Loving You

Chapter 31 | Agony

"Cathy, would you like to have a big, Christmas cake? Me and your father are going to the bakery."
She nodded and hugged her legs. This earned her a chuckle from her mother. She ruffled her hair and brushed her cheek with her slender fingers.

"Margaret we are getting late. The carriage is here. We should hurry so that we can return early. My precious little daughter be a good girl and play with your friends. I will bring you a gift as well." He gave her a wink and took his wife's arm.

The little girl was playing with a boy named Samuel. He was the little brother of the girl who was her neighbour. The two were orphans living with the grandmother. She gave some biscuits to Cathy. The little girl had always loved her biscuits. After a few hours of playing with her neighbors the old woman advised her to go back to her house. The sun had already said and it was soon going to become dark. She nodded and did as she was told.

The maid welcomed her home and settled her on the chair. " You must finish your dinner like a good girl so that I can praise you in front of master. He will be really happy to know that his daughter has finished the dinner without being asked to do so."

"Surely, I will eat but I want to eat with them. I always feel bad when I eat before them. Once mama comes back I will eat my dinner I promise."

The maid smiled. She had realized that the little girl had become more mature than she had imagined. She had the experience of nursing children but it was the first time that she had come across such a kid who had so much love for her parents. Usually kids throw tantrums at their parents and always found a way or two to remain angry with them. But she was different. The whole family in fact was different. Each member had immense love for each other. The even cared about her. They had wanted to give her a holiday as well. But she had declined their request humbly. She didn't want to become to dependent on them and use them for their kindness.

It had been more than one hour since they were gone. She knew that the market was not that far away that it would take so much time for them to return. Suddenly fear grasped her mind. Did something bad happened to them? She looked at the little child who was looking outside the window and waiting patiently for her parents.

"Cathy, do you want to go for a little stroll?"
"No, it is dark outside. Mama told me to never go outside when it's dark."

She waited and waited but her mother never came. She never got to see her father again.

~

"

Hey, wake up. I am telling you to wake up."
"Sir, she hasn't been awake for the past two days. What if she's dead."
"Don't you dare say that. The master would kill us if that happened."
"How can you expect a person to be alive when they haven't eaten or drunk water for the last two days."

"Uggh!"
Their attention was drawn towards the owner of the groan. "Water," she groaned. "I need water." Her voice was feeble, but they could understand her words with a little difficulty.
"Hey, fetch this lady some water.  Be quick."

She was trying to open her eyes but she couldn't. The room seemed too bright for her eyes to withstand them. She tried to look at the man, standing in front of her, with her squinted eyes. All she could figure out, was that, he was the very man who had attacked William.

"You scoundrel," she hissed. "God will curse you for your sins."
The man chuckled. "I have nothing to worry about. Hell is a better place than heaven. Now keep your mouth shut. If you don't, then I know how to keep you quiet."
She wanted to give him a reply but she felt a sharp pang on her stomach, causing her to scream. "I feel so bad! My stomach hurts!"