I kept his secret behind bars;He left me behind

thin mattress, biting her lip until she tasted blood. She had gone into labour hours earlier

red, clutching her belly

rried in without knocking, faces pale. "Mary! Why didn't

Mary gasped. Sweat ran down

other neighbour said. "B

eighbour urged. She wiped Mary

..." Mar

er said. "I've birth

arrowed to the women's voices and the rain on the roof. She screamed, and the firs

ur said, wrapping them in towels.

skin flushed pink; the other was small and pale with a teardrop-s

ler girl. "And Isabelle. My angels." She pressed her

rmured, rocking them gently. "I don't care how hard I work. I'll keep you both safe. You'll grow up side by side, you'll know your

wash and feed the infants. She stayed home, weak but ha

work at the Kingstons

. "Not yet. They...

. Mary bundled her in a blanket. "She needs a doctor," she told Elena's sleepy twin. She l

she previously left with the neighbour. The door was ajar. Rain dripped onto the

ped coming to work. And I can see you are no

er arms - Elena - trying to shield

n," Kingston said, stepping

still at the clinic. "I only had

er to me. I'll raise her as my

Elena's tiny face and then at the man.

ed. "You owe me, Mary.

and handed her over. Kingston wrapped the ba

her?" Mary asked,

ithout looking back

om, trembling, the storm outside echoing the storm insi

Isabelle stirred in her cot, unawa

-

ge of Riverside. Sophia Kingston slipped through a gap in the fence, hoodie

a boy's voice

ir damp, a smile tugging at his l

er thinks I'm at home reading."Sophia said,

neaking out to meet a poor boy, he'd

ghed softly. "Sometimes I w

it to her. "I work two jobs and sleep three hours

m despite the cold. "Then pro

he said, grip

ftly. "You alw

They sat on the cold plank

urmured. "Sometimes I dr

s. "We could run aw

"We'd have to cross

romise me you'll come he

er hand in h

ng, but Lucas was staring at the far end of the brid

r that?" Sop

narrowed. "We

ight. A chill ran up Sophia's spine as she gri