The Stepsister's Tale by Tracy Barrett

Author:Tracy Barrett
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2014-07-02T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 15

Jane found herself half sitting, half lying, propped up in a pair of strong arms while someone spooned hot herbal tea into her mouth. Her vision cleared, and she saw that the cup was held by a woman with stern but gentle eyes. By the light of two windows and the embers in the nearby fireplace, Jane could see that they were in a hut very much like the one that Hugh shared with his parents. It was small but neat and tidy, and Jane’s empty stomach gave a wrench as a savory smell reached her from the iron pot nestled in the coals.

She tried to sit upright, but the woman pushed her back gently into the arms that were holding her.

“You’re the girl from up at the Hall?” the woman asked abruptly. Jane nodded. “Why don’t you leave milk and cheese anymore?”

“The cow and goats went dry.” Jane cleared her throat as her voice squeaked. “They’re starving. We’re all starving.”

The woman looked her up and down, and then spoke to the person behind Jane. “Find a basket and put some food in it, Annie.” The arms holding her loosened their grip, and Jane, glancing down, recognized the clumsily mended tear in the sleeve.

Jane caught the girl’s—Annie’s—wrist and said, “First, let me fix that.” She sat up, reached into the pocket tied around her waist, and pulled out the thread and needles. No charity, she told herself. This time it wasn’t the ancestors talking; it was her own pride. She wouldn’t take food from these people who clearly needed what they had unless she gave them something, no matter how small, in return.

Annie glanced at her mother, who nodded, and then she held out her arm while Jane sewed a seam. The girl watched with interest, and when Jane was through, she could hardly see that there had once been a rip there. Annie extended her sleeve to her mother, who inspected the work. The woman looked at Jane with real warmth this time, and said, “While my daughter finds you some—” she hesitated, and then went on “—some refreshment, perhaps you would like to occupy your time?” Jane nodded, and suppressed a smile. The woman might not have the fine manners that Mamma had tried to teach her and Maude, but she had the delicacy not to remind Jane that it wasn’t refreshment that Annie was bringing; it was life-saving provisions.

She wouldn’t be occupying her time doing fancy needlework, she saw, as the woman placed a pair of heavy woolen work trousers in her lap. The large tear that split the knee ran all the way across from side to side. She stitched a smooth seam and shook out the trousers, then held them up and surveyed her work with satisfaction. She took another sip of the now-cool tea and looked around her. A baby, wrapped in what Jane recognized as her own father’s shawl, the one that she had left on the path, lay asleep on a pallet near the fire.

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