Next chappie! Enjoy!
When Matthew brought Lilly to his home, she was disappointed. Instead of a cosy little cottage she picture him and his family living in, there was a tumble-down shack of a house, with an overgrown front yard. And instead of children playing everywhere, and a kind smiling mother to greet them at the door, it was empty, without a soul in sight.
"This is where you live?" Lilly asked in disgust.
"I'm afraid so," Matthew shrugged. "Sorry it's not a palace, but it's the best I could find."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I have to take care of myself, because I'm an orphan."
"What's an orphan?" Lilly watched him with wide, curious brown eyes.
"An orphan is a child who doesn't have any parents, or who doesn't know where their parents are. Mine are dead."
"How sad," Lilly murmured. "I think I'm an orphan, too."
"Why?" Matthew gazed at her.
"Because I don't know where my parents are." And Lilly let out the tears she had held back sobbing loudly.
"Don't cry," Matthew urged. He knelt down in front of her and wiped her tears away with his thumb. "You'll find them, or they'll find you."
"But I also feel very sad for you, Matthew," Lilly told him. "Having no parents at all. I couldn't imagine anything worse!" Matthew smiled.
"Yeah, well, living on my own is an adventure. Don't you like adventures?"
"I've never been on one," Lilly admitted.
"Would you like this to be your first?" Matthew asked. Lilly smiled.
"Yes." She yawned, the long, sleepless night finally catching up to her.
"You need to have a sleep," Matthew said, pointing out the obvious. "Come on." He took her hand, and led her into the house. It was surprisingly cosy, with a single bed in one corner, and a small fireplace against a wall. Matthew made a fire, and had Lilly lay in his bed.
"But where will you sleep?" she protested, sitting up.
"I don't need to sleep now," he told her, laying her back down. "You do. We'll figure out another bed when you wake up."
"Okay," Lilly sighed, and closed her eyes. It wasn't as cosy as when she snuggled with her mother, being lulled to sleep by stories, but it was better than a tower with a scary woman any day.
When Lilly woke up, she saw Matthew at the door. It was open only a crack, and he was talking to the people on the side through it. Curious, Lilly slipped out of bed, her bare feet silent on the wooden floor, and peered out over Matthew's shoulder, gasping at who she saw.
"That's her!" the Stabbington shouted. He tried to barge in, but Matthew slammed the door closed, and put a wooden plank across it.
"What do you want with her?" he yelled, trying to show no fear. But Lilly saw it in his eyes.
"Why do you care what we want?!" came the muffled and angry response. Matthew and Lilly shoved a large chest of drawers in front of the door.
"We need to get my cat and get out of here," Matthew hissed. "But I don't want to frighten her; she's having kittens soon!"
"What choice do we have?" Lilly asked anxiously.
"Take the apples," Matthew instructed, shoving the paper bag into her hands. He ran into another room, and came out holding a wicker basket lined with a soft blanket. Inside was a jet black cat, lying on her side.
"Open that trapdoor," Matthew said softly, motioning to the corner of a trapdoor half-hidden under the rug. Lilly tugged at the handle, and eventually, Matthew had to gently put down the basket, and help. Together they opened the heavy wooden door, and Lilly climbed down the ladder. Matthew handed the basket to her, before climbing down himself, shutting the door.
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