“How are you doing?” Sue smiled, sitting down beside me. “Look, I know it’s difficult. A new place in the big city. Living under a railway arch in a hovel, but at least the food is good.” When I looked up, an incredulous look on my face. “Okay, I’m lying, the food is pretty crappy too, but it hasn’t killed any of us yet.”
“Yet!” I snorted. “What the hell was that for lunch?”
“Ah, my young apprentice. You will learn, never ask what it is, you just eat it while it is too hot to taste it…”
“So why are you here?” I looked up from my leather polishing.
“Why am I here Mandy? What do you mean by your questioning tone? This is my first choice of equestrian employment, truly my dream job… Okay, Like everyone, I sort of ended up here, and just like everyone, I have a tale to tell.”
“I’d love to hear it if you’re willing to tell me?”
“Mandy, I’ll bore anyone I can with my life story…” She sighed before looking up at me. “I was the head groom for a private yard, it was a hunting stable on a private estate, somewhere deep in the Hampshire countryside. It was a really cushy job. Living in a lovely cottage, the horses were great and, to be honest, the work wasn’t hard. Keeping four hunters in top condition meant there was lots of galloping across private parkland and not too much stable management. The downside was my boss, his Lordship. And yes, before you ask, he was a Lord, was a bit handsy. When I bent down to pick out the horses’ hooves, if he was around you would feel him approaching you before he would start to grope my bum.”
“Wow!” I dropped my sponge. “And you put up with this?”
“Look…” Sue counted points off on her fingers. “Cottage, good job, use of a car, reasonable wage and plenty of leftovers when they had a big banquet, which was often. I put up with it. Oh, I hated it, don’t get me wrong. This was the downside, but he was just a minor pervert.” She sighed. “However, it all changed. He was drunk, he came stumbling around the stables, I was there checking the horses at the end of the evening. It was dark…” She looked down, her breath catching.
“Are you okay?”
“Sure… Sorry.” Sue wiped her eyes. “He came after me. He was strong, I mean I was pretty tough but he was massively strong. He overpowered me…”
“Oh, shit! Sue!” I dropped the bridle and hugged her. She sniffed, wiping her eyes and shifting away from me.
“It’s okay, it was a long time ago. Of course, I tried to tell his wife, she just blamed me. I’d ‘led him on’, I was a nasty slut. Similarly, the police wouldn’t listen. He was the lord of the manor, a well-respected MP and I was clearly just some young groom out for a quick buck with a half-baked blackmail scheme.” She shook her head. “It just escalated, I was thrown out of my cottage, not that I would have stayed, but bailiffs came at midnight and dragged me out of bed. I had nothing, just some clothes and a few belongings. It was made clear if I said anything, they would find me. They even threatened to set the dogs on me.”
“I ended up here. I’d been on the streets for a while. I don’t know why I came to London but Anne saved me, she gave me a job, didn’t ask any questions.” She smiled wanly. “So here I am. Damaged goods.”
“What! No… What he did to you!”
“What he did to me was my word against his.” She sighed. “You learn quickly that a powerful man, supported by a ‘loving wife’ and support of the establishment can say what the hell they want. It was made very clear that I was nothing. Oh, please Mandy, don’t get upset.” She reached over and wiped away my tears. “I’ve moved on. I promise myself that one day I will get my revenge, but, until then I will pass my days under the arches, hiding here like a stable rat…”
“Oh…” I fell silent.
“I’ve upset you, Mandy… I’m sorry, I didn’t intend to. Please, don’t you worry about me. I’ve found my place among friends. I finally feel safe. You should do too. We may be living in squalor, but we live a good life really, ‘cos we’re all free.” She stood up. “Don’t you spend too long doing cleaning tack, you don’t want to miss another delicious meal, I’m told it’s corned beef hash. I presume it’s corned beef, I haven’t seen as many rats around these parts and, well you never know…” She winked as she left the room.
I sat for a moment in silence. I admired her strength, she had managed to keep going, despite everything. It was clearly true what she said, we all have a past, it seemed that mine suddenly didn’t seem as tough as I had imagined. I sighed, putting the bridle I had been cleaning back together.
***
Stepping into the living quarters there was a general greeting from the assembled girls who were sat around the dining table, digging into a steaming casserole dish.
“Here.” Jane stood up and pulled out an empty chair, she started to spoon food onto an empty plate. “Surprisingly it tastes quite good, however, I’m sure normal service will resume tomorrow!”
I was famished, a long day of hard work had built my appetite and the meals in the care home had prepared me for almost anything which was placed in front of me. The food was warming, soon my plate was empty and I was yawning.
Jane laughed. “You look, knackered girl! Have a
