TIME MACHINE CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
The search parties from the East End and West End finally came together at Waterloo Bridge. Ben's heart was breaking. The thought of Lucius shivering in some alley all night tore at him. He looked out at the bridge, hoping against hope that he could see the small boy. As the line of cabs moved over the bridge, Ben prayed as he had never prayed before.
Lenny felt sadistic and wanted to lull the little boy into feeling safe before he brained him.
"Hey, do you like pies?" he asked.
Lucius answered more out of politeness than hunger:
"Yes please, a pie would be nice."
As Lenny turned the corner he was dumbfounded to see a row of Hansom cabs where the bridge was normally deserted.
"Lucius! Down here!" Ben yelled joyfully, suddenly spotting him.
Lucius forgot his plan to manage on his own, and yelled back:
"Ben, this kind man's brought me here."
Then Abberline got out of the cab, and Lenny knew the game was up. He was wanted for other crimes and he was going to hang. Lenny decided he'd take the kid with him.
He lifted Lucius on to the rail of the bridge, dangled him over and let him go, just as Abberline fired, hitting Lenny square between the eyes. Lenny reeled and fell into the river.
Ben was moaning with grief.
Then like a miracle, he heard somebody- Cal? Ethan? Ben wasn't sure, shout:
"He's safe! He's fallen into a boat!"
Lucius looked at the man who owned the boat, wondering if this meant another beating, but the man was saying to him:
"You must have nine lives, lad."
"I split one of your sacks."
"Don't fret, boy. Let's get you to shore."
"I don't think you need my help any more, Sir. Case closed."
Frederick Abberline tipped his hat, and walked away into the night.
"Ben, I'm so sorry I ran away!"
"We'll talk about that when we get back", Ben said, hugging him close.
"I split this gentleman's sack" Lucius said sadly.
The man with the boat was already walking off briskly. Dylan ran after him.
"Your boat stopped our ward from drowning. You must take payment for that damaged sack."
"I was just happy to be there at the right time, Sir."
Dylan became Dylan-like:
"Now look! You've lost a sack of flour; that means your trade could suffer. Now you take this and don't argue, because we're all tired here."
"Well, thank you, friend."
As they made their way to the cabs again, Ethan said hopefully:
"I don't suppose we could get pies on the way?"
Lucius suddenly felt as if he could eat a pie.
"We'll buy pies to take back; I want to get away from here as soon as possible." Dylan took over.
"A pie for each of us, plus one each for Rita and Jess, and then five for Ethan" teased Connie, who never thought she'd be able to joke again.
"Anybody would think I was greedy" huffed Ethan.
As Ben carried Lucius up the steps of Miss Seabrook's, he said:
"Tomorrow night we'll take you to see 'Pirates of Penzance' at the theatre, Lucius. It'll be a treat for you."
"Not for me it won't" growled Dylan.
"Would you let me provide your party with transport to the theatre and back tomorrow night?" asked Evelyn.
Ben wanted to say they could manage, but just wanted to make sure Lucius was safe before they all left Victorian London for good.
"That would be kind" he replied.
Evelyn put his hand on Ben's arm.
"Benjamin, I think you should know that I approached your friend Dylan yesterday. It was a clumsy attempt to find out if he – felt the same as I did. He was quite adamant that he only wanted to be with you. Nothing happened."
"I know that" Ben said, managing to see the humour in life again, "He only met you for a few moments in the London fog. Even somebody with Dylan's energy couldn't have been unfaithful to me in that time!"
Just then a spiteful voice from over the road cut in:
"Well! Caused a right hue and cry, he has, and he's going to be taken to the theatre tomorrow night for it! I'd have smacked his bottom so hard-"
Miss Seabrook almost ran down the steps and yelled:
"That little boy's a good, kind, decent little boy and you don't know what he's been through tonight! So I'll thank you to keep your mouth shut, Miss Ai…eeeeee…fe O'Reilly!"
Aioife stormed back to her own lodging house.
The next day Dylan and Ben had a serious talk with Lucius.
"Are you going to beat me for running away?" asked the small boy.
"No, Lucius, because you're our boy now and we love you. But there's something you need to know. We're not in Rome now and babies aren't ever sent away to die. Jess is happy because she's going to have that baby, but it doesn't ever mean there isn't room for you. Or money for all of us. Promise you'll never run off again?"
"But you paid my father for me and I've done no work at all."
"Lucius, we paid your father because it was the only way he'd let you go. But we want to bring you up as our son."
"Can two gentlemen do that?"
"They can where we come from. While we're here we'll just call ourselves your guardians."
"Come on now – Son, stop crying" Dylan said, meaning to be kind.
He was unprepared for Lucius burying his head in him and crying out all his misery.
Just then a vistor was admitted – Miss O'Reilly.
"Sir, I have come to apologise for my behaviour last night. I have learned the truth today and am ashamed of myself."
"That's quite all right, Miss O' Reilly, we'll say no more about it."
She passed over a little parcel.
"A bag of sugar mice for the little boy, if he's allowed confectionery?"
"In moderation, and thank you, Miss O'Reilly."
Dylan bent and kissed the lady's hand, and she all but bounced back to her own lodging-house.
"Oi, you!" Ben's voice was sharp but he was smiling. He could never have imagined Dr Keogh kissing a lady's hand back in the ED.
"Pirates of Penzance" thrilled Lucius. He'd been told that it was rude to talk while the actors were talking or singing, but that they would love it if he clapped hard at the end of each act. Lucius fell in love with the show, the silly policemen, the swashbuckling pirates who were kind despite their threats, and the beautiful lady playing Mabel.
And even though the production was slow torture for Dylan, he never let Lucius know it.
It was wonderful to have the private coach at their disposal, no worries about fog or villains this time, just a leisurely ride back to Miss Seabrook's.
The next day, Evelyn shook hands with Ben and Dylan, and told them to look after each other. Maybe one of them should have heeded that warning.
Then it was decision time. Lucius was given the choice.
"Forwards or backwards, Lucius?"
"Um… sideways?" Lucius suggested.
Connie stroked his hair, and moved the controls just a little forward, then sideways.
The machine moved.
"Good choice, Lucius" Ben applauded.
"Thanks… Dad." Lucius tried out the word and liked it.
Ben's heart was full. So full that he ignored the fact that Ethan was helping himself to Lucius's sugar mice.
(