XXVIII

Little Helper

Charlie ambled up to the cab with caution, his thumbs tucked into the lapels of his green, tattered coat. Rathbone nudged to the edge, opening the door and waved him inside. "Come on."

Shrugging, Charlie straightened his derby and climbed inside, seating himself beside Rathbone on the single bench. The driver whistled, and they were on their way. Charlie stared at him a long moment. Finally, Rathbone looked to him. "What?"

"You're no' what I was 'specting. In person." He said accusingly.

"Please elaborate."

"Well…" He pushed his derby upward with a thumb, "I use to think tha' wax double 'ad its legs cutoff."

Rathbone frowned. "What?"

"Yeh, just a lot shorter than I though. Everyone's made sucha hoopla about your name, I thought you'd be taller."

"That makes two of us." He replied bitterly. "What's a boy like you doing picking on a man for his size? Your mother should have taught you something better than that."

"Yeh, she did." He said matter-of-factly. "She says if I eveh met a celebrity who didn' live up to my expectations its my roit to critisize coz tha's why they're famous… they wan' attention any way they can gettit, and that I'd be doin' them a fava'"

"Some of us are born famous."

"An' some of us earn it. So whot? Whas you draggin' me 'ere for anyway?"

"It's a long story Charlie, but I'm in desperate need of a help from a stranger and you're in a perfect position to assist me in a very important mission."

"Loike whot?"

"Saving the Queen."

Charlie stared at him for a beat before he burst into laughter. "Come off it."

Rathbone did not laugh. Charlie's laughing subsided. His jaw dropped and he gasped. "Aw! Serious? Can I meet 'er?"

A small smile crept to his face, watching the boy's excitement. "If you do your job well, I can arrange it."

Charlie sat up straight and saluted, "Yessa'!"

"First, you need to know a few rules about my house. No gossiping: inside or out. The business about the seal is a classified topic. It never happened, it doesn't exist."

Though Charlie did not fully understand, he nodded with all seriousness.

"You are to be helpful in any way asked of you, as I'm appointing you houseboy. No snooping, no stealing, lie only if you must to keep the peace, but do not talk if you can help it."

Charlie swallowed, knowing that was a difficult task on its own.

"If you take your orders seriously, stay out of trouble, practice your discretion then in three days time you may be rewarded. Any questions?"

Charlie's head tilted, "Yeh… alls I got to do is be houseboy for three days? Whots that to you?"

But Rathbone shook his head. "That's in the meantime. I'll have a very important mission for you on the second day. The houseboy job is only to keep you around for the real job ahead."

"Olright. Where do I sleep?"

"Those things will be appointed to you by Mrs. Agatha Lindon, my housekeeper."

"S'all roit." Charlie said, folding his arms and nodding… sounded good to him – so far!

The second day arrived and already Charlie was growing tired of the filly pink apron. He swept the halls, dusted shelves and even watered the plants… The second day was ending, and as he hung the apron on the kitchen door, ready to be cleaned in the morning, he let out a long stretch of his arms. The workhouse could kiss his lily white arse as far as he was concerned. A pink apron was nothing to complain outwardly about.

He stepped toward the door beneath the stairway. It was his room, a small but cozy nook to hide inside. His head hit the pillow and he snored immediately. The stairs creaked softly overhead as the clock chimed eleven. Charlie groaned and turned over, hugging the striped pillow he was growing quite fond of.

A gentle rapping at his door brought him to glare over his shoulder to it. "Whot…" The door opened, and Rathbone peered inside. Charlie suddenly sobered, recalling their deal. "Is it time?"

"Yes, come on." He whispered, urging him to hurry, "Get dressed, we have a ways to go."

Charlie nodded and jumped from his small bed, fumbling with his clothes as Rathbone paced the hall. Tucking his hair beneath his bowler, he stepped out of the closet and looked up to his employer.

Rathbone turned and nodded for him to follow. They stepped through the entrance hall and out the door. Closing the door behind Charlie, Rathbone followed him down the steps to the street.

"So whot…?" Charlie was silenced as Rathbone gestured for him to not speak.

Quietly they traveled down the neighborhood, finding a waiting cab. Climbing inside, Rathbone would not speak again until the wheels were rolling. "All right Charlie, here's the deal. Do you remember that woman I mentioned before?"

He nodded. "Yeh. You never mentioned a name though…"

"Lin, if you must know."

"Blimey!" Charlie snorted, "Who's this Lin everyone keeps gabbin' on about?"

Rathbone frowned, "Who's been talking about her?"

"Roy O'bannon." He said with a braggart's grin, "'e says she's gonna be the savior to the 'house o'O'bannon'…whatevah that means."

Rathbone suppressed the urge to curse the man's name to kingdom come. "I'm meeting her tonight. She's being held by the same men who attacked you and your friends."

Charlie sat upright, "Roit! A'we rescuin' 'er?"

"…No."

The boy's shoulders lowered. "Why? Don't you lov'er?"

Rathbone stared at him. Was it that obvious? "Yes, very much. But there are many lives at stake here, Charlie. Things are not as simple as we would like them to be."

In a matter-of-fact tone, Charlie took on the attitude of a learned man. "Nah, neveh is when you go' mixed up relationships. I'd know. I once saw a' Irishman who loved a redskin. Neveh ends good. They almos' killed each other o'er some booze."

Pressing his lips thinly, he blinked at him. Very dryly he replied, "…Thank you Charlie. I needed to hear that." Back to subject, "Now, just listen. I'm going inside the warehouse to see her. I want you to stay and wait. When I come back, I'll give you your mission."

"Yeh, yeh." The carriage rolled to a stop. "Go on an' snog awhile. I'll wait."

The doors opened, and Rathbone stepped out to the misty dockside. He turned to the driver, ordering the man to wait. Then through the window, he looked to Charlie, "You might want to keep your head down as a precaution."

Rolling his eyes, Charlie scooted to the floor of the hansom.