Chapter 1

On the velvety grass did she lay with her eyes closed. The cool breeze that brushed against her skin cooled her body. The sun rays that shined over her head warmed her heart. Her hair soaked in moisture and bathed in mud. Her white skirt stained brown and her blue blouse was soaked wet in the water from the grass underneath her. Her imagination refreshed as she fantasized about being a princess. While she rested, her soft lips mumbled,

'I look upon the clouds that's surround me.

I feel the breeze, that brushes against my skin.

The perfume of the moist soil and lovebirds with glee;

All I praise, and praise the creator of what I see.'

She opened her eyes, and ran into a huge bungalow beside the garden. She ran up the stairs and started to search around in the corridor full of antiques.

From one of the rooms, stepped out her mother. She asked, "Honey, what are you trying to find?"

She answered in a sweet voice, "I can't find my diary and pen which I left on one of these tables."

Her mother chuckled, " Got another haiku in your head while out in the garden, I see." She said in s British accent. She reached out to a table drawer in her room and pulled out a pink, sparkly diary. "Here! I found it in my drawer. I kept it safely. Thought you might ask for it again."

"Would you like to read out the haiku for me, Violet?" Asked her father coming out of his room in a fine suit. "I would love to. Going in a meeting, Sir?" Asked Violet. "Indeed. I am late already. Now read it out faster would you?"

She read it out beautifully. Her parents stood there in aw and praised her. "She is only eight and look how well she writes!" Exclaimed her mother. "Now I better get going. Or else the company might actually shut down." Smith laughed. "Honey, everyone knows that you are not funny." Felicity rolled her eyes. "There are people that actually recognize my talent, okay. What do you know, you put on inside out aprons; for God's sake." remarked Smith. They both sighed and proceeded.

Violet put on her car seat from Ferris' and wore a beautiful bell-shaped skirt and blouse with low and sloping shoulders. Her skirt was burgundy and had flowers around her waist her. Her blouse was cream colored and complemented her skirt. She wore her hat and small heels to meet her new friend that she made at the wedding. Margaret, her nanny dropped her at Patricia's house and waited in the carriage.

Violet was sent with a basket of clothes to give to Patricia's mother- Elizabeth. She rang the door chime. Elizabeth answered "Oh! Hello; you are Violet, I suppose." said Elizabeth she welcomed Violet and excepted the basket of fruits. Violet went into Patricia's room nervously. They played for an hour or two before Margaret approached. They had to go home. They sat in the carriage and left.

Violet was very sleepy and fell asleep on the carriage. 4 hours passed by. She was a very heavy sleeper. When she opened her eyes, she was on the side of the road. The carriage was gone. She couldn't see her maid nor her chauffeur. She was terrified and out of breath. It was getting dark and she was in the middle of nowhere. Tears were running down her pink cheeks to get her blouse's neck wet. She stood up and looked around. There were a few cottages and meadows as far as her eyes could see.

Violet went to one of the doors and not an old woman open the door. "What is the little girl doing at my doorstep at this hour of the day?" cried the old woman. Violet refused to speak but agreed to have some food.

The old lady took her in and fed her. She asked about her family and where she lived. Violet answered with a mouth-full of bread-" I live on 57 Hemberly street. I am Violet Clarke. My father is Smith Clarke and he has a high post in Oxford University Press."

The old woman's eyes lit up. "You are from an aristocrat family? Well, you shouldn't have said that. I almost pitied you." She laughed maniacally. She tied poor Violet with a rough, thick rope. Violet screamed and cried all night. She would tug on the rope but it wouldn't loosen or open. She could see red marks an her wrists and ankles, underneath the rope. Her hair were open and made her so sweaty that she couldn't bare her own stench! She wept and wept all night. But atlast, she slept after seeing sunrise.

I think he morning, the old woman woke up and found Violet asleep. She came close to her and blew on her face with her smelly breath. Violet woke up coughing. She was terrified and kicked the old woman's ankle and she fell down. She cried out loud in pain and was surprised to see that Violet had finally untied her legs by tugging on them.

Hearing the loud cry, 3 young cowboys cane running. They picked the old woman up and gave her some water. They looked at Violet in rage and beat her until she fainted. Poor Violet had bruises all over her body. Cuts and wounds bled till noon, cleaned and dressed by an unknown kindness. Violet woke up and wept for hours again. She still wondered who dressed her wounds; but prayed for that kind person to prosper.

Suddenly the next morning, her father can e in running and untied her. She cried from happiness and hugged him. She saw three police men with his father and assumed that Margaret and her lover were arrested. She was taken to the hospital and treated by nurses. She was taken home again by her father after a few days.