Beatrix Fitzherbert looked into the filthy mirror in front of her as she stuck small flowers into her dark brown braids. Flowers were only for her as her show name was Flora. In fact, her name had been Flora for so long she was the only living person who still knew her name as Beatrix.
"Too pale." The older woman who ran the brothel said as she passed Flora. Flora immediately grabbed her rouge and started in on her cheeks which were pale white. She grabbed the red lipstick and painted her lips. She stood up, adjusting her breasts in the mirror to make them spill a little over the top of her too tight dress. She started toward the showroom curtain. "Not you."
"More rouge?"
"No. You've been paid for for the night. I'll bring you to the room in a moment." The older woman was a woman everyone called 'Mama'. Most of the girls, like Flora, had been here since they were thirteen and Mama had been the only mother they could remember.
Flora didn't argue with Mama. Men who bought girls for a full night were rich and were putting down more money than the men who chose during or after the show. Flora preferred the nights with one man for two reasons. The first was because it was more money for her and Mama both. The second was because if one man bought you for a full night, you only had to sleep with one man. No other man could enjoy you until the following night.
Mama showed Flora to a room upstairs where a well dressed man waited. He stood at the fireplace. His skin was the soft brown of a Spaniard. His black hair flopped into his eyes which were brown. Mama closed the door behind Flora. After the door closed, the man turned to face Flora who ran one of her hands idly down her side.
He didn't say anything as he crossed the room to her, taking her slight form into his arms and kissing her deeply. She wondered if kisses like this would woo a woman who wasn't like her. She wondered if he had a wife and felt bad for his imaginary wife as she always did. She led him to the bed and laid down, dragging her fingers up her thighs bringing the dress with them. He spread her legs apart and pulled her bodice down, kissing her chest as he ran his hands down her legs. She felt one of his hands leave her legs and heard his pants drop to the floor. His mouth stayed on her neck, sucking and biting as he thrusted into her and moved his hips. She moaned even though she felt no orgasm or love. She tangled her fists into his hair and sighed with satisfaction when he finished.
He backed away from her a few steps before she started to pull her skirts back down. This was usually the part where he left to go back to his family for the night or paid for a separate room to sleep in while she slept here. Instead, he took off the rest of his clothes and climbed into the bed. The language barrier kept him from actually talking to her but he gestured for her to do the same.
"Play wife?" She asked, mostly to herself, as she untied her dress and stepped out of it. He didn't answer, only watched her with his deep brown eyes as she walked toward the bed completely naked. She climbed into the bed and laid down, looking up at him since he was propped up on one elbow. He was beautiful, she had to admit. He traced his fingers up and down her body under the covers and planted kisses all over her body. He had her three more times until the sun rose and he dressed himself and left.
Flora went to the fireplace mantle where he'd left her money. She shoved it into her coin purse and pulled her dress back on. When she left the room, a few other girls were leaving their rooms, too. Everyone's hair was sticking out in various directions and the makeup from last night was either smudged or gone. They made their way downstairs to where Mama had a small breakfast set up. Flora stopped by her actual bed which was next to her friend, Kiki, and grabbed a shawl. Kiki had followed her to do the same.
"Was he exotic?" Kiki asked in a whisper, smiling widely.
"Spanish." Flora answered with a small giggle. They wrapped their shawls around themselves tightly before going out to grab breakfast. "He had an appetite." Flora served herself eggs and stale toast before grabbing tea and sitting down by the main fireplace in the now empty brothel.
"How much?" Kiki sat next to her, warming her hands by the fire before grabbing her tea from the table.
"Four times. We didn't sleep at all. How was your night?"
"Three men, once each. Did you make much?" Flora reached into her coin purse and showed her friend the handful of money. They both giggled as she put it away. "Rich men."
"Rich exotic men," correctly Flora with a dreamy sigh.