The Secret Orphan

by Glynis Peters

  Victoria.

  ‘Good news?’ Susie asked.

  Elenor stuffed the letter back into the envelope.

  ‘Mixed. Short and sweet, no real news, except it appears George is no longer missing. He’s joining Victoria in Wales.’

  ‘Ah, that will be nice for their little girl,’ Susie said.

  ‘She’s farmed out to a friend. For a month! They never take her anywhere with them. I miss her so much. I hope to have her here for a holiday when the war is over. Not now though, the amount of hits on Cornwall means she’s better off where she is.’

  Elenor slit open the second letter and sighed.

  ‘At last. We are to have a girl from the Land Army,’ she said and waved the paper in the air.

  ‘Good news. You could do with the help out there.’

  ‘Oh, and another will arrive in time for the September harvest.’

  ‘Two. Even better,’ Susie said.

  ‘Yes, but do I sound ungrateful if I say I’d wish they’d both come at the same time?’

  ‘Well, I’m glad they haven’t. We will have to prepare their rooms.’

  ‘You’re right. My brothers’ things are still sitting in them. I’ll make a start on clearing out,’ Elenor said.

  ‘I’m off to Tom’s place. Good luck, I think I’ll have the more pleasant task,’ Susie said and gave a laugh.

  Chapter 30

  Susie wasn’t wrong. Apple crates stood floor to ceiling in the smallest bedroom. Each crate held something her brothers had kept for one reason or another, but by the end of sorting through, Elenor couldn’t fathom why. Every piece of clothing was not worth repair, and the boots and shoes had seen better days. Their personal items consisted more of posters and picture cards of scantily clad women than toiletries, and Elenor dragged everything outside, piled it high and set fire to it all.

  By the time she’d watched the last flame die away, Elenor felt a pang of sadness. How could two young men who’d had the best start in life throw it all away? And for the first time she gave thanks for the war; at least their names were on a register proving they’d fallen with pride. The Cardew name stood for something.

  She looked around the medium spare room and began a morning of cleaning. No date of arrival for the young woman had been given, but as August had already arrived, she had to be prepared. To have a companion in the evenings would be a novelty, but a welcome break from the lonely ones.

  The 21st of August started with an argument between Susie and her mother and Susie arriving on Elenor’s doorstep in tears.

  ‘She’s taking it out on me ’cos my sister is leaving to be a nurse.’ Susie sobbed into her pinafore. ‘I was only half an hour late home. I’m nearly seventeen, I can look after myself.’

  ‘But not during a war, Susie. You are her baby and she’s protecting you. She’s upset and worried. She has a business to run, and more responsibility than ever before, and it has all blown out in her telling you off. She’s scared. Bound to be,’ Elenor said and guided Susie to a chair.

  ‘Sit there and calm down. It will blow itself out during the day. I’d be the same as your mother,’ Elenor said and handed Susie a fresh handkerchief from the pile she’d just ironed.

  ‘You wouldn’t. You’d understand I need to be with my friends after work. I work hard and pay my way,’ Susie said and more nose-blowing ensued.

  ‘I can’t say. I’ve never had children, but your mother is a kind woman and she won’t be mad at you for long. Take her a box of veggies, sweeten her mood.’

  A rat-tat on the back door was followed by high-pitched voice.

  ‘Coo-wee.’

  ‘Come in,’ Elenor said and looked to Susie with a frown.

  ‘Who is it?’ Susie whispered to Elenor as the door swung open.

  ‘Dorothy Saunders. Call me Dottie,’ said a short, stout girl as she dropped a suitcase to the floor.

  ‘I think your uniform gives it away. You must be my Land Army help. Welcome to Tre Lodhen,’ Elenor said and took the girl by the hand.

  ‘Thanks. Didn’t think I’d make it, darn Jerries dropped a few on the train station I needed. Grabbed me a lift with a chappie billeted in town. You must be Miss Cardew.’

  ‘Elenor. Please, call me Elenor.’

  ‘Well Elenor, would it be rude of me to ask for a glass of water? Parched. Not walked so far in years. Bit out of the way here, aren’t you? Lovely, that’s how I like it. Any horses?’

  Susie burst out laughing and shook her head to a bemused Elenor.

  ‘I’m sorry. Silly emotions,’ she said to Dottie and waved her hand in front of her face. She pointed to the end of the kitchen. ‘Bathroom if you need it. I’ll fetch you a drink.’ Her giggles grew louder and Elenor feared she was on the point of hysteria.

  ‘Susie?’ She questioned her friend with a raised brow.

  ‘Ah, I could do with a pee, thanks ever so,’ Dottie said and disappeared into bathroom. By which time Susie was bent double and gasping for air.

  ‘What’s got into you?’ Elenor whispered to Susie.

  ‘Well, just as she said about us having horses I’d thought to myself she was like a little Shetland pony: all belly, hair and little legs,’ Susie said in a low voice choking with giggles.

  Elenor pinched her lips together and held back tears of laughter. She shook her head, moved Susie aside and poured a glass of water from the jug on the draining board.

  ‘Perfect description. A green Shetland pony with a squeaky voice,’ she whispered back.

  ‘At least it isn’t a bucket in the corner. Daddy warned me there might be – that or an outside lav.’ Dorothy’s voice sounded out from the end of the room.

  Susie looked at Elenor and both turned away from each other.

  ‘Yes, it is handy,’ Elenor said, as Dorothy came back into the room. ‘Your water. Susie will cut you bread and cheese, and then we’ll show you your room. Oh, and we don’t have any horses here – we did, but the Great War took our last.’

  ‘I love horses, but I’ll cope with the rest of your animals. You have agriculture and livestock, so I’m told. I’m for the cattle shed according to my training, but don’t be fooled, I can turn my hand to anything.’

  ‘What ho,’ Susie said and immediately clamped her hand over her mouth. Elenor simply pointed to the hallway and kept her lips clamped to stop the laughter. Susie grabbed the freshly ironed bedlinen and ran upstairs. From the kitchen both Elenor and Dottie could hear great gasps of laughter.

  ‘She had a row with her mother this morning. It’s played havoc with her emotions today,’ Elenor said and hoped Dottie accepted the weak explanation.

  Dottie munched on her sandwich and gave a nod.

  Elenor smiled. ‘I am pleased you are here. I’m worn out. My workers are the best, and another is most welcome. You have your own private room. There’s only me here, so it gets quiet and lonely at times. I have a wireless in the parlour, through the hallway,’ she said and pointed out of the kitchen door to where Susie had just left. ‘I will move another comfortable chair in there for you. Mine is the green one and I’ve worn the springs just as I like them. No touching my desk please as I have a strict order in how I deal with things. Feel free to have a bath once a week, just choose an evening other than a Saturday, that’s my treat night. We have electricity but no gas. The stove is wood burning. Hot water runs from the new boiler in the old scullery opposite the bathroom. Susie takes care of it for me, so don’t worry about not having any for the bath, it is always ready and waiting. Any questions?’

  ‘Who makes the cheese? It’s a good strong one,’ Dottie said.

  Amused by the question, Elenor cut another slice and placed it onto her guest’s plate.

  ‘I do. We are fortunate, but I have to be careful about sending my fair share into the village. Where do you come from, Dottie?’ she asked.

  Wiping crumbs from her mouth, Dorothy swallowed her mouthful. ‘Oxford.’

  ‘Oxford. I’ve heard of it but never been. Wh
at did you do before the Land Army?’

  Elenor sat down. Before she pushed the girl into a hard day’s work she felt it only fair she knew something of her background.

  ‘Nothing. Straight out of boarding school and into a life of social vetting for a rich husband. Mummy is probably still screaming at Daddy for letting me sign up. She wanted me to stay home and wind bandages. I said I’d drive an ambulance, but as Daddy pointed out, my legs are far too short to touch the pedals. And then there’s the lifting of stretchers. Short arms, see.’ Dorothy waggled her arms around and gave a laugh resembling the call of a donkey.

  Dear God, why me? Elenor sent out a silent plea and once again bit onto her now sore lips.

  ‘Ah, I see,’ she said and wondered of what use Dottie was going to be milking a cow. Even a hoe handle was taller than the girl still waving her arms and legs around whilst balanced on the chair.

  Elenor wondered if this was Graham Stonnard’s revenge from the day she splattered him in mud.

  ‘Will farm work suit you? I take it you went through training or you wouldn’t be here. I’d hate for you to injure yourself,’ she said.

  ‘Oh, don’t worry about what I can or can’t do. I achieve most things. I’ve ridden a pig’s back guiding it into a sty before now.’

  At that moment Elenor froze. She waited, and the donkey laugh followed just as Susie walked into the room. They couldn’t look at each other and Susie spun on her heel, went into the front room and closed the door. Elenor had little doubt her friend had stifled a laugh, and she struggled to control her own.

  ‘Well, that conjures up a multitude of images, Dottie. Ready to see your room?’ she said and allowed a laugh to follow before she exploded.

  As they walked past the front room door she tapped on it and called out to Susie.

  ‘Remind me to consider a horse for the farm again, Susie.’

  The muffled reply was incomprehensible.

  A week later, Elenor and Dottie were out on the farm together. ‘Let’s go and meet Tom, my shepherd. He’s been away for a week helping another farmer. I rarely lend him out, but the farmer was in need of help after a stray bomb hit,’ Elenor said to Dottie and pointed to the man in the top pasture.

  ‘She’ll scare the sheep,’ Tom said as he watched Dottie bustle around the field with his sheepdog Bessie.

  ‘Susie can’t look at her without crying when the girl laughs and I’m afraid I’m the same. She’s lovely though. Plum in her mouth but you’d never know she’s from money. I think she’ll fit in well with the others. She’s not stopped working since she arrived.’

  ‘Is it true you said she looked like a Shetland pony?’ Tom asked and grinned at her.

  She whipped the length of grass he chewed on away from his mouth.

  ‘I did not. Susie, said it first. I said Dottie reminded me of a green one. Oh Tom, she’s been a source of amusement for a week now, and I can’t imagine life without her round here. She’s tidy, too.’

  ‘Ai, and she’s a dab hand with the milking so I’m told. Look, Bessie likes her. Probably ’cos her new friend is the same height.’

  Elenor gave him a gentle punch on the arm. ‘Stop it. What if she hears us joking about her? It’s not right. We must stop.’

  ‘I’ll stop laughing if you will,’ said Tom and he whistled for Bessie to come to his side.

  ‘Tom. Tom!’ Dottie called out and waved her arms above her head.

  ‘Can barely see her above the grass,’ he muttered as they walked across the meadow.

  ‘Stop it,’ Elenor said under her breath and held back her laughter as best she could.

  All thoughts of laughter vanished when she saw one of the ewes lying panting on her side.

  ‘Tom?’ She looked at her shepherd.

  ‘She’s in labour. Earlier than I expected. Look, she’s not bagged up yet,’ he said as he knelt down and pointed to the ewe’s teats.

  ‘We’ll get her down to the barn. You go and ready the stall, and I’ll follow on.’

  ‘Come on Dottie, we’ll need hay and grab a lantern in case we’re there through the night,’ Elenor called as she ran across the field.

  When Elenor had finished her preparations, Dottie reached her side with a lantern. ‘Susie said she’s ready with hot water. What do you want me to do?’

  ‘Stay here and help Tom. I’ve pulled a bale apart and spread it in that stall.’ Elenor pointed to her right. ‘Listen and do as he asks. I’ll go with Bessie and watch over the others. Thanks, Dottie.’

  ‘Rather excited. Never seen an animal give birth before.’

  ‘Just keep your voice to a soft level and remain calm. Tom is an expert and I’ve every faith we’ll have two little ones running around by morning.’

  Elenor left Dottie bustling around Tom as he arrived with the ewe. Dottie was as short as Tom was tall; their silhouettes amused Elenor.

  Before she headed to the top pasture she called in on Susie.

  ‘It’s going well in the barn. I’ve left Tom under the care of Dottie and all we can do is pray she doesn’t laugh or the lambs will run away the moment they’ve arrived.’

  Susie giggled. ‘And you tell me off for saying things. I’m heading home early tonight. My sister leaves in the morning. Two more girls in the village have signed up for nurse training. Good luck to them, it is not for me. I do have to decide my place though. Housekeeping for you isn’t exactly war work, and Dad is keen I do something more useful. Mum is scared of us all leaving and never coming home again. Her nerves are bad.’

  Elenor filled a flask with tea for Susie to give to Tom.

  ‘I understand what you mean, but you are valuable here. What do you think of me registering you as a live-in farm hand? That way you are secured a place here and keep both parents happy. You can continue looking after the house and no one will be any the wiser,’ Elenor said and handed her the flask.

  Susie packed her bag and placed it on the table.

  ‘I’d love to live here but Dad will have the last word. The job would win him over, though – and Mum. Fingers crossed.’

  Bessie rounded up a stray ewe, and Elenor watched over them for four hours. She could never understand the fascination of becoming a shepherd. Her sheep were precious to her but unless they were new-born lambs, they bored her. Not that she’d ever dare share the sentiment with Tom. Whilst she walked around her land she pondered new ideas and decided that although it might be nice to have a horse, she needed to think with her head and not her heart.

  ‘Coo-ee!’

  Dottie’s voice echoed across the farm and a startled Elenor almost lost her footing.

  ‘Come back,’ Elenor commanded Bessie.

  The sunlight had given way to the stars, and it promised to be a clear night. On such evenings Tom liked the sheep closer to home. The dog moved with expertise and soon had the sheep under control. Elenor walked towards the young woman marching her way through the fields. It did Elenor’s heart good to see she wore a beaming smile.

  ‘You were right. Two. A boy and a girl. It was incredible. Tom was fascinating to watch. He’s so calm,’ Dottie said in breathless excitement.

  ‘Thank goodness. And Mum?’

  Dottie took two steps to every one of Elenor’s and bounced her way back to the barn.

  ‘Oh, she’s fine. Apparently, she’s a good mother. I must say she looked awfully proud of herself. Mummy would have had a fainting fit if she’d seen me feeling my way around a sheep’s nether regions. Tom taught me so much today.’

  By the time they reached the barn, two small lambs wobbled their way around their mother and nudged at her teats.

  Elenor gave Tom a smile and handed him his crook. ‘Clever man, thank you,’ she said.

  ‘Nothing to do with me. She’s a good mum.’

  ‘What will you call them?’ Dottie asked.

  ‘Beg pardon?’ Tom said.

  ‘The lambs, what are their names?’

  With a small laugh Elenor shook her head. ‘We te
nd not to name them as it isn’t easy to let them go if you do.’

  She noticed Dottie’s crestfallen face and gave Tom a wink.

  ‘However, this time around I will be keeping these beauties, so how about Tom and Dottie?’

  The laugh rang out around the barn and the lambs staggered at the sound.

  ‘Sshh, for goodness’ sake woman, you bray louder than a donkey. Their poor ears,’ Tom said and grinned at Dottie.

  Elenor stood and watched the pair in amazement. She waited for Dottie to get upset or angry, but she pulled her shoulders to her ears and pinched her lips together in apology.

  ‘Sorry ’bout that. Inherited from Mummy, I’m afraid. I’ll try and keep it under control,’ she whispered.

  ‘Outside is fine. It does me heart good to hear you enjoy the farm, but in here, we’ll have rules. No laughing,’ Tom said and gave both women another grin. ‘Unless it is quiet – or smothered.’

  Elenor and Tom watched Dottie run from the barn and heard the girl giggle.

  ‘She’ll do,’ Tom said and turned back to the latest edition to his flock. Elenor walked away and headed inside to record the delivery. Dottie joined her.

  ‘He’s a good sort, that Tom. Says what he thinks.’

  ‘I think I am lucky to have both of you at my side. I’ve asked Susie to join us at the house as a permanent resident. I’ve a feeling Tre Lodhen received a blessing this year.’

  ‘You love this place, don’t you? I can see why,’ Dottie said.

  ‘I do, Dottie. It has helped me heal.’

  ‘Heal?’

  ‘I lost people close to me and it made me ill. I’m recovered now, and ready to bring this place alive once again. Ready for supper?’

  ‘Always,’ said Dottie.

  Chapter 31

  September 1940

  ‘Doesn’t bear thinking about,’ Dottie said and shifted in her seat.

  ‘Makes you shiver at just the thought,’ said Susie pulling her dressing gown tighter around her waist.

  Elenor switched off the wireless and looked at her friends. Both had tears in their eyes.

  ‘It must be the most heartbreaking thing to happen. I can’t imagine this place raised to the ground. Poor London.’