This is the real Victorian London, not that prudish, strait laced London we've been given to understand was Queen Victoria's London. There were 50,000 prostitutes in the London of that time, most of them part timers, dollymops, or housewives, trying to make a few extra shillings to subsidise the husband's meagre pay. Those that took to the streets were prey to syphilis, so many had an arrangement with just one man outside the marriage, who would keep only to them, and who would pay them for their services. This arrangement protected them both from STD's. But life was cheap in those mean streets, especially in areas like Whitechapel and Spitalfields. Whitechapel alone boasted 1200 prostitutes, and many would just disappear without trace. Crime was a way of life for many, while the great divide between the rich and poor was more noticeable than today. After reading this Novella, you will thank your lucky stars that you weren't born into Victorian London.