The Legacy of Seán – Part 1: The Orphan’s Plight

Chapter 2: A Home Away from Home | Episode 4

Kevin’s foster father and patron had arranged for him to stay at the house of Mrs Malika Gupta Henderson, a prominent resident of the town. After the first day at school, the boy was again picked up to be dropped at the Henderson Cottage by Mr Chirag Batra.

Malika Gupta was a middle-aged woman of Indian descent. She was a family friend of Batra.  Her husband, John Henderson was a British citizen. He passed away a few years back, leaving her their house. Malika frequently rented out a room to lodgers, both to supplement her finances and to alleviate the solitude of her otherwise lonely life for she had no children of her own. When Kevin’s foster father was looking for a living space for his son in Stourbrook, she was approached by Batra. She had a reputation for having a soft corner for children and readily agreed to accommodate the boy.

Kevin had to live alone for most of his childhood period in boarding schools he attended in and around Manchester. But this time he would be staying as a paying guest. He was very excited to start the new phase of his life, for he expected to be treated a bit differently from the past. And indeed, he was pleasantly surprised when he arrived at his place of stay.

The sun had already set, and the rain began to pour once more when he reached there. Even in the twilight, he could make out the beauty of the retreat.

The Henderson Cottage was a quaint little traditional English countryside dwelling. It was situated in a peaceful and serene neighbourhood on the outer periphery of the town. Nestled within a small cove of tall trees, the cottage sat a few meters away from the main road. A narrow unpaved path, wide enough for only a small car, led to the entrance. It had a small open lawn in the front covered with lush green grass. A large fig tree stood just beside the cottage swaying gently in the cool breeze. The front porch was adorned with carefully manicured bushes of blue periwinkle that glistened with droplets of rain that had fallen on them. A huge English ivy, greener and fuller after the downpour, clung to the stone wall of the cottage, giving the retreat a fairytale-like appearance. The air was filled with the earthy scent of damp soil and rain-soaked foliage. 

What attracted Kevin was the thriving landscape and the gentle sounds of nature which seemed to engulf the entire surroundings, a quiet and sober place where he could nicely settle down.

The boy was greeted warmly at the door by Mrs. Gupta. She hugged him and kissed his cheeks as if she had been eagerly awaiting her son’s return home after a long absence.  

‘What a cute boy you’re! I’ve been looking forward to your visit. Please come in,’ she said. Her nice, warm tone pleased the boy at once.

‘Thank you, Mrs. Gupta. I appreciate your hospitality,’ Kevin said.

‘Oh, there’s no need to be formal. Call me Aunty Gupta or just Aunty. We’re like family now. I hope you will feel comfortable here,’ beamed the lady. 

‘I’m sure I will,’  Kevin replied with a broad smile. He had started liking her already. 

‘Come, let me show you around and take you to your room,’ she said. 

With the weather so dreary, there wasn’t much to see outside. So, the lady guided the boy through her home, pointing out its distinctive aspects.  

The two-storey cottage with thatched roof was small and compact.  On the ground floor, there was a living room with a plush couch, an open hearth and a dining space adjacent to a neatly arranged kitchen. There were two bedrooms with attached bathrooms on the floor above. Tucked away at the top of the cottage there was a small attic too. The backyard of the house boasted a well-groomed vegetable garden.

The walls of each room were adorned with a tasteful mix of Indian artwork and English landscape paintings. The meticulously clean corners of the house exhibited a certain level of sophistication. The young lad was fascinated by the neat and inviting ambience of the house. It was a stark contrast to the cold, melancholic atmosphere of the hostel rooms he had grown accustomed to. He at once felt at home.

After the initial pleasantries between the host and the guest had passed, Mr Batra prepared to take his leave. But before doing so he offered a gentle warning with a hefty dose of advice to Kevin.

 ‘Be polite and respectful to Mrs Gupta. Follow the rules of the house and don’t constantly pester her all the time as you do at home,’ he reminded the boy who simply nodded in agreement. ‘And don’t forget what Mr Saxena told you before sending you here. Now that you’re in high school you must focus on your studies and stay disciplined. There’s no time to get caught up with your extracurriculars,’ he said sternly.  

As soon as Mr Batra left, Kevin felt relieved. He didn’t exactly dislike him, but his stern attitude often surpassed the strictness of his foster father. The boy sighed and went upstairs to his room for a quick wash as Aunty Gupta was already calling him down for dinner.

Kevin got another surprise at the dinner table. Every dish presented before him was one of his favourites. He wondered how the kind lady had managed to know all of his preferences so perfectly. Well, that was not surprising at all because Mrs. Gupta was known for her culinary skills in the neighbourhood. And she had been extra careful while taking into consideration Kevin’s dietary preferences and made sure that he was well-nourished with wholesome meals. Anticipating the boy would be famished after a long day at school, she couldn’t help taking an extra interest in preparing a delicious meal for her new guest.

The centrepiece of the meal was a steaming bowl of rich creamy mushroom soup, garnished with a sprinkle of freshly chopped herbs. For the main course, she had prepared a perfectly marinated, tender and succulent, roasted chicken alongside an assortment of roasted and boiled vegetables and gravy. The meal was rounded off with Kevin’s favourite vanilla pudding. 

As Kevin savoured each delicious bite, he couldn’t help but feel not only grateful for the sumptuous meal served to him by the caring lady but also overwhelmed by the warmth and affection he felt in her presence. Kevin rarely had the luxury of such splendid meals during his time at the hostels. The food there was often repetitive and bland. They lacked the variety and richness that one would find in home-cooked delicacies. And Kevin, having a distinct taste bud always dreaded those substandard blobs of porridge and tasteless soup.

After the meal, he thanked her and offered his help to clean the table and wash the dishes before going to bed. His humble behaviour charmed the host at once. She wondered how the boy learned so much of etiquette at such a young age. She too started wondering whether the boy really was of noble birth.

© 2025 Panurge Publications. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of Panurge Publications, even in the case of brief quotations for review purposes. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission is strictly prohibited.