The Forbidden Fruit

The winters were cold. Each morning we would wake up to find the dirty streets of Winchester covered in a thick white blanket of snow, which hid all filth underneath it's purity.
I always woke up before the sun rose and cleaned the house with the help of my younger brother Albert. Though he was only fifteen, he had managed to find a stable job at a factory. He was not paid much, but it was still better than nothing.
Albert was too tall for his age, he made me look like the younger sister. He had chocolate brown hair and russet eyes. He was skinny. The outline of his bones could be seen from a mile away. That is what Poverty had done to him. Poverty had come upon him and stolen his chances of ever looking like the handsome 'Teddy' boys.
I also had a younger sister, Gwendolyn. She was extremely beautiful. She was twelve years old and had long tawny hair she always tied back in a pony tail; it was naturally curled. She had amber eyes which twinkled at catching even the tiniest ray of sunlight. My hair was long and messy, with a cognac colour and my eyes were a warm chestnut.
My job was rather simple and it paid well. I worked in the fields of Mr Fletcher. He was a short, plump, bald man who was no better than a slave-driver. He was ruthless in his ways and abused his workers. He, however, had a beautiful wife. She was a voluptuous woman with a huge heart. Though she was in her late forties, she did not look a day over thirty.
It was because of her that me and my siblings had managed to make it through the tough times. She always sent baskets of food to our cottage. She would constantly go out of her way to make sure we were safe and though I was now eighteen, she continued to treat me like a child.
I cleared the snow that was covering the entrance to the farmhouse, with the help of a few other employees. I never spoke to any of them.
"Elise," Mrs Fletcher called out, worry lines on her face, "come on in."
I nodded my head and entered. It always had a warm welcoming scent. Whenever she found the time, she would bake some pastries for the workers.
Mr Fletcher was sitting in his rocking chair as he went through some papers with a pen in his hand. I watched as he scratched the back of his head as he pondered upon the contents on the paper. He let out a frustrated sigh and put the pen in his month.
"Good afternoon sir," I curtsied. Mr Fletcher nodded in response.
"Edward," Mrs Fletcher said in a rather stern voice.
"Ah, yes, goodday to you too," he said as he removed his eyes from the paper for a slight second. Mrs Fletcher glared at him before presenting a seat for me to sit on.
My eyes fixed on Mrs Fletcher. She looked rather upset, which puzzled me, "is all well with you?"
"Oh dearest Elise," she responded, "Mr Fletcher spent all the money we had in a tavern. Our land will soon be taken away from us. I shall be moving back to Ireland to see..."
She abruptly stopped speaking, got up and handed me three large baskets filled with food.
"This should be enough money to pay your rent for the next three months," she informed me as she gave me an envelope with money, "I was unable to find you another job."
"I cannot accept this," I said, "thank you for your kindness, but you need this Mrs Fletcher."
"Elise, you need not pity me. Do you mean to say you would let Albert and Gwendolyn starve because of your pride?"
"Thank you ma'am," I finally said after a long pause, "if there is a way for me to repay you..."
My voice trailed off as I saw Mrs. Fletcher smiled. She didn't want me to worry. I felt like I was losing my mother all over again.
"Wishing you all the best in your endeavors," I curtsied once again before I left to continue with my work.