Sapphire Battersea Read Free Page A

She’s been an exemplary worker in all her years here, even if it was for a particular reason. She’s been hard-working and cheerful, willing to lend a hand with anything. I wrote exactly that in her letter of reference.’
    ‘
You
gave her a character reference! Oh, Miss Smith, thank you, thank you!’
    ‘And I found her a new position too, as a general housekeeper to an elderly lady at Bignor-on-Sea on the south coast. She’s an acquaintance of an aunt of mine, an invalid who I’m sure will treat Ida fairly.’
    ‘But the south coast – that’s miles and miles away! I shall never see her! Couldn’t you have found her a
closer
position, Miss Smith?’
    ‘Sometimes I think you can never be satisfied, Hetty!’
    ‘Can we visit at all?’
    ‘I’m afraid the Board of Governors do not think that a wise idea. But I dare say you will be able to write to each other.’
    ‘Truly? I will get letters from Mama?’
    ‘Yes, I’m sure she will write to you every now and then.’
    I’d never had letters before, apart from one from Polly. I’d written my weekly letter home to my foster family. I wasn’t sure Mother knew how to write, but Jem certainly did. He had taught me my own lettering when I was barely toddling. I had written for years, but they never once wrote back. Very few of the foundlings received letters, and yet in the junior school we all wrote once a week without fail.
    My heart beat harder in my chest. ‘Will they give me Mama’s letters?’ I asked fearfully. ‘They don’t always give us our letters, I am sure of it.’
    I
wasn’t
sure – but the expression on Miss Smith’s face told me that I’d hit on the truth.
    ‘I do believe there
is
a little censoring. I certainly don’t approve, but it’s done for well-meaning reasons. Apparently, letters from foster homes are frequently inappropriate or upsetting and would not help the children to settle down at the hospital …’ Miss Smith’s voice wavered.
    I seized her hands. ‘That’s outrageous, Miss Smith, and you know it!’
    ‘Hetty, Hetty, calm down! I do agree with you, it is in most circumstances outrageous, but I do not think there is anything I can do to change matters. It is the custom.’
    ‘Then it’s cruel and pointless telling me Mama will write if I can’t receive her letters!’ I protested.
    ‘Hush now!’ She held my hands tightly and put her face close to mine. ‘I have given Ida my own address. I will tell her to send all letters to me. I will bring them to you on a regular basis and I will post your replies. That way you will
know
that the letters are being sent – if, of course, you trust me?’
    ‘Oh, Miss Smith, of course I trust you!’ I said, and I threw my arms around her.
    ‘Now, now, Hetty, compose yourself. Still, I am pleased to see you are almost back to your old self – in a furious rage one moment and in a fever of excitement the next,’ she said, laughing at me. ‘If you’re truly grateful–’
    ‘I am, I am!’
    ‘Then you must get better quickly and be a good, polite, hard-working girl for your entire future stay at the hospital.’
    ‘I’m not sure I can quite manage that,’ I said truthfully.
    Miss Smith laughed again. ‘Well, do your best, dear,’ she said. She called to the nurse. ‘I think you’ll find that Hetty is on the mend. I have a feeling she’ll be able to get up tomorrow. I’m sure she’ll definitely be her old self by the end of the week. Isn’t that right, Hetty?’
    I nodded emphatically. My head ached, and I still felt weak and dizzy when I tried to get up, but I persevered. I ate as much gruel as I could to get stronger, although it didn’t taste the same without Mama’s loving sprinkles of brown sugar and spoonfuls of cream.
    I was still punished when I returned to the schoolroom and my own dormitory, but I didn’t care. I listened to the scoldings of Matron Stinking Bottomly with my head held high. What did I care if she thought me deceitful and dishonest