AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Nora remained silent.
“Has the cat got your tongue?”
When Nora refused to speak again, Lord Turner slammed his fists on the table. She stood firm, which aggravatedher father even more. She hated being afraid, but it was her father's favorite game.
Nora and Amelia were not exempt from his bullying because they were his daughters. On the contrary, they got the worst of it. It didn't surprise her for hehated them both, she knew. She had realized it early on, but it had taken her some time to figure out why.
Nora had suspected her father disliked her since she was a child. She had initially assumed it was because she made messes around the house and frequently got into trouble, but that notion had quickly faded. After all, Amelia was as good as gold, and he was equally horribleto her.
“You and your sister bring a lot of grief to me. It is all you have ever done. You took your mother at birth, and you will not rest until you take me too.”
His words sliced through Nora like a knife, but she remained silent and unmoving; her face blank.
“Stop giving out food that you do not pay for. I should punish you, but I haven’t the time for that today. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Father.”
“Nora, you should know your place. I'm a busy man, and I don't understand why you have to be watched like a child all day.”
Nora continued to remain silent, blinking back tears.
“I'm hoping to hear nothing else from Henry. You are more trouble than you are worth, and I am considering marrying you off. You may leave now.”
Nora walked out of the room, her face expressionless. The tears pricked her eyes, but she didn't let them fall... Not until she was reunited with Amelia. Sheknew her sister would knowwhat had happened just by looking at her.
“Oh, Nora, what did he say to you?” her sister said as she entered the room.
Nora closed the door behind her and tried to keep a straight face.
"He said nothing, Amelia," she lied, but couldn't keep the truth from her sister. Nora dashed over, allowing Amelia to tightly hug her.
She tried her hardest not to cry, but it was too difficult. Her father's words cut her deeply.
“Do you think our mother would have loved us?” she asked.
Amelia pulled away from the hug. “I know for certain, Nora. She would have loved us.”
Nora smiled, the pain in her heart beginning to ease. The sisters sat on the bed next to each other.
“What do you think she looked like?” she said after she had calmed down a little. “I know she had red hair, just like ours.”
“Perhaps she would have been tall like us.” Amelia grinned.
“I'll never forgive father for burningall of her paintings. I would have loved to have seen her...” Nora's heart was overflowing with longing for her mother. It was a terrible feeling to miss someone you'd never met.
“Oh, Nora. Don’t be sad! We have each other.”
“Yes.” Nora’s smile was genuine. “We do.”
“Do you fancy a walk? We could collect some flowers.”
“It is such a lovely day, is it not?” Nora forced a smile. “I’ll take my parasol, and we can be off in a jiffy.”
The sisters shared another warm embrace, comforted once more by each other.
Nora was relieved to hear that their father had sent Henry out for the afternoon. It was the ideal opportunity for her to try her ruse once more. Naomi's little boy would go hungry for the third night in a row if she didn't sneak some food out.
With guilt in her heart, she crept into the pantry. She didn't like keeping things from her sister, but she knewAmelia would have followed her. She couldn't let her put herself in such risk.
