An Orphan's Dream

by Cathy Sharp

  ‘But now I can’t get up without help,’ he said ruefully and laughed. ‘I’m not miraculously cured, Rose, but I moved when I had to, so there’s hope for us.’

  ‘Yes,’ she said softly. ‘Yes, there is my darling.’

  ‘He’s gone,’ Danny said, coming back from the garden gate where he’d gone to watch his father run off. ‘He ran off down the streets as if the Devil was after him!’

  ‘He knew he was outnumbered,’ Ted said. ‘Thanks for that, doc – I should’ve watched for the knife.’

  ‘Get Rose to patch that up,’ Peter advised, looking at the blood seeping from Ted’s wound. He was back in his chair with a little help from Beattie and Rose. ‘It is only a scratch but she’ll give you something to stop infection.’

  ‘Yes, thanks.’ Ted frowned and looked at Beattie. ‘You can’t stop here – or we can’t visit. You need to make up your mind.’

  ‘Come inside everyone,’ Rose said taking charge. ‘I’ll clean that wound, Ted, Beattie will make tea – and then we’ll talk. I agree, Beattie can’t stay here and perhaps we should go away for a while too …’

  Peter looked at Rose after all the others had gone. He smiled and held out his hand to her. ‘I’m glad that’s all settled, Rose. Beattie didn’t want to leave you but she isn’t safe here.’

  ‘I’m not sure you are either,’ Rose replied. ‘If he comes back for revenge …’

  ‘Next time I’ll have my pistol,’ Peter said. ‘It was in the things you got for me from my hotel. I think like all bullies he is a coward and if I point it at him, he’ll run, as he did today.’

  ‘Perhaps, but we could go away for a while, just to be safe.’

  ‘On one condition,’ Peter said. ‘Marry me, Rose – and make it our honeymoon …’

  She smiled and went to kiss him, all the love she felt inside in her eyes. ‘I would have married you when you first came home, but you weren’t ready.’

  ‘I am now,’ he said and kissed her back. ‘Most of me is working again, Rose – I might not be Rudolph Valentino, but, as you saw earlier, I’ve got some movement in my legs back. I think I need to see a specialist I know whose advice will be honest and good, and see what happens.’

  ‘Whatever you want, Peter,’ Rose said and smiled tenderly. ‘Are you really going to buy Beattie’s house for us?’

  ‘Yes. We both love it and I can have a few improvements done while we’re staying elsewhere. Once Bryant is in custody again, Beattie will be near enough to visit often.’

  ‘Yes, it sounds lovely, if that’s what you want.’ Rose knelt down by his side, looking into his face. ‘I couldn’t believe what you did, Peter – it was so brave.’

  ‘He was hurting you,’ Peter said. ‘I just did what came into my head – and the same with Ted. I saw the knife flash and I couldn’t let Beattie lose everything again, so I made myself do it.’

  ‘And that shows your spine is healing,’ Rose said. ‘We always knew it could but until we get another X-ray we shan’t know for certain.’

  ‘The sooner the better,’ Peter replied. ‘I want to marry you and be with you, Rose. If today proves anything it’s that life is too short and can end too suddenly to waste any time …’

  CHAPTER 44

  Steve saw Bryant across the street as he passed the Rosie Infirmary. He nudged his companion, making him aware that their quarry was in sight.

  ‘I was told he might be somewhere here,’ he said to Constable Smith. ‘Let’s get him before he does any more harm.’

  ‘He’s a real danger to the public,’ Constable Smith agreed. ‘He had a knife when he attacked Mr Phillips, so watch out for yourself.’

  ‘You too,’ Steve said and grasped his truncheon. He was grimly pleased that he was the one who had found Bryant. Most officers were out looking for him after the last incident at Beattie Robinson’s house and Steve wanted the man behind bars as soon as possible, where he hoped he would stay for a long time.

  Bryant had a bottle of whisky to his mouth, gulping it down as if it were water so he must have got money from somewhere – he’d almost certainly stolen it. His list of crimes was mounting by the day. As Steve and Constable Smith started to cross the road, Bryant saw them and dashed the empty whisky bottle to the ground, taking off up the road towards Shilling Street. Steve blew his whistle. There were other officers in the vicinity and they would answer his call: Bryant wasn’t going to disappear into some back alley again if Steve could help it. He and Constable Smith gave chase, yelling at Bryant to stop, but he kept on running – and then it happened. A lorry came hurtling around the corner and Bryant ran straight into its path. It was going far too fast to stop immediately and caught him full on, throwing him high into the air, sending his body several feet to land with a thud at Steve’s feet.

  Steve bent over him. Bryant’s eyes were closed and blood was running from the corner of his mouth. Constable Smith had caught up and stood at Steve’s side, looking down at the villain. The lorry driver got out of his vehicle’s cab and came towards them, white in the face.

  ‘He came right at me – I never saw him!’

  Steve gave him a hard look but didn’t comment on his speed. He felt for a pulse. ‘He’s alive, just. I’ll call for an ambulance – you give your details to my colleague. I can’t say what the judge will decide, but this man is a criminal trying to escape justice.’

  ‘What does that mean?’ the driver asked Constable Smith. ‘Am I in trouble – you saw what happened.’

  ‘Yes, I did. He wasn’t looking where he was going and you came around the corner and couldn’t see him in time,’ the young officer said. ‘As far as I’m concerned this so-and-so deserves all he gets – he killed an old lady for the sake of two pounds and five shillings.’

  ‘Bloody hell!’ the driver said. ‘I did yer a favour then.’

  ‘I’d give you a medal,’ Constable Smith said. ‘I couldn’t swear to your speed – and neither could me mate. You’ll get off, don’t worry.’

  ‘Thank goodness for that,’ the driver said. ‘I don’t know what to say …’

  ‘Just keep your mouth shut and say as little as possible.’

  ‘So, Danny’s father is in hospital then?’ Sarah said when Steve told her the story that evening. ‘Would it be awful of me to say I’m glad?’

  ‘There are quite a few would agree with you,’ Steve said. ‘He’s a killer now, Sarah, and if he survives, he’ll stand trial for murder, so it may be best if he dies.’

  Sarah nodded. ‘It must have been a horrid thing to see, Steve. I can see it’s upset you.’

  ‘Well, I was chasing him.’ Steve frowned. ‘My colleagues think it was a good thing that driver did and though I believe he was actually going too fast around a corner, Smith reckons he wasn’t and I certainly don’t feel like pressing charges. It’s one of those situations that no one wins.’

  ‘Do Rose and Beattie know?’ Sarah asked.

  ‘Yes. I went over to Rose’s house and told her. She seemed relieved – but not triumphant. She’s a nurse and her duty is always to save life. Her first thought was for Danny. After all, Bryant is his father.’

  ‘Yes, I know and it’s sad that his only memories of him will be of violence and brutality.’

  ‘Yes, poor little lad, but he has his uncle and Beattie now. They’re getting married in three weeks at the register office and she’s asked us to go over to her old house for a bit of a reception. I said we would.’

  ‘Yes, I should like that,’ Sarah said and hugged him. ‘Don’t be sad and don’t feel guilty even if Jim Bryant dies, Steve. That man was bad. There’s no other word for him, no excuse for his behaviour whatever he himself believed.’

  ‘I agree with you,’ Steve said, then smiled. ‘I think Rose and Dr Clark are going to marry too, but they didn’t say when.’

  ‘Oh, that would be lovely!’ Sarah said and then turned as she heard baby Will cry. ‘Oh, Mum wants us to go for dinner on Saturday night – I think she might have some
news for us too.’

  ‘We wanted you both together before we said anything,’ Gwen announced and then looked at Theo. ‘Shall you tell them – or should I?’

  ‘Your mum has agreed to marry me,’ Theo said looking like a dog with two tails. ‘I’m going to move in here and sell my own home and we’ll buy a caravan at the sea somewhere. It will be a holiday home for you, the boys and us – and you can all use it whenever you like at no cost. I’ll rent it out when family don’t want it and put the money aside for your little one, Sarah.’

  ‘That is very generous of you, Theo,’ Sarah said and kissed her mother. ‘I know you’ll make Mum happy, because you already have, and I’m glad you’ll live here; the caravan is a bonus for everyone.’

  ‘Thank you, Sarah. Gwen was a little nervous that you might not be able to accept me.’

  ‘Of course I accept you,’ Sarah said and gave him a hug. ‘If you ever hurt her, I’ll have your guts for garters, but make her happy and I’ll love you.’

  ‘I can live with that,’ Theo said and grinned as Steve shook hands with him and kissed Gwen.

  ‘What do the boys think?’ Steve asked.

  ‘They like him,’ Gwen said. ‘Theo gave them the money to see a cowboy film and they’ve gone this evening together – Charlie looks after Ned for me and makes sure he doesn’t eat anything he shouldn’t.’

  ‘So, when is the big day?’

  ‘We thought as soon as possible,’ Sarah’s mother replied. ‘Perhaps early next month.’

  ‘It’s all weddings,’ Sarah said and smiled. ‘Sister Rose is getting married too and her friend Beattie.’

  ‘Must be something in the air,’ Gwen said and laughed. ‘I never thought it would happen to me again but it has and I’m delighted.’

  ‘I’ll drink to that,’ Steve said and lifted his glass of shandy. ‘To you and Theo, Gwen – and to everyone else who has found their happiness!’

  Sarah saluted her mother with her glass of orange juice and then, just as she was about to say something, a cry came from the cot upstairs.

  ‘I’d better go to him.’ Sarah got up to attend to her baby.

  ‘I’ll come,’ her mother said and they left the room together.

  Upstairs in her mother’s bedroom, Sarah changed her baby and put him back in his cot. She looked at her mother. ‘You are certain and you are happy?’

  ‘Yes, and yes,’ Gwen replied smiling broadly. ‘I really am, Sarah. When Theo first asked me, I had to ask for time, but now I know that it really is what I want – and he says if I want to foster more children that’s all right with him.’

  ‘You already have two,’ Sarah objected with a smile.

  ‘Yes, I do, but if another one or two need a home I’ll be happy to offer it,’ Gwen said. ‘I’ve got so much, Sarah, and some of those kids have so very little.’

  Sarah placed her baby back in his cot and moved to embrace her mother. ‘No wonder Theo loves you – you’re wonderful, Mum!’

  CHAPTER 45

  Lady Rosalie looked at the matron of the Rosie and smiled. ‘I so enjoyed having you to stay with us at the cottage in the school holidays, Mary, and so I was wondering if you would like to come to us for Christmas? I shall have my son home and if you came on Christmas Eve and stayed for a couple of days, I would be delighted.’

  ‘I should like that very much,’ Matron said and smiled. ‘I’ll be near enough to return to the Rosie should a crisis occur, which is unlikely given that I have very good staff, and though Sister Rose is cutting down her hours now that she is to be married and I do regret that, Sister Matthews is very capable and I have a new nursing sister starting next month – a Helena Carew.’

  Lady Rosalie nodded and looked pleased. ‘Staff are bound to come and go, Mary. We must just find new people to take their place. Have you found someone to work in the kitchens instead of Kathy?’

  ‘I have a new girl called Susie starting next week,’ Mary said and sighed. ‘The last one didn’t suit us and I’ve taken my time finding her replacement. I’m not one for all these changes, but I suppose life moves on.’

  ‘Yes, indeed it does and we must be grateful,’ Lady Rosalie replied. ‘I wanted to tell you that I have just added six new prospective sets of foster parents to my list, which is marvellous, because I am able to settle some of my long-term cases at last.’

  ‘I did tell you that Gwen Cartwright is able to take on more children now that she is also getting married, didn’t I? Her husband is comfortably off, which means they can afford to.’

  ‘Yes, and she is adopting Ned. Her papers are in my bag and I’m going to deliver them myself when she returns from her honeymoon.’

  ‘What a wonderful surprise for her,’ Mary said. ‘I suppose the boys are staying with Sarah while she is away?’

  ‘Yes, they all get on so well, which is lovely.’ Lady Rosalie smiled. ‘Well, I have another meeting so I must go – but book a little time out to be with us at Christmas, Mary. I shall look forward to it.’

  ‘Yes, so shall I,’ Mary replied and felt pleased as her visitor left. She was always pleased to see Rosalie and had so enjoyed her seaside holiday. It would be lovely to spend part of Christmas with her friend and she could certainly arrange to have a couple of days – after all, she had worked throughout Christmas for the past fifteen years.

  She thought about the letter she’d found on her desk that morning. Ruby Harding had written to tell her they were considering returning to London and asked if she would have a chance of her old job back? Apparently, the old lady she and her husband had been caring for had died and her nephew was going to sell the place where they’d lived since leaving London. They had two months to pack up and leave and, all in all, Mary thought she would rather like to have Ruby back at the infirmary – and if her husband needed a job there were always small tasks that needed doing here.

  Smiling, she picked up her notepad and prepared to make her rounds of the hospital. It was time for her to make sure everything was running as it ought. She wondered how Sister Rose and Dr Clark were getting on with that specialist they’d gone to see and hoped that his recovery would be total.

  ‘What’s the verdict then, Simon?’ Peter looked at the man he’d known since his medical student days. ‘Am I going to be stuck in this damned chair for the rest of my life or not?’

  ‘Only if you like it there, old chap,’ his friend replied. ‘Why didn’t you come to me as soon as you were able to leave the London Hospital? I’m not blowing my own trumpet, but you might have known I could help if anyone could.’

  ‘I had my reasons,’ Peter said. ‘Besides, I was told rest would do more good than treatment at first.’

  ‘That is certainly true,’ his friend agreed. ‘But rest and time have played their part and now we have to work to get you on your feet again.’

  ‘Will I be able to walk down the aisle with my bride?’ Peter asked, trying not to sound anxious and not succeeding.

  ‘In time yes,’ Simon replied. ‘Perhaps with crutches at first and there will be pain, but I can help with exercises and massage that should ease it – if you’re prepared to work at it?’

  ‘You don’t need to ask!’ Peter grinned at him. ‘Just as long as I can be a man when I marry her, Simon.’

  ‘I doubt if your wedding tackle was damaged,’ his friend replied. ‘And you’ll manage to make her happy once I have you walking again, I don’t doubt.’ He smiled wickedly. ‘Now, when do I get to meet the woman who made you want to put a ring on her finger? And what is she like?

  ‘She’s beautiful,’ Peter said. ‘And she’s a nurse – and the reason I didn’t come to you immediately. I wanted to get to know her better and I’ve been living in her home.’

  ‘Crafty devil!’ his friend accused, eyes sparkling. ‘Well, I shall look forward to standing up with you, Peter – that is my right as your oldest friend.’

  ‘Yes, and I wouldn’t want anyone else,’ Peter said. ‘Thanks, Simon. I’ve been getting so
me feeling back in my legs and toes but I dared not hope until I spoke to you, the country’s leading expert when it comes to dealing with spinal injuries.’

  ‘Thank goodness I can give you good news,’ his friend said. ‘Well, I shall expect dinner at a very expensive restaurant so that I can meet your fiancée.’

  ‘Of course, and Rose will look forward to it – but you can meet her now. She is in your waiting room.’

  ‘Then what are we waiting for?’

  CHAPTER 46

  Beattie looked around the kitchen that Peter had asked Ted to do up for Rose while they were away. It looked sparkling new and yet fitted beautifully with the house, with the lovely oak dressers and the long table and matching chairs. The sink was a deep one and made of porcelain; Ted called it a butler’s sink and Beattie thought it would be very useful.

  ‘Everything looks wonderful,’ she said to him as she finished tidying up in preparation for Rose and Peter’s return from the country. ‘I’m sure Rose will love it.’

  ‘You’re not regretting letting him buy it, are you? Ted asked and she shook her head.

  ‘No, our house is just right for us and the boys,’ she said. ‘This would be too big – and I could never have afforded to do all the things Peter has done for Rose. All the windows have been renewed and the bathroom is lovely and modern, just like ours now.’

  ‘What time do you expect them to get home?’ Ted asked.

  ‘Rose thought about three this afternoon. Why do you ask?’

  ‘That old lady he saved has been pestering the life out of me on the docks,’ Ted said and laughed. ‘She wants to see him and I have to give her a couple of bob for a cup of tea to get rid of her every time she comes and asks.’

  ‘I suppose he has been very much missed at the free clinic.’

  ‘Jessie says no one else looks after her the same.’ Ted shook his head. ‘I’m not sure if he will want to go back, though. After all, he has enough to do learning to walk again.’