Forgive and Forget Read Online Free PDF

alone,’ William said heavily. ‘There’s a good chap. I’ve got a headache.’
    Polly glanced at her father, a sudden fear clutching her heart. That was the first symptom her mother had complained about when she’d started with the dreadful disease. Polly watched him for a moment as he sat huddled in the chair in front of the fire. Then she saw him shiver and hold his hands out to the warmth.
    She bit her lip. ‘Dad, have you got a fever?’
    He glanced up, his eyes haunted by the loss his family had suffered. But there was something more there too. An unnatural brightness.
    Polly moved closer. ‘Have – have you any pain?’
    William considered. ‘A bit. Me stomach feels sort of – unsettled, but I wouldn’t call it pain. Not really.’ He seemed about to say more, but a fit of coughing overtook him as Polly looked on anxiously.
    ‘Mam had a cough, Dad,’ she said softly when the fit had subsided.
    William shook his head irritably. ‘Do stop fussing, girl. Haven’t I enough to worry about without you wishing the disease on me?’
    Polly gasped. ‘Dad, how can you say such a thing? I’d never—’
    He glared at her. ‘If you hadn’t given your mam that breakfast, she’d still be here.’
    Polly felt the colour drain from her face and she clutched at the nearest chair. Her heart began to thump painfully. To blame herself was one thing, but to keep hearing from her father that he blamed her too was unbearable.
    But then her fiery temper came to her rescue. She pulled in a deep breath and pointed an accusing finger at him. ‘I told you what the doctor had said and Mam heard him ’ersen. You wouldn’t listen – neither of you – and now you’re trying to put all the blame on me. You’re as good as saying I killed her. Well, you listen to me, Dad.’ She bent closer. ‘I’ll always blame mesen, but don’t you dare say it’s all my fault, ’cos it ain’t. And if you do, then I’m off. I’ll leave and then where will you be? The kids’ll all be in the workhouse up the hill, that’s where.’
    William groaned and dropped his head into his hands. ‘Don’t, Poll, don’t say such things. What would yar mam say if she could hear you?’
    Polly felt the anger still rising within her and before she could stop herself, she said, ‘And what would she say to you if she could see you sat in front of the fire all day while your family go hungry?’
    As he raised his head to look at her, she could see the beads of sweat on his forehead, see his shoulders shaking. Her anger died as swiftly as it had come. ‘Dad, you are ill, aren’t you? This is more than – more than grievin’, in’t it?’
    William groaned and rested his head against the back of his chair. His eyes were closed and his breathing rapid.
    ‘I’m fetching the doctor.’
    ‘No,’ he argued, but his voice was weak and lacked conviction. ‘We can’t afford no more doctor’s bills.’
    Polly leant close, unafraid of contracting the disease. ‘Dr Fenwick told me to get him if anyone else fell ill. And I aren’t about to disobey him. Not again. Besides, if you have got the typhoid, we’ll be breaking the law if we don’t notify it, won’t we?’
    Again, a deep, guttural groan escaped his lips. ‘I don’t know, Poll. Don’t bother me. Just look after the bairns and don’t bother me, there’s a good girl.’
    Polly had been down the street to the Hallidays’ house and was back home waiting anxiously for the doctor to call. When the knock came at the front door, she ran to it, flinging it open in her haste to get the medical man into the house to help her father.
    ‘Oh!’ She gaped up at the tall, handsome figure of Leo Halliday standing there with a huge tureen in his hands.
    ‘Me ma’s sent this, Polly. She ses your dad’s taken badly and you could likely do with a bit of help.’ He thrust the tureen towards her. ‘Mind, it’s hot. Tek hold of it with the cloth.’
    Tears sprang to Polly’s eyes not only at Bertha