Disclaimer: This story does not describe any sexual activity involving anyone under 18 years.
Synopsis: Victoria has left Hong Kong and is building a new life for herself in a remote colony of the British Empire. She is finding life just as interesting as it was in Hong Kong.
1895 - July to September.
So I am safe at last. China is behind me, Hong Kong a dream ago. I have my money, my gold, my clothes, memorabilia, everything I wanted, except Li. Everything I worked for, all the intrigue I went through to bring me to this place, it all worked. I no longer have to whore myself to survive in a bitter world. I am now twenty-five years old and a spinster.
It's winter here, but only a mild winter. Not as warm as Hong Kong's winters, but much warmer than London's. I have deposited sufficient funds into a bank, which I can here, I can own property, vote now, or soon as the Queen Proclaims the new laws, I can do almost anything, legally, in South Australia. This was the only place I can present myself as an independent woman, without a man to support me and not be excluded from society, thrown into gaol, stripped of my wealth. Who would have thought an insignificant outpost of the Empire could be so free in its attitudes towards women. I don't really need to work, but I may find a job, just I have no idea what, given that women work for considerably less money than men. I can start my own store, if I want, no law can stop me. I definitely don't want to return to prostitution, at least not in a small village like this colonial town.
I could buy a house and make it over to a bawdy house. I don't have my Li here to show me how to set it up and run it, it wouldn't be too difficult, I might consider. I don't know who I would have to pay to keep it open either, but I want to leave that life behind. There will be few people from China, especially Chinese, coming to this colony; soon my former life will be forgotten.
Reading back through my diaries, I remind myself of the places I went, the people I met, the men and women I would spend a night or two with, the riches they showered me with. The wife of the Governor of Macau, a beautiful Portuguese woman, bearing children to a man she cannot stand to have touch her. Several of the high ranking Mandarins, but no English Taipans, only Chinese and their wives, their concubines. I was the only English woman they could safely approach for 'ta de ma', or fucking in crude English vernacular. For that, they paid me well and kept their silence.
I had a great many intimate moments, going from an immature, naive 19-year old, with both men and women, sometime both at once, sometimes more men, to a more worldly twenty five year old, having been well paid for something I loved to do. Li gave me several going away presents, some jade and others ivory prongs, if I needed to take care of my bodily demands. Once I settled here, I could relax and use them. I quickly bought a small cottage, complete with indoor plumbing and a coal gas hot water system. I still boiled the water, but that was habit, perhaps not needed here, but one never knows what one is actually drinking with water.
I quickly settled into a life, and for a small, less than sixty year old colony, this was a thriving, surprisingly modern, large village. It already boasted a museum, an art gallery and a religious tolerance I have not found elsewhere. There were Welsh Mormons, German Lutherans, Catholics, Anglicans, Calvinists and other more obscure Christian sects. There was even a Musselman Mosque, for the Afghan cameleers who carried a lot of trade goods to the northern areas of the colony, all the way up to the village of Palmeston at the very top of South Australia, thousands of miles away. It has deep drainage, gas and water supplies, an electricity supply, even a telephone service, which my home had all services connected before I purchased it, unexpectedly exceeding what I had in Hong Kong.
This is a city of hotels, or 'pubs' as the locals call them. They like to think of themselves as being "The City of Churches", and yes, there are a lot of churches here. What I have noted though is that there is at least three 'pubs' for every Church, so while God may have a role to play, the Devil is certainly getting a stronger foothold. I haven't seen any bawdy houses, well, they are not in the open or gaudy here and there is no directory listing for them I have found. I'm sure the business is carried on in back alleys and in very discreet boudoirs. An interesting place, but I doubt I could ply a trade here without quickly gaining notoriety, something I wish to avoid.
My neighbours are interesting people, well, they are ordinary people, who lead confined lives, but that is precisely what I am looking for. On one side, I have a Mr and Mrs Partridge and their seven children. The children range in age from thirteen to just four years old. Mrs Partridge is harried, looking worn out and just two years older than me. I shudder at the thought that this could have been me if Father had survived that TaiFun. On the other side is a widow, Mrs Jones, and her two daughters and son, the eldest daughter is seventeen and a beautiful young woman, Irene. I got to know everyone in the street very quickly, who worked where, how many children there were. I also learned the latest gossip and scandal. One neighbour was a trollop, she was seen spending too much time with the baker, another was a drunkard, his children always in rags his wife often sporting bruises. I found there were some serious drawbacks to this community living, even though I desired it.
I quickly gained a reputation as an accomplished artist, selling my work to a Hong Kong art house. Not true, although I did dabble in paint and fashion a little. Selling my art was my income apparently, but in reality, the letters I was getting from my former lover, Li, were being replied to and posted in a variety of art frames, from small to large, from ornate to plain. It explained my wealth to my neighbours satisfaction, otherwise how would an unmarried young woman create an income sufficient to own a house. The sort of questions I didn't want asked were neatly avoided. I did receive a number of enquiries about commissions, but I made it plain that my asking prices were far too high, even for the wealthy of this small colony.
I would take excursions to nearby the countryside, often with sketching pads and a range of pencils, returning later in the day with drawn images that would become the basis of paintings. On returning from one such excursion, my life made one of those unexpected changes that made it very interesting. I had arrived at my residence, after getting off the trolley car, carrying my sketching materials, Irene was coming out of the front door of her home.
"Hello Victoria," Irene said somewhat nervously, "I'm sorry to bother you, but can we talk?"
This was unusual, but I nodded, and proceeded to enter, inviting her in. I put my bundle down and said, "And what do you want to talk about?"
"I am sorry, but this is embarrassing, and I need some help."
"Oh, go on, tell me what's the matter."
"Mother has agreed to me getting married."
"Oh congratulations. Married!" I was genuinely happy for her, but then noted to look on her face, "But that's not all for you is it?"
Irene shook her head, "No." She stumbled her next words but essentially said that her mother just refused to say anything about it.
"About what?" I asked.
"What- what happens when a- a- man-," she stopped.
"Ahh, what happens on a wedding night?" Irene nodded. "Your mother won't tell you?"
"No. I asked her and she said that I must discover that for myself."
"Oh, dear," I said, surprised a woman, a mother, would not explain the things a man and woman can do in a bed to her daughter. "I'm not sure I'm the one to tell you." I was a little reluctant to insert myself into this essentially intimate business.
"Oh no, please, I am not asking you to. I am asking if you would talk to my mother. I'm sure you know. It's not your duty to tell me, but I can't get any response from mother."
"Oh," I definitely didn't want to come between a mother and her daughter, especially over such issues.
"You and mother talk occasionally, but I am hoping you might be able to... encourage her to tell me."
Yes, we do talk, I've noticed a certain manner comes over her when we are talking, her natural reserve is relaxed when we do, but I have also noted that if any man is near, she is very quiet. "Very well, I'll think of something, but not until Saturday." A plan had already formed in my head. I knew that Irene's mother, Rose, finished her job on Saturday at 11:30 am and would arrive home at about midday.
Saturday morning I began preparing that evening's meal, not a typical English meal, but a few Chinese dishes that Li and Wong, my cook, had taught me. I didn't have any trouble getting the ingredients, well most of them, from the small Chinese grocery store near the Central Market. They were surprised the first time I went in there, alone, but speaking to them in Chinese, that was totally unexpected. There are few Chinese in the colony, but they have an active community and I am now welcome there.
I kept an eye out for Rose and as soon as I saw her, ran out the front door calling to her.
"I'm sorry bother you Rose, but I have a problem," I said, "And I hope you might help me with it."
"Oh? What can I do?"
"Well, I had invited a friend over for dinner and she just called to let me know that her husband has been taken ill. Would you care to join me?" I asked, she hesitated, "I have all this food I have begun preparing and I have to finish cooking."
Rose gave me a look, which I identified, it was a hungry look, then her normal demeanor returned, "Oh, I would love to, but the children-"
"There's only enough for two people, I sorry, otherwise I would invite you all over. Irene could prepare their dinner, under your supervision, of course," I saw her eyebrow raise, "I am expecting to have the main course ready at 6:30 so soup at six o'clock." I wasn't going to take no for an answer.
"Yes, thank you," Rose replied, "Six o'clock." She hesitated, "It's been a while since anyone invited me to dinner. Thank you."
"You'll be most welcome, I assure you."
The time came and a gentle knock on the door alerted me to Rose's presence. I welcomed her then sitting her at the table, I brought her a bowl of soup. It is a broth, really, flavoured with a variety of gentle spices and two dumplings. I didn't want to fill her without her trying the main course of noodles and vegetables, sliced chicken breast, mixed with a variety of herbs and spices in a secret recipe given to me by Li. Desert was a sweet dish of custard and cream that I got from the Macau Governor's Italian chef. Rose was really surprised at my efforts, they were tasty, but she had never tried anything like it before. The flavours were unfamiliar, but she really liked them. Seems I will have a cooking partner for a while.
After dinner we got to talking. I sat her in the lounge, played a Japanese samisen, not well, but she didn't know the difference. I'm a much better pianist but I haven't managed to buy one yet. She asked a lot of questions about Hong Kong, Macau, China, Japan. These places are exotic to her, but for me, they were all part of my home for six years. I eventually got her talking about Irene and her impending marriage.
"Not for another six months yet," Rose said.
