Page 1 of A Mother for the Blind Duke’s Orphans

Chapter One

“She stops crying when you hold her, Poppy,” Nurse Annabelle said softly.

Poppy Norish, otherwise known as Penelope, had already noticed that the feverish nine-month-old baby relaxed in her arms. She smiled softly at the nurse before her.

“She is unwell, but once she recovers, she will get used to you too,” Poppy cooed as she gently rocked the child back and forth.

“I do pray so,” Annabelle said as she gathered some medication.

The nurses at Saint Catherine’s Haven had complained that the baby’s cries had been tearing through the orphanage’s nursery for the better part of an hour. Yet the moment Poppy gathered her into her arms, the sound broke, faltered, and gave way to a few exhausted hiccups against her shoulder.

“I do not know what we would do without you,” Annabelle continued.

Poppy felt a familiar warmth spread within her chest every time she entered Saint Catherine’s Haven. She felt as though she belonged there, amongst the forgotten children, because she herself was an orphan with a departed father. Thankfully, Poppy had her sister Iris and their aunt Violet, who took them in immediately.

But it was not until recently that Poppy felt like everything that she went through eventually led her to the moment she met Aurora and Princess. The toddler and baby completely changed her life.

As if she read her thoughts, Princess moved in her arms and grunted softly.

“There now,” Poppy murmured, shifting the little girl more securely against her. “There is my brave princess. You have made your protest very clear today. We have all heard it. Perhaps the whole of London heard it too.”

Princess gave a small sigh and pressed her hot cheek against Poppy’s collarbone. Although she had arrived without a name, the entire orphanage called her Princess because Aurora gave her that name. Poppy looked around for Aurora, but did not see her nearby.

That is odd.

Aurora rarely left her sister’s side, and her fierce love for Princess always reminded Poppy of her own older sister, Julia, the Duchess of Pridewell. Julia’s marriage to the duke saved them from the cursed life they were about to live, and Poppy would remember that all the days of her life until one day she could return the favor in some grand gesture that would repay the debt.

Annabelle cleared her throat, and Poppy snapped back into reality.

“Her fever is rising.” Poppy stroked Princess’ tiny forehead. It was unnaturally hot.

With her free hand, she grabbed a cloth and gracefully made her way to the bucket of water. She dipped the cloth into the water and wrung it, placing it softly across the baby’s forehead. Poppy cradled her a little longer before she gently lowered her into the cot and adjusted her clothes and the blankets so she was not too warm. Princess gurgled and fidgeted, but did not cry. Eventually, she settled down, and Poppy watched as the baby slowly fell asleep.

“She must be given some water regularly,” Poppy ordered Annabelle, who nodded in agreement.

“I will see to it.”

“Thank you, Annabelle.”

Princess stirred, her mouth working unhappily. Poppy lowered herself into the chair beside the cot with the care of long practice, keeping the baby upright enough to breathe easily while freeing one hand to take the cloth. The linen had lost much of its coolness. She folded it open, found the fresher inner side, and laid it lightly across Princess’s forehead again.

“And where is that sister of hers?” Just as the words left her mouth, Aurora came rushing into the nursery with a nun following closely behind her.

The energetic four-year-old beamed when she saw Poppy. But that smile quickly faded into a scowl.

“You are late!” she exclaimed crossly.

Poppy chuckled as Princess grimaced at the sound of her sister’s voice, but she still did not cry.

Thank heavens.

“You were terribly late,” Aurora continued in a scolding manner.

Poppy kept her expression serious. “Was I?”

“Yes.” Aurora stepped into the room, her small shoes making careful taps on the floor. “You were gone for five hours, and we have been waiting for you!”

Annabelle gave Poppy a slight smirk and busied herself with refolding clothes.