by Kit Pearson
She gazed at the wooded island as it slipped out of view, at the dusty roads and rocky shores she had walked and played on for so many years. When would she see them again? Surely Noni would change her mind and forgive Maud. She would be angry at Polly for running away, but then she would forgive her, as well … wouldn’t she?
There was no room in her head for worrying. Polly let herself have one last glance at the white lighthouse, then turned her eyes towards Vancouver. The next few hours were going to require all the courage she could muster.
Polly slinked through the crowd at the harbour, half expecting a policeman to come up and grab her. But when she passed one, he ignored her. Mrs. Wynne hadn’t told Noni yet, then. That meant Noni wouldn’t find out until Polly was well on her way.
Polly had put Tarka on his leash to lighten her load. He wasn’t used to being on one and pulled her this way and that. He was so thrilled to be out of the crate that he kept stopping and greeting people, as if they were there to welcome him to Vancouver.
“Hey, little lady, that’s a handsome pooch,” called out a slovenly man. “You’re not a bad looker yourself! How about a kiss?”
Polly hurried away from him. She finally found a taxi stand and timidly asked a driver to drive her to the train station. Then she sat in the back seat, quivering with fear. What if this man was as scary as the other one?
But all he said was “Aren’t you kind of young to be travelling by yourself, Miss?”
“I’m fourteen,” lied Polly, her voice coming out in a squeak. Tarka hopped into the front seat, the man laughed, and she relaxed a bit.
When they reached the station, the driver told her the charge. Polly carefully counted out the exact amount and gave it to him.
“Hey, what about my tip?” he snarled.
Polly was so rattled she just held out more money on her palm and he took what he wanted.
At least she was familiar with the station. The man in the ticket booth told her where to wait for her train and a porter helped carry the crate full of Tarka aboard. Finally, she was in her seat.
“Well, well, if it isn’t my favourite youngster!”
“Hi, Jim,” said Polly with relief.
“So you’ve brought your little friend with you this time.”
Polly introduced Tarka. Jim put his hand through the grating and Tarka whined while he licked Jim’s fingers frantically.
“He hates being in there,” said Polly.
Jim winked. “I’ll tell you what, young lady. As long as he’s on a leash, you can let him out.”
“Oh, thank you!” Polly released Tarka and he perched happily on the seat, peering out the window. An older woman sat down in the opposite seat, but she didn’t seem to mind that Tarka wasn’t in his crate. She took out some cookies and offered one to Polly. Tarka pressed against her knee, looking mournful, until she laughed and gave him one, too.
The woman’s name was Mrs. Miller. Polly answered the usual questions, then leaned back and closed her eyes so she wouldn’t be quizzed any further.
Every time the train stopped, Polly dashed out and found a grassy spot for Tarka to relieve himself. Luckily, he had always been able to hold it for a long time. So many people on the train stopped to pat Tarka and so many asked “Travelling all by yourself?” that she had no time to think until she was in bed. After Jim had changed Polly’s seat into a berth, Tarka hopped up beside her, scratched the blanket into a nest, and settled into it as if he were at home.
The train didn’t rock Polly to sleep as she’d hoped it would. She lay on her back with the blind open, watching the stars speed by as if they were moving, not the train.
So much had happened in just one day. A new person had come into the world—a baby girl named Una. And now Polly had run away! How was that possible?
Again, Polly tried to convince herself that Noni would change her mind. She just wasn’t used to the baby—that was all. Soon she would relent. She would write to Maud and tell her she had forgiven her. Polly would return to the island, and everything would be all right.
But would it? Noni’s fierce words kept replaying in Polly’s mind. They hurt just as much as they had the first time. How could her grandmother reject Maud? Didn’t she love her anymore? Didn’t she love Polly?
And was Noni right about Maud? Would she be an object of shame because she had decided to keep her baby?
Polly’s head swirled with confusing and sleepy thoughts as the long night went on. She had never heard her sister sound as happy as she had on the phone; yet Maud had done something that was utterly against convention. Polly pondered the other happy people she knew: Miss Falconer, Miss Carr, Daddy and Esther. Miss Falconer was living with a man she wasn’t married to. Miss Carr lived alone and was a brilliant and innovative artist. Daddy had chosen to join his life with Esther, whom people like Noni disapproved of. It seemed that the happiest people were the ones who didn’t worry about keeping up appearances.
Like Maud. Polly didn’t know if her sister was going to be open about being Una’s mother or not, but whatever she chose to do, that was her business. “What will people think?” Noni had asked; but what did it matter what people thought, as long as Maud was happy?
There was so much to worry about that Polly had almost forgotten about Una. Her brand new niece! Tomorrow she would meet her. With that to comfort her, Polly finally slept.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
UNA
WHAT HAVE I DONE? POLLY THOUGHT THE NEXT MORning. Jim had helped her change trains when they reached Kamloops. Now she stared out the window at Okanagan Lake, too anxious to really see it.
Mrs. Wynne might have called on Noni by now. What would Noni do when she found out Polly had gone to Vancouver on the steamer? She would phone Daddy immediately. So Daddy and Esther might already know Polly had run away! Would they send her right back? Would Noni insist on that?
Polly wanted to weep. She could no longer pretend to be as brave as her mother and Maud. What was the point, when you were still under the command of adults?
Finally, the train drew into Kelowna. Polly stepped out into hot, dry air, steeped in the fragrance of wild roses. There was no one to greet her … so maybe Noni hadn’t phoned Daddy. People looked at her curiously. Polly put Tarka on the leash and tried to act dignified as she began the walk to the boarding house, loaded down with her rucksack and Tarka’s travel crate.
Tarka tugged at the leash so much she let him go free. At first he darted onto people’s lawns, then he panted beside her. Polly had to stop and fan her face with her hat. She hadn’t been this hot since she lived in Winnipeg. A dim memory rose in her, of trying to fry an egg on the sidewalk with her best friend then, Audrey.
She hadn’t thought of Audrey in years. She seemed so far away from Polly, just as Eleanor and Daisy and Biddy did.
I’m all alone, thought Polly. She wiped sweat from her brow and batted away mosquitoes as she walked more and more slowly. Daddy and Esther and Maud would be overjoyed to see her, of course, but how long would she be allowed to stay?
But now Una lived there, too! Polly quickened her steps. When she reached the shabby grey house, she hesitated a moment, then knocked softly.
Esther opened it. “Why, it’s Polly! What a wonderful surprise!”
“Is that Polly?” Daddy rushed into the hall and swept her into his arms.
Tarka barked wildly, leaped at Daddy, and then politely licked Esther, whom he’d never met.
“So you’ve brought the terrible terrier,” laughed Daddy. “Doodle, we’re so happy to see you! But why didn’t you tell us you were coming?”
Polly’s heart lifted. Noni definitely hadn’t phoned, so they didn’t know she had run away.
“I wanted to surprise you,” she said softly.
Daddy hugged her once again. “Well, I can’t think of a better surprise. Maud will be thrilled—come and meet your niece!”
Esther explained that Maud had moved to one of the downstairs bedrooms when Daddy bro
ught her back from Vancouver. “Mr. McMillan had to switch rooms with her, but he’s glad to have a view.”
Maud’s new bedroom was off the living room. “She may be asleep,” whispered Daddy. He opened the door.
Maud was in bed, but she wasn’t asleep. She was leaning against two pillows, holding her baby. When she saw Polly, her face burst into a grin. “It’s you! I thought I heard Tarka bark, but then I thought I must have been dreaming. Oh, Doodle, what a wonderful surprise. Look—here’s Una!”
Polly went up to the bed. The baby was sound asleep. She had a smooth round forehead, a shock of dark hair, and a snubby nose. Her wide mouth was almost smiling, and her chin was pointed, just like Maud’s.
“Oh!” breathed Polly. “Oh, Maud!”
Maud handed over the baby. “Here you are, Aunt Polly. Here’s your niece!”
Polly shook her head. “What if I drop her?”
“You won’t,” Maud assured her. “Keep your arm under her neck … that’s right.”
What a light weight Una was! Polly couldn’t stop staring at her. The baby stirred slightly and stuck her tongue out between her rosy lips. Polly bent and kissed her forehead. She smelled delicious, a mixture of vanilla and flannel.
Polly wanted to sit with Maud and Una forever, but she was worried that Noni would call. “I’d better phone Noni and tell her I’ve arrived,” she told them.
She went out into the hall to the telephone, relieved the others were staying with Maud. “I just wanted to tell you I got to Kelowna safely,” she said quickly as soon as Noni’s gruff voice answered.
On the other end of the line there was a long pause. Finally, Noni spoke, in a strange, chilly tone. “Beryl Wynne just told me she had seen you on the wharf. I pretended I knew you were there, but can you imagine how shocked and embarrassed I felt? I can’t believe you were on your own in the big city!”
“It was fine,” said Polly, trying not to think of the scary man and the taxi driver.
“You could have been in real danger. Why did you do such a thing?”
“I told you in the note I left in the cabin. Didn’t you read it?” asked Polly.
“No, I did not … so you’ll have to tell me now,” ordered her grandmother sternly.
Polly lowered her voice. “It’s what I said yesterday. If you can’t accept Maud’s baby, then I can’t live with you, so I’m going to live with Daddy and Esther.”
“Does your father know this?”
“Not yet,” admitted Polly.
Noni was silent. Then she said, “Kindly don’t tell him yet. Polly, you have hurt me profoundly. If you would rather live with your father than with me, then perhaps I should let you. But I need to think about this for a while. Then I’ll write and let you know what I’ve decided.”
“But Noni—” Polly was about to say that if only Noni would change her mind about Maud, she would come back … but the line was dead.
Polly stood in the hall for a few moments, struggling with her tears. Then she went back to Una.
Now she was lying beside the bed in a high basket on wheels. Her open eyes were like dark-blue almonds. “They’ll change colour later,” said Maud, “and the doctor says her black hair will probably fall out and be replaced by lighter hair.”
“Look at her little hands!” marvelled Polly, stroking one of them. “Her fingers are so long. Down, Tarka!” she commanded as Tarka jumped onto the bed and sniffed Una in her basket.
Maud had had her baby at home at ten o’clock the night before last. “The doctor said it was one of the easiest deliveries he had ever done,” said Esther.
Everyone kept watching Una. Her tiny presence was a magnet that pulled in all their attention. “She’s not even two days old, and already it feels like she’s been with us forever,” said Daddy. He bent over Una. “Hello there, little one. I’m your granddad.” Then he chuckled. “Imagine being a grandfather so young! But I was a young father, so I suppose I should have expected it.”
Una squeaked like a piglet. Maud lifted her out of her basket and started to feed her. Polly couldn’t stop staring as the baby sucked vigorously at Maud’s breast.
“She loves to eat,” Maud said fondly. “Just like her mother.”
Soon the baby closed her eyes. Maud placed her gently back in her basket.
“We mustn’t tire you, Maud,” said Esther. “Try to sleep.”
Esther started to make lunch while Polly and Daddy took Tarka down to the lake. “I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to have you with us, Doodle,” he said, hugging her. “Now we’re all together as we should be.” Then he looked worried. “You haven’t told your grandmother about the baby, have you?”
Polly bent her head over Tarka’s stick. “Of course not!”
“I didn’t think you would, Doodle, but I had to make sure. Maud hasn’t decided what she’s going to do yet.”
“She hasn’t?” Polly stopped walking. “But she’s going to keep Una, isn’t she?”
Daddy grinned. “She’s going to keep her, all right! The Boss made that very clear as soon as Una was born. But she hasn’t told us yet whether she wants us to officially adopt her, or whether we’ll just pretend Una is ours. We’ll talk about that when Maud’s stronger.”
He rubbed his face. “The trouble is, Polly, folks are going to put two and two together. They saw Maud around town when she was pregnant, so they’ll guess that the baby is really hers. I suppose we could admit that and say Maud has gone to be with her husband and left Una with us. But how will we explain it when she comes home for the holidays, and when her husband never shows up to see the baby?” He sighed. “It’s so tricky! I hope Maud will let us know soon what our story will be. We have to get it straight before people start gossiping.”
Polly remembered her thoughts last night. “Does it matter if they do?” she asked.
Daddy looked even more worried. “It doesn’t matter to Esther and me, but I don’t want Maud and Una to be scorned.”
At noon the three boarders greeted Polly briefly, then attacked their lunch. None of them said anything about there being a new baby in the house.
“You look exhausted, Polly,” said Esther. “Why don’t you have a nap?”
“I am tired,” admitted Polly. “I didn’t sleep very well on the train. But where is my room?”
“You’ll have to go in with Maud,” said Daddy. “Two beds are in there. I hope you don’t mind, but we have no other space.”
Polly didn’t mind at all. She crept into Maud’s room and into the other bed. Maud and Una were fast asleep; almost immediately, Polly’s breathing joined theirs.
Polly woke up when she heard a soft snuffling noise. She opened her eyes and blinked. Where was she? She could feel Tarka at her feet, as usual.
Turning over, she grinned as she saw Maud sitting up in bed and feeding Una.
Maud grinned back. “So you’re awake. You’ve been in such a deep sleep. Tarka pushed open the door and jumped on your bed and you didn’t even notice him. You didn’t hear Una cry, either.”
Polly sat up in bed and yawned. “Does she cry very much?”
“Only when she’s hungry, and it’s not really crying—it’s more like mewing. She’s my good girl, aren’t you?” Maud kissed Una’s forehead and put her back in her basket. Maud stretched, then lumbered out of bed. “I’m going to the loo, Polly. I’ll be right back.”
Polly stared when she saw Maud’s tummy. She was almost as large as if she still had a baby inside her!
When Maud returned, Polly was examining her niece all over again. The baby was sleeping on her back. Her face was serene. Did babies have dreams?
“It’s so good to get out of bed,” said Maud, after she got back in. “But the doctor said I have to stay here for eight more days!”
Polly returned to her own bed and settled against the pillows.
“Doodle, I have so much to tell you,” said Maud.
So do I, thought Polly, but she didn’t want to tell Maud anything at
all. “Start at the beginning,” she said.
For the next half-hour Polly learned much more about childbirth than she wanted to. “The doctor was really kind,” said Maud. “When I told him my husband was away, he didn’t charge as much.” She looked guilty. “I used the money Noni sent me for the cooking course to pay for him. But one day I’ll pay her back.”
Polly didn’t want to think about Noni. “Did it hurt?” she asked shyly.
Maud grimaced. “It hurt, all right! But it’s a different kind of hurt, Doodle, because you know it will end. And as soon as I saw Una, I forgot all about the pain.”
Una squeaked, and Maud lifted her out of her basket and nursed her again. “The doctor said I’m only supposed to feed her every four hours, but that’s ridiculous. Una knows when she’s hungry better than he does.”
“Why are you still …” Polly began to ask.
“Why am I still so fat? Because you don’t lose the weight for a while. I didn’t know that. I’m worried about visiting the island. But I’ll just tell everyone that I ate a lot in the cooking class.”
Oh, no! Polly couldn’t tell her yet that Noni knew about the baby, and that Maud wouldn’t be welcome on the island.
“Are you sorry Una isn’t a boy, Poll?” Maud asked her.
“Not at all! Does she have a middle name?”
“‘Zofia,’” said Maud.
“How did you think of that?”
“It’s Daddy’s mother’s name. Don’t you remember Grannie?”
“I remember her,” said Polly, “but I never knew what her name was. It’s pretty.”
“I was going to name her ‘Una Clara’ after Noni,” said Maud, “but you’re so close to Noni I thought I’d leave ‘Clara’ for you, in case you have a little girl one day.”
That made Polly so sad she couldn’t bear it. “Maud, what made you change your mind about giving away the baby?” she asked, to keep from crying.
“Una did,” said Maud. “As soon as I saw her, I knew I could never give her up.”