The Boy from the Brothel

Beautiful young widow, Charlotte Madison, is destitute after losing her husband in a rail accident. She begins housekeeping in the small rural town of Monto, in Queensland, for five lovelorn bachelors, refusing their constant requests for sex. But son Robbie is caught thieving around the town with his mates and a kindly Policeman urges her to get Robbie out of the town. Desperate for money she agrees to sex with her clients, but with very strict rules. Soon, with the help of a friendly solicitor who's an expert investor, she has enough money to look for a business elsewhere. In her search in Brisbane, her curiosity leads her into a big brothel where she meets the elderly and very ill owner, Ophelia Parkinson, and they quickly become friends. Charlie is ready to marry her solicitor but a local criminal, just released from jail, sees her alone and undefended, breaks into her house and tries to rape her. Robbie comes to her aid with a hammer and accidentally kills the man. After a long recovery Charlie and Robbie visit Ophelia to find her dying and Charlie nurses her through her last days. A few days later she's dismayed to find that Ophelia has left her the brothel, the biggest in Queensland, and many millions of dollars. He fiancé demands that she refuse but Charlie can't find a buyer beyond bikie gangs, Asian and Sydney and Melbourne criminal gangs. The girls beg her to become their Madam and she decides to accept the bequest. She moves to Brisbane, keeping her son with her, and Robbie begins a secret and highly illegal life among 20 pretty harlots at the The Blue Moon Hotel...

Beautiful young widow, Charlotte Madison, is destitute after the death of her husband in a rail accident, and begins housekeeping once a week for five lovelorn bachelors in the small rural town of Monto In Queensland. They importune her and she keeps refusing until her son Robbie, 13, is caught thieving around the town with his mates. The local Police Sergeant urges her to get Robbie out of Monto and, desperate for money, Charlotte agrees to give her clients sex, but with very strict rules. Soon she's making money which is building up as one of her clients, a solicitor and canny investor, controls her finances. A grateful Charlotte agrees to marry him, but now has enough money to investigate businesses to buy in Brisbane. Curiosity leads her to a big brothel where she talks to the ageing and ill owner and they become immediate friends. Back in Monto Charlie is spotted by a local criminal, recently released from jail, who sees that she's single and alone and tries to rape her in her home. Robbie comes to her aid with a hammer and accidentally kills the man. After a long recovery, Charlotte and Robbie visit the brothel-keeper, Ophelia Parkinson, and Charlotte nurses her through her last days. A few days later she's dismayed to find that Ophelia has left her the brothel and millions of dollars. Charlie tries to sell but the only buyers are bikie gangs and Asian and Australian criminals. The girls beg her to stay, her fiancé refuses to accept her as a Madam, so Charlotte accepts the bequest. Charlotte and Robbie move in and Robbie begins his secret and highly illegal life among 20 pretty harlots at The Blue Moon Hotel.

R L Humphries lives in Queensland, Australia, by the sea, not far from the start of the Great Barrier Reef. After early training as a daily newspaper reporter he moved to Papua/ New Guinea as a Radio Australia correspondent. He returned to Australia to work for the Queensland Government and gradually moved into administration in a big government department. He retired to his home region and now fishes and writes.