Scholar's Court
Dame Katrina Ogilvy : An Opera Singer
Olga : Russian Cook to Dame Katrina
Natasha : Ukrainian kitchen maid at “
The Mews”
Daniel : A telegram boy with the GPO
Scaramouche : Feline Warden at Scholar’s Court. Lives
at No 13 along with his long suffering
partner Ms Woolly Sue.
Madam Duffy : Chair of the “
Mr Burgess, 13 Scholar's Court
At her home of “The Mews” Belgravia, Mags
Sometimes Mags wore her golden collar, a prized and precious adornment earned for bravery in a previous tail.
Mags could feel another tail looming.
Inside “The
Mews”, Mags' guardian, Dame Katrina, was rehearsing for a solo appearance at the Wigmore Hall, performing arias from Puccini and
Verdi’s greatest operas, an event that sparked renewed interest in Katrina’s work ,
resulting in lots of telegrams from well wishers.
The telegrams were delivered by Daniel,
the local GPO telegram messenger boy.
Daniel was always a welcome visitor at “The Mews”.
Everyone was pleased to see Daniel.
Dame Katrina was pleased to see Daniel, who, if truth be told, was closely related to Effy Ogilvy, one of Dame Katrina’s noble Scottish cousins. Daniel had been brought up in a Barnardo’s children’s home so was unaware of his Ogilvy connection.
Mags and Phoebe were pleased to see the handsome Daniel, who came to deliver his telegrams on his glorious shining motor bike, always looking smart, whistling merrily and cheering up the whole household.
Natasha, the Ukrainian kitchen maid at “The Mews” was pleased to see Daniel. They were growing quite keen on each other, enjoying Sunday walks and summer picnics, nights out dancing and going to the local flicks.
Daniel was also a favourite of Olga, the Russian born Cook at “The Mews”. She had developed deep maternal feelings for the boy.
Natasha usually met Daniel at the front door and showed him through into the kitchen where Olga laid on a little sumptuous treat of the latest sweet or savoury snack.
Ukrainian Snow Cap Cookies
Olga announced with delight : “ Our Natasha has made you her own version of Ukrainian Snow Cap Cookies with coconut and a
baked-on meringue topping.”
“ Wow”, said Daniel and winked furtively at Natasha, adding “ Thanks a lot, Tasha”.
Olga was not amused.
“ Tasha”? Olga frowned.
“Oops” quipped Daniel. “Sorry, I mean Natasha”.
Daniel also was in the habit of bringing local gossip to “ The Mews”.
“What tittle-tattle have you for us today, young man?” asked Olga.
Mags overheard Daniel say that he’d overheard conversations taking place
in Russian at No 12 Scholar’s Court, a newly revamped row of mews flats in a street only a
short distance away.
Olga jumped up fast at this news, raising her blood pressure sky high.
“ How do you know they were speaking in Russian, boy?”
“ Natasha has been teaching me her language, so I can speak to her in Russian” replied Daniel.
“ Oh! !” said Olga and stared in horror at Natasha.
The Cook had noticed the close relationship budding between Daniel and Natasha and she felt concern as the outcome was very likely doomed.
Olga made a mental note to speak to Dame Katrina about these two young people.
“ They are your compatriots at No 12 , I imagine” said Daniel, addressing Natasha, trying to be helpful because he knew Natasha had very few friends from her own country except Olga.
“ If they are Russians they will be aliens, so will have to report to the authorities, as we do “ said Olga in a strange voice that chilled everyone's blood.
Daniel quickly finished his treat and with Natasha
leading he left to go back to work
passing Dame Katrina in the hallway.
“ How is our dear Daniel?” asked Katrina
“ Very well , Madam” and doffed his cap and left, but not before a final word to Natasha.
“ Is everything OK for our date on Saturday, Tasha? Do you still want to come?”
“ Why yes, yes, please, I do, it will be lovely to go to Trafalgar Square and see the pigeons together and drop into St Martin’s In The Field Church” she replied.
Dame Katrina overheard Daniel and Natasha’s exchanges. She was right in the middle of getting into the best frame of mind and mood to sing "Vissi d'arte" , an aria from Act 2 of “Tosca” by Giacomo Puccini. However, she made a mental note to speak to Olga, since this apparent romance between Daniel and Natasha was of grave concern.
In the kitchen Daniel’s report of Russians living nearby put the wind up Olga.
Turning to Natasha, Olga remarked “ We should keep our distance my dear, Madam would not want us to draw attention to ourselves.”
Natasha knew very little about Olga’s past life, the exact story about her Russian origins, and of whether she had associations with the family of the last Tsar. Yes, Olga was a Cook, but the lady in situ at this time and performing her role in a most convincing way, was in truth a British secret service agent, an actress and body double placed there in order to protect and hide the true identity and whereabouts of the real Olga.
[ Author’s Note: It’s all in the back story.]
Olga was increasingly worried. Who were these Russians? Were they spying on the occupants of “ The Mews”?
Natasha sighed.
“ What’s wrong, child?” asked Olga
Natasha shrugged off the question. She was annoyed
about the delays in communicating with her brother, Sion, in
“ Perhaps these Russian people know my brother, Sion?” said Natasha
Olga did not answer at first and a greater fear rose up inside. Then Olga said:
“ Very well, then, Natasha. We must ask Madam to contact your guardian Sir James Thompson to enquire about your brother’s present welfare.”
Olga added “ It is for the best we stay clear of these neighbours , for now.”
Natasha agreed.
Mags found her sister Phoebe in the garden outside “
The Mews” and gave her a full account of
the latest gossip about the Russians at No 12.
“ No 12, Scholar’s Court, eh?” said Phoebe.
“ That’s Scaramouche’s patch, isn’t it, he lives at No 13, with that nice Mr Burgess, mused Mags, except old Scaramouche is such a charlatan and double dealer. ”
It was common knowledge that Scaramouche
was awkward, boastful, at the bottom line, a complete coward. He was the local warden, assisted by his long suffering partner
Ms Woolly- Sue. They were appointed by
the Madam Duffy and sponsored by her “
Phoebe did not reply to Mags’, one obstacle was that she knew Scaramouche as a friend of her old flame Gus and there was a history that Phoebe didn’t want to have unravelled.
“ Olga seems very worried about these Russians.” said Mags adding “Are they spies ? Or Traitors? Or Communist infiltrators? What can we do to find out more?”
Don’t you dare, Mags
True to past form Mags had no intention of heeding Phoebe’s warning.
Mags had a plan!
TO BE CONTINUED SOMETIME ( PURRHAPS )
FOR ALL ENQUIRIES ABOUT PHOEBE AND MAGS WORTHINGTON AND THEIR BACK STORIES CONTACT WILLIAM CROSS BY EMAIL
williecross@aol.com
COPIES OF THE BOOK " TAILS OF PHOEBE AN MAGS WORTHINGTON OF " THE MEWS" BELGRAVIA" ARE STILL AVAILABLE.
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