Mr Cavell's Diamond Read Online Free PDF

hill, and he doffed his cap and gave me a wink. It was only the late sun made me redden, is what I said to Emmy. I don’t think Frederick is who the fortune-teller had in mind when she told me I would find love.
     

Caroline
     
    ‘Where were you last night? Why were you so late back?’ Ann Simpson thumped her mug of tea down on the kitchen table, spilling half of it, and put her hands on her hips. ‘You’d better not be in trouble again, my girl. One bairn’s enough to cope with, you being out of work and all.’
    ‘ Oh Ma, I’m not in trouble,’ said Caroline. She smiled brightly at her mother and twirled around the kitchen. Little Frances was playing on a rug beside the hearth. Caroline scooped her up and planted a kiss on the top of the child’s head. ‘Quite the opposite, Ma. Everything is going according to plan. Do you hear that, Franny? Exactly according to plan.’ She spun round and round, and the little girl shrieked with delight.
    ‘ And what might those plans be, hmm?’ asked Ann.
    ‘ Never you mind, Ma,’ replied Caroline. Frances was squirming in her arms, so she put her down. The child crawled back to the hearthrug and began poking at the cold ashes. ‘But mark my words, I’ll be out of this place by the time summer comes. I’ll be living in a grand house, you’ll see.’
    ‘ What, you’ve got a situation to go to, at last?’
    Caroline threw her head back and laughed. ‘No, I won’t be a skivvy. I’ll be the lady of the house. People will skivvy for me . Maybe there’ll even be a job there for my sisters. Imagine that, having my sisters working for me!’
    Ann shook her head. ‘They won’t come and work for you. And whatever your so-called plans are, you’ll never be a lady. Now you get on and bathe that child. She’s got her fingers in the grate again. Look at the state of her!’
    ‘ Fine, I’ll wash her,’ said Caroline, picking Frances up again, but holding her at arm’s length.
    ‘ And have a look for the green plaid blanket, will you? It’s gone missing, and I wanted to put the child on it out in the yard this afternoon if it stays dry. Maybe your father took it for something.’
    Caroline turned away and smiled to herself. ‘Yes, Ma, I expect that’s what’s happened to it.’
    She took Frances out to the yard and scooped water from a rain butt into a bucket, then sponged the child’s hands and face. Frances squealed her displeasure at the cold water and kept turning her face away. Caroline slapped her leg.
    ‘ Behave, Franny! How can I clean you when you fidget so? Ah, that’ll do. You’re clean enough.’ She sat back and considered the little girl, who was still whimpering from the slap. Suddenly she gathered her up and hugged her close, covering her face with kisses.
    ‘ I’ll bring you with me, Franny. I promise. When I’m a lady in the grand house, I’ll buy you pretty frocks and toys. I’ll have a maid to wash you and dress you. That will be fine, won’t it? You can be a proper little lady!’
    She rocked the child on her knees.
    ‘We’ll both be ladies,’ she whispered. ‘I’ll make it happen, you’ll see.’
    Quite how she would make it happen she didn’t entirely know, but somehow she would manage it, she was sure. She had to.
     

Chapter 3 – May 1829
    Henry
     
    Henry had acquired a dog. He’d bough t the golden-haired lurcher, bred for hare-coursing, from a family of gypsies who’d camped on the beach for a few days. He called the animal Sultan. Good-natured and obedient, Sultan had already become a favourite with the household staff. Mrs Smith the cook would feed him the best of the leftovers, and the quiet little maid-servant liked to pet him whenever she came across him.
    I’m putting down roots at last, thought Henry. House, staff and now a dog. He liked the way the servants had taken to Sultan. Although business still frequently took him to London or Brighton, Worthing was beginning to feel like home. After his years in India