The Secret De Chagney (on hold)

Part Six

Physical Scars

Numb that's all I feel. I look up to the good doctor and just sit there in silence.
"In the first few weeks you will experience shaking of the hands and may not be able to hold anything for awhile. You are free to go Miss." He then walked out leaving me with my brother.
"Chloe..." he started
"No! I don't want your sympathy. I just want to go back home" I said, getting up and walking out.

*****

Arriving home my mum greeted my brother but ignored me. Typical. "Your father is in his room, you can go see him."
I walked past her without a second glance. It was common knowledge the only person who loved me in this household was my papa. My mother was okay with me at the start but I ran away at the age of 16 to join the Moulin Rouge. I came back after two years and she's hated me ever since

I knocked on papa's door. His tired old face lifts when he sees me walk through the door. "Papa why are leaving me" I mutter.
"Honey I want to show you something"
He leaned over the side of his bed and retrieved a cylinder box. The box was engraved with markings and was very worn. He opened it up and I saw it was filled with crumpled pictures.
"Papa, what is this?" I asked
"This box is what I found you with" he said. "You come from Persia Chloe"
I was shocked. "But I don't have the accent"
"You could barely talk so we taught you to speak French and English"
Reaching out my fingers brushed the box feeling the marks on my fingers. "Take it before your mother finds out and decides to throw it away."
I grabbed the bottom of the box and closed it up. Grasping the handle I thanked my dad and walked to our stables.

When I got their it was chaos. Catching a stable hand I asked what was going on.
"One of the horses has gone wild madam" Then he ran out. I placed the box at the side and ran into the bedlam.

As I held the reins I noticed lashed down the side of the horse. "Stop!" I yelled. Everyone stopped even the horse. "Why has this animal been whipped?" I demanded whilst stroking the horses nose in a smoothing motion.
"Madame your cousin is coming back in a few days and she wanted the best horse ready" said a stable hand near me
"So whipped the poor creature"
"I-it w-wouldn't comply with us madame" the worker stuttered. I sighed "Get out"
"W-What?"
"GET OUT!!!" I shouted
They all scurried out like little rats. I walked over to the well and filled up a pail. I carried the water back to the horse and set it down. Whilst I was cleaning the wounds I noticed they weren't that deep and are only scratches. That would be healed in a day but I couldn't leave the horse here it was already undernourished. I gave a bucket of water to the horse and went to the main house to fetch some food. As I was filling a bowl up with fruit; the front door burst open. "Hello people I'm back"

I froze. God she's back early. I turned round and saw my worst nightmare walk straight back into my life.