Head West, To England - An Alfie Solomons' Tale

Chapter Three: A visit with Tevye

Tevye sat on his brother's couch reading the day's newspaper. He had been working at his brother's jewelry shop most days, but today he was recovering from a cold. As he flipped through his paper he heard a knock at the door.

He could hear Sarah open the door. A rush of excited chattering came from Sarah and he put the paper down to concentrate on what she might be saying. Then a pair of footsteps came toward the living room. Sarah appeared and a man wearing a black hat and long black coat was with her.

"Tea then Mr. Solomons?" She asked.

"Yeah, if it isn't any trouble," Alfie replied and he walked over to Tevye. "Good Morning Mr. Sorkin, I'm Alfie Solomons. I'm here to ask you about your daughter."

Tevye leaned on the edge of the couch as if to get up, but Alfie shook his hand and went over to one of the stuffed chairs and sat.

"Eliana? Did...did she do something wrong?" Tevye asked in his thick Russian accent.

Alfie chuckled. "Not at all. I wanted to see if she was available?"

"Available?" Tevye replied, confused.

Sarah had come in as Alfie asked this question. She handed him the cup of tea and answered for Tevye.

"Yes! She is unmarried. No suitors either."

Tevye frowned. "My little one? I suppose..."

"Oh, come now Tevye." Sarah scolded him. "She is a woman now." Sarah then turned and left the room to busy herself with house chores.

"I hope I'm not offending you?" Alfie questioned.

"No, I supposed this day was going to come. But my daughter, she...she isn't exactly a woman that could easily become a wife. I raised her as a son, her domestic capabilities are limited."

"Oh?" Alfie said, sitting forward with interest. "Would you permit me to at least, uh, have a conversation with her?"

"Of course, she is in the library, if you would like to join her there."

Tevye motioned to the back of the house. Alfie nodded and made his way back to the house.

She was attempting to read a novel called Dracula. It was slow going. It took her almost a day to finish the first chapter. And then another day to reread it so she could make sure she understood it.

Footsteps approached the room and she expected to see her father, but was shocked to see Alfie Solomons in her Uncle's library. She stood from her chair.

"Mr. Solomons?"

"I thought I would stop by before I started the day. How are you, pet?"

She didn't know what "pet" meant, but she felt it would be silly to ask him.

They both sat down, he was across from her.

"What are you reading there?"

She picked up the book and carefully read the title out loud, "Dracula."

He chuckled, "You are a different type of woman, aren't you?"

Eliana cocked her head slightly to the side. She wasn't sure she had understood him correctly.

"I'd like to know more about you. Tell me." He said leaning back into his chair.

She felt puzzled, uncertain what he wanted to know or what she should even tell him. His deep blue eyes burrowed into her and it sent a shiver up her spine with an emotion she was not very familiar with. She felt warm, her heart rate elevated and she felt a slight throbbing between her legs.

"I..." she began, but stopped. What would she say? That she could kill a man from several hundred yards away. That she didn't know she was a girl until she was at least ten years of age. She stammered again then decided it was best not to say anything at all.

"If you like, you can tell me in Russian." he said, thinking it was because of a language barrier.

"Can I ask why you need to know?" She said in english. She was determined she would improve her abilities.

"If I told you I wanted you to become my wife, what would you say?"

Eliana had been holding her book, her fingers went weak and the book fell to the floor with a thud.

"Oh, I...wife? Mr. Solomons, I make no good wife," she said, aware that her English was deteriorating as she spoke, but was too nervous to care.

"Hmmm, that is what your father said. Why do you think that?"

"Cooking, cleaning, children. I don't know how."

"I have a maid. And my bobe is still alive, she cooks rather well."

"What is...purpose?" she tried to ask in English. Now frustrated, she gave in and asked in Russian, "But what is the purpose of marrying me? What use do I have for you if the domestic duties are covered?"

"I need a woman who is...not overly sensitive. That can handle the nature of my work."

"The nature of your work?" she continued in Russian.

"Yes. Tell me, are you good with numbers? Strategy?"

She nodded. In fact she was very good with accounting and kept track of her father's and brother's expenses back home. Strategy, very much so. She helped the rebels figure out the logistics of travel routes and attack plans.

"I want a partner. Someone I can trust. Something about you, perhaps being from the old country...you have something a woman here doesn't have."

"What would that be?"

"Grit."