An Orphan’s Courage - Cathy Sharp

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immediately, but by the time the police picked them up after a tip-off from one of the railway workers, Beth was so hungry she cried most of the time, and Andy wasn’t much better.

      The promise of baths, food and clean clothes was tempting and Beth’s feelings swayed between apprehension and hope when the policeman told her they were nearly there. When she looked up at the severe building with its grimy walls and small windows up in the attics, she pulled back and her fear made her want to run, but Andy pressed her hand and Sergeant Sallis smiled at her, as if he sensed her nervousness.

      ‘It’s all right, Beth,’ he said. ‘It doesn’t look much, but it’s warm and they look after you here. I promise you … cross my heart and hope to die if I tell a lie …’

      A reluctant smile came to her face and she stepped forward, some of her fear evaporating as she saw a woman in a pale grey uniform and a white frilly cap standing in the hall.

      ‘Ah, you must be Andy and this is Beth,’ the nurse said and her smile lit up her face. ‘My name is Staff Nurse Wendy, and I’m going to look after you. I think you both need a nice wash and then I’ll tuck you up in bed and bring you something lovely to eat.’

      ‘It’s not time for bed,’ Beth said solemnly and she saw a twinkle in Nurse Wendy’s eyes.

      ‘No, but I think you must be tired and hungry after all you’ve been through, and I want to make sure you’re quite well before you go to the dorms – and perhaps start school …’

      ‘School – can I go to school?’ Beth’s heart did a little skip, because it had been ages since she’d been allowed to go. The Beast said she had work to do for him and didn’t need all that nonsense.

      ‘Yes, you can and you should,’ Nurse Wendy said and looked at Sergeant Sallis. ‘Thank you for bringing them to us. I shall look after them now.’

      ‘Yes, I’m sure of that,’ he replied and hesitated, before offering his hand to Andy to shake. ‘You’ve been a sensible lad. If you ever need my help, please come and tell me and I’ll do my best to sort things for you.’

      ‘Thank you, sir,’ Andy said. ‘When I can work I’ll ask you for a character reference so I can get a good job.’

      ‘You should study hard and do something worthwhile, lad. I think you’ve got it in you to do well …’ Turning to Beth, he said solemnly, ‘It has been nice to meet you, miss. I know you’ll be safe here with these kind people.’

      Beth thanked him shyly, and then she saw that Nurse Wendy was holding out her hand. She hesitated, looked at her brother, and when he gave her a little nudge, slid her hand into the nurse’s. She had begun the long journey back to trust, but was still anxious enough to look over her shoulder and make sure that Andy was following close behind …

       CHAPTER 4

      ‘Are you certain she said I was to go for an interview today?’ Jinny asked, looking at Nellie as she pushed a mug of hot strong tea in front of her together with a slab of bread and jam. ‘Just like that, really? I asked at half a dozen places this week and they all said to come back when I had some experience of work …’ She spread her hands wide. ‘How can I get work experience if no one gives me a chance?’

      The radio was playing behind them, the music of Bill Haley and His Comets blasting out, making Jinny want to dance the way her friends had shown her at last year’s Christmas party at school, when they’d put records on the Dansette record player that a teacher had brought in.

      ‘Well, yer’ve got your chance now thanks to my cousin’s daughter,’ Nellie said. ‘I saw Hannah when I was down the market, a few days after you left school and told ’er you needed a job. I said you wanted to work for St Saviour’s. It weren’t quite the truth, but a little white lie does no harm now and then.’ Nellie wagged her three chins and laughed as she saw Jinny’s smile widen. ‘That’s it, love. You’d have somewhere to live as well as a job, see – and it’s not that I don’t love havin’ you ’ere but you ain’t safe while that devil is still livin’ next door …’

      ‘Oh, Nellie, why couldn’t you’ve been my mother?’ Jinny said and got up to hug her. The music on the radio had changed and the words of Elvis Presley’s record ‘All Shook Up’ flooded the room. ‘Listen, he’s your favourite …’

      ‘Yeah, I like Elvis,’ Nellie chuckled and turned the wireless up until her neighbour banged on the thin wall. ‘Miserable old meow she is …’

      ‘Oh Nellie,’ Jinny said and hugged her. ‘I do love you. You’re a good friend to me. I don’t know what I would’ve done if it hadn’t been for you …’

      ‘Go on with yer, girl,’ Nellie said and gave her a friendly push. ‘Get that tea down yer and then go and ’ave a look what you’re goin’ ter wear fer the interview. I reckon that navy blue skirt yer made last week would be about right, but what about a blouse? I’d lend yer somethin’ of mine, but they’d drown yer …’ She went off into a peal of laughter and Jinny laughed with her at the idea.

      ‘I’ve got my white school blouse,’ Jinny said with a sigh. ‘It’s the last thing I had new for school. Ma grudged it to me but she had to give me the money, because the old one split at the seams. I’ll pay you back for the material for my skirt, Nellie – I promise.’

      ‘I told yer it don’t matter,’ Nellie said and took her purse down from the shelf. ‘’Ere, go and get yerself somethin’ orf the market … and don’t refuse. When yer earnin’ yer can give me a treat … take me to the flicks or somethin’.’

      ‘Yes, I shall,’ Jinny promised. ‘We’ll go to see Elvis in his film if you like …’

      Nellie’s face lit up at the promise, even though she’d already seen her hero on the big screen twice. She pressed a ten-shilling note into Jinny’s hand. ‘Get a good one, girl. Somethin’ smart, like, not second-hand rubbish. I saw some pretty new blouses for five bob on the market – that stall near the fishmonger. Well … not too near, ’cos then they’d smell like ’e does …’ She went off into a cackle of laughter.

      ‘Nellie, you do say awful things,’ Jinny teased, but she took the money and slipped it into her pocket as she reached for her school coat. It was worn and threadbare on the sleeves, but better than the shapeless dress she was wearing. She would wear it to go shopping, even though it was so warm she didn’t need a coat. As she aimed a kiss at Nellie’s cheek and left, she made a mental vow to repay everything the good-hearted woman had done for her.

      Jinny had done what she could by helping out about the house as much as she was allowed, but Nellie wanted no repayment, and she would have to find ingenious ways of giving back the kindness she’d received in this house, but once she was earning money she could bring her friend fruit, sweets and perhaps the latest records – and she would take her out, to the flicks and other places.

      All she needed was a job, but that was easier said than done. She’d started by sending out polite letters, but when most of them had either gone unanswered or brought abrupt rejections, Jinny had started a tour of shops: Woolworths, Peacock’s, and the Home and Colonial, as well as the Co-op and a couple of dress shops, also factories, cafés and hotels. She’d been offered two hours scrubbing out offices in the mornings and had thought she might take it, but Nellie discouraged her.

      ‘If you get stuck wiv something like that, you’ll be in a rut and never get out of it,’ she’d said and patted her hand. ‘I’ll ask about a bit, love. See if I can find out about something better …’

      Jinny had agreed but it hadn’t stopped her looking. Unfortunately, nothing had turned up and by the time she’d applied for the scrubbing job, it had gone. Nellie had said it was just as well, though Jinny had regretted it, but now she felt excited. She was being offered a proper interview at St Saviour’s by some people named

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