Robin Ritchie by Dorothy K. Haynes

Author:Dorothy K. Haynes [Haynes, Dorothy K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, PerditusLiber
ISBN: OCLC: 7371094
Publisher: Methuen & Co. Ltd. London
Published: 1949-11-15T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XIII

ROBIN listened woodenly when Mr. Pringle told her of her father’s death. ‘Like the baby?’ she asked at last.

He nodded, and Robin stared at him for a moment, half disliking him. The memory of the dead baby still troubled her. She saw the clergyman, bald and black, reciting long words before the sexton shovelled earth into the grave, burying the small coffin. It was cruel, sad … and the baby had never come back. Well, then, Jake would not be back either, to come at her, leering, jeering, storming with his weighted belt. She cringed visibly as the thought of the belt passed through her mind, and Mr. Pringle patted her shoulder to rouse her.

‘It’s all over, Robin. There’s nothing more to worry about. All you have to do is to be a good girl and try to work hard to help your mother. Will you do that? Eh? Wih you?’

‘He’ll … not be back? Ever?’ She pushed her head near to him, an unusual force in her voice. Her eyes narrowed, and her face was thin and sharp. Mr. Pringle shook his head, and tried not to look uncomfortable.

‘No.’ He was going to add piously, ‘not in this world,’ but he clipped off the words at the last moment. Robin would not understand the euphemisms of religion. Better to keep within the limits of her intelligence, and get things clear. He watched her in silence, relieved that he did not have to comfort her and then she retreated a step, and spoke softly, a simple statement of fact.

‘I want home.’

‘But, Robin … you can’t just go home like that, you

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know. You’ve got your work to do here. The sisters need you to help them, and they’d miss you if you went away. You’ve got to think of that.’

‘I want home. I want home!’ She was convinced now that home would be a safe place, with Jake gone for ever. Her mother had once been kind to her, calling her ‘hen’, protecting her from her father and the rest of the family. None of the nuns were motherly. They might be kind, but their kindness was reasoned, dutifully applied, and the convent was too cold and clean. But for the fear of Jake, Robin realized suddenly, she would have run away long ago.

‘Robin—you’re better off where you are. Don’t you think this is a nice place to live? Look at all the flowers. You don’t see them at home. And see the nice pictures!’ Sister Agnes and another old nun spoke to her as to a child, humouring her, and, like a child, Robin responded unreasonably. ‘I want home! I want my mammie! I want my mammie!’

‘Do you think, perhaps, a little visit…?’ faltered the old nun.

Sister Agnes looked exasperated. She had thought they were going to avoid a scene, and now here was Robin—she glanced at Mr. Pringle for guidance, and saw that he looked more worried than any of them.

‘I—I think, Sister, she should be kept here meantime.

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