
In a cold November nursery, three brothers sit huddled around a dying fire, the room still echoing with the recent loss of their mother. Their nurse offers bright oranges in a gentle attempt to soothe their tears, and the youngest, Jack, clutches the fruit with trembling hands while his older sibling, Forbes, watches with a mixture of guilt and longing. The simple act of sharing the sweet, juicy slices becomes a fragile bridge between sorrow and the fleeting chance of laughter.
Geoffrey, the eldest, remains silent, his gaze fixed on the glowing coals as if searching for a sign that grief can ever be eased. The brothers’ quiet struggle—balancing the memory of a beloved mother with the harsh reality of an empty house—creates a tender portrait of childhood resilience. As the fire flickers, the children confront the ache of loss, discovering that even in the darkest moments, the smallest comforts can stir hope.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (61K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
Ipswich: Smiths, Suitall, Ipswich., 1900.
Release date
2023-10-24
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
b. 1854
A Victorian-era writer with a strong connection to Ipswich, she published fiction from the 1870s onward and later wrote a memoir of her father, the Rev. Samuel Garratt. Her books range from domestic and religious stories to allegorical fiction such as The Radiant City.
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