by Linda Finlay
‘A snag which we cannot see how we can overcome.’ Mrs Knight sighed deeply and stared down at her hands.
‘Perhaps we might be of assistance,’ Miss Snooper said. ‘We good ladies of the church are renowned for our enterprise and pride ourselves on assisting wherever we can.’
‘That is most kind of you, ladies,’ Mrs Knight began. ‘However, I think this might be beyond even your capabilities.’
‘Well, if you don’t tell us, we won’t know, will we?’ Miss Middle countered.
‘That is true, Miss Middle. You see, I have this marvellous cotton material at home which would be suitable for smocks and shirts. Now, I am happy to run these up for the children, ready for the school inspection but, alas, would never be able to add all the trimmings and buttons on so many garments with such time constraints.’
As Mrs Knight shook her head and fell silent, Sarah inwardly applauded the woman’s guile.
‘I have it,’ Miss Snooper cried. ‘We, the good ladies of the church, can assist.’
‘You can?’ Mrs Knight gasped, clutching her hands to her chest.
‘Goodness me, yes,’ Miss Prior added. ‘My sewing skills are second to none.’
‘We can have them ready, just like that,’ Miss Middle added, snapping her fingers.
‘Are you sure, ladies? I mean, it would need a concerted effort over the next couple of weeks or so?’ Sarah asked.
‘We’re sure,’ they chorused.
‘But where would you meet?’
‘I could put my front room at our disposal, ladies,’ Mrs Knight suggested. ‘Then, as soon as I finish on the machine, the garment can be passed on to you for hand-finishing.’
‘We can form a sewing bee,’ Miss Snooper cried.
‘Yes, we shall be busy, busy bees,’ Miss Prior cried.
‘Very busy, busy bees,’ Mrs Middle added.
‘There, Miss Sullivan, I told you we good ladies of the church would solve your problem,’ Miss Snooper said, giving a sniff. ‘We have the well-being of the community at heart and are always at the centre of its affairs, aren’t we, verger?’
‘Yes, ladies, I can safely say you are,’ Jack agreed, his lips twitching.
‘Well, now we’ve solved your little glitch, we’d better be leaving, Miss Sullivan. We are very busy ladies, you know,’ Miss Snooper said. As one, the three ladies rose to their feet. ‘Shall we say ten thirty tomorrow morning, Mrs Knight?’
‘That would be splendid, Miss Snooper. I shall make a start as soon as Jack here has delivered me safely home.’
‘Allow me, ladies,’ Jack said, jumping up and opening the door.
As Sarah and Mrs Knight stared triumphantly at each other, the ladies could be heard outside, singing ‘We are the busy bees’ as they made their way down the driveway. No sooner had Jack re-entered the room than the three of them burst out laughing.
‘That was a terrific performance, Mrs Knight,’ Sarah cried.
The woman shrugged. ‘You heard Miss Snooper. By her own admission, they are always at the centre of community affairs, and by now I should think it will be halfway around Torquay that they have solved our dilemma,’ Mrs Knight smiled. ‘Now, if I’m to make a start on cutting out, you’d better take me home, verger.’
‘I’m so sorry if we’ve delayed you, Jack,’ Sarah said.
‘I wouldn’t have missed the show for the world,’ he admitted. ‘Although if the vicar should ask, I was merely carrying out parish duties.’ With a wink and smile, he wheeled Mrs Knight to the door.
‘I can’t thank you enough, Mrs Knight,’ Sarah said.
‘My dear, it has given me a sense of purpose as well as an opportunity to rekindle my love of amateur dramatics. Do please feel free to call around anytime to check on the progress of our sewing.’
With a final warm smile in Sarah’s direction, Jack wheeled Mrs Knight out of the front door. As Sarah went back inside, she distinctly heard the sound of Mrs Knight, accompanied by the verger, singing ‘We are the busy bees’.
Just wait until I tell Harry, she thought. Harry, goodness, she was meant to be sitting in on afternoon lessons. Quickly straightening her skirts, she hurried down to the schoolroom.
‘Good afternoon, Miss Sullivan,’ Harry greeted her.
‘Good afternoon, Master Higgins. I’m sorry I’m late,’ she apologized. It was only as a titter ran around the class that she realized what she’d said. Harry’s lips twitched, and she realized he was wondering whether or not to pursue the subject. Darting him her sternest look, she was relieved to see him turn to the blackboard.
‘Now, to continue with our sums, who can tell me the answer to this? If I had twelve iced buns and took one away how many would be left?’
‘None, sir.’
‘None, Black? How do you make that out?’
‘If I saw twelve iced buns I’d have to eat them all so there’d be none left,’ he chortled.
As the class dissolved into hysterics, the master opened his desk, took out his tawse and held it in the air.
‘I ain’t staying ’ere to be whipped,’ Kitty cried, jumping to her feet.
‘Sit down, Kitty,’ the master ordered.
‘Not blinkin’ likely. I got enuf scars on me back already,’ she sobbed. Before Sarah could stop her, she fled from the room.
28
As shocked silence descended on the schoolroom, Harry saw Sarah getting to her feet and motioned for her to remain seated. The look of disapproval she was giving him made him speak more sharply than he’d intended.
‘Right, Black,’ he snapped. ‘This upset has been brought about by your mischievous bent so you will atone by continuing with the lesson.’
‘Me, sir?’ he squeaked, suddenly looking unsure of himself.
‘Yes, Black, you. Come to the front of the class and take everyone through their tables, starting with two times two for the younger ones and continuing until you reach twelve times twelve.’ As the boy blanched, Harry walked towards the door. ‘Miss Sullivan, please take charge in my absence and report any mistakes Black makes when I return.’ Without waiting for a response, he strode from the room.
Cursing himself for not remembering Kitty had been lashed by that callous brute, Harry peered around the grounds. He only ever used the tawse as a deterrent, but the poor child wasn’t to know that. Suddenly, he caught sight of a movement and saw Kitty pelting hell for leather towards the end of the garden. By the time he reached her, she was leaning against the fence, watching seagulls wheeling and swooping across the bay.
‘It would be lovely to be free like that, wouldn’t it?’ he asked softly.
‘Not ’arf,’ she sighed. ‘I ain’t comin’ back to be whipped,’ she added, her eyes narrowing. ‘I had enough lashings from the guv.’
‘That was unforgivable behaviour on his part. I just wanted you to know that I never actually use the tawse, Kitty.’
‘Yeah, right,’ she sneered. ‘Why you got it, then?’
‘To act as a deterrent to the pupils,’ he explained.
‘A whata?’ she asked.
‘It’s meant as a warning,’ he smiled.
‘Well, why didn’t you say that?’ The way she stood staring at him reminded Harry of a cat sizing up an enemy. ‘Why don’t you just tell them off?’
‘I do, but they don’t always listen,’ he sighed. ‘Seeing the tawse makes them think twice about misbehaving in the first place. It acts as a reminder of what could happen if they do. I can’t expect you to understand, but it’s a big responsibility, ensuring they don’t come to any harm whilst they’re in my care.’
‘I do understand, ’cos it were my duty to look after me bruvver and … Oh blimey, I’d forgotten about Luke. I can’t leave without him,’ she said, turning back towards the path.
‘Luke has a fever, Kitty. He’s sleeping at the moment, and Dr Hawkins is calling in to check on him after he’s finished his surgery.’
‘He will be all right?’ she asked, anxiously.
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p; ‘I’m sure he will. Better to get him looked over first, though,’ he replied. ‘Then, if he gets the all clear, you can leave before supper.’
‘Before supper,’ Kitty muttered, screwing up her face and staring back over the bay. She looked so forlorn, Harry’s heart went out to the little girl. ‘You couldn’t leave after because it would be dark and unsafe for young Luke to be wandering around.’
‘Nor safe for me, mister. You ’ave no idea what some men suggest. I mean, I might be poor but I got me morals. And I ain’t no charity case, either.’
Harry swallowed hard. This was certainly one proud young lady; he’d have to take things gently if he was to persuade her to stay. ‘Well, for a start you are deemed a minor by law which means the local authority have a duty to pay something towards your upkeep.’
‘Ain’t heard about that before,’ she said, eying him suspiciously.
‘Well, it happens to be true. Secondly, I’d be upset if you did decide to leave,’ he murmured.
‘Why? What’s it to you?’ she asked, glaring at him.
He gave a long sigh. ‘Well, apart from the fact that I can see you are bright and would benefit from a good education, there’s a pupil here who would gain from your help.’
‘Me? ’Elp someone? ’Ow?’ she asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
‘This girl is desperate to be liked by the others so spends her time acting as though she’s a hard nut. She thinks by playing pranks and being disruptive they will admire her, but in truth they generally tend to steer clear of her.’
‘Not surprised. That’s a daft way to go about things, ain’t it?’ she said.
Harry nodded. ‘I agree, Kitty, but the thing is, she won’t listen to a grown-up like me. She needs someone nearer her age to guide her. Someone with a more mature outlook who understands what makes people tick.’ Seeing he had her attention, he shrugged his shoulders dramatically.
‘Well, I nos ’bout people, that’s for sure,’ Kitty sighed.
‘As I say, you would make the perfect friend for her. Still, as Mrs Daws has told you, we never keep people here against their will, so …’ He let his words hang in the air and stared studiously out over the sea. As he listened to the waves being sucked into the crevices around the base of the red cliffs, he prayed Kitty would be sucked in by his plan. This little girl, with her shell-like exterior, needed the help and protection of the school more than she realized.
‘Well, I bin finkin’, like,’ Kitty said after a few moments. ‘Luke needs to see this doctor, and if ’e’s poorly, it would be cruel not to let ’im ’ave’ is supper, ’specially as ’e missed ’is lunch, so I could hang around and ’elp, as long as you promise not to use that whip.’
‘Well, if you’re really sure?’ he asked, trying to appear nonchalant.
‘What’s ’er name?’ Kitty asked.
‘A teacher never divulges secrets, Kitty, but between you and me, she’s the only girl in the class who has nobody sitting next to her.’
‘Ah, got yer,’ Kitty said, tapping the side of her nose with her finger. ‘If you think she needs me then we’d better go back right now, hadn’t we?’
As Kitty hurried back along the path, Harry let out a sigh of relief. If Kitty and Edith helped each other, he could get back to his task of ensuring the pupils were ready for the inspection.
By the time they re-entered the classroom, Black was struggling with his eight times table.
‘So, Miss Sullivan, how does young Black here measure up as a teacher?’ he asked.
‘He tried very hard, Master Higgins,’ she replied, diplomatically.
‘But Miss had to keep putting him right,’ Edith sniggered before turning in surprise as Kitty slipped into the seat alongside her.
‘Right, then,’ Harry said. ‘If you have given the class their mathematical instruction for the afternoon, you may return to your seat, Black.’ Immediately the boy scuttled back to his bench. ‘It is important you can all write the letters of your name clearly when the inspector visits. I have penned the appropriate letters out for each of you to copy.’ He went around the room handing each pupil their name card. ‘You will spend the next thirty minutes copying the letters onto your slates.’ He was about to give Monday hers when a thought struck him. Hunkering down beside the little girl, he smiled. ‘Now you have found your voice, I wonder if you can tell us your real name?’
‘’Cors I can,’ Monday nodded. ‘It’s Monday,’ she cried.
‘What a day,’ Harry muttered as they made their way towards the kitchen for a much-needed hot drink.
‘I can feel your frustration from here,’ Sarah sighed, looking at the pupils, who, heedless of the cold wind blowing in from the sea, were running around enjoying the freedom of the garden.
‘It was a stupid lapse on my part to bring out that tawse,’ he admitted.
‘To be honest, I was thinking more of the difficulty you face having to teach such a wide-ranging age group. It must take a lot of planning,’ she said gently.
He stared at her in surprise. ‘Fancy you realizing that. It is a challenge but …’ He stopped as an agitated Kitty came hurtling towards them.
‘I ’ate you, miss. You promised I could trust you,’ she shrieked.
‘And you can, Kitty,’ Sarah assured her.
‘Then why’s that copper come back? I’m getting Luke, then I’m off. I ain’t waitin’ around to be banged up.’
As she began to run away, Harry’s arm shot out and pulled her back. ‘You are not going anywhere, young lady, until we get everything sorted out. Now, come along. We’ll go and see exactly what the policeman wants. You never know, it could be good news,’ he said.
‘Like that’s goin’ to ’appen,’ Kitty snorted but let him lead her into the kitchen.
‘Good afternoon, Miss Sullivan, Master Higgins,’ Sergeant Watts said, getting to his feet. From the look of the empty cup and half-eaten seed cake, he had been there some time.
‘There you are, Kitty. Fancy running off like that,’ Mrs Daws scolded. Kitty glared at the housekeeper.
‘What can we do to help you, Sergeant?’ Sarah asked.
‘I’m here on official business,’ he said, puffing out his chest importantly. ‘Perhaps we should go through to your office, miss.’
Sarah stared from Kitty’s scared expression to the policeman’s pompous one and shook her head. ‘It’s much warmer in here, Sergeant. Anything you have to say can be heard by everyone.’
‘Well, if you’re sure,’ he replied, looking doubtful.
‘Shall we all make ourselves comfortable around the table?’ Sarah suggested. ‘Ah, April,’ she added, as the girl came in and stared at them, open-mouthed. ‘Would you please supervise the children and make sure we are not disturbed?’
‘Yes, Miss Sullivan,’ she replied.
‘Right, Sergeant,’ Sarah continued as soon as the door closed behind the girl. ‘Perhaps you would like to explain why you are here.’
‘Indeed, Miss Sullivan,’ he replied, pulling out his notebook and flipping it open. ‘We have apprehended a certain Mr Cedric Smith.’
‘That’s the guv,’ Kitty cried. ‘Is he banged up?’
‘He is helping us with our enquiries, yes. He was caught taking a wallet from a gentleman as he alighted from the train at the station.’
‘He never were no good at thievin’. That’s why he got us to …’ Kitty’s voice trailed away, and she looked fearfully at the sergeant. ‘Suppose you goin’ to bang me up an’ all?’
Sarah reached out and took hold of the little girl’s hand. ‘She is only a child, Sergeant.’
‘Quite, miss, and we at the local constabulary pride ourselves on the fair and understanding way in which we conduct ourselves,’ the man replied, staring sternly at her through his glasses. ‘As I was saying, Miss Sullivan, we have apprehended one Cedric Smith and need more information from young, er, Kitty here.’ He paused and stared solemnly at the girl. ‘Now, young lady, I want you to tell
me exactly what your business was with this Mr Smith.’
‘He made me steal things,’ Kitty muttered, looking down at her lap.
‘What kind of things, where and when?’ the sergeant asked, his pencil poised.
‘Off the trains or at the station, mainly. There’s good pickings from the swells coming here on holiday, and if I got him a decent amount of dosh, I’d get food and a straw bed behind the sidings.’
‘So, this Mr Smith is the brains of the operation?’ Sergeant Watts asked.
‘’Im? ’E ain’t got no brains,’ Kitty hooted. ‘Just does what the toff tells him.’
‘This toff, does he have a name?’ the sergeant asked, pencil poised.
‘Guv called ’im “that conniving bastard”,’ Kitty shrugged.
‘Do you know what he looks like?’ Harry asked gently.
‘Yeah, I seed ’im once. Told you, didn’t I, miss, how he ’ad the best sleight of ’and I ever seen. Suppose, with ’is smart cloves and topper, no one thought ’e were a fingersmith.’
‘And this smartly dressed gentleman was Mr Smith’s boss?’
Kitty nodded. ‘And loads of uvvers. He ’ad all sorts workin’ for ’im. Once ’e’d marked their card, that were it, they were in the net.’
‘Marked their card?’ Mrs Daws snorted. ‘What kind of language is that?’
‘It’s street speak,’ Kitty told the woman grandly. ‘Means ’e had somefink on ’em ’e could shop to the cops if they didn’t come up with the goods.’
‘But how did you get involved with such a man?’ Sarah asked.
Kitty sighed like an old woman. ‘Caught me pinching off the barrow, did’n’ ’e? Luke were starving,’ she added, staring at the policeman defensively.
‘Luke being your brother?’ Sergeant Watts asked. ‘And what would his surname be?’
‘You ain’t catchin’ me like that. You said I was sharp, didn’t you, Master Higgins?’ the girl chirped gleefully.
‘I certainly did, Kitty,’ he agreed. ‘Sergeant Watts, what exactly is it you want from Kitty?’
‘I already have what I came for, sir,’ the sergeant said, snapping his notebook shut. ‘Kitty here has confirmed our suspicions that the thieving ring operating around the stations is being masterminded by a “toff”, as she puts it. Wouldn’t happen to remember the colour of his hair, I suppose?’ he asked, turning to Kitty.