Miss Morgan

Four

Trigger warning- murder and almost SA. This one's just a little dark 😅

Summer 1882
-Annabelle-

I close my book and lean my head back against the tall oak tree behind me, letting my eyelids fall shut with the warmth of the sun on my face. My cremello lusitano mare, Lune, grazes under the shade to my right. Her pale golden coat shimmers in the sunlight. Bees buzz in the wild flowers growing around me. It's peaceful. I don't want to leave, but I have to if I want to make it to the orphanage by sundown.

I tuck my copy of The Heart of Mid-Lothian into my saddlebag and climb into my side saddle, guiding Lune back into the city. It's a short ride back to town and when I arrive at the orphanage I climb out of the saddle and straighten my dress, then pull out my pocket mirror to check my hair is still neat and reapply a fresh coat of lipstick.

I take a deep breath and feed Lune a peppermint before I step inside. My heels clatter on the stone floors of the Chicago Orphan Asylum. Children occupy every hallway and every room of the building, some are playing with friends, some are asleep on the floors or what little furniture we have.

"Hello Miss Laurent." A sweet young boy smiles up at me, his face streaked with dirt and his shaggy hair in tangles. My heart aches at the sight.

"Good evening Ralphie." I smile kindly and pat his little head. He's a good kid, he doesn't deserve to be here. None of them do.

The Chicago Orphan Asylum is overcrowded and underfunded. There are far more children than this building was meant to hold, and we struggle every day to keep them fed, clothed, and bathed. Children were meant to be cared for here but instead it seems they're only dumped and forgotten because no one opens their doors to these little souls. It's disgusting.

I heard rumors of the conditions of the orphanage through the grapevines of Chicago and needed to see it for myself and now here I am, volunteering my time in hopes of making a difference in their lives. For now anyway.

"Miss Laurent!" Elizabeth greets me as I enter the main office.

"Good morning Miss Price." I give her a polite smile. "How are things?"

"The usual." Elizabeth frowns. "I fear these children have only survived another day. I don't know what else to do to get people to adopt some of them. Oh and poor little Henry got sick again, we still had some medicine but our supplies are getting very low."

"I'll make a quick run to the store." I pull open the cash box and to no one's surprise, it's mostly empty.

"Yeah, about that." Elizabeth fidgets with the button on her blouse. "I had to buy more flour for bread. We're just running out of everything. I hoped Thomas would be in with more money by now, I guess it's silly of me to keep my hopes up that that man will finally help out as he claims."

"It's not silly Elizabeth, it's an outrage that man isn't behind bars." I spit. "Sit tight,I'll be back in an hour, then you can go home for the night."

I close the money box and I storm out of the building, letting the front door slam shut behind me on my way out. I walk to the store because it's not far and I need the time to gather my thoughts.

Thomas Ellsworth is the scum of the earth. The man owns the Chicago Orphan Asylum, though he hasn't stepped foot in the building since it opened its doors. The man prides himself on running the largest orphanage in Chicago and the town damn near worships him for it. If only they knew he kept all of their incredibly generous donations in order to buy expensive horses and precious jewelry and a mansion far too large for a man with no children of his own.

He'll get what's coming to him.

The bell above the door dings as I walk into the general store. "Evening Miss Laurent." The shop owner greets me.