They would realise of course that they had betrayed themselves this night, and that Meg was afraid of what danger they might be in. This would certainly be brought home to Meg when she recovered a little from the rage against her husband.
So, horrified as I was by the incident, I knew I should rejoice in it. Meg would be watchful over her husband's attitude towards me in the future and that was the best safeguard against him that I could have.
Sleep was impossible. I lay on my pallet and tried to make plans for escape.
Two more days passed. Tom did not look at me. He was clearly ashamed to have been humiliated and defeated by his wife ... before my eyes.
Meg avoided me too. I was glad of that. Her attitude had changed towards me. She was less abusive. I tried to talk to Jane about the streets outside. I said I wished I could go out with her when she went out. She was silent.
"Could you take me with you?" She shook her head.
"Jane," I persisted.
"Had you ever seen me before that night when I came?" She was silent.
"Tell the truth, Jane," I pleaded.
"You were told I was mad Nan . and you must pretend I worked here with you but I thought I was someone else. That's right, is it not, Jane?"
She shook her head.
"You're Nan," she said, as though repeating a lesson.
"You worked in a grand house once and thought you was the lady there ... Lady Anne something. You wasn't right in the 'cad."
"Jane, you know the truth."
"Don't you get at me."
"Jane, if when you go into the streets, you could tell someone ..."
She moved away from me. I could see that she was frightened. I wondered about Gilly. She was brighter than Jane. Suppose I tried to bribe Gilly to get me out somehow? How far could I go with her? I felt those two girls were my only hope. Clarence ... and it must have been Clarence ... would have made the contract with the cookshop owners to keep me a prisoner. I could expect no help from them.
Then it happened. Lust was Tom's downfall, as I supposed it had been of many before him. After that terrible night, I had become aware of things which had escaped me before. I had seen Tom with Gilly and I guessed that there was some relationship between them. Danger of discovery by Meg would no doubt add an excitement for the guilty pair.
Gilly was a lusty girl and I imagined there would not have been a shortage of lovers in her life, and, like Tom, she would not be the sort to deny herself. For two such people to find themselves in close proximity must have inevitable consequences It was the opportunity which I had been waiting for.
It happened in the afternoon which was a slack time for business. Jane was in the shop in case any customers came in, which was rare between the hours of three and five o'clock. I was in the kitchen, finishing the pans, when suddenly there was a commotion.
Through the window I saw Gilly running into the yard. Her blouse was half off her shoulders. Tom was with her, red-faced and dishevelled, his shirt open and behind them, the avenging Meg.
Jane came into the kitchen. She was giggling.
"Caught." she whispered.
"And no wonder the way they was carrying on. Anytime ... anywhere ..."
Meg was angry. She was shouting.
"You find your own men, you slut. Get out of this place. I've a mind to send you both off. As for you ... you rake ... you can't leave 'em alone, can you? Can't have her ladyship, so you'll take the slut."
Gilly approached Meg. They were both big women.
Gilly's hands shot up and she caught Meg by the hair. Meg kicked out and in a moment they were both rolling on the ground, fighting each other.
I had never seen two women fighting before. It was a shocking sight. Tom stood by, looking bewildered and ineffectual. And Jane and I remained at the window, looking out on the scene.
I do not know who was the victor. They seemed to come to a sudden decision. They both stood up and glared at each other. There was blood on both of their faces; their hair hung loose about their shoulders and they looked subhuman.
Then I heard Meg's voice, strident and authoritative: "There's no place for you here. You get out, and sharp. This is my shop." She turned to Tom.
"And I'd have you remember that, too. I want you out of this place, Miss. I'll not have your sort here and it's out, I say."
I could see the dismay in Gilly's face. It was one thing to fight with Meg in the backyard, but another to be out on the streets. For all her bravado, Gilly depended on her place in the cookshop. She turned to Tom.
"You going to stand for that?" He did not answer. I saw the power now of Meg. It was her cookshop, and she was not going to let anyone forget it. I wondered briefly how two such women could have fought over Tom. Had I been Meg I should have been glad to turn him out, along with Gilly.
But evidently she did not feel the same. Tom was hers and she was going to keep him, even though it did mean fighting a constant battle against his straying desires. Gilly hurled a stream of abuse at Meg first, then at Tom. Then she came inside and left Tom and Meg in the yard. She went up to the room she shared with Jane and, as I heard her heavy footsteps on the stairs, an idea came to me.
I ran up the stairs after her and went into her room. She was sitting on her pallet, glaring before her.
"What do you want?" she demanded. To talk to you."
"Get out."
"No," I said.
"I won't. Where will you go?"
"None of your business."
"Yes it is. You have nowhere to go. Your face is cut. Can I help you?"
"I said get out."
"I know how you could do well. You could have a cookshop of your own ... if you did what I said."
"Addle-pate," she said, but a little more gently.
"Why should you stay here and work for them ... even if you could? Why should you be on such terms with a man like that? You could have a shop like this one and choose your own husband."
"Get away with you."
"Be sensible ... before it is too late." She wavered.
"How?" she said.
"You know I am not Nan, do you not? You know I was brought here one night and you were told to play your parts ... to pretend that I was the simple kitchen maid who thought she was a grand lady. You know I am Lady Anne Neville. I was brought here because there is a dispute over money. If you will go Crosby's Place and ask to see the Duke of Gloucester ... if you will tell him you have news of the Lady Anne Neville ... he will see you and listen to you. Tell him where I am and when he comes to take me away from here I shall see ... we both shall see ... that you are well rewarded."
"You're mad."
"I'm not ... and you know I am not. Give it a chance. You'll never have another like it. Where will you go when you leave here? This is a chance for you ... take it."
"Who'd listen to me?"
"The Duke of Gloucester would. He wants to find me. He will listen to anyone who tells him where I am. Believe me. I am speaking the truth. These people will be punished for what they have done. You should not be a party to their crime. This is a chance for you. I beg you, take it, not only for my sake, but for your own. Do as I say. What harm can it do?"
"Go to Crosby's Place?" she murmured.
"Yes, to Crosby's Place. You could do it. You know how to make people listen to you. Ask someone to take you to the Duke of Gloucester."
"They'd laugh at me."
Tell them they'd be sorry if they did because you come from Lady Anne Neville, daughter of the Earl and Countess of Warwick."
There was a gleam of interest in her eyes.
"Do it, Gilly." I pleaded.
"You have nothing to lose and everything to gain."
"You really believe it, don't you? You really believe you are this high and mighty lady."
"I am Lady Anne Neville, Gilly. Prove it by doing what I tell you. I promise you, you will not be forgotten. Both the duke and I will be forever grateful to you if you bring about my release from this place."