Christmas for the Halfpenny Orphans

by Cathy Sharp

  Michelle looked at her mother in surprise. She’d never thought of her mother as having a life other than as a wife and mother, but of course she’d been young and single once. Both Michelle’s parents had gone without treats to put her through nursing college and she’d always felt grateful for the sacrifices they’d made and wanted to contribute to the family budget. Now her mother was telling her that she should get married and Michelle was aware that she wanted a family of her own. For too long she’d thought she couldn’t trust men, but now she was beginning to think that perhaps there was one she could trust not to let her down …

  THIRTY-TWO

  ‘No, don’t want to see her!’ Samantha said, setting her bottom lip stubbornly. She was clinging to Sarah’s hand and looking at Wendy defiantly. ‘Sarah and me, we want to stay here. You promised she wouldn’t make us go away again …’

  ‘It isn’t your Aunt Jane who is coming to see you next week,’ Wendy said, her throat tight with emotion as she saw the fear and tension in the girls’ faces. She’d become so fond of them and it would break her heart if the twins were sent to live with someone who would mistreat them and perhaps put Sarah in a home for retarded children. ‘It’s your mummy’s sister from France.’

  ‘Ma’s sister?’ Samantha looked at her blankly. ‘Pa never mentioned her having a sister. Please don’t let them send us away again, Nurse Wendy.’

  ‘Your auntie is coming a long way to see you,’ Wendy said. Although it broke her heart to see Samantha upset, she knew that if the aunt was suitable nothing she or even Angela could do would prevent the authorities from giving the children into her care. ‘Let’s wait and see what happens, shall we? Your mummy was lovely – didn’t your father tell you that?’

  Samantha nodded warily. ‘She died when Sarah was born. Pa hated her because of it, but it wasn’t Sarah’s fault.’

  ‘How could anyone hate Sarah?’ Wendy said and shook her head. The thought of the cruelty they’d endured made her want to run away with them to keep them safe, but she knew it wouldn’t help them in the end. ‘You don’t have to worry about going away yet awhile, Samantha. Your aunt is going to visit so that you can get to know her first. You never know – you might like her.’

  It was the only comfort she could give, but Wendy could see by the expression in Samantha’s eyes that she wasn’t convinced.

  ‘You’d better take Sarah down to Nancy,’ she said, resisting the urge to hug them and promise she would never let them go. Wendy didn’t have a home of her own or a family, and she certainly couldn’t afford to support two children – especially if she broke all the rules and ran off with the twins. Despite all the love inside her, she knew it would be foolish to promise something she couldn’t give, but as she watched the twins walk away with their heads down, her heart felt as if it were splitting in two.

  As she turned back to the wards and started to make beds and take the drinks round to her patients, Wendy made up her mind to speak to Angela, asking her to be vigilant and not let the twins go to this aunt unless she was kind. Surely even that Miss Sampson wouldn’t risk letting the twins suffer again as they had at the hands of their father and then his sister …

  ‘It’s so unfair!’ Wendy had waited until the end of her shift before going to Angela’s office, but her anger hadn’t abated. ‘You should have seen Samantha’s face when I told her that her aunt was coming next week. Poor mite’s terrified they’ll be taken away from us and end up separated from each other again. They’re happy here and they want to stay – why doesn’t anyone ask the children what they want?’

  ‘I agree that it seems unfair,’ Angela said. ‘And I wish I could do more, but I’ve spoken with Miss Sampson on three occasions now and she seems to think the late Mrs May’s sister is a good person who will give the children a better life than they have here. Madame Bernard and her husband live on a farm in France. Apparently, she is unable to have children of her own, and she is very keen to give her sister’s children a home.’

  ‘Oh …’ Wendy faltered and looked at her uncertainly. ‘I suppose … as long as she isn’t unkind to them …’

  ‘She’ll be here next weekend and she wants to take them to the country for two days, to try to get to know them. All her credentials have been checked – so I don’t really see how we can prevent her.’

  ‘Supposing she tries to leave the country with them?’

  ‘I don’t believe she would do that … but perhaps I can arrange it so that you would go with them for the weekend?’ Angela looked thoughtful. ‘If I explained what happened before, tell her that they are nervous of strangers … I don’t know whether I’ll be able to persuade her to agree, but assuming I can, would you be happy to go with them?’

  ‘Oh yes, I’d love to!’ Wendy said. ‘I’m off next weekend, so you won’t have to change the rota.’

  ‘Well then, I shall speak to Madame Bernard when she arrives and let you know what she has to say.’

  Wendy smiled, thanked her and left. Angela, too, felt a glimmer of hope; the twins’ fate had been preying on her mind ever since Miss Sampson had told her about Mme Bernard’s visit. If Wendy came back from the weekend visit satisfied that the girls’ aunt would give them a good home, it would be one less thing to worry about.

  With Sister Beatrice unlikely to return from convalescence much before Christmas, Angela was still working all hours. At least now she had all the clerical work under control, and on the whole she was happy with the way things were going. The staffing levels bothered her, though. The nurse she’d engaged to help out until Sister Beatrice returned had let them down at the last minute. Since then she’d interviewed several nurses, but she’d yet to find one who was suitable for this work. If they were hit by winter flu epidemic, she dreaded to think how they would cope …

  ‘If they try to part us again, we’re going to run away,’ Samantha told her twin that evening as they were getting washed to go to bed. ‘Our mother’s sister is coming to visit from France. I reckon if we’re not here, she’ll go back home and they will let us stay at St Saviour’s.’

  Sarah looked at her solemnly and sucked her thumb. ‘Sarah not want to run away,’ she said. ‘Sarah like it here with Nurse Wendy. Nurse Wendy kind. Sarah love Nurse Wendy.’

  ‘Yes, I know. I like Nurse Wendy too,’ Samantha said. ‘But don’t you see? They might make us go with her – Ma’s sister.’

  Sarah started to sing the lullaby she always sang when she needed comfort. Samantha sighed and blinked away her tears. She loved her twin dearly, but Sarah could be stubborn and she didn’t want to leave St Saviour’s. Samantha knew it would be difficult to make her understand that they might have to run away and hide so that they couldn’t be forced to go with this aunt.

  Samantha turned away, fighting her tears and her fear. She didn’t want to leave this place where they were better fed than they had ever been and it was warm and safe. Besides, she wanted to be here at Christmas and take part in all the lovely things Miss Angela had planned. It wasn’t fair that people could decide that they belonged with someone they didn’t know. Why didn’t anyone ever ask them what they wanted? Tears stung her eyes; it didn’t matter what Nurse Wendy or Miss Angela said – nobody really cared how they felt. If they did, they wouldn’t let them go.

  ‘Busy day?’ Mark asked when he arrived at Angela’s that evening. ‘I hope you’re not too tired to go out?’

  ‘No, really, not at all,’ Angela shrugged off the suggestion even though it had been an exhausting day. ‘I’m looking forward to this evening. I could do with a good laugh and Bing Crosby and Bob Hope will be just the tonic I need.’

  ‘Having problems at work?’ Mark asked, offering the bottle of wine he’d brought. ‘I believe this is the one you like?’

  ‘Yes, very much so, thank you. I already have one cooling in the fridge – perhaps you’d open it for me while I fetch my bag and coat.’

  ‘Of course,’ Mark followed her to the kitchen and dealt with the wine while
she went into the bedroom to fetch her bag and velvet evening coat. He handed her a glass as she reappeared. ‘So how about you tell me what’s troubling you?’

  ‘It’s the May twins again. I’ve heard from their aunt and she is definitely coming this weekend. She hopes to take them to the country for a couple of days. Wendy was going to go with them, but we’ve got several children sick at the moment and I don’t think she will be able to leave St Saviour’s.’

  ‘Well, insist that the first meeting takes place at the home and postpone any visits out of St Saviour’s for a while. I think you have the right to do that much, Angela.’

  ‘Yes, I think I must after that fiasco with Miss Jane May.’

  She took a sip of her wine. ‘I shouldn’t get so upset, but Wendy is distressed over it and I’ve been trying to reassure her, even though I know there isn’t much we can do if Children’s Welfare decide the aunt can take them.’

  ‘Well, you’ve done all you can for the time being. Tonight you must relax and think about having fun,’ he urged. ‘You look beautiful, Angela.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Angela smiled. ‘I suppose I worry about them too much. I just don’t want them to be hurt again.’

  ‘That’s something we shall face when we get there,’ Mark said. He hesitated, then, ‘I’ve done some digging on Henry Arnold, as you suggested …’

  ‘What have you discovered?’

  ‘Nothing remotely helpful as regards discrediting him, I’m afraid.’

  ‘Oh, so it looks as if the Board will need to decide if they like his ideas.’

  ‘I think so far they’re evenly split. It has always been the intention of some of my colleagues to fund a home in the country, Angela. If I’m honest, I’m inclined to agree with them – the fresh air and the availability of open spaces to run about in is obviously advantageous. That said, I can see why you and Sister Beatrice are in opposition.’

  ‘She will resist with everything she has,’ Angela said, ‘and so shall I. Right now, we’re needed where we are. It’s the wrong time, Mark. Why is Henry Arnold in such a hurry to push this through? He’s acting as if it has to be now, and this piece of land he’s found is the only one that will do – doesn’t that seem odd to you?’

  ‘The land is certainly being offered to us at a bargain price,’ Mark said. ‘All the same, I cannot see why we can’t wait a few years … In that regard, I agree with you and Sister Beatrice.’

  ‘I read the notes, and as you know, the Board put his suggestion forward for consideration last time they met, and I’ve prepared a case against an immediate move, which I intend to present at the next meeting – but I’m sure Henry Arnold will have prepared one that looks irresistible.’

  ‘I’ve no doubt you’re right. And like you, I wonder why he’s so determined to have his way.’ Mark finished his wine. ‘I’ll keep digging, Angela, but so far he seems whiter than white – and the Board won’t turn down a gift horse. Even if they’re not ready to build for a few years, I suppose there’s no reason they shouldn’t acquire the land.’

  ‘Provided it really is suitable. But I cannot help thinking that, given the lengths he went to just to get me on his side, he must be up to something underhand.’

  ‘If he is, I haven’t found it yet, but there are still some avenues to try – and you can be certain I shan’t give up, but that’s enough of business for one evening. I told you to relax and we’ve done nothing but talk shop. From now on it’s forbidden. I want to enjoy your company, Angela. And you really do need to relax.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Angela said. ‘You’re such a good friend, Mark.’

  ‘Perhaps I’ll be more, one of these days,’ he said softly. ‘We’d better go, my dearest girl, or I shan’t want to go at all and it would be a pity to miss the film …’

  Angela laughed softly. It was the first time for ages that she’d felt this close to him and she wasn’t about to let anything spoil their evening – particularly that odious Mr Arnold …

  THIRTY-THREE

  ‘You’ll have to stay off school for once and look after Mammy,’ Kelly said to her younger sister. ‘I can’t take another day off work or I shall get the sack. I’ve been warned several times, Cate, so don’t look so miserable.’

  ‘It’s choir practice for the carols,’ Cate said and gave her sister a defiant stare. ‘I’ve got the solo part and I don’t want to lose out on that – it’s not fair!’

  ‘I’m sorry, but Mammy needs help and it has to be you this time.’ Kelly met her sister’s sulky look with determination. ‘You know what Da said, Cate. You’re old enough to take your turn helping Mammy, and I have to go to work so stop being selfish and do as I ask.’

  ‘You’re mean and I hate you.’

  ‘I’m truly sorry.’ Kelly looked at her sister’s hunched shoulders but there was no point in giving in; they needed her wages with Da on short time at the Docks. ‘Please, just this once think of someone but yourself, Cate – and promise me you won’t run off the minute I’ve gone and leave Mammy to cope alone.’

  ‘I shan’t – but only because Da said,’ Cate muttered. ‘You’re the selfish one in this house, Kelly – and if I lose my solo in the carol concert I’ll hate you for ever.’

  Kelly sighed as she pulled on her coat and left the house. It was bitterly cold out and she had to turn her collar up to keep out the biting wind. She felt mean about making her sister stay home to look after her mother and the little one – Cate’s singing voice was so lovely that it would be cruel if she lost the chance to shine as a soloist in the school concert – but Kelly was on probation at work after all the time she’d had off. Besides, she didn’t want to let Angela Morton down after she’d done her best to help; it wasn’t Mrs Morton’s fault that they were still waiting for a house, or that her mother’s chest was bad again. Kelly wished she could work in the evenings and help her mother during the day. Her father wasn’t one of those men who went out drinking every night, so between them they’d see that Mum had someone with her all the time.

  Kelly had to put on a sprint to catch her bus. It was about to move off and she took a flying leap, barely managing to get on board, but she swayed back dangerously and if a man hadn’t reached out and caught her arm she might have slipped off the platform.

  ‘Watch it, miss,’ he said and grinned at her. ‘Do you often risk life and limb for the sake of catching a bus?’

  Kelly did a double take as she looked at her saviour. He was young, perhaps in his mid-twenties and attractive with dark blond hair and blue eyes. Dressed in working clothes, he looked as if he’d come straight from work; there was a smear of oil on his cheek and his hands were grimy. He saw her looking at them and nodded.

  ‘Yes, I look a bit mucky, lass. I’m on maintenance work for the railways and we had some overhead cables come down – bit of a storm last night. We had to work all through the night to clear the line by morning.’

  ‘Oh, you work for the railways,’ Kelly said, feeling her cheeks heat as he continued to stare at her with interest. ‘I work for St Saviour’s – the children’s home in Halfpenny Street.’

  ‘Are you one of them ’Alfpenny Angels?’ he asked, nudging her towards a vacant seat. ‘You take it; I’ll stand and grow good.’

  ‘You don’t look like the sort to grow good,’ Kelly responded to his joke cheekily, though she wasn’t sure why – she didn’t flirt with lads as a rule. There wasn’t much point when she never had time to go out on dates. ‘No, I work in the kitchens – but I’d like to be a carer one day. I don’t suppose I’ll be lucky enough, though.’

  ‘Why not? Bright, pretty girl like you,’ he said and gave her another of his confident grins. ‘I should’ve thought they would take you like a shot. I would, if I were the boss.’

  ‘I’m on probation at the moment as I’ve been late so often,’ Kelly said. ‘Mammy isn’t too well again this mornin’ and I almost missed my bus.’

  ‘Good thing I was there to catch you then,’ he said, looking round
as the bus started to slow up for the next stop. ‘This is where I get off – see you around sometime.’

  Kelly smiled but didn’t answer. She knew it was only a chance encounter. Even if he were interested in her, she didn’t have time to go courting – more’s the pity. He was cheerful and good-looking, and she’d have liked to see him again … but it was never going to happen.

  ‘Do you like living in the Nurses’ Home?’ Kelly asked when Tilly joined her for a cup of tea later that morning. ‘I don’t much like our house, but I’d miss my family too much to leave them and live in one room.’

  ‘You wouldn’t if you had my life,’ Tilly said and sipped her tea. ‘I hated it after me mother got married again, but she couldn’t cope on her own … and she likes men, if you know what I mean. I could hear them in the bedroom and it made me sick sometimes … after what he was tryin’ on with me.’

  ‘Oh …’ Kelly looked at her with sympathy. ‘It must have been awful for you.’

  ‘I don’t think I could have put up with it much longer,’ Tilly said. ‘I don’t mind lookin’ after my sister Mags and me brother, but it’s him I can’t stand. Mrs Morton asked me what was wrong and she got me the room – and I’m grateful to her. She’s all right, even if she isn’t really one of us.’

  ‘I know she speaks posh,’ Kelly said, ‘but she isn’t stuck up with it – and she got that doctor to come and see Mammy. The trouble is, Mam’ll never be any better until we get a decent house.’

  ‘If you worked with the children, you could do nights and then you could help her during the day,’ Tilly said. ‘We’re short-staffed again since Julia left last month – it’s just Jean, Nan and me at the moment. If one of us was ill, we couldn’t cope. Nurse Wendy often gives us a hand if she’s off duty, but it isn’t her job to change beds and clean floors.’

  ‘We never seem to have enough staff in the kitchen either,’ Kelly said. ‘I don’t think I’ve got a chance of being promoted to being a carer.’