Without Sin by Margaret Dickinson

Author:Margaret Dickinson [Dickinson, Margaret]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780330526982
Publisher: Pan Macmillan

‘Why don’t you go down to the shop and see Meg yourself?’ Jake suggested to Sarah.

‘Oh no, I couldn’t. If she doesn’t want to see me, then . . .’ She closed her eyes and sighed heavily. ‘Besides, I don’t want to embarrass her. If she’s well settled in a good job, it’s – it’s better that I keep out of the way.’ Sarah’s voice was forlorn as she murmured, ‘I’d only shame her.’

Jake took Sarah’s thin hand as he declared stoutly, ‘You couldn’t shame anyone. She’s being very silly and unkind and I’m going to tell her so.’

‘Oh no, Jake, you mustn’t. You’re a good, thoughtful boy, but you really mustn’t.’

‘I shall. She should be grateful to have a mother like you. I – I would be.’

Sarah smiled sadly and stroked his hair. ‘No wonder everyone here likes you so much. We all miss you.’

‘Even old man Pendleton? I bet he misses the exercise with his cane.’

Sarah laughed for the first time in months. ‘Oh, Jake, you bad boy. But it’s Miss Pendleton I feel sorry for. She really misses you and weeps when you don’t visit.’

‘She’s the same with all the boys.’

Sarah shook her head. ‘No, I don’t think so. You’re special to her.’

‘Well, I was here the longest.’ He grinned, delighting in his own newly found freedom. There was only one thing marring his complete happiness. Meg.

‘Is it true what they say?’ he went on, trying not to think of her.

‘What about?’

‘That the matron had a little boy of her own once.’ His voice dropped to a whisper. ‘Even though she was never married.’

‘Oh, I don’t know about that, Jake. And I wouldn’t dare to ask. Mr Pendleton is very kind to me, but I wouldn’t like to pry into his private life.’ She leant closer to Jake and whispered. ‘I asked about his wife once and he snapped my head off and told me never to mention her name again.’

‘Perhaps it’s too painful for him to talk about her.’

‘What happened to her? Did she die?’

Jake wrinkled his brow. ‘That’s what they say, but it happened about the time I was born. They say that’s why Miss Pendleton came here to take her place as the matron. It’s not usual, you know. A brother and sister being master and matron. It’s usually man and wife, but after his missis died the guardians let Miss Pendleton come.’ He stood up. ‘And talking of her, I’d better go and see her.’ He grinned. ‘Don’t want her in tears ’cos I didn’t see her while I was here.’

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.