A Mason's Gift - a Novel - Chapter One - Injustice

“Off! Off! Off! Off!”
The noise of the crowd met her ears long before she could see them. Sarah and her mother had just left the grocery on London Bridge, when on rounding the corner; they saw a small group of people. Men, women and children gathered in a circle, chanting.
She imagined a storyteller or street peddler or even a juggler trying to squeeze a farthing or two from the purses of the gullible and smiled with the excitement of it.
Sarah tried desperately to see what was going on, trying to look in between disembodied legs and then jumping up and down to look above a sea of heads. She pushed and elbowed her way towards the front before her mother could grab the back of her tunic and stop her.
The spectacle that met her eyes, however, shocked her. In the center of the circle was the last thing she had expected to see.
A young girl not much older than herself was kneeling down on the cobbled road, held fast by a big, man. He had a huge hand on both her shoulders, making sure that she could not move. His hairy knuckles looked huge compared to her tiny frame. Her head was cradled in her dirty hands and Sarah could tell that the young girl was sobbing.
Then another much smaller man appeared to the left of Sarah carrying a very large pair of shears. The smaller man took hold of a handful of the young girls tresses and “chop!” A small bundle of dirty, tangled blond hair was in his hands. He lifted it up in the air like a trophy for everyone to see.
“Hooray!” the crowd taunted.
The young girl lifted her head and Sarah could see the fear in her blue eyes as the small man loped off another chunk of her hair. It seemed to Sarah that he was careful not to take too much, as it would make the spectacle last longer. Tears ran down the girl’s dirty cheeks faster and more frequent, and made white lines on her skin. Her clothes were torn, and sodden from kneeling down on the wet ground. She held a shabby, threadbare shawl tightly around her shoulders as if to protect herself, its once vibrant red roses now a dirty grey mess was bordered with a long black fringe that was bald in places just like the young girl was on one side of her head.
“Hooray!” the crowd yelled again in unison as more of her locks fell to the ground.
“There you go, you whore, that’ll teach ya to come this side,” screamed the small man. He had a triumphant look on his ugly face and it seemed as though he was enjoying being the centre of attention. Men were laughing, old and young women alike were mocking the poor girl whilst children danced around her.
Sarah rushed back to her mother. She was so angry.
“Mother!” Exclaimed Sarah, “Why are they cutting that ladies hair?”
“That is no lady Sarah, do not ever have to have your hair cut off in public, the shame would kill me.”
“But why are they cutting her hair? What has she done?”
“One day I will explain it to you. Come now quickly you must not see.” Mary grabbed a hold of Sarah’s arm for fear of her running back towards the gathering and dragged her daughter away.
The crowd around the unfortunate girl were still jeering.
“Mother I am fifteen, I am not an infant!”
“You will do as your told Sarah Mason, keep walking.” There was fear and anger in her mother’s voice and a sternness that only a child would recognise. Sarah knew not to disobey it.
A few seconds later, Sarah’s mother was glad of a diversion. She knew how headstrong her daughter could be.
“Look Sarah, there is Joan and Nicholas.”
At the back of the growing crowd Sarah saw Nicholas and his mother watching the proceedings.
Nick was not much taller than Sarah considering he was nearly two years older than her. He had unruly jet, black hair, grey eyes and a wicked smile. His laugh always made her laugh and he had this way of saying things that were hilariously funny but he did not know why or how he’d done it.
“Good morning Mary, Sarah,” said Joan nodding slightly at them. “Do you see what they are doing to Alice Smith?” asked Joan.
“That is Alice Smith!” said Mary shocked, “I did not recognise her. I do not understand. What is she doing here? Getting her hair cut off in public like that, I thought she went into service at the back of St Paul’s somewhere?”
Joan leaned closer to Mary as if to whisper. Sarah pretended not to be interested and shuffled her feet, she looked around her trying to put a vague expression on her face, and all the time she could still hear the crowd just behind her. With every “Hooray!” Sarah closed her eyes as if she felt the same shame, the same pain as Alice. She smiled at Nick who raised his eyes to the heavens, she knew that this conversation could go on for an age and by the look of him so did Nick but she was intent on finding out what happened to Alice, after all Alice had saved her life.
“She did, she did, let me tell ya.” Said Joan, almost it seemed to Sarah, excited to have such a luscious story to tell.
“She got took in by a Beadle’s family, right respectable household, couldn’t ‘ave wanted for better at sixteen years of age, but…” Their heads moved closer together. Joan was speaking so low Sarah had trouble hearing her.
“The master took a fancy to ‘er, if you know what I mean? Poor girl what could she do? Ended up in the family way, so the master’s wife kicked ‘er out.”
“What about her parent’s? They could have gone to chambers,” said Mary.
“Nah! Them types stick together, besides it was her mother that disowned her, wouldn’t let her back in the ‘ouse. Her Father wanted her ‘ome but you know what Jessie Smiths like, she rules the roost in that ‘ouse and no mistake. Poor Alice ended up in one of those,” Joan mouthed the word to Mary and Sarah did not understand what she had said.
Mary’s hand flew to her mouth. “No! Poor girl.”
Sarah stood with her back to her mother and could just see through the mass of bodies that Alice did not have much hair left. She was weeping uncontrollably into her shabby wrap that was wet now from all the tears as well as the rain.
“By all accounts,” continued Joan “The Father of the child was prepared to look after it once it was born, being that him and his wife had no children of their own, but it went to God soon after it was issued, didn’t even have time for a proper baptism, the midwife had to do it quick.”
Sarah could not stand it much longer, why wasn’t anyone helping her? Why did they all think it was so amusing to see someone humiliated in public, degraded and dishonoured in such a manner?
Mary still had her hand over her mouth and tears running down her cheeks not believing this sorry tale.
“Anyway,” continued Joan, “she ended up with the prozzie’s over at Southwark. She only came back to see her Father, you know he’s dying?”
Mary nodded her head, “I have heard that Mr Smith has been damaged so badly that he isn’t expected to last the night and he is such a good man,” Mary continued, “Samuel and I have known the Smiths ever since they took rent of the rooms above us more than ten years past. What a to do,” said Mary, “What a to do.”
“Her mother told her to clear off,” continued Joan “Someone must ‘ov recognised her.”
“Jessie said that? But Alice is her only daughter, with two other sons, what must she be thinking?” Mary said quietly.
“It was Jessie that made Alice take up the position in the first place, Alice wanted to work with her Father in the blacksmiths,” Said Mary.
“Jessie wouldn’t be ‘aving with any of that!” Said Joan, “She told me that no daughter of hers was going to do a man’s work, she’s going into service whether she likes it or no.”
“It is not that unusual for a female to go into trade, but I must admit they are usually widowed and have many years behind them,” continued Mary, looking sideways at Sarah. “Perhaps that is why she would not let her back in, maybe she is embarrassed as to the outcome of her decision. Poor Jessie.”
Sarah could not be other than amazed, that her mother could see nothing but good in everyone. She pondered that she would see the good in the Devil himself if she had to put her mind to it.
All the while Sarah could hear the sorry tale and see what was happening to Alice, the injustice of it all made her very angry. Then a very old woman walked over to the sobbing Alice and spat at her. That was it. It was if a red curtain had dropped down over her eyes and before she knew what she was doing, Sarah found herself pushing her way through the crowd again until she reached the now wretched Alice. All her hair had gone, except for a few tufts sticking out at odd angles, the rest laying in small bundles on the rain soaked floor.
“How dare you do this?” Sarah screamed. “How can you treat a poor soul so abominably?”
The crowd went quiet. The small man still with the shears in his hand shouted at her.
“Clear off, you know nothing child.” Many of the people in the crowd laughed.
Sarah looked at the all faces in turn, she recognised some as neighbours. She saw the anger in their eyes and she suddenly felt very small and frightened, she was not sure that she could speak now that the heat of her actions had subsided.
“Sarah Rose Mason! Come back this instant. Sarah!” Mary hissed. Bringing Sarah back to her senses. She heard her mother’s voice at the back of the now silent crowd. She knew her mother must be mortified. She only ever called her by her two names when she was most displeased with her. But Sarah ignored her. Looking down at Alice, the intense repulsion she felt overcame any feelings of fear or anxiety she had.
“She is own of our own. She lived not a short distance from here. How can you treat this poor girl so when, if not for the grace of God it could have been any one of you or your kin?”
Sarah could feel redness in her face and the determination in her voice was unmistakable but she was shaking all the same. Some of the people in the crowd bowed there heads almost in shame, some shuffled their feet in embarrassment others shouted back and someone threw an egg at Sarah but it missed and splattered on the ground next to her feet. Immediately a scruffy urchin tried to gather up the broken shell and place what he could of the destroyed remnants of a small meal into his dirty hands and ran away with it.
Sarah helped Alice stand up amidst the mutterings and murmurings of the now dispersing crowd. Nick who had followed her into the lion’s den was standing next to her like a guard on sentry duty. Between them, they walked Alice through the mob. People letting them pass as the circle parted. Sarah and Nick led Alice down a side street then down an alley where they could wait for the rest of the crowd to melt away.
Alice slid down the wall and ended up sitting on the alley floor clutching her knees with her head bent, sobbing more intensely now. Sarah wondered if she would ever stop crying and tried to comfort her.
“It is all right Alice, you are safe now.” said Sarah gently.
“Safe am I? Safe!” Her words were punctuated with sobs and gulps of air and it reminded Sarah of when her young brother Ben would wail for hours when he was but a very small boy, about something and nothing and could not catch his breath.
“You don’t know what your talking about girl,” Alice continued, “I’ll get a beating for this I will and no mistake.”
“Who, who will beat you?”
Alice looked up at Sarah whose face was so full of alarm.
“Sarah, it is Sarah isn’t it?” She nodded her head.
Sarah, you don’t understand,” spluttering her words through more gulps of air. After a few moments silence Alice had regained her composure and Sarah crouched down beside her.
Wiping her face with her dirty shawl Alice was able to speak more clearly.
“It’s not the beating that I’m sure to get. I can’t believe my family have disowned me, if only they would have let me explain, if they had given me a chance.”
“It’s not your Father Alice, you must know it’s not your Father.”
Nicholas was crouching beside Alice now, his face full of concern. Sarah and Alice looked around at him shocked. It was if they had forgotten he was there.
“What do you know of it?” Alice spat at him. Nick almost fell backwards with the shock of it.
“I….I live in the rooms underneath, I’ve ‘eard them.” Nick bowed his head. He was embarrassed that he knew and embarrassed that he had repeated it.
“Go on,” Alice said gently, touching his arm to reassure him.
“Your Father wanted you ‘ome, he demanded that you should be allowed back but your mother refused.” Hesitantly Nick relayed the arguments that he had heard from his straw cot right underneath the Smith’s bedroom. “She…your mother, said that she couldn’t stand the humiliation of it and if you were to be let back in then she would leave and take the two boys and the twenty pounds dowry that came with her, and he might just as well give his business to the next person that passed him in the street. She said that she would leave him to the shame of it.”
Alice had stopped crying, she looked as if her whole world had come to an end.
“That is why he did it. He did not heed her words. He went against her and made to give everything up for me. It is all my fault and there is no remedy. Mother will never forgive me for it, never”.
She seemed to be talking to herself. She was not looking at Sarah or Nick. Then she stood up unsteadily and leant against the wall. She took a deep breath and Sarah saw a hardness come over her, as if she had been given a new strength, a new acceptance, her blue eyes had a look of quiet resolve.
“There is no going back now. I am alone in the world and must make best use of it as I can. I’d better get back. Thank you for getting me out of there, it was a very brave thing to do.”
“I wasn’t being brave,” said Sarah, “It made me angry, besides I was repaying a debt.”
“You don’t have to repay me anything, anyone would’ve done the same.”
“Of what do you speak?” asked Nicholas.
“Alice saved my life.” Sarah said in a matter of fact way.
“She saved your life! How?”
“I will tell on it anon, come Alice we will walk you home.”
“NO!” Alice and Nicholas shouted at the same time. Alarmed and seeing the shock on Sarah’s face, Alice said “No Sarah,” more softly.
“She’s right, your mother will kill you if you go over the bridge.” Said Nick almost frightened. “More to the point, she will murder me”.
“Sarah,” Alice hesitated and placed her hand on Sarah’s arm, “there is something you can do for me.” Sarah saw a pleading in Alice’s eyes. “But I fear you’ve done so much for me already and it will not be an easy task.”
“What is it?”
“I want you to go to my Father who is very sick. I hear he is dying. I wish you to give him something for me, if it is not a hardship for you.”
Alice turned her back on Sarah and Nick, lifted her skirt and out of sight of both them took out the object from a pocket hidden in her undergarment, then turned back again held out a grubby hand and opened her fingers. In her palm was the most beautiful silver horse Sarah had ever seen. It had been delicately carved and she could even see the fine hair on its mane and tail.
“I have to keep this hidden or I would have lost it a long time ago. My Father made it for me when I was but a small child. I wish him to know that I am thinking of him and that I am near.”
Sarah took the small horse and held it in her hand. She noticed that it was warm where her hand was cold.
“You must also tell him that I am grateful for what he tried to do and thank him for all the wisdom and love that he has shown me whilst I was with him, tell him that I am aware that none of this is his doing and that one day with God’s grace, we will see each other again in heaven.” Alice had fresh tears running down her face now. “Will you do that for me Sarah?”
She nodded, “I will do that for you.”
“Do not tarry for I don’t know how much time he has left, indeed he may be dead already, but I trust you will do your best.” Alice kissed Sarah on the head. “Thank you for all you have done for me this day.”
Sarah and Nick watched as Alice placed her shawl over her bald, head and walked towards the main street. The crowds had dispersed now and Alice walked off discreetly and without interruption.
“Will you come with me?” she asked Nick as Alice disappeared out of sight.
“I will come with you.” He took her hand and together they walked towards the Smiths home.
They passed the small shops and garrets that lined the main street. They dodged the carts and running muck filled canals that ran the full length of the roads in every direction.
“Sarah, how did Alice save your life?”
Sarah told the story as they made their way back towards their street.
“I was playing up in the solar of our tenement where Alice and her family lived. You had not moved in then. Her brothers were playing a rough and tumble game and knocked me backwards through the open window. I remember being caught by the back of my tunic and Alice screaming for help. Alice’s Father heard the commotion and helped Alice drag me back inside. Alice and I had been talking and her quick thinking made her grab a hold on me. I was nearly six years old and Alice nine. I do not know where she got the strength to hold me, but I thanked God for it. There was talk of it for many a month.”
Sarah stopped talking, she felt Nick hold her hand even tighter than he had before and they walked silently back to their street each with their own thoughts.