Secret
In a small English village, not much more than a tranquil hamlet, there lived a girl named Harriet. One day, her motherwho had an inexplicable fondness for all things mysticaldragged Harriet along to see the local fortune teller.
The old fortune teller shuffled her cards with a mysterious air and said,
“Your Harriet will be happy. Everything will work out for her. But I dont see a man by her side.”
Harriet was about ten then. The strange womans words stuck in her memory, though she didnt quite understand what they meant.
Years passed. Harriet grew into a tall, striking young woman. The local lads were utterly besotted with her, though she never made a firm decision about any of them. She dated one chap for a bit, then another, but never settled.
Despite excelling at school, she didnt go off to university. Instead, she took a job at the local dairy. Rumour had it she was carrying on with one of the managers, although no one ever actually saw them together.
The women at the dairy warned the new girls,
“Dont get stuck here like Harriet, or youll blink and realise lifes passed you by. You ought to go to London or Manchester. With your looks, youd be swept off your feet right away.”
Harriet would just smile and keep her thoughts to herself.
Suddenly, whispers began spreading across the village: Harriets pregnant!
Everyone began speculatingwho could have been lucky enough to father the first beautys child? They wondered, debated, but never discovered the mans identity.
Harriet’s mother made up her mind quickly,
“Well, youve gone and done it. Youve brought shame on us! From now on, youre on your own. Dont count on me. You managed to get yourself pregnant, now you can raise it. And another thingsort out your own living arrangements. You and the baby arent welcome here. Im giving you a month.”
“All right, Mum,” Harriet replied calmly. “Ill go. But dont come calling for me later.
Within a fortnight, Harriet purchased a small cottage, complete with pots, pans, and everything needed for a home. Locals considered her lucky; the previous owners children had taken her to the city and sold the place for next to nothing. Yet how a pregnant Harriet managed to scrape together even that small sum of pounds remained a mystery.
Then, the real surprises began. Harriet quickly fixed up the house, making it look modern and inviting. A new fence appeared, followed by a well in the garden. Workmen came in and swiftly took care of all the improvements.
Neighbours saw delivery vans arriving, dropping off boxes of kitchen appliances and pieces of furniture. Harriet sashayed around with a beaming smile, the very picture of contentmenthardly the image of a struggling single mum.
That autumn, Harriet gave birth to a son, Toby. Soon, a brand-new blue pram appeared on the garden path. She recovered from the birth in no time and looked even lovelier than before. Always smartly dressed and carrying herself with dignity, she strode through the village, head held high.
At home, though, it was hard graft: caring for a baby, tending to her little garden, lighting the stove, dashing to the shops, keeping up with a mountain of laundry. Still, the young mother never complained, being no stranger to work since she was a child. She managed everything with quiet strength and never grumbled about her lot.
As neighbours noticed Harriets kindness and tireless work ethic, they warmed to her. They looked after Toby now and then when she had errands, happy to lend a hand.
They helped with the vegetables as wellone day a neighbours husband came to dig the beds, another day the ladies fussed over the weeding. But mostly, Harriet was self-sufficient.
When Toby turned two, one neighbour came rushing to another, eyes wide,
“Did you see?
“See what?”
“Harriets up the duff again!”
“Dont talk nonsense!”
“Im telling you, have a look yourself!”
Once again, the village was awash with gossip. People chatted, speculated, but never actually worked out who the father was this time either.
Harriet paid no mind to the chatter. She went about her life as ever. A little sauna appeared in her garden, the gas company rerouted the main and laid a pipe straight to her house, and a smart greenhouse made of polycarbonate cropped up. None of it came cheap.
People in the village wondered, “Hows a single woman like her come by so much money? She must have a wealthy admirer in a big job.” Yet Harriets secret stayed a secret.
It wasnt long before the blue pram returned, this time with Tobys new brother, George, inside.
Two years on, another boy arrivedEdward.
Harriet bore three sons, yet no one ever knew by whom.
Some folks laughed at her openly, calling her daft. Others, seeing her healthy, well-cared-for boys and her own hard graftshe never touched a drop and worked all hoursadmired her courage.
Some wagged their fingers and warned their daughters with, “Dont you turn out like that Harriet!”
Harriets mother never understood her daughter. She was ashamed and made no attempt to help, never even met her grandsons.
Still, Harriet walked about with her head held high, paying no attention to snide remarks.
Time passed. Then one day, a shining car pulled up outside Harriets cottage. Out stepped the dairys managing director, Mr. David Fletcher, holding the most enormous bouquet of flowers. He walked straight into Harriets house. Curious neighbours began to gather, whispering.
Whats going on? Why is Mr. Fletchersuch a respected gentlemanturning up at Harriets door in broad daylight with a bouquet?
Everyone knew Mr. Fletcher had lost his wife the year before. She had been bedridden for years, and he had nursed and cared for her until the end, aided by a nurse when needed, but never abandoning her.
When Harriet came out to see him off, there were so many villagers around that she was almost flustered. Mr. Fletcher put his arm around her and kissed her, right there for all to see. Then, in a loud, clear voice, he announced,
“Harriet has agreed to be my wife. We and our sons invite you all to the wedding.”
Stunned silence reigned as everyone stared at the happy pair, finally realising exactly whom Harriet’s boys resembled
And then, from every corner, cheers and congratulations rained down.
After a grand, bustling wedding attended by half the county, Mr. Fletcher moved Harriet and the boys into his house, with neighbours turning out in force to help with the packing and moving.
A year later, the long-awaited daughter was born into their family.
And thats why I learned not to put any faith in fortune tellers. Life has its own surprises, and happiness finds you in unexpected waysso long as you walk your path with dignity and courage.
