Chapter Two
I woke up early, just as I had planned, and as silent as I could muster, I crept down the stairs, unbolting the front door. However as I made it out onto the street, the feeling of victory slowly ebbed away as I heard Matron call out my name. Clenching my eyes shut, I cursed Matron for being well aware of my every thought.
"Carys, how good of you to wake up early. The apple shipment will arrive in about an hour, so I'll need to clear out the store house so we'll have room to keep them. Rolling my eyes, I turned around with a false smile.
"Of course Matron, I'm so glad I can be of some help."
Matron chuckled to herself.
"Of course you are dear. Move some of those crates before breakfast and I'll give you a break later on."
"As you wish Matron." I muttered, heading to the shop. I was not looking forward to the backbreaking labour ahead, but unless I wanted to be sold to the servant camps at the palace, I knew I had better do as I was told.
Matron's shop sold such a variety of things that it would be impossible to define it by one type of product. It just depended on what she was able to buy cheaply and sell for more than it was worth. Perhaps her business wasn't entirely honourable, but she did have many mouths to feed.
After having moved some empty crates to store the apples in, I realized that they were extremely dusty, and that nobody in their right mind would buy produce from them. Sighing, I dragged them outdoors one by one sweeping off the dust with the hem of my dress. The marketplace was becoming busier and with people travelling here and there, and after a little while, I saw the apple cart come to make its delivery. Waiving the driver over, I began putting the apples into the significantly cleaner crates.
As the driver descended to give me a hand, the other orphans also arrived under Bronwyn's supervision clambering out of doors and climbing into the cart to go about their work. The driver laughed heartily, assisting me in moving the filled crates off of the cart. Rushing to finish my task so I could get something to eat, I tripped over a fallen apple, causing the crate I was carrying to be tossed out into the street, the apples flying every which way.
Some of the children shrieked, and I covered my gaping mouth from where I landed. Crushed apples were everywhere, but the most were conglomerated in one area, at the feet of a very upset looking man. The same nobleman from the day before, whom I never wanted to see again as long as I lived.
"Why is it, 'Little Bird,' that you seem to bring disaster wherever you go?" He asked.
"I haven't met disaster until I met you. Could it be Sir, that it is simply your habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time?" I snapped back, even in front of the on looking orphans who had never seen me act in such a manner. Matron Bronwyn ran up behind me, whispering in my ear.
"Carys, it's a bad idea to be messing with this one, he seems awfully wealthy."
"Oh hush, I'll treat him however his manner deserves!" I muttered back, returning my attention to the rude nobleman.
"It seems 'Little Bird' that you are a sparrow, since you are common, tiny, insignificant and don't know when to stop your incessant chattering. You there!" He shouted, directing the cart driver, who promptly bowed.
"These apples are overstock from the palace are they not?" He asked raising his eyebrow quizzically.
"Yes Milord." He stammered.
"Bring them back, the Little Sparrow obviously doesn't need them." The nobleman continued nonchalantly.
"Hey wait! You can't do that! They aren't even mine; they belong to the orphanage shop!" I retorted. "You would steal from those who have nothing?"
"Oh but they have you Little Sparrow, I'm sure with all of your pomp and circumstance that you are more than capable of earning the money back for them." He retorted. I knew if I wanted to keep the apples, which were slowly making their way back to the cart, that even if it shamed me, I would need to beg for forgiveness.
I ran up to him, kneeling at his feet.
"Please, don't take those apples Milord, the orphans need them. Don't punish them for my wrongdoings I beg of you!"
"Come now, you seem to care so little about your own welfare, but you would sacrifice your dignity for a bunch of orphans? Little Sparrow you never seize to amaze me." He spoke, and like a fool I believed he would actually pity the orphans.
"Well at least you admit to them that you are the scapegoat. But I'm afraid I have important business to attend to Little Sparrow, I must be off."
And with barely a glance in the direction of 15 heartbroken orphans and their Matron, the nobleman turned heels and walked away, his rich, velvety cloak trailing after him.
The cart driver looked at me apologetically.
"I'm sorry Carys, but I have to take those apples back now."
"Can't you at least save on crate for us...Who is he that you should fear disobeying him so much?"
"Let's just say you got on the bad side of one you shouldn't be crossing. That's all I can say about that. As to his behaviour I cannot explain it, I haven't seen anyone act like that for ages. It's a step backwards for King Christopher's court anyways."
With one last, sad glance, the cart driver left, taking all of the precious apples with him.
"Well I never..." Matron Bronwyn exclaimed disgustedly. "What a horrid young man. Money and looks don't get you everything!" She shouted after him when he was out of earshot.
"I'm sorry Matron, but I was already on his bad side. If it wasn't me who dropped those apples, I'm sure he would have been more forgiving."
"Never you mind about that Carys, we'll find a way to fix this. Just give me some time to think before opening."
"There's no need. An hour's all I need. I'll be back soon." Grabbing a now empty crate, I called for Faolan, who I instructed to do the same.
Thankfully, he didn't ask me any questions, because I wasn't quite sure how to explain my plan to him. It was entirely unfounded and rash, but if we wanted to make income that day, I didn't have a choice.
Running through the market streets, my brother and I made our way to the gates surrounding the palace orchard. I instructed Faolan to set his crate on the ground, and I boosted myself onto the low wall into the compound.
"Just wait there Faolan, and I'm going to pass a crateful over to you! If any guards come by, make sure to hide!" He nodded and waited patiently, handing me a crate to fill.
As for me, I carefully avoided any areas where servants were picking the apples, and climbed one of the trees, plucking the ripe fruit until I had finished filling the box.
Quietly I made it back to where Faolan was waiting, and passed him the apples through the gate one by one, until his own crate was full.
"Now go bring me another would you? Hurry back!"
"But Carys, isn't this stealing?" He asked, worried.
"Certainly not. We were willing to pay, but that noble simply wouldn't accept the money. Now hurry!" Reluctantly, he agreed, and dashed off, while I went back to work. Perhaps I wasn't setting the best of examples
We passed an hour in that fashion, and when I felt we had enough to get by, I went back to the gate. Putting my own crate on the ground, I got to the other side safely.
"Look, the Sparrow can climb trees too!" I mumbled to myself, feeling a small victory. I walked back to the Matron, who was eagerly selling the fruit to buyers.
"Carys you angel! Since you managed to get these for free, I can sell them cheapest in the market, and still make more then if we bought them off that cart. Why didn't you think of this sooner?"
Grinning, I shrugged, helping to assist some of the customers. By the time the day was done, we had sold every apple I had collected, albeit dishonestly. For some reason though, my conscience, which was normally very active on matters such as these, didn't care in the slightest. I supposed it was because of the jerk of a nobleman.
Dinner that night seemed especially more delicious, even though it was the porridge I had been accustomed to for years. As the whole orphanage sat down to eat there was a knock on the door.
Matron Bronwyn left to answer it, as the rest of us continued to eat.
When she returned there was a look of pure shock, mixed with immense glee on her face.
"What is it?" I asked.
"The man at the door, he just handed me this and left!" She announced, showing off a plain brown bag full of Hur.
"There's enough for months here!" I shouted happily. The rest of the orphans jumped out of their seats to look at the gift from our mysterious benefactor.
"But who could have sent it?" Faolan asked. I thought for a moment, unsure, but then it hit me.
"It must have been that cart driver! You saw how apologetic he looked as he was driving away. I bet he sent us this money because he felt sorry for taking away the apples."
"Hmmm. Maybe you're right. But where would a simple cart driver get so much money from?" Matron wondered.
"Perhaps he's been saving, or maybe he earned a bonus from the palace. Oh who cares? The point is we have enough money to eat something other then porridge for a change." I smiled in anticipation, but Matron's chiding glance sobered me up quickly.
"Nonsense. There is no need to spend extra on food. We have plenty other things we could do with this money!"
"Like what?" I raised my eyebrow suspiciously.
"We can buy more to sell! Imagine the profit Carys dear! We could make a fortune."
"Matron... if we do that we'll be loosing money. I think you'd better hand the pouch over to me. Otherwise, we won't have gained...We'll be in debt!" Laughing, I lunged for the pouch of money, and succeeded in grabbing it.
Matron began to chase me around the room, and all the orphans joined in the chase around the cramped dining area. With much squealing and giggling, we managed to keep Matron at bay, who in turn, sniffed her disappointment.
"Just think Matron, if I didn't drop that crate of apples, we wouldn't have this money. You should be thanking me!"
Her eyebrows knit together, and she sighed again.
"Alright Carys. Spend that on what you see fitting to help this place out. But I'm warning you, if there is a steak dinner on the table tomorrow I'll sell you to the servant houses before you can insult another noble!"
Dancing around the room in delight, I imagined how exciting tomorrow was going to be. I would finally be able to fix the holes in the roof, the holes in the orphan's clothes, and the hole in Matron's pocket! Thinking to myself that I should find that cart driver to thank him, I helped all of the orphans get ready for bed, and slept with the bag of money under my pillow, just in case Matron decided to take it back while I was sleeping.