The Diamond of Drury Lane

Authors: Julia Golding

J
ULIA
G
OLDING
C
AT IN
L
ONDON

First published 2006
by Egmont UK Ltd
239 Kensington High Street, London W8 6SA
This edition published 2010
Text copyright © 2006 Julia Golding
The moral rights of the author have been asserted
ISBN 978 1 4052 3758 1
eBook ISBN 978 1 7803 1088 6

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library
Printed and bound in the UK by CPI Mackays, Chatham ME5 8TD
www.egmont.co.uk
www.juliagolding.co.uk
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher and copyright owner.

For Peggy Chowns
. . .
my great
Great-Aunt who loves reading

T
HE
C
RITICS
‘Cat Royal has no Rivals!’ . . . R. B. S
HERIDAN
‘Capital! (Apart from the bit about one’s underwear)’
. . . G
EORGE
, H.R.H.
THE
P
RINCE OF
W
ALES
‘Far too dangerous to be put in the hands of innocent
children! Burn every copy!’ . . . T
HOMAS
B
OWDLER
.
‘Too short’ . . . J
AMES
B
OSWELL
.
‘I have made it required reading for every midshipman’
. . . A
DMIRAL
N
ELSON
‘Write on, sister’ . . . M
ARY
W
OLLSTONECRAFT
‘Scandalous’ . . . H
ANNAH
M
ORE
‘It made me realize what bliss it is to be alive today, but
to be young is very heaven!’ . . . W
ILLIAM
W
ORDSWORTH
‘Utterly insane!’ . . . H.M. K
ING
G
EORGE
III
‘Revolutionary stuff. Charge her with something quick!’
. . . the R
T
. H
ON
. P
RIME
M
INISTER
, W
ILLIAM
P
ITT
‘Electrifying!’ . . . B
ENJAMIN
F
RANKLIN
‘I haven’t had time to read it, but I’m sure it is very
good anyway’ . . . G
EORGE
W
ASHINGTON
‘This book should be banned’
. . . the L
ORD
C
HAMBERLAIN
A N
OTE TO THE
R
EADER
Be warned, that the story you are about to read is not for the squeamish. I intend to bring you life as I live it. This is not the world of the drawing room and country estate, but backstage at Drury Lane and on the streets of London. If you want to survive in my neighbourhood, you have to be prepared to use coarse language that packs a verbal punch. I include a glossary at the back to assist you. But are you bold enough to follow me? If so, read on.
Catherine ‘Cat’ Royal

L IST OF P RINCIPAL C HARACTERS
P ROLOGUE	A Riot
Act I	S CENE 1 A Balloon Ride S CENE 2 Gang Leader S CENE 3 A Triumph
Act II	S CENE 1 The Duke’s Children S CENE 2 High Society S CENE 3 Bow St Butcher v. Camden Crusher S CENE 4 Billy ‘Boil’ Shepherd
Act III	S CENE 1 A Reward S CENE 2 The Rookeries S CENE 3 Backstage S CENE 4 Snowballs
Act IV	S CENE 1 Friends S CENE 2 Pawnbroker S CENE 3 Attack
Act V	S CENE 1 Dresses S CENE 2 The Thames S CENE 3 Gaol S CENE 4 Champagne
E PILOGUE	Diamond
G LOSSARY

P
RINCIPAL
C
HARACTERS

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