A/N: I feel lonely with just one review :(, but I won't let that get me down. Here's the next chapter of this story!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything.
Chapter Three
Bella watched as all the children were picked up. Her number and name was called a couple of hours ago. It has been called a couple of times since then, but still no one had come to collect her. So there she sits on a wooden stool by a pillar, drawing to pass the time. She wasn't crying, why should she be? She always knew that she wasn't wanted.
"Isabella Swan?" a voice asked from afar. Bella's head shot up, her eyes searching for the person who was calling her name. When she saw a figure clad in black approaching her, she quickly stood up and fixed her rumpled dress.
"Are you Isabella Swan?" the person asked again, the voice was soft yet stern, and Bella knew that the person was a girl. It did help to see the beautiful navy gown that the lady was wearing.
"Yes ma'am," Bella answered, doing a curtsy out of respect. The lady looked pretty well off. For instance, she was wearing a set of red stoned jewelry, earrings, necklace and ring. Plus, the multicolored brooch she had clasped on her cloak looked very expensive. "My name is Isabella Marie Swan, but you may call me Bella."
"Miss Bella, then," the lady smiled warmly, "I'm Ms. Stuart, the head of the orphanage center in this town. It's not my duty to com pick you up, but since I was already in the area."
"Of course, ma'am," Bella smiled. She liked this woman, Ms. Stuart, she sounds kind and fun to be around.
"Enough with this 'ma'am' nonsense, dear," Ms. Stuart admonished, picking up two of Bella's suitcases, one in each hand. "Just call me Ms. Stuart, all of the children in the orphanage does."
The carriage ride to the orphanage was filled with chatter. Ms. Stuart wanted to know everything about Bella and India, and in turn, Bella wanted to know everything about Ms. Stuart and the orphanage. The carriage stopped in front of a stately looking house an hour later.
"Is this the orphanage?" asked Bella timidly, awed by the sight of the regal building, "is this were I'll be staying?"
"Yes dear," Ms. Stuart answered, "this is the orphanage. I own this house, along with a few others, and I thought, since I own so many houses and only need one or two, perhaps I could covert one to an orphanage. Goodness knows how many children needed it. I'm currently housing a few children, all coming from different backgrounds."
"Oh," was all Bella could say at the moment.
The two had to climb three flights of stairs before reaching Bella's room.
"This is going to be your bedroom until you get adopted," Ms. Stuart announced, opening the wooden door with a quiet creak. "Breakfast is at half past seven, dinner at noon sharp, tea at five and supper at eight. Bedtime is at nine o'clock, unless you've got special permission to stay up."
"Ms. Stuart?" asked Bella timidly as she sat herself on her new bed, "who will help me get ready in the mornings?"
"Get ready in the mornings?" Ms. Stuart repeated, shocked, "How old are you, my child?"
"Thirteen, but I'll be going fourteen this September."
"Well, you're a young lady, Bella. You should be able to dress yourself by now. May I ask who dresses you in India?"
"My ayah does…" Bella said, blushing. She was embarrassed at not knowing how to dress herself properly.
"We don't have ayahs here in England, dearie. You've got to learn how to dress yourself, I'm sure you remember how to put on your dress," Ms. Stuart pointed at the brown dress Bella was wearing, "from this morning?"
"Yes, I do."
"Then that's settled," she smiled warmly, "dinner will be served soon, and some visitors will be coming this afternoon. I'm assuming that you'll make yourself presentable. I'm hoping that the visitors will adopt someone, goodness knows how crowded this place is becoming."
"Yes Ms. Stuart," was Bella's curt reply.
When she was all alone, Bella sighed. She didn't know if it was a sigh of relief, of sorrow, or nervousness. She just…sighed. Eyeing her suitcases, she knew that she had to unpack, but she didn't like to. She wasn't lazy, goodness no, she's just used to having an ayah to do work for her, and add the fact that she's still tired from her boat trip from India.
"Oh, India…" Bella whispered. She really did miss her home. Her room back in India was so much better than this small room, though she is thankful for a bed to sleep on.
In the distance, Bella heard someone shout, "Children, dinner is served! Hurry up before Richard eats them all!" Sounds of heavy footsteps echoed from outside of the door, and Bella hazarded a guess that the other children were rushing to go to the dining room. Bella, not wanting to feel left out and miss dinner, dashed outside too.
