Chapter 12
Back in the haven that was her room, Alice took the time alone in the peace and quiet to think over Jack's reaction. For some reason she just hadn't envisioned it to go how it did. Jack had tried to make assumptions on the facts and she wasn't entirely sure whether she should be hurt by notion that he didn't believe her immediately or understanding of it.
Luckily she wasn't given much chance to dote on it, as a light knock came at the door. She hesitated a moment her mind still abuzz with strange new concepts, only the second knock motivated her.
"You can come in Oliver," Alice said as she opened the door for him.
"How d'ya know it was me?" Oliver asked completely baffled.
"Yer the only one who would knock and wait until I opened the door, the servants would knock once and then enter anyway and Uncle would just walk straight in," Alice explained.
"Oh, is it alright that I do that then?" Oliver wondered for if adults were just waltzing into Alice's room without permission, was his belief that you should always wait until someone let you in wrong?
"No, it's perfect." Alice said, kissing Oliver's head.
Oliver blushed, he wished she wouldn't do that it was so embarrassing. Seeing Oliver go bright red made Alice giggle.
"Oh come on Oliver, you know I love you more than anyone!" She laughed.
"Apart from Dodger," Oliver added shyly. Alice shot him a look.
"Well it's pretty obvious!" Oliver defended himself.
Alice smiled, she couldn't argue with the truth so as long as it was only her brother she was admitting it to.
"Don't go telling anyone else that, yer hear? That's between you, me and Jack ok?"
Oliver nodded vigorously.
"Good, now what's up with you?" Alice said changing the subject.
Momentarily confused, Oliver took a while to remember why he was sent up to Alice's room.
"Dinner's about to be served and Uncle told me to fetch you." Oliver recited.
Alice stated that she was sure their uncle wouldn't mind them being a few minutes late and attempted to lift her little brother and seat him neatly on the bed but a sneering pain washed over her stomach. She let Oliver go not wishing to strain herself any further lest it be the baby that was causing the pain and not Oliver sudden growth spurt making it impossible to lift him anymore.
"No, you're going to have to seat yourself on the bed." Alice told him trying not to sound as though she was in any sort of discomfort.
Oliver frowned, he knew something wasn't quite right with Alice and he was concerned about it. Alice assured him she was fine and took up her space next to him. She sighed remembering the conversation she had held with Jack only a few hours previous and wondered whether it would be right to let Oliver know. She had a feeling that Jack had probably told Charlie, either by force or by his own worry and need to get it off his chest, so perhaps it would be advisable that someone in her household knew about it, just in case anything should happen. Alice glanced back at her bother, he was old enough to keep this a secret and to only reveal it should it become an emergency yet still young enough to not fully comprehend the socially unethical way it had come about.
"Oliver, can I trust you to keep a really big secret?" what was she saying of course she could trust him, he was her adoring little brother!
Oliver looked cautious but nodded anyway.
"This has to stay a secret, you have to promise that you will not tell anyone else…ok?" she knew he wouldn't but she had to warn him just in case.
"I promise." Oliver swore.
"Well, me and Jack are expecting a baby." Alice revealed.
"Really? So I'll be an…uncle!" Oliver exclaimed. Alice could see the concentration it had taken him to work out what he would be to the child.
"Yes, you will and you'll be a fine one too!" she encouraged him. Alice smiled at Oliver and he haphazardly hugged her with the excuse that she looked as though she needed one.
"Now what about dinner? I've got two mouths to feed now you know!" Alice laughed getting up from the bed and opening the door. Oliver hopped down and bounded towards his sister.
"Oliver, remember, not a word!" Alice whispered as a reminder just before they left the safety of her room, she knew he was a little excitable at the news and thought it best to add the gentle reminder before they faced their Uncle. Oliver nodded and put his finger to his mouth to show he understood and then carried on with his light bouncy steps out on into the corridor.
Watching him go Alice could only hope that he would be able to keep his word.
Dinner had tested his obedience and although he had been close to slipping it out one or two times he had managed to keep the secret secret. After they had all finished their meal they retired to the drawing room where Alice gave in to Oliver's plea to let him teach her how to read. She knew the basics but had never really had the patience to learn any more than that. On any other night she would have declined his plea but tonight she felt that she owed him it for being able to keep silent about his excitable news.
Happy that she had finally agreed, Oliver jumped over to the bookcase and chose a book for her, (Alice wasn't paying enough attention to remember what it was called) leaping back to the settee Oliver opened a page and began to show Alice how it was done.
Mr Brownlow entered the room with his newspaper, planning to use this time to catch up with the latest news that he had missed. He did a double take when he saw Alice reading with Oliver. He had been witness to many of Oliver's unsuccessful pleas to get Alice to read and he had taken her obstinacy to be resolute and final but it seemed he was wrong. Although surprised, he was pleased to see Alice finally accepting her brother's offer and taking an interest in something sophisticated and of the correct class. He had been previously quite concerned at the lack of ladylike pastimes Alice possessed and it put his mind at ease to see some evidence of these coming along.
He settled into his armchair and unfolded the paper, relaxing he began to read. It wasn't hard to block out the siblings chatter as Oliver taught his sister what he knew. Despite being a little noisier than usual Mr Brownlow felt that all in all it was a worthwhile evening and he went to bed that night with an odd sense of pride welling in his chest.
Darkness overtook the house and while the rest of the household slept, Alice had snuck down to the living room to receive Jack. Having both not felt like using their skills at creeping back up the stairs they resulted in staying in the living room.
Snuggling up to each other in much the same manner as they had been back in the hideout, Jack's arm around Alice's waist and Alice's head on Jack's chest. It was comfortable, so comfortable that they would've been happy to spend the rest of the night in the position. But that wasn't possible; Jack would have to go home some when before the morning came.
"Alice, are you going to tell your uncle?" Jack asked starting the conversation of with a different topic in the hope that it would eventually lead round into a topic where he could drop in his news.
"I suppose I'll have to tell him when the bump gets to big not to notice." Alice said having not giving the subject much thought as she was dreading the idea of telling her uncle and had consequently shut it out of her mind.
"But someone ought to know, what if something where to happen?" Jack pointed out. He didn't really know what sort of situation he was referring to but he assumed that the notion might persuade Alice to tell someone.
"I've told Oliver." Alice replied.
Well it was better than no one Jack thought. At least there was someone that knew on either side other than themselves.
"And I've told Charlie, so that makes two people from two different places that know." Jack relayed his thoughts out loud.
"I think that's enough, don't you?" Alice said not sounding at all surprised at the knowledge that Charlie had been told, it was to be expected and now she just want to confirm that those would be the only people to be privy to their secret for the time being.
"Yeah, it'll do." Jack agreed, kissing her head. Perhaps now would be a good time to bring up his news.
"Thought of any names for it yet?" damn why couldn't he just come out with it?
"Give me a chance, I've only just found out!" Alice shoved Jack playfully with her right hand. Going along with the gag, Jack made himself fall across the settee. Unwillingly he banged his arm against the side table knocking a few glass coasters onto the floor. Despite the rugged floor the coasters still made a considerably loud noise as they hit the ground. It was surprising that they were all still intact.
For a moment the two of them just stared at the fallen coasters, holding their breaths. Then the thud of footsteps could be heard overhead, they had woken the master of the house. Scrambling up, Jack and Alice trod as quietly and as quickly as they could out of the living room and towards the front door. Alice fumbled with the key managing to get it open just as the footsteps reached the top of the stairs.
Jack kissed her briefly as he passed, whispering in her ear before he completely disappeared.
"Meet me in the square tomorrow morning."
Alice mumbled and agreement and hurried him out the door. He hated the rushed goodbye and was kicking himself that he didn't tell her about Max when he had planned to for now it would have to wait even long to be told but it was more desirable then to be caught inside a rich gentleman's house in the middle of the night with the gentleman's great niece! Yes, he could really see himself explaining his way out of that one.
When Jack was safely out of the house Alice locked the door and replaced the key. Picking up the small candle, she headed to confront her uncle. She arrived at the bottom of the stairs at the same time as her uncle did.
"Alice!" Mr Brownlow exclaimed. "You startled me! What are you doing up?"
Alice had swiftly thought up a backup story during the brief walk from the door to the stairs.
"I was getting a drink, Uncle." She lied.
"But what was all that noise? I thought that we perhaps had housebreakers." Mr Brownlow seemed less agitated now that he knew it hadn't been a housebreaker.
"I dropped a glass." Alice replied the lie rolling off the tongue with ease.
"Oh, never mind, I'll get the parlour maid to clear it up tomorrow, now come to bed Alice."
Alice didn't resist as her uncle led her back upstairs, there was nothing to hide now and nowhere else to go but to bed and wish the day to come just that ever so slightly quicker.
A Christmas to my readers! The chapter is finished in time for Christmas! I surprised myself on this achievement but please let me know what you think!