Anastasia Shelby had few possessions, I mean not many seven year old's did have alot. But the one thing Polly remembered about her was how dainty she was for her age "So tell me again why we have a small girl in our sitting room Pol" Grandad Shelby frowned as he eyed the small fragile looking girl sitting on the couch with a plate of sandwiches in her knees.
"Because her father has had some misfortune and she needs a place to stay" Polly explained for the second time "Look at her, it won't be for long just until her father finds his feet again"
Grandad Shelby looked at the young girl again "Does she have a name?" He asked.
"It's Anastasia" Polly replied and Grandad Shelby's eyes softened a little "Anastasia Gillespie"
"Anastasia, would you like to pick a bedroom?" Grandad Shelby, reached out his hand and the little girl placed her sandwiches gently on he table and shuffled towards him. She reached up for his hand and headed upstairs...Grandad Shelby smiled when she walked into the biggest room. But his smile soon faded, both he and Polly watched in disbelief as Ana started to remove her shoes and then unbutton her dress, revealing her scars "Anastasia what are you doing sweetheart?" Polly rushed to stop her.
"Men like me to take my clothes off while they do it" Anastasias eyes were full of innocence, but Polly and Grandad Shelby shares the same horror.
"Well no man will ask you to take your clothes off while you're here darling" Polly stood up and moved back to Grandad Shelby "Dad" she gasped and Grandad Shelby put his hand on her arm.
"She can stay" He whispered still shaken by what he had witnessed from such an innocent 7 year old child "But if the authorities come to take her back, it'll be over my dead body"
"Agreed" Polly smiled weakly, it was very rare Grandad Shelby fought for anything outside his own family. But for some reason this child had melted him a little.
Grandad Shelby took himself off downstairs as Polly took some things out of her bag, there was a pretty green dress and matching shoes. She laid them out on the bed and the child just stared at her "Why did you undress like that sweetheart?"
"Because he called me Anastasia, that's what they call me" Anastasia eyes were dark and full of fear.
"Well I'll tell you what from now on we shall forget that name...we'll give you a new name" Polly helped Ana into her new clean clothes.
"Bear calls me Ana" Ana replied quietly, her eyes continued to look down at the floor.
"Bear?" Polly repeated in a questioning tone.
"My brother" Ana half smiled "He came to take me away and the police took him"
"Does he hurt you too?" Polly feared and was relieved when Ana shook her head.
"No Bear protects me" Ana smiled "Bear loves me, but he can't look after me now they've taken him can they?"
"We're here to protect you now my darling" Polly tucked some of Ana's red matted hair behind her ears and smiled "No-one will ever harm you again, I can promise you that" she sighed before helping Ana into the rest of her clothes.
××××××××××××××
The three Shelby boys and Ada had been lined up in the sitting room, they half expected a lashing for misbehaving when Grandad Shelby arrived looking rather more sober than usual. Polly arrived shortly afterwards "What's gong on Poll?" A much younger Arthur frowned impatiently as Polly closed the door.
"Now boys, I'm going to introduce you to someone. But before I do I need you to know that she is very scared and has been treated very badly by her own family" Polly smiled nervously "She needs us to take care of her now" Polly fetched Ana from outside the room.
"Are we going to be her new family?" Ada asked and Polly laughed a little.
"Yes something like that, her name is Ana and she is 7" Ana looked nervously at Ada and the boys. John was quick to introduce himself.
"I'm John" he hugged her "And this is my oldest brother Arthur" Arthur came and hugged Ana tightly.
"We'll look after you now" He whispered gently into Ana's ear. The middle brother didn't speak, he just kept watching as Ada hugged her.
"I want you to treat her like your sister, alright?" Polly frowned as the children nodded willingly. All except for one...Thomas...he just stared at her inquisitively.
"Why don't you take Ana outside and show her around Aye?" Grandad too had noticed Tommy's cold vacant expression, he watched curiously as Ana walked towards him shyly. She gently put her hand inside his and looked up at him. He towered over her a little.
"Will you show me?" She asked and Tommy frowned at first before looking down at Ana "Please" she added and to Polly and Grandad Shelby's surprise Tommy nodded. He let her lead him by the hand and out onto the street.
"Do you think she'll settle here? Stay I mean without running away?" Grandad Shelby exhaled as soon as the room was clear of childrens ears.
"I think so, but what about the authorities? And she did mention an older brother. Bear I think she called him" Polly replied.
"Leave the authorities to me, and I'll get a couple of boys to listen out for anything about Bear...but truth is Pol he could just be a figment of her imagination. I mean the things she been through"
"I know" Polly nodded "Just do what you can, the thought of her going back to that house makes me feel sick"
××××××××××××××××
"Do you like horses Ana?" Tommy stopped near the boatyard. His uncle was working on some repairs. Ana nodded and Tommy led her closer to the man.
"Who do you have here Tom?" The man smiled.
"This is Ana, Uncle Charlie" Tommy introduced the quiet little red head to his uncle. He frowned a she felt Ana's grip on his hand tighten "It's alright Ana, you'll be fine with me" he whispered gently...
