War Orphans (37 page)

Guessing what was on her mind, Edna sucked in her breath.

‘You can't escape, Ryan,' she whispered, glancing over her shoulder as though fearing somebody was close by. There was no one. Everyone else was inside.

‘My friends call me Joanna!'

Edna winced at Joanna's fierce expression and her resolute tone. She'd only seen that expression on the staff in this place, never on one of the orphans. She glanced towards where Joanna was looking.

Edna lowered her voice. ‘You are going to try to escape, aren't you!'

Joanna kept her eyes fixed on the drive and the heavy metal gates but said nothing.

Edna tried again. ‘Even if you did manage it, where would you go?'

Joanna sucked in her bottom lip. She had tossed and turned the previous night thinking it through. The other girls had been here longer than she and accepted their lot. But she would never in a million years accept the lot doled out to her. She would not stay here. Harry was missing her.

During the night she had asked herself the question Edna was asking her now. Where would she go?

‘I mean, is there somebody out there for you? An aunt or something?'

Joanna nodded and a faint smile came to her lips. ‘Harry.'

‘Is he your brother?'

It wasn't the first time she'd been asked and the idea that he might be was growing on her. They were that close and in the absence of any brother or sister, he was as close as she could get.

‘Kind of.'

She could have also mentioned Miss Hadley and her father, but a warning voice told her not to do so. If she did get away Edna would be questioned. The threat of being shut away or having the ruler across her hands would loosen her tongue. These people did not know where Harry lived and who he was. They would presume he was a brother, just as Edna had done.

‘You're very brave,' said Edna, as she began rubbing the Brasso into the plaque. ‘Now come on or we'll never get this done. Then we'll both be in trouble.'

Receiving no response, she turned round to see Joanna running across the damp grass towards the boundary wall, skirting bushes and her skirt catching on bare rose bushes and tangled shrubs.

Her breath caught in her throat. For a moment she wanted to run after her, but obedience and fear had become deeply ingrained. Her eyes glittered with that deep-seated fear and the need to make a decision. She could carry on here polishing the brass and pretend she hadn't seen Joanna run for the gates. Or she could shout a warning through the double doors that would bring Miss Stick running.

Edna had come to Stanleybridge before the outbreak of war. Her mother had died and she'd never known her father. Her grandmother had taken her in and for a while she'd been happy. On the death of her grandmother she had come here, to Stanleybridge, where she'd made a rule never to get too close to any of the other girls. She was alone in the world and had disciplined herself to accept it. Making an instant decision, she pushed on one of the mahogany doors so hard it banged against the wall.

‘Miss Ogden! Miss Ogden!' she shouted. ‘Ryan is running away.'

*   *   *

Her chauffeur having joined the army, Lady Amelia Ambrose sat gripping the wheel of her car on the drive to Stanleybridge Orphanage.

Seb Hadley sat next to her, his coat collar turned up around his face. The day was cold. The car had no heating. Every so often they stopped to scrape the ice off both the inside and outside of the windscreen.

Her attaché case took up a small portion of the back seat, the other half taken up by Harry and Sally.

Every so often, Seb glanced at the stern-faced woman sitting beside him. Seb decided he'd seen stone statues in the graveyard with softer expressions than hers.

The rest of the time he stared through the windscreen at the road ahead. Worrying about Joanna had made him turn inwards. He had no wish to discuss what they were about to do; it was bad enough just worrying about the outcome.

Sally too was sitting silently, her eyes gazing out of the window at the passing scene without taking anything in. Everything passed in a haze. She couldn't quite believe what they were going to do and what the outcome might be. It was hard to stay positive, but she did her best.

Harry lay with his head between his paws, not even looking up when Sally scratched his head. It was as though he knew they were on a particularly important mission, Sally thought to herself.

As they approached the orphanage gates, Sally was overcome with a need to break the silence. ‘Do they know we're coming?'

‘I phoned to say I was coming. I did not state my reason. Nor did I say that I was bringing company with me or that I would be bringing papers with me that would put an end to their cosy little world!'

Woe betide anyone who gets in her way,
thought Seb. Boudicca had a chariot with knives on the wheels; Amelia had a sharp tongue and a piercing look.

Amelia poked the car's snub-nosed bonnet into the recess in front of the main gates, put on the handbrake and got out.

A young woman with soft brown eyes and a worried expression appeared in answer to the jangling of the wrought-iron bell pull.

Seb opened his window a fraction and strained forward to hear.

‘Lady Ambrose! I didn't know you were coming, but I'm so glad you are here.'

‘Nice to see you, Miss Baker. Might I ask you a few questions?'

‘Of course.'

Amelia got out of the car, standing head to head with the young woman she'd addressed as Miss Baker.

Their conversation was animated and although Seb did his best, his hearing wasn't as good as it used to be.

Amelia got back behind the steering wheel and the young woman opened the main gate so she could drive the car through.

‘Right,' declared Amelia. ‘Into the breach my friends!'

Seb glanced over his shoulder at Sally, their eyes meeting in mutual agreement that her ladyship sounded even more determined.

‘Is she a friend or an enemy?' Seb asked her.

‘That was Miss Baker, the schoolteacher. She was about to jump ship but I've asked her to stay until things are sorted out. And in answer to whether she's a friend or an enemy, she's actually a witness. It's not just her job at the orphanage that's numbered, it's the orphanage itself!'

Sally looked over her shoulder. Miss Baker had left the gates open and was smiling as she followed them up the drive to the house. Sally guessed that she had broken a rule. Whatever it was, she was certainly looking very pleased about it.

Whoever was waiting behind the door had no doubt heard the car approach.

They all got out, leaving Harry on the back seat, though he was no longer lying down but sitting up, his eyes bright as though he knew the reason they were there and that Joanna was close by.

They were shown into the principal's office where the smell of recently eaten food caused Sally to wrinkle her nose.

‘Lady Ambrose!' Miss Portman gushed welcome as her pudgy hands pushed her up from her desk. Her fat face was shiny with grease and Sally detected a sly sharpness in her piggy eyes.

Miss Thorpe also got to her feet, her jaw dropping as she recognised Sally from their brief meeting at the hospital.

Not noticing the alarm on the face of the children's welfare officer, Miss Portman went on unperturbed.

‘I've arranged tea and biscuits.' Her eyes took in Seb and his daughter. ‘Though I was only expecting one person . . .'

Her voice trailed away.

Amelia refrained from introducing them. ‘We'll come to them later. They're only half the reason I'm here.'

There was a loud thud as Amelia slammed her attaché case onto the desk. She lost no time in bringing out the manila folder.

‘I have here a set of accounts that passed between this orphanage and the child welfare office.'

The sheets of lined accounts paper were fanned out on the desk.

The colour drained from Miss Thorpe's face. She'd wondered why she'd been summoned here today. The reason was now abundantly clear.

The principal did her best to maintain a fixed smile, but Sally detected a worried look in her eyes.

‘According to these records, Stanleybridge Orphanage has had twenty children placed here over the last six months when the council specifically ordered the establishment needed a thorough upgrade before
any
children were placed here. However, on checking the records, I see that the five-pound foundling fee was paid by the council for each of these children, yet none of that money shows in the orphanage accounts.'

Miss Thorpe attempted to explain. ‘There was no room anywhere else and—'

Amelia turned accusing eyes on the trembling woman. ‘And each of those children were placed here by you, Miss Thorpe. Nobody else. Can you explain what happened to each of those five-pound placement fees?'

Miss Thorpe's face reddened. Even Miss Portman looked taken aback, though only momentarily. Thinking it might be possible to lay all the blame at Miss Thorpe's door, she turned her fat neck and said, ‘Jane! Surely there is some explanation.'

She turned back to see Amelia wearing an expression capable of turning flesh to salt. ‘I have just said I have also a copy of the orphanage accounts to hand.' Her tone was cutting.

‘They're none of your business!' declared Miss Portman, her pink face turning crimson.

‘They are my business both as a member of the governing body, a councillor and, just as a little extra, a magistrate. You will recall it is required that a copy of the orphanage accounts is required to be submitted each year. This year they were a little early. You're in trouble – both of you!'

Recognising they were beaten, the two women put on a show of distancing themselves from each other.

Miss Thorpe pointed at the principal. ‘It was her fault! She put me up to it!'

Miss Portman's fat hands slapped the desk. ‘Judas! It was you. You were the greedy one! Always after more and here as soon as you knew the five pounds had been paid.'

A thin stick of a woman chose that moment to come in with a tray of tea. She had a sour expression that seemed to wrinkle on detecting the atmosphere she'd walked into.

‘And now for the other matter. A child was brought here who had already been offered a home with Mr Hadley and his daughter. Their offer was rejected.'

Miss Thorpe immediately jumped in.

‘Well, he is of a certain age and she is unmarried. What would she know about children?'

‘She is a teacher! Joanna Ryan's teacher, in fact. She's ideal to foster and later to adopt the child and, before you argue, might I suggest that the five-pound foundling fee swayed your decision, not the suitability or otherwise of these good people?'

The thin woman with the tea was backing towards the door, a frightened look on her face. Before she could get much further, Miss Baker, the teacher they'd met at the gate, appeared in the doorway to provide a barrier for any further retreat.

She looked beyond Miss Ogden addressing Amelia directly. ‘Joanna tried to escape. They've locked her away.'

Seb and Sally, alarmed at how it might affect Joanna, were up in a minute. ‘Do you know where?'

Miss Baker shook her head. ‘No, I'm afraid not. They have a variety of grim punishment places.' She shook her head. ‘That poor child. This place is straight out of Dickens.'

Seb was already at the front door, Sally behind him. Amelia ordered Miss Portman and Miss Ogden to get their things together.

‘And you stay where you are,' she ordered Miss Thorpe.

When they got outside, Harry was barking excitedly and pawing at the car windows.

‘Go on, boy,' shouted Seb opening the car door.

Harry bounded out and ran as fast as his little legs could go, his tongue hanging out between bouts of excited barking.

Behind the door of the outhouse Joanna heard his barking and lifted her head.

‘Harry?'

The barking continued.

‘Harry! Harry!'

Soon he was scratching at the wooden door of the shed.

The door burst open and there they were, the people who loved her and, most of all, there was Harry.

Amelia drew in her chin so it rested against the thick neckline of the man's jumper she was wearing.

‘Everything is arranged,' she said quietly. ‘Joanna is coming home with you. I've persuaded the committee that you're the right people to take her in. Fostering at first until we see how things go, then adoption.'

Seb swiped at his eyes. He'd never believed in tears of happiness but he did now.

‘All's well that ends well,' remarked Sally.

‘This is not quite the end scene. There's still the paperwork to deal with.'

Sally shook her head in disbelief. ‘I really don't know how you did it, I really don't.'

Amelia laughed. ‘Once the serious provisions were being considered, I told the department that I did not dispute that a child needs a good education and the company of children of their own age. I pointed out to them she was a bright child and had been doing very well at school until she was taken away. She also had schoolfriends she was still in contact with. All she needed was love and that is where you and your father come in.' A secretive look lit up Amelia's face. ‘I believe you and your father really will make her life complete – and Harry of course.'

Sally's gaze travelled to a group of girls hanging out of the front doors of the main house. They were oddly silent at first, but then began to cheer.

‘And Stanleybridge? What will happen to the children?'

A self-satisfied smile lit up Amelia's face. ‘You might say I have carte blanche to deal with this place and its unfortunate inmates. I have advised the council to dismiss the principal and also that Thorpe woman. An interim replacement has been arranged until some new blood is introduced. As yet I haven't broached the subject, but do you think you're up to the job, Sally? I mean as a live-in teacher. We could really do with that. I know it's a lot to ask, but I think you and your father could really help turn these children's lives around. What do you say?'