Always: You'll Never Walk Alone Read Free

named Henry said, and we heard them laugh.
    “Are you alright?” I asked
    Sarah was trembling and threw her arms around me.
    I put my arms around her and held her ‘til she calmed down.
    “I’m sorry.” She said. “I was so scared.”
    “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.” I said. Sounding much braver than I felt.
    “Who were those men?”
    “I don’t know, but we’ll make sure we avoid them when we leave. Come on let me show you around.”
    She straightened up and smiled at me. “Thank you Master Steve.” Then as she took in the surroundings, her mouth dropped open. She slowly turned around then turning back to me said, “I’ve never seen anything like this. It’s magnificent.”
    The cathedral was huge. High above rising more than three hundred feet was the Great Dome.
    “Come on.” I said. “I’ll take you up to the whispering gallery.”
    “What is this whispering gallery?” “I thought it was just Ron teasing.”
    “No, no it’s up these stairs.” We climbed the wide spiral staircase into the dome and entered the gallery. Looking over the parapet, it was a hundred feet to the floor below. Sarah jumped back, and grabbing my arm said, “I’ve never been so high; it’s like being a bird. Aren’t you scared of falling?”
    I was enjoying the feel of her delicate hands on my arm and although I was feeling a little dizzy myself I assured her there was nothing to fear. “You stay here and I’ll go to the far side. We can whisper, and it’s just like we’re standing right next to each other.”
    I walked around the dome until I was opposite Sarah and then whispered. “Sarah I hope you’re enjoying London.”
    I was greeted with a loud squeal. “Master Steve what trick is this?”
    “Shhh, you just have to whisper.”
    “How did you do that?” She whispered.
    “I don’t know it’s just what happens.”
    “Oh Master Steve you’re wonderful.”
    Separated by three hundred feet of gallery she couldn’t see me grinning.
    The church bells chimed, three o’ clock. It was time to make our way back to the Fox. As we reached the narrow stairs, she took my hand and we went together, me leading the way. We walked back, hand in hand across London. It must have been raining because when we got back to the Fox we were both soaked through.
    Sylvie greeted us as we walked in, “And how are you two lovebirds?”
    “We’re not…”
    “Oh don’t try telling me, look at you both, hand in hand, soaking wet, and big grins. If you’re not in love, I better be sending you to Bedlam.”
    “What’s Bedlam?” Asked Sarah.
    “It’s where they send the nutcases.” I told her.
    “You better get upstairs and change out of those clothes, or we’ll be sending you to the sanatorium before we get a chance to send you to Bedlam. Go on get moving, I need you back down here, we’ve been busy all afternoon. Oh by the way Sarah there was a gentleman here earlier asking after you.”
    “A gentleman?”
    “Yes he didn’t leave a name, just asked if you worked here. He said he’d be back…”

 
    Chapter Two
     
    That night was one of the busiest I could remember. The rain turned to snow and now covered the ground to a depth of three inches. The only thing that moved on the street was the occasional stray dog, but by ten-thirty even the dogs got smart, and deciding that warmth was more important than food, slunk off to find shelter wherever they could. The Fox had been full by eight, and no one had come in or ventured out since then. The fire blazed in the hearth, occasionally spitting out sparks, causing the three mangy cats that had taken up residence in front of it to jump up hissing, as if to warn the logs to behave if they didn’t want trouble. The path to the outhouse was worn smooth and icy. Many of the customers, not being particularly steady on their feet in the first place, didn’t quite make it all the way, and the patch of yellow snow got larger and larger as the night wore on. Part of my