It was a bitter cold day......
streets. We, my poor soul of a father, and I, a young girl of 16, were leaving our
sad lives as runaways in England. My father, William Shaft, as he was known,
had once been a powerful leader in Parliament of the British Crown. We were rich
and a part of the high upper class of British society, but then our lives fell. Or I
should say that they were ruined. Our most valued friend, being at one time at least,
told my fathers great secret of once being a convicted criminal. We fled our up city
apartment and then began to travel all over western Europe trying to settle down
and live a comfortable life without the worry of people knowing Papa's name or
history. Though just as we should have known, the news traveled fast and there was
no hope of that simple life of solitude that we had dreamed of......
I wrote in my lavender colored journal at the bay window overlooking the salty waters of the Atlantic Ocean. I quickly slammed my journal shut at the sound of a soft thump at the door of my ship cabin.
"Come in," I replied as I stroked my dog, Kizzie, who was lying in my lap. She was a Shiatsu with hair of auburn gold. She was my only true companion at the time, besides Papa, and I loved her dearly.
My papa slowly walked in to have a seat on my large four poster bed."Hello Papa!" I exclaimed giving him a kiss on the cheek. "How are you feeling, my darling Lizzie?" he smiled showing the sweet dimples that usually graced his rosy cheeks.
"Just fine Papa. I'll feel better when we finally arrive in America." I replied with a small frown. "I know Lizzie. For these three weeks have seemed like months." We both sighed with exasperation.
"I'm sure New York City will be the most exciting of all our travels. I always dreamed of being able to see all of the wonderful sites you used to talk about back in London. New York will be the last of our journeys? Won't it Papa?" I said excitedly.
He smiled. "I'm sure it will Lizzy. I sure hope it will,"he smiled as if to encourage me to keep believing.
Her horn sounded loudly as we pulled into New York Harbor. Papa and I stood hand in hand staring wildly at the beautiful sites that laid before us. "You didn't come close to doing New York justice, Papa. It is the most beautiful city I have ever laid eyes upon." My stomach filled with butterflies.
"New York is going to be wonderful. I'm sure our school will prosper greatly," Papa smiled to me. My father had retrieved most of our fortune from the banks before we left London with the hopes of starting a girl's academy in New York. He was now fulfilling his dream.
Of course I was obliged to say that I would attend the school after it was up and running, but I was a little worried about fitting in with the people in America. The people there were bound to be so much different than I was accustomed to. I had had no problems with making friends back at home but there was severe doubt inside me about the United States.
For some odd reason Papa always seemed to know what I was thinking and I hated it. "I know that you are worried about fitting in," he said as he watched me stair out to the horizon. His statement startled me and I turned to face him.
"Don't ask me how I know that. You're going to be fine," he wrapped a comforting arm around my shoulders, "I felt the same way when I came to America as a lad. But trust me, you'll have a great deal of friends before it's all over. The girls at the school will be great friends."
"Thanks Papa," I replied with a smile and a kiss on the cheek.
"Hey, but there is something else important I need to have a word with you about. There are people here in New York like in London, street rats. No matter how nice they may seem, all they can bring you is trouble. Do you hear me? I want you to stay away from them."
Papa's face had gone down a dark path. It looked cold and scared. I didn't like it when he looked like that, "It's alright, Papa. I will stay away from them. You can trust me."
His face softened at my concerned eyes peering deep into his. He gave me a hug, "I can't believe I doubted you in the first place. My girl, my little girl; I should have known that you wouldn't."