Orphan of Angel Street by Annie Murray

Author:Annie Murray [Murray, Annie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Sagas, Fiction
ISBN: 9780330527866
Google: Nj-9pX-ZSGkC
Amazon: 0330350250
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Published: 1999-07-08T23:00:00+00:00

The next morning she found Margaret Adair giving Stevie his morning feed in the cheerful back sitting room.

‘Do come and sit by me, Mercy,’ Margaret said, smiling.

Mercy went and sat tentatively at the other end of the couch. She hadn’t been sure what to wear, and had put her black skirt on again. She was also warm inside from eating the nicest breakfast she could ever remember having. It had been slops, it was true, but with all milk and crunchy grains of sugar on top. With her stomach comfortingly full she was ready to take on anything.

‘Sit back, dear,’ Margaret encouraged her. ‘I so want you to feel this is your home. I do have such a feeling we’re going to get on. I’m so sorry for James talking to you in that harsh way last night. I’m afraid he does get into a panic when anything the least bit different happens and then he can get rather stiff and starchy . . .’

Mercy watched her carefully, not having any idea that her big eyes and intent stare were making her employer feel quite nervous.

‘I really do want you here, Mercy.’ To Mercy’s astonishment the woman reached across and took her hand for a moment. Hers felt warm and soft.

‘I suppose Mr Adair was expecting someone a bit more . . . well, posh?’

‘Oh, I don’t know.’ Margaret sighed. ‘Older certainly. He thinks such a lot of our nanny, Audrey Radcliffe. I think she reminds him of the nanny he had as a boy.’

‘Poor him then.’ Mercy clapped a hand over her mouth in horror, eyes stretched wide. What was she saying! ‘Ooh, I’m sorry – I shouldn’t’ve said that.’

But Margaret Adair had hold of her again, was squeezing her wrist, face full of concern. ‘Is that what you think? D’you think she’s wrong, and unkind?’

Mercy felt out of her depth here. What a strange household. Why on earth should this woman be consulting her?

‘I’ve only seen ’er the once,’ Mercy said. ‘I don’t know whether she is or not – I’m sure she’s very good . . .’

The white hand was still grasping her wrist. Margaret Adair’s eyes were pleading.

‘I just . . .’

‘Yes – what? Please speak frankly, Mercy. I think I shall go completely mad if I can’t find someone to speak honestly with.’

Mercy kept looking into her eyes. ‘When I was in the home, the orphanage, that is, there were women working there who shouldn’t’ve been within a mile of children. I suppose she just reminds me . . . there’s summat about her – but that’s just me . . .’

‘Oh Mercy, thank you.’ Margaret Adair gave her wrist another squeeze and then released her. She seemed triumphant, and carried on speaking in a rush. ‘You have no idea what it means to me hearing you say that. She’s so harsh and rigid and Stevie’s so obviously unhappy with her. But James can’t see it. Anything that goes wrong, if Stevie cries or the routine gets upset, he blames me.

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