Persuasion in the Pantry [Maid for More #1]

Chapter 40 Part 1: Semper Occultus...

[I'm baaaack! Who missed me?]

The streets of Lambeth were gritty and filled with smog from the newly opened train station. London and South Western Railway sought to join the city with the south but it had trebled the population so rapidly that Verushka could scarce weave her way through the busy main road. She dodged the line of men who dragged a steady stream of steel in the direction of the upcoming terminus at Waterloo, and kept her nose towards the Thames heading north. Boots that were half a size too big slipped around her soles and she felt the scrape of roughened material against flesh. How could it be that in such a short space of time she had become accustomed to the luxuries of the wealthy? Shelving that disturbing thought for later, she finally spotted the river in the distance. Her feet hit the pavement hard as she turned sharply west using the parallel rail tracks and river to guide her onward.

At the edge of Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, Verushka paused to catch her breath. Weighed down by a heavy coat laden with Hadfield's stolen letters and diary, the already long journey ahead of her was made longer. She closed her eyes momentarily so that she could conjure the Agency's map rolled out in front of her as if on the desk of her mother's study but the lines were blurry and she had no point of reference. How could she be so near and yet so utterly lost? She bemoaned silently. It wasn't as if she could just ask the random paperboy where the nearest Agency safe house was.

Paperboy!

Verushka raced up to the young lad, who was wiping fresh snot on his shirtsleeve, and smiled.

"Hello there. Mind if I 'ave a paper?" Verushka greeted him with casual affectation.

"Okay. Did ya wanna read 'bout the Queen?" The boy rifled through his stack of papers.

"What?" Verushka choked.

"She's gonna 'ave a baby. I can't read, but I heard someone yesterday say so. Said theys read it 'n the Times. Did ya want the Times?"

Verushka nodded quickly.

"Got two pence?" he sniffled.

"Two?!" Verushka remarked incredulously.

"I's only got The Times, sose its two." The child explained as mucus dribbled from his left nostril.

"That's extortion!" Verushka scowled.

"Ex- whata?" the little boy appeared baffled.

"Ugh, nothing," Verushka sighed and fished in her pockets for the tender and a silken handkerchief from her new retinue. She found both and dropped it in the lads' grubby hands.

"What's this for?" he held the clean linen aloft with promise.

"It's to wipe your nose," she answered and swiped a newspaper flicking frantically to the final page bearing the Court Circular. Her eyes flicked over the words with haste and her palms became clammy against the ink.