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Chapter Six

Chapter Six

"That dress looks very pretty on you!" Allie admired and Amelia twirled slowly. The pale blue dress brought out her eyes and the white lace trimming on the neck, sleeves and hem gave an air of innocence to her sister.

"It's very nice," Amelia agreed. "Are you going to try on your clothes?"

"Mine are only simple skirts and blouses for working, Amelia. They aren't nearly as nice as yours."

"I don't think I've ever had a brand new dress made just for me before," Amelia noted. "Have I?"

Allie felt pain in her heart as she shook her head and tucked Amelia's brown hair behind her ear, "No, sweetheart. No, you haven't."

"Don't be sad, Allie!" Amelia exclaimed.

"I'm not sad," Allie assured her as she walked to the window and peeked at the darkness outside. "I only wish I could have given you more all these years."

"You've done a good job," Amelia promised quietly.

Allie nodded, forced a smile and turned back to her sister, "Get into your nightclothes now. It's time for sleep."

Allie and Amelia both cleaned up, slipped into their nightclothes and climbed into bed, "What did you do all day?" Allie asked as they lay there in the dark.

"I spent the day in the library," Amelia replied sleepily. "They have a lot of books and I'm trying to learn to read."

"I'll help you. I have a few hours off tomorrow and we can spend them in the library practicing."

"Okay."

Allie lay there a long time until she heard Amelia's breathing even out and knew the girl was asleep. Slipping from the bed, Allie went back to the window and stared outside. After a day of rain, the night was quiet and peaceful. The sliver of moon was plainly visible in the star-studded sky.

Allie thought of her past. The life that she had lived with her mother and father. The life that had been ripped away from her and from her sister--or should she say ripped and burned away? Yes that would be a more appropriate statement. She looked over at her sleeping sister in the darkness and wondered what the girl would think, what she would say, if she knew the truth. The truth of what Allie had allowed to happen. The truth about why they had ended up in that orphanage being beaten, starved and treated no better than slaves.

Allie felt tears burning behind her eyes and she walked to the armchair. She tossed aside a pillow to take a seat and stopped when she saw the doll lying on the cushion. Where had that come from?

Allie picked it up in her hand and turned it over, studying it in the darkness. The doll was well made but clearly old and worn. The porcelain legs and arms seemed to be in good shape but the fabric body and head was wearing thin and the dress was threadbare and torn in places.

Allie walked to the bed and laid the doll against Amelia's arm. The girl moaned and then snuggled close to the doll.

"Where did you get that, Amelia?"

"Huh?" It was clear that Amelia was sound asleep and didn't realize she was even having a conversation.

"Where did you get this doll?"

Amelia gave a sleepy moan and nestled deeper into her pillow and blanket, "The man in the attic."

Chills ran down Allie's spine and she trembled. Man in the attic?