The Deadly Fog - A Mel, Tab, Mewla & Cathy historical story

Chapter Two


  Cathy wandered back into the club and made her away along the wall again, and back round into the dressing room. Mewla, Melania and Tabitha were in there brushing their hair. Tibbicca and Purla were onstage singing and dancing.
  "Where the hell have you been?" Mewla asked, as Cathy came in and closed the door.
  "Just out the front." Cathy said. "Why? No-one's missed me. Mewbert's too drunk to notice who's onstage and who isn't."
  "What were you doing out the front?" Melania asked.
  "Nothing much." Said Cathy. Melania raised an eyebrow that told Cathy she didn't believe a word of Cathy's reply.
  "What were you really doing?" she said.
  "I was talking to a man." Cathy said.
  "A man?" Tabitha stopped pulling her stockings back up and looked at Cathy. "What sort of a man?"
  "Well that was the strange thing." Cathy said. "He was so well-dressed and well-spoken. Looked like he'd come from Park Lane or something. Definitely not from round here."
  "So what was he doing here?" Melania said. "Why would a posh tom-cat come all this way to a dive like this damn place?"
  "He wants to meet me for a drink later." Cathy said.
  "What?" Melania and Mewla both cried. "You said no, of course?"
  "I didn't have a chance to say anything." Cathy lied. "He said he'd find me later."
  "Well he won't." Mewla said decidedly. "God knows what he wants. Why would a man like that want a… someone like us?"
  "Well why shouldn't he?" Cathy's temper flared up. "We don't choose to live like this! There's nothing wrong with us!"
  "It's just odd, that's all." Tabitha said. "Well never mind. We'll walk you home and make sure you get in safe."
  Cathy walked out of the dressing room and onto the stage to join Purla and Tibbicca. She didn't want to be walked home. This was something new and exciting for her. She was fascinated and intrigued by the mysterious tom-cat. True, it seemed odd that someone like him would come to a place like The Red Rat, but he must have had his reasons. And Cathy wanted to find out more. She didn't want to go home to her dark, cold little house and be 'seen in' by her friends. She wanted to meet this strange tom-cat and go with him for a drink. It was exciting, risky, and fun.

***


  The girls finished work at about half past one. Business had not been quite as good as usual that night and most of the tom-cats had wandered away by about half past midnight. Mewbert insisted that they kept going for the few that remained, but Cathy had wandered off to change long before the others did. Mewbert was slumped over the piano with a bottle in his lap.
  Cathy wished that she had a bit smarter dress to wear. The dress that she had was clean enough, and a nice rich dark red that complemented her fairly brown skin and golden hair, but she still felt shabby. She put on her stockings and laced up her boots, then stood in front of the mirror and styled her hair. She didn't look too bad, in fact when she smiled she looked as beautiful as ever. She then put her cloak round her shoulders, picked up her purse, and left quietly.
  She didn't quite know where to go or where to expect this tom-cat to be. She didn't even know if he'd have remembered her and come back. She loitered outside for a moment or two, hoping that Melania or Mewla wouldn't come rushing out to find her.
  "Cathy." she heard Daniel Mewcamber's deep voice from the shadows. He suddenly stepped out from an adjoining alleyway and took off his hat to Cathy. She smiled prettily, not sure how to behave.
  "Please can we hurry." she suddenly found herself saying. Daniel looked surprised.
  "Hurry?"
  "It's just that… my friends didn't want me to meet you, and I've sneaked out early, and they're sure to come out here in a minute to look for me, and…"
  "Say no more." Daniel smiled. He took Cathy's arm and led her down the alleyway, through the mist. Cathy knew that she should be wary. It just wasn't normal for a tom-cat like Daniel to take such an interest in someone like Cathy. But she didn't feel wary. She felt a prickle of excitement that a naughty child does when they're doing something forbidden.
  "What the hell." she thought to herself. "It's just one evening."
  Cathy and Daniel reached a carriage at the end of the alleyway.
  "After you." Daniel helped her up, then climbed beside her.
  "Where are we going?" Cathy asked.
  "You'll see." Daniel smiled.

***

  They travelled across London for a good half an hour or more. Cathy was fascinated; she had never seen so many wonderful shops and houses, all lit up in the dark.
  "You've never seen this part of London, have you." Daniel smiled.
  "Erm, no." Cathy felt embarrassed.
  "It's OK." Daniel said. "There's no shame in it."
  They pulled up outside a large town house. Fancy railings enclosed it. All the windows were dark. Daniel got down and held out his paw.
  "Just a minute." Cathy said. "Why are you being so nice to me?"
  "You'll see." Daniel said, and reached up and helped Cathy down. Cathy looked up at him. They stood there for a few seconds, Daniel with his paws still on Cathy's hips, and Cathy holding onto his arms. Her heart was banging so loudly that she was sure he could hear it.
  He let go of her and they went into the house. Cathy was awe-struck as she looked around. The floor was fine stone, covered here and there with coloured rugs. The ceilings were high, and a huge ornate staircase curved round to a first floor gallery. Closed mahogany doors lined the hallway.
  "It's… beautiful." Cathy breathed.
  Daniel was wandering about, hanging up his cane and hat, taking off his coat. He was dressed impeccably, obviously the work of a great tailor, not that Cathy knew much about that kind of thing.
  "Can I take your cloak?" Daniel held out a paw.
  "I'd rather not." Cathy really didn't want to take off her cloak and show her plain dress under these brighter lights.
  Daniel seemed to guess what she meant.
  "If you think you look shabby, please don't." he said. "There's no shame in being poor, Cathy. I actually have a lot of respect for you because of the way you work so hard doing something you hate just to make a living."
  "What makes you think I hate it?" Cathy said.
  "That kind of life isn't for you. I can tell." Daniel said. "You have beauty and it always shows, but you cannot hide the repulsion you feel when those ruffians reach out to touch you."
  Cathy looked at the floor.
  "Here." Daniel stepped forward. "Allow me." He unfastened her cloak and pulled it away from her shoulders. It wasn't the first time he had done that but now, in this big, posh, brightly-lit house, Cathy felt bare and tatty. She put her arms round her middle and looked anywhere but at Daniel. He stood and gazed at her.
  "You really are beautiful." he said.
  Cathy was confused. Was this tom-cat just the same as all the rest? Had he come to Whitechapel just to look for a she-cat like Cathy to bring home for the night? And was just going about it differently because he was rich? He could afford to bring her home, flatter her, treat her well. Not like the others, who just wanted a quick handful down a dark alley.
  "Please can I have my cloak back." said Cathy.
  "Come with me." Daniel held out his paw. Cathy hesitated for a moment, then took his paw in hers. He walked towards the huge staircase and started to lead Cathy up it. When they reached the first landing, they didn't stop, but carried on up the next staircase.
  "I want you to have something." Daniel said, and opened a door along a passage to the right. Cathy stopped and let go of his paw.
  "I'm sorry Mr Mewcamber, but I can't accept anything."
  "Of course you can." Daniel said. "Come with me."
  Cathy followed him gingerly inside the room. She was feeling wary now. Some of the excitement had faded and she was a little scared.
  Daniel went over to a cupboard and opened it. He reached inside, and pulled out a beautiful pale blue silk dress. The bodice was laced at the front and back, and was adorned with little flowers. The full skirts were beautiful. Daniel walked over to Cathy and held it out to her.
  "A gift." He said.
  Cathy stepped backwards.
  "I…I can't." she said. "Why, I don't know anything about you! Who are you, anyway, Mr Mewcamber? Why are you taking all this interest in me?"
  Daniel looked Cathy right in the eye.
  "If you must know." He said. "I have a distant relative that lives near where you and your friends live. I make the journey to see him every so often, and last night I was intrigued by your beautiful voice as I walked past the open entrance of the club. I had to know who was singing so beautifully. So I slipped in the side door to see."
  "I see." Cathy said.
  "And why did you come down to see me?" Daniel asked.
  "I didn't." said Cathy. "I just…"
  "Yes, you did." Daniel said. "I know you did. Why else would you bother to mingle through the crowds you detest?"
  Cathy looked at Daniel again. He smiled at her and her stomach flipped ever so slightly.
  "Alright, so I did." She said. "I was fascinated by this tall dark stranger I saw appear half hidden behind the curtain. We never have anyone like that come to the club. I wanted to know who you were."
  "I guess we were both curious then." Daniel said. He stepped closer to Cathy.
  "Must have been."
  Cathy wasn't sure what came over her, but she couldn't stop herself as she stepped close against Daniel, put her arms round his neck, and kissed him. He kissed her back.
  "So will you accept the dress then?" Daniel said.
  "Yes." Cathy said.

***

  Daniel took Cathy home at dawn the next day. He dropped her off at the end of the alleyway where they had left in the carriage the night before. He kissed her.
  "I'll see you again." he smiled.
  Cathy got out of the carriage. She was wearing the blue dress, and had her other one rolled up under her arm.
  "Bye." Cathy smiled back at Daniel.
  She walked down the alley and didn't turn till she got to the end. By that time, Daniel had gone. Cathy debated what to do. Should she go home, or should she go and see her friends. She didn't have to decide – Tabitha came racing up the street.
  "Where the hell were you last night?" she cried angrily. Her face was tear-stained and dirty.
  "What's the matter?" Cathy took hold of Tabitha's arms.
  "The most awful thing has happened!" Tabitha started to cry. "When we left the club last night, we found Mewlarka… down Chapel Walk."
  "What? Why? What was she doing down there?" Cathy said.
  "She was dead, Cathy!" Tabitha cried. "Dead! All slashed to pieces on the cobbles!"
  "Oh my God!" Cathy was horrified.
  "And where the hell were you?" Tabitha shook herself free from Cathy's grasp. "We couldn't find you anywhere! And what are you wearing?" she pulled at Cathy's dress. Cathy stepped away.
  "Have... have they taken her away?" Cathy said quietly.
  "Yes, of course they've bloody taken her away!" Tabitha cried. "What do you care, anyway?"
  "Of course I care!" Cathy said. "Mewlarka was one of my best friends! And hell knows they're few and far between in this place!"
  "So why weren't you there for her?" Tabitha said. "Where the hell were you, Cathy?"
  "It doesn't matter where I was." Cathy said.
  "Well it does to me!" Tabitha said. "I thought we could tell each other anything! I thought we were close! I suppose you think you're above all that now just because some posh stranger took an interest in you last night! Well don't get any fancy ideas Cath, he's a man, just like the rest, and he wanted one thing, just like the rest! Men only want girls like us for one thing! And he's worse than the lot of 'em, if he's rich he could have his pick of rich girls! But no - he's probably got some filthy fantasy about having a girl like you!"
  "A girl like me?" Cathy snapped.
  "A w***e, Cath!" Tab yelled. "Because let's face it, that's what we are! Men will spoil you and flatter you like hell just for one night but after that they don't want to know, do they? Well wherever you were last night I just hope he was worth it. While you were lying on silk sheets Mewlarka was lying on the cobbles!"
  "How dare you talk to me like that!" Cathy said. "You're blaming me for all this! Even if I had been around last night, what could I have done? You're making it sound like me not being there was the reason that Mewlarka... that this happened!"
  "Just leave me alone." Tabitha said. She pulled her shawl closer round herself and walked off up the alley. Cathy watched her go angrily.


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