The Silent Orphan by Rosie Darling

Author:Rosie Darling [Darling, Rosie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-04-21T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Guilt over Martha racked Gid for days. Might things have been different, he wondered, if he had stayed to help her run the funeral parlour. Or had she been right? Would the Flatleys’ business have been run into the ground sooner or later anyway?

He made his way into the kitchen for supper, trying to push the thoughts away. What was done was done. There could be no changing it.

The cook was filling bowls of stew for the workers when he arrived. Groves was reclined on a chair at the head of the table, a glass of red wine in his hand. Gid glanced at the half-drunk bottle sitting in front on him. It was covered in dust and had clearly been brought up from the wine cellar.

“That wine belongs to Miss Gresham,” he said sharply.

Groves snorted, “And?”

“And you’re a thief,” the words spilled from his lips before the thought entered his mind. He stepped close to the table and glared at Groves, his eyes flashing.

Groves laughed, “Calm yourself, boy. You’ll hurt yourself.”

Gid felt the back of his neck prickle with anger. Around him, the cook and kitchen maids had fallen silent. Gid could feel their eyes on him. “You think I don’t know?” he demanded. “You think I know about all those extra coins that find their way into your pocket? You think I don’t know you have your fingers in the housekeeping fund.”

One of the kitchen maids gasped in shock.

Groves stood slowly, stepping close to Gid, “And what do you plan to do about it, boy? Go running to Miss Gresham like the little puppy dog you are?”

Gid’s eyes hardened, “I beg your pardon?”

“You think we don’t see it?” Groves snorted. “You think we don’t see how much you love her? How pathetically adoring you are?” his dark eyes flashed. “What do you imagine will come of it, boy? You’re nothing to her. You never will be.”

Gid clenched his teeth. “You know nothing,” he hissed.

Groves laughed, “I’ve struck a nerve I see. You’re pathetic, boy. Pathetic and desperate. She’ll take what she wants from you then cast you aside like common rubbish the moment she’s done with you.”

Gid’s anger flared. Without the thought going through his mind, he threw a wild punch, striking Groves beneath his eye. One of the kitchen maids screeched. Groves stumbled backwards into the table, knocking Abigail’s wine onto the floor. The bottle shattered on the flagstones. Groves lurched for Gid, but he darted out of the way. He charged upstairs to his attic room, the butler’s curses ringing in his ears.

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