In Darkest London

Chapter 9 ~ Chastity {A Damsel in Darkest London}

The alley narrowed as Chastity reached the dead end of a dark and squalid court. Her eyes darted from side to side as a tremble of uncertainty raced through her mind. Frozen in her stride, she held the back of her hand to her mouth and gasped, "Dammit!"

The echoing sound of heavy boots clunking on the cobbles accompanied a gang of Street Sparrow's as they emerged from behind the darkness.

A thud of anxiety choked Chastity harder than the unsanitary smell of Whitechapel, which had been lodged at the back of her nostrils ever since she entered Darkest London. Chastity jerked her hand over her thigh, where her pistol was hidden, as she cleared the gravel from her throat ... "Who goes there?"

The gang were eightfold, and all female. Chastity had heard of this rogue sort before but didn't believe they existed until she saw them with her own eyes. Female they may have been, but she couldn't let their gender fool her enough to let down her guard, or forget just how dangerous this territory was. She should have felt nothing but fear, if the newspaper headlines were anything to go by, but the intrigue sailed a bolt of excitement through her veins ... until the fierce looking gang started to form a circle around her and she realised just outnumbered she was.

The ringleader was easily distinguishable, not only by the way in which the group assembled themselves, with her at the fore, but also by the difference in her attire to the rest. For one, she was the only Sparrow wearing any headgear; a top hat. The ladies back home would never be allowed to be seen in such attire and was something that was strictly for the men. Her hat didn't look like those of the ordinary black hats Chastity had become accustomed to - no, this one was very different indeed. The ringleader wore it slightly tilted on the side of her copper-coloured hair and it was smaller than a standard type the men back home wore. It was a greyish/brown material; like that of an old, worn out suitcase. A shabby brown leather band held the hat together with the most curious looking miniature pocket watch, chained onto the front. Chastity presumed it was stolen and wondered of what use a pocket watch could be worn upon a person's head; the only benefit would be to another.

A menacing grin spread across the ringleaders bronze-painted lips, "I think the real question is," she lowered her voice, her dark eyes narrowed "... who would dare to wander here?"

The gang of women's sniggers echoed all around the court. Chastity took a clumsy step backwards as the circle closed in on her from all sides. She tried to resist but the force was too strong, there were simply too many of them. She felt a cold pressure on her back, too soft to be a wall. Pointy fingers jabbed hard into the back of her ribs, shoving her body forward. Before she knew it she was eye to eye with the ringleader, just inches away from that loudening pocket watch.

Tick ...

"Mmmm she's a pretty thing..." Whispered a sinister voice in her ear.

Tick ...

"Complexion's too clean to be from these streets ..." interrupted another.

Tick ...

The ringleader raised her hand out of the shadows and the voices fell silent, the ticking dulled. Chastity's attention was then taken by the ringleaders rather peculiar metallic and brown-leather finger-less glove. There were intricate little brass cogs running up the length of the cuff which seemed to turn simultaneously with any movement her fingers made. She looked to the other hand down by her side, it was bare but the blackened filth of the streets.

"What brings you to these alleys?" she hissed, interrupting Chastity's wonder.

"I was looking for somewhere to lodge for the night," Chastity gulped ... "I can see I've obviously lost my way ... terribly sorry to have disturbed you ... I'll be leaving now... ."