The Chainmakers Read Online Free Page A

chainshop where her Dad worked, but Anna found it hard to identify with the rosy cheeked image. Had she ever really looked like that? Had she been so pretty? She remembered bouncing on the bellows day after day, but the child in the picture seemed to be enjoying it. Anna recalled the heat, and the tiredness, and the way the big grey headed man in the corner used to snarl at her if the blast to the furnace wasn't enough, and then she had to jump on the bellows harder and harder and faster and faster...
    And that pinafore. In the picture it looked a soft floating material, but Anna recalled it was made of thick crash, rough enough to take your skin off before it had been washed a few times. She had worn the pinafore for years, letting down the big hem every year or so.
    And the hair too. As a child she had often been complimented on her hair, which was a reddish gold colour and very thick and curly, but had it really had those lights in it? She studied the picture intently. The child's hair was streaming out, and through it you could see the sparks flying from the shadowy figures of the chainmakers in the background. If her hair had ever been that colour, she thought, it certainly wasn't now. As she had grown, the redgold tints had faded to a tawny bronze, like the colour of the big lion in the picture book of animals at school. Her hair still had a natural kink however, and Anna was grateful that she never had to spend time putting her hair in rags like so many of her friends, in order to have a few curls for Sunday chapel. She eased herself slightly in her seat, her bottom was stiff. She glanced across at Robert, and as if sensing her discomfort he murmured 'Not long now... another ten minutes or so and we'll stop.'
    We'll stop. Another ten minutes and it would be over, her first weekend at High Cedars. Then she would be on her way home, which would be another adventure in itself, for Robert had said the groom would take her in the trap to catch the three o'clock canal barge. Anna had been in a trap only once in her life, and never on a canal boat, and at the thought of it excitement gripped her stomach again so that for the tenth time that weekend she felt slightly sick. She swallowed and tried to calm herself. The boat would drop her only a mile or so from Sandley Heath, and she should be home by six o'clock. Although it would be getting dark she would enjoy the walk after all this sitting about. She had so much to tell her Mom, and Will and Clancy. How the girls would lap it up tomorrow when she described the great house, and Robert's kindness, and his statuesque and perfectly groomed mother who had said Anna was not to call her ma'am but Florence, because 'you are not a servant my dear, and you must dine with us.'
    Anna's stomach clenched again as she recalled her horror at being confronted by the gleaming white tablecloth, set with beautiful silver, crystal glasses and spotless napkins. Robert had sensed her unease, and had asked quietly whether she would prefer to eat with the servants in the kitchen, and Anna had been happy to agree until Florence intervened.
    'No Robert. I know Anna ate in the kitchen when she arrived, but that was because I was not aware she was here.' She turned to Anna. 'I realise you may not be accustomed to the cutlery my dear, but I will show you which to use, it's very easy, and how will you learn if you don't try?' She motioned Anna to a seat. 'Just relax Anna, we have no guests this evening, Robert and I were dining alone. I want to get to know you better.'
    After a short time Anna began to enjoy herself, especially the delicious food, which was brought to the table in large dishes from which they helped themselves. 'We are very informal tonight,' Florence smiled at her, and although Anna had no idea what was meant by this, she gathered that if guests were present it would be even more grand. The courses followed one after the other, and Anna, clearing her plate each time, began to feel very