The Whitechapel Virgin Read online

  Tilly smoothed her skirts and rushed to the window waving her arms in the air excitedly.

  ‘Look here come the happy couple now, come on everyone, get ready.’

  The door was thrown open and a pretty, slight girl with a fashionable garment rushed in. Behind her a squarely built man wearing a beaming smile carried a bundle of bright yellow carnations.

  ‘Yay, our Nancy’s back!’ everyone in the room piped up in a loud chorus.

  ‘For she’s a jolly good fellow, for she’s a jolly good fellow...’

  The women rushed forward to greet Nancy who seemed to be bubbling over with happiness at the surprise.

  Catherine stood awkwardly alone. Her gaze caught Eddie’s at the opposite end of the room. He wore a sober expression. For the first time she thought he looked quite handsome in his own way. In the right light his broad shoulders and expressive eyes were endearing. He really would make a girl happy some day, she thought, but his broody and possessive nature seemed to let him down.

  Despite the simmering tension between them recently she walked over to him, leaving the large group of people talking in the middle of the room where Tilly was pouring glasses of spirits and ale for everyone.

  ‘How are you?’ Eddie asked Catherine as she stood by his side.

  ‘I am well, thank you. I wanted to speak with you and apologise for my rudeness.’

  He avoided her eyes and looked down at the fireplace. ‘It’s a humid day out there isn’t it. Look, even the coals are too damp to light.’

  ‘Yes the weather has turned grim since this morning,’ she replied.

  They both watched as Annie took Nancy to one side and spoke to her with a doleful expression. Nancy listened and nodded consolingly. She must be telling Nancy about Nellie lying ill upstairs in her bed, Catherine thought.

  ‘So Nancy was the lucky one then. Tilly has just informed me of her recent wedding.’

  Eddie nodded.

  ‘She left to marry Roger a few weeks before you came. It was rather sudden but everyone likes Nancy, even Annie there, who has a bit of difficulty liking popular girls.’

  Catherine remembered what Annie said to Nellie about her trying to gain popularity. She hoped all of them didn’t think that about her. All she wanted was to earn a wage and afford her meals, just like the rest of them, but if she had to work in a dangerous factory instead, she would. The matter of visits with Mr Cross seemed for now to be inconclusive. She was uncertain if he would even return or call upon her again, and if that was the case Madame Davenport would be very angry.

  On the positive side, there had been a new friend made today which she might be able to confide in. She also made a mental note to return to the factory as soon as she could to see about employment.

  ‘Eddie, did you know a girl here called Lizzie?’

  He let out a gut laugh. ‘Oh no, don’t tell me that you’ve met Lizzie?’

  ‘Yes I did, at a bakery today, she was working at the counter, very friendly she was too. What happened? Why did she leave?’

  He rolled his eyes. ‘All right I’ll tell you, but don’t tell her that I did. She and Annie hated each other. Annie accused Lizzie of stealing some jewellery from her box, and it was later discovered hidden inside Lizzie’s room. There were a lot of quarrels and tears, and so Madame Davenport finally decided to let her go over the incident, before things got out of control.’

  Tilly approached, interrupting them with a tray of drinks.

  ‘Come on me dears, drink up! There is a celebration going on over here you know, and you’re both keeping the atmosphere dull over here.’

  Catherine took a glass of sherry, which prompted the memory of the sweet liqueur she had consumed at Mr Cross’s home. She waited for Tilly to leave before speaking again. ‘I thought she had a very nice manner, it disappoints me to hear that she was unveiled as a thief.’

  Eddie turned to face her. ‘She probably wasn’t a thief.’

  Catherine’s face dropped.‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Well you know Annie,’ he muttered under his breath. ‘She probably planted the jewellery there herself.’

  ‘Why would she do that?’

  ‘To get rid of Lizzie, that’s why.’ He picked up a stick and began to poke at the grate. ‘You have to remember one thing Catherine, Annie was here first. This lodging house is her territory. Lizzie became well-liked by the customers and Annie didn’t really like that.’

  Catherine could hardly believe her ears. ‘So why did Madame Davenport let Lizzie go if Annie is the real trouble-maker?’

  The dusty old piano in the corner came to life as a man began playing a tuneful sea-faring song. Tilly kicked up her heels and began to dance. Eddie had to raise his voice a notch for Catherine to hear him.

  ‘Madam Davenport knows that Annie will never leave here. She’s always been a reliable and steady source of income and no man would offer her anything better or take her away. Old, used goods but stuck here all the same. The younger girls always come and go, just like Lydia has.’

  ‘Lydia?’ Catherine gasped remembering the odd looking girl and her vulgar demonstration in Catherine’s quarters.

  ‘Yes, she’s disappeared. Never returned after servicing a soldier down at the docks, seems that she just she sailed off with him. Happens all the time.’

  ‘And what about Nellie? Why hasn’t she ever left?’

  ‘For the same reason as Annie, and she trusts Annie who defends her because she’s always been too weak.’

  The more Catherine learned about the women the more determined she felt about leaving the lodging house.

  ‘So that’s what will happen to me won’t it?’ she told him, but now he had turned his back to her, stoking the coals.

  ‘Eddie?’ she shouted a little louder for him to hear her just as the piano chorus reached a deafening pitch.

  He swung round, his face contorted with anger. ‘I did try to look out for you Catherine, but you went to see him didn’t you?’ he spat.

  She stepped back in alarm, unwilling to enter into yet another disagreement with him.

  Why does he persist in being so wretched towards me?

  She turned away to retreat to her own room when she felt a hand brush her shoulder. It was Nancy, brought over by Tilly to be introduced.

  ‘And this is Catherine, my little assistant at the serving counter,’ Tilly said proudly.

  ‘I am pleased to meet you Nancy,’ Catherine said extending her hand and trying hard to swallow the lump in her throat.

  From a far corner she saw that Annie was watching suspiciously. Eddie remained with his back to her.

  ‘Come on and dance with us Catherine,’ Nancy prompted.

  ‘Oh no really, I don’t think that I...’

  ‘Oh come on, a little fun will do us all a bit of good.’

  By now several of the men and girls in the group were dancing together and singing at the top of their voices. Catherine blushed and allowed herself to be led into the heart of the activity.

  She avoided looking over to where Eddie was standing, and soon began to get into the swing of the activity. She was twirled around by several of Roger’s friends and one of them took hold of her hands for a jig. She must have only been dancing with him for a few moments when a loud smash could be heard from across the room. The pianist stopped playing and every body turned to face the direction of the noise.

  Glass lay shattered on the floor and ale dripped from the brick work on the fireplace. Eddie’s face flared brightly with anger. He turned and fled the room.

  Catherine looked across the room to see that Annie was smiling.

  SEVENTEEN

  No-one really spoke of the incident the
day after Nancy Putt’s celebration. Nancy left the Boars and returned to her new life with her handsome husband.

  At the tavern that afternoon Tilly glossed it over as a bit of silliness. ‘Oh Eddie’s just a sensitive boy like his poor mother, bless her soul. A terrible shame that was, her sudden passing away not long after he was born,’ she continued half talking to herself.

  Catherine slouched over the counter feeling solemn. She had an hour to go before meeting with Lizzie. She could have helped Tilly clear up, but the woman insisted there wasn’t much left to do, and it was Catherine’s day to herself and so she should enjoy the best day’s weather of the season.

  ‘Ooh and how did it go with that handsome fellow Mr Cross?’ she suddenly piped up.

  Catherine’s face reddened. Could she trust Tilly? The woman was quite adept at unearthing everybody’s private affairs, despite saying that she had no interest in gossiping tongues.

  ‘He painted a picture of me.’

  ‘Tilly put down her cloth and looked at Catherine in surprise.

  ‘A picture of you? Why on earth would he do that?’

  Catherine sighed. ‘Oh I fear he did not find me at all pleasing to touch. After I arrived at his dwelling he placed himself into a nearby chair and sat a short distance away from the bed, drawing. I fear that he will not come to find me again and Madame will be very unhappy.’

  ‘Well, well, I daresay you do get all-sorts,’

  ‘But even though I was so afraid, I found him dashing, and now I feel rejected.’

  Tilly placed a hand on her shoulder. ‘Course you did lass, but men are ‘orrible buggers. No woman can understand ‘em.’ She tutted and picked up her cloth to resume scrubbing the counter. ‘Well, don’t look so glum, put it this way, he must find you attractive to offer payment for the liberty of drawing you, if nothing else. Gawd knows, he wouldn’t be happy to have me for a subject I can tell you.’ She let out a throaty cackle which did little to cheer Catherine’s spirit.

  ‘But if he does not return, what will Madame Davenport do with me then?’

  ‘Don’t fret about him love, anyhow, you’re better off here with me, at least until her ladyship decides otherwise. Let Madame think what she thinks. Now be off with you and enjoy your day because tomorrow there’s plenty of pans for you to scrub in the kitchen.’

  Catherine left the tavern and was instantly boosted by the soft blue sky, where only a few of the frothiest white clouds aligned themselves above the peaks of blackened chimney tops.

  When she reached The White Swan she spotted Lizzie sitting alone by a corner window. The woman smiled broadly at Catherine and waved.

  Entering the establishment she joined her friend and removed her shawl. A waiter arrived and took their order for afternoon tea.

  ‘Tea service is a fair price here, but it’s on me today,’ Lizzie told her. ‘You know I come down here quite often with a group of ladies from the St Vincent Hearing Society for the afternoon service.

  ‘Oh you belong to a hearing society?’ Catherine enquired with interest.

  ‘Yes, mostly because my husband Laurel is partially deaf, you see. So we know lots of nice folks with similar ailments, and Laurel does his bit for charity and all that.’

  Catherine smiled. She was pleased that this vibrant and spirited lady had been fortunate enough to escape the wretchedness she had encountered at the tavern. ‘So you are now wed to Laurel?’

  ‘Two years next month it’ll be. He was widowed when his young wife was struck down with consumption not long after they’d bought the bakery together. I used to pop inside and we’d have a jolly chat. He always had a warm loaf freshly baked for me, and he never looked down on me like I was scum, or served all the other customers before me. He treated me like a person and he weren’t so above himself that he’d avoid looking me in the eye when he served me, not like others. Nicknamed ‘boars whores’ we were by many, but Laurel always had a kind manner to everyone, no matter how wealthy or destitute they were. Well I suppose that over time, Laurel and I grew fond of each other without even realising it, and he never complained about the fact that his hearing was getting worse. He always wanted to talk about me, and enquired how I was doing when I went in, and I’ve never ‘ad that in me life before.

  One day I popped into the bakery to collect a loaf and he’d popped an engagement ring inside the bag. Course I was dumbstruck but my heart wasn’t half jumping with excitement. I went back and accepted his proposal and haven’t looked back, of course things hadn’t been going so well back at the tavern.’ Lizzie smiled down at the shiny modest ring on her wedding finger.

  The more Catherine learned, the more she became intrigued about these women’s lives. ‘If you don’t mind my being meddlesome Lizzie, is that the reason why you left the lodging house? To be married and begin a new life?’

  Lizzie’s expression darkened and she sighed long and deeply before continuing.

  ‘That’s one of the reasons, but it was hard work living at the lodging house. I’m not sure what you think of it Catherine, but some of the women there can be quite mean to each other.’

  Catherine nodded. ‘My room is opposite Annie Barton and Nellie Hunt. Since I arrived I’ve barely seen Nellie, she seems always indisposed with some illness. Annie makes it clear that she dislikes me and has said as much to my face.’

  Lizzie rolled her eyes. ‘Can’t say I’m surprised, a bonny looking young girl like you. Annie Barton is long past her best years. She always found that fact hard to stomach, especially when a new girl came along and a man’s head would instantly swing from Annie’s direction to hers.

  As Catherine sipped at her teacup Lizzie saw the sadness in her eyes. She reached forward and touched the young girl’s arm. ‘Has Annie given you trouble already?’

  ‘Well, what you say makes so much sense. I mean, it does seem that she is envious, and in a way I can understand, but Eddie is the one who has upset me so much more recently.’

  ‘What’s happened with Eddie?’

  Catherine shook her head despondently.

  ‘I have indulged too willingly in his frequent requests to spend time with him. I think he has grown possessive of me, but I..’ she faltered.

  ‘You don’t feel any attraction towards him?’

  Catherine lowered her eyes. ‘No, not in that way.’

  ‘That’s awkward for you. And he’s had it tough too, but he’s a smart boy, he’ll come to his senses soon. As for the others, I don’t reckon there’s a woman in there who hasn’t had it tough. And what about poor old Mary Chappell who moved lodging house last year. When she stumbled into the tavern I don’t think I could ever forget the sight of her.

  ‘Why?’ Catherine asked curiously.

  ‘Her jaw was swollen and her mouth was black. Some nasty disease caught from some match factory, but even she got herself a regular client who took her as his mistress and eventually moved her out into a better lodging house. He even got some treatment for her too.

  As for Nellie, she’s had many painful losses the poor old cow, and Annie’s jealous of every new girl that comes along. Oh it is an ‘orrible life Catherine, I can’t deny it, but what better options do we have? Life’s what ya make out of it, I reckon, and if Mary Chappell can find true companionship with a gentleman, then there’s no reason why a pretty girl like you can’t. Have you started working for Madame yet then?’

  Her question was blunt, but Catherine felt comfortable enough now in Lizzie’s presence to be truthful. ‘Not quite. It’s all seems a bit complicated. I have visited a gentleman’s home once, but he.. he...’ she faltered.

  ‘He hit you?’

  ‘No, not at all. In fact, on the contrary, he did nothing to me at all.’

  ‘Nothing? You mean he didn’t tou
ch you?’

  Catherine blushed, she must sound absurd to these creatures that were so used to having men crawling all over them.

  ‘I was some kind of artist’s muse I believe. He asked me to undress, then he seated himself opposite me and began to draw.

  Lizzie’s eyes opened wide with sudden comprehension. ‘Oh my gawd, you mean Edward Cross?’

  Catherine gasped. ‘How did you know it was him?’

  ‘When you said the word ‘draw,’ it all sort of made sense somehow.’

  ‘So you know him?’ Catherine felt a familiar tingling sensation deep in her belly, an underlying infatuation for the man beginning to awaken.

  ‘Never saw him at the Boars, don’t think he likes the place. He more often than not hung about ‘The Horn of Plenty’ down by Dorset Street. But of course, I haven’t crossed paths with him for years now. So tell me, how did you find his character?’

  ‘I found him very charming. He was polite and gentle-mannered,’ Catherine said, feeling her cheeks glow as his image came to mind.

  Lizzie laughed. ‘Oh yes, he can be charming. And I can’t argue that he is very handsome, but...’

  ‘But what?’ Catherine held her breath tightly.

  ‘He is more than a little peculiar, I would be careful. He has a strange sexual appetite, and you are still young.’

  ‘Is that why he did nothing to me, because I am young?’

  Lizzie smiled. ‘Maybe he’s warming up for next time, he can be quite fickle with his ladybirds. A tad unpredictable. I’ve only ever visited him twice, and if I remember, it was just before I left to take up residence with Laurel. We first crossed paths in the town square, and I remember how he made me feel fuzzy inside with them handsome looks of his, but he was rather cold and indifferent once we got back to his. I didn’t know what to expect.’

  Catherine gave a nervous giggle.

  ‘Look, there are all sorts of odd fellows around this area Catherine, especially at night, but if you protect yourself you’ll get by all right. Mr Cross paid me good returns, that’s one thing I know, and he smelt better than a lot of them too. But as for that funny drawing business...’