Chapter 6

I took Gerry's advice and wandered down to the basement and the three ladies were sitting around the table there drinking tea.

"Would you like a cup of tea Sir, "Mary asked.

"Mary please don't call me Sir, you know my name it's Denis, and that applies to all of you. Don't try to raise my station in life, and yes!" I said to her giving her a tap on the bottom.

The Cook was a Pakistan lady, she was dressed in a sari which somehow didn't look out of place, it seemed part of her. Her build was just a little on the slim side, but her face was shallow as though she had been underfed for quite a while. She had her hair in a large bun on the back of her head. She had small hands I noticed. Her face would be very pretty if it was fuller; her complexion was dark. She didn't want to use her Pakistani name but wanted to be referred as Marge.

Mary went through all the events of the day I brought her here, and as she was telling them she was rubbing her foot up and down my leg. When she had finished she took a quick look at the clock and said." I have to go and set up the morning break for Lady Gertrude and the people in the Sitting room upstairs." With that she dashed out the door.

Marge said, "Mary thinks you are wonderful, and from what she says and I see, you seem a very nice chap. I wish that my family were as nice." She looked down at the floor and the tears were dripping on the floor as she had lent forward on her forearm, which was on the table.

"Marge what was your trouble," I asked her.

"I was brought over here as a bride, but the dowry my family paid was not enough. The household of my husband treated me as a slave, all the men of the family took advantage of me, and the women made me work very hard. I thought that I was coming to a very easy life, but it was many times worse than I had in Pakistan. I was afraid, as I was told many bad things would happen if I left. One day I just had had enough and I left with just a few things, I met an English woman and we came down here. But we had nowhere to live and men kept abusing me, and calling me 'Black Ham'. I tried to kill myself. But Lady Gertrude came and found a small room for me to live in. Everything was fine until a gang of my countrymen started running protection and demanded I pay my Giro over to them. I had nothing left to pay for food, so I came to see Lady Gertrude, who gave me this job," she related to me.

"God I have never heard and seen so much grief in my own country since I have come here, we were shielded from all this in the Forces. We go and fight in other countries and there is enough evil bastards living here. The government should turn the troops on to these bastards first before worrying about some other country. Never mind Marge you are safe here in this house, no-one here will be harming you," I said to her.

"She rose from her chair and came over to me and put her arms around me, you tell My Lady that I will be a good cook for her," she said.

"Marge I really like your sari, will you always wear one?" I asked.

"I only have this one," she said.

"Oh that's a pity as you look so pretty in it."

"I know where I can buy Sari lengths here, I will be getting another soon," She told me.

"Where is it?" I asked her.

She couldn't tell me the name of the street but she gave me the general area.

"I love traditional curries Marge, will you be able to make some for me. If Lady Gertrude asks tell her I asked you to make them."

Alice was just sitting there saying nothing and holding a mug in both hands drinking her tea.

I wished them goodbye and made for upstairs. Halfway up I met Mary coming down.

"Mary what size is Alice, she is very big!" I asked with a smile.

"You can say that again, she's 42DD would you believe, you could get lost in there," she said with a smile.

Since Gerry was going to be busy until evening I went looking for this Sari supplier. It was easy to find, but who did I bump into but Chalky and a few mates of his mates, one was a Bengali. We went for a couple of drinks and reminisced over old times, he asked if I wanted a job. I told him that I was a bodyguard now and quite happy. He said that a lot of our lads were doing that nowadays.

Anyway the conversation got round to why I was around this area, I told him I was looking for some Sari lengths for a present for a friend's Pakistani cook.

"You'll get ripped off," Nanda the Bengali said, "These buggers will see you are as green as grass and sell you the cheapest material, what type do you want?"

"Christ I thought a sari was a sari, I didn't know there were different types," I said to him

"You have like western clothes casual, working, and dress and what about the tops, what size is this cook?" He also asked.

I looked around and there was an Indian woman sitting nearby, "about her size," I said pointing.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," he said getting up and went over to the woman, said something to her and then left the bar.

"He's a real hard man that," Chalky said, "if any one can get you these, he will and I bet they will cost you next to nothing, you wait and see,"

About half an hour later he came back into the pub followed by this Pakistani, who as carrying a large bundle about two foot square wrapped in brown paper and tied with rope.

"Give this geezer fifty quid, there is a selection of saris in there; tell the cook it is also a present from Chalky's mates," Nanda said.

The Pakistani took the money but I could see he wasn't happy, but backed out and ran when he was outside.

I thanked Nanda for his help, and he said it was nothing. We sat and had a few more which I paid for, shortly after we left as they had to go somewhere.

I soon found a Ladies shop and when I told the young woman Alice's size she couldn't believe it. I wanted a couple of blouses, dress and a working coat plus a couple of bra's to fit that size.

They had only three bra's of that size, so I took them all. They were also able to supply the other items I wanted. I paid for them. I was thinking I'm spending all my termination pay on ladies wear.

I got a taxi and went back home, and immediately went to the basement. The three ladies were having their afternoon cupa.

"Come on join us," asked Mary.