April 11 1912 5:30 pm

Helen ducked quickly past the first class dining hall and descended the stairs quietly. Part of her felt like she didn't belong down here. Like she had escaped from her pen and any minute now alarms would go off. Crew men would come from every corner to catch her, corral her and herd her back to her quarters.

Helen found it exhilarating. It was the most alive she felt in years. She hadn't felt so vibrant since the search for a grindylow menacing south wales. November of 1887. The last case the 5 had worked as a group. Three days tromping through marshes listening to Nikola whine about the mud. On the fourth day, they set a base camp and broke into groups. John and James went south while Helen and Nikola went north. After fruitless hours of John following his own tracks and Nikola tracing James, they rendezvoused back to base camp where Nigel was keeping watch. He was invisible and had caught the beast in Watsons Snuff. James still turned red when they brought it up.

Helen descended the last of the stairs and slipped through the open gates. Loud uproarious music reached her ears. Nothing like the soft violin and cello melodies of First class dining. She could make out a fiddle, several violins, a flute and an accordion. There was a background of people drumming rhythmically on a wood surface. Helen followed the music to a dining hall just as large but less decorative than the one upstairs. She stopped at the door and looked in. Helen licked her lips nervously as she realized she could be gate crashing. She was on the verge of turning around and leaving when she was spotted by a young looking woman with a broad grin.

"Here now, you there!" She called in a broad Irish accent, pouncing on Helen. "Where are your manners?"

"I'm truly sorry I didn't mean to-" Helen flushed then stopped as she was lead into the dining hall and handed a beer. The first woman smiled. "You can't leave till you've had at least a pint."

Helen smiled and accepted the drink "Thank you. I hope I'm not intruding."

"Not at all. What's a party if you're gonna start pushing people out?" The woman led Helen to a table. "But you're a wee bit over dressed Dearie. You didn't have to put on your Sunday best for the likes of us." She winked.

"Thank you I'll remember that for next time." Helen smiled "My name is Helen."

"Pleasure to meet you. My name is Nora Murphy" The woman smiled, stood on the nearest table and pulled Helen beside her. "Attention we have a special guest tonight!" She called to the assembled crowd. "A Miss Helen..." Nora paused and looked to Helen "I didn't get your last name love."

"Magnus" Helen blushed. Nora smiled and winked.

"Miss Helen Magnus. Let's say we make her feel welcome." Nora smiled as the table began thrumming. 50 or so people were pounding rhythmically on the polished wood (the table cloth had long been seized by a group of children for a makeshift tent)

The band struck up a fast paced tune as a small group of men stood beside Helen and began to sing.

Pretty miss Helen Magnus dressed in finest silk
With hair as gold as fresh cut stew
and skin as soft as milk
She comes to us from first class, such a party this well be
We promise you the grandest t-i-i-ime

If you'll consent to dance with me." The lead singer stepped forward and bowed to Helen who laughed and curtsied.

"I don't know the steps I'm afraid." She whispered. The man smiled and winked.

"That's quite alright. None of us do. We just make 'em up as we go along." He smiled and whisked her down the length of the table. They were met with encouragements and good natured insults until another couple joined in. Helen let herself be whisked to the end of the table where she was carefully lifted down and carefully set on her feet. A second man bowed and spun her down half the length of the hall before handing her over to a third dance partner. She caught a glimpse of Jose and his sister in the tent. He looked healthier than the last time she saw him.

"The rich lady! It's the rich lady!" Helen smiled as the first group of children ran up to her. "We didn't know if you would actually come." The French girl admitted. Her hair looked cleaner. It hung loose around her face in soft waves. The dress was the same she had been wearing earlier.

"Isn't this fun? I've never been on a ship before." one of the other children smiled excitedly. "Will you be staying for supper?" he asked, giving Helen a menu.

Rice Soup
Corned Beef and Cabbage
Boiled Potatoes
Cabin Biscuits, Fresh Bread
Peaches and Rice

"I would love to" Helen smiled brightly before she was lifted back into the dance. "If you'll pardon me." she laughed and spun away among the dancers. Helen was passed around a bit more before her hands were taken on either side and she was placed on the table with a row of other women.

"Hopa!"

Helen emulated the others in a quick step before they all jumped back off the table. Somewhere above the dinner horn sounded. The table cloths were collected and placed back on the tables as the first course was brought out on clean white plates. Helen caught a glimpse of the young French girl folding her silk handkerchief on her lap. Helen was seated between two men who had been potato farmers and across from a fisherman's wife. Just to her left was a pair who were undoubtedly brother and sister. They were having a good natured squabble over elbow room.

"Who are you traveling with?" The young woman asked Helen. "I have my whole family. 8 of us all in one cabin so I'm really glad we can move around the ship as we please. Especially when he starts to snore." She grinned and poked her brother in the ribs. "I'm Lillian Goodwin by the way and this is Charles."

Helen shook her head. "I'm traveling alone."

"Lucky you." Charles rolled his eyes. "The first chance I get I'm ditching her on an iceberg."

"Watch it or I'll throw you overboard." Lillian retorted and stuck her tongue out at him.

Helen laughed as she was reminded of more than one evening spent in the company of John and Nikola.

The disastrous Christmas dinner of 1885. Helen had invited all of the Five over for dinner. She had Implored Nikola to come home for the holidays. She left out the small detail that John would be there as well. Three minutes after Grace, what started out as a subtle insult contest had escalated into a massive food fight. It ended only when Nikola ducked a well-aimed pumpkin pie just in time for Gregory to walk into the room. If it hadn't been his favorite, Helen was sure her father would have banned both men from the house.

After the meal everyone settled back in their chairs. A man walked to the front of the room with a guitar. He sang a farewell song as a silver cup was passed around. Helen recognized it as a parting cup. Everyone took a sip and passed it on to their neighbor.

"Of all the money that ere I had, I spent it in good company.
And of all the harm that ere I've done, alas was done to none but me.
And all I've done for want of wit, to memory now I cannot recall.
So fill me to the parting glass. Goodnight and joy be with you all.

Oh, if I had money enough to spend and leisure time to sit awhile
There is a fair maid in this town that sorely has my heart beguiled
Her rosey cheeks and ruby lips, she alone has my heart in thrall.
So fill me to the parting glass. Goodnight and joy be with you all."

The crowd broke up. Helen sought out Nora and the children who invited her to thank them heartily. She reached the top deck again just as the sun was setting.

Notes: Lillian exaggerated a little about 8 in one cabin, since men and women were separated in 3rd class, whether they were married or not. Lillian and her mother would be put in one cabin with her younger siblings, while Charles would have been on the other side of the ship with his father (and possibly two other men in the same cabin)

Be that as it may; the White star line was still respectful of the 3rd class. Most companies would require the 3rd class to bring their own bedding, and food. And seldom offered them Cabins

to those familiar with the story of "The unknown child" Lillian and Charles were the elder siblings of Sidney Leslie Goodwin

Helens song is comprised with the old traditional song Rocky road to Dublin (Curtsey of Glitch; but he's a little biased.)
The fun thing about this super-fast paced song is they used to get drunk as nuts and then sing it. It's quite a tongue twister.

Parting Glass is another traditional Irish song. It's slower and more melancholy but still beautiful. Parting glass is traditionally sung at the end of the evening and refers to the old tradition of a stirrup cup, a cup (traditionally silver or ornately carved) the company pass around and everyone takes a sip from.

Parting glass was featured in the Season 4 episode Fugue. Sung by Ryan Robins (Henry Foss.)