Nancy awoke sharply. She sat up quickly, half naked in a middle-class bed to find Jimmy scrambling around the room, getting dressed and gathering anything of value he could find from the bedroom. She stretched and yawned, falling back on the soft pillows, something she'd never felt before.
"What are you doing?" Jimmy yelled suddenly. "Get up! 'Elp me!"
"Cor Jimmy, what's wrong?" Nancy laughed, sitting up and putting her dress back on. "Ah, it's night already."
"Night!" Jimmy said, slamming a pair of bronze candlesticks in a small bag. "It's almost morning! Folks'll see us comin' out of the 'ouse. Fagin'll string us up if they don't!"
"Don't talk like that, Jimmy." Nancy said, keeping her cool. "I'll go see if they've got any silver, alrigh? Fagin'll be pleased if we can bring enough back."
Jimmy took a deep breath. "Allrigh, I found some jewelry, but 'urry now, will yer?"
Quickly, the pair of thieves put together a bundle of valuables. The sun was just beginning to rise as Jimmy peaked his head out the back window. The streets were still clear and he silently signaled to Nancy that she could follow him. The two spoke no word of the previous night's escapades, all that was running through their heads was Fagin's potential reaction to their late return and if the prizes would be enough to keep them off the streets.
Every step they took was difficult for Nancy. She knew the way home well, but after every corner they turned she hoped that the thieves' hideout would be there. After what seemed like days, they reached their humble home. Jimmy stopped Nancy with his hand before they entered.
"Nance, we don't tell 'im what we did, allright?" The girl nodded. "We just let the old man lecture us and drop the goods."
"And pray it's enough." Nancy said, catching on. The two took a deep breath and entered.
The uproar they received was more then they expected. Fagin was certainly angry, but Jimmy didn't give him time to be. He stepped up to the table and emptied out the bag. Silverware, jewelry, and candlesticks littered the table and Fagin was in shock.
"Where did you get this?" Fagin asked.
"What's it to yer?" Nancy asked.
"Watch your tongue, little slut!" Fagin barked.
"This 'ouse by the park." Jimmy stepped in.
Fagin was clearly speechless. He had obviously prepared to lash out at them and kick Nancy out as he had threatened to for so long. He paused for a moment, picking up a pair of ruby earrings and a brooch, examining them closely. The rest of the boys crowded around, waiting for Fagin's verdict. They all dearly loved Nancy and knew that for whatever reason, Fagin wanted her out.
"Jimmy, I want you to go down the Three Cripples and see if Lucky Hand's there. He challenged a fellow to a game of cards last night and it seems it lasted all night. The rest of you, let's shine these up, they've got Jimmy's grubby fingerprints on them!"
The boys laugh, while Jimmy regarded Fagin with curiousity for a moment, and took off. Nancy started to follow the boys in their chore, but Fagin seized her by the arm and pulled her out of earshot.
Nancy had had quite enough. Before Fagin could open her mouth, her rage let loose.
"Lord help me, what could you possibly want now, you old skeleton?" She barked. "Look what we brought back for you, and you want to throw me out? You've been cheatin' me for years, Fagin! I do twice as much as the boys and it's never enough for you."
"You listen to me-"
"No, you listen to me!" She was at her boiling point. "I'm tired of it all. I'm tired of doin' your dirty work."
"This is how you repay me?" Fagin hissed. "You're just like all the others. I feed you, clothe you, put a roof over your head and yet you still come back to me with this 'you've been cheatin' me for years' story."
"Feedin' me wiv moldy bread, clothin' me in moth-eaten rags, and the roof's gonna fall down any moment Fagin. And I just brought you enough to buy a feast and ballgown, and you want to kick me out."
"I'm not going to kick you out!" Fagin yelled. Composing himself, he took a few deep breaths and continued. "You're not a virgin, are yer?"
"No." Nancy said, not dropping her glare from him, and not wanting to say it had only been a few hours.
"I didn't think so, not with the way you behave with Jimmy." Fagin trailed off. The girl felt a pang of anger that he would pry into what seemed to her to be something private. "Nance, you're a grown girl, and not half bad looking. There are ways, you know, to make money off that."
"You don't have to explain whorin' to me." Nancy rolled her eyes.
"So you do know." Fagin smiled that sly, sick smile of his. "Clever girl."
The girl looked around the room. She could not admit that she had indeed thought about it, and quite often. The idea was anything to get away from the old jew's clutches, but still. The profession was overwhelming. She knew it was no simple task and she often heard the girls even speak of being "stuck" or "trapped", but what other option did she have? Did she really think a girl like her could pick pockets forever? "I, well, I don't think I should. Not yet." She was hesistant. All she really wanted was to be with Jimmy for a while. "Can I go down to the Three Cripples? Meet Jimmy?"
"Yea, go on." Fagin tapped her cheeks, meant to be a friendly tap but to Nancy it made her feel like his little puppet. Which, she realized, she was.
Without another word to him, she ran to the local tavern where Jimmy was engaged in a poker match with Lucky Hand and a few older, darker looking fellows who seemed determined to bring down the master of cards. Though by the looks of it they seemed to be very unsuccessful in their efforts. Nancy smiled at Jimmy who didn't smile back and went over to talk to some of the tavern girls who were gathered at a table.
"Ello girls." Nancy said as she sat down.
"Nance, 'ow are ya love?" The matron, May, said to her. May had always been unusually kind to her, as if she wanted her for a favor. It made Nancy happy. Fagin consistently told her how she had ten more just like her, but May treated her special. "Spot of breakfast?"
"I'm alrigh." She smiled, having lost her appetite a bit. "Fagin 'n me 'ad a sort of a quarrel."
"What about?" Asked Lucy, another.
Nancy blushed. "I stayed out all night with Jimmy."
The girls laughed and spent the next few minutes teasing the young girl thoroughly.
"But you know dear," May piped up. "And I've always said this, Fagin throws you out just know you've got a place here."
Nancy smiled, but inside she was still uncertain.