Author's Note: Sorry it took me so long to update. School started and I've been riding my horse more. I will try to get the next chapter up soon.
Chapter Eight: The Silver Necklace
Kathryn awoke the next morning to find the early morning sun shining bright through the small window to her right. Sitting up and stretching, she looked over at Dodger to find that he was still fast asleep. I must get up slowly and quietly so I don't wake him, she thought.
Carefully, she drew her legs out of her blankets. Kathryn slowly started to stand up but was stopped by a hand on her arm. "Stay," mumbled Dodger, still seemingly asleep. Sighing, Kathryn lay back down and tried to go back to sleep. After about fifteen minutes, it was obvious that she couldn't go back to sleep. She looked over at Dodger and found that he had fallen back asleep.
Slowly, Kathryn stood up and stepped carefully over the sleeping Dodger. Making her way into the main room, she heard footsteps behind her. She whipped her head around to find that it was Dodger. "'ello," he said groggily, "I told you to stay. When you didn', I deci'ed to come ou' wif you."
"Alright, Dodger. I was going to help Fagin by making breakfast and taking the initials out of a few handkerchiefs. Would you like to join me?"
Dodger had to think it over for a minute before he replied, "Yes, I will," in a very polite way quite unlike his own. Kathryn put the sausages on the stove and went to sit by the fire with a neat pile of handkerchieves at her feet. She beckoned Dodger over with her and handed him a much smaller pile of handkerchieves.
Both sat in silence for over ten minutes. Their needles carefully pulled out each stitch leaving no mark behind. Soon Kathryn was finished with her handkerchieves and reached over to help Dodger. "Fanks," he said, breaking the silence. Kathryn smiled inwardly to herself at his inability to pronounce the 'th' sound. Her smile must have shown because as she sat back down on her stool Dodger said, "Wot are you smilin' abou'?"
"Nothing, Dodger. Nothing."
Dodger shrugged. "'ow do you pronounce 'f'?" he asked, trying in vain to say 'th.'
Kathryn laughed. "Dodger," she said, still giggling, "I don't have a Cockney accent like you do. If you want, I can teach you to speak like me."
Dodger thought for a moment before deciding, "Alrigh'. When do we star'?"
"Right now, if you like," Kathryn answered politely.
"Absolutely!" Dodger said, jumping up as his handkerchieves spilled in a wrinkled mess onto the floor.
"Sit down," Kathryn giggled, "so we can get started. We don't have much time before everyone else wakes up." Dodger sat back down on his stool and looked expectantly over at Kathryn. Sitting up a bit straighter, Kathryn began the lesson. She wasn't really sure where to start since she had never given anyone voice lessons before. I suppose I should start with his dreadful 'th' sound, she thought.
"Alright, Dodger. We are going to start by learning to say the sound 'th.' You pronounce this sound like 'f.' Let me show you how to shape your mouth to get the right sound." Kathryn pushed her tongue to her top teeth and opened her mouth slightly. "Now Dodger, you try and make your mouth look like mine." Dodger studied Kathryn's mouth before attempting the shape himself. "Good," Kathryn encouraged, "now try blowing like this:" Kathryn blew softly between her tongue and top teeth. A soft 'th' sound escaped her lips. Dodger blew too hard. His sounded more like a hissing sound.
"Not that hard, Dodger," Kathryn chided as she showed him again. After several tries, Dodger was making a fair 'th' sound.
By this time, some of the other boys had started arriving and sitting groggily down at the table. Dodger and Kathryn joined them looking very pleased with themselves. Kathryn brings the sausages over to the table and everyone starts to eat. Soon everyone is at the table except Fagin.
I wonder where he is, thought Kathryn. She didn't wonder for long before the old man tottered very drunk. He slammed his gin bottle on the table and grabbed the sausages. "You lot," he said gruffly, "it's 'igh 'ime you ge' to work." There were no complaints because everyone knew how dangerous Fagin could be when he was drunk.
They didn't sing their song. Everyone left in silence in their own groups. Dodger made sure he was with Kathryn. He didn't want her to get hurt again. Charley came over to Dodger and tried to follow him but Dodger told him not to. "Mate," he said, "Alexander 'ere needs help more than you do. Run along now and go with Ben and Will." Charley huffed and walked slowly over to the twins.
"Thanks, Dodger," Kathryn said, "and I heard you use your nice 'th' sound." She laughed.
"You're righ' welcome, Kathryn," he replied, making sure to say her name correctly and quietly so no one else would hear. The two of them made their way into the heart of London with a spring in their steps.
"Say, Kathryn," Dodger said after a while, "do you think you could show me Ginger. I would like to see 'er."
"Alright Dodger. She's usually right around the corner at the pub." They walked on until they reached the pub where, sure enough, Ginger was standing.
"Kafryn," Dodger said, forgetting his accent, "it looks terrible."
"She's not an it, Dodger," Kathryn snapped, "and she looks terrible because she has a mean owner."
"I'm sorry Kathryn," Dodger said, "I didn't mean to make you mad."
"I'm sorry too," Kathryn replied, "I shouldn't have snapped at you. After all, you didn't know." The two walked up to Ginger in silence. The mare flicked her ears cautiously over to hear what was approaching her. Kathryn walked up to her shoulder and began to pet Ginger up her neck and on her shoulder. Dodger stood nervously to one side.
"Dodger," Kathryn said, "will you keep a lookout for the cart driver. I don't want to be whipped again."
"Righ'," Dodger replied, happy to have something useful to do. Much too soon, he spotted a gruff looking man walk out of the door. "Kathryn," Dodger said pointing to the man, "is that Ginger's owner?"
"Yes, yes it is. Goodbye Ginger. I hope to see you tomorrow." Dodger and Kathryn ran into the busy street just before the cart driver reached Ginger.
"Tha' was close," Dodger commented.
"Yes, too close," Kathryn said almost to herself, "now, we must get to work. Would you like to see who can get the most things?"
"O' course, tha' would be migh'y fun." Each started looking in different directions for possible victims. Dodger was the first to spot a man with a handkerchief sticking out of his waistcoat pocket. He ran off and soon returned proudly carrying the handkerchief.
Kathryn scanned the crowd looking for something to top Dodger. Then she spotted it: the silver necklace. It was hanging out of the pocket of rich gentleman. I bet he just bought a necklace for his wife, she thought. Walking slowly over to the man, she grabbed the chain as he bent to look at a cake.
"Dodger! Look what I found," she called as she reached him.
"Wot is it?" he asked.
"It's a silver necklace!" Both children looked intensely at the chain with the little silver locket at the end. Kathryn opened it to find a tiny round pearl in the center of the heart-shaped locket.
"This thing mus' be worth tons!" Dodger exclaimed.
"Yes, I think we had better get back to Fagin before someone sees two little orphans running around with a pearl and silver." Kathryn said as she started walking in the direction of Fagin's lodging.