Daisy's Secret Read Free Page A

write every day. Since then she’d had only a couple of letters, telling her how busy he was and how exciting his new life was going to be; how he hoped she could sort out her ‘little problem.’  
    Little problem! Daisy felt deserted by everyone, as if there was no one at all to love her.
    When the baby was born, a boy, who had slipped easily into the world and exercised his lungs almost instantly on a bellow of rage, Daisy cried with delight, not even noticing the pain. But within seconds, he was taken from her. The stern-faced sister who officiated at the birth wouldn’t even allow her to hold him.
    ‘He’s not your child, Daisy. He belongs to another woman now. Best you don’t even see him,’ and nor did she, not properly. She glimpsed a tuft of red-brown hair, just like Percy’s own, before he was swaddled in a blanket and whisked from the room. She could hear his cries fading in the distance as the nurse marched him away down the corridor. It felt as if they had ripped her heart from her body.
    At first, she hadn’t even cried, quite unable to take in the full impact of what was happening to her. She’d sat up in the bed all day long in stunned disbelief, her ears tuned for the slightest cry she might recognise. Once, she sneaked out and prowled the corridors, hoping to snatch him up from the nursery and run off with him, but she’d been apprehended by a young nurse, duly scolded and marched back to bed.
    It was then that the tears had come and once having started, Daisy had howled, fearing she might never stop.
    The next day her mother lectured her on how she must put this mess behind her and forget all about it.
    ‘Forget all about it? How can I forget? He’s my baby. My child!’
    ‘No he’s not. He belongs to someone else now, like Sister said.’
    ‘Who?’
    ‘That’s none of your business. He’s being adopted. You’ve no say over the matter at all.’
    ‘But I haven’t even given him a name,’ Daisy wailed.
    ‘Nor must you. The very idea. It’s not your place. His new parents will do that. All you have to do is sign the paper and it’s all done and dusted.’
    ‘But Mam. . . ‘
    ‘No buts. You’re lucky it’s turned out as well as it has. A fine healthy boy is always easiest to place. It’ll all be done privately, very hush-hush. But you must never mention a word of this business to anyone, do you understand, Daisy? Not a single word,’ and she wagged a finger in her daughter’s face, to emphasise the point.
    Daisy stared at her mother, wide-eyed with shock. ‘Never mention him? Whyever not?’
    ‘Because it’ll make you look cheap, that’s why. This business could ruin your reputation. No chap would have you as a wife if this ever got out. Men don’t like used goods.’
    For once in her life Daisy was struck speechless. Such a prospect had not occurred to her. She’d never, in fact, thought beyond the moment of the birth itself, of worrying about how she would feel when the baby was taken away from her. She’d given no thought to how her life might change thereafter.
    Rita gave her a little shake, urging her to pay attention. ‘This has to be our little secret. Do you understand, Daisy? It must never be mentioned, not to anyone. Ever! Is that clear?’
    Eyes glistening with fresh tears, Daisy could do nothing but nod.
    Perhaps she’d assumed, if she’d thought about it at all, that once the baby had been safely delivered to its new parents she might be able to visit it from time to time, and when she was old enough, get him back and take care of him herself.
    But Daisy saw now how very naive that dream had been, both in allowing herself to trust in Percy’s love in the first place, and in imagining she could in any way keep the baby. She’d behaved very foolishly and her only excuse was that she’d been young and innocent, had felt desperate for some breath of freedom away from Rita’s stifling control.
    Having signed the adoption papers, as demanded of her, Daisy