by Millie Gray
The train had steamed out of the Waverley and everyone was still waving when Johnny settled down with his morning newspaper. He would never be able to remember what the headline story was that day because his thoughts were back with his mum and he silently promised her that when Kate paid over the two hundred and fifty pounds balance of what she still owed him he would have saved up enough to enable himself to go and “buy” the dream his mother always had for him. Now, sitting watching the countryside pass by he was fascinated. Then he would be because he had never been further west than Glasgow or south of North Berwick. His thoughts had then turned to Connie. She had been very down since she had lost their baby and it was true she was better but not quite back to her usual jovial self. As the train carried him further away he vowed that he would take care of her, believe in her as she had in him. A smug smile then drifted across his face as he thought, If I do well she will be so proud of me and it will have been all her and my mother’s doing.
PART FOUR
AUGUST 1945
Connie had just taken charge of the key to Kate’s home when she hesitated and put her hand over Kate’s. ‘Hope it all goes well for you and Hans.’ Connie was referring to the fact that Kate and Hans were now on their way down to Kendal in the Lake District to visit a house and, if everything went according to plan, they would come home with a Jewish orphan who, as far as everyone in Leith was concerned, would be their adopted son.
Kate recalled that as far back as July when she and Hans had been blackmailed into putting off their visit to Hans’ cousin, Josef, in the south of England, until after the General Election, they had been making enquiries about giving a home to a Jewish orphan who had survived the Holocaust.
Firstly Hans had contacted Josef by letter at the establishment he was working at down Dover way. Josef was so delighted to hear from Hans that as soon as was possible he had travelled up by train to meet up with him. This was because as far as he knew, or at least believed, Hans was his only relative to have survived the war.
When Josef had indicated that he would travel to Edinburgh just as soon as he could Hans had been a bit apprehensive about his visit. He just didn’t know how Josef would react to Hans now having remarried and more so to someone outwith their faith. All his concerns turned out to be unfounded. Josef immediately took to Kate. Now this surprised Hans because Kate, whom he knew would never, not even to please him, convert to the Jewish faith because she was so comfortable with her own faith, completely entranced Josef. Indeed before he left after his two-day visit Josef was convinced that she would be an ideal person to take on a troubled and abused child who appeared to have no living relative. It was true that the British Government had agreed to take in more than its quota of the rescued children. And at this present time they were now in the process of bringing as many as they could to Britain. It was hoped that all of the younger children would find new homes. The older children, late teenagers, would be placed in hostels and supported educationally and financially until they could provide for themselves.
On their arrival in Britain the younger children were taken, with the help of the Red Cross, and housed in large boarding type houses all over the country and Josef had suggested that Hans and Kate should visit the home just outside Kendal.
During his visit Hans had said to Josef that he was keen to adopt a child but Josef had said that in the first instance this would not be possible. The reason for this was that there was a possibility that in time, perhaps several years, contact between surviving members of families could happen. This situation had been caused by the momentous scale of chaos among the Jewish population deliberately created by the Nazis in their desire to rid the world of Judaism. ‘What I am saying,’ Josef had gone on to emphasise to Hans and Kate, ‘is some relative might, in years to come, arrive to claim the child you are caring for. Now admit it, it would be only just and correct that every assistance would be given to reunite the child with his blood family.’ He hesitated before adding, ‘But that should not put you off taking a child on a substitute “aunt and uncle” basis – but right now that is all that is on offer. Look, the scale of the horror is such that most of these surviving children will never be lucky enough to be found by one of their own blood relatives. So as the two of you have so much to offer a child, I say take a chance, and go on and foster. Believe me, having been with the two of you for the last two days I am convinced that you will be so successful that the child will come to see you as mother and father.’
Not being able to adopt any of the surviving children had come as a complete shock to Hans and Kate. They were further upset when Josef had gone on to say that the fostering of a child was on – he did struggle to find kinder words but in the end could only come up with a sale or return basis. This was because people did not understand just how difficult raising a child who had been so traumatised by the horrors they had witnessed, still affected by the medical experiments carried out on them, the brutal starvation they had endured, would be. Josef’s voice cracked with emotion when he finally said, ‘Two young lads had been “uncled and auntied” five times. You see the poor children had formed bonds with each other in the concentration camp and they could not, and would not, settle unless they were together.’
Hans calling, ‘Kate, Kate, you’re standing there dreaming and we should be getting off.’ put an instant end to her reminiscence and contemplations.
‘Right enough,’ she replied with a short laugh. ‘As neither of us is really acquainted with the route we’d better get off.’ Taking her hand from Connie’s she said, ‘Thanks for looking after my cat.’ Connie nodded and both women then looked over the road to where Nessie was trying to persuade Rosebud and Billy that it was not a good idea to start knocking lumps out of each other. Looking at Nessie, who seemed to have aged ten years since Eric had been charged with murder, Kate whispered to Connie, ‘How are things going . . . ?’
Connie instinctively understood that Kate was asking if there was any further news on Eric’s trial. Not wishing Nessie to hear she lifted her hand and placed it over her mouth before murmuring, ‘Trial date is being set for September. Poor Nessie has been up to high doh since she was told. That’s why I got her to tag along with me today . . . she needs someone just to blether to her about nothing.’
‘Right enough,’ Kate agreed, ‘a cup of tea and a wee chat takes your mind off things.’
When Kitty started her training in Leith Hospital in early 1944 she was so anxious to make the grade that she was forever asking questions of anyone she deemed to be further on in their career than she was. Somehow she had managed to get a nurse’s pocket dictionary and it became her saviour as she tried to not only memorise how to say the medical terminology but also understand what it meant. That was all then. Now she was halfway through her three years’ training she found herself still clutching the textbook that had cost her fifteen shillings. This book she hoped would help her to pass the exam that was looming. She just had to pass it but she was so unsure of her ability that she put off forking out on some new uniform black lacing shoes.
It was now her break time and she thought she would spend it sitting in Taylor Gardens reading the textbook and as her mind was on nothing else but the looming exam she screamed and started to run when Dr Dougal McNeill jumped out of a side corridor and shouted, ‘Boo’.
Unfortunately, Matron was just ahead of her and when Kitty’s running feet drew level with her she turned and hissed. ‘Anderson, may I remind you that in my hospital no one runs unless there is a fire or someone has haemorrhaged.’
Kitty gulped as she bowed her head and fled through the entrance doors. Once she was seated in Taylor Gardens Dougal had the temerity to come and sit beside her.
‘Look,’ she hissed, ‘just go away. I am preparing for my exam and I don’t want to be disturbed . . . especially by a halfwit.’
Reaching over, and taking her hand in his, Dougal sought to have her look at him. ‘Look, Kitty,’ he began sincerely, ‘you don’t ne
ed to bother with exams. I’m going home to Canada in six months’ time and what I want is to take you with me as my wife.’
‘Have you had a blow to your head?’
Dougal shook his head. ‘Never been saner. You are the only girl for me. I know that and I am therefore offering to marry you and whisk you off to a new life in Canada.’
Kitty then started to chuckle with such vigour that her whole body shook. ‘Well, as tempting as your offer is,’ she mocked, ‘my ambition is to finish my training. Then do my obligatory one year as a staff nurse here and I cannot allow even a proposition as enticing as yours, to get in the way.’
‘So you are turning me down?’
Kitty shrugged. Then with a mischievous smile she nudged Dougal as she replied, ‘Of course a girl would need to be out of her mind to turn down a proposal of marriage from you. So what I am saying is that I have to finish my training, honour the contract I made with the hospital when I started, then and only then would I be happy to consider . . .’
Dougal was now down on his bended knee. He was so pleased that he didn’t seem to notice that he was kneeling on the wet grass. ‘You mean we can start courting now and in two – at the most three – years’ time you will come to Canada?’
She nodded. She would like to have said no because he was such a flirt. But she grudgingly admitted that he was the most bewitching man she had ever met. He completely entranced her and it was like a dream come true that he wished to marry her – spend the rest of his life with her – be faithful to her and her alone. But the one thing that life had taught Kitty was that no one was promised tomorrow and if anything happened to Dougal after they were married she would have to be employable – able to earn enough money to keep herself and any children that they might have. So even though it annoyed her as much as him, she would finish her training – besides she loved her job and would not wish to do any other.
It was just before lunch when Kate and Hans drew up in front of the large house that obviously had at one time been the dwelling place of a very wealthy family.
When Kate pulled the bell of The Larches it clanged so loudly that she quickly jumped back and landed on top of Hans’ feet.
They were just recovering from their mishap when the door was opened by a middle-aged lady with a face that radiated and a smile that bewitched.
‘I do so hope that you are Mr and Mrs Busek?’ she almost sang as she offered her hand to Kate and then Hans. ‘I am Eva Vasor. Your cousin, Josef, said he thought that you would probably arrive in time for lunch.’
‘Josef is here?’ Hans asked as he peered into the hallway.
‘No. No. We spoke on the telephone yesterday. And today he will be meeting some of the three hundred children who will be arriving on three Lancaster bombers today and tomorrow.’
The inside of the house, although stripped of its original furnishings, with the exception of a baby grand piano, amazed Kate. The whole of her home back in Edinburgh could have fitted into the hall and the large sitting room, which had now been turned into a classroom.
‘You teach the children here?’ Hans asked as his eyes roamed the room.
‘Not formal teaching as you would have known. But the children, in most cases we sadly think, will make their home here in Britain, therefore it is essential that they speak English.’ She tittered, ‘You will be surprised at just how quickly they learn our language.’
Hans nodded and with a sly smile he looked directly at the piano and quipped, ‘So piano lessons are not on the curriculum?’
‘Not at the moment and that is simply because we do not have anyone on our teaching staff with these skills. Nonetheless, should any child wish to play the instrument, then they are at liberty, no encouraged, to do so.’
‘And do any of them try?’
‘Last week a boy was transferred from one of our other homes and he just loves to tickle the ivories. He’s not skilled because naturally he has had no lessons of late but there is something magical about his playing. Now there’s something . . . I must have him play a little medley for you before you go.’ She hesitated. ‘Do either of you play?’
Kate shook her head but Hans nodded and he sidled over to the instrument. Once he had sat down on the piano stool he lifted the lid and his fingers began to expertly run over the keys. The room was then filled with a selection of the music of Irving Berlin. His rendering of “White Christmas” did not seem to anyone listening to be out of place. They all knew Christmas was four months away and they were in a Jewish home where Christmas would not be celebrated but the haunting melody didn’t seem out of place because in this house all that the children had left were dreams – dreams that for a few might come true, but not in the way they truly wished.
Before meeting any of the children, whom they might wish to foster, Eva suggested that they had lunch. Lunchtimes in this house meant that all the children and the staff sat down and ate together.
Eva had explained that the food being served to the children was nutritious but because they had been starved for so long it had to be simple. This was not a problem to Kate or Hans because they themselves preferred homely fare. Kate then just sat with her hands relaxed in her lap while the religious blessings and rituals that she was used to Hans doing before he ate were over.
The chicken noodle soup was delicious and it was followed by strawberry blancmange with a few fresh strawberries. Whilst Kate was finishing her dessert she found herself gazing at a child she reckoned to be somewhere between the ages of four and five. What had first attracted her to the child was that she seemed to be the only female child, however, it turned out that there were another three girls among the twenty-five children being housed at The Larches. When she asked Eva as to why there was such an imbalance of gender among the children, Eva just shrugged before whispering, ‘There are reasons that fewer girls survived. Not something I think we should discuss here.’ Eva hesitated before adding, ‘But could I repeat that today, and for the next few days, your Josef and his associates will be welcoming three Lancaster bombers who will be flying in from Prague. They are bringing a further three hundred children who have survived and just eighty of these are girls.’
Kate nodded. She was no fool and obviously more boys survived because they were physically more able for slave labour. Her eyes strayed to the little girl again. There was something about her that disturbed Kate. It was not because her eyes appeared lifeless – yes they were that – but it was something much deeper. There was a haunting despondency and bleakness about the emaciated child. Even her hair looked sickly, anaemic and lifeless. It slowly dawned on Kate that the child still breathed but she was dead. The poor little girl was so damaged that she was incapable of communicating even with the other children.
After lunch Hans and Kate were going to have to decide which child they were going to offer a home to. Hans had already made up his mind it would be a boy – no way, he told Kate, could he bear to replace Dalia his little daughter – the child of his heart who would always be the flower of his eye.
From the moment Hans was introduced to Amos Kramer there was an immediate chemistry between them. And although he did individually meet several other boys, his mind was made up. Turning to Eva Vasor he said, ‘I think that Amos, the first boy I met, would fit into our family life well so I think you should make the necessary arrangements for my wife and I to take on responsibility for him.’
Eva bent closer to Hans and she smiled before asking, ‘Would you consider taking on two boys?’
Hans and Kate were taken aback and looked at each other to see what reaction this suggestion had on each other. Kate was the first to shake her head and as Hans followed he replied, ‘No. You see we are really what is considered middle-aged and my wife has never had a child so I think one child would be our limit.’
Kate would always remember how quickly Eva’s facial expression turned from hopeful to completely crestfallen.
The silence in the room was deafening. Eventually Eva slowly utte
red, ‘I am afraid that Amos Kramer would only agree to you fostering him provided you also took on Benjamin Sisken.’
Kate and Hans exchanged a knowing look with each other. Hans then looked at Eva full on and said, ‘I take it that you have tried, let’s say a few times, to settle the boys but they have always been brought back because they cannot settle away from each other?’
Eva hesitated before answering. ‘Well not from this home but you see they were housed firstly in two houses in the Dover area and there were several good people who wished to take the boys on singly . . . but they only survived in the concentration camp because they looked out for each other and they . . .’ Eva threw her hands up in despair. ‘They are completely ill at ease apart. I have been asked . . .’
Hans interrupted, ‘By my cousin Josef who brought them here a few days ago.’
Eva nodded. ‘After Josef met your wife and yourself he was convinced that you would be able to give the two boys a home.’