The Winter Orphan

by Cathy Sharp

  Bella had fallen asleep at the last, worn out by weeping, raging and pacing the cold floor. She was shaking and her toes had gone numb, but there was nothing she could do except wait until she was released. She’d banged at the door for a long time and called out but the shed door was locked tight and would not budge however hard she pushed and banged against it.

  Surely Matron would not leave her here much longer? She was cold, tired and hungry and beginning to feel very frightened. If she was left here much longer she might die and there was no way she could escape until the door was unlocked. Surely Matron would not dare leave her here to die? Mistress Thomas already disliked her and was suspicious of her. If Bella died then Matron could be in serious trouble …

  ‘I should like to speak with Master Thomas,’ Arthur said as he was shown into the workhouse hallway. ‘No, I do not have an appointment.’

  ‘Master Thomas and his wife went to market,’ the woman who introduced herself as Matron said coldly. ‘I am not sure he would see you without an appointment.’

  ‘No? I have been told he is a reasonable man. When I spoke to the magistrate earlier he assured me I should have no trouble in removing Bella from here as long as all the necessary forms were completed.’

  ‘B-Bella?’ The woman swallowed hard, glanced at the large round clock on the wall. ‘I will inquire if she is here,’ she said, and pounced on a young girl wearing a uniform of blue gown, white cap and white apron. ‘Hannah, go and fetch Bella.’

  The girl stared at her, her face white, and then mumbled something Arthur could not hear.

  ‘Speak up, girl. This person has come to speak with her.’

  ‘She was not in her bed this morning,’ Hannah said shooting a scared glance at Arthur. ‘And she didn’t come down for breakfast …’

  ‘She must have run off again,’ Matron said harshly. ‘It is the second or third time she’s tried since she arrived – and she has been treated with the utmost kindness!’

  Arthur did not take his eyes from Hannah’s face. She knew, as he did, that the woman was lying; he could see it in her eyes.

  ‘Indeed? That is such a pity, especially if she has been shown kindness, for I should have wished to reward those who had treated her well,’ Arthur said. ‘I shall return later this afternoon to speak with Master Thomas. If Bella is missing, a search must be made for her – and I shall want to get to the bottom of this.’ His eyes swept up to meet the older woman’s and saw a start of fear. She glanced at the clock again. ‘At what hour do you expect your superior to return, ma’am?’

  Colour ebbed and flowed in Matron’s face. He saw anger and bile and watched her clench her hands but he had dealt with many her equal in spite and would not let her get away with her obvious lies.

  ‘You may of course visit whenever you wish,’ Matron blustered and dismissed Hannah with a curt nod. ‘About your business, girl! Have you no work?’

  Hannah hurried away, her head down but she looked over her shoulder and something in her eyes warned Arthur. ‘I shall take my leave, ma’am,’ he said, ‘but be assured that I shall return, several times if need be – until Bella is found.’

  She made no reply but there was fear in her eyes. What had she done that made her look like that?

  Arthur went out of the door and stood for a moment wondering what to do next. He was about to turn away when Hannah came rushing from the back of the house.

  ‘Oh sir,’ she cried, ‘don’t go yet! I am feared for Bella. I think she took her in the night and locked her somewhere.’

  ‘You mean Matron?’

  ‘Yes, sir. Are you Mr Stoneham – the gentleman Bella wrote to?’

  ‘I am Mr Stoneham but I have had no letter from Bella.’

  ‘We addressed it to London,’ Hannah said. ‘Mistress Thomas promised it would be sent – but that was only yesterday.’

  ‘I would not yet have received it, even had I been there,’ Arthur said and nodded. ‘What did Bella ask?’

  ‘That you might help us both find work. Matron has turned her spite on us both …’ Hannah gave a little sob. ‘She has locked others she stole from their beds in a cold shed and one boy caught a dreadful chill. He died but no one told the master who made him ill – we didn’t dare to say anything against Matron, though we suspected what she’d done. She likes to torment the small ones, you see,’ Hannah said, ‘and I think I know where she put Bella but the door will be locked …’

  ‘Show me!’ Hannah set off at a run and Arthur followed swiftly. They entered the back yard where several outbuildings were situated and he caught sight of a woman’s gown as she went behind a large building.

  ‘We’d best hurry!’

  He increased his pace and rounded the edge of the laundry in time to see Matron use a key to unlock the small shed. She went inside and Arthur followed. He motioned to Hannah to stay well back and stood to listen as the malignant voice rose shrilly.

  ‘I hope you are sufficiently punished, Bella? Remember, I could have left you here to starve had I wished. If you dare to speak out against me again I shall—’

  ‘What will you do, ma’am?’ Arthur asked going inside. ‘Will you leave her long enough to starve or catch pneumonia or will you murder her and then leave her body here?’

  ‘You devil! You tricked me!’ Matron cried and moved to strike him with a small heavy leather knob she held in her hand, but he caught her wrist and twisted it so that she cried out in pain and dropped it. She stood looking at him with hatred in her eyes and rubbing her wrist. ‘You can prove nothing! Bella locked herself in here whilst hiding to get out of her duties.’

  ‘What should I wish to prove?’ Arthur asked. ‘When I have spoken to Master Thomas you will no longer be employed here and I shall circulate your name and description so that no other institution will employ you. But it will be up to the magistrate whether or not he wishes to charge you with the offence of bodily harm.’

  ‘I have never killed or hurt anyone,’ she said viciously. ‘Children should be disciplined and it is lawful to use the rod – I find they learn quicker if they are shut in here in the dark and cold for a night.’

  ‘You think that justice?’ Arthur said, untying Bella’s hands. ‘Go outside, child, and wait with Hannah.’ He turned to look at Matron. ‘You think it right to lock small children in here? You shall wait here for your employers to release you. I shall take the children away and wait for their return. It is not the same as being shut in overnight, but it may serve to make you think twice in future.’

  ‘You cannot – you dare not!’ Matron looked furious but Arthur smiled, thrusting her back as she tried to push past and escape then went out and locked the door behind him. ‘Let me out this instant!’

  ‘You will remain there until Master Thomas decides to set you free,’ Arthur said. ‘We must leave you now, ma’am, for we have an appointment and these young people need something to eat.’

  ‘Mr Stoneham – you came!’ Bella said and stared at him in wonder. ‘I thought you might have forgotten me.’

  ‘There are several people who would not let me, even had I wanted to,’ Arthur said and smiled oddly. He looked at Hannah, dark brows arched. ‘I can find you a new life and work – should you wish it?’

  ‘I should like to stay with Bella for a while …’

  ‘Do you have anything to bring with you – anything that is yours?’ Both girls shook their heads. ‘Then we must pay the master for your clothes and find you new ones as soon as Hetty can manage it … come with me.’ Arthur led the way to where his agent was waiting. ‘I must speak with the master here. Watch the horses for we shall be taking the girls with us shortly.’

  ‘The master arrived back just now and asked me my business. I told him you wished to see him, sir.’

  ‘Come inside, girls,’ Arthur said, ‘and warm yourselves by the fire. As soon as I have concluded business I shall take you to Polly and ask her to feed you while I send for my carriage – and then I can take you back with me.’r />
  ‘Where do we go, sir?’ Bella asked.

  ‘For a short time to what was the workhouse at Sculfield – fear not, Mistress Brent and her husband have gone. I want to talk to you both so that I may understand what is best for you and then I shall do my utmost to see you settled happily for I will not let either of you be returned here or anywhere like it. Will you trust me?’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ Hannah said and smiled. ‘Just because of what you did to her – Matron.’

  Bella nodded her head in agreement. ‘She deserved it, but I always trusted you, sir. I just had nowhere else to go and I was afeared of Mistress Brent.’

  ‘You will have somewhere better now,’ he promised. ‘Go along to the fire. I shall not be long and then you will eat some of Polly’s good food and I shall make arrangements to get you home to Hetty and Meg. Hetty is a friend of mine and she is looking after the folk at the workhouse for me until I can move them to a new home.’

  Bella nodded and bobbed a curtsey. ‘Thank you, sir. I am grateful to you. May I ask, what happened to Meg’s baby? Did you find her?’

  ‘We are still looking,’ Arthur said. ‘My friend went in search of the babe and he will not give up until he finds her.’

  ‘Then he will find her,’ Hannah said and the look she gave Arthur was little short of adoring.

  ‘Well, sir, I am surprised to say the least,’ Master Thomas said when Arthur had told him what had transpired. ‘I know Matron to be a disciplinarian, but I did not realise that she was torturing the younger ones.’

  ‘I’ve been told that one boy died of pneumonia after she’d locked him in the shed overnight – but no one guessed that she was to blame.’ The master looked shocked at the revelation and Arthur thought it was genuine. ‘She cannot be allowed to continue in a position of authority.’

  ‘Certainly not. Where did you say you left her?’

  ‘In the shed she has too often used for her victims.’ Arthur gave him a hard look. ‘I can leave the matter in your hands? I do not wish to learn she has been restored to her post in a few weeks’ time. I should then have to take it up with the local magistrate.’

  ‘No, of course not – if I had had any idea …’ He spread his hands. ‘I trusted her implicitly …’

  ‘I did mention, dearest,’ Mistress Thomas said mildly. ‘I did not care for her manner towards myself – and I saw her bullying children on more than one occasion. I should be pleased to take her place for any of her duties, Henry.’ Her manner was gentle but underneath she seemed a determined little woman and Arthur smiled inwardly.

  Her husband seemed as if he would protest but then inclined his head. Arthur thought that perhaps he might have been attracted to Matron and his wife had been aware of it. Master Thomas knew, of course, that one word from Arthur would see him looking for a new post and had decided that total acquiescence was the better part of valour this time.

  ‘Yes, of course, Helen. I shall be happy for you to do so.’ He brightened a little. ‘It will save the cost of a new matron …’

  Arthur hid his amusement as he paid a few coins for the clothes the children were wearing and took his leave. Both girls were standing waiting for him, looking expectant.

  ‘Ready? Good.’ His eyes lit from within. ‘Polly was baking this morning so I am certain she will have a great deal of food for you – and then you shall come and meet Hetty and Meg and we shall all decide what will be the best future for you …’

  Polly was so excited that she wept for pleasure. She insisted on feeding not only Hannah and Bella but Arthur and his agent too.

  ‘Well, I never,’ she repeated over and over. ‘I never expected this – not in all my born days. A gentleman sittin’ down to eat in my kitchen and two lovely girls with him.’ She glanced at Arthur’s agent. ‘You be welcome too, sir, whoever yer be, but I do like to have my Bella here and this here gentleman what has brought her to us is a proper saint.’

  After the meal, the men left the farmhouse together. Arthur spoke at length to Farmer Green, money was given, and they shook hands before Arthur rode off with his agent. Bella and Hannah were left with Polly and cleared the dishes into the hot water in the sink. Polly washed them with a cloth, Hannah wiped the plates and cups and Bella set them out on the big old dresser opposite the fireplace.

  ‘Well, this is lovely,’ Polly said fifty times over as she got out her rug-making kit and the two girls helped her pull strands of rag pieces through the coarse sacking that made the base of the peg rug. All the pieces of cloth had been cut to the same size and were placed in different coloured piles, making a bright pattern as Polly deftly threaded them into place. ‘What I wouldn’t give of a winter’s night to have two lovely girls like yerselves wiv me.’

  ‘I shall never forget you, Polly,’ Bella said. ‘Mr Stoneham says he will help me choose what I want to make of my life – but I like being here with you, Polly.’

  ‘And I’d have yer, my lovely,’ Polly said. ‘If I could afford it.’

  ‘I should like to work for a lady sewing fine things,’ Hannah said, ‘but I doubt I’m good enough.’

  Bella assured her she was, though in truth she was not as good as Florrie or Phyllis had been. ‘I thought you wanted to be a teacher?’ she said.

  ‘Yes, but I need more schooling before I could do that,’ Hannah said.

  ‘If you tell Mr Stoneham, he will know what to do,’ Bella said and Hannah’s smile lit up.

  ‘Yes, I think he will,’ she agreed.

  When the rattle of wheels outside announced Mr Stoneham’s arrival later that afternoon, Polly’s face fell but she kissed both girls and told them to visit her if they could and they hugged her and thanked her.

  ‘She is lovely, just like a mother,’ Hannah said wistfully as they went outside and climbed into the carriage where a lady was waiting for them. She smiled at them and offered them a blanket to place over their legs.

  ‘I’m Hetty,’ she said. ‘I am going to look after you until we all go to our new home. Mr Stoneham has bought a lovely place for us all and you will travel there with us and live in our community until you decide what you wish to do with your lives.’

  ‘Will you live there too?’

  ‘Not forever,’ Hetty said. ‘Just until everyone is settled and happy – and you may not either. Arthur – Mr Stoneham – wants everyone to be happy. You will have the chance to think about what you truly wish and then he will help you find the right place.’

  ‘He’s wonderful isn’t he?’ Hannah said, youthful adoration in her face.

  ‘Yes, I have always thought so,’ Hetty agreed. ‘Now, why don’t you both tell me all about yourselves on the journey home …?’

  CHAPTER 21

  Toby looked hard at the woman but could not doubt that she spoke the truth. His heart sank as he realised that he must return to Meg and tell her that he had failed her. Her child was dead – had died of a fever just two weeks after she was brought to her new home.

  ‘I am sorry to hear that, ma’am,’ he said for the woman had tears in her eyes. ‘However, I do not know what I am to tell her mother for the child was stolen and this news will break her heart.’

  ‘It fair broke mine, sir, when the poor little mite breathed its last,’ she replied. ‘I know you must think us evil, but my brother told us he knew of a house that sent unwanted babes to homes with those that would love them – and as he lives not six miles distant, he went to speak with the mistress there. He was told that a young woman would give birth in a few days and did not want her child … my husband and I immediately travelled to my brother’s home to await the birth and to bring the babe home. My brother paid her two hundred guineas to keep the babe for us and we paid her another hundred for we were grateful …’ Her eyes filled with tears. ‘I know it was wrong, sir, but I was desperate for a child and had it lived, I would have loved it dearly.’ The tears spilled over and down her cheeks.

  Toby nodded, believing her story. Her brother might have known the child was st
olen but she’d believed the mother had willingly given up the babe, though still known it was wrong. However, there was no point in raging at her for the child was dead and nothing more could be done.

  ‘I shall take my leave,’ he said and turned away but she caught his arm and he looked back at her. ‘Yes?’

  ‘I could not bear to hold another child yet but …’ She looked at him fearfully, uncertain whether to speak. ‘My husband said that a young girl – not more than fourteen – in the village some five miles from here, has given birth to a girl child. She was raped and intends to give up the babe for her father will not let her keep it. My husband thought I might take her but I could not bear it yet.’ Her voice broke and Toby saw then how much she had grieved for the lost child.

  He hesitated, then, ‘What is the name of this girl?’ he asked and she told him that it was one Gillian Goss of Exening.

  ‘I thank you, madam,’ Toby said and left her comfortable home, pausing for a moment before entering his carriage. He was torn by doubt, the thought she had put into his mind growing, and yet horrified at the deceit it meant he must practise if he carried out an act of kindness …

  Meg had helped to prepare a room for the two girls to share and she was hovering at the window waiting for them when she saw Toby Rattan’s carriage drive in through the gates. Giving a cry of joy, she ran downstairs and was at the door to meet him. He was carrying a bundle wrapped in a shawl in his arms, and Meg’s heart fluttered, hardly daring to believe what she saw. He had found her child! Tears came to her eyes and she could scarce breathe. He lifted his head to look at her and she saw the joy and triumph in his eyes.