A Family for Christmas

By Aubrey McKnight

Grateful to have found each other, the members of the Abberly theatre have learned that nothing is more important than family... especially during the holiday season.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
• Release date: Nov 28, 2014
• ISBN: 9781941260715

Book preview

A FAMILY FOR CHRISTMAS

A Ladies of the Abberly Theater Romance

Aubrey McKnight

www.BOROUGHSPUBLISHINGGROUP.com

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, business establishments or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. Boroughs Publishing Group does not have any control over and does not assume responsibility for author or third-party websites, blogs or critiques or their content.

A FAMILY FOR CHRISTMAS

Copyright © 2014 Kimberly Cannon

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved. Unless specifically noted, no part of this publication may be reproduced, scanned, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Boroughs Publishing Group. The scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or by any other means without the permission of Boroughs Publishing Group is illegal and punishable by law. Participation in the piracy of copyrighted materials violates the author’s rights.

ISBN 978-1-941260-71-5

For my daughter, who taught me there's more to being a mommy than genetics. Laloo.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks go out, as usual, to Aaron and Lark, for all their help and support.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Epilogue

About the Author

A FAMILY FOR CHRISTMAS

Chapter One

Abberly Theater, London

December, 1895

Snow drifted gently to the cobblestone streets. Thomas and his little sister, Annie, watched as a large number of children lined up outside one of the most popular theaters in London. They didn’t appear to be wealthy children; Thomas could tell from their well-worn coats and the stern-looking women who escorted them inside. There were several women herding them about like sheep instead of mothers and fathers holding their hands.

No, these were children from the orphanages. Maybe even some from the workhouses, though he doubted any of those would be given such a privilege. It looked like some sort of party was going on, and they were going inside where it was warm, and where, if they were lucky, there might be food. At the very least cake and tea. Thomas’s stomach rumbled at the possibility. Sweets were better than nothing at all.

He looked down at his little sister. Annie shivered in the raveled sweater she wore over an equally tattered dress that was two sizes too small. She needed to be inside. She needed food in her belly.

He felt as if he’d failed her. At ten, he should have been able to provide better. But working meant leaving her alone, and an eight-year-old girl alone on the streets of London… Instead, they’d lived in vacant buildings and stolen food from the street vendors. Rubbish bins when needed. But Thomas was tired, and the crumbling buildings were cold and dangerous.

Just one night inside. Just a little time to rest and be warm. Then he would be able to think of something they could do, somewhere they could go besides the workhouses, where he knew his sister would quickly waste away.

Thomas, I wonder if they are going to a Christmas party. I wish we could go there. Annie looked up at him with her big, blue eyes, and he knew in that moment what they would do.

Oh, look. She pointed to a poster. "They’re going to see a Panto, just like mummy used to take us