Mrs Elliot had watched her favourite from afar, as did the other adults. Una Reed however ignored them all. She enjoyed her food like nothing had happened. She had heard Adam’s howls knowing they would come, but was confident the boy would get over it given time. No-one had informed her that it was Rodney who had taken the sobbing boy to his bedroom.
Ruth Ashby had nibbled at her lunch having no appetite and Celia Brock pushed her plate away untouched; all morning her classroom had been as silent as a grave and it had unnerved her.
Mabel Elliot fled back to the kitchen in floods of tears, Dilys right behind her.
‘Don’t cry, Mrs Elliot. That little lad will be all right you’ll see.’ Dilys tried to comfort the cook.
‘There’s something amiss there, wench; not one of them kiddies spoke a word,’ Mrs Elliot sobbed.
‘It’s the shock,’ the maid went on.
‘No it ain’t, there’s more to it, you mark my words. There’s gonna be hell to pay before long, you see if I ain’t right,’ the cook said mopping up her tears with her apron.
Dilys, not knowing what else to do, set about making the panacea for all ills – tea.
*
May Johnson cried herself to sleep that night so badly was she missing her friend. No-one knew where Polly was or how she was faring.
It was after lights out that all the boys gathered quietly in the room Adam shared with Joe.
Joe whispered into the darkness as each boy wrapped in a blanket sat on the two beds. ‘If Rodney can get you into Old Reedy’s office, and if you find out where Polly’s gone – what then?’
‘I’ll have to go and find her,’ Adam replied in hushed tones.
‘How will you get out now Miss Reed has moved the key from by the fireplace?’ Matt asked.
Adam shook his head in the shadow filled room.
‘I’ll pick the lock on the front door an’ all.’ Rodney provided the answer, his grin showing plainly in the moonbeams shining through the window.
‘Right, now we have to decide when to break into Old Reedy’s office,’ Arthur added.
Quiet descended as the boys considered this first challenge.
‘Tomorrow is Saturday and Miss Reed goes off to the market, don’t she?’ Rodney asked. As the others nodded, he went on, ‘Well, we ain’t got school so…’
‘It would be the perfect opportunity!’ Adam said excitedly.
‘What about Miss Ashby and Miss Brock? They’re always around somewhere,’ Matt said trying not to dampen Adam’s enthusiasm.
‘Rodney, you pick the lock with Arthur as look-out. Then you both come back to the common room so we’ll know it’s done. Adam you can then go and find the paper with Polly’s new address. When you come back, Rodney can re-lock the door,’ Joe said.
‘Erm – I ain’t never had to re-lock a door before,’ Rodney admitted sheepishly.
‘Oh bugger!’ Matt exclaimed.
‘It don’t matter. Maybe Old Reedy will think she forgot to lock it in the first place!’ Joe said.
‘Once all that’s done,’ Arthur said quietly, ‘when will you go, Adam?’
‘If I can get the information in the afternoon, I’ll be away tomorrow night.’ Adam felt the tension rise within him.
‘It’s like being in Her Majesty’s Army and this is our first offensive!’ Joe’s enthusiasm was building and he smiled as the others shook their heads.
‘What do you know about all that kind of stuff?’ Rodney asked with a light-hearted laugh.
‘My uncle is a Grenadier and the last I heard he was being shipped to India. It seems there’s a conflict over Chalt Fort, and Hunza and Nagar were going to attack it. Our lads were sent to help out the Secretary of State for India,’ Joe whispered.
‘How do you know all this?’ Adam was astonished at Joe being so well informed.
‘Cos my uncle told my parents before he left,’ Joe said, ‘so he won’t know they’ve died.’
Adam patted his friend on the back as all felt the sadness of Joe’s loss.
‘Adam, how will you manage with no food and nowhere to live while you search for Polly?’ It was Matt who had brought them back on track.
‘I’ll scavenge for food – I’m used to that. As for the other – I’ll live on the streets,’ Adam responded.
‘Then when you find her, what will you do then?’ Arthur asked.
‘We’ll both live on the streets I suppose.’
It was after a few moments of silence that Joe spoke again.
‘I’m coming with you!’ he said his excitement bubbling up inside him.
‘And me,’ Matt said.
‘Me an’ all,’ Rodney added.
‘You can’t all come! We’ll never manage for all of us to sneak out!’ Adam responded.
‘We will; I’m coming and bringing May with me!’ Arthur said with a grin.
Adam sighed. He was grateful his friends had chosen to escape with him and aid in his quest to find his sister, but he knew this was something he had to do alone.
‘I have to do this by myself, otherwise Miss Reed will have the coppers out looking for us. If it’s just me she won’t bother,’ Adam said.
After much argument, the others agreed he was right but they agreed to help where they could.
The following afternoon the children watched through the bedroom window as Miss Reed walked down the drive and through the wrought iron gate which she locked behind her.
‘I’ve explained to May what’s occurring,’ Arthur said.
Adam looked at the little girl. ‘It’s an important secret, May,’ he said kindly.
‘I know an’ I won’t say a word, cross me heart,’ May said as she went through the motions.
‘Good girl,’ Adam answered with a smile.
Making their way downstairs, they smelled the aroma of cooking. The cook and maid would be busy in the kitchen preparing the evening meal, but of Miss Ashby and Miss Brock there was no sign.
‘Where are they?’ Adam asked as he looked around for the women in question.
‘Probably in Miss Ashby’s room having a tipple,’ Joe said with a grin. Seeing the puzzled looks from the others he went on. ‘Honestly! I think you all walk round with yer eyes closed! Miss Ashby has a liking for a drop of gin around this time and Miss Brock has taken to joining her.’
‘Blimey, Joe, you have eyes like a shit-house rat!’ Matt exclaimed.
‘Ain’t you smelled it on her?’ Joe asked.
Heads shook. ‘Never mind that now – Rodney and Arthur get going, time’s a-wasting!’
Ten minutes later the two boys were back and Adam ran like the wind to the office. Once inside he checked the drawers of the desk. Pulling out a huge ledger he ran his finger down the last list of entries.
There! That was it – he’d found what he was looking for. Finding a scrap of paper and a pencil, he copied down the address. Replacing the book and pencil exactly as he found them Adam raced back to the others, the grin on his face telling his friends what they needed to know.
Meanwhile Celia Brock and Ruth Ashby sat sipping gin and bemoaning their lot in life.
‘I don’t know what possessed Una to sell Polly Fitch, especially knowing how close she was to Adam,’ Celia said.
‘It’s all about the money, Celia, but I have to admit I’ve never seen a child so bereft as that lad was when he found out. It chilled me to the bone,’ Ruth answered.
‘Yes, his howls gave me nightmares.’
‘Young May Johnson will be next you mark my words,’ Ruth said as she refilled their glasses.
‘Surely not,’ Celia said but at Ruth’s nod she gasped. ‘So, another sibling relationship will be ruined.’
‘I’ve seen it time and again, but nothing like young Adam Fitch. How he didn’t go for Una I’ll never know,’ Ruth said.
‘You know what’s more worrying is how not one child has spoken since. Adam hasn’t even thanked Mrs Elliot, which he always does.’ Celia sipped her gin savouring its flavour.
‘Yes, that’s very odd.’
‘Why do you stay, Ruth?’
‘I’ve nowhere else to go now. My house has gone and I have very little in the way of savings. That’s not to say I agree with the way Una runs this place though.’
‘Is there anything we can do to change things?’ Celia asked.
‘Like what? This place belongs to her – it is her. Nothing we can do or say will change anything for these children. Mrs Elliot and Dilys can’t afford to leave either. Besides, even if we all walked out, Una would just employ others in our place.’ Ruth shook her head as if in emphasis.
‘So, we are as trapped as the children we look after,’ Celia said disparagingly.
Ruth nodded and lifted her glass to her lips. ‘Now you know why I drink.’
17
In a large house on the corner of St James Street and Horseley Fields, Polly Fitch kept her eyes down as the woman spoke to her. ‘Did you hit Miss Cora?’
Polly shook her head.
‘She did too!’ Cora Bellamy spat, her blonde ringlets bouncing as she stamped her foot.
‘Miss Cora, please leave this to me. Go to your room whilst I get to the bottom of what happened here.’ Prudence Kenton pointed to the door of the playroom and waited while her charge did as she was bid. Then she turned her attention back to Polly.
‘The Bellamys have been good enough to take you into their home Pollyanna, and this is how you repay them – by hitting their daughter?’ Prudence smoothed her hands down her long black skirt as she looked at the girl from the orphanage.
‘I d’aint ask to come here!’ Polly’s answer was sharp as she eyed the Governess.
‘I didn’t – oh what’s the use? It’s impossible to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear!’
‘I want to go back to my brother,’ Polly said sadly.
‘Well you can’t! You live here now, in this grand house with fine people and you should consider yourself very fortunate!’
‘I don’t! I want to go back to the orphanage!’ Polly yelled. The slap caught her sharply on her cheek and her eyes glared at the woman who had smacked her.
Prudence took a large breath in order to calm her agitation. ‘Just go away, Pollyanna – I will speak to you later.’
As Polly left the room Prudence stared after her. Why do good families like the Bellamys take in these waifs and strays? They think they’re doing a good deed, but it never works the way they expect it to.
Shaking her head Prudence walked from the playroom and along the landing. Stopping at the top of the sweeping staircase she looked down onto a spacious hallway.
If this was mine, I wouldn’t have children from the orphanage here causing ructions. I should be mistress of a house such as this one and married to a man like Nathaniel Bellamy.
Smoothing her hands over her mousy brown hair, Prudence glanced around her. Bedrooms, indoor bathroom – such a luxury – playroom, dining room, parlour, living room, kitchen and scullery. Up the back stairs were quarters for the cook, maid and – herself.
She snorted as she thought about her small room at the top of the house. At least she didn’t have to clean it; that was the job of Bridget, the maid. On arrival to take up her position of Governess to Cora Bellamy, Prudence had been very careful to lay out her silver-backed hairbrush on the tiny dresser. This denoted she was one step higher than the other staff and she made sure they understood that fact.
Hearing a cough, Prudence’s attention then focused on the mistress, Lilith Bellamy. She was a blue-eyed blonde with a face like an angel. Beautiful could not come close to describing her – she was stunning. However, Mrs Bellamy was a sickly person. Her frail frame suffered the consequences of constant illness, and she spent the majority of her time in bed. Needless to say, the doctor was a regular visitor to the house.
The cough came again and Prudence sighed. Originally employed as a governess, it had quickly become apparent she was expected to take care of her ailing mistress too. She had been asked very nicely regarding this extra responsibility by the master, but in such a way that if she refused, he could always find someone else.
Her thoughts centred on Nathaniel Bellamy. Tall with dark hair, he was very handsome. He doted on his wife and daughter and was kind to the staff. Owning his business outright, he was beholden to no-one but it meant he worked long hours. His fleet of narrowboats and barges kept him busy overseeing cargo to be transported all over the country and he employed many people.
Prudence had liked him immediately and had made herself indispensable over the time she had been with the family. Eight years she had looked after his sick wife and their brat of a daughter, and although she endeavoured to ingratiate herself into his affections, he still saw her as a member of his staff.
However, Prudence Kenton was determined and once she set her mind to something, she generally achieved it. Now she had her eye on becoming Nathaniel’s wife – all she had to do was wait for Lilith to die.
On leaving the playroom Polly had gone straight to her bedroom. Sitting on her bed she looked around. It was a lovely place to live but she didn’t want to be here. Her one desire was to be back at the orphanage with her brother and friends.
She hated Cora Bellamy who, in the few days she had been there, had got her into trouble time and again. Polly realised she had been sold on by Miss Reed as a companion for Cora, who it transpired was a spiteful, vindictive child. Miss Kenton was not much better, always believing Cora over herself.
Polly’s bottom lip quivered as tears formed and instinctively her fingers moved to her mouth, but as quickly she pulled them away as she felt again the pain of Miss Kenton’s slap. Only babies suck their fingers Pollyanna! The woman’s words sounded loud in her mind and unable to stem her tears, she let them fall. Silently they rolled down her cheeks as her despair deepened.
Polly Fitch had been sold by her father, then again by Miss Reed. Her beloved Adam would have no idea where she was. Would he come looking for her? Could she run away and go back to the orphanage? If so, what would happen to her then? She would most likely be dragged back to the Bellamys.
Feeling as miserable as it was possible to be, Polly made up her mind. Somehow, she was going to run away. At the first opportunity she would flee and take her chances living on the streets until she could find and be with Adam again. Leaving her room, she wandered down the hallway and peeped through the gap in the doorway to Mrs Bellamy’s bed chamber.
In the bedroom of her mistress, Prudence Kenton stood quietly next to the bed where the woman lay. Pulling the stopper from the medicine bottle she poured a measure of liquid onto a tiny spoon. Replacing the bottle on the bedside cabinet, she lifted Lilith’s head and pushed the spoon into her mouth.
Polly watched and wondered why Mrs Bellamy was taking her medicine from a miniature spoon. With a shrug, Polly returned to her room to formulate a plan of escape.
‘Thank you, Prudence,’ Mrs Bellamy whispered after swallowing the bitter tasting medicine. ‘Please draw the curtains, the light is too bright.’
Prudence did as she was bid leaving only a chink of daylight to filter into the room.
With a last glance at the ailing woman, Prudence left the room an evil smile crossing her face. It shouldn’t be too much longer now!
The drops of Atropa Belladonna she dripped onto the spoon were taking effect. Prudence was aware of the toxicity of the plant commonly known as Deadly Nightshade. The side effects of the ingested plant caused sensitivity to light, delirium, hallucinations, drowsiness, memory problems and eventually coma and death. It would be the doctor who would be held to account should suspicion be aroused when Lilith finally succumbed.
Hearing an argument raging, Prudence stamped along the landing to Polly’s room. Throwing open the door she marched in where she saw Polly sitting on the bed crying.
‘What is going on here?!’ Prudence hissed.
‘She…’ Cora said querulously, ‘stole my best doll and won’t give it back!’
Prudence sighed audibly. ‘Keep your voice down please, Miss Cora, you will disturb your mother.’ Seeing the girl nod setting her golden ringlets bobbing, Prudence turned to Polly.
‘Give Miss Cora her doll back, Pollyanna.’
‘I ain’t got her silly doll!’ Polly fired back.
‘Taking another’s property without their consent is stealing,’ Prudence said didactically.
‘I know that!’ Prudence’s attempt at giving the girl moral guidance was ignored by Polly. ‘An’ I tell you again – I ain’t got it!’ Polly’s anger rose at being accused of something she hadn’t done.
Prudence was at the bedside in two strides and had Polly bent forward, the smacking she delivered to Polly’s bottom was loud in the quiet room.
Turning to Cora, Prudence said sharply. ‘Go to your own room, I will deal with this!’
Cora nodded and went to the door. Giving Polly a sly grin, she bounced out of the room slamming the door behind her.
‘Why, Pollyanna? Why can’t you just behave yourself?’
Polly looked at the woman determined not to cry and realised even if she maintained her innocence she would not be believed.
‘I will not warn you again; if there is one more incident, I will be forced to inform the master. Now, I suggest you stay here and reflect on your behaviour. You will forgo supper as a punishment!’ Prudence then turned on her heel and stomped from the room.
Polly watched her go. Now more than ever she knew she had to leave this house. No matter what happened to her in the future, Polly Fitch had to get away – and soon!
Prudence Kenton sat in her own room and contemplated her position in the household. She was governess to a spoiled brat and an urchin brought from the orphanage. Feeling she was destined for higher things she thought again about her sick mistress. The doctor clearly had no idea why Lilith was ill; he was at a loss why the medicine he prescribed didn’t appear to be working.
An evil chuckle emanated from the back of her throat – Prudence knew exactly why that was. She thought back to the day she had visited the apothecary and purchased a bottle of Belladonna tincture. It was widely available so she had not been questioned as to its use.
The Five Shilling Children Page 11