The Winter Orphan by Cathy Sharp

Author:Cathy Sharp
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2019-08-05T17:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

Bella took only a woollen shawl Annie had given her and the dress she had worn when she left the workhouse. She had baked the bread fresh before her master went to work and made a spare loaf for herself. Wrapping that in her shawl with a stone bottle of water, she slipped out of the back door and into the lane, closing the door behind her.

She knew that the loaf and the small piece of cheese she took with her would be called theft and if she was caught she would be punished severely. She thought it might also be a crime to run away from the master who had paid for her, but she dared not stay longer. She had seen the glint in her master’s eyes and knew that he would use her ill – either at his workshops or elsewhere. His nephews were cruel and thoughtless, but her master was worse when he was angry. He had killed Annie by his brutality and Bella knew if she stayed he would turn on her. If he did not work her to death making chains, he would beat her – or perhaps worse. Bella had learned more of life since she came to this house for Annie had spoken freely of what she suffered at her husband’s hands.

As yet Bella was too young for him to use her as a woman, but when she was older … Bella shivered. She’d seen something in his eyes when Annie’s father had spoken of his other daughter. Archie was marrying a woman fifteen years younger and Karl would not hesitate to do the same if he chose – though he might simply take the woman he wanted to his bed and not bother to wed her.

Bella left her master’s cottage, heading away from the village because if anyone saw her and told Karl, he would follow and drag her back. She had no idea where she was going; she just knew that she had to get far away from this accursed place before Karl realised she’d gone.

She walked for a long time. It was very cold and Bella felt the bitter wind in her face. She clutched her shawl around her and resisted the temptation to stop and eat. Bella had no money other than the florin Mr Stoneham had given her, because there was none in the house that she knew of and even if there had been, she would not have dared to steal it. It was bad enough that she was wearing boots Karl had paid for and had taken one of the fresh loaves. She comforted herself that she had been paid no wages and was entitled to the things she had, but could not truly believe it.

Bella stopped when she heard a church clock strike the hour of three. She was hungry and thirsty and her feet had begun to hurt. Seeing an old barn just ahead, Bella made for it and discovered that it was merely three-sided and bales of hay were stored beneath the shabby roof.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.