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

Chapter Four


  Cathy accepted the dresses the next day, just before she left Daniel's house. He made a fine breakfast for her and she felt well and happy, much more so than she had done for a long time. He asked her to spend the day with him but she refused, saying that she had to go home and go to work. So he drove her back to Whitechapel, and she left him, as usual, at the top of the alley. She had her dresses packaged up in brown paper.
  "I'll see you soon." he said, and drove off as Cathy waved and set off down the alley. She felt very depressed, walking down the dirty cobbles, back to her dark, cold little house, and knowing that she would have to go to work and dance for the horrible, rough tom-cats of her area.
  When she got back to her house, she almost dropped her package. Someone had smashed her front window, and written 'rich man's w***e' across the wall. Cathy burst into tears. No-one stopped to help her or ask if she was alright.
  "Cathy!" Purla Lane came hurrying up the alley.
  "Purla!" Cathy turned round, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Look at this!"
  Purla stopped and looked at Cathy's house.
  "Oh my God." she said. "Who did it?"
  "I don't know, do I?" Cathy sobbed. "I wasn't home last night."
  "That's why I came to find you." Purla said. "Mewbert is fuming, Cath. Where were you last night? Why didn't you come to work?"
  "I... I..." Cathy looked down. "Oh, Purla, I'm in a terrible mess."
  "What's happened?" Purla said. "You don't owe anyone any money, do you?"
  "No, it's nothing like that." Cathy said.
  "Look, come back to my house." Purla said. "It's cold and dark, but I can try and make us comfortable. You can talk to me."
  "Thank you." Cathy said. "I don't know who to talk to at the moment. Melania and Tabitha don't seem to want to know me."
  "They've been acting very strangely lately." Purla said, putting her arm round Cathy as they walked. "I think they're scared with all this business that's going on at night. And what with Mewlarka and everything..."
  "I know." Cathy said.
  "But that's no excuse to take it out on you." Purla said. "Come on. I'm not going to judge you or think bad of you. We'll stick together."
  Purla lived about fifteen minutes' walk from Cathy's house, and Cathy was pleased to get inside, for she felt that everyone was staring at her as they walked. Purla's place was simple, but felt warmer than Cathy's and more homely. Purla made her sit down, then she made some food and sat down with her.
  "Now tell me what's the matter." she said to Cathy.
  "Oh, Purla, I don't know what to do." Cathy said. "In the space of two days my life has been turned upside down. One of my best friends has been murdered, I've met a man who I think is wonderful but seems too good to be true, I may have messed up my job because I didn't go to work, my closest friends are angry with me... what shall I do?"

TO BE CONTINUED..........