The Secret Orphan

by Glynis Peters

  Chapter 33

  Exciting changes on the farm kept everyone busy and each day new ideas were formed and carried out. Tom or the postman alerted Elenor to auctions and her livestock and machinery collection grew. Every day was different, but time flew by and before Elenor knew it she was marking off the sixth day into November.

  Night after night for weeks they’d endured the drone of planes, or sirens echoing around the county. Sometimes it was not a false alarm, and they listened to explosions in the distance. Each time they moved from bed to shelter and back again.

  Tiredness was fought by the determination that the country would not be defeated. Elenor often amazed herself by finding inner strength. She ensured all her workers had an hour’s nap each day, which they took inside the farmhouse in stages.

  Their resilience was commendable. Rarely did they work in silence. A song or laughter rallied round the yard or on the fields, and only when bad news came for a family did they have moments of quiet.

  Dottie and Tom had formed such a strong friendship it made Elenor envious. Sally wrote and told her of another new boyfriend, and Susie had several offers to escort her to the cinema week in and week out. Today she moaned about having to choose which of the young men she should go out with, as if she turned down one she might have chosen the wrong one.

  ‘Why not ask one for tomorrow and the other the day after?’ Elenor said and her tone was not light-hearted.

  ‘But what if I like the one tonight and the one tomorrow?’

  ‘Oh, for goodness’ sake, choose one and be grateful. Some of us …’

  Not wanting to say more, Elenor walked out of the door and into the yard. She took great gulps of air, brushed away the raindrops falling onto her cheeks and walked back inside.

  ‘Some of us what?’ Susie said and stood with her feet astride, her hands on her hips.

  ‘Forget it. Just choose the one you think would stand by you no matter what happened. The one you’d trust to hold your heart forever. Just choose one. Be thankful someone thinks enough of you to want you in their life.’

  ‘So that’s it. Jealousy,’ Susie said and walked out into the hall. ‘Jealousy can make some people ugly, you know.’

  ‘Grow up,’ Elenor shouted after her.

  Ramming her fist into her mouth, Elenor bit back the bitterness building inside.

  The chugging sound of the tractor engine distracted her, and she looked out of the window to see Dottie perched on the seat. Women followed on planting out and their children followed on behind covering the seed.

  From the top of the hill the silhouette of a plane appeared against a patch of grey sky. Silver flecks glinted inside the small white clouds dotted about as it disappeared through them. Elenor’s first reaction was to warn the workers but no sirens sounded which meant the plane had a right to fly. The plane dipped and dived over the treetops like a graceful bird. There was something mesmerising about the way it glided and swooped, and it fascinated Elenor. She willed the pilot to fly their way, so the children could wave as they often did when they spotted them in the sky. Unsure as to why this plane stood out like no others, she continued to admire the graceful swirls and turns the pilot created with expertise. It flew closer to the farm and she snatched up her coat. She rammed her feet into her boots as she shuffled out of the door, not wanting to miss a moment of the performance.

  Elenor ran to the right side of the farm to get a closer look, and although she had never been to the ballet, she imagined the plane to be as graceful as a performer as it made smooth turns in and out of the cotton clouds. Drizzling rain made no difference, she’d fallen for the beauty above her. For once she did not have to run or hide. For the first time she could appreciate the skills of the man flying. She held her breath as it rolled, up-righted itself and rolled again. No words could explain the disappointment she felt when it turned and flew back to where it came from, and in her mind she replayed the scene. Her thoughts wandered to Jackson and of his ability to perform such a magnificent act. It unnerved her to think he’d fly like that with the enemy on his tail.

  ‘It was brilliant, wasn’t it?’ a small boy said as he joined her, his voice loaded with admiration.

  ‘Marvellous,’ Elenor said quashing thoughts of Jackson. ‘I wondered what sort of plane it was, but they don’t have labels.’

  ‘A Defiant,’ the boy said.

  ‘You know plane names? How clever.’

  ‘My uncle fixes ’em. He took me to a base at St Eval. One flew in for a repair. I saw lots of planes and my uncle helped me identify them. I hope the war lasts a long time. I want to be a fighter pilot,’ the boy said as he ran off impersonating the sound of gunfire with his arms open wide like the wings of a plane.

  ‘I truly hope it never happens little one,’ Elenor whispered after him.

  Across the field she spotted Tom and went to join him. The ewes were ready to be taken for tupping and needed to have their rear-ends clipped and cleaned. This year would be the first time Elenor had helped, and the first year they would use their own ram. It amused Elenor to think she used to get excited over cream for her hands, and nowadays it was the mating efforts of her flock.

  ‘He gave a good display. Liked how he didn’t scare the flock neither. Kept his distance. Hope you’ve built up your muscles. Got a couple of maiden ewes and they’re going to put up a struggle.’

  Elenor laughed. ‘I’m stronger than I look, but this is my maiden journey with clipping the backsides of my ewes.’

  ‘Have a bit of faith in yourself woman. Time to go. Bess!’

  Scraping the mud from her boots at the end of her day, Elenor hoped Susie had made up her mind and gone out with the boy of her choice. She was in no mood for confrontation, and although she’d worked hard all day, she still couldn’t shake the imagery of the plane and yet again, thoughts of Jackson. It troubled her the way she couldn’t live a day without thinking of him. Simple things would conjure up a memory of how he had held her and kissed her, and resentment ate away inside.

  ‘Anybody home?’ she called. The house was quiet. Tom had hinted Dottie was eating at his cottage that evening, and it also appeared Susie had made a choice and gone out. The silence seemed strange after having company for so long, and a bout of sadness crept in for Elenor. If she never married it worried her this was the life she had to look forward to: a life of silence and loneliness.

  By ten that evening it was obvious Dottie was not coming home and Elenor was too tired to listen to Susie’s tales of her eventful or uneventful night, so took herself to bed. Within what seemed like minutes of her putting her head on the pillow, the sirens were wailing. She pulled on a newly acquired siren suit and raced downstairs. The temptation to stay and use the smaller shelter might have brought Dottie or Tom looking for her. She grabbed her bag and case of papers and ran out into the night. Search lights danced across the sky and in complete contrast to the beauty of the morning display, the planes rolled in like black beasts dropping dark shapes onto the horizon. A nightmare come to life. Elenor ran to the shelter and opened the door.

  ‘Evening,’ Tom said, and a flushed Dottie raised a tin mug to her arrival.

  ‘Thank goodness you are both here. I’m assuming Susie is at her mother’s.’

  ‘I put in extra blankets today. It’s getting colder at night and I’ve a feeling this will not be the end of our visits,’ Dottie said.

  ‘Thanks, good thinking Dottie. Busy day?’

  ‘We did all right. Old Tor is a good one.’

  ‘Tor?’ A puzzled Elenor looked at Dottie.

  ‘Tractor. Tor. I’ve named her. She’s my metal horse.’

  Tom looked to Elenor and both braced themselves for the friend’s abuse of their eardrums.

  A bang in the distance stopped their chatter, and the noise above deepened.

  ‘More than I’ve heard in a while,’ said Tom.

  ‘Let me in. Let me in.’ Susie’s voice rang out as she pummelled at the door from outside. Elenor o
pened the door and a sobbing Susie threw herself into her arms.

  ‘Susie, you’re damp through. I thought you’d gone to your mother’s,’ Elenor said. ‘Dottie, pass me a blanket please. Thanks.’

  ‘No. David’s brother left his gas mask at home, so we walked to The Blue Anchor at Fraddon to give it to him. We missed the bus home and were only halfway when the planes flew over. I’ve never been so scared. David ran off and left me when we got to the outskirts.’

  Elenor rubbed Susie warm with the blanket, and Tom handed her a tea from the flask. Dottie took Susie’s hand until her sobs subsided to sniffles.

  ‘I chose the wrong one,’ she said and looked to Elenor with a sad smile.

  ‘Some of us do, and some of us are lucky first time,’ Elenor said and gave Tom a smile. He gave an embarrassed grin and looked at Dottie whose shadowed colour deepened, and Elenor knew if the lamp had been brighter she would have seen a blush.

  ‘Ah, here we go,’ Tom said and stretched his legs.

  ‘I love the sound of the all clear,’ said Dottie. ‘Two hours’ sleep and we are off again. See you later, Tom.’

  Elenor felt sorry for Tom whose dampened romantic evenings were becoming more regular thanks to enemy planes.

  ‘I’m aiming for more than two hours. My feet are sore and my legs tired,’ Susie said and rubbed her calves.

  Trying to ignore the smoke and orange glow in the distance, they all focused upon Seth bouncing around in front of them and headed indoors. Inside no longer held the lonely feel Elenor had experienced earlier, and she knew she’d never live alone again. She wouldn’t wait until after the war, she’d write to Victoria and offer her and Rose a home at Tre Lodhen. She’d speak with her when she visited them on the 20th.

  ‘I’m thinking of asking Victoria and Rose to come live with us in December. It will mean you’d have to share with the other girl when she arrives, Dottie, but the room is big enough,’ Elenor said as she removed her outdoor clothes.

  Susie clambered onto the couch and pulled the blanket around her body.

  ‘I can move back home,’ she said.

  ‘You will not – unless you want to of course, but this is your home now. We won’t be cramped.’

  ‘Dottie can always kip over with Tom if we do,’ Susie said and added a cheeky wink.

  ‘We don’t have that sort of a relationship if you don’t mind,’ said Dottie and gave Susie a frown.

  ‘Oh, listen to you miss la-di-da. I bet you aren’t as innocent as you make out,’ Susie said and the spiteful tone shocked Elenor.

  ‘Susie. Apologise. Dottie and Tom’s business is none of ours,’ she said.

  ‘Sorry. I’m fed up and shouldn’t take it out on you.’

  ‘You’re young and speak before you think. You’re forgiven. Right, I’m off to bed. See you both in the morning, if not before,’ Dottie said.

  Each woman gave a groan and followed Dottie upstairs.

  Chapter 34

  November 1940

  Fleming Mill,

  Lynn Valley,

  North Vancouver,

  Canada

  British Columbia.

  November 1940

  My dear Miss Cardew – Farmer Cardew,

  How touched I was to receive your letter. This is short as I have the opportunity to send my reply with a colleague.

  Thank you for letting me know about George Sherbourne. My condolences to his wife and daughter. I also send you condolences over the death of your brothers.

  I take my hat off to you ladies over there, it can’t be easy. I am not sure how long this letter will take to reach you, so I will also send good wishes for Christmas and the New Year. We pray for the hostilities to cease any day.

  You Brits are known for your stiff upper lip and I’ve seen it with my own eyes. May you all find peace soon.

  With my best wishes,

  Samuel Fleming.

  Elenor folded the letter and placed it into her case. Another hurdle overcome.

  Picking up her stock control papers, she spotted a woman in Women’s Voluntary Service uniform by the gate.

  ‘Not another military official here to tell me what to plant,’ she muttered to the empty room.

  Seth was in his outdoor pen to stop him chasing the POW gang. She’d granted permission for them to walk through the top of the farm twice a day. At times she was tempted to leave Seth to run and greet visitors, especially when an official from the Agricultural Office called, but a woman from the WVS didn’t deserve to be slobbered over. Elenor guessed she was after support for a local family and headed out to meet the woman.

  He yapped and barked and Elenor waved at the woman carrying a small suitcase and valise, who approached the yard with caution.

  ‘It’s safe, he’s in his … Mrs Green, how lovely to see you!’ Elenor said. ‘Come for a holiday? Welcome to Tre Lodhen.’

  She rushed towards her friend then stopped in her tracks. From behind Alice Green stepped Rose. She was pale-faced, with dark rings around her eyes, a gash across her forehead, bandaged hands and Elenor could see large bruises on her legs. Rose stared up at Elenor with tears in her eyes.

  ‘Rose! Oh, baby girl, what has happened to you?’

  Elenor knelt beside the child and gently pulled her close.

  ‘What happened, Mrs Green?’

  ‘Call me Alice. We’d best go inside, Elenor. She’s exhausted.’

  Elenor settled the child onto the comfy sofa, and Alice took off her coat.

  Elenor busied herself with the kettle on the range.

  ‘Sit down. Rest. I’ll make tea.’

  Elenor indicated to a comfortable chair for Alice. Rose had fallen asleep and Alice shook her head and pointed to the hallway.

  ‘What is going on? Where’s Victoria?’ Elenor asked, keeping her voice low as she guided Alice into the parlour.

  With her hands clasped, a weary Alice sighed.

  ‘She’s gone, Elenor.’

  Elenor stared at her friend in disbelief.

  ‘Gone where? Did she abandon Rose? What’s going on?

  Alice shuffled in her seat. Elenor saw the tiredness in her face, her eyes were dull and aged.

  ‘Coventry was hit badly the night of the fourteenth. The town, nigh on gone. The cathedral, destroyed. Everything turned to rubble and dust.’

  Large tears fell down her face and Alice did nothing to stop them. Her body gave into loud sobs, and Elenor rushed to the door and checked on Rose.

  ‘Victoria is dead, Elenor. Killed when the house was hit. It’s gone, all gone, Elenor. So many dead. Sally, Victoria, Agnes, all dead.’

  ‘Sally’s gone?’ Elenor whispered.

  ‘Yes. I’m sorry to bring such terrible news. Rose is my greatest concern. All the child has left is you and a photograph of her parents, poor lamb. I’ve collected clothes from the donation box. There was a note inside her gasmask box which has named you as her next of kin, along with the name Argyle, a solicitor. I went to find him, to get help, but he’s gone too. It’s exhausting, so sad, Elenor.’

  Alice pulled the wooden framed photograph she’d mentioned out of her bag. Elenor had never seen it before, and it looked as if it was taken not long before George died. Not one parent smiled. Elenor placed it on her desk.

  ‘And you, Alice, she has you. Thank you for bringing her here. Are your family safe? What about you, do you need a home here too?’ Elenor asked.

  She looked at the woman who’d given her guidance into womanhood. There was a grey tinge to her skin which highlighted dark bags beneath her eyes.

  Elenor pulled Alice into her arms and hugged her tight. ‘When did you last sleep?’

  ‘My family are safe, I am one of the lucky ones. I need to return tomorrow, the city needs everyone who can help the poor souls left homeless, it’s dreadful.’

  Elenor put her hands over her face, and fought back the tears for a city she’d once known as home. She needed to be the strong one.

  ‘Victoria’s funeral. I
assume her family will need to be informed.’

  Alice gave a slight cough.

  ‘After they rescued Rose, what she doesn’t know is there was a gas explosion. Victoria has already been buried, as has Sally. A communal burial, Elenor. You understand what I am telling you? I attended on Rose’s behalf.’

  Elenor let her shoulders slump.

  ‘How dreadful. Thank you. Thank you for caring.’

  A shout and scream from the kitchen sent both women running to Rose’s side. The child flailed about under the covers, screaming at the top of her lungs. Her little body shook despite the warmth from the fire. Elenor swooped her into her arms and held her tight.

  ‘Don’t cry Rose, Elenor’s here. I’m here, you’re safe now.’

  Two little arms snaked their way around her neck and Elenor let her own tears fall. Fate had brought them both together, two lonely people in need of love and company.

  ‘You’re home, my darling girl. You are home.’

  Alice removed the bandages from the child’s hands. They were red, but Rose shook her head when asked if they were sore.

  ‘Not now. Mrs Green nursed them better,’ she said and burst into tears.

  Elenor tugged a handkerchief from her cardigan pocket and dried Rose’s eyes.

  ‘She can leave the bandages off if she wears gloves and keeps them clean,’ Alice said. ‘If you are worried at any time, your doctor will know what to do, but the burns and cuts were superficial. It’s love and comfort she needs now.’

  ‘I can give her that, but what about the rest? I’ve never had a child, I’m not a mother.’

  ‘You’ve been more of one than her own. It’s a big responsibility, but you are more than capable, Elenor. Please write if you need advice. Time and patience, Elenor.’

  Both Susie and Dottie arrived home and immediately reorganised their sleeping arrangements to accommodate the guests. Rose and Alice barely ate the food in front of them, and Elenor worried about Alice as much as she did about Rose.

  ‘Just let us know what we can do,’ Susie said.

  ‘Watch over Rose when I can’t. That’s all I ask,’ Elenor said.

  ‘She’s a lucky girl having you in her life.’