Without Sin Read Online Free

tightened as she was obliged to say bitterly, ‘Yes.’ Then in a rush she gabbled, ‘But mi dad’s gone
looking for work. We won’t be here long. He’ll soon be back for us.’
    ‘That’s what they all say, but they’re still here years later.’
    ‘Well,
we
won’t be.’ Meg was belligerent. ‘He’ll come back.’ She turned towards her mother. ‘Won’t he, Mam?’
    But Sarah only hung her head whilst the other woman sniffed yet again. ‘How old are you, girl?’
    ‘Fifteen.’
    The woman grunted, dissatisfied with her answer. ‘You look older,’ she said, eyeing Meg suspiciously. ‘Sure you’re not trying to make out you’re younger than you
really are just to get out of a bit of work?’
    Meg tossed her head. ‘I’m not frightened of work. I’ve worked on a farm for three years. I’m sixteen next month.’
    The woman’s lips stretched in what passed for a smile, though it did not reach her eyes. They were steel grey, cold and hard. ‘My name is Ursula Waters, but we’re all called by
our surnames in here. That is –’ she paused and hesitated fractionally, before adding – ‘unless the master decides to call you by your Christian name.’
    Pertly, Meg asked, ‘And do we call him by his Christian name then?’
    Ursula Waters gasped. ‘The very idea! You’ve a mite too much to say for yourself, child.’
    ‘I’m not a child,’ Meg retorted hotly.
    ‘You’re a child in here if you’re only fifteen. It’s the rules.’ Ursula leant closer. ‘Are you sure you’re not older?’
    For the first time, Sarah spoke. Haltingly, her voice husky with shame and despair, she said, ‘She is only fifteen, ma’am. I assure you.’
    Meg turned and stared at her. Why was Sarah kowtowing to this harridan? It was obvious the woman was only an inmate too – though probably an inmate who held some sort of position. No doubt
the woman enjoyed special privileges because of it. But Waters was no better than they were, Meg thought. She opened her mouth to retort, but caught her mother’s warning glance and closed it
again, pressing her lips together.
    Bobbie, sucking his thumb, began to whimper and tug at Sarah’s skirt.
    ‘I’d better fetch Miss Pendleton. She’s the matron and Mr Pendleton’s sister.’ Unbending enough to impart a little information in which she seemed to take great
pride, Ursula Waters said, ‘Poor Mr Pendleton lost his wife some years ago and his sister came to take her place as matron. Of course, it’s quite unusual for that to happen. The master
and the matron are usually man and wife, but the guardians’ committee gave special consent. They didn’t want to lose Mr Pendleton as master, you see.’
    Meg nodded, pretending to understand.
    ‘Wait here whilst I fetch matron.’ Waters glanced down at Bobbie with distaste, sniffed once more and left the room.
    ‘What a dragon!’ Meg burst out, almost before the woman was out of earshot.
    ‘Hush, Meg,’ Sarah whispered. ‘Don’t make things worse than they already are, there’s a dear.’
    Meg looked at her mother. ‘Mam, was it my fault . . .?’ she began, but Sarah was bending over Bobbie, trying to quieten his crying, and at that moment Miss Pendleton bustled in,
followed closely by Ursula Walters.
    Letitia Pendleton was younger than her brother. Meg guessed she was about forty, but Isaac Pendleton had looked over fifty. The matron was small and round, and dressed in an ankle-length, dark
blue dress with broad, starched white cuffs. A white bib apron covered the dress and she wore thick dark stockings and lace-up shoes with small heels. Her hair was completely covered with a
starched white square of cloth, which fell in a triangular shape at the back of her head. Her face was plump, her cheeks round and rosy, but it was not the rosiness of good health, rather of too
much indulgence, especially from a bottle. Young as she was, Meg recognized the signs. Farmer Smallwood had just such a look. Like her