it every time we meet.’
‘Och, no, laddie. At least someone’s concerned for the poor beggars. And ye’re right, it is a disgrace.’
‘Yes, well,’ replied John, standing up and reaching for his hat. ‘I must go. I need an early night. I have a young girl with a dreadful harelip I’m repairing in the morning. I’m going to try closing the defect and moving some extra tissue into the area if I can. Her parents are more terrified than she is.’
‘Another one o’ your charity cases?’ enquired Myrna, her eyebrows raised. ‘Ye’ll no’ make any money, John, if ye keep fixing folk for free.’
‘Yes, she is, and yes, I will make money. I charge my wealthy clients exorbitantly. There’s a method to my madness, Myrna, don’t worry.’
As he let himself out of the front door Myrna thought, oh, I’m sure there is, laddie, I’m sure there is.
The next day Polly declared she felt almost human, if a little unsteady on her feet. Cabbage clearly felt more comfortable with his new surroundings although he followed Polly everywhere, even to the privy. Myrna and three of the girls had gone to the new house in Parnell to supervise the placing of the new furniture, while Vivienne stayed behind to keep an eye on Polly.
By early afternoon Myrna had returned and was having tea with Polly in the kitchen. When she casually asked what her plans were, Polly thought for a moment, her eyes fixed on the sugar bowl in front of her.
‘Well, I were thinkin’,’ she said slowly. ‘Do yer think I could … well, can I work fer yer? Like Letitia an’ the others? It weren’t the work I minded when I were on the streets, it were the fact Icouldn’t make enough money and I were so lonely. It would be different workin’ fer you . I think I can be really good at it,’ she added hopefully, glancing up at last.
Myrna looked at the girl. She certainly looked better now she’d had some sleep, a good bath and a few decent meals. She was still too thin and sickly looking, and in Myrna’s experience men did not like skinny women, but that could be fixed. She shouldn’t put too much back on, Myrna reflected, just enough to bring her round breasts back and fill out her hips and buttocks. Her cheekbones were beautifully defined although her face was a little gaunt, but no doubt the youth would come back into it when she filled out again; Polly was a very pretty girl and her hair, when it regained its condition, would be lovely. However, there was the small problem of Polly’s common accent and unrefined manners.
Myrna thought for a minute, wondering how to put it without offending the girl. ‘Well, lassie, ye know I run a high-class establishment. Ma girls will be the finest this town has seen. I’ve put a lot o’ work into them, grooming and teaching them how to speak and behave like ladies.’
Polly sat up straight, clasped her hands demurely in her lap, and said in a very cultured voice, ‘Oh yes, Miss McTaggart, the ladies who grace your fine establishment would have to be lovely, if only so that their beauty would not be eclipsed by your own. If I was fortunate enough to become one of your employees, I am more than confident my own personal graces and charms would be the equal of theirs with very little effort. Would you care for more tea, Miss McTaggart?’
Myrna’s mouth had fallen open. She shut it with an audible click, then laughed out loud. ‘Where on this earth did ye learn to do that?’
‘Oh, I’ve always been good wiv’ voices. I used to ’ave me mam in fits when I were little,’ replied Polly, reverting to her normalaccent. Then she did a perfect imitation of Tamar, followed by a very creditable rendition of John Adams.
Myrna clapped her hands in delight. ‘Aye, ye do have a gift,’ she said. ‘But can ye keep it up?’
‘Well, of course,’ said Polly in her new accent, ‘if that is what is required.’
‘And there’ll be more to it than that, lassie. Ye’ll need to learn how to dress
‘Och, no, laddie. At least someone’s concerned for the poor beggars. And ye’re right, it is a disgrace.’
‘Yes, well,’ replied John, standing up and reaching for his hat. ‘I must go. I need an early night. I have a young girl with a dreadful harelip I’m repairing in the morning. I’m going to try closing the defect and moving some extra tissue into the area if I can. Her parents are more terrified than she is.’
‘Another one o’ your charity cases?’ enquired Myrna, her eyebrows raised. ‘Ye’ll no’ make any money, John, if ye keep fixing folk for free.’
‘Yes, she is, and yes, I will make money. I charge my wealthy clients exorbitantly. There’s a method to my madness, Myrna, don’t worry.’
As he let himself out of the front door Myrna thought, oh, I’m sure there is, laddie, I’m sure there is.
The next day Polly declared she felt almost human, if a little unsteady on her feet. Cabbage clearly felt more comfortable with his new surroundings although he followed Polly everywhere, even to the privy. Myrna and three of the girls had gone to the new house in Parnell to supervise the placing of the new furniture, while Vivienne stayed behind to keep an eye on Polly.
By early afternoon Myrna had returned and was having tea with Polly in the kitchen. When she casually asked what her plans were, Polly thought for a moment, her eyes fixed on the sugar bowl in front of her.
‘Well, I were thinkin’,’ she said slowly. ‘Do yer think I could … well, can I work fer yer? Like Letitia an’ the others? It weren’t the work I minded when I were on the streets, it were the fact Icouldn’t make enough money and I were so lonely. It would be different workin’ fer you . I think I can be really good at it,’ she added hopefully, glancing up at last.
Myrna looked at the girl. She certainly looked better now she’d had some sleep, a good bath and a few decent meals. She was still too thin and sickly looking, and in Myrna’s experience men did not like skinny women, but that could be fixed. She shouldn’t put too much back on, Myrna reflected, just enough to bring her round breasts back and fill out her hips and buttocks. Her cheekbones were beautifully defined although her face was a little gaunt, but no doubt the youth would come back into it when she filled out again; Polly was a very pretty girl and her hair, when it regained its condition, would be lovely. However, there was the small problem of Polly’s common accent and unrefined manners.
Myrna thought for a minute, wondering how to put it without offending the girl. ‘Well, lassie, ye know I run a high-class establishment. Ma girls will be the finest this town has seen. I’ve put a lot o’ work into them, grooming and teaching them how to speak and behave like ladies.’
Polly sat up straight, clasped her hands demurely in her lap, and said in a very cultured voice, ‘Oh yes, Miss McTaggart, the ladies who grace your fine establishment would have to be lovely, if only so that their beauty would not be eclipsed by your own. If I was fortunate enough to become one of your employees, I am more than confident my own personal graces and charms would be the equal of theirs with very little effort. Would you care for more tea, Miss McTaggart?’
Myrna’s mouth had fallen open. She shut it with an audible click, then laughed out loud. ‘Where on this earth did ye learn to do that?’
‘Oh, I’ve always been good wiv’ voices. I used to ’ave me mam in fits when I were little,’ replied Polly, reverting to her normalaccent. Then she did a perfect imitation of Tamar, followed by a very creditable rendition of John Adams.
Myrna clapped her hands in delight. ‘Aye, ye do have a gift,’ she said. ‘But can ye keep it up?’
‘Well, of course,’ said Polly in her new accent, ‘if that is what is required.’
‘And there’ll be more to it than that, lassie. Ye’ll need to learn how to dress
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