Chapter 6 - Unholy Deeds

Maggie and Thomas walked back towards the lane where they first encountered Charlie and his gang. They were not at their usual corner. As they tried to recall the exact location of the derelict building he had taken them to, it was as if the gang had emerged from the walls on either side of the lane; and soon Maggie and Tom were surrounded. Charlie stepped forward through the rest of gang.

He seemed pleased, though a little surprised, by the return of the children.

"Well, well, well," said Charlie. "Thought you'd be back."

"We're desperate," answered a weary sounding Maggie.

"And we're here to welcome the desperate. Stick with me, my darling, and you shall have riches," replied Charlie. He laughed and turned and beckoned them to follow.

He took them back to gang's hideout and reacquainted them with the plan. He explained it to her one more time but this time in more detail, and in a more serious manner, emphasising each aspect of the plan to all involved.

"Now, you two," he pointed to Maggie and Kitten, "look closely for a nicely sloshed mug - one who looks like he's got plenty of brass about him. Then you act like a couple of doxies and lead him over to the lanes near the Holy Land."

He made it clear what to look out for when stalking their prey: a pocket watch, jewellery, handkerchief and other outward signs of wealth. Anything, in short, that could be moved on to a quick-acting fence.

Once spotted, they would approach such a gentleman. Kitten, because she was more experienced, was to show the gentleman what a catch she had found. His prize for this evening would be Maggie: a laced young lady.

Maggie was to stay as plain as she was now, suggested Charlie. One of the younger girls helped clean her face, hands and legs, to brush back and tie her hair. Kitten, on the other hand, was made up with rouge cheeks and smeared red lipstick across her lips. She looked like the sort of young women who left Maggie with a tight feeling in her gut, whenever she had the misfortune to pass her like on the city's streets. Seeing Kitten made up like this made her realise the seriousness of the situation.

But how could she back out now? And where would she go?

As darkness began to fall, they were all set to leave the derelict house. Charlie reminded them all of their duties once more and, in a call to arms as they left the house, proclaimed: "Off to the Holy Land! Off to commit unholy deeds!"

Outside on the streets Charlie made the gang split up into three groups, so as avoid the suspicions of the police on the beat. When they reassembled, they all took their positions around a tavern close to Drury Lane and were told by Charlie, "To sit tight and wait for Kitten's signal."

It wasn't a long wait either. After a couple of maybes, they found a definite mark. He stumbled out through the inn door in such a stupor, it seemed like he would fall straight back inside and find himself once more propping up the bar. Straightening himself up, and acting the part of a sober man as best he could, he began his walk home. As he walked, he began hailing anything resembling a hansom cab that passed him on the road. Kitten whistled (the code for spotting the mark) to inform the rest. A quick once over of the gentleman and she knew they had their man.

Then she stepped across the road and approached the drunk. The way she walked and talked, the gentleman could be in no doubt about the kind of services on offer. She pointed back to where

Maggie stood. "How's about this then, Sir? A nice bit of unripe fruit just for your good self," Maggie heard Kitten say to the gentleman.

He turned to face Maggie. She could see he had bitten. And she felt a shiver of disgust travel the length of her spine.

The drunk took off his top hat, smiled and bowed to the two young ladies. With Kitten's aid, the drunk somehow turned himself around and changed direction. She pointed him back towards St Giles' Rookery - or as it was known on the streets - The Holy Land. Kitten held him by the hand and led him down the road, with Maggie skipping in a childish manner in front of them. All the while Kitten was up close whispering in the gentleman's ear. He would laugh, and she in turn would laugh too; then push him away, only to move close up again and begin the whispering once more.

The rest of the gang, reacting upon the sound of the original whistle, walked behind at a distance, in three separate groups, orchestrated all the while by Charlie's hand gestures.

Under instruction from Kitten, Maggie led them off the main road and into a labyrinth of narrow alleys - all the while the drunken gentleman was umming and arring and complaining about being lost.

Next they turned into what seemed like a dead end. In the murky light of the alley, Maggie turned back to look at the drunk.

He moved closer to her. She could smell the alcohol seeping from his breath. As he moved in closer and held out his arms, he suddenly began to crumple in front of her. With his mouth gasping for air, he slid slowly to his knees, coughing and spluttering as he fell to the floor.

Once Kitten kicked him in that most sensitive of areas - and the mark had slipped to ground, Charlie emerged from behind him. He held the drunken gentleman by the throat, whispered a deadly warning, and slid the cold blade across his skin. At the same time, Jack and another gang member overpowered him and pushed him to the ground. Once prone, and held down, they swarmed all over him, and took from him every item his pockets held. They took his watch, hat, cufflinks, wallet, and handkerchief - all of his movables vanished within seconds.

As the man struggled for breathe, swearing and cursing, his arms struck out at his invisible attackers.

For as quickly as they had set upon, they had all departed: fled back to the building where they had originally planned the deed.

In the dark of the alley, the gang's victim shouted and cursed and struggled alone to get to his feet. In the distance, Maggie and Tom ran like the rest. There was no time for contemplation or heart-searching. It was over. They had done it.

***

When she reached the hideout, Maggie thought she would be sick. Her heart beat frantically and her legs felt like they would buckle at any moment. They had robbed that gentleman, she thought; stolen all he had upon his person. She quickly found Thomas and held him in her arms. He was not directly involved but had watched from outside the pack.

Yet Maggie knew, when she looked into Tom's eyes, he felt as guilty as she.

They had begged and foraged in the most desperate of times, she thought. But this was different. And their lives had taken a new turn. A turn they could never have foreseen, when they first left Liverpool to be near their father during his trial, two years previously. How quickly, how easily, they had been sucked into the criminal classes? Maggie thought to herself.

And how hard would it be to free herself? she wondered.

A buzz of excitement filled the room of the abandoned house. Charlie entered with bottles of drink and they all sat around boasting about their adventures, passing around the bottles of cheap alcohol, throwing around the drunk's top hat, impersonating his cries for help.

Charlie, a grin of contentment scrawled across his face, left the rest of the gang and walked toward Maggie, offering her the bottle. She took a tentative sip and squirmed as the bitter taste of gin burned a trail down her throat.

"Well done, my clever, little ladybird," he said. "You played your part very well. Very well indeed. And after the next job, you'll get your cut - plus a little extra blunt your way."

"What do you mean after the next job? We had a deal!" Maggie was furious. An unknown rage grew inside of her. "I put my life at risk for you. I want my money, you thieving rat!" She launched forward to attack him, but was held back by Jack's quick intervention.

"Woh! Woh! Steady on now my pretty little filly," Charlie said. "Remember you too are a thief now. And this is your new profession, my lovely. One, I might say, that suits you real fine."

Tom was next to try and attack, but he was slapped down by a couple of members of the gang and held firmly against the wall and issued with threats. He began to cry but Maggie felt hopeless to help him.

"It's a simple choice," said Charlie, this time addressing both of them. "Come work for me and you can make some real gelt. I'll even give you a place to live. Or, if you wish, go back to your swamp and starve to death." He moved forward and caressed Maggie upon the chin with his thumb and forefinger. "As I see it, my darling, there ain't even a choice to make. You're better off with me. You know it, I know it, everybody in this room knows it. Nobody in this whole wide world will look after your interests as well as I will. And who knows..." He tailed off and gave a knowing simile to the rest the gang. "Who knows? Love may even blossom. Cos you is a fine looking girl, Maggie."

Maggie turned her head and Jack let her go free. She moved forward and took hold of Tom's hand and released him from Kitten's clutches - whose eyes held only contempt now for her one-time partner in crime.

"Come on, my little man. There's somewhere we must be," said Maggie.

The gang laughed and mocked Maggie with shouts of my little man as they followed her down the stairs and out of the building. Once outside, Maggie and Tom began to walk away from the derelict house and back towards the main alley.

"And remember," shouted Charlie after them, "not a word to anybody - especially the peelers - about me and my crew."

As Maggie turned, she saw Charlie imitate a cut-throat gesture, a warning to her to keep mum.

***