An Eternity Of Glass by Laura Chouette

Author:Laura Chouette [Chouette, Laura]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

3

The thundering of hooves on the rough cobblestones of Glaswood Street echoed off the plain facades of houses. I stared intently down the street. Suddenly, a tall rider on a black horse shot around the corner. The upturned collar of his heavy, long black coat denied me a view of his pale face. Only his moss-green, glowing eyes and loose strands of his black hair, hidden under a hat, were visible.

With tremendous speed, he raced past me. Intimidated, I pressed against the stone wall. The rain soon muffled the hoofbeats of the horse in the distance. Only the bells of Westminster, striking seven o'clock, were audible. The dull tolls echoed eerily in the deserted alley. I shivered slightly in the cold of the autumn morning. Impatiently, I paced the alley, waiting. London gradually awoke under the breaking cloud cover. The clear blue sky spread like a splash of color, dispelling the dull gray of the rain clouds. From a rundown house beside me, the sound of clattering dishes emanated. A group of five boys, all around twelve years old, burst out of an abandoned factory building at the end of the alley. Their gaunt faces and tattered clothing spoke of dirt and hardship.

I mustered a tired smile as they noticed me and circled around, begging. "Please, sir, just three pence," pleaded a freckled boy, tugging at my coat. "Please, sir," urged another, "we have nothing to eat." All five eagerly extended their right hands. "Sir, we implore you, just three pence, please," the freckled boy repeated. Finally, I pulled out eight shillings. "What's your name?" I asked the boy clinging to my coat. In a thin voice, he answered, "Robin Kentwick." Smiling, I held my open hand with the eight shillings in front of his nose. "This is for you and your friends, Robin."

His gray-blue eyes widened. "But... but, sir," he stammered, overwhelmed, "that's far too much." I leaned down to him. "So should I give you only three pence?" I whispered, teasing him. Timidly, he shook his head. "No, sir." I quickly pressed the money into his hand. "Buy yourselves some food and new clothes." I straightened up again and noticed the greedy looks of the other boys. "And now go, before I change my mind." The group scattered at once, except for Robin. He stared at me with glassy eyes.

"Thank you, sir," he whispered softly and then disappeared as well. The smile on my lips faded as I caught sight of Jack from the corner of my eye. "The holy Vincent Bates," he sneered grimly. Offended, I turned around. "Shut your mouth, Jack," I ordered coldly and untied my horse. Jack casually crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the pub wall. "Don't you want to ask me?" he grinned. I shot him a meaningful glance. "How it was for me," he said as blatantly as possible. Indifferently, I turned back to the horse.

"No," I replied shortly. "To be honest, I'm not interested." Jack tilted his head back.

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