Sari Robins - [Andersen Hall Orphanage 01] by One Wicked Night

Author:One Wicked Night
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“Ten. Most of the boys were older, but Dunn allowed me to go along.”

“He seemed like a very special man,” she stated slowly, reminded of their last unhappy exchange on the subject and wishing to make amends.

His body stiffened, and he was silent.

“I’m just, well, very sorry. I did not mean to pry.” But she was probing and she knew it. She was insatiably curious about the man. She had thought that she had known so much about Redford from the accounts in the newspapers. But she seemed to know naught about him, really. Exploits in the broadsheets did not translate into understanding a human being, his motivations, his dreams…. It was no surprise that she was at sixes and sevens about Redford and hardly knew which way was north as far as he was concerned.

“It is no great secret,” he remarked, shrugging. “Dunn was like a father to me. I had no one, and his own son was…let us say, very different from what Dunn would have hoped.”

“It sounds like a beneficial arrangement for you both.” So why did he sound so disturbed about it?

“It was good for me, no doubt. And Dunn appreciated our friendship. He loved me well, but no matter how dear I was to him, I was never his son. There were times when I did almost wish to be of his blood, I’ll admit, but it was not the right of it.”

“And this saddened you?”

“Mostly, I was upset for Dunn. The rift with Marcus brought tremendous heartache to him.”

“What happened between them?”

“Marcus was smart, quick on his feet, a bit of a rake. Somehow, if there was trouble about, Marcus would be found in the middle of it. Dunn’s approach was to try to discipline the rowdiness out of him, mostly with chores and lost privileges. Not that Marcus didn’t deserve a thrashing now and again…but it seemed that with every punishment, there was retaliation. Marcus was a wild stallion, you see, and Dunn tried to break him. It was only a matter of time before something had to give.”

“What was it?”

“I don’t know. Dunn would not speak of it. Marcus left for the Peninsula. Dunn was never the same after Marcus took off. He tried to hide it, but we all knew. He never fully recovered…” His voice trailed off with sorrow. After a moment, he straightened. “But I digress. I was telling you the story about Mr. Evans’s soap shop. Do you wish to hear it, or am I boring you to tears?”

“No, please go on.” She was anxious for every crumb he might offer about his childhood, so very different from hers.

“Well, the shop was pandemonium during Christmastide, but Mr. Evans was a sharp gent, and he realized that someone was filching from the till.”

“Did he accuse you?”

“No, he blamed my friend John William. John was a braggart. All talk but no deeds. He might have mentioned the easy money within reach, but he did not have the brass neck or the stupidity to actually steal a farthing.

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