1. Orphan found

Lotti runs into a man who claims to know her uncle but something doesn't seem quite right....

New York City 1843


  "Get back here, boy!"
The food cart owner started to chase me but he was out of shape and he knew it, quickly giving up with a dismissive wave of his hands.
   This was the third time this week I got away from him with a handful of fresh fruit. He is pretty easy to sneak by when hes busy peddling his products to the wealthy people visiting the city. Luckily, his cart draws enough attention that he can't bother with trying to catch one "boy".
   Being an orphan on the streets of New York is hard for a boy but downright dangerous for a girl. I figured that out two years ago when I caught the attention of a drunken fool who was aware enough to realize that no one would miss an orphan girl if she happened to disappear. What he wasn't aware of is that I've been living on the street all my life. I'd be ignorant if I ever thought I didn't need a weapon to defend myself.
   After I got away from him I stole some boys clothes from a local shop and started stuffing my long, dark hair up under a chimney-sweeper's hat. Unfortunately, certain attributes of the female body are hard to hide but its nothing that an extra coat can't hide.
  My name is Lotti. I don't honestly know how old I am but I'm registered at one local orphanage as fourteen years old. I've never met my family or even know if they are alive. I've only ever had myself and as far as I'm concerned that's all I've ever needed. Even the orphanage is so over crowded that they don't notice my absence.
   I made my way quickly through the crowds of people. Women in puffy dresses, made to make them look like big painted bells walking down the street. The men they cling to wearing vests and top hats. You could tell by the way they smiled and pointed at everything they passed that they weren't from this city.
  No one bothered to acknowledge me as I weaved around them, heading to the closest thing I had to a home, Winston Charles' Orphanage. The place was huge but most of the time I found myself stuck sleeping on the floor due to the rapidly growing population of orphaned kids. It was safer than sleeping on the streets.
  I rounded a corner and ran smack dab into a man that was standing at the front door of the Orphanage. I fell flat onto my backside, dropping the armful of apples and oranges in the process. The man turned around with a startled expression as he looked down at me but his face changed to one of shock and then what appeared to be recognition.
  "My dear, I apologize." The man said, offering me a hand. "Are you alright?"
   The man had dark hair and he must have been in his late twenties. He had a very hansom face but his eyes were dark and had a cold look to them.
I realized my hat had fallen off, letting loose my wavy dark hair. I put my hat back on, shoving my hair up into it as quickly as I could.
  The door to the orphanage opened up, revealing one of the nuns that worked here, Anne. She was one of the few here that I knew but we didn't exactly get along. It offended her that I dressed like a boy and she knew I often liberated things that didn't quite belong to me.
  Anne looked from me to the man and back again. Her pale blue eyes outlined with her age. Her brows furrowed in confusion but as she glanced at the fruit around my feet realization sparked on her face and I braced myself for an embarrassing public scolding.
  "Good afternoon, Sister." The man said before Anne could start. I liked him already.
  "Is there something I can help you with, Sir?" Anne asked, caution hinting in her voice.
  "Actually I do believe I have already found what I came here for." The man said, smiling at me.
I took a couple of steps away from him, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable and wondering if it would be wise to run.
"Please, don't be alarmed," The man said, holding his hands up like someone might do to a frightened animal. "I come on behalf of Lord Emrick."
   I searched my brain for the name but couldn't place it. I wondered if maybe it was someone I had stolen from, which was the most likely reason someone would come looking for me. In the back of my mind I always hoped it would be my family but they were long gone and didn't give a rat's a*s about me.
   "I'm sorry but I'm not familiar with the name, Sir." Anne told the man, her voice now casual but her eyes still suspicious of him.
   "Apologies Sister, " The man took his hat off and gave Anne a warm smile. "He's my master. I've come quite a long ways to find his niece. We just recently discovered her existence and he'd like to offer for her to come live with him in England. You are Lottie, correct?"
The man turned to me with a questioning smile.
   It took several seconds for my brain to register what he'd just said. That I had family. But how would they know it was me?
   "How did you recognize me?" I asked.
   "To be honest, Miss, I had no idea what you might look like. I only knew the name. However, upon seeing you I knew. I knew your mother and you are the spitting image of her beauty." The man said.
My heart started to race. I wanted so badly to believe him. I shouldn't but I couldn't help myself. I was so desperate to find her.
   "My mother?" I asked.
The man's eyes grew sad, looking away at the ground. My heart sank, already knowing what he had meant. She wasn't alive anymore. I should have known better.
   "Who are you?" I asked him.
   "How rude of me. My name is William." The man said with a bow.
I eyed the man, warily. I don't know why I was so suspicious of him. He knew my name which is something only a small handful of nuns and other orphans know. He seemed sincere but something in my gut was telling me to run away from him.
   "Why didn't you know about me before?" I asked him.
   "Your mother only recently passed but before she did she told us of her secret child in America and it was her dying wish that we bring you home to England to live with your uncle. She was sick much of her life which is why she couldn't care for you." William said.
   "Why wouldn't she have told anyone sooner?" I asked.
   "I'm sorry, my dear, I do not have all the answers. She did leave behind a diary that she asked us to give to you. I suppose it would have the answers but none of us have opened it. It's back at your uncle's estate though."
   "Do you have any paperwork?" Anne asked the man.
   "Terribly sorry, ma'am but I do not." He said, looking from me to Anne and back.
I didn't need much time to think about it. Anything was better than a life on the streets or in the orphanage. This was a chance to find family and start a new life. To discover why my mother had left me. Abandoned me to this cruel place.
   "How soon can we leave?" I asked.
   "Lotti?" Anne started to protest but I cut her off.
   "I can't stay here, Sister Anne. This is a chance to start a new life. I'd be a fool to pass it up." I told her.
Anne seemed to be fighting a battle in her mind but after a few seconds of pursed lips she finally sighed and nodded.
   "Very well."

Author's Note

If you like the story so far please let me know!

Reviews

[Ian Craven]

Great first chapter. Your orphan, Lottie is a very interesting character. Including the mothers diary is a brilliant way to make the reader to continue reading. They want to know the answers to the questions just as bad as Lottie desires to know them. William is interesting too. He has a unique friendship with Lottie. Anne helps build a little suspense, making the reader wonder if she will allow Lottie go with William. You set the story up for an adventure overseas the reader wants to know about. They want to discover and know Lottie's dreams and desires. Untimely we want to see her turn out whole. We want to know that in spite of separation from family there is hope to have a family that loves. We want the story to tell us there is hope in the midst of our own broken family relationships. We want to be healed. This is a story of hope a d how a girl discovers hope in her life. All she has ever known is herself, but once she is healed she might desire marriage and other friendships. Right now she is a loner because she feels safe that way. One reason why she dresses like a boy rather than a girl. Great job with this piece of writing. :)

[Aero]

Thank you very much! I have big plans for this one. The poor girl isn't through the storm just yet. It's gotta get worse before it gets better though!

[Ian Craven]

Right, great characterization...