Page 10 of Don't Believe A Word

Lottie didn’t disagree, after all it was what the note had said. ‘But why us? We’re not from around here, so who knows enough about us to feel they can trust us with a small child and make sure she comes to no harm?’

Since the question was rhetorical Mia didn’t attempt an answer.

‘The trouble is,’ Lottie continued, ‘the longer she’s with us the harder it’ll be to let her go, and we’ll have to eventually, you know that.’ Such cunning, so much artifice and planning all wrapped up in the right words.

‘Why?’ Mia wanted to know, falling into the trap. ‘If someone is so irresponsible as to abandon a child on a beach – or to leave her with two complete strangers – maybe they don’t deserve to have her back.’

‘Well, we can’t just randomly keep her, especially not if she has a mother who wants her …’

‘Who left her. The authorities will take a very dim view of that …’

‘And they won’t much like us either when it’s discovered that we didn’t contact them as soon as we found the child. We could end up being charged with abduction or kidnap or something worse.’ Get it all out there, voice the biggest fears, it was the only way to beat them.

Mia’s eyes were wide with alarm as she said, ‘Maybe this is the start of a blackmail attempt. If we don’t give someone what they want they’ll report us for stealing the child.’

Lottie was about to scoff when she realized Mia could have a point. Before she could speak a little voice behind them said, ‘Can’t sleep.’

They turned, hearts in their mouths as they wondered how much she might have heard. She was standing in the doorway, herangelic face all flushed and sleepy, her lively curls tumbling around her tiny shoulders. She was like an apparition, a dream they were sharing that had somehow manifested into a disconcerting reality.

Mia went to scoop her up and sat with her at the table while Lottie prepared some hot milk. ‘Would teddy like some?’ Lottie offered.

Sadie nodded and hugged the shiny new bear to her chest. When Mia had handed it over she’d lit up as if it was what she’d always wanted. ‘Teddy,’ she’d whispered. It was one of the few words she’d spoken since they’d taken her in.

‘Did you have a dream?’ Mia asked softly, stroking her hair.

Sadie lowered her head.

‘Do you want to tell us what it was about?’

Sadie looked up at her, but didn’t answer.

‘I hope it wasn’t a scary one,’ Lottie said with a play growl.

Sadie shook her head, and squeezed her teddy again. After a moment she tilted her head back to look at Mia again. ‘I want Mummy,’ she said quietly.

Mia’s eyes shot to Lottie’s as she drew the child in tighter.

Bringing the milk to the table, Lottie set it down and sat as she said, ‘Can you tell us your mummy’s name, Sadie?’

Sadie kept her face hidden in Mia’s shoulder.

‘If we do contact the authorities,’ Mia said later, after they’d tucked Sadie back into bed and read her a story, ‘they’ll probably take her into care and what good would that do anyone?’

Recognizing the question for the excuse that it was, Lottie said, ‘Even if we pass her off as our niece to Mrs B, that’s just the beginning. What do we tell our friends? And isn’t Edwin threatening to come at some point soon?’

As Mia’s heart contracted, she went to a cupboard to take out a bottle of whisky. It probably wasn’t a good idea to drink with a child in the house, but surely one wouldn’t hurt and if they were going to get onto the subject of Edwin …

Fetching down two glasses, Lottie said, ‘He knows we don’t have any nieces or nephews, so how would we explain her to him?’

‘He might not come,’ Mia responded dolefully.

‘He will, he’s the proverbial bad penny, and if she’s still here …’

Mia was finding it hard to think.

‘We’re doing everything wrong,’ Lottie declared irritably. ‘As if there’s a right way, for God’s sake. Do you know what I’d do if I was writing this?’

Mia eyed her warily.