Read Online A Mother's Secret by Dilly Court - Free Book Online Page A

an already maddened Biddy. She tossed the cane across the room, snatched up the bag of coins that Mahdu had left to pay for Cassy’s keep, and stamped out of the house slamming the door so hard that the windows rattled.
    Despite her pain, Cassy’s first instinct was to calm the terrified infants, but when they had settled down to sleep she found that she was shaking uncontrollably, and she finally gave way to tears. She collapsed onto a chair at the table, burying her face in her hands, and it was in this state that Bailey found her. He ministered to her injuries as tenderly as any woman, listening attentively to her tearful account of what had occurred earlier. He said little but she sensed that he was inwardly seething with rage.
    ‘This can’t go on,’ he said as he finished bathing her wounds. ‘It’s happened afore, and I’m afraid she’ll kill you if she ain’t stopped.’
    ‘Don’t do nothing stupid, Bailey,’ Cassy pleaded. ‘You’ll only make things worse.’ She reached for the tattered blouse which he had peeled carefully from her raw flesh, but it was beyond repair and stiff with dried blood.
    Bailey took it from her hand. ‘You can’t wear that, it’s ruined.’ He went to the corner of the room where his palliasse was rolled up against the wall and pulled out a bundle of clothes. He selected a shirt and wrapped it around her shoulders. ‘There, that’s me only good ’un. Your need is greater than mine, nipper.’
    She slipped her arms into the garment which was far too big for her and the coarse material chafed against her sore back, but she managed a smile. ‘Ta, Bailey, you’re a toff. But now you ain’t got a spare.’
    ‘It don’t matter,’ he said, shrugging his shoulders. ‘I’ll take some of the old bitch’s money and get us both new duds at the Rag Fair, but until then you’re going to have to look like a scarecrow.’
    This made her giggle despite her pain and then she remembered Freddie. Her bottom lip quivered. ‘Where’s me boy? What happened at the hospital?’
    ‘Don’t upset yourself again; he’s in good hands. They took him in and put him on the children’s ward where he’ll be looked after proper.’
    ‘He will get better, won’t he, Bailey?’
    He looked away as if afraid to meet her anxious gaze. ‘I dunno, ducks.’ He moved swiftly to the range and poked the embers into life. ‘I’ll make us a pot of tea. That’ll be the ticket.’
    Cassy wiped her eyes on the dangling shirtsleeve which was twice as long as her small arm. Her back felt as though it was on fire and every inch of her body ached, but she was still concerned for the babies left in her care. She went to check on them again, but Anna, Samuel and the twins lay asleep in their boxes, pale and silent like small wax effigies. She had to bend close to make certain they were still breathing. Despite all Cassy’s best efforts, only the strong survived Biddy’s regime of cruel neglect, but thankfully these little lives had been spared for another day.
    ‘Come and get your tea, Cass,’ Bailey said in a stage whisper.
    She joined him at the table where to her delight she discovered that he had bought a pork pie for their supper. ‘How did you afford it?’ she murmured, licking her lips in anticipation of such a treat.
    ‘Never you mind,’ he said, tapping the side of his nose. ‘Eat up and enjoy it. I don’t want to see a crumb left or the old besom will know I’ve fiddled her out of tuppence, that is if she ever sobers up long enough to count her change.’
    Cassy munched the pie, savouring each mouthful and making it last as long as she could. Good food was a rarity in Three Herring Court and their diet consisted mostly of bread and scrape, with the occasional smear of dripping if Biddy was feeling generous, or if Bailey managed to smuggle extra rations into the house. Having demolished the last crumb of pastry and licked her fingers one by one, Cassy sipped her tea, eyeing him