It had been two weeks since Queen Victoria had walked in on them, and consequently stormed back out again. She had not reappeared on the scene nor had there been any indication that she intended to do so, to Jenny's private relief. There had been no further visits from the Space Pirates, the Doctor was keeping out of Queen Victoria's way and overall it had been a quiet two weeks. The only thing vaguely concerned with a case was a return letter from Harriet Fields. In it, she thanked them shortly for their assistance and asked if it was possible they could assist her in finding accommodation. Jenny had made a quick visit to Mrs Blackett asking if she could give cheap rent to someone struggling and Mrs Blackett had taken Harriet under her wing. Jenny wondered briefly if Harriet would end up being a Blackett much like her sister had but shrugged the thought off. Her sister's battles had not resulted in any cases for them nor could she see much disruption around London, so whatever it was she was up to, Jenny figured it didn't concern her.
The 1st of April came but Jenny was too nervous about it being April to participate much in the pranks of the Paternoster Irregulars. Mrs Parker laughed until she cried at their antics and then told them she'd hidden eggs all over London for them and they darted out at once to hunt them all down.
They returned just before midday looking weary and without a single egg, giving Mrs Parker her dues for a prank well played. Jenny made it up to them with several Cadbury eggs she'd bought and gave Parker and his wife a lovely Easter present of a small china hare.
They had a large Easter dinner cooked by Mrs Parker and Jenny took a plate full of some lamb for Vastra who had retired early in the day to the Plant room and hadn't left it since. Jenny found her sleeping in the wicker chair and put the plate on the small tea table before returning to the party.
5th April 1888
Jenny had taken to buying The Times newspaper, not only because it was the newspaper that Vastra advertised her services as an Adventurer in but also trying to see if there were any weird and wonderful things happening in London that might require their attention. The police were in a tizzy over a murder that they couldn't solve but Jenny could guess as to who had done it in five seconds. She had worked for a major gang after all. It brought her mind to Lettie and she wondered whether Lettie had escaped again from the troubles Jenny had brought to her door and where she was. It was something to investigate at least and she felt guilty for not having thought to find out sooner.
6th April 1888
The next morning, Jenny sent off the Irregulars to look for any hint of her before going to find Vastra. She found the Silurian sleeping in the Plant room again, as she had been doing every day since April began. Jenny stood watching her for a long time. She'd tried not to be worried, but Vastra had barely said a word to her in a week. There was an unnerving stillness, and Vastra's scales were tinged with yellow. Not for the first time, Jenny thought that she should learn more about Silurian physiology, what sickness looked like, what illnesses they caught. She placed a hand gently against Vastra's triangular forehead crest. It felt cold, despite the fire they'd paid to be put in to thoroughly warm through the Plant room.
She jumped at the sound of distant thunder and a moment later the skies opened and rain pelted down on the glass ceiling in a sudden April shower. Vastra jerked awake, knocking Jenny's hand aside. Her eyes scowled. Jenny remembered that look. It was the blank look of hatred reserved for apes that Vastra only got after a dream about her past. Particularly in April.
"Bad dreams?" Jenny ventured when Vastra didn't move or utter a word. "April right?"
Vastra blinked. And then blinked a few more times before her eyes cleared. Her jaw tensed but she nodded.
"You hungry? Should I get you somethin'?" Jenny made to move away but Vastra grabbed her hand, tugging her down. "I'll squash the chair, you stupid lizard! S'only wicker." Jenny braced herself before she was pulled into Vastra's lap. She remembered Vastra sitting in the wicker chair all day during their first April together. Only a year ago Jenny thought. Vastra had been so angry, getting drunk and then falling apart.
Vastra went to get up but Jenny still stood over her, hands on the arm rests, staring at nothing with a distant look in her eyes.
"What are you thinking?" the Silurian asked curiously.
"A year ago, I was still workin' in the factory. Knowin' nuffin of anythin' much. Now I snub me nose at the Queen an' fight pirates and goodness knows what else."
"You've come up in the world." Vastra remarked with amusement.
"What about you?" Jenny tilted her head and looked Vastra in the eyes.
Jenny was clearly in one of those kinds of moods, Vastra noted. She'd felt in a similar mood herself the past few days, thinking about her sisters. In a small attic flat above a gin shop it had felt easy to feel sorry for herself, particularly after quitting the circus and having no idea of the future. It had been easy to wallow, for what had there been that was good in her life to feel as if she were moving forward, living a life? But now, there was Jenny…
"I am wondering what my sisters would have thought of all this." Vastra gestured to the room about her.
"Maybe they'd just be glad you was happy." Jenny shrugged. Her face fell at Vastra's silence and she stood up again. "What?"
There was no denying she was happy. Happier. The cases gave her a purpose and Jenny…Jenny gave her laughter. Warmth. Affection. Companionship. She'd mourned for years over her sister's death, every April without fail. But now there was a future, a life to be lived. Jenny had given her that too.
"It is entirely possible. I was on far better terms with them then you are with your family." She replied eventually.
Jenny sighed. She remembered asking Vastra about the Silurian's sisters. She remembered Vastra's curiosity about her own. She smiled; neither of them had reacted to well to such inquiries. But she did wonder sometimes, what she had done to deserve the life she had now. What it was that had gifted it to her.
"Do you ever feel guilty, bein' happy?"
Her ape did so love to ask the pointed questions at difficult times, Vastra mused. Not that she had been much better herself at times.
"More regretful, that they cannot share in it. That I have grown beyond them and they cannot ever grow to catch up. Ironic, considering I was the youngest." She sighed. "The Doctor once told me I had changed. Such a cruel word that is."
Jenny's face twisted into a frown of concentration as she struggled to process what Vastra meant. "Why? Surely s'a good thing to change."
"Is it?" Vastra glowered at her, surging up out the chair. "Do you not ever feel it? That sense of leaving something behind? With your family? At least you can have a hope they will change. My family are dead. I have no hope of them accepting me for what I am. The further I change, the less I am like them." Vastra scoffed. "Perhaps I should change some more? Change completely! Become even more human."
Jenny blinked. A shimmer appeared around Vastra's head, a shadow of something, blurring Vastra's face. "Oi!" she didn't know why she'd called out like that. She blinked again and felt tears on her cheeks. A sense of loneliness overwhelmed her and she could do nothing, she felt, but stand there, gazing helplessly at Vastra.
"Isn't that why you went to them? Your aunt and uncle? A foolish hope they would accept you? How did it feel when your entire family rejected you?" the Silurian hissed.
Jenny took a shaky breath and realised she was trembling all over. She had always wanted to tell Vastra and it spilled out of her now. "You're my family now. You an' the urchins."
"You cannot replace them!" Vastra snapped.
Something ticked, like a clock, clicked, like a stone sliding into place. It felt as if time had slowed, just enough to give her time. Jenny shook her head to dispel it but her anger at Vastra had already subsided into a strange, still calm. "You stupid, bloody lizard." Vastra blinked. "Silurian." Jenny amended. The stunned expression on Vastra's face was almost worth letting go of her anger for. "Is that really what you think I'm tryin' to do? Is that really what you think I want? Ha! I hope you don't become human. Humans discriminate just as much." Vastra's speechlessness dissipated any anger remaining. "I miss 'em too y'know. I miss what I had, what coulda been. But I got you now. It don't mean you've replaced 'em or anythin'. S'just…like you got me new clothes cos me old ones were scruffy. Or moving to here. Don't mean I never wore me old clothes or that we never had good times at the gin flat. It was just time to change, thas all. An' yeah, that's scary an' lonely but it's also better. And happier. I mean, you seem happier at any rate." Jenny twisted her skirt in hands, nervous that she'd gone too far.
Vastra sank slowly back into her wicker chair, recalling the times she'd questioned Jenny on her happiness. The urge to reassure Jenny struggled to overcome her shock at Jenny's reaction.
"I've changed too." Jenny continued. "I don't run off no more whenever you have a conniption."
"Ha!" Vastra felt a pang of bittersweet amusement at the statement, remembering their first April together. She smiled apologetically at Jenny. "You are right, my dear." She pulled Jenny towards her, the ape curling up onto her lap, tucking her head against Vastra's shoulder as Vastra buried her fingers into Jenny's hair. "You are right." She whispered into Jenny's ear. "I am happier."
Jenny's prediction alas proved true. She had been curled in Vastra's lap but for a moment when the wicker chair gave way entirely and deposited them both on the stone slab floor.
Vastra looked up at her, stunned and winded.
"Did tell yer." Was all Jenny felt she could manage.
7th April 1888
The Irregulars reported no trace of Lettie yet but that they would keep searching. The lack of news Jenny took as good news. If the Irregulars couldn't track her down, neither could Torchwood. Although, under the new management of Commander Wilton, it was entirely possible they wouldn't be that bothered about her.
After ensuring Vastra had eaten something, the two of them set out to procure a replacement wicker chair for the Plant room. Vastra had been distraught at the destruction and no amount of reassurances on Jenny's part that no doubt it had been old, that Mrs Blackett wouldn't mind, that she'd been passing off old furniture as much as anything, could console Vastra. It was her favourite lounging chair.
Jenny had no idea where they'd even find a wicker chair maker and the only suggestion Vastra could come up with was to visit George or Mrs Blackett. Jenny agreed with George, suspecting the exceedingly short man of having contacts across London and in many different lines of businesses.
George was over-joyed to see them, welcoming them with literal open arms.
"Ey! And tis grand to see you back in my shop. Come, come. My apologies for not coming to visit at Christmas, but I have been busy hey? I have new customers and the circus wanting all their outfits ready for the Spring season. I have been thinking of taking on an assistant. Don't want all my skills to go to waste ey? A successor as it were. Of course, my son…" George almost spat the word. "He is useless huh? Goes off who knows where. Does he come back to help his papa? No." George locked the door behind them and put up the closed sign, continuing to ramble on as he bustled about making tea and Jenny and Vastra settled themselves down for the visit. "And how are my two favourite people ey? It's been so long. Anything interesting happen? Tell me all."
Jenny glanced at Vastra who declared loftily. "It would take too long to tell George."
"I see your advertisement yes? Adventuress. It suits you. Lots of adventures?"
"Lots of adventures." Vastra smiled.
"No cages?"
"No cages." Jenny butted in. George gave her a look and a knowing smile.
"Well it seems you are looking after each other and that really is all I need to know." He leant back in his chair and sipped his tea. "Now! How can I help you? For you still look very fine, so no new clothes huh?"
"A wicker chair manufacturer." Vastra told him. "My old one has…disintegrated. I wish to have a new one made, in the same fashion."
"We was wonderin' if p'raps you knew anyone."
"I know a man." George nodded. Jenny waited for the ensuing story, probably with some sort of gruesome detail involving a willow branch but George said no more. "His name is Frederick. James Frederick. You will find him on Wigmore Street. His company makes bamboo and wicker furniture. Very good quality, I'm assured. Doesn't upholster them, but if you want I could do it. My father, George Maddox, had a shop up on Baker Street and he taught me enough that with some good time?"
"He passed away a few years ago, if I recall." Vastra said.
"Yes." George heaved a sigh. "I was already here, my brother did not wish to run the business, so he sold it."
"A shame your father never got a chance to enjoy his retirement."
"Eh, he would have hated it. For some people? Death is the only retirement they'll take."
Vastra nodded, finished her tea, and rose. Jenny hastily copied her. As always with George, he somehow managed to make it very clear the conversation was now over, without actually saying any of the many phrases that usually indicated as such. Vastra thanked George for the advice, took him up on the offer of upholstering the chair when it was done and bade him farewell before sweeping at the door. Jenny gave a wave as she followed but George was already clearing away the tea things.
"I din't know he had a brother." Jenny commented as they walked towards Wigmore street. Then again, she did not know much about George at all.
"They're not on good terms." Vastra replied shortly. Jenny didn't inquire further. Vastra's tone spoke of the similar sort of "not on good terms" that Jenny was with most her family.
On the way, back from Wigmore street, they were caught in another sudden downpour. Since they were too far away from Paternoster Row for running to be worthwhile, they trudged back through the emptying streets in silence.
Jenny insisted Vastra take a bath to warm up again the moment they got home. She bundled all their wet clothes together and dumped them in the laundry, before starting a fresh fire in the bedroom and kitchen. She warmed up some left-over beef stew for her dinner, hastily gulping it down. She wanted to get warm again, the chill of the rain had gotten into her bones.
Vastra was already curled up under several blankets in bed when Jenny went upstairs. She ran herself a fresh bath and let the heat soak through her, the sudden warmth giving her a slight headache. She felt better once she was wrapped up in several towels next to the fire in their bedroom, drying her hair. Vastra woke up and shuffled over to sit behind her and comb it.
"Can Silurians get sick?" Jenny had been running through the past few days in her mind and had recalled her thought of yesterday morning.
Vastra stared blankly at Jenny, as if struggling to comprehend her meaning. "Of course."
"Like humans?"
"There are specific Silurian diseases and a range of viruses. But that was back then. I doubt they survived the millennia."
"What about like…I dunno. A cold. Could you catch cold? Say if you got too wet?"
"You cannot get a cold from getting drenched in rain. It's a myth." Vastra rolled her eyes. "But when I first emerged, there were a few times I caught human illnesses. I thought I would surely die, my immune system was not at all adapted. And of course, the circus did nothing to help. But I recovered. Now I very rarely get sick."
Jenny had to admit the truth of that, she'd never once seen Vastra ill in the year they'd been together. Then again, neither had she. Better diet and better shelter had done wonders for her health.
"What do you need if you get ill?" They were now curled up together in bed, Jenny, for a change, curled up against Vastra's chest under the covers. "I mean what does it look like? How would I know? How would I treat it even?"
Vastra was touched at the little ape's concern. "My physiology is not so different. But I can teach you if you like. Tomorrow." She added on, to stop any further questions. The cold and the rain had made her sleepy. Jenny yawned in agreement and relaxed against her.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, there happened an almighty sneeze.
