The Grave Robber's Secret Read Online Free PDF Page B

lad?”
    â€œRobert, sir, but I’m called Robby.”
    â€œRobby,” said Burke, “this is my daughter, Martha.” He reached out to stroke her blond hair. “Martha is not strong, and I shall expect you to be helpful to her when I am away at business.”
    â€œI will,” said Robby, “I’ll be sure to do that.” He looked at the girl and smiled, but she continued to study the floor. Being helpful to this Martha might not be easy, but he would manage. These people had just rented two rooms, and taking care of this girl was a much better job than robbing graves.
    Mr. Burke held out the bag to Robby. “Show Martha her room and take up the bag.” He consulted a pocket watch. “I must hurry to a business appointment.” He laid his hand against Martha’s cheek. “You should rest yourself, my dear. I’ll be back in time for the evening meal.” He whirled about so quickly that the tails on his fancy black jacket flapped, and he was gone.
    Robby, the suitcase in his hand, began to climb the stairs. The girl did not move, nor did she look at him. After a few steps, he paused and turned back to her. “Well, do you want to see your room now?”
    She looked up and nodded. “Come along, then,” he said, and he began to climb again.
    At the top of the stairs, he paused and looked back at her. She moved slowly, staring at each step before she put her foot on it. Maybe the girl was not right in the head. She might be like poor Daft Jane. He hoped she was not weak-minded. If she was, she would need a great deal of watching, and Robby had no doubt the job would be his.
    He opened the door to her room and carried the bag inside. Then he went back to the stairs to wait for Martha. She was about halfway up, but she stopped when she saw Robby.
    â€œCome on up,” he said, and motioned to her in case she did not understand the words. He waited for her. When finally she was beside him, he noticed that she breathed rather heavily. “This way,” he said, and rejecting the notion that he should take her hand, he turned and went back into the room. It was not a large room, but Robby thought it a pleasant one. He took the girl’s cape and hung it on a peg. There was a narrow bed, a washstand with a mirror, a small bureau, and in front of the open window was a little table with two wooden chairs pushed up to it. A fresh breeze made the clean white curtains lift. “You’ll most likely be comfortable here,” Robby said. At just that moment, he heard his mother coming up the stairs.
    Hannah Hare came into the room, her apron still wet from dishwashing. “Now isn’t this fine. I see you children are managing quite well without me.” She smiled at Martha, and Robby was amazed to see the girl return a lovely smile of her own. Ma moved to stand beside Martha. “Are you well, child?” she asked. “Your breathing seems a bit heavy.”
    Martha sighed softly. “We had typhoid, my mama and me. I got well …” Her voice broke. “Mama didn’t get well.”
    Ma reached out to put an arm around Martha, who leaned into the woman’s ample side. “Sometimes life is just terrible hard, and that’s the truth.” She turned the girl’s body to face the bed. “You have yourself a bit of a lay down now, and Robby will come fetch you when the noon meal is laid.” The girl did as she was told, and Hannah took the light blanket from the foot of the bed and spread it over her.
    Robby followed his mother from the room, closing the door gently. “Poor little mite,” she said when they were on the stairs, and she made a tsk sound with her tongue.
    â€œIs she daft, do you think?”
    â€œMercy, no, just terrible tired and with a heart that’s all in pieces. We’ll be kind to her as we can be. She needs some kindness if ever a body did.”
    Robby thought that he had never