Chapter 17
She had disappeared off the face of the earth Nicholas had wanted to die when she left. He had wanted to not go on anymore, there was no point if she was not there. But then the Revolution had captured his attention although his heart had not been in it. He was now in the process of searching France. But she was not here. His next stop was England.
Bill couldn't believe that she had just vanished into thin air. He had hung around the flats where he had found her last time but she wasn't there. He had got word to Fagin to tell him his plans and was now sitting in a sorry excuse for a pub waiting for the fence.
Finally he saw Fagin's skeleton like body make its way between the tables to where he sat.
Fagin observed the young man opposite him. He had been informed about Nancy and how her life had gone. Bill was not the same since she had left. He looked tired, worn out. She had bought life into him, she was the compassionate side to him, without Nancy Bill Sikes was just another cracksman.
"Glad to see you looking so well my dear!"
"Oh shut up Fagin I didn't ask you here for how are you's and to tell you what a wonderful day it is and all that crap!"
Bill's temper was sharp and short since Nancy had left. Not that it had been good before hand, observed Fagin.
"No, no of course not my dear I should think the nature of the visit was business of some kind?"
"It's about Nance you old fool. She ain't anywhere to be found and the only place I can think of is London." Bill glared at Fagin waiting for a reaction of some kind.
"London? You really think she would go there? I mean where would she go??"
"Well I don't bloody well know do I? Maybe she has saunted off to Brownlow's the little jade but she is there I knows it and I'm gonna find her."
"So why do you need me then my dear? Surely you can't want me to go with you? Not now Bill, I have a nice little business 'ere I don't want to leave just yet and-"
"Stop your belly aching would you Fagin it ain't you I want you think I wanna be saddled with you for god knows how long? No thank you very much! It's Dodger I'm after he up to it you think?"
"Dodger?" What was going round in Bill's head? Dodger would be more then grateful to leave he had got in with the Patron Minette and had confessed to Fagin one drunken night that Montparnasse had taken a shine to Nance, three days latter Bill had found her in the street. Didn't take a genius to work out what had happened.
"Well?!" Bill's voice grated through Fagin's thoughts.
"Well? Oh yes my dear Dodger would be glad to go back to London…what would you need him for?"
"That's for me to know and you to wonder. Have him meet me 'ere tonight."
With that Bill dismissed Fagin, so Fagin took his leave and left Bill with his thoughts.
She had disappeared off the face of the earth Nicholas had wanted to die when she left. He had wanted to not go on anymore, there was no point if she was not there. But then the Revolution had captured his attention although his heart had not been in it. He was now in the process of searching France. But she was not here. His next stop was England.
Bill couldn't believe that she had just vanished into thin air. He had hung around the flats where he had found her last time but she wasn't there. He had got word to Fagin to tell him his plans and was now sitting in a sorry excuse for a pub waiting for the fence.
Finally he saw Fagin's skeleton like body make its way between the tables to where he sat.
Fagin observed the young man opposite him. He had been informed about Nancy and how her life had gone. Bill was not the same since she had left. He looked tired, worn out. She had bought life into him, she was the compassionate side to him, without Nancy Bill Sikes was just another cracksman.
"Glad to see you looking so well my dear!"
"Oh shut up Fagin I didn't ask you here for how are you's and to tell you what a wonderful day it is and all that crap!"
Bill's temper was sharp and short since Nancy had left. Not that it had been good before hand, observed Fagin.
"No, no of course not my dear I should think the nature of the visit was business of some kind?"
"It's about Nance you old fool. She ain't anywhere to be found and the only place I can think of is London." Bill glared at Fagin waiting for a reaction of some kind.
"London? You really think she would go there? I mean where would she go??"
"Well I don't bloody well know do I? Maybe she has saunted off to Brownlow's the little jade but she is there I knows it and I'm gonna find her."
"So why do you need me then my dear? Surely you can't want me to go with you? Not now Bill, I have a nice little business 'ere I don't want to leave just yet and-"
"Stop your belly aching would you Fagin it ain't you I want you think I wanna be saddled with you for god knows how long? No thank you very much! It's Dodger I'm after he up to it you think?"
"Dodger?" What was going round in Bill's head? Dodger would be more then grateful to leave he had got in with the Patron Minette and had confessed to Fagin one drunken night that Montparnasse had taken a shine to Nance, three days latter Bill had found her in the street. Didn't take a genius to work out what had happened.
"Well?!" Bill's voice grated through Fagin's thoughts.
"Well? Oh yes my dear Dodger would be glad to go back to London…what would you need him for?"
"That's for me to know and you to wonder. Have him meet me 'ere tonight."
With that Bill dismissed Fagin, so Fagin took his leave and left Bill with his thoughts.