I’m delighted to welcome Marcia Clayton and her new book, Annie’s Secret, to the blog with an excerpt.
The Mazzard Tree
Sabina dried her hands and signalled Annie to do the same, and then they followed Hannah into her house. Chickens ran in and out, leaving a mess all over the floor. Tommy, the youngest child, was crawling around in all the filth, for although he was two, he had rickets and could not walk. His face was covered in sores, and his nose was running. Rachael, at four, was sitting by her sick sister’s bed, tugging her hand.
“Come an’ play with me, Mary.”
Annie picked up Rachael and settled her on her knee. Rachael loved the attention, and Tommy crawled up to sit on the other knee. Annie wiped his nose, brushed his brown curly hair out of his eyes, and gave them both a cuddle. She wondered if her own hair would be crawling with lice by the time she went home. Sabina put her hand on Mary’s forehead, which was hot, and the child was pale and listless. “What’s the matter, Mary? Where does it hurt?”
Mary pointed to her throat and whispered hoarsely, “It hurts in there, and my head, and everywhere.”
“Never mind, we’ll soon have you better, don’t worry. Could you eat some stew?”
Mary shook her head miserably. She was six years old, but small for her age, and Sabina could see many clusters of nits stuck to her wispy brown hair.
“Sabina, I could eat some stew if you’ve any to spare, and I’ll bet Rachael and Tommy could manage some too.”
Hannah and her husband, John, were both fat and lazy, but the children were thin, dirty, and ill-kempt. Sabina’s eyes flashed with anger.
“I’ve plenty of food in my kitchen, Hannah, because I work hard. I’ll take Rachael and Tommy home with me to have some, and I’ll bathe them too because they’re filthy. I know you’re poor, but look at the state of this place. When was the last time you cleaned up or cooked? Or does all your money go on that bloody scrumpy? I’m sorry, but it’s time someone told you a few home truths; you should be ashamed of yourself. Now, I could leave Annie here with you, if she’ll stay, to help you clean up. I’ll come back at teatime, and if the place is clean, I’ll bring rabbit stew for all of you. Just this once, though, for you have a man to provide for you, which is more than I have.”
“How dare you! It’s none of your business how I keep my house. Things have got on top of me a bit, that’s all.”
“Please yourself then; it’s no odds to me. Mary certainly isn’t well, but it might just be a nasty cold. Now, do you want Annie’s help, or not? It’s up to you.”
“Aye, I suppose the place could do with a bit of a clean, and you’ll bring enough supper for all of us?”
“Yes, I’ll bring some later and see how Mary is. Annie, would you mind helping Hannah?”
Annie, facing away from Hannah, pulled a face and screwed up her nose, but she nodded. Sabina grinned as she left with the two children. As she entered her own cottage, Sabina called to Liza.
“Liza, could you put a couple of pans of water on the fire, please? I want to bathe these two. I don’t suppose they’ve ever had a bath, so they may not think a lot of it, but they certainly need one.”
Sabina explained about Mary and how Annie was helping Hannah to clean up.
“She’s a lazy slut, that woman, and it will soon be like it again, you know. She’s too lazy to lift a finger to care for that family properly, and her mother was just the same. They don’t deserve to have children, and they don’t deserve your help either, Sabina. Goodness, you’ve enough to do to feed and look after your own.”
“Aye, you’re right, of course, but I felt so sorry for the children. It isn’t their fault, and Mary, poor little thing, was so poorly.”
Liza pulled the old tin bath in front of the fire and filled it with warm water. Rachael and Tommy sat wide-eyed, anxiously watching the activity around them. Sabina decided to start with Rachael and sat her on her knee.
“Now, Rachael, I’m going to take off these dirty clothes and bathe you. You’ll like it in that lovely warm water, and afterwards, you’ll feel much better. Then we’ll see if we can find you something clean to wear, while I wash your clothes.”
Sabina gently undressed the little girl, chatting all the time as she lowered her into the bath. Rachael went stiff with fright and kept her legs rigid. She started to thrash about and scream.
“No, no, don’t. I don’t wanna get wet. No, don’t. Let me go! Mummy, I want my mummy. Don’t.”
Sabina held her gently, but firmly. “Come on, Rachael, I want you to show Tommy what a big, brave girl you are. You’ll like it in the water when you sit down, and if you let me wash you, I’ll find you a bowl of rabbit stew, with a big slice of bread. Are you hungry?”
At the mention of food, Rachael immediately became more cooperative and sat down gingerly. She still seemed frightened, but as Sabina gently splashed warm water over her tiny body, she began to relax. It saddened Sabina to see that she was covered in flea bites, and her hair was crawling with lice. There were also a few suspicious bruises. Gently, Sabina soaped the grime from the child’s body, cut her hair short, and then washed what was left to get rid of the lice. Rachael began to enjoy herself and suddenly grinned at Sabina.
“This is nice, like you said. I like it in here. Can I stay a bit longer?”
Sabina let her stay a few minutes longer, then lifted her out and dried her. She reached for an old blue dress and popped it over Rachael’s head.
“There, you look beautiful now. Liza will give you some stew for being so brave. Right then, Tommy, it’s your turn now, but I think we’ll need some clean water first.”
Here’s the blurb
1887, North Devon, England
When Lady Eleanor Fellwood gave birth to a badly deformed baby, she insisted that the child be adopted as far away as possible. However, that proved difficult to accomplish, and so, in return for payment, Sabina Carter, an impoverished widow living locally, agreed to raise the little boy as a foundling. The child’s father, Lord Charles Fellwood of Hartford Manor, warned Sabina that the matter must be treated in the strictest confidence or her family would be evicted from their home. As far as Lady Eleanor was concerned, the child was being cared for miles away.
All was well for several years until fate took a hand and, against his parents’ wishes, Robert Fellwood, the heir to the Hartford Estate, married Sabina’s daughter, Annie. Robert arranged for his mother-in-law, Sabina, and her family to reside in the Lodge House, situated at the end of the Manor House driveway. A house that Lady Eleanor passed regularly, and it was not long before she spotted Danny’s dark curls among the Carter redheads. As she looked into the child’s eyes and noted his disabilities, she recognised her son.
Now, at seven years old, Danny has had numerous operations to correct his disabilities and is a happy, healthy child. However, his presence is a source of constant anguish for his birth mother as, day after day, she watches him play in the garden. Her husband, Charles, and son, Robert, are aghast when she announces that she wants him back! An impossible situation for all concerned, and a rift develops between Robert and Annie as he struggles to find a solution to suit everyone.
Over the years, Lady Eleanor has steadfastly refused to acknowledge her daughter-in-law, for she disapproves of Annie’s lower-class origins. When a freak accident forces the two women to spend time together, they inevitably find themselves drawn into conversation, and before long, the years of pent-up resentment and family secrets surface as home truths are aired.
Will the two women be rescued from their precarious situation unscathed? And, if so, will the family survive the scandal that is about to be unleashed?
https://mybook.to/AnniesSecret
The Hartford Manor Series Links
Prequel – Betsey http://mybook.to/Betsey
Book 1 -The Mazzard Tree http://mybook.to/TheMazzardTree
Book 2 – The Angel Maker http://mybook.to/TheAngelMaker
Book 3 – The Rabbit’s Foot http://mybook.to/TheRabbitsFoot
Book 4 – Millie’s Escape https://mybook.to/MilliesEscape
Book 5 – A Woman Scorned https://mybook.to/AWomanScorned
Book 6 – Annie’s Secret https://mybook.to/AnniesSecret
All books in The Hartford Manor Series are available to read on #KindleUnlimited, and print copies can be ordered from any bookshop.
Meet the Author
Marcia Clayton writes historical fiction with a sprinkling of romance and mystery in a heart-warming family saga that stretches from the Regency period through to Victorian times.
A farmer’s daughter, Marcia was born in North Devon, a rural and picturesque area in the far South West of England. When she left school at sixteen, Marcia worked in a bank for several years until she married her husband, Bryan, and then stayed at home for a few years to care for her three sons, Stuart, Paul and David.
As the children grew older, Marcia enrolled in a secretarial course, which led to an administrative post at the local college. Marcia progressed through various jobs at the college and, when working as a Transport Project Coordinator, was invited to 10 Downing Street to meet Tony Blair, the then Prime Minister. Marcia later worked for the local authority as the Education Transport Manager for Devon County Council and remained there until her retirement.
Now a grandmother, Marcia enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She’s a keen researcher of family history, and this hobby inspired some of the characters in her books. A keen gardener, Marcia grows many of her own vegetables. She is also an avid reader and enjoys historical fiction, romance, and crime books.
Marcia has written seven books in the historical family saga, The Hartford Manor Series. You can also read her free short story, Amelia, a spin-off tale from the first book, The Mazzard Tree. Amelia, a little orphan girl of 4, is abandoned in Victorian London with her brothers, Joseph and Matthew. To find out what happens to her, download the story here: https://marciaclayton.co.uk/amelia-free-download/
In addition to writing books, Marcia produces blogs to share with her readers in a monthly newsletter. If you would like to join Marcia’s mailing list, you can subscribe here: https://marciaclayton.co.uk/
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Thanks so much for hosting Marcia Clayton today, with an enticing excerpt from The Mazzard Tree, book #1 in the fabulous Hartford Manor series.
Take care,
Cathie xx
The Coffee Pot Book Club
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