Secrets of the Past (12 page)

A woman passed, her long dress flowing as she walked. We gradually edged our way into the street and began slowly walking; David
then said.

“I will keep hold of the locket in case we run i
nto trouble, so we can go back.”

I agreed that was best.

As we walked we came by a café at the side, which is my
c
offee shop now, it was full, to the door, tables spewed out onto the street, unlike my shop now.

As we turned the corner a
scruffy man about twenty, came running
passed
,
between us knocking David to the ground.

The shop window stopped m
y fall, as I fell against it.

I turned
to see if David was ok, the bloke had
pulled the locket from David’s
hand;
he tried to hang on to it but was unab
le to.

The man was
gone in the crowd.

David rose to his feet and starting racing after him, he left me standing there, so
I followed
.

Then he
soon came to a stop,
his arm leaning against
a wall, he was all puffed out.
As I reached him, he was ‘Begging my forgiveness’

He was panicky by this time, I told him to calm down.  I then said
.

“Look we will follow the route the man made and maybe we would see him.
”

We started to walk along the pathway, and then as we turned Anastasia was standing in front of me

“Anna, what on earth are you doing o
ut on the street with this man?

I was lost for words and stood open mouthed; she then took m
y hand and dragged me towards the
flat.

David shouted after me
.

“Don’t worry Amy, I will find it and I will be back for you”

He
blew
me
a kiss.

I then followed Anastasia to the door, and he was gone.

She obviously never heard him.

As we reached the top of the stairs, she gave me a disapproving look that I will never forget, and ushered me into the bedroom. She told me to stay there, if I knew what was good for me.

I looked around, it was so dark, so I went to a lamp, it was old, an oil lamp, I turned it up and the light beamed across the room brightly.

There was an old bed in the corner, then, I noticed the window, and I rushed to it and realized
as I had forgotten
it was at the back of the house.

I could not see a thing, anyway.
Only the blackness of the dark night.

As I turned, she came back in the room, gave me the look again.

“Well explain yourself Anna, I want an explanation
.
”

She said in a stern voice.

I spluttered out
.

“That I was bored and had wandered out on the street, and had helped the gentleman up as he had been knocked down”.

She said.

“Oh Anna please do not ever go against my wishes again, you are a young lady of good standing and yo
u must never ever go out alone.”

“Do you realize how angry your father would be if he had seen you, if you promise never to do it again
I will not tell him this time.”

I promised her, and she left, saying

‘I will bring your supper to your room’

“Now get ready for bed.”

I did not want to upset her more so I thought better do as she asked, I found a nightgown in the drawer, made of lace, it was thick, hung to the floor, unlike my sexy pajamas’ I have at home.

David would come for me as soon as he could.

A while later she came back with a tray, some milk and a biscuit.

She then said.

“I am sorry Anna for shouting, but I really worry about you. You are a young woman and should not go out alone; please promise
me it will never happen again.”

She took my hand brushing it softly, repeatedly.

“Your father is so proud of you; he talks of you all the time
.
”

I replied
.

“So why do we hideaway mother, why can we not
live with father, he is away all the ti
me, and what does he do mother.”

She replied.

“Your father is a writer, he travels extensively, he writes about the world aroun
d us, the
past,
and the future.”

“He is a man of the people, he writes stories about the old, the poor, the rich, and he is the most intelligent man I have ever come across”.

“When I met him, we fell in love immediately, we do not see him regularly as he has another life which he cannot ever leave, but wants to.

She then added.

“Now get some sleep you have a big day in front of you tomorrow, starting at the school for young ladies; it is a ve
ry important time of your life.”

She then left, my mind was now racing thinking of David, I then realized I had called her mother, it had come naturally to me, it was a though I was always here, but in the future as well.
My mind so muddled.

Where had David gone?

Had he caught up with the man, where could he be?

I then started to think of tomorrow, what is this school all about I am not going anywhere. I will find David we cannot stay in this place. This is not our lives. I tasted the milk it was sweet like honey, and then laid back my head on the pillow.

I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew I could hear birds singing,
and shouting in the distance,
I opened my eyes, it was bright, rays of sunshine were radiating across the room, and I lay thinking of my dilemma.

Then I heard mother coming so pretended to be
asleep, I heard the latch on the door opening, it was she, and I felt her nearing me as she whispered

“Anna, Anna,
wake up its time to get ready”

I opened my eyes and looked at her, she looked different her hair was down, long, very long.

She had a thick dressing gown on, which did not do her beauty justice.

“Come Anna get washed and put on your clothing, what we chose the other day
.
”

I replied
. “A
ll right mother.
”

She left the room and
I rose from the bed
I then grabbed a gown and made my way to the bathroom, where I quickly washed and returned to my room.

I assumed the clothing that lay out on the chair, must be the clothing I was to wear, so with a bit of trouble I managed to put them on,
I did try the corset, but squeezed it back into the drawer.

The boots being the worst, they had
laces right up the leg. They were quite nice
a bit like the ones we wear nowa
days.

I then sat and thought of David out there alone, but then mother shouted for me to go to the kitchen, so I made my
way there as I entered she said.

“Oh you look lovely Anna, did they all fit fine
.
”

I replied.
“Yes mother they are fine.”

She then beckoned me to sit and eat
b
reakfast; I was hungry so tucked in. O
n my plate were scrambled eggs, and slice of thick bread, she then said
.

“Anna I have to go to the bake
rs, I will be back immediately,
just enjoy your
breakfast,
and stop wor
rying, the school is lovely,
your
father told me”

Without another word, she
collected her shawl and left.

CHAPTER TEN

I sat for a moment thinking what
I should
do next, and then realized this is my chance to find David. Therefore, I collected a chunk of bread
and
some cheese, and placed them inside a cloth, then went to my room grabbed a shawl and ran for the stairs.

I peeped my head into the street, a little girl wi
th a dirty face looked up at me.

  
“Have you go
t some bread to spare mistress?

    S
he said.

I replied.

  
“No I haven’t, if you come back later my mother may have some food to spare
.
”

A tiny lad joined her, took hold of her hand, tugging at her, she turned to him and said

“Joseph, I tol
d you too wait down the alley.”

He
looked so sad, hungry I expect.

“Poor love I thought
.
”

I asked where she lived, she told me she lived in a little flat with her family around the corner, but she could not go home until she found some
food, or her mother would be
angry, so they had to walk the streets to find whatever they could. They both looked so thin.

I was not sure what to do, as Anastasia would be back at any minute. I then remembered the bread and cheese I had in my hand, so passed it to her.

Her smile lit her face, her brother, asking what it
was, tugging at her hand. She bowed to me
saying.

“Ah Thanks Miss.”

In addition,
flew off dragging her brother along the street, they were both giggling as they ran.

I crossed over the street; I would hide if I saw Anastasia, I had to look for David, so I stood inside a shop doorway.

I noticed many kids playing, no toys; they just had stones, which they rolled. One had a little ball.

If Anastasia caught me, she would be so mad, I heard a voice it was David, I ran to him and he embraced me.

I then said

“Quickly the woman Anastasia w
ould be coming back any minute”.

We set off up the street, passing a few people, who were out early. Then gradually slowed down, we were not far from the vines, a local little walkway.

David said.

“Thank god I have found you
.
”

I replied.

“I have been so worried, she was going to take me to a school today,
and she
thinks I am her daughter.”

I then said
.

“Did you get the locket back David”

He replied.

“No I didn’t, but I know where it is, it’s in the window of a shop, I lost the guy last night and walked around and around searching for him then rested by a shop an
d saw it in the window.”

I then offered him some food, which he appreciated, as he was very hungry. We rested for a while and decided to walk to the castle, which was not far away. There we could sit a while and decide what to do next.

David suggested as I looked like a well to do young woman that I would talk to the shopkeeper, and explain about the locket
and tell him it was my mothers. W
ell he was not far wrong
there;
the dress I was wearing was so heavy,
but very posh
,
but it was
like carrying a weight around
. Therefore, our plan went into action.

Children were playing across the way, giggling.  A gent sat on a bench reading a newspaper.

A little puppy came running across, as I sat on the grass, he was the cutest pup I had ever seen, David played with him, the pup lying on his back with his tiny legs kicking about, then I said.

“Come we must go now.”

We had stayed for an hour or so in case w
e ran into Anastasia again, so
off we went, David picked up pup and placed him inside his coat. He had checked around first, but the pup seemed to be alone.

On the way, we met many sitting on the ground in doorways, begging, but passed them, as we did not want to get anyone else involved in our situation.

We then approached the shop, it was just off the main street, and I peeped in the window and recognized the locket, it was amongst other pendants, but it was mine.

The shopkeeper was
alone, so I asked to look at it
he
collected
it
from the windowsill, and
handed to me. I then asked him.

“Where did you get this from?