fend for myself

Shotaro Ikemaniの小説英語版が図書館に一冊あったので読み始めました。池波正太郎原作の時代物（必殺仕掛人？）を以前テレビで見た覚えがあります。英語版のタイトルは "Ninja Justice" となっていました。

"But you are sure that the mistress of the Manshichi was really your sister?"
"Yes, without a doubt," Baian said coldly. "The day my father died, my mother cried her eyes out over his body, but the next morning she ran off with another man, leaving me to fend for myself. She took my sister with her, though."

"fend for myself" の意味を調べます。

・Oxford English Dictionary: to take care of yourself without help from anyone else: The children were left to fend for themselves.
・Merriam-Webster: to do things without help : to do basic activities by oneself: He's been fending for himself since his wife died.
・Farlex Dictionary of Idioms: To look after or take care of oneself without assistance from anyone else.: I won't be home from work until about 9 o'clock, so you and your sister will have to fend for yourselves for dinner.

自力で生きていく意味ですね。