(I decided that I would try to write a much longer chapter to post. I am sorry that it has taken so long, but that's what everyone has suggested. With exams going on I have more free time to write. I have another long chapter that I am just adding the finishing touches to. It will be posted as soon as possible. Enjoy! ~Northern Star!)
Elizabeth fumbled to open her scarlet parasol to shield herself from the scorching sun's rays.
She glanced to the winter sky. Fluffy white clouds appeared to be rolling in from the West. Maybe New York would finally be receiving a relief from the soaring temperatures that had been present for the past few days. It wouldn't matter to Lizzy though. She wouldn't be able to exit her chambers for the upcoming week anyway.
Finally there was relief to be rid of her arrogant church day partner.
Elizabeth studied her city map carefully as she rounded the street corner. "Duane," she read aloud from the green sign.
Her eyes wandered to the shops that lined what appeared to Duane Street. The building at her side looked to be a bookshop, which she decided to browse at first.
She pulled out a book with emerald green bindings from the many shelves lining the walls. Her delicate fingers lovingly flipped through its dog-eared pages.
"MacBeth," a voice whispered from behind her.
Elizabeth's heart felt as if it had literally stopped beating for the thought of the voice perhaps belonging to a newsie. "It's a great work of literature," she muttered nervously, not making an effort to face the person over her shoulder.
"MacBeth?" The boy was no longer referring to the book in her grasp. He was a newsie.
"How are you today, Dutchy?"
"Just fine, Mam, but -"
Lizzy cut him off, knowing exactly what he was going to imply, "All of the girls are welcome to roam Manhattan on Sunday afternoons. I'm not breaking any rules."
Dutchy nodded with understanding, "Would you like ta join me to da lodging house. Poor Snoddy has caught his death a cold after swimming dat past Tuesday and I was required ta choose a book ta keep him occupied. Now dat I have done so I will be returnin'."
"I would be delighted to, but you must promise me that you will be sure to keep track of the time. Another incident like the last would not be wise."
They walked arm and arm out of the shop and down the street, talking of such things as the weather and United States geography.
"Those clouds don't look too good," MacBeth frowned.
"Yeah, I suspect a big one comin'."
"Are your winters here in America always this warm?" MacBeth wiped the dripping perspiration from her brow.
"No, not usually, but storms, like dat one dat looks ta be comin', ain't very good for us newsies. It's bad for business. I mean, who like ta go out in the bitta cold unless dey have to. Besides the newsies it affects everyone else's work, so dat most people don't have a penny to spare ta buy a pape."
"I'm real sorry, Dutchy. Is there anything that I could do to help?"
"Just always keep us in your mind and in ya heart," he paused, "You'll always be in ours no matta what happens."
"I will," Lizzy smiled.
When the awkward silence that followed, passed, they resumed their conversation.
"Blink'll be real glad ta see ya. It kinda upset him when you said dat ta him dis mornin."
"Well, what he couldn't see were the peering eyes of my father. He would have been very angry if I had stopped to buy one of Blink's papes."
"All of da newsies were very sorry for gettin' ya into so much trouble."
"Ah, no. It wasn't their faults. It was my clumsiness for not remembering to check the time. Blink and I have already gone through this conversation, and I would like to put it aside."
"Yeah. Well, here we are, the Duane Street Newsboy's Lodging House. I ain't much."
"No, no, It's great. It's great!" Lizzy smiled as she pushed open the large, wooden framed door to reveal a lobby full of lounging newsies. She noticed Kid Blink across the room chatting with Jack and a few others. She recognized them all, but one.
"Well, who woulda thunk dat ole Dutchy would be da only one a us ta bring a goil home for da night," the unknown guy smirked.
"Spot, you obviously haven't met our new friend, MacBeth," Blink smiled.
Lizzy gently tugged him aside, "So we are still friends?"
"Of course. But I would like ta discuss da whole father thing sometime if ya wouldn't mind."
"Sure, but I'm guessing that this isn't the right time, being that you have company," Lizzy replied.
Blink turned back to look at Spot, Jack and the other guys who seemed to be trying to follow their conversation intensively. Blink chuckled, "You guessed right."
Spot leaned back in his chair with class and plastered a questionable look from ear to ear," You ain't one a dose hoity toity goils? Are ya?"
Lizzy turned to Jack in question, "Hoity toity?"
Race cut in, "Upper class, stuck up."
"Oh, I see."
Spot shrugged, chuckling to himself, "Cause I mean, what kinda name is MacBeth anyways?"
Elizabeth frowned. This new Spot fellow seemed to have a striking resemblance of someone she had known back in England, "Uh hu, yeah, Mr.? uh?"
"Conlon," Spot smirked.
"Right, Conlon. Yes, Mr. Conlon," she paused and reached over quickly to snatch the Cuban hanging loosely from his mouth to take a puff, "You obviously ain't neva' had no schoolin' since you ain't neva heard a da," she paused once again to slip back into her native dialect, "novel, Mac Beth, written by the world famous writer, Shakespeare."
Spot's stubborn smirk quickly vanished and his eyes narrowed, turning a foreboding shade of ice blue, "You've got spunk. I like dat in a goil. But no one and I mean no one get away wid insultin' me."
All of the guys surrounding the group looked onto the conversation with curiosity. Of course, none of them would ever let Spot do any harm to MacBeth, but they were still intrigued to see where it all would lead.
"You don't make fun a me name and I won't make fun a your schoolin'."
Spot started to protest, but she cut him off by shoving the cigar back between his lips, "Well, alright then."
He frowned, "I didn't agree ta dat."
"I ain't askin' your approval."
Everyone chuckled at Spot's distraught expression as he released a large billow of smoke to the room. The thought of being told what to do by a girl made his mind boggle.
The other guys pulled Spot over to another corner of the room, offering to deal up a card game in hope of clearing his mind of what looked to be menacing thoughts.
Blink and MacBeth stayed behind to talk.
"So, what do ya think a Spot?" Blink smiled.
"Hmmm.... he's not the kind of fellow that I would ever choose as a best friend, but hey; I've always got you and Dutchy."
"Yeah, Spot usually doesn't take well ta strangers. But as long as you do nothin' ta insult him then he's pretty cool ta hang around wid."
Elizabeth smiled inwardly, "His pride could use a little alteration." Blink raised his glass to that.
"Christmas will soon be here." Lizzy said.
"Yeah, we usually don't do much ta celebrate. Mr. Tibby always surprises us with some a his infamous Christmas fruitcake. We've still got a few back there in da kitchen if you'd like ta try it."
Lizzy was quick to throw her hands up in protest, "No, no that's quite alright. I'll pass."
"Just a suggestion."
"But really; you never celebrate? What is Christmas without a Christmas tree?"
Dutchy looked up from his hand of cards after over hearing Blink and MacBeth's conversation, "We don't got da money ta spare for a tree or decorations. It jist ain't practical."
"Well, we'll just have to correct that," Lizzy quickly stood up to exit as they began to ask questions in defense. She smiled, "Oh my! Look at the time! I must be getting back. We wouldn't want to repeat last week's incident."
Blink jumped up from the sofa, "Wait! When will I see ya again? You said dat we was gunna talk!"
"I'll surprise you!" Lizzy replied.
