Broken Rainbows Read Free Page B

contained. ‘Now let me see, Liza, the oldest is nearly seventeen. A girl of her background should have been put into service years ago. You say she is useful around the house?’
    â€˜I couldn’t manage without her.’
    â€˜She will have to go to the workhouse,’ Mrs Llewellyn-Jones declared officiously, ‘but given your recommendation and the shortage of domestics I doubt she’ll be there long. I could probably find a place for her myself.’
    â€˜She wants to be a nurse.’
    â€˜A laudable ambition, but hardly a feasible one for the daughter of an East End docker. I see there’s a fourteen-year- old too.’
    â€˜Who has already completed her matriculation certificate. She will be leaving school at Christmas.’
    â€˜I see no reason for her to remain there if she has already sat her examinations. She will go to Church Village Homes, but again, hopefully not for long. These days more and more households are prepared to put in the effort required to train young girls. I can’t overemphasise the shortage of domestics, but then you must be aware of that, having to take an unmarried mother.’ She frowned as she turned back to the file. ‘That leaves a girl of eleven who will also go to Church Village and a nine-year-old for Maesycoed Homes.’
    â€˜I think given the circumstances we could bend the rules and send them to the same home, Mrs Llewellyn-Jones, don’t you?’ Mr Williams ventured timorously.
    â€˜Bend the rules for one and you find yourself having to do it for all, Mr Williams. The regulations on age are quite specific. Infants from six weeks to three years to be housed in J ward in the workhouse, three to ten years, Maesycoed Orphanage, ten to sixteen’ years, Church Village Homes and sixteen plus, back to the workhouse.’
    â€˜But Church Village is miles from Maesycoed. They’d never see one another, or the oldest in the workhouse. They lost their mother in the blitz, and now their father has made the supreme sacrifice.’
    â€˜As have the fathers of many other children. Several of whom have siblings in institutions other than the one they are accommodated in.’
    â€˜Have you already told the girls that their father has been killed?’ Bethan asked suddenly.
    â€˜Of course, as soon as we came in. We wanted them packed and ready to move into the homes.’
    â€˜There’s no need for them to go anywhere at this hour.’
    â€˜But you’re no longer getting paid to keep them. You’re out of pocket as it is.’
    â€˜I’m more concerned about the girls than my pocket.’
    â€˜The sensible housewife puts practical considerations first in a time of national emergency. You have more than enough to do with full-time nursing, the other evacuees, your own children, and worry over poor Andrew. Every time I think of a fine doctor like him being held prisoner by those barbarians I want to go over there and tackle Adolf Hitler myself.’
    â€˜At least he’s alive.’
    â€˜I’m glad you can take comfort in that thought. His poor mother is suffering dreadfully. I doubt she’s had a night’s sleep since Dunkirk.’
    Setting Rachel down, Bethan lifted Eddie in her arms and rose to her feet. Exhausted after a long, hard day, she couldn’t trust herself to keep her temper if she remained in the same room as Mrs Llewellyn-Jones a moment longer. ‘I’m sure the parish can have no objection to my keeping the girls for the time being. After all they’ve been with me for two years.’
    â€˜But you’ll receive no payment.’
    â€˜They are welcome to stay as my guests until something better than the workhouse and orphanage can be arranged.’
    â€˜I have to warn you that the parish won’t even cover your expenses.’
    â€˜I wouldn’t expect it to.’
    â€˜You don’t understand. It’s not just a question of the girls,