Rooftops of London

By Anna Kringle

Joss has grown up on the streets of London in Victorian England, escaping the grim orphanages when she was seven. She learned to scale buildings to keep out of harms way, always running to the rooftops if things got too tight on the streets. She hasn't worried about the future or the past in a long time, concentrating on living from one day to the next Until, in a move of desperation, she lands herself in Lenora Worth's drawing room. Lenora has been struggling for eighteen years to bring the nefarious Andrew Confield to justice. Now, with the help of her reluctant protege, she sees a light at the end of the tunnel if only Joss will cooperate. Lenora and Joss must find a balance between their worlds if they are to solve the mysteries in front of them and hope for a future.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 22, 2022
• ISBN: 9781458324214

Book preview

Chapter One

Joss woke with a start. She glanced up and down the alleyway outside her shelter, sneering at the clattering steam cart that had jarred her out of the warm dream.

She always dreamed about the same place, though the circumstances changed  occasionally. A cozy little house, all yellow and old feeling, but clean and well kept. This time, she'd been warm and comfortable by a fire. Someone had been stroking her hair and humming softly. Much different from the damp, smelly alleyway she was currently in.

Stretching the kinks in her spine, She started in surprise at the warm bump in the middle of her back. Turning stiffly, she rolled her eyes as she realized what it was.

Cripes, when’d you jump in here? Shoo now, off you go. She nudged the lump, her fingers ringing against the golden toned metal. A whirring started and the 'lump' unfolded itself into what could only be described as a chicken.

It had a small, pipe-like head, two beady little lenses fused to it for eyes- though no one knew if they actually worked.

A sharp little beak pecked at the ground constantly, picking up odd scraps of coal and wood, feeding the tiny furnace in its belly. It let out the resultant steam and smoke from the top of its head, giving it the look of having a soft plume. The two gold plates shifted slightly, forming the resemblance of wings on each side of its fat body.

She nudged it again and it 'girbled' at her in a way that seemed annoyed. It rose on stubby little legs and stalked out of their shared gutter, down the alleyway, whirring and girbling.

She crawled out of the drain and into the equal grunge of the early morning, careful to dodge the ash eggs that the chicken had left behind.

The sky was still dark- would be for at least another hour- but the stalls were already airing out their wares. Time to find some grub.

She slouched onto the open street, heading toward the square. She passed Rob along the way,  and they nodded at each other in greeting.

Rob was a couple years older than she was. He was a quiet sort, spending more time working on gadgets and taking apart cars than in any of the gangs. His gaunt frame was swallowed by a jacket that bulged oddly from all the gears and odd mechanical pieces he'd swiped the night before.

He offered her something akin to a smile.

Saw the chicken this mornin', she told him with a smirk.

He scowled and swore. Cuddled up with you again, did it?

She shrugged, and they each went their way down the cobbled road. Up ahead, the smell of warm bread pulled her around a corner.

Budge was already there, eying the loaves hungrily. They exchanged looks over the bread cart.

As the baker turned to place more loaves, Budge inched closer, fingers stretching for the closest bread.

Ha! The baker smacked a wooden paddle on the cart where Budge's hand had been seconds before. Thought you were that sneaky, did'ya? Now get yer grubby hands away from my wares before I call the bobbies! She shooed the small boy with the paddle until he scampered away down an alley.

As the woman turned back toward her cart, she smirked triumphantly- until she noticed the empty place in her bread basket.

Behind the nearby shops, Joss ambled up to the slighter child. He was a few years younger than she, but could be twice as mean. She tossed him half a loaf of bread and leaned against the wall.

Cripes, Joss, she almos' took me hand off! He tore off a big chunk with his teeth. Nex' time you can be the bait, eh?

She gave him a derisive sneer. Only if you want us both handed to the bobbies, ya' git. Yer slower than that fat cow who runs the orphan house.

He swore at her, but she only curled her lip. She was thin, but still bigger than him. Which was probably the only reason he'd left her alone so far.

Wha'ever. Stay off me block today. You been inchin' into my territory of recent. We ain't all taken in by that pretty face. He strutted away, swiped a bottle from a back stoop and dodged down another side passage.

Joss tucked the rest of her bread in her  jacket, deciding on a course for the day. The market wouldn't be busy for a while, so she decided to head down toward the harbor. She sighed, hiking her threadbare sweater closer to ward off the chill from the fog. It was always colder right near the water, and the pickings were slimmer; too many harsh people and not enough heavy pockets.       But Joss knew a couple of the smaller fishing boats where she could do an odd job or two for some pennies. That was where Budge lost out: He never tried the honest way.

She came out onto the road, making her way toward the water.

Oh! Excuse me- A young woman rushed by, caught against Joss' shoulder, then hurried on.

Joss glared after her, rubbing her offended side. The woman hurried up to a car just as a figure- another woman- climbed out. The two exchanged hurried words, then the older of the ladies ushered the first into the car. As she moved to enter the car herself, the woman glanced back, catching Joss in a stare.

Surprised, Joss curled her lip in dismissal and turned back to the street ahead of her. Strange rich folk. What did she care?

Shaking herself, she turned onto the open dock and sized up the nearest crew. Time to see which fishermen were feeling generous- or careless- this morning.

Behind her, down one of the side streets, she vaguely heard the chicken squawk exceptionally loud, followed by a boy– Rob, most likely– swearing profusely.

Lenora leaned back against the seat with a sigh. She'd been so sure. Sean's information had led her to hope.

I'm sorry, Miss Worth. He'd almost caught me by the time I-

Shush, child, I understand. She stared through the glass at the figure on the street, letting idle curiosity distract her from her disappointment.

It was near impossible to guess the youth's age, but       Lenora tried anyway. Perhaps fourteen? The girl slouched down the street, seemingly oblivious to the world around her.

She was slight. It was difficult to see her structure through the ratty clothes. But she'd had the clearest gray-green eyes. Sharp, intelligent- in that moment before she shrugged into her belligerent facade.

What are we going to do now? Amy asked softly from across the car.

Lenora took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Go home. We can't tie Confield to this accident without further evidence. So we go home, and wait for another opportunity. It's all there is for it." She glanced at her companion tiredly and turned back to the window.

The girl was gone.

Chapter Two

Cripes! Joss skirted around the corner with Budge right behind. The vender was still hollering in the plaza, but he was drowned out by the constable's whistle.

A few days after the bread incident and she'd found herself working with Budge again. And like the bleeding git he was, he'd missed his mark and alerted the clockworks vendor before they'd been able to snatch anything.

Move yer arse! Budge cut in front of her unexpectedly, causing her to stumble. She cussed, tearing after him up the alleyway. More footsteps echoed as the bobbies ran down the side streets after them.

Up ahead, Budge took another corner. Joss moved to follow, but ended up jerking to a stop so as not to topple over him as he stared at a dead end.

What should- Hey!

Without a backward glance, Joss ran around him and began scaling a gutter pipe.

Gimme a hand! Hey! Budge pulled at the pipe, but couldn't haul himself up.

Joss ignored him. She turned her body over the edge of the roof right as-

Oy! You! There was scuffling and swearing down below. Joss peeked over and found two bobbies wrestling Budge to the ground.

It weren't me! He bucked and kicked against them, screaming at the top of his lungs. I'was her! She went over the roof, ya wankers! He continued screaming as they bound him.

Budge looked up, noticing her head over the edge of the building.

You- One of the cops smacked him upside the face.

Now that's enough out'a you! Ya little...

Joss smirked to herself as she rolled away, traipsing between smokestacks until she was a few blocks away. She almost felt bad for letting him get nabbed, but didn't waste her time thinking on it. He would have turned on her in a wink, she had no doubt.

She had always been able to climb better than everyone else on the streets. It was how she'd escaped the orphanage so many times. The head mistress probably still thought she'd been spirited away from that locked attic.

Climbing had come in handy on the streets, helping her escape trouble like today. Or when the older gangs started roughing up the urchins; She'd just climb a gutter pipe and wait until they'd moved on.

The buildings were starting to glow from within as light faded outside. That meant the wind would chill even more up here. But Jocelyn climbed higher anyways, scaling the arch of a townhouse until she was above the rest. Crouching down, she huddled close to the chimney for warmth and watched the city turn to shadows and diamonds. The steam and smoke hovered across the city like a  musty blanket, softening the edges of buildings and muffling sound oddly.

This was one of her few pleasures, the only vice she still held to. Aside from the dreams, at least, but you could hardly count those. They were like glimpses really, pieces of a different life.

A noise to her left made her start a moment, but she rolled her eyes.

Jus' you, is it? Looks like you escaped Rob again.

The golden chicken didn't respond, clicking it's way steadily toward her.

Hey, bugger off. I ain't yer bleedin' pillow, ya'know.

She nudged the metal beast, but it bumped right next to her anyway, squatting down. Joss rolled her eyes and turned back to the view.

Off a bit west, past Charring Cross and Mayfair, was the 'to do' district. The gentry, in all their finery, would be traipsing about their dinner parties, riding through Hyde Park with their lovers, sitting in cozy salons drinking tea and coffee... All without a care in the world.

What a strange way to live, Joss thought to herself. It would probably make her mad if she bothered to think about it, but there wasn't much point. She'd learned not to waste energy on such thoughts.

A door slammed open below her on the street, and an argument echoed off the house walls, rising to the obscurity of the smokestacks. Down the street, a fiddler livened up the noise of a party. Someone yelled after a thief, and the drunks and whores yammered back and forth as the dingy alleys and bars came to life.

Joss sighed. The breeze had turned brisk and stole what little warmth she'd gained from the bricks beside her. Time to go.

Checking to make sure no one was about, she slipped quietly down a fire escape to the ground, leaving the chicken to it's perch. She shrugged her sweater closer and headed off down the dark, fogging street.

Joss shifted against the rough stones. Later that night. The niche she had found was one she'd used before, but was growing too small. At almost sixteen years of age, she was having to learn new ways of taking care of herself. Her old tricks didn't work quite as well as they used to.

She was almost asleep, but something was bothering her. She didn't know what, but something was... off. She turned again and closed her eyes, sighing as peace continued to evade her.

Scrape, shuffle, whisper.

Her eyes snapped open again. She held her breath. Sure enough, the whispers started again. Too faint, too far away to make out.

She cautiously shifted, moving to where she could scramble out if need be.

Trust me, she comes 'ere regular.

Budge. There were two other shadows with him, moving through the dark to her little corner.

That's what you said at the last-

Shh! There, in'at hole.

Oh shite. Joss scurried out quickly, hoping to cut under their legs before they could catch her, but it was no good.

Ow! She cried out as someone grabbed her hair, yanking hard and holding on.

Not this time Joss, Budge laughed wickedly as he tried to pull her around to punch her in the face.

Well, looks like the bugger weren't lyin'. She ain't half bad. One of the men with him held out a lantern and leered down at her. He was dressed as a constable, but his manner was lewd and rough. It looked like Budge had twisted a deal with the less reputable men at Scottland Yard.

Joss didn't get a chance to look at the third man, since he came up from behind to grab her. As Budge loosened his hand to shove her to the other man, she rocked her fist up, catching him in the jaw. Using the distraction she rolled away,