The Orphan in the Peacock Shawl by AnneMarie Brear

Author:AnneMarie Brear [Brear, AnneMarie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Boldwood Books

The cockerel heralded the dawn with his raucous crowing, waking Annabelle from where she slept on the sofa. Moving carefully so as not to waken the baby, she went into the scullery and washed her face to wake up fully. She’d spent last night packing up the cottage and trying to feed the baby small amounts of milk, enough to stop her from screaming. The results were little sleep for either of them and the cottage held random piles of boxes and crates, half-filled.

She heard the voices before she saw them go past the window. Dickie came around the back of the cottage, leading Bobby and the cart. Sitting in the cart was a woman holding a child.

Quickly, Annabelle raked the fire and added sticks to the embers and put the kettle on to boil. She opened the door. ‘You’re back. How was it?’

‘Not so bad. Bobby behaved, so that was good.’ Dickie helped the woman down. ‘This is Nellie, Ginny’s cousin.’

‘Thank you for coming.’ Annabelle smiled at the woman, who looked much older than Ginny. ‘I’m very grateful.’

Nellie wore a worn brown dress and a battered black hat with a faded red flower on the side of it. In her arms, she held a sleeping baby in a grubby grey shawl. ‘Well, I don’t mind. Ginny rarely asks for my help so I knew it must have been important.’ She hitched the baby more comfortably with one arm and with the other hand she pushed lank brown hair up under her hat. ‘Dickie has filled me in, and your secret is safe with me. I know how to keep secrets, I do.’ Her smile was wide and warm and instantly put Annabelle at ease.

‘I don’t know what to say.’ Annabelle blinked away threatening tears.

‘There’s nothing to say. If you’re Ginny’s friend then you’re my friend now, too.’

Relief made her weak at the knees. ‘Thank you. Come in. I’ll make some tea.’

‘That’ll be grand. I’m fair parched.’

While Annabelle made a simple breakfast with the last of the ham and eggs she had, Nellie placed her chubby baby on the sofa and picked up the newborn, who looked like a tiny doll in comparison.

‘My, she’s small, ain’t she? Not full term?’

‘I don’t know. The mother didn’t tell me much information.’

‘No, the wealthy young ladies barely know the facts of life as it is. They don’t have a clue about the real details. Kept in the dark all their lives, most of them.’ Nellie sat down and unbuttoned her bodice. She gripped her left breast and pushed the nipple into the baby’s mouth. ‘This one is weak, you know. She may not last.’

‘Don’t say that, please.’ Annabelle’s hand, holding strips of ham, was suspended over the frying pan as she stared at Nellie trying to persuade the baby to feed.

‘I’m just saying, that’s all. Little ones like this are touch-and-go when it comes to surviving the first few weeks.’

Dread gripped Annabelle’s heart. ‘I’m changing my life for her. I can’t go through all this for nothing.

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