she let her chin droop to her chest.
‘Ah, missy is lost, yes? Do not worry, I will help you. My name is Jia Li.’
‘Th-that’s pretty,’ Flora hiccupped.
The girl gave a smile that seemed to light up the street and placing her hands together she gave a little bow from the waist. ‘Thank you, it means good and beautiful in my country. But now, how may I help you? It is not good to wander about alone around here, there are some bad people.’
‘I am lost,’ Flora confessed, wiping her tears and her nose on the sleeve of her dress in a most unladylike fashion. She gave Jia Li Alex’s address then and gently taking her arm the girl began to lead her through a twisting labyrinth of stinking back alleys, where old women sitting on doorsteps outside rows of old terraced houses eyed them cautiously, while children played in the gutters amidst the muck and the filth.
‘I think there is more upsetting you than you saying,’ Jia Li told her solemnly when they at last emerged onto a city street. ‘I sense something is very wrong but should you ever need help come to Yung’s Laundry back there.’ She pointed a thumb over her shoulder, pointing in the direction they had just come. ‘You will find me there if you need friend, missy.’
‘Thank you.’
The girl turned and hurried back into the alley and Flora found herself thinking that, even in her worn, shabby clothes, Jia Li resembled a rose on a dung heap. Then with a little jolt she realised that time was moving on and after taking a moment to get her bearings she set off for Alex’s home. It wouldn’t do to be late. If Toby were to arrive before her there was no telling what he might say and then the game would be up good and proper.
The moment she set foot through the front door she heard Toby’s hateful voice talking to Margaret in the drawing room and her heart sank.
‘Oh, miss.’ Patsy hurried to meet her with a frown on her plump face. ‘We’ve been real worried. There’s a guest in there to see you. Miss Margaret is entertaining him at the moment.’
Flora nodded as she handed Patsy her hat and coat, then smoothing down her skirt she stuck her chin in the air and marched into the drawing room to find Toby and Margaret taking afternoon tea together.
‘Ah, here you are.’
He rose to greet her with an oily smile but she ignored his outstretched hand and asked Patsy, ‘Fetch another cup in, would you, please?’
‘O’ course, miss.’ Patsy bobbed her knee and hurried away as Flora sank onto a chair and Margaret scowled at her. She’d quite enjoyed having Toby all to herself. Trust Flora to come back and spoil everything.
‘Been for a nice walk, have you?’ Toby asked genially, for all the world as if he had called in purely by chance. He had turned his back on Margaret now and Flora could see the angry colour seeping up the young woman’s neck, making her look even more unattractive, if that were possible.
‘Yes.’ Flora supposed that she should at least pretend to be civil to him in front of Margaret. She didn’t want her to suspect anything.
‘Right … well, nice as it’s been talking to you I have things to attend to,’ Margaret said huffily as she rose from her seat.
‘Please don’t let me stop you, Miss Ward.’ Toby inclined his head towards her and angry that he hadn’t tried to stop her leaving, Margaret stamped from the room slamming the door so loudly behind her that it danced on its hinges.
Flora meanwhile was rifling through her bag for the money, determined not to spend a second longer than she had to in his company.
‘Here! I believe this is what you’ve come for!’ She thrust the money towards him and he snatched it greedily as he gave her a slow, lazy smile and rose from his seat.
‘Thank you, that will do very nicely … for now,’ he ended threateningly and then he strode away as Flora sat staring after him with dull eyes. She was painfully aware that this could well be only the beginning of Toby’s blackmail, and it wouldn’t be long before he came back for more – again and again!
Her thoughts were interrupted when Patsy burst back into the room with another cup and saucer and informed her, ‘The master is throwin’ another dinner party tonight, miss. I forgot to mention it but I’ve laid your clothes out for you. Would you like to come upstairs and start to get ready when you’ve had your tea?’
Flora stifled a groan. The last thing she needed right then was to have to sit through yet another of Magnus’s boring dinner parties. Even so, she was painfully aware that while she was a guest in his house she didn’t have much choice but to fall in with his wishes, so with a sigh she followed Patsy upstairs.
‘I thought you might like to wear this one tonight.’ Patsy held up a green chiffon dress, and Flora nodded. She didn’t really much care what she wore. ‘And pardon me, but I peeked in your jewellery box and thought these pearls would look well with that outfit.’
Without stopping to think, Flora almost snatched them from her hand and threw them back into the box before slamming the lid. Patsy looked startled, and instantly repentant, Flora muttered, ‘Thanks, Patsy, but I don’t think that dress needs any adornment. It’s one I bought when I went shopping with my aunt and I’m sure it’s quite pretty enough on its own.’
‘As you wish.’ In a huff, Patsy sniffed before going into the bathroom to run the bath. She’d never seen Flora wear a single thing from her jewellery box since she’d arrived but she supposed it was up to her, at the end of the day. But if they were mine I’d wear them all the time, she thought as she tested the water with her elbow.
Back in the bedroom Flora stood at the window with the jewellery box clutched to her chest. How could she wear Connie’s jewellery? It would be yet another betrayal and suddenly the need to see Jamie was overwhelming. Oh, what have I done? she asked herself miserably, but silence was her only answer.
Soon after, Flora was sitting through another boring evening when once more yet another eligible man was paraded in front of Margaret. For a second Flora almost found it amusing for it reminded her of some cows she had seen being paraded in front of prospective buyers at a cattle market. This time, the poor unsuspecting chap who accompanied his elderly parents looked to be middle-aged. He was almost as far round as he was high and completely bald, and even Margaret didn’t attempt to flirt with this one. But then, even had he been handsome Flora knew he could never have compared to Jamie.
As always Magnus dominated the conversation while Alex sat silently at his side, sedately dressed as always in a plain, dove-grey dress with no adornments whatsoever apart from a strand of pearls that Flora thought looked identical to the ones in the jewellery box upstairs. The food as always was delicious but Flora was glad when she could make her excuses and slip away to her room. Once there she stood at the window for a long time, staring down at the street below and thinking of her family and Jamie as a wave of homesickness swept through her.
Connie had planned to stay here until she reached her twenty-first birthday then return to her home in London, but how could Flora ever do that? She knew Mrs Merry would guess immediately what she had done and then what would happen? The only other option was to instruct Mr Wainthrop to sell the house in London and remain in New York, but already Flora knew that she didn’t wish to do this. She had an idea that now Toby was aware of her deception he would take full advantage of the fact until there was nothing left of Connie’s inheritance and then what would she do? She had already taken a large sum of money out of Connie’s account and should she do this too often, Mr Wainthrop was sure to become concerned.
She supposed that she could simply draw enough money from the bank to obtain a return ticket to London but then what would she do when she got there? Her family believed she was dead, so she could hardly turn up now out of the blue, and Jamie probably didn’t even think of her now, which served her right. They would know immediately that she had lied and then she would be just as badly off there as she was here. The problems seemed insurmountable and that night Flora tossed and turned in her bed as she tried to come up with a solution to the mess she had got herself into.