Kitty rang the bell for Nora and asked her to plate up some bread and cold meats for her guests. After Kitty had watched the two of them stuff the food into their mouths as though they were famished scavengers, she asked Sarah to tell her slowly what had happened.
The tale of woe at the St Vincent de Paul orphanage spilled out of Sarah’s mouth. ‘They worked us like slaves, Missus M, and if we refused, we’d get beatings, or we’d ’ave to stand still for hours and no one were allowed to speak to us. They wouldn’t even let us get out of bed to go to the toilet after lights-out. Little Eddie ’ad no choice, ’e ’ad to wet the bed – all the little ones did – and then they’d get beaten for it. All of us old enough to carry a mop and bucket ’ad to be up before the crack o’ dawn to start scrubbing, and all we got to eat was stale bread.’ Sarah took a moment to breathe, her face pinched with fury. ‘And the worst of it was, Missus M, those nuns, they called ’emselves Sisters of Mercy, but they ’ad none. One of ’em – Sister Mary – would pick on one of the little girls every night, and take ’er to a room, and . . . oh Missus M, I can’t even say it!’ Sarah covered her face with her hands.
With each word she uttered, Kitty’s horror grew. ‘Where exactly is this place?’
‘It’s in Goodwood. We took a few wrong turns getting ’ere to you, but I’d reckon only ’alf an hour’s straight walk away. If you can’t ’ave us ’ere, we understand, but neither of us are going back there. Ever,’ Sarah added firmly.
Kitty turned to see Eddie, whose head was nestled in the crook of her arm. He was fast asleep.
‘I think it’s high time the two of you were in bed, don’t you?’
‘You mean we can stay? Just for the night, o’ course, but please, Missus M, don’t tell no one we’re ’ere if they come callin’. The nun said we’d end up in prison if we was to run away.’ Sarah yawned then, her tiny heart-shaped face almost disappearing behind her mouth.
‘I won’t call the police, Sarah, I promise. Come now, let’s get you both to bed. We will talk in the morning.’
Carrying Eddie up the stairs, Kitty took them to the old nursery that still contained the twin beds that Drummond and Andrew had slept in as children. Laying Eddie on one bed fully clothed and tucking a sheet across him, she indicated Sarah should sleep in the other.
‘Thank you, Missus M, I’ll never forget what you’ve done for us tonight. Ever,’ Sarah murmured as her eyes drew shut.
‘Dear child,’ Kitty whispered as she closed the door behind her. ‘I can never have done enough.’
*
‘I can hardly believe it,’ said Ruth, Ralph’s wife, the following afternoon, as they sat drinking lemonade on the terrace, watching Eddie play with Tinky, the King Charles spaniel. ‘Are you sure that this girl isn’t exaggerating?’
‘Quite sure. I spent a lot of time with her on my voyage over here, and I believe every word she says.’
‘But they’re nuns . . . women who have pledged their lives to do God’s work.’
‘In my experience, pledging one’s life to God does not necessarily mean that one acts in His name,’ Kitty replied with feeling, as she watched Eddie reaching out to try to catch a butterfly.
‘What will you do with them?’ Ruth asked.
‘I haven’t decided yet. I certainly won’t be sending them back whence they came,’ Kitty said as they watched Eddie run around the garden after the butterfly. His laughter stopped abruptly as he tripped over a patch of stony ground and fell.
Before he’d had time to utter a cry of pain, Ruth was on her feet and running towards him, her arms around him as she took him on her knee. The child buried his face in her chest as she murmured words of comfort. An idea began to form in Kitty’s mind.
*
‘’Ere, Missus M, I made this for you to say thank you.’
Sarah shyly handed Kitty a square of material, one edge embroidered with her initials, woven into an intricate design of pink climbing roses.
‘It’s beautiful, Sarah, thank you. You’re a very talented young lady.’
‘That’s not what Sister Agnes used to tell me,’ Sarah snorted. ‘She said I were a wretch of the earth, along wi’ the rest o’ us.’
‘I can assure you that you’re not, Sarah,’ Kitty replied firmly.
‘I was ’oping I could go into town today and find a job at a dressmaker’s. Earn some money to support me an’ Eddie. Do you know of any?’
‘Perhaps, Sarah, but I think you’re rather young to be in full-time employment.’
‘I’m not afraid of hard work, Missus M.’
‘Well, as a matter of fact, I wanted to ask whether you were willing to help me for a while. I have many things to organise before I leave for Europe and I’m due to take a trip up to the north of Australia. As Nora is needed here, I shall require someone to assist me with my clothes and what you will. Be warned, mind you, that it’s a long journey, first by train, then by pony and cart.’
‘Oh Missus M, I’d follow you to the ends of the earth, I really would. Are you serious?’
‘I am never anything but, Sarah, I can assure you.’
‘Then I would love to, Missus M. But . . .’ Sarah’s face fell. ‘What about Eddie? ’E’s not made of strong stuff like me. I’m not sure ’e’d be able to come with us.’
Kitty tapped her nose and smiled. ‘You leave Eddie to me.’
*
‘I was wondering, Kitty, given that you are away with Ralph for the next few weeks, if you’ve decided what you’re going to do with Eddie?’ Ruth gazed down fondly at him sitting next to her, utterly enthralled by the jigsaw puzzle she’d brought for him.
‘Do you know, Ruth, you’ve just read my mind, because I am really not at all sure what I will do,’ said Kitty. ‘I wouldn’t like to return him to the orphanage . . .’
‘No, you certainly must not! I was talking to Ralph only last night and we thought it would be a good idea for him to stay with us while you are both away.’
‘Goodness! What a clever idea! But what about the imposition on you?’
‘It would be no imposition at all. He’s a dear child, and I really feel he’s beginning to trust me.’ Ruth’s eyes filled with tenderness as Eddie nudged her to show her the completed jigsaw.
‘Yes, I believe he is. Well now, if you’re sure . . .’
‘Perfectly. It would be good to have a man about the house to protect me while Ralph’s away up north with you.’ Ruth smiled.
‘If Eddie’s happy, then so am I.’
‘What do you think, Eddie?’ Ruth touched the little boy’s arm. ‘Would you like to come and live at my house for a while?’
‘Yes please!’ Eddie said as he reached for Ruth and she pulled him closer to her.
‘Well now, I think that’s the decision taken,’ Kitty managed to say through the lump that had appeared in her throat.
It was the first time she had ever heard Eddie speak.
31