"I've spoken to Jacob Davidson, he's Abigail's tutor in Scotland, he said he'll try and get to Poplar as soon as he can and agrees staying here would be the best thing for her at the present." Sister Julienne announced as she packed her bag for her rounds.

"At least she's not on her own..." Patsy sighed and Trixie shook her head.

"But she must feel alone, I mean all her life it's just been her and her father and now he's gone and she's surrounded by people she's only just met." Trie couldn't help thinking of her own Dad. She'd loved him more than anything and would've given anything to make him happy.

"Then we must make her welcome...where is she?"

"She's gone to visit Shelagh..."

XxX

"Dad said he chose my name because it means 'joy of my father'..." Abigail said as she walked with Shelagh who was pushing Angela's pram.

"Aye..." She nodded. "I remember."

"You remember when I was a baby?"

"Yes, you were only a two days old when he adopted you. You never cried once the entire time I was there..."

Abi looked down closing her eyes. "Never really cried since." They stopped. "It's not really the done thing back home. People are strong..."

"I know. That was one of the things I fled from."

"He talked about you all the time, you know."

"What did he tell you exactly?"

"That there was a young woman named Shelagh Mannion who tried to take on the world blindfolded with both arms tied behind her back. She was bright and had one of the most angelic voices he'd ever heard." A small smile appeared on the young girl's face. "He told me that although you lost touch he never lost hope that you were happy. He was never much of a church goer but he believed and he would pray for you. He prayed you'd found where you really belonged, especially when he heard you'd left the order."

"That sounds like him." Shelagh bit her lip. "He once told me God's plan is like chapters of a book, all the good and bad things are perfectly arranged to give you a happy ending..."

"He was a great story teller...especially with his music"

"Did he sing the kings story to you?"

Abi nodded. "Every night for week when I was little."

"Me too...when I was a child I spent a lot of time with him and Colette."

"I miss him..." Abi closed her eyes and Shelagh wrapped her arms around her.

"I know sweetheart." She kissed the top of her head. "It's okay. I do too."

"I don't know what to do without him. It's like he's not gone, not properly...it's like he's going to come around the corner in a minute and pick me up and say 'everything's alright'..."

Shelagh's heart broke. She saw herself in Abi. She'd always been a proper daddy's girl through and through herself even when her father was being distant.

"I feel so alone."

Shelagh put her hands on Abi's cheeks and wiped her tears. "You are not alone, Abigail and everything will be alright."

XxX

An; I've been so stuck on this story :( the 'king's song' they talk about is an old lullaby my mum used to sing but I can't remember what it's really called. Please review, love you all xxx