Elsia Boccia DeAngelo had been 13 when she met the boy that would someday be her husband.  They ran into each other outside the bakery every morning as they both had to pick up fresh bread for family meals. He wasn't always nice to her, it depended if his friends were around. If they were, some days he acted as if he didn't know her, and on others, he was mean, pulling her braided hair and poking her. When his friends weren't around he was sweet, and kind. As they got older, they spent more and more time together, at the dismay of her father. He didn't like Alexander, and it wasn't likely he ever would. 

One evening after a long day spent with Alexander, her father met her at the door and ordered her into his office and forbade her to go out with Alexander again. Elsia was devastated at the thought of not seeing her beloved Alexander. She was 17 years old, old enough to be married, and knew her heart.  From the first day they had met all those years ago, her heart had belonged to Alexander DeAngelo. How could her father do this to her? She ran from his office and slammed the door to her bedroom. She paced, she cried, her heart was breaking. She threw herself across the bed and sobbed herself to sleep. 

The next morning, she dressed carefully, she wanted to look her best for Alexander. She would be seeing him at the bakery.  She smiled to herself as she walked down the stairs. Her father was standing at the bottom of the stairs. "Elsia - Benito,  the stable boy will be getting the bread from now on.. a young lady such as  yourself shouldn't be bothered with such mundane and menial tasks.  Oh, and Elsia? You will be very happy to know that know that I have obtained passage to London for you to go to a very prestigious boarding school. You will be leaving Friday morning so that you have time to get settled in before starting next week." 

Elsia's hand flew up to her mouth and she gasped at her father's words. She was angry, sad, and heartbroken all at the same time. She ran past her father and out the door. She could hear him shouting for him behind her, but she didn't care. She ran all the way to the bakery, where hopefully she would still be able to catch Alexander. As she ran to the marketplace, she searched for Alexander, her eyes scanning everyone. She was late, she knew, but she had hoped he would wait on her! Her heart fell as she realized he wasn't here. 

Alexander

From the first time he saw her, he knew he would someday marry her. He was 15 years old, and was getting the bread from the bakery, as he had for years. It was his job, every single day. At first, it was an adventure, to walk to the bakery by himself.  At 11 years old, to be trusted to walk the 5 miles to town and back was a big deal. He didn't have to carry any coins, as his father paid the tab every Saturday afternoon. After he had done it for a few months, it became a chore, something he despised doing. But, it was his chore, and if he didn't do it, his father would give him a licking with a freshly cut switch. So he did it it, and hated it. Then one day, it changed. He glanced across the bakery while waiting for old man Giandi to hand him his daily allotment and saw her. Beautiful black hair glimmering as the sunlight hit it, huge green eyes that danced with glee as she took in all of the sights without parental accompaniment. He watched her closely as she walked past the huge case of pastries along the front counter. She ran her hand down the top of the counter as she walked, and gazed in. She stopped when she got to the chocolate cupcakes covered in Swiss meringue. He watched as she licked her lip slightly, and then moved on.  

The next day, he gave old man Giandi a few coins to pay for one of those chocolate cupcakes covered in Swiss meringue, and asked to be sure that she got one when she came in. He got his bread and exited the store before she came in.  He watched her from across the street as she smiled happily when Giandi gave her the cupcake along with her bread. As the years went by, they spent more and more time together, until they were almost inseparable. He knew her father wasn't fond of him, and it was only because his family was a more common family, instead of having a fancy 2 story house in the best part of town, they lived in a modest 3 bedroom house with no indoor plumbing. It wasn't anything grand, but, it was home. 

When he was 19 years old, and she 17, he promised her he would marry her. To his delight, she agreed, and said she would marry him as well. He was blissfully happy. They spent whole summer days together until one day, he waited for her at the bakery, and she never came. Instead, the little stable boy Benito came. 

"Benito, where is Elsia?" he asked the boy. The boy spoke with his eyes on the floor " she is going to London, her father is sending her to school there."  He felt his heart drop, the only girl he ever loved was leaving, and there was nothing he could do about it. He left the bakery, crestfallen. He knew he had to stop her, but, he didn't know how. 

Elsia

That night, she wrote a note for Alexander and asked Benito to give it to him in the morning. She didn't know what else to do. She was scared she would lose her precious Alexander. She didn't want to move to London, but, if her plan worked out, Alexander could meet her there, and they could get married. Once they were married, her father could not control her anymore.

Alexander, 

My love, my father found out how close we have gotten, and he has forbade me to see you anymore. I will be leaving for London on Friday to start finishing school. Please tell me you can meet me in London, so that we can be together! You promised we were to be married. I know you wanted to wait until we were a bit older, but, I fear if we wait, we may never be able to be together. 

Alexander, I love you, with all of my heart. I will be waiting your reply, but please, be sure it is before Friday, so that I know that you want to be with me as much as I you.

I love you my darling,

Elsia

Benito didn't say a word, as he handed Alexander the note Elsia had written. Alexander opened it wordlessly, grabbing a pencil from the counter, he hastily jotted a reply back. 

My love,

Of course I want to be with you. I want to be married to you! I will put together a plan, and we will be together. If I can book passage, would you go to New York City, United States with me?

Always, 

Alexander

Elsia read the note that Benito handed her and smiled. She was so happy to find that her one true love would rescue her from her father, and from having to go to school in London, till such a time as her father found someone for her to wed. 

Benito delivered notes back and forth for several days, and a plan had been formed. She would pack all of the possessions she would need to go to school in London. However, she would also pack another smaller bag of clothing and have Benito deliver it Alexander. She would take the transport that her father arranged for her to take. She would check in with the school and get her room assignment, once that was completed, she would "Explore" the campus. 

She and Alexander had arranged to meet at the Hungerford Bridge.  His father had given him a small bag of gold coins to the voyage to America, and he had arranged for passage on the RMS Majestic. They were departing on Monday, the day she was to have started school. She could barely contain her excitement, as the week crawled by.