Chapter 10

Unlatching the door quietly, Alice grabbed her shawl and slipped out the house. Nobody heard her go; as far as they were concerned she was still in the drawing room practising her sewing or trying her hand at some drawing techniques and as it was well known throughout the household that she preferred to be left alone while doing these activities so she wouldn't be missed for a few hours. Especially as Mr Brownlow had taken to encouraging Alice's venture in such ladylike pastimes he would certainly refuse anyone to disturb her.

Besides Oliver and Mr Brownlow were deep in a geography lesson in the study and so were too busy to notice Alice slip past them and certainly too deeply involved in their lesson to notice the door faintly click to.

There was a chill in the air as Alice stepped out into the November day, pulling her shawl tighter around her body she walked causally along the pavement. She received some stares as she passed people and it took her a while to realise that this was probably because she was an unaccompanied upper class girl, which of course hadn't crossed her mind until now. But no sooner had she thought it then she forgot it and continued her walk regardless. Once she reached the square she began to mingle in with the crowd and the stares became less frequent and eventually stopped altogether.

Alice slipped down a side road and picked up the pace knowing that it was unwise to linger too long in an alleyway. Alice returned comfortably into her old self, she was aware and alert of her surroundings but focused on her goal which was at this point Fagin's den. Before she knew it she had arrived.

Knocking five times on the door she didn't have to wait long before it was opened to her by one of the young boys with striking blonde hair, he was too young to remember exactly who Alice was but he recognized her and because of her knowledge of the secret code he felt she had given him sufficient evidence that she was a friend and not a foe.

Alice gratefully followed the boy up the narrow stairs and as soon as they reached the top her host was gone like a light back to his friends at play.

To calm himself down Jack had taken to teasing one of the very young new recruits. The small boy was trying his hardest to reach Jack's hat and Jack was making sure it was always just out of his reach. It was amusing him but he could see it was just beginning to irritate the boy. Lucky for him Jack had seen Alice arrive out the corner of his eye and suddenly thought he ought to show a more role-model like attitude and, putting the hat back on his head, lifted the boy up so he could finally reach it.

"I got it!" the little boy yelled waving it frantically in the air.

"Oi, you be careful with that!" Jack warned anything to make sure his precious hat came to no harm.

Alice watched and smiled, she lent on the door frame and waited, Jack would come over once he had the boy calmed and content with his achievement.

And true to Alice's thoughts once the boy was happily sitting back down with Jack's hat swallowing his head, Jack wandered over to Alice but not before he had yanked the hat of the boy's head and leaving him to amuse himself.

"Hi, just messing around with the newest member." Jack said jerking his head in the direction of the small child.

"He's too young to be out on the job yet, got a bit more training left to do yet!" Jack explained.

"Yeah I can see that, he's cute though that'll give him a good run." Alice agreed.

There was a moment of silence as Alice struggled to think of a way to bring up what she had to say and Jack deliberated how to relay his own information to her.

"So, you just passing were you?" Jack asked sarcastically knowing full well she had no need to walk down this part of town unless to visit him.

"Well no, not really…" Alice said for once not following the sarcasm. Jack frowned; this was unlike her to not notice a jest that obvious, something was definitely wrong.

"I have something to tell you…" Alice struggled to get out the words. She averted her eyes away from Jack and inched away from him, what she was going to say was going to affect them both but it had to be said.

"Jack…I'm pregnant" Alice whispered quietly so no one else could hear.

"What?" Jack blurted out, too loud; now nearly the whole gang had turned around and where staring at them.

"Let's go outside, some have too good a listening skills, if you catch my drift." Jack put his arm around Alice's waist and gently led her down the stairs and out onto the streets.

Safe in the knowledge that there was no one (that they knew) to listen in to their following conversation, they proceeded.

"Alice, are you sure? I mean it was only one night and well sometimes…"

"Of course I'm sure I wouldn't have told you if I wasn't."

Jack paced up and down in front of her processing this new information in his head. When he finally stopped he turned back to Alice.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so rude it's just a bit of a shock and a bit hard to take in right now…have you told anyone else?"

Alice shook her head, Jack would be the first and only one to know if she had her way but she was aware that she would eventually have to tell her uncle something she was not looking forward to in the slightest.

Jack pulled Alice into a hug kissing her forehead as he did so.

"We'll get through this somehow." He reassured her. Alice rested her head on Jack's chest, she found comfort in his words despite the fact she could hear a slight tone of doubt within them. They stayed in this position for a good couple of minutes savouring each other's comfort. After a while Jack felt a cold breeze drifting in and made the suggestion to go back inside and have warming drink.

I know it's been a while getting things up, school work getting in the way! But anyway hope you like it and please let me know!