East of India by Erica Brown

Author:Erica Brown
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788630443
Publisher: Canelo Digital Publishing Ltd
Published: 2018-02-26T16:00:00+00:00

* * *

Peggy escaped worse punishment thanks to the major’s symbolic warning and some well-chosen advice.

‘Ten strokes only,’ she said, rubbing at her backside. ‘I won’t be able to sit down for a week. Not that Cherry is worried. She still wants her money. Still wants me to earn some. I think Shamida pointed those particular facts out to her. If he hadn’t I would have got twenty strokes, I think.’

Shamida had become something of a talking point. First off was his very distinctive English. Secondly he was distant. And, though they argued about this, they agreed that there was something unusual about him.

‘Like a tiger’s different from a lion, though still just as likely to tear your head off,’ commented Peggy.

Having learned a little of the local dialect, Peggy assisted the doctor examining Saint Soppy, the name they’d given to a Malay girl brought up by missionaries. Her predicament was becoming fairly obvious.

The girl was pretty but regarded as a bit below par. ‘I’m not really having a baby,’ she exclaimed. She was the only one who believed it. Her belly was already the size of a football.

Peggy smiled and stroked her hair. ‘I’m afraid you are.’

‘No. I don’t think so. God wouldn’t allow it.’

‘Have it your way,’ said Peggy, her legs still weak from all the punishment she had received.

The doctor looked over a few other girls whilst he was there, giving them cream for the various itchiness and infections with which they were plagued. Only one was injected for venereal disease. He looked surprised and implied that the girl must have brought it with her.

Lucy interpreted. ‘I do not think so. She was pure before she came here.’

His jaw hardened. He slapped her face. ‘Officers do not have such disgusting diseases.’ The girl was never seen again.

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