Read Diamonds Fall for Free Online

same fabric, the clean dress felt luxuriously soft compared to her former one. She realised now she was clean how much she must have smelt. Unthinking she threw her old dress into the stream, watching as it floated away.
    "What'd ya do that for?" Patsy scorned, jumping to her feet and chasing after it. She fished it out of the stream when it got caught on a protruding rock a few feet from where Annabel sat.
    "It was filthy and disgusting, why keep it?"
    The look on Patsy's face was tinged with anger as she sat back down with the dripping garment.
    "I didn't `ave to bring you `ere. You could try an' make me life easier. If I got found out I'd be beaten to within an inch of me life. Think next time."
    Annabel narrowed her eyes, anger flaring up within her as she fixed her gaze on Patsy's face. Who was this girl to tell her off?
    Remembering where she was and with whom, her arrogance dissipated.
    "Sorry," Annabel croaked. The rarely used word sounded strange in her voice.
    "I am Miss - I mean, I am Annabel, Annabel Maria Hoddington."
    Patsy smiled. "Nice t' meet ya. It's okay `bout the dress I mean - jus' remember next time. Things don' just turn up `ere, someone has to make `em. It gets pretty rough in winter too, you'll wan' all the layers ya can get."
    Annabel's stomach sank with the thought of still being here in the winter. And yet, her imagination halted when she tried to picture herself in the drawing rooms of the manor. She almost felt like she no longer belonged with that society now.
    She was impure and tainted.
    The hope of salvation diminished every day she stayed unfound in the woods. Why weren't her parents looking for her? Had she just been given up for dead?
    "I was thinkin'," Patsy said after a while. "I know they keep ya pretty locked up but Mum can't sit in wait every day. We could do with some `elp. We can always find somethin' for you to do."
    "What, clean?" Annabel scoffed. "I've never cleaned anything in my life."
    "You'll `ave to learn. No-one likes that you're `ere but makin' yourself known might jus' make it better."
    Annabel had to admit, that stung. No-one liked her. But people always liked her. This time her hot temper boiled over.
    "You have no right talking to me like that!" she spat; with the same scornful tone she reserved for the maids back at the manor. "I am the daughter of Lord and Lady Hoddington, betrothed to the heir to the largest fortune in England, if you know what's good for you, you'll learn your place."
    Patsy folded her arms across her small chest in her own firm resistance.
    "You ain't at home now Missy, don' get bossy with me. Papa won't let you leave now. There's no gettin' ya own way here. You're nothin' special no more."
    Annabel trembled in defeat. The lack of control made her feel weak and useless. Without another word Patsy took her arm, a little more forcefully than what was necessary, and steered her towards the stable. It wasn't until they got inside that Patsy let go of her. Annabel crawled into the corner and curled up into her familiar ball, tears falling unwillingly now she was back in her prison.

Chapter Six
     
     
     
    Annabel did not look up when she heard the door open sometime later. A cold breeze floated over her, bringing with it the smell of fresh bread. In the end, Annabel's hunger got the better of her and she peeled her eyes from the slimy wall to focus on the figure now struggling across the floor. Her swollen stomach seemed to weigh her down. As Annabel watched it appeared to move ever so slightly as the child within it writhed.
    As the woman stooped, Annabel simply watching from the floor, she groaned in suppressed pain. Patsy appeared silhouetted in the open door way, as if sensing the woman's anguish. She jumped into action as if kindness were as easy to her as breathing. Throwing an arm around the woman's emaciated frame she removed the heavy jug from her grip.
    "Go. I've got it," Patsy whispered, kissing the woman's sweaty cheek. She smiled and