"Sure, we gotta stop at the Abbey Road distribution center and get our papers and I'll take you to Whitehall. That should be a good spot for you to sell. A bunch of swells live around there and will wanna buy papers. Papers cost a tuppence," Hoops explained as they stared down the street. "This is a tuppence," he said pulling a copper coin from his pocket. " Any questions?"

"Nope. I have been selling papers for the past year, I think I can manage," she said defensively.

"I'm sure you can. I'll leave you at Whitehall and then I'll go to my usual spot and come and get you around lunch. That should give you time to look around and sell all your papers."

"All right," she said nonchalantly. They went and bought their papers and went to Whitehall. They stopped in front of a small park.

"Meet me here when Big Ben tolls noon," Hoops said sternly.

"Aye, aye Cap'n," Ella barked, an impish grin on her rosebud lips. She skipped off before he could say anything else. The headlines were good, so she sold most of her papers in the 1st 2 hours. She was trying to sell her last paper when a well dressed young man with light brown hair and intense green-blue eyes came up to her. He stood in front of her musing for a few moments.

"Can I help you, sir?" she said, fidgeting under his scrutiny.

"Yes, my friends and I were wondering how such a gorgeous young lady, like yourself, ended up selling newspapers?" the young man asked indicating a group of young men walking down the street, glancing over their shoulders and snickering. "Actually, just I was wondering. It's unusual to see a girl as pretty as you selling here. Mostly guys come all the way up here. I'm William Montrose, by the way," he said extending his hand and smiling warmly.

"I'm Elizabeth Kelly, but everyone calls me Ella," she replied grasping his out stretched hand. Instead of shaking it, he raised it to his lips and bushed them across it.

"Well Miss Kelly, since you seem to be out of papers," he said taking her last paper and slipping a tuppence into her hand and then placing her hand in the crook of his arm. "Would you care for a guided tour of Whitehall?"

"Well… as long as I'm back here by noon."

"Do you have a date or something?" he said teasingly as they stated to stroll down the sidewalk.

"No… You see I just got here from New York City, so the leader of the West side newsies is being really over protective of me, even though I grew up in New York and Boston," she explained.

"I thought I detected a New York accent. It's very charming. Don't worry, we'll be back here by noon. I don't want to get you in trouble," he said with a grin.

****

Where is she? Hoops thought, passing back and forth in front of the park. She's nearly 30 minutes late!

Just the clock chimed the half hour, a familiar laugh floated through the air. He turned toward the sound and saw Ella walking towards him, her arm linked with a well-dressed young man. Sudden recognition crossed his mind. Montrose! The scum bad that'd made his younger years of selling in Whitehall a living hell. He'd always talked down to newsies and here he was walking arm in arm with one. Ella saw Hoops and was about to wave, when she saw anger cloud his clear blue eyes.

"Where have you been?!" he asked angrily when she was in hearing distance.

"William was showing me around. We lost track of time, I guess. Sorry I kept you waiting," she said stopping in front of him, a questioning look on her face.

"It's ok, lets just get to the Rose," he said, lightly grasping her elbow and leading her away from William. When they were a few yards from him, Hoops released Ella's elbow and walked back to William.

"Stay away from her, Montrose. You don't deserve to even say her name," he snarled.

"Last time I checked, Creed, when Granddaddy disinherited your father, you lost any right you had to tell me what to do. If I want to see Elizabeth again, I will, and a pitiful little headline pusher like you can't stop me."

"Are you coming, Hoops?" Ella called from where she stood. With a parting glare at William, Hoops jogged to where Ella stood, put his hand on the small of her back and guided her down the street.