The sleet was coating the ground in a soaking cold grey slush that mirrored the sullen grey of the sky. Marie stood silently as the last couple of scoundrels muttered some half-hearted attempts at consolation and shuffled of to find a pub; somewhere to drown whatever conscience remained.
Marie looked down at the coffin in the grave and thought to herself "Well, Edward Patrick Fitzhume, you bastard, you've finally managed to destroy us both haven't you!"
Twenty years old and newly widowed, the debts left by her drunkard husband would mean that the bailiffs would take the house within the week. The coffin was just another debt which she could not afford. Mr McElduff the funeral director had agreed, for a few pennies, to let the few who turned up to the funeral see a proper burial. Later he would take the coffin back, after the congregation had gone home, to leave Edward in a pauper's grave.
Three years ago it had seemed such an adventure to elope with this dashing young man with fine prospects. The 'last of the Fitzhumes' Edward had had a good inheritance which he had drunk and gambled away in less than two years. A further year of desperate schemes and drunken nights with his low-life companions had left them badly in debt. But Edward was the last of his line and her own family had disowned her for marrying the son of their protestant neighbours. Her brothers had vowed to kill them both if they ever set foot in Buncrana again. So now Marie found that she had no one to turn to for help and nothing to look forward to but the poorhouse.
She was startled to realise that she had been standing bemoaning her misfortune for at least an hour for it was beginning to get dark. Even more of a surprise was that a tall well-dressed gentleman was standing sheltering under a nearby tree watching her intently. Her first reaction was to turn and hurry out of the cemetery, but she thought that this stranger must be there for a reason and he was too well dressed for a bailiff so she went over to him.
"Sir, I don't think I know you. Are you an acquaintance of my husband?"
He replied in the soft English accent of the middle classes "Mrs Fitzhume, first let me express my deepest sympathy with you in this saddest of times."
"I represent a charitable society whose intention is to assist young men and women who have fallen on hard times back on to their feet. Here is my card. If you are interested please call to the address on it and I, or one of my colleagues, will explain further." And with that, he turned and walked away back into the gathering gloom of the evening.
Marie watched him leave and then walked back to the house that would for another couple of days remain home. As she turned into Garfield Street she realised that with the funeral she hadn't eaten anything all day and there was little in the house to be eaten. She stopped at O'Donaghy's shop at the corner to get some bread and cheese. Tom O'Donaghy saw her come and shook his head sadly.
"It's a real shame Marie, but Edward has left you with a big debt and no credit."
Marie realised that she could be facing hunger even sooner than she had feared "Tom, we have been neighbours and good customers for two years isn't there something I can do around the shop to keep a line of credit open."
O'Donaghy thought for a moment and then replied, "There may be something we can work out. Tell you what, come around here behind the counter and we will see what we can work out."
Marie sighed with relief and walked around to see Tom O'Donaghy on the other side of the counter only to gasp as she saw him standing there, trousers pulled around is knees, and a stiffening erection in his hand. He leered back at her "Get your lips around this darlin' and we'll see about getting you a fresh line of credit."
She turned and ran for home not daring to look back. By the time she got to the front door her eyes were so full of tears she could barely see to put the key in the lock. She wrenched the door open and stepping into the hall slammed it behind her. "That Bastard," she thought. "Edward only just in his grave and him demanding sex in exchange for a handful of stale bread and some sour cheese." The problem was that as a penniless widow in Dublin, life was only going to get tougher. God she was hungry. She searched through the cupboards to find something edible without luck, just some stale bread and scrape of rancid butter that had her gagging after the first tentative bite. Marie took the bottle of gin that she knew Edward had hidden at the back of the larder and poured herself a stiff measure and then went to the bedroom.
On top of the wardrobe she took down a hatbox and removed a small round iced cake; the top tier of the wedding cake that Edward had bought for them. It was meant to be eaten at the christening of their first child, but three years on, no children and now no husband it was the only food she had.
Marie sat down on the stairs with a resigned sigh and sipped the gin as she ate the cake, tears glistening in her eyes. She felt she just had to get out of the house. She pulled on her coat and, sticking the bottle of gin into her handbag, she held on to the remaining chunk of the cake she walked out into the Dublin night.
It had begun to snow and, with the temperature falling even further below freezing, the streets were rapidly becoming deserted. As she walked into the city centre she noticed that even the streetwalkers had deserted the streets. Eventually she found herself standing on a bridge over the River Liffey. Watching the water sweeping underneath inky black on this dark night, Marie hoisted herself on to the balustrade, sat down and took the gin from her bag and the remains of the cake from her coat pocket.
She took a sip of gin and a bite of cake and then giggled, "Marie Antoinette was right after all, let them eat cake." It was all too much to cope with so why bother? After all, no one would miss her, apart from the creditors and they could go to hell in a handcart. But the river's inky surface looked cold and unforgiving. Perhaps if she watched it flow below her for a while it might not seem so bad.
Marie realised with a start that she was not alone and that someone was standing behind her. Without daring to look around she asked, "Who is there?"
A rough Dublin accent replied "It’s alright love. I am sure he's not worth it, but I'm damned if I am going in after you if you jump."
Marie turned around to see a small woman in shabby clothes looking up at her. "Who are you?" she asked.
"I'm Kitty," she replied, "Kitty Dornan, and you are?"
"Marie...my name is Marie. It’s okay... I ....was just looking at the river I wasn't going to do anything stupid."
Kitty looked back sceptically and said, "It's a cold night to be out and there won't be any more trade tonight, do you want to go for a cup of coffee?"
Marie jumped back down onto the pavement and said "Coffee sounds wonderful" and then added "but I'm not a prostitute if that's what you think."
Kitty shook her head "You may not be, but I am, and like I said it's too cold for trade. Come on," and with that she marched off to find somewhere warm.
Marie followed and shortly they found themselves in a small coffee shop off Westmoreland Street. Between them they had enough pennies for some coffee and some scones which Marie, manners forgotten, wolfed down as Kitty looked on in amusement.
"You haven't been eating well have you?"
Feeling warm, well fed and slightly tipsy from the gin Marie proceeded to tell the whole tale from the first she set eyes on the handsome young man in Donegal to ending up sitting on a bridge in Dublin in the snow.
Kitty who had been enthralled by the tale remarked, "Sure, that's a grand tale worthy of Dickens himself" and then grinned "and that dirty bastard of a shopkeeper."
Marie shuddered, "To have sex with a man you don't love, for food, well that's ...."
"What I do," Kitty said bluntly "Give me a few minutes on my back or against a wall if it keeps food on the table and my two boys healthy. My man is in Kilmainham Gaol for punching a policeman and until he gets out what else is there."
Marie nodded, embarrassed "I am sorry....he just made me feel cheap and well...dirty."
"That's because it can, but not always. Dublin is a city of whores, some of them like me walk the streets, some of them are grand ladies in carriages and fine houses. Take that Lady 'la-di-dah' Olivia Craig; she's as much a whore as me only she shags the gentry so that makes her a society hostess. Its all a question of money, so long as men will pay and women need money some of us will get on our backs" and pulling off a glove to show Marie a gnarled, crippled hand she added, "And although it has its risks, when factory work can do this to you I know I'm better off where I am."
Marie blushed but understood. "I understand what you say. I don't know if I could do it but anything is better than starving." Then she remembered the man with the business card and pulled it out of her handbag. "At Edward's funeral a gentleman said that he represented a charity and gave me this card." Both women looked at the simple card on the front was embossed "The Connemara Club, Ormonde Quay, Dublin" and on the back was written in neat script "Please come on Friday between 9am and 1pm."
Marie continued, "He said they were a charity who looked after men and women who had fallen on hard times". Kitty nodded and said "I think its some big fancy club on the riverside but very discrete - lots of toffs."
The two women talked on until the coffee shop was closing and they were shown the door. As they left to go their separate ways, Marie suddenly threw her arms around Kitty and hugged her. Then, looking into her eyes, said, " Bless you and your boys! Whatever the future holds know that you have saved a life tonight because, whatever happens now, I am going to get out of this hole I am in."
When she got home she was so exhausted that she collapsed on the bed still clothed and was asleep in seconds.
Friday 8 January 1892 - The interview
Marie woke early well before dawn and, setting a small fire in the hearth, was able to heat enough water to wash her hair and herself. Putting on the best clothes she had, she walked through the snow down to Ormonde Quay to find that it was only 8.30. She walked along the riverbank getting colder and more nervous as her mind still going over the previous day's events.
At 9am sharp she walked up to the grand Georgian Building and rang the bell. A maid opened the door "Can I help you Miss?"
Marie replied, "A gentleman handed me this card" and proffered the business card. The maid looked at the card, "Please follow me ma'am, Mr Morris will be along shortly." and with that she led Marie into the grand hall and into an opulently furnished office where she was asked to wait.
After a couple of minutes, the gentleman whom she had met at the funeral walked into the room. "Mrs Fitzhume, My name is Gerald Morris. First of all, let me again express my condolences for your loss."
"Thank you sir, although I am puzzled about this. I do not know you and I am sure that my husband never mentioned your name," Marie replied.
Morris held his hand up and explained, "We are a wealthy club and we do endeavour to do good deeds. There are a number of funeral directors and doctors who cooperate with us and refer poor souls to us who are in need. Your Mr McElduff was good enough to warn me of your predicament."
He continued, "I am sure you are wondering what we can do for you. The Connemara Club is the best, most exclusive, club in the Britain and Ireland and possibly in Europe. We boast extensive premises - which we must show you around- and the finest membership possible. Members can use the Club as somewhere to socialise and to do business during the day, in the evenings we host evenings of culture, fine food and other entertainments."
"As a very wealthy club with a fine upstanding membership we believe that when a person of good intent falls on hard times we should intervene." With that he pulled a ten-pound note from his pocket and set it on the desk in front of Marie. "This is yours, no matter what you decide to do. So, if you want to leave, feel free. If you wish to stay we can offer you employment and a place to call home."
Marie was almost in shock, ten pounds was not enough to pay off the creditors, but it would give her enough to get board and lodgings and go looking for work, but she was intrigued and wanted to find out more about this place. "What kind of employment do you offer sir, I can cook and clean and am not afraid of hard work."
Mr Morris smiled, "We can offer a number of positions all relatively well paid. We can always use cooks and maids." Then he paused and looked as if he was appraising her and added "However, we also have several better paid positions for women who.....how shall I put this.... specialise in entertaining our guests with intelligent conversation and with other talents."
Marie wasn't shocked, but she was torn with indecision, if she left now with the money, life would be uncertain but she would still be better off for coming here. A servant's post and a warm room would give her security which she hadn't had for years, but she couldn't help but remember Kitty's words from the previous night. Disowned by her family and newly widowed she had almost killed herself. She realised that she was feeling reckless from the sense of escaping death.
Morris could see that Marie was interested at his circumspect offer, but unsure how to react so he added, "If you like my dear I could ask one of our ladies to give you a tour," and pressed a bell on the wall behind.
Marie looked at him, "If I take one of these 'specialised positions' what is the pay and if I choose to leave I am free to go?"
Morris was surprised to see Marie apparently make her mind up so quickly, "The pay will be £15 per week, on top of that you will receive a clothing allowance and bed and board. If you choose to leave you will be free to go and will be given severance of three weeks wages."
Marie was shocked at the money involved. What on earth would they expect of her? But in spite of this she took a deep breath and said, "Then I accept."
A well-dressed young woman walked into the room and said "Mr Morris you rang for me?"
Morris smiled, "Rosie, Mrs Fitzhume here has agreed to take up a post."
Then turning to Marie he said, "I am glad that you have accepted our offer of employment, My Dear. I think you have made a wise decision. However as in all jobs we must assess whether you have the capacity to do the work. Rosie here will take you and show you around and then there will be a small test." And with that he got up and left the room.
Rosie, a dark haired young woman with deep brown eyes, smiled and stuck out a hand "My name is Rosie McCann, will you come this way please Mrs Fitzhume."
Marie suddenly felt extremely nervous, the adrenaline that had taken her through the interview was quickly dissipating and she wondered what on earth was likely to be in 'a small test', but this small dark haired woman seemed friendly enough. She followed Rosie out into the hall and up a grand staircase.
"Please Rosie, call me Marie. Have you worked here long?"
"Two years, I was on my uppers after my husband's ship went down - God rest his soul - but the gentlemen have been very good to me. And the craic is great."
After a couple of flights of stairs and twisting corridors Marie realised that she was already lost in this labyrinthine building. "This place seems huge."
Rosie explained, "It is actually four buildings which form a square that have been knocked together. It allows members to come and go from different entrances. There are three main club rooms, two eating rooms forty member's rooms and twenty rooms available for overnight guests, fifty rooms for the staff...oh and a Turkish bath".
Marie looked incredulous "What in heaven's name is a Turkish bath?"
Rosie grinned, "You'll see. And it won't be too long before you wonder how you ever managed without one. Oh! Here's your room."
With that she opened a door and ushered Marie into a small bedroom. It was simply furnished, but spotlessly clean, warm and comfortable. Marie sat on the bed and looked around to see that there was a dressing table, a wardrobe and a bookcase. Everything was of the best quality - no second hand rubbish from the pawnbrokers here.
Rosie sat down beside her on the bed and said, "There are some things that you should know that Mr Morris would probably not mention. All of the gentlemen are bound by the rules of the Club. No member may use force or impose themselves in a way that would be unreasonable. The members police themselves and anyone of them who breaks the rules may as well leave the country for they will be ruined."
"At the moment there are now twenty-one female staff including you, eight of whom are maids and there are two cooks. The eleven including the two of us, are female companions for the members. We assist them with those needs which all fine gentlemen require, good company, discrete conversation, the occasional cultural event such as poetry readings or music and of course giving them a good lay."
Marie thought for a moment then asked "Can I ask, given that we sleep with these men what happens if I get pregnant?"
"A fair question, Marie" Rosie replied, "There are two preferred options, they employ this Chinese doctor called Mr Lee who has this tea which seems to work. Only three girls who were been taking it got pregnant in the last two years. We got on to him because some of the members use him. Otherwise you do without, but unless you are very lucky you will most likely end up the duff within months, in which case the club will provide a pension the same as your salary for a year. Personally, I would opt for the good doctor's tea, although be warned that it only seems to work if you take it every day."
She paused then added "If you want to risk it there a couple of local doctors who will get rid of unwanted pregnancies, but if you go down that route the gentlemen will not provide any assistance should things go wrong. Now any other questions?"
Marie shook her head.
"Now Marie, I have to take you down to the bath, the best advice I can give you is to just relax and enjoy yourself. No one is here to judge you, just to make sure that you can handle yourself."
Then taking her by the arm she led Marie down the stairs and down to the basement of the building to the Turkish Bath.
Friday 8 January 1892 - The Turkish Bath
They came down the stairs to into a lavishly decorated dressing room with a large metal stove in the middle of the floor, that was keeping the temperature up at a level which was rather warmer than that to which Marie was accustomed. The floor was covered with richly patterned rugs and some of the panels were painted with images of couples making love, some in positions that Marie thought highly improbable.
One in particular caught her attention. It portrayed a woman straddling a man while another pressed an erect penis against her from behind and a third held his manhood forward as she enveloped its crown with her lips. Realising that she was staring a little too obviously at the images she dropped her gaze.
Looking for something, anything, to distract her for a moment her eyes fell on a small samovar which was next to the stove in the middle of the floor. Rosie gestured to it and asked "Would you like some Turkish tea? It's very good".
Marie nodded "Yes, please."
Sitting back sipping the sweet dark tea Marie looked back up at the painted panels then added "This room is very opulent, even if some of the paintings are more...frank, than I am used to."
Rosie laughed saucily, "What a well brought up young lady you must have been! But I swear there's a bit of the devil in you. When I first saw this place, I swear, I blushed for a week. I had never seen the like, but I kept coming back for a wee sneaky peak. It is quite an education." Marie laughed.
Rosie sensed that this apparently quiet girl was rather more open-minded than first impressions would suggest. She knew from talking to Mr Morris that Marie had had a rough time, and that even going as far as she had today had taken a lot of courage, so she decided to help her along. After all, if she was to be Marie's chaperone today she was determined to have fun. She turned to Marie and said, "Just wait here a minute and be sure to enjoy the paintings" and with that she left the room.
Marie was enjoying a close look at a picture of a woman and man in a position where the woman lying on her back had her ankles around the man's shoulders and his huge tumescent penis was buried half into her sex. She almost jumped as she realised that Rosie was back in the room and looking at the picture over her shoulder.
Rosie was trying to keep a straight face and holding what appeared to be a vase with a tube or pipe half way up it. "She's a flexible one alright" she remarked, then added, "Have you ever tried a water-pipe, a hookah?"
Marie replied, "No but as this is a day of firsts, what do I do?"
Rosie gestured for Marie sit down next to the Hookah. "Just suck on this and inhale. But take a little at a time or you might gag."
Marie puffed on the pipe and was immediately realised that this was not just tobacco. She looked questioningly at Rosie.
"Hashish, just take a little more it will give you a nice sense of being relaxed."
After a few puffs on the pipe had Marie feeling very relaxed and even a little unsteady. Rosie who seemed to be taking much more of the hashish leaned back against her languidly. Both women felt completely relaxed and comfortable.
Rosie asked, "Marie, when you made love with your husband what did you like?"
Marie despite the hash, blushed, but answered "I don't know....Edward was gentle when we started and I used to love the feel of him on me and in me, but later after we were married he would roll on to me, buck away for a minute and then cum."
Rosie nodded "Did you ever cum when he was in you like when you pleasure yourself on your own?"
Marie shook her head. "No, sometimes I felt as if I was beginning to get there, but it never seemed to happen."
"Did you ever take him in your mouth?"
Again, Marie shook her head.
"Or slide on top of him, like in those two pictures?" pointing at two of the panels.
Marie hung her head, "No, for Edward what he wanted and all he wanted was to climb on top and ride me."
Rosie reached around her shoulders "Marie, it sounds like that man of yours was not up to much in bed. In fact he sounds just like my Peter. In this place you will find that there is room for women to enjoy sex and to relish the power of our bodies over men."
"Take a look at those pictures. I know you were looking closely, who wouldn't? What you see are women and men in the most natural of acts. You've done it. I've done it. Without it none of us would be here. One of our Club's members is a fine fellow from Trinity College. He says to me 'Rosie, Always remember women are not just cows to stand there as some bull ruts away. We are above the animals. We are human and as such must all express ourselves man and women.'" Then she added with and arch look "He's a pretentious arse, but he's a great fuck."
"Take a look at that picture over there, the one where she has three men at once. The one you were looking at earlier. Look at their faces and tell me what do you see?"
Marie feeling more relaxed and a bit naughty took a long look at the picture that had so caught her attention earlier and replied " Well the fellow who is on his back looks a picture of contentment, the fellow who is in her mouth looks as if he is about to cum, his face is a picture a agony and ecstasy in an instant." She paused for a moment.
Rosie looked intently into Marie's eyes." And what about the third man and more importantly what about her?"
Marie looked hard at the picture and somewhere at the back of her mind realised that the answer was coming from her and not the picture "He is waiting to slide into her, but either must wait for the man beneath to come and withdraw...or..."
Rosie looked expectantly "...or..."
Marie closed her eyes "She is waiting for him to enter her." Then flushed and added, "She wants him in her, in her ass".
Rosie asked, "Did your husband...did Edward ever try...?"
Marie shook her head "I once stood listening to some women talking in the Temple Bar, they didn't know I could hear, but... while I was interested, even aroused by what they said, but Edward would hear none of it he swore it was 'An un-natural act' although he was unusually passionate afterwards."
Rosie leaned back and carefully measuring her words said "There's many a woman in Dublin who would take a man in her ass as it is easier than getting pregnant. But also because done right it is extremely pleasurable, sometimes it feels too much, too intense, but if you are going to stay here you may as well get used to the idea. Our gentlemen members are men of taste and sometimes of what might be considered adventurous tastes."
Rosie continued, "You see that picture that you were looking at with the lassie and the three fellas."
Marie nodded, "I wondered about that for months and eventually tried it"
Marie's eyes widened at the thought of her cheery companion in such a wanton act, "What was it like?"
Rosie closed her eyes for a moment as if bringing a treasured memory close to the surface "At first I was so nervous and awkward I nearly jumped up and left the room, but the feeling when I had two of them in me was incredible and the sense of being both used by three men and yet also being the complete object of their desire.... It was fabulous, I just came and came again."
Marie shook her head in wonder, "I don't now if I could ever do such a thing."
Rosie looked at her knowingly "I think that there are fires of desire burning deep in you my dear, that would surprise yourself.