Gutter Children

August

“Sophie,” I whispered from the kitchen. I saw her head whip around the corner and she quickly covered her eyes. I was in nothing but a towel from my shower.

“Come with me,” she hissed quickly, yanking me into the bathroom I had been in earlier.

“I have laid clothes out for you, as well as panty hose and shoes. I will wait for you outside, deary.” She murmured, yanking the door shut.

Mr. and Mrs. Darlin were upstairs getting ready for the party they would be attending with Sophie tonight. Sophie, being her cunning self, had the whole thing planned perfectly. I was to leave twenty minutes before their carriage arrived, and I was to arrive home an hour before they returned.

Once I had put on the sea blue dress, and white shoes she started with my hair. I had never had a real Josephine curl in my hair before, but Sophie said she learned how to do them when she was a maid. She could do mine in less than ten minutes. Next, she powdered my face and glossed my nails.

“Beautiful,” was all that came out of her mouth before there was a knock on the door.

“Oh my! Mindy most definitely heard the knock! It must be August! No!” Sophie started panicking, and told me to stay put as she went to the door.

I was really wondering why she would do all of this for me. What were her motives? Did she truly see herself in me? Did she really sense potential in me? Did she want to see me succeed?

“Come on. I distracted Mindy. Hurry!” I heard Sophie’s voice, and hid my towel under the sink before rushing out of the bathroom.

“August,” I breathed at the door.

“Miss Darlin,” he said bowing. I gave him my hand and he willingly kissed it, his lips barely coming in contact with my hand.

I felt a little shove from behind me, and the door being slammed shut.

He helped me into the carriage, and ran around to the other side briskly. “I’ll be honest with you Miss. Darlin. I have never been out with a girl before,” he said shyly.

“You may call me Charity,” I said, trying to produce a smile. The word Darlin made the skin on the back of my neck crawl.

“I have never been out with a boy,” I admitted, looking him strait in the eyes.

“Well I’m glad we get to experience this together.”

“As am I,” I said proudly glancing in his eyes now and then.

We talked more about our favorite plays until we arrived at the theatre.

He helped me out of the carriage once again, and I took his arm in mine as we walked to the theatre doors. I suppose we were rather young to be going out alone together, but he seemed as if he didn’t always follow the expected rules.

“Tickets!” A man yelled at the front entrance. People were piling in, handing him their ticket quickly, and having it shot back in their face with his forceful hands that looked like they were moving faster than they should be.

Calmly, August handed him our tickets, and the man smiled and gracefully handed the stubs back to him. 

When August didn’t stop at the entrance to the seating area, I thought he might be lost.

“August, I think we were supposed to go in those doors,” I said to him not trying to be insulting.

“Not where we are going. Come on!” He yanked my hand, and I let out a little yelp. He looked sorry, but kept on pulling me until we pushed through a door to find an old staircase.