Chapter 20
He decided he would go to places she had mentioned when she had told him about Bill that morning…the morning he had asked her to marry him. There were three places he could go, The Three Cripples, Old Nicole Street and Jacobs Island. He thought that a Pub might be a bit easier to find then a street and he had no idea what Jacob's Island was so The Three Cripples it was. And where better to find out where a pub was then from inside another pub?
The Anchor was as good as empty when he went in. Must be too early for drink he mused. At the Musain there had always been drinkers there no matter what time of day it was. True it was usually Grantaire who occupied it but still it was a bit more lively then this. English customs he supposed.
He strode over to the bar. Not an out going person at the best of times, the large man with a jagged scar running from the top to the bottom of his left cheek, needless to say, put Nicholas on edge.
"What can I do for ya mate?" Despite his appearance the barman seemed friendly enough Nicholas thought.
"Well actually I was wondering if you could help me…I was looking for the Three Cripples?"
"Oh your one of them are ya?" The man sneered at Feuilly "If you make your way out of here hail a cab, I'm sure the likes of you can afford it, and ask for little Saffron Hill you can't miss it."
"Thank… Thank you." Nicholas made his way back into the open air. One of them? The likes of you? What kind of place was this Three Cripples? He had never pressed Nancy about her past or the places she had vacated now he wished he had. He of course knew she had been a…a…lovely lady, he hated thinking of her like that, but that was about it.
So Nicholas hailed a cab, asked for Little Saffron Hill and prayed that he would find her there and that he would not have to venture any further into the London Underworld.
"Right Dodger I'm off to The Cripples, make your way down to Hampton Court then Jacob's Island would you?"
"Why would she go to Hampton Court? It ain't as if anyones gonna be there is it?"
Bill lost what little patients he had left and grabbed Dodger by the collar an shock him roughly "Now you listen to me," he hissed "I dunno where she is but I know where she might of gone so you are gonna go down to Hampton Court and you are gonna look D'yer hear me?" he gave Dodger another shake to make sure he got the message.
"Yeah Bill I got it loud and clear see you in the tavern at 11?" Bill gave a nod and released the boy, Dodger in turn ran down the street at high speed.
Bill stood for a second in the deserted street. He had almost killed the boy right there and then, he would of too if he thought he could of found Nance alone. "Hellfire" he muttered to himself and then took off in the direction of Little Saffron Hill.
She had to get rid of Bet. How could she do what needed to be done if she was hovering in the background. She decided there was only one thing for it, she would stay sober. By mid morning thought she was shaking with need. But Bet was no where to be seen, Nancy looked around the Cripples and silently said her good byes.
He entered the pub with fear in his heart. He feared that she would not be there. He feared that she would but wouldn't want him.
He opened the door and was horrified by what he saw. It wasn't that he had led a sheltered life, he was horrified because his dear, sweet Nancy had spent most of her life here. This dark dingy place where there were only cracks for windows and smoke and the stale smell of unwashed bodies hung in the air. Unlike the Anchor this place was buzzing with people, all of which looked miserable.
Once again he was apprehensive about approaching the barman but did so all the same.
"What's your poison?"
"I was after a person rather than a drink. A Miss Nancy?" he knew it was a long shot but who around here would know she was his wife? He had never asked her what her maiden name was.
The Barney shot Nicholas a questioning look "What about her?"
His heart jumped into his throat he knew her! "I was wondering if you knew her whereabouts perhaps?"
Barney regarded the young man opposite him. Another punter no doubt. Nancy always had had a good reputation when it had come to her line of work. He hadn't realized she had gone back on the game but he was a friend so would direct the business her way anytime he could.
"She lives above 'ere but she ain't home at the present. If I where you I'd try down by the river, it's one of her most regular spots, down near the bridge."
Nicholas left the pub as fast as his feet would carry him. Fate had brought them together he thought, how else would he have been so lucky? He smiled at the thought of seeing her and made his way across the main road from Little Saffron Hill towards the Thames.
Bill made his way up to the door of the Cripples. Nothing had changed n the outside. It was who was inside that was important to him now.
The moment he saw Barney he knew there was hope of finding her.
"Well strike me blind! If it ain't my best customer Bill Sikes! What'll it be then? On the 'ouse of course"
"Not at the moment Barney, though there might be cause for celebration later. You ain't seen Nance recently by any chance 'ave ya?"
"She's in demand today make no mistake! She lives here with Bet, ain't seen her this morning though, try down by the river, her usual patch I'm sure you know the place" he laughed and wondered if Sikes would share the joke but to no avail.
"Cheers Barney" then he was gone.
He decided he would go to places she had mentioned when she had told him about Bill that morning…the morning he had asked her to marry him. There were three places he could go, The Three Cripples, Old Nicole Street and Jacobs Island. He thought that a Pub might be a bit easier to find then a street and he had no idea what Jacob's Island was so The Three Cripples it was. And where better to find out where a pub was then from inside another pub?
The Anchor was as good as empty when he went in. Must be too early for drink he mused. At the Musain there had always been drinkers there no matter what time of day it was. True it was usually Grantaire who occupied it but still it was a bit more lively then this. English customs he supposed.
He strode over to the bar. Not an out going person at the best of times, the large man with a jagged scar running from the top to the bottom of his left cheek, needless to say, put Nicholas on edge.
"What can I do for ya mate?" Despite his appearance the barman seemed friendly enough Nicholas thought.
"Well actually I was wondering if you could help me…I was looking for the Three Cripples?"
"Oh your one of them are ya?" The man sneered at Feuilly "If you make your way out of here hail a cab, I'm sure the likes of you can afford it, and ask for little Saffron Hill you can't miss it."
"Thank… Thank you." Nicholas made his way back into the open air. One of them? The likes of you? What kind of place was this Three Cripples? He had never pressed Nancy about her past or the places she had vacated now he wished he had. He of course knew she had been a…a…lovely lady, he hated thinking of her like that, but that was about it.
So Nicholas hailed a cab, asked for Little Saffron Hill and prayed that he would find her there and that he would not have to venture any further into the London Underworld.
"Right Dodger I'm off to The Cripples, make your way down to Hampton Court then Jacob's Island would you?"
"Why would she go to Hampton Court? It ain't as if anyones gonna be there is it?"
Bill lost what little patients he had left and grabbed Dodger by the collar an shock him roughly "Now you listen to me," he hissed "I dunno where she is but I know where she might of gone so you are gonna go down to Hampton Court and you are gonna look D'yer hear me?" he gave Dodger another shake to make sure he got the message.
"Yeah Bill I got it loud and clear see you in the tavern at 11?" Bill gave a nod and released the boy, Dodger in turn ran down the street at high speed.
Bill stood for a second in the deserted street. He had almost killed the boy right there and then, he would of too if he thought he could of found Nance alone. "Hellfire" he muttered to himself and then took off in the direction of Little Saffron Hill.
She had to get rid of Bet. How could she do what needed to be done if she was hovering in the background. She decided there was only one thing for it, she would stay sober. By mid morning thought she was shaking with need. But Bet was no where to be seen, Nancy looked around the Cripples and silently said her good byes.
He entered the pub with fear in his heart. He feared that she would not be there. He feared that she would but wouldn't want him.
He opened the door and was horrified by what he saw. It wasn't that he had led a sheltered life, he was horrified because his dear, sweet Nancy had spent most of her life here. This dark dingy place where there were only cracks for windows and smoke and the stale smell of unwashed bodies hung in the air. Unlike the Anchor this place was buzzing with people, all of which looked miserable.
Once again he was apprehensive about approaching the barman but did so all the same.
"What's your poison?"
"I was after a person rather than a drink. A Miss Nancy?" he knew it was a long shot but who around here would know she was his wife? He had never asked her what her maiden name was.
The Barney shot Nicholas a questioning look "What about her?"
His heart jumped into his throat he knew her! "I was wondering if you knew her whereabouts perhaps?"
Barney regarded the young man opposite him. Another punter no doubt. Nancy always had had a good reputation when it had come to her line of work. He hadn't realized she had gone back on the game but he was a friend so would direct the business her way anytime he could.
"She lives above 'ere but she ain't home at the present. If I where you I'd try down by the river, it's one of her most regular spots, down near the bridge."
Nicholas left the pub as fast as his feet would carry him. Fate had brought them together he thought, how else would he have been so lucky? He smiled at the thought of seeing her and made his way across the main road from Little Saffron Hill towards the Thames.
Bill made his way up to the door of the Cripples. Nothing had changed n the outside. It was who was inside that was important to him now.
The moment he saw Barney he knew there was hope of finding her.
"Well strike me blind! If it ain't my best customer Bill Sikes! What'll it be then? On the 'ouse of course"
"Not at the moment Barney, though there might be cause for celebration later. You ain't seen Nance recently by any chance 'ave ya?"
"She's in demand today make no mistake! She lives here with Bet, ain't seen her this morning though, try down by the river, her usual patch I'm sure you know the place" he laughed and wondered if Sikes would share the joke but to no avail.
"Cheers Barney" then he was gone.