Orphans and Angels

by Linda Finlay

  ‘We didn’t mean to do it, honest, sir.’

  ‘No, it was a dreadful accident.’

  ‘What’s happened?’ Sheena gasped, seeing their terror-stricken faces.

  ‘What kind of dreadful accident, Brown?’ Harry asked, worry making his voice sharp.

  ‘It was Bunter. He said it would be a bit of fun to do it,’ Black stammered.

  ‘And we didn’t mean to damage anything,’ Brown cried.

  ‘Calm down and tell me exactly what’s damaged?’ Sheena said, a horrible suspicion forming.

  ‘We was trying on them dresses and our juice kind of got spilled on it …’

  25

  Feeling sick to the pit of her stomach, Sheena hurried after Harry. In the classroom they found Bunter desperately rubbing one of the dresses with the cuff of his shirt, purple staining a testament to his misdeed.

  ‘You stupid cretin, Bunter,’ the master cried.

  ‘Please stop doing that,’ Sheena ordered, rushing over and taking the offending garment from his hands. ‘That will only make it worse,’ she explained, endeavouring to keep her composure while staring at the mess in dismay.

  ‘Wait until I get my hands on the lot of you,’ Master Higgins muttered, as Brown and Black hovered in the doorway. ‘I distinctly told you not to take your juice outside and yet …’

  ‘Is everything all right?’ Edith called, peering anxiously over the two boys’ shoulders.

  ‘Everything is fine,’ Sheena said, summoning a calm she didn’t feel. Knowing she needed space to think, she added, ‘Perhaps you could get the girls to wash their hands ready for supper?’

  ‘Oh, right,’ Edith muttered, unconvinced. Then with a frown at Sheena, she ran to do as she’d been asked.

  ‘Right, you boys, not a word to the girls, do you understand me?’ Sheena ordered. ‘They are excited about tomorrow and you are not to spoil that. If you could take the boys indoors and out of my way, Master Higgins, I’ll see if anything can be salvaged from this disaster,’ she hissed, biting back her frustration.

  ‘Are you sure I …’ Harry began.

  ‘Please go. The sooner I can work on the stain the better,’ she insisted. ‘Perhaps you could ask April if there’s any sour milk in the pantry and if so, would she bring me some along with a large bowl?’

  He stared at her for a moment then nodded. ‘Out, now,’ he ordered the anxious boys.

  As the door shut behind them, Sheena stared sadly at the two ruined garments, willing herself not to cry. Sally’s silk had a livid purple mark to the right of her chest while Edith’s dress hadn’t escaped either. Fighting back the tears, she looked up to see April, clutching a bowl in one hand and a jug in the other, pushing open the door with her bottom.

  ‘Master Higgins said you … oh my Lor, whatever’s ’appened?’ she asked, her eyes widening in horror.

  ‘Is that sour milk?’ Sheena asked, pointing to the jug.

  April nodded. ‘Gone off good and proper.’

  ‘Well, keep your fingers crossed for this is our only hope. I’ll explain when I’ve dealt with these.’ While the girl stared on, Sheena draped one dress over the bowl and poured on the soured milk.

  ‘Do you want me to rub it in, Miss O’Reilly?’ April asked, eager to help.

  ‘No, that’s the worst thing we can do. We need to let the material soak and hope the milk will break down the enzymes in the fruit,’ she explained, placing the garment aside while she dealt with the next. Finally, she placed them both loosely in the bowl and sighed. ‘We’d best pray the saints are looking kindly upon us, April, or I don’t know what we’re going to do tomorrow.’

  ‘I suppose it was those three little Bs,’ April said knowingly.

  ‘April! I know they’re high spirited but … Oh, I see what you mean,’ Sheena said, shaking her head. ‘Bunter, Brown and Black. Well, to be sure, there’s nothing else we can do tonight. I’ll come in early and see what can be done. In the meantime, not a word to anyone. The last thing we want is Sally being too upset to sing her solo.’

  ‘Shall I tell Mrs Daws when she gets back?’

  ‘Only if she discovers the milk’s missing. Otherwise don’t say anything. She seldom gets a night off and it would be a shame to spoil it. Now off you go and see to supper.’

  Sheena waited until the door had closed behind the girl, then sank into a chair and put her head in her hands. What would she do if the stains didn’t come out? All that hard work and racing to meet the deadline. Why hadn’t she covered the clothes or put them away in the cupboard? It was too late to make any more. What would Miss Sullivan say if the girls had to sing in their school smocks? Sally was extremely sensitive and might be too upset to sing anyway. Round and round her thoughts went, like a dolly in the washing copper, so that she didn’t hear the door open again and jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

  ‘By jeez, you scared the soul out of me, Master Higgins,’ she cried.

  ‘Just wanted to make sure you were all right,’ he murmured.

  ‘Well, I’ve felt better,’ she admitted, blinking back the tears she was determined not to shed. Sensing her distress, he kneeled down and pulled her close. Powerless to resist, she leaned in towards him, revelling in the fresh smell of his soap and the warmth of his body. Then sanity returned and she pulled away. ‘Time I wasn’t here, Master Higgins,’ she said shakily. Disappointment flickered in his eyes, then he became the schoolmaster again.

  ‘Pip has just returned with the trap. I’ve asked him to wait outside and take you home. I’d escort you myself but regrettably I’m in charge of the rabble this evening.’

  Not having the strength to argue, she nodded. ‘Thank you. I’ll be back at first light to see what I can do with this … mess,’ she muttered, gesturing helplessly to the bowl where the dresses were soaking.

  ‘The boys have been severely reprimanded and will be punished accordingly, you can be certain of that,’ he assured her.

  Forcing her lips into some semblance of a smile, she nodded and snatched up her coat.

  True to her word, as fingers of grey and pink lightened the sky to the east, Sheena let herself into the classroom. Carefully lifting the dresses from the bowl, she took them outside to the yard where she gently sponged off the now dark purple milk. She didn’t dare wash the garments for they’d never dry in time. Holding up them up to the light, she surveyed the damage. The stain in both dresses had faded, but it was evident that little more could be done. Damage limitation was her only option.

  Back in the classroom, Pip had already lit the fire and Sheena spread the garments over the fireguard to dry. Then, picking up the bolero, she held it against Edith’s dress. As she’d hoped, the little jacket would cover the worst of the discoloured patch. However, there was nothing more she could do to Sally’s dress, for the delicate silk would pucker or worse, fray, if she wasn’t careful, while sunshine would discolour the material. Why couldn’t it have been one of the other dresses? she groaned. Slumping down in a chair, she pondered what on earth she could do. Then a tap on the door roused her from her thoughts. Fearing it was Harry, she swallowed hard. After her lapse last night, she didn’t feel strong enough to face him.

  ‘I thought you’d like some tea, Miss O’Reilly,’ Edith said, setting a cup and saucer carefully down on the desk in front of her.

  ‘Oh, Edith, you are an angel,’ Sheena cried with a mixture of relief and gratitude. ‘A hot drink is just what I’m needing.’

  Edith looked at the clothes on the guard. ‘Did the sour milk work?’

  ‘You know about that?’ Sheena asked, not really surprised, for word spread around the school faster than a gorse fire on the moors.

  ‘I knew something was up and quizzed April until she told me. She swore me to secrecy, though, and I ain’t told a soul. Oh bloody Nora,’ she cried, spotting her dress. ‘All me ’ard work gone, just like that.’ She clicked her fingers. ‘Them ruddy, stupid boys. Wait till I get me ’ands on them.’

  �
�Don’t upset yourself, Edith,’ Sheena soothed. ‘Although the stains are still visible, I’m hopeful the bolero will hide the worst of yours. But poor Sally’s, well, you can see for yourself. I was thinking of trying a paste of flour and water to see if that would help.’

  ‘That silk is so fragile, though, miss, you might rub a hole in it,’ Edith frowned.

  ‘Well, I’m afraid there isn’t any of the same material left to cover it either.’

  Edith stared at the stain thoughtfully. ‘Sally’s the star of the concert so we can’t let her down,’ she stated, going over to the donations box and pulling out the various garments. ‘You know, miss, we could use this shiny material to make one of them material cor … corsi, oh what’s the word? You know, them flower thingys that posh people wear on their frocks.’

  ‘A corsage, you mean?’ Sheena said, looking thoughtful. Then she sprang to her feet and kissed Edith’s cheek. ‘My clever angel. Why, that’s the very thing.’

  As Sally’s sweet voice resounded around the church, the congregation stood in rapt silence. Ruby rays of evening sun shining through the stained-glass windows cast a rosy aura over her fluff of fair hair and slender figure wearing the fated silk dress with its contrasting corsage. Sarah and Sheena exchanged smiles, their hearts filled with pride. Perfume from the spring flowers the good ladies had arranged seemingly everywhere mingled with the spicy tang of incense, adding to the festive atmosphere.

  The children, boys wearing their red waistcoats, girls their new dresses, gave a perfect, if rousing rendition of ‘There Is a Green Hill Far Away’. When June and Monday chose to give an impromptu twirl at the end, provoking a chuckle from the parishioners, the vicar gave a tolerant smile and thanked them all for their inspiring performance. A mix of songs and hymns followed, then, almost before they knew it, the organ swelled and the concert was over.

  ‘Oh, they did look a treat,’ Mrs Daws murmured, dabbing her eyes with her handkerchief as the Red Cliffs party filed out of the church.

  ‘Ah, Miss Sullivan, may I say how splendidly your pupils sang. Sally, like a nightingale and the rest as enthusiastic as ever,’ the vicar beamed. ‘You will all be joining us in the hall for refreshments, I hope?’

  ‘Thank you, Vicar,’ Sarah replied.

  ‘Splendid,’ Miss Snooper cried. ‘Follow me, troops,’ she ordered, leading the way down the path, closely followed by Misses Prior and Middle.

  ‘I do believe the good ladies think they are in charge of our pupils, Miss Sullivan,’ Harry whispered.

  ‘And after what I heard went on in my absence last night, they are more than welcome,’ Sarah replied. ‘I understand it was your quick thinking that saved the day,’ she added, turning to Sheena.

  ‘It was Edith who thought of making the corsage this morning, and helped me fashion it,’ Sheena admitted.

  ‘But you who stayed late to remove the stains, Miss O’Reilly,’ Harry pointed out, giving her a warm smile.

  ‘It all came out in the wash. Well, some of it, anyway,’ Sheena laughed.

  ‘And don’t the girls look a picture in their new frocks? It’s lovely to see them with some ’air an’ all, even if I did have me doubts at first,’ Mrs Laver said.

  ‘If we want a chance of getting something to eat, I think perhaps we’d better get a move on. Those vultures will scoff the lot if we’re not careful,’ Harry cried.

  The hall had also been adorned with floral arrangements, and a long row of cloth-covered trestles laden with bite-sized savouries lined one wall. The good ladies were bustling around marshalling everybody into place.

  ‘I see they have organized the children as well as the food,’ Sarah said, nodding towards the orderly queue.

  ‘If only they’d behave like that in school,’ Mrs Daws moaned.

  ‘Yes, I was thinking after yesterday’s fiasco that more discipline might be a good idea,’ Sarah said, waving a finger at Harry. ‘I mean things are getting very lax around here,’ she added, trying to keep a straight face.

  ‘Really, Miss Sullivan?’ Harry cried. ‘After all you’ve said about my outmoded methods, too.’

  ‘Yes, really, Master Higgins. Honestly, you wouldn’t believe how standards have slipped recently, Miss O’Reilly,’ Sarah teased.

  Seeing them resume their easy banter, Sheena’s euphoria evaporated like dew in the sunshine. It was like a constant thorn in her side. Now that the girls had finished their new outfits perhaps it was time to seek another position.

  ‘Ha, you wait until you see those boys emptying the privy and digging its contents into the vegetable plot, then you’ll see what happens to pupils who disobey my orders.’

  ‘Really, Master Higgins, that is not an appropriate topic of conversation for supper.’

  ‘Supper? Why, those bite-sized morsels wouldn’t even feed the little people, would they, Miss O’Reilly?’ he groaned, raising his brow theatrically.

  ‘Don’t you worry, Master Higgins, knowing the good ladies set more store by appearances than appetite, I’ve left a nice stew cooking for later.’

  ‘Oh, Mrs Daws, I could kiss you,’ he cried. As the housekeeper flushed with pleasure, he added, ‘Ah, look sharp, I do believe it’s our turn to choose one of the fairy folks’ portions to nibble on.’

  When they’d selected their food, they made their way to chairs arranged along the other side of the hall and whilst they ate, they listened to the babble of conversation going on around them.

  ‘I must say, it is good to see those girls actually looking like girls rather than their usual barbaric appearance,’ they heard a lady dressed in fur coat and matching hat say.

  ‘I have to agree,’ her companion replied. ‘Although it’s still a crying shame we have to share the street with a ragged school. Have you seen their place? Gone to rack and ruin. It quite lets the neighbourhood down … Oh, Vicar, what a lovely concert that was,’ she cooed. ‘And don’t the children look lovely?’

  ‘Well, of all the hypocritical …’ Sheena began, only to stutter to a halt as words failed her.

  ‘Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it,’ Sarah whispered.

  ‘But look at all you’re doing to improve conditions for them,’ Sheena replied. ‘To be sure, those children are a credit to you, are they not?’ she asked, gesturing to where the pupils quietly sat eating their food.

  ‘The girls are so proud of their new dresses they’ve even put serviettes over their laps.’ Sarah smiled as she turned back to Sheena. ‘Well done, Miss O’Reilly. I know it wasn’t an easy task getting their outfits completed by today, especially without a machine. I expect you’re wondering what to do next?’

  ‘Well, actually …’ Sheena began, only to be interrupted by the sound of a teaspoon being rattled against a milk jug.

  ‘Ladies, gentlemen, girls and boys,’ the vicar cried. ‘I would like to thank you all for coming to our Easter concert and supper and for making it such a success. A big thank you to all our young participants who entertained us in fine voice, and to the good ladies for putting on such a splendid feast.’ There was a polite round of applause. Then, as it died away, Edith sprang to her feet.

  ‘And we must say thanks to Miss O’Reilly ’cos she ’elped us make our dresses and came in early this morning to get the blackcurrant juice stain out of them.’

  ‘Here, here,’ Harry cried. This time the applause was almost deafening. As Sheena felt her cheeks grow hot, Sarah turned towards her.

  ‘I think you can say your place at Red Cliffs is well and truly established, Miss O’Reilly.’

  26

  Sheena made her way towards Red Cliffs after Easter, her grandmother’s warning still ringing in her ears. Whilst moral courage was all well and good, she’d told Sheena, it didn’t mean prolonging suffering unnecessarily. And she wouldn’t, she vowed, lifting her head to the late morning sun, which was surprisingly warm for early April.

  The promenade was thronging with holidaymakers. Affluent gentlemen with bespoke tailored suits, frock coats
and toppers, proudly escorted ladies sporting elaborate hats and fur stoles thrown carelessly over their cashmere coats. Sheena shuddered at the fox’s head in front, its dark eyes glinting at her in the sunlight as it swung from the woman’s shoulders. The cherry-red scarf she’d knitted was decidedly more tasteful, Sheena decided. Others were more modestly attired with capes worn over their woollen dresses, but everyone seemed to be smiling as they took advantage of the clement weather.

  Squaring her shoulders, Sheena resolved to speak to Miss Sullivan about her intention of finding a new position. After all, she wouldn’t be leaving a job half done, for the girls had their new dresses now, didn’t they?

  ‘Miss Sullivan asked if you would go and see ’er as soon as you arrived, Miss O’Reilly,’ Pip told her as she walked up to the school gates. Well, great minds think alike, Sheena thought.

  ‘Hope I’ve done nothing wrong,’ she quipped as Pip hobbled over to let her in.

  ‘Hardly, miss. Everyone seems to think you was an ’ero, the way you saved them dresses. Mind you, Master Higgins is making those boys pay for disobeying ’im, I can tell you. They’ve had to muck out the pony’s stable as well as the privy.’

  Smiling at his words, Sheena made her way up the driveway towards the front door. She could see that progress had been made on the shed but of Harry there was no sign. Probably supervising luncheon, she surmised, not sure if she was pleased or disappointed.

  ‘Ah, do come in and take a seat, Miss O’Reilly,’ Sarah said, looking up from a letter she’d been reading. ‘I hope you had a pleasant Easter?’

  ‘Yes, thank you. Nanna and I enjoyed having time to catch up on our news.’ Well, that was true, for they’d spent the day discussing Sheena’s future.

  ‘Good. Now, we never finished our conversation about your next project with the girls.’

  ‘No, we didn’t, Miss Sullivan, and I would like …’ Sheena began, but Sarah was excitedly holding out the letter for her to see.

  ‘I have just received the most splendid news, Miss O’Reilly. Red Cliffs has been bequeathed a sewing machine and a piano. Is that not the most exciting thing?’