TheExperimentSeekingRenata"Down this way," Giulian said, tilting his head to indicate the direction before starting down the street. One corner of his mouth twitched and he added, "The place is called the Swaggering Bull." Sasha wrinkled her nose. "Jo didn't do things by halves with you people, did she?" she commented drily. "No, but then I don't think Jo's in the habit of doing much of anything by halves," responded Giulian. "Anyway, she has a point to make. Several, possibly." Sasha giggled wickedly. She matched her pace to his easily. "How have you been finding your new life?" she asked, with real curiosity. "Oh, it's been an education, no question," Giulian said. "Not a lot of excitement after that first evening, which is just as well, I suppose." He flicked a glance at Harry. "Were you hurt as well?" she asked with concern -- and then flushed as she realised that this revealed she had had information about the attack on Harry. Harry was managing to look oblivious of all this. Giulian flicked an eyebrow, not so much at what Sasha had said -- she could have learned of the incident from Jovanna, after all -- but at her reaction to it. However, he said nothing about it, answering only, "No, just a bit shaken. The next time I see Dev I'll have to tell him how his training worked out." He frowned then, and asked, "How's Dev taking this? Jo's disappearance, I mean." "I don't know," admitted Sasha. "I haven't seen him -- but the Dean told me that he will be searching Jo's rooms with us tomorrow. That tells me that the College are taking this really seriously -- and also that they believe he's on the level -- that he hasn't had anything to do with Jo vanishing." She worried her underlip for a while. "I don't know about you two," she said at last, "but I think this should stop for Renata -- right now. It's too dangerous." "I'm inclined to agree, except..." Giulian paused, his expression becoming more troubled as he swung himself along. At last he continued as if reluctantly, "...except that she's probably in a better position than any of us, right now, to hear things. Don't tell her I said that," he added in the next moment. Sasha frowned. "I'm not sure the two things can be compared," she said frankly. "Jo is streetwise. I would have said she knew how to look after herself. But Renata ... my Lo ... Jules, she is very new to all of this." She glanced around the street she was traversing. "Quite frankly, I would hesitate to come here alone, and yet Jo expects Renata to walk these streets every night. I know Jo's argument is that if any girl has to do it, then every girl should, so she will know how it feels -- but ... we can't leave her there. Not alone. "And I'm not working as a barmaid," she added hastily. "Serving at Lady Bahlmis' salon is as far as I'm prepared to take my services to the catering industry." This last was a piece of offworld jargon that made Harry grin. "I agree they're hardly comparable," said Giulian with a slight smile. "Though I believe Renata's working in the kitchen rather than waiting tables. But you're right, she shouldn't be there without," he swallowed, "protection. Somehow I don't think Jo counted on not being able to keep an eye on us." "I had the impression she was expecting to call on other sources of protection," said Sasha quietly. "From what ... I think you met one of them yourselves, didn't you? A thief called Elissa?" "Is that what she was? Yes, we met her," Giulian confirmed. "But if they weren't able to protect Jo ... how could they help Renata?" "I doubt Jo asked them to protect her," Giulian said a little harshly. "She probably thought she could protect herself." Sasha nodded, acknowledging the justice of this. As they moved from the commercial quarter of the city, largely deserted for the night, and into the poorer quarter, the streets began to become more crowded, and the possibility of conversation more limited. The filthy and miserable appearance of this part of the city could hardly be imagined by those who had not witnessed it. Wretched houses with broken windows patched with rags and paper: every room let out to a different family, and in many instances to two or even three -- fruit and 'sweet-stuff' manufacturers in the cellars, barbers and red-herring vendors in the front parlours, cobblers in the back; a bird-fancier in the first floor, three families on the second, starvation in the attics, a 'musician' in the front kitchen, and a charwoman and five hungry children in the back one -- filth everywhere -- a gutter before the houses and a drain behind -- clothes drying and slops emptying, from the windows; girls of fourteen or fifteen, with matted hair, walking about barefoot, and in white great-coats, almost their only covering; boys of all ages, in coats of all sizes and no coats at all; men and women, in every variety of scanty and dirty apparel, lounging, scolding, drinking, smoking, squabbling, fighting, and swearing. Giulian's crutches drew some comments -- the presence of Sasha with the two young men drew more. Giulian made no response to the commentary, but Sasha could tell he was tense, alert. He didn't really expect an attack in these crowded streets; as he'd learned that first night, the less populated alleys were more dangerous. But he couldn't help feeling that Jo had wanted him -- all of them -- to see this. Then the three of them turned the corner of the street. What a change! All was light and brilliancy. The hum of many voices issued from that splendid gin-shop which formed the commencement of the two streets opposite; and the gay building with the fantastically ornamented parapet, the illuminated clock, the plate-glass windows surrounded by stucco rosettes, and its profusion of gas-lights in richly-gilt burners, was perfectly dazzling when contrasted with the darkness and dirt they had just left. "Is that the place?" asked Sasha. "That's it," said Giulian. They moved forward and entered the gin palace. The interior was even gayer than the exterior. A bar of French-polished mahogany, elegantly carved, extended the whole width of the place; and there were two side-aisles of great casks, painted green and gold, enclosed within a light brass rail, and bearing such inscriptions, as 'Old Tom, 549;' 'Young Tom, 360;' 'Samson, 1421'. Beyond the bar was a lofty and spacious saloon, full of the same enticing vessels, with a gallery running round it, equally well furnished. On the counter, in addition to the usual spirit apparatus, were two or three little baskets of cakes and biscuits, which were carefully secured at top with wicker-work, to prevent their contents being unlawfully abstracted. Behind it were two showily-dressed damsels with large necklaces, dispensing the spirits and 'compounds.' They were assisted by the ostensible proprietor of the concern, a stout, coarse fellow in a fur cap, put on very much on one side to give him a knowing air, and to display his sandy whiskers to the best advantage. The two old washerwomen who were seated on the little bench to the left of the bar were rather overcome by the head-dresses and haughty demeanour of the young ladies who officiated. They received their half-quartern of gin and peppermint with considerable deference, prefacing a request for 'one of them soft biscuits,' with a 'Jist be good enough, ma'am.' "Well," said Sasha, "this doesn't look too bad a place inside. She looked around doubtfully. "I can't see Renata -- Lor ... Jules, why do you think there's such a grand establishment in such a poor area? Who has the money to spend on such a place when there are no schools, or parks and hardly any shops?" "I suspect," Giulian said rather grimly, "it's because what money comes into this district tends to get sucked into this place. It almost makes one wonder why Jo didn't take up Temperance as her cause, rather than Technology. "Renata won't be here," he added. "She works in the kitchen, in the back." "Jo doesn't drink much," said Sasha, looking around. "But she doesn't mind other people drinking. Wait here -- I'll go through and find Renata." "Waiting here" definitely seemed -- from the glances the two received as Sasha left them -- to involve purchasing some alcohol. Given the bleak weather outside, Giulian felt he could use a drop of something, and at the same time was uncomfortably aware of his empty stomach; he and Harry had been too far behind on their work to eat lunch today. Accordingly he led the way to one of the small tables, choosing one near the kitchen doors. A waitress came up and handed them menus with gravy stains and what appeared to be other samples of the meals on offer adhering to the cardboard. But before they had a chance to order, Sasha came back, her face concerned. "She's not here," she said. "They say she hasn't come in tonight -- but she hasn't sent a message or anything." Giulian set the menu down, his appetite suddenly gone. "Not here?" And from what Sasha had just said, Renata was expected. "We could ask at her lodging, I suppose," he said slowly. "Only I'm not sure how to find it. When we've been meeting at all, it's been at public places like this. Perhaps one of the other kitchen workers knows the address?" "I got the address," said Sasha, producing a scrap of paper. "I wrote the name down because I didn't know where it was." She handed it to Giuilan, looking worriedly at Harry -- Renata was, after all, his sister. Giulian took the bit of paper and studied it, his brow clearing a little as he did so. "Yes, I think I can find this," he said. Harry, who had been quiet through the whole affair, looked at the address in turn. "I think I can find it, if Jules can't." He looked seriously at Sasha and Giulian before continuing. "We have to." Giulian nodded, in complete agreement with Harry. "Let's go, then," he said, levering himself out of the chair and reaching for his crutches. Sasha pulled her cloak more tightly around her as they prepared once more to face the insalubrious streets. "Jo wouldn't have made her walk far in this district ... would she?" she asked, rather nervously, as they stepped over a drunk lying unconscious in the filth of the gutter. Perhaps roused by her voice, he suddenly shot out a filthy hand and clutched at her ankle. Sasha could not forbear a short cry of fear. Giulian looked around sharply at her cry, swung a crutch tip and rapped the man's wrist with it, just hard enough to make him let go. Harold turned at the cry and relaxed as Giulian took care of the threat to Sasha. "Thank you," he said quietly to Giulian, Sasha barely able to hear it. Giulian just nodded. "No, it isn't far," he said shortly. "And she'd walk with one of the other girls, not alone." Sasha nodded, her heart pounding too hard to allow her to speak. In fact, Renata's lodgings were only two streets away, and perhaps slightly more respectable than the surroundings would suggest, for when they banged on the door, it was opened by a maid -- a dirty slatternly maid, admittedly, with her stockings falling down and her hair scrunched up anyhow -- but a maid nonetheless. Giulian decided there was no point in being anything but straightforward. "Hello, we're looking for Renata? Girl who lodges here, works at the Swaggering Bull? We missed her at the restaurant and thought we'd try here." Harold nodded. "We three need to speak to her," he agreed with Jules. The maid looked a little apprehensive. "Someone else has been looking for her, Sirs. She's gone up already..." "'She'?" Giulian said alertly. Sasha looked at the other two. "Should we go up too?" she asked. Giulian looked up at the long flight of rickety stairs and grimaced. "You two go," he suggested. "I'll wait for you down here. That's more proper anyway. It's all right for Harry to, he's her brother." Harry looked reluctant but finally nodded. "I will certainly go." He then looked to Sasha for her reaction, and her final decision on whether or not to ascend the stair. Sasha gathered her skirts, shooting an anxious look at Giulian. "You ... will be all right here, won't you? Perhaps you should wait in the shadows behind the door or ... or something." Then she smiled ruefully. "But you dealt so well with that awful creature in the gutter -- you are better prepared than I..." "I'll be fine," he assured her. Then, urgently, "Hurry! It might be Jo." She started up the stairs after Harry towards Renata's room. (Continued in The Experiment: Finding Renata) |
