The mill was located by the Great River Stour on a lovely meadow on the outskirts of Canterbury. The sun had risen and was now spreading its warmth, definitely letting one know that summer had arrived. Daniel had decided to take plenty of shifts this summer; Hazel's condition was only getting worse, and he did not want to ask his father for a fee, so working full-time the whole school vacation seemed like the most sensible thing to do.
The miller was as strict as usual. Daniel worked several hours away by carrying grain sacks to and from the storage and loading the cart with flour. Not until noon was Daniel finally allowed some fresh air, as he was sent down the river to fetch some water from the well.
The young boy skipped down the riverbank, wiping the dirt and sweat away from his face with the back of his hand. He didn't notice her right away, too caught up in the landscape and his own thoughts, but there she was, all of a sudden, on the other side of the river.
She appeared to be a little younger than him and was wearing a white dress with a salmon ribbon tied around the waist. Her hair was almost black; sunlight revealed the brown tint. It was tied firmly into a French braid and reached the mid of her back.
Daniel was going to ignore her and continue down to the well, but her big brown doe eyes – and the fact that she seemed to be lost, for she definitely didn't belong in a place like this – made him stop and ask, "Excuse me, miss, can I help you?"
She blushed and averted her gaze down towards the green grass. Her small hands started fidgeting with the hem of the long skirt. "Do you want to play with me?"
Daniel raised his eyebrows. He did not usually play with children his own age. He had once foolishly taken part in some games with his class, but Henry Bedloe had made sure to turn it into a nightmare. Daniel had learned that he couldn't trust anyone but his sister the hard way.
He hesitated shortly, "I… I can't. I have to work."
Disappointment draped her chubby face. Her cheeks flushed a bright pink colour. She fixed her gaze on the two buckets Daniel was carrying, obviously wanting to avoid his eyes. Daniel suddenly felt bad about rejecting her; she clearly had mustered up a lot of courage to ask. He pondered if he should say any more, but instead he just stood there with a bucket in each hand and felt like a classic fool.
She seemed to grow uncomfortable with the silence. She swayed her skirt slightly, "Were you not supposed to work?"
Daniel blinked. He looked back in the direction he came from, then turned his gaze towards the girl again and muttered, "Yes… I was…"
"Aren't only adults supposed to work?" she asked all of a sudden. Her shyness seemed to recede a bit.
"We have been short of money lately."
It wasn't a complete lie. Even though they would have enough money to provide for themselves – if Daniel's father didn't spend it all on alcohol – John still didn't work enough hours to be able to afford a doctor on his salary alone. Only working when one felt like it did not raise the sale.
"Oh," the girl said. She was lost in her own thoughts for a short while before she looked at him again with her big eyes, tilting her head and tentatively continuing, "I can give you money?"
Those words caught Daniel's attention. He gave her a sceptic look. "Why would your parents want to give a poor boy like me money?"
The younger girl shrugged. "I don't know."
Daniel shifted his weight onto his other leg, tilted his head and raised an eyebrow, beckoning for her to continue, "So ...?"
Her eyes widened momentarily as she blushed. She kicked a stone on the ground and averted her gaze once again, "I just really want someone to play with…"
He just kept gazing at her with a thoughtful look. Something told him that this girl had at least as much difficulty socialising with other children as he had.
The girl patiently waited for a response, but the patience slipped up faster than she probably would have liked it to. Her slightly tanned complexion turned red. She started tripping, and suddenly she blurted, "I'll give you money if you play with me today!"
Daniel was caught a bit off-guard. He frowned, "Really? Are you sure? You don't even know what I need them for. I might just be paying for my father's alcohol!"
The lass obviously didn't know how to respond to a statement like that. She blinked, "What?"
Daniel shook his head at himself, feeling like an idiot. Why was he acting so foolish? If all he had to do to make some extra coppers was to play with a confused little girl, he really shouldn't be throwing away his chance. What was there to lose?
On the other hand, the girl could be lying. And if she wasn't, her easy access to money could mean one thing only – something that Daniel had had a nagging feeling of all along – she was most likely the daughter of a wealthy man. And if that was the case, Daniel was already finding himself on dangerous territory just by talking to her. If it was found out, Daniel wouldn't get any money and he most certainly would be severely punished by not only his father, but also the girl's family. It was a great risk.
But the thought of Hazel made Daniel consider it one last time. Anyone could tell that her health wasn't the best it could be. She needed this, and he would do anything for his sister, even if it meant spending a few nights locked up in the cellar. It was well worth it.
"All right, then," he said, "How much money and when?"
The girl glanced at the sun. "When are you finished working?"
"At six o'clock in the evening," Daniel answered, eyeing the girl. He still felt that he needed to be cautious.
"Meet me by the bridge at six. I'll give you a shilling," she said coyly.
Daniel gaped. A whole shilling! Not only would he be able to afford the physician, Hazel could actually be treated with this kind of money! That is, if her condition wasn't too severe.
"Deal!" He stood right up. Now the work just had to be over and done with! "I need to hurry along, miss! I'll see you later!"
The girl waved as he rushed down the river.
The sun was still ever as vibrant by evening. Daniel worked twice as efficiently as usual and even earned himself a couple of compliments from the miller for his good work. He was elated. If that lass kept her promise, Hazel would finally be able to get the treatment she needed!
The miller let Daniel off early. The boy bowed gratefully and thanked him many times before he ran off to his special appointment. He wandered down the river feeling very pleased. A bit further down the bridge came into sight, and there she was, waiting for him. She was picking flowers by the riverside.
She caught sight of him and waved timidly. He blushed and waved back at her, not used to dealing with girls of nobility. As he reached her, she put out her hand with a single coin. "There you go, one shilling. Is it all right?"
Daniel almost didn't dare touch the money, afraid that it might vanish into thin air by his touch. "How did you get a hold of this?"
"I just told Daddy that Mum wanted a new necklace," she said, averting her eyes to her shiny patent leather shoes.
"Won't they notice?"
"No, Dad does not care about Mum's jewellery. She buys new stuff all the time."
Daniel nodded and reached to grab the coin tentatively – it didn't vanish. He studied it from every angle. He had never before held such a great amount of money in his hands!
"Are we going to play now?"
Daniel looked at the girl again. Her dark brown hair was no longer in a braid; instead it was let loose, cascading down her small shoulders and back in soft waves. She was actually a pretty one. He nodded with a big grin.
She smiled back at him even wider. "So, what is your name? Mine is Serena da Silva!"
"My name is Daniel James Wilkinson, Miss da Silva," Daniel said, suddenly recalling his manners.
Serena looked at him in wonder. "Your hair is pretty," she murmured as she stroked one of his shoulder length, brown locks, causing the older boy to blush.
"Thank you. Yours, too, Miss da Silva."
Serena picked a reticule from her pocket and sat down in the lush grass. Daniel sat down curiously in front of her, beaming as he saw the marbles roll out of the pouch. "Do you know the rules?" Serena asked.
Daniel nodded heartily. "Yes, I used to play with my mother! But my dad threw them out a couple of years ago."
She gaped at him in disbelief. "Why would he do a such thing?"
"He said that I was too old to be playing with toys…" Daniel mumbled, remembering how his father had tossed out all of his toys back when he was only five years of age.
"Oh," Serena said, giving him a look of empathy. She probably never had had to deal with anyone taking her beloved toys away from her ever. "But I can be your playmate! I mean, if you want me to… As long as I won't have to pay you every time."
Daniel shook his head rapidly. "I would never expect that of you, miss!"
Serena giggled, "Just call me Serena, silly!" She had finally prepared the marbles as she handed Daniel his. The children played the rest of the evening away. By the time they said goodnight, Daniel had completely forgotten how uncomfortable he had felt at first. They met several times that summer.
Only a few days after Serena so generously had given Daniel the shilling, he called in a physician. Father was in the studio, so Daniel didn't have to explain why a doctor was in need, nor where he had gotten the money – fortunately.
Doctor Tate was a man late in his thirties with an excellent medical degree and a nice pair of square glasses. He actually lived in London, but he frequently visited Canterbury Hospice and several other clinics in the county. When the local hospital heard about Hazel's symptoms, they contacted him, knowing that with the kind of money Daniel could pay, he should have a professional treat her.
The physician crouched in front of the couch with a stethoscope against Hazel's naked chest. She had had a strong reaction to the cold metal at first, but had slowly gotten used to it, calming down completely when Daniel took her hand. "Take a deep breath, dear," the man said. Hazel did as she was told.
Tate had a serious look on his gentle face when he packed up. Daniel helped Hazel get her nightgown on again while the Doctor explained his deduction, "I hear a faint rasp in her breathing."
Daniel frowned and fisted his hands. "Is it serious?"
"I can't tell, she is still too young. But don't be too worried yet, a lot of people can manage an ordinary life in spite of a lung defect."
He nodded, not liking the sound of his sister having difficulties with her respiration. Doctor Tate noted in his journal, then ripped the page and gave it to Daniel. "I recommend you get her a ceramic inhaler that she can breathe hot water infusions from daily. It will help clear her airways. Feed her a spoonful of laudanum if she experiences any coughing attacks."
Daniel nodded once more, the Doctor's words making him feel even more miserable, as providing Hazel with an inhaler seemed completely unrealistic with the budget he had to work with. Apparently his worry was evident; Tate put a hand on his shoulder and said, "It will be fine, son. An inhaler is not very expensive, and your sister's condition is not too severe."
Yet.
The word echoed in the back of Daniel's mind, but he forced a smile.
Hazel sat on the couch, hugging Mr. James tightly. She did not understand why Daniel looked so sad or who the man was. She did not understand what they were talking about – but she knew one thing, and that was that she didn't like seeing Daniel upset.
She brought a hand to her chest as she felt a sting.