Chapter Five

Meeting Five

Jack and Nicolette had been conversing for awhile and when their food came they kept on talking.

"So, youse always lived in London?" Jack asked. Nicolette finished swallowing her lemonade then nodded.

"Yes."

"If youse don't mind, where's yer family?"

"They are dead."

"Oh. Sorry."

"That's alright. They died on the voyage over here." Jack nodded in understanding.

"So I guess you'll be needing a job." Nicolette nodded again. "It just so happens dat I knows where youse could be useful."Jack said. Nicolette looked up.

"Where?" She asked.

"There's a Missus Door-went dat owns a bakery down by Central Park and she says she needs help in da kitchen." Nicolette's face brightened and her green eyes seemed to wake up suddenly as if they had been asleep for a hundred years as had Sleeping Beauty. She leaned across the table excitedly.

"Oh! That would be a wonderful job!" She said as she thought, 'Baking is better than begging.' "Could you take me there after we're done? If you're not busy that it is." She added hastily.

"Na. I's got nothin' betta ta do." He quickly realized that, that didn't sound very complementary so he quickly changed the subject. "What did ya do in London?" He asked. She looked down quickly.

"Uh, this and that. Mostly we stayed home." She stated quickly. Jack had a sneaking suspicion that she was hiding something. He was going to press the issue but just then five figures sauntered up to the table. Nicolette looked at them and then questioningly at Jack.

"Hey, boys!" Jack said happily. "Good ta see ya! Any good horses Race?" (That was the first thing most people said to him.) Race twirled his cigar around and spoke.

"Yeah, Jacky-boy. Youse got a dollar I could borrow?" Jack laughed and gave him a shove.

"Not a chance!" He said. Race shrugged and placed the cigar back in the corner of his mouth.

"Ya can't blame a fella fer tryin'. Say, who's da goil?" Race asked with a toss of his head toward Nicolette. Jack turned back to her and smiled.

"Nicolette I'd like youse ta meet my buddies. Dis here's Race and dats Specs, Mush, Boots and Blink. Fellla's dis is Nicolette Anne Estes come all da way from London." Nicolette stood as she had been taught all her life to do when being introduced.

"I am pleased to meet you, sir." She said extending her hand. Race carefully took it in his cocky, swaggering way and bent over it while keeping his gaze fixed on her face.

"It is an honor ta meet such a lady as you're self, princess." He said then winked at her.

"Uh, thank you." She said, then smiled. She looked at Jack over her shoulder. "You have a charming friend here Jack." Jack smiled bitterly. But why bitterly? He asked himself. What did he care if Race was putting on a show again? He already had a girl, Race could have this one for all he cared.

She was pretty but nothing compared to Sarah. Well... Wait! What was that 'well...' for? He was totally in love with Sarah! He had to go see her tonight. Maybe he was just tired and his mind was playing tricks on him. He tried to focus back on what was going on.

Nicolette had already had her hand shaken by everyone but Boots and as he took it he asked, "Is London what they call that place down by the square? 'Cause you talk a lot like a this one man that lives there..." Nicolette laughed and explained as she had done earlier.

Jack looked at the clock that was mounted on the wall and stood up taking Nicolette's arm again. "Well, boys I fear we must be leavin' ya now. We's got an appointment at da bakery." The boys moaned good-natured-like and Race stepped forward.

"Dis ain't the last we'll be seein' of ya is it, princess?" He asked looking down at her. During the strike a year before a lot of the boys hadn't had their growth spirt yet including Racetrack, Spot Conlon and a few of the other older boys. But that fall they had shot up and even Jack had grown a few more inches. Each of them was at least 6' 1" now if not a little taller. Nicolette looked up at him.

"Let us hope not Mr. Racetrack." She said with a slight smile. 'Oh my word! Did I just flirt with him?!' she asked herself as she followed Jack out the door and on down the street. She shocked herself with the answer. 'I do believe I did!'

***

Author's Note: I know making a big deal of 'flirting' will seem odd to you all but you must understand that the high class people back then were trained not to show their emotions too much. Plus, Nicolette's parents have just died and she has been in a sort of state of mourning since then and now she find's herself "coming back to life". Hope ya liked it. Still slow but then again, still more information. :-)

~Jessie