Baker's Gonna Bake

Chapter 8

When Cora made her way through the rabble of excitable dancing ladies, in an attempt at going to the restroom to freshen up, she stumbled over the boot of a gentleman and almost fell headfirst into the bar. It was certain that she would've done, if a set of strong arms in a cloth shirt hadn't scooped her up to prevent it.
She looked up into the face of the man who had caught her ready to both apologise and thank them and was relieved to see that it was Alfie. Her drink-addled mind had her giggling something about falling for him already, and she blushed pink realising she'd said it aloud. Falling and flirting wasn't something she had ever done, it must have been the gin.

"Bloody hell woman, what you playing at falling over? ... Well fuck! I aint gonna be classed responsible for getting you in no fit state to conduct yourself, I think it might be time I walked you home." He grumbled, coming across slightly annoyed at her for drinking so much which was ironic when he had bought her every single drink and he knew she wasn't used to it.
She could tell his comment wasn't a request either because he already had a hold of her arms and he seized the opportunity to pull her by one, in direction of the doors to take her home.

"Alfie wait, will you?! .. I need my coat, and I need the restroom!" She urgently pleaded with him. She wasn't sure if his controlling authority added to his charisma or not. On one hand she liked that he displayed a masculine authority and it was needed in his position as her employer but she had also been controlled for pretty much her entire life. A strict boss, an overprotective father, a live-in guardian for an uncle .. were all men the very same, not trusting women to run their own lives? Indeed it seemed so.
Alfie let go of her reluctantly and took off his hat to run a hand through his hair in a state of exasperation. This was a habit of his as she would soon come to realise, especially when something was making him stressed.
She left him stood there as she went to grab her wool throw over and got pulled away and twirled around by Helena as she attempted an escape. Alfie watched, propped up on the bar as she mingled with his own class of people, he saw how they had all taken to her instantly like he had upon meeting her and how she was definitely a prize if he could just sober her up and win her over. Of course the obstacles were overwhelming, at least in his own head, and a familiar thought flashed into his mind as he wondered if it was worth the damn hassle of it all. The bewitching sorcery of a woman rarely was in the end and he had seen men who fought gallantly in the war being brought to their knees by the emotions they felt for a woman. He had always said he wanted no part in that game. People who loved were weak, and yet here he was, waiting obediently while she used the lavatory. Was he some kind of a lap dog now? Tied up on a leash waiting for his mistress to return ? Well No, no he wasn't, and he couldn't ever be. Alfie Solomons would never be handled by a woman. His own mother would vouch for that.
He left her in the bathroom and sighed deeply as he walked outside for some air. Pulling his pipe from his long black coat and the Tabacco and matches from his inside pocket he lit it efficiently and breathed it in like his life depended on it.
As he toked on the pipe, it bobbed around on his bottom lip and he exhaled the smoke flume forcefully up into the cold night air, watching it float upwards and evaporate into the dark night sky whilst his tortured thoughts wandered. He really was the wandering Jew, aimlessly daydreaming through his life and he hadn't been present since he met the girl. He was so confused about the rush of feelings, it was unsettling him.

Maybe he should visit Rosaleigh later, he pondered as he waited for Cora to come and find him. The pent up sexual frustration of watching a young, off-limits brunette eye fucking him all night across the crowded brewery, was enough to make him want to shag a hole in a fence if that's all there was around. Fuck the splinters, it would be worth it ten fold, he chuckled to himself.

"Alfie" came that sweet voice again tickling his ears and bringing him back to reality.
He turned on his heel and blew out his pipe, returning it to the pocket of his trousers.