“Now, my dear, how much money have you got?”

“Not a farthing.”

“Not a farthing? My God, how d’you intend to live? Newgate ain’t run for charity, you may be sure. You pay for everything you get here, and you pay dear.”

“Well, I won’t. Because I haven’t got any money.”

Amber’s matter-of-fact tone sent Moll into another fit of violent coughing, but at last she straightened, running her fore-arm across her wet mouth. “Don’t seem like you’re old enough to be out of the house alone, sweetheart. Where’s your family—in Essex? My advice to you is to send to ’em for help.”

Amber stiffened at that suggestion, defensively lowering her black lashes. “I can’t. I mean I won’t. They didn’t want me to get married and I—”

“Never mind, my dear. I think I know your plight well enough. You found yourself with child and so left home. Now your keeper’s left you. Well, in London we don’t give a damn —we’ve got troubles enough of our own without worryin’ ourselves with our neighbours—”

“But I am married!” protested Amber, determined to have the credit of a respectable woman since she had gone to such lengths to be one. “I’m Mrs. Channell—Mrs. Luke Channell. And here’s my ring to prove it!” She stripped the glove from her left hand and thrust it beneath Moll’s nose.

“Yes, yes. Lord, my dear, I don’t care if you’re married or whore to forty men. I was myself, in better days. Now I’m so peppered a man wouldn’t have me upon a pinch.” She smiled faintly and shrugged, then stared off into space, forgetting her promise as she began to recall the disappointments of her own life. “That’s the way I began. He was a captain in the King’s army—a mighty handsome fellow in his uniform. But my dad didn’t like to see his daughter bringin’ a nameless brat into the family. So I came to London. You can hide anything in London. My boy died—more’s the mercy—and I never saw my captain again. But I saw other men aplenty, I’ll warrant you. And I had money for a while, too. Once a gentleman gave me a hundred pound for one night. Now—” She turned suddenly and looked at Amber, who had been staring at her with fascinated horror, finding it almost impossible to believe that this ugly emaciated sick creature had once been young and in love with a handsome man, just as she was. “How old d’ye think I am? Fifty? No, I’m thirty-two. Just thirty-two. Well, I’ve had my day, there’s no denyin’ that. I suppose I wouldn’t trade it for something different—”

Amber was beginning to feel sick, seeing herself several years hence in Moll Turner. Oh, God! Oh, God! she thought frantically. It’s just like Aunt Sarah said. Look what happens to a bad woman!

And then all of them started at the sound of a key in the lock; the great iron door began to swing open. Moll, putting her hand to her mouth, muttered quickly: “Sell that ring for whatever she’ll give you.”

A woman, perhaps fifty years old, came into the room. Her hair, almost white, was lifeless as straw and screwed into a hard knot high on the crown of her head. She wore a soiled blouse, a dark-blue woollen skirt with a long red apron tied over it, and slung about her hips was a leather thong to which were attached several very large keys, a pair of scissors, a wallet and a bull’s pizzle—a short heavy wooden cudgel for maintaining discipline. She carried a candle stuck into a bottle, and before turning around to look at them she set it on a shelf.

A huge grey-striped cat followed her in, pushing against her legs, arching its back, giving out a low satisfied rumble. And then all at once it caught sight of Amber’s parakeet and moved swiftly forward. But Amber, with a little scream, jumped to her feet and, holding the cage at shoulder-level, kicked out at the cat with one foot while her parakeet fluttered and clung terrified to the bars of its cage.

“Good-morning, ladies,” said the woman now, and her shrewd pitiless eyes went over them quickly, resting longest on Amber. “I’m Mrs. Cleggat—my husband is the Jailor. It’s my understanding that you are all ladies of refinement who naturally would not care to take up your abode in a vault set aside for thieves, parricides, and murderers. I’m happy to say that from here you may be removed to a chamber the equal of that in any private house and there you’ll be furnished with the best of conversation and entertainment—for a consideration.”

“There’s the rub,” commented Moll, sprawled out with her arms crossed, her legs stretched before her.

“How much?” asked Amber, keeping an eye on the cat which now sat patiently at her feet, wide-eyed and flicking just the tip of his tail. If she could sell her wedding-ring she would have money enough to buy very good quarters—and she was still convinced that she would be out within a day or two.

“Two shillings six to get out of here. Six shillings for easement. Two shillings six a week for a bed. Two shillings a week for sheets. Six shillings six to the turnkey. Ten shillings six to the steward of the ward for coal and candles. That’s all for now. I’ll have one pound ten from each of you ladies.” As they all looked at her and no one either moved or spoke she said briskly, “Come, now. I’m a woman of affairs. There’s others here too, y’know.”

Moll now lifted her skirt and from a pocket in her petticoat produced the required sum. “ ’Sblood, it seems I only steal enough to support myself in prison.”

Amber looked around, waiting for one of the others to speak, but they did not and so she pulled the wedding-ring from her finger and extended it toward Mrs. Cleggat. “I haven’t got any money. How much will you give me for this?”

Mrs. Cleggat took it, held it to the candle and said, “Three pound.”

“Three pound! But I paid twelve for it!”

“Values are different here.” She unbuttoned the wallet, counted out several shillings, handed them to Amber and dropped the wedding-ring into the leather pouch. “Is that all?”

“Yes,” said Amber. She did not intend to part with the string of pearls Bruce had given her not long before he sailed.

Mrs. Cleggat looked at her sharply. “You’d better give me whatever else you’ve got right now. If you don’t I promise you it’ll be stolen before you’ve been here two hours.”

Amber hesitated a moment longer and then, with a heavy sigh, she unfastened the clasp and drew the strand out of her cloak. Mrs. Cleggat gave her six pounds for them and promptly turned her attention to the other women. The Quakeress stood up and faced her squarely, but as she spoke her voice was soft and meek.

“I have no money, friend. Do with me as thou wilt.”

“You’d better send out for some, Mrs. Or you go into the Common side which, though I say it myself, isn’t fit for a baboon.”

“No matter. I can get used to it.”

Mrs. Cleggat shrugged and her voice was contemptuously indifferent. “You fanatics.” (A fanatic, in the common understanding, was anyone who belonged to neither the Catholic nor the Anglican Church.) “Well enough then, Mrs. Give me your cloak for the entrance fee and your shoes for easement.”

Out of doors it was almost warm for the winter had been a strange one, but in there it was chill and damp. Nevertheless the girl untied her cloak and took it off. Amber, looking from her to Mrs. Cleggat with growing indignation, now suddenly made up her mind.

“Here! Keep it on! I’ll pay for you! You’ll fall sick without it!”

Moll glanced at her scornfully. “Don’t be a fool! You’ve little enough for yourself!”

But the Quakeress gave her a gentle smile. “Thank thee, friend. Thou art kind—but I want nothing. If I fall sick, it is the will of God.”

Amber regarded her dubiously, then extended the coins toward Mrs. Cleggat. “Take it for her anyway.”

“The girl will be a damned nuisance to me if she’s made comfortable. Keep the money for yourself. It’ll go quick enough.” She turned to the housewife, who admitted that she had not so much as a farthing. Amber looked at Moll to see if she would not offer to share the woman’s expenses with her, but Moll was glancing idly about the room and whistling beneath her breath.

“Well, then—I’ll pay for her.”

This time the offer was accepted and the woman thanked her profusely, promising to repay her as soon as she was able—which would apparently be never if she was to be kept in prison until her debt was cleared. And then a man came in to put on the lighter shackles. They consisted of bracelets which fitted loosely about the wrists and ankles with long chains stretching between, and though they were awkward and clanked dismally they did not seem to be otherwise uncomfortable.

“Take the fanatic to the Common Felon’s side,” said Mrs. Cleggat to the man when he had done. “Come with me, ladies.” They trooped out of the room after her, first Moll, then Amber holding the bird-cage on her shoulder, and then the housewife.

Mounting a dark narrow stairway they reached a big room where the door stood open; above it was nailed a skull-and-crossbones. Mrs. Cleggat went in first with her candle and as they followed they could see two large flat beds, covered with flock mattresses and some grey rumpled bedding, a table, scarred stools and chairs, and a cold fireplace above and beside which hung some blackened kettles and pans and a few pewter mugs and dishes. Certainly there was nothing in this barren dirty room to suggest the luxurious quarters Mrs. Cleggat had painted.

“This,” she said, “is the Lady Debtors’ Ward.”

Amber looked at her in angry astonishment, while Moll smiled. “This!” she cried, forgetting her manacles and giving a sweep of one arm. “But you told us—”

“Never mind what I told you. If you don’t like it I can take you to the Common Side.”