Chapter 5: The Left-Behind Child
The convent was quickly tidied up. As if it had never existed in the first place.
“Lily, sis?”
The attic door creaked open gently. Little Rose peeked her head through the gap.
“Our little princess, come here.”
Rose, sinking into Lily’s arms, stayed silent for a long while. She didn’t speak, only hugged Lily’s waist tighter and tighter.
“Why aren’t you coming with us?”
“I like Londinium. East Longfell doesn’t have a library, an ice cream shop, or even a movie theater,” Lily answered cheerfully, like a singing bird.
Rose puffed out one cheek in response.
“Do you like that more than being with us?”
Lily pinched Rose’s cheek gently and smiled.
“No, I’m going to find a job here. Everyone my age is already working.”
“What kind of work? You’ve never worked as a maid. Come with us.”
“Making envelopes, organizing books, sweeping the yard… I’d be busy all day, right?”
Rose, confronted with Lily’s playful reply, gave up her stubbornness. Instead, tears welled up in her freckled face.
“I’ll write letters, Rose. When I earn some money, I’ll buy pretty clothes and come to the convent. Until then, stay healthy.”
The children were paired off and loaded onto the luggage cart. Sister Bolina took Lily’s hand, the only one left behind.
“I’m sorry for leaving you, Lily.”
“It’s not your fault, Sister.”
Lily shook her head.
“Sister Brigida wanted to tell me something that day. Do you know what it was?”
“Other than that she was going to meet Councilor Phil Gordon… I didn’t hear anything else.”
“It seemed important.”
Bolina looked at Lily with an apologetic expression.
“You don’t know what she wanted to say. My memory’s fuzzy for a few days after the accident. I’m sorry…”
Bolina, deeply faithful, asked Mr. Rutland to let Lily stay with them until she could find a home and a job.
Mrs. Rutland gave Lily a shabby storage shed that the servants used.
Every day, Lily scoured job postings on the streets and even in newspapers, taking meticulous notes.
But jobs were hard to come by, and her money was running low.
“Elizabeth, are you looking for work?”
Moreover, Mrs. Rutland’s nagging grew worse. She no longer even made eye contact with Lily. On days when everyone was out, she would only place her own portion of dishes on the table.
“I’ll find a job within this week, so please wait a little. In the meantime, I can help with housework here.”
But Mrs. Rutland cut her off sharply.
“Timothy will be back this vacation. I want you out of this house before then.”
At the mention of Timothy, Lily’s face lit up with a pleasant expression, which only distorted Mrs. Rutland’s face further.
“Timothy? I haven’t seen him in over three years.”
She didn’t like that the orphan called her son’s name so familiarly. Timothy had been Lily’s friend since they first met at the church, but now that didn’t matter.
“Does Timothy even write to you?”
Even Lily’s appearance became a target. Having a noticeable orphan in the house could lead to trouble.
“Oh, we haven’t contacted each other recently.”
Whenever she looked at Lily, Mrs. Rutland’s mind wandered to ghastly gossip about servants and her husband, son, or pastor.
“I see. Then you wouldn’t know. I’m trying to find a fiancée for him.”
Mrs. Rutland deliberately emphasized the word “fiancée.”
“And it’s been quite a while since the nun left. I suspect you’re planning to settle in our house. We can’t afford to hire another maid.”
Lily knew Mrs. Rutland didn’t like her. She also knew the woman worried that Timothy might like her.
Lily wanted to say that she and Timothy were just friends, but she swallowed her words. Even saying “friend” would irritate Mrs. Rutland.
Orphans were disliked by everyone.
Lily was used to that prejudice.
[Restaurant staff wanted.]
Every day, Lily anxiously scanned the newspapers. One day, a particular ad caught her eye—a tiny listing in the job section.
[No recommendation letter needed. Salary negotiable. 100% of tips from regular customers. Any young, healthy woman welcome.]
Most new jobs required a recommendation letter.
As an orphan, Lily couldn’t have one, and jobs that didn’t require letters were rare.
She decided immediately to knock on the restaurant’s door.
The path near Londinium Cemetery was familiar, but the restaurant was hard to find. The streets were muddy and uneven. During the day, the red-light district locked its doors in several places, but Lily, having grown up in a convent, didn’t even know what it was.
‘Smith Ray Restaurant & Pub’
Lily hesitated briefly before knocking. There were no customers yet, probably because it was early. A man, presumably the owner, welcomed her warmly.
“How old are you this year?”
“Nineteen. I’ll turn twenty after winter.”
She lied about her origin, fearing that mentioning she was an orphan would make them reject her, but otherwise answered honestly.
“East Longfell, huh? I know that place. Quiet, nothing to do—like a dog’s countryside.”
Lily smiled awkwardly, unsure if he was insulting or praising. The man chuckled, showing off yellowed teeth with a flash of silver.
“Our restaurant only opens in the evening. The customers aren’t all gentlemen, but you’ll get used to it.”
The man scratched his chin and handed her a contract.
“You have a nice face, so tips will fatten your wallet fast. Do well, and I’ll even write a recommendation for your next job.”
Lily smoothed down the buttons of her modest dress, which reached up to her neck.
‘I have to endure this if I want to earn money and find a place to live.’
She comforted herself and picked up a pen.
“Start working today. We were short-handed, so you’re just in time.”
The owner didn’t bother to hesitate. Lily was pushed into the back of the restaurant, into a shabby storage room. Inside, among dirty boxes and a wardrobe made of planks, lay a uniform that looked suspiciously unwashed.
“Put it on! Customers will start pouring in soon! It’ll be hectic today.”
Despite straightening her collar, the rough voice pounding on the door left her no choice.
The uniform was tightly fitted, plunging at the chest. It felt like her chest might almost pop out. Lily pinned the front with a hairpin, but it still looked indecent.
“I… this outfit is too strange. I can’t work in this.”
The owner smiled approvingly.
“What are you talking about? You signed here. Orders are backed up. Don’t think about running away.”
He grabbed her shoulders from behind and pushed her outside.
The restaurant went silent at Lily’s appearance. Overwhelmed by the flood of gazes, she didn’t know what to do.
It was then she realized: this wasn’t a dining restaurant—it was a pub. Men drank, fought, and flirted with the staff.
And this young girl, fresh from the convent, was an easy target.
“Have a beer. A drink before work will ease your nerves.”
Whistling was mild compared to what came next. Men crowded around, forcing a glass into her hands. Lily had never been in such a male-dominated place.
“I even paid the owner for you. Drink up, don’t leave any!”
“Yeah, yeah! Think of it as a debutante drink!”
Unable to resist the pressure, Lily put the cup to her lips. The men cheered, banging the table.
“Good! Get completely drunk like this!”
The bitter beer burned down her throat. One man, watching Lily’s flushed face, grabbed her arm, pulled her onto his lap, and whispered:
“How much for a night?”
Lily tried to stand, but he held her down. His body smelled sour with sweat.
“Don’t act innocent. I know girls like you. First day, I stare; second day, I hold your hand; third day, your chest…”
Though she had never hit anyone, her hands moved first. She swung at the air, drawing attention. The man touched his swollen cheek and swore loudly.
“Is this girl crazy?”
He overturned his chair and stood. The friendly looks had turned into mockery.
The man who had been slapped slowly approached Lily. She edged against the wall, trying to avoid him.
“You like seeing what happens to you today, don’t you? Play along a little.”
Trying to escape backward, Lily caught the door handle with her back and pushed with all her strength. The door didn’t budge.
“P-please move! I’ll call the police!”
The crowd laughed at her trembling voice. She glared at the man, but it was no threat. Like a hunter with a small rabbit, he grabbed her by the hair.
“Hey! Let go!”
He slammed her head against the door and pressed his face close.
“I’ll show you what happens if you refuse.”
With a vile grin, he leaned his heavy, filthy body against her. Lily twisted the door handle frantically.
