Chapter 3
"…And he cast down upon the floor a paper that I instantly recognized—none other than the chart on yellow paper, with three red crosses, that I had found in the oilcloth at the bottom of the—"
Jack was listening to Maggie read when a gaunt woman who Jack recognized as Maggie's mother burst into Spencer and Tate's room.
"Maggie, your father and I are leaving. Your Aunt Beatrice is downstairs. Don't give her any trouble," Mrs. Newman said. Then she kissed each of her children on the forehead, said her goodbyes and hurried out of the door.
"Well, where was I?" Maggie muttered to herself, scanning the page she had been reading from, "Here it is…that I had found in the oilcloth at the bottom of the captain's-"
Jack sneezed.
"What was that?" Maggie asked.
"The boy who listens at the window sneezed," Tate answered.
"What boy at the window?" Maggie asked, moving to the window and peering outside.
"The boy who listens at the window. He's there every night, listening to you read, I suppose," Tate said.
"And you never told me about him?" Maggie inquired.
"You never asked," Tate answered matter-of-factly.
"Well, then," Maggie said, "Let's just see about this boy at the window."
And with that she picked up Tate's wooden sword, walked to the door that led to the balcony, opened it, and walked outside.
"Stop right there," she said, brandishing the wooden sword at Jack's fleeting back. He was moving across the balcony through the shadows and was almost to the trellis when she saw him. He stopped dead in his tracks.
"Turn around," Maggie ordered. Jack did as he was told.
"Who are you," she asked, still holding the sword in front of her as if Jack would attack at any moment.
"Kelly. Jack Kelly," Jack answered, taking a step forward and extending his hand to Maggie.
"Don't come any closer," she said, brandishing the sword some more, "What are you doing here?"
"Well, you see, I like your stories—y'know, 'da stories you read to your brothers. I come here every night and listen to you readin', and 'den I go back to the lodging house and tell the stories to my friends," Jack said.
"Oh, well, I see," Maggie said, lowering the sword a bit, "Well, I'm Margaret Newman."
"Maggie. I know," Jack said, as Maggie took his hand and shook it.
"What all do you know about me?" she asked.
"Well, you got two brothers, Spencer and Tate. Your father works at the bank and your mother likes to go to fancy parties. Your sixteen and your brothers are eleven and seven. You have a Great-Aunt Beatrice who's old and sleeps a lot, and your dream is to be an actress, but your mother would never hear of it," Jack said, "She thinks the stage is for tramps and vagrants, and she wants you to marry a wealthy man."
"Well," Maggie said, swallowing, "That's quite a lot. I'm glad you like to hear the books I read, though."
"Oh, I do. I really do," Jack replied, "And the boys back at the lodging house really enjoy 'em, too."
"Lodging house?"
"Yeah, I'm a newsie," Jack said proudly.
"Maggie, Aunt Beatrice is coming. You better get inside," Spencer called out the window.
"Right," Maggie said, "Well, it was lovely meeting you, Jack Kelly. You're welcome to listen to me read anytime you like."
"Thanks. I hope I didn't scare you too much earlier," Jack answered, motion towards the wooden sword Maggie still held in her hand.
"Oh, no, not at all," she said, hiding the sword behind her back, "Goodnight, Jack."
"Goodnight," he said, and he climbed over the edge of the balcony and down the trellis.
Maggie moved to the edge of the balcony to watch Jack retreat down the street and into the darkness.
"Maggie, what are you doing outside," Aunt Beatrice said, standing at the open door, "You'll catch your death of cold out there. Get inside."
Maggie sighed and obeyed her aunt. And for the rest of the night and the next day, as desperately as she tried, she couldn't forget the boy at the window, listening to her read every night.
A/N: Please review. I'll try to update as soon as possible. Goodbye for now!