(Sorry, been busy)
Soon after dinner was over, Molly's other siblings went off to bed, while she and her father stayed up a bit, like always. Molly's father went to clean up the dishes from dinner, while she heated up some milk for the youngest, Emily.
"It looks like you were busy today," he remarked, drying a plate, "You brought home a lot of food for us."
Molly glanced down at her hands. "It's just what I always do," she answered, "What I have to do. If I don't steal food, we'll starve, so what choice do I have?"
The man sighed softly, sharing a glance with his daughter. "I know, love. I wish I could get a better job, but your grandparents never had the money to send me to school," he said miserably, "The only things I know are what I learned from my chimney sweeping, and that's not much pay, when I've got all of you to feed"--
"But father, you wouldn't have to feed me, if you sent me off to work as a maid, like all the other girls my age!" Molly began, "I mean, sure, there'd still be eight of us left to feed, but that's not quite as much, is it?"
Her father put his hands on her shoulders. "Nonsense, Molly. I'm not sending any daughter of mine away," he said firmly, "I couldn't live with myself, if you ended up living in a hovel, while the snub-nosed lady you serve lives in the lap of luxury. I couldn't live with myself, knowing that I'd sent you away to a life of servitude, to the very people working me to death. Understand?"
Molly glanced down at the ground. "Yes, father."
"Good," he answered, "Now, how about we go and check on your sister? It's about time she had her medicine."
"Yes, father," she answered.