The Orphanage Girls Come Home

The Orphanage Girls Come HomeMary Wood ContentsChapter One: AmyChapter TwoChapter ThreeChapter FourChapter FiveChapter SixChapter Seven: 1914Chapter EightChapter Nine: 1916Chapter TenChapter Eleven: 1918Chapter Twelve: August 1919Chapter Thirteen: RuthChapter Fourteen: AmyChapter Fifteen: EllenChapter Sixteen: RuthChapter Seventeen: AmyChapter Eighteen: EllenChapter Nineteen: RuthChapter Twenty: AmyChapter Twenty-One: EllenChapter Twenty-Two: RuthChapter Twenty-Three: EllenChapter Twenty-Four: RuthChapter Twenty-Five: EllenChapter Twenty-Six: Ellen and AmyChapter Twenty-Seven: AmyChapter Twenty-Eight: RuthChapter Twenty-Nine: Ellen & RuthChapter Thirty: AmyChapter Thirty-One: RuthAcknowledgementsLetter to Readers For my darling Roy as we celebrate sixty years of happy marriage. Thank you. Chapter OneAmySEPTEMBER 1910Twelve-year-old Amy clutched her small case, her tummy tickling with excitement as she waited in the queue to board the huge ship. She couldn’t believe she’d been chosen to begin a new life in Canada.Her days in the Carlton Orphanage in Bethnal Green were behind her. No more of the stinking Mr Belton pawing her and hurting her.The queue wormed from the gangplank and along the dock where most of the men of the East End of London tried to get a day’s work. She’d seen them standing together, blowing plumes of smoke from their rolled-up fags, just waiting – hoping. All looked downtrodden, though they had a cheery word for the kids, calling out to them to have a good life and make the most of this chance they were being given.Amy decided that she was going to do that, though she couldn’t deny the feeling in her chest of having swallowed something that had stuck there. It had started when Ruth had run away from the orphanage weeks ago and had worsened when Ellen’s father had turned up there soon after and taken Ellen away with him. Being parted from them both hurt so much.Ruth had been her saviour, taking care of her from the first night she’d entered the orphanage where she’d been taken from the workhouse she’d been housed in since her time with the nuns – a time she could only just remember. The nuns had always told her that her mum had abandoned her as a baby, but then one day they told all the kids they had in their care that they could no longer stay there, and were to go to other places.When she arrived at the workhouse the nun handing her over spoke in a low voice to the warden. Amy remembered hearing the words, ‘She should be made to care for her,’ but never knew what they meant.She only knew that she’d been happy from that day as, though conditions were bad, the women inmates looked after the kids, and one in particular, Ethel, had loved her and she’d loved Ethel.But then, a day came when the warden told Ethel, ‘That child should be in the orphanage by rights. Seeing as no one has claimed her, you will be the one to take her there.’Amy could remember feeling she’d lost something precious when Ethel left her inside the orphanage gate. Memories of what happened that same night and how it set the pattern of her life in the orphanage shuddered through her and gave her nightmares that left her screaming in terror.But though she hated the place, it did bring Ruth into her life.She’d loved Ruth. Ruth had tended to her when Belton had brought her back to the dormitory, bleeding and in pain.Always, she’d wanted to look like Ruth – beautiful with dark hair and huge dark eyes – and she hated her own mousy-coloured hair and how her face was covered in freckles. She thought this was why she hadn’t ever been loved enough by anyone for them to keep looking after her – until she met Ruth. Although Ruth couldn’t be with her now, Amy remembered her words when she’d told her she would always love her. And Ellen would too. Lovely, quiet Ellen, who looked a lot like Ruth, only her dark hair was curly.Ellen had always seemed full of sadness, but it had been lovely to see her face light up when her dad had come for her – that was the picture Amy wanted to always stay with her.The sigh that she released was gasped back in with joy as a voice called out her name.‘I’m here, Ruth! Oh, Ruth, Ruth!’Within moments she was enclosed in Ruth’s arms. Their tears wet each other’s hair and cheeks. ‘Oh, Amy, luv. I can’t believe you’re going so far away.’‘I know. I’m excited, but scared too.’‘You don’t mind going?’‘No, they said it’s a wonderful opportunity for us to travel to Canada. To see a new world. I’ve got all new clothes.’‘And they’ve cut yer lovely hair!’‘I know, they said it will be better. I don’t know why. I’m going to miss yer, Ruth.’They were crying again. But Amy felt cheered when Ruth said, ‘I’ve written me address down. You can write and send letters from Canada.’‘Ta, mate. I will write, and I’ll let yer know where you can write back to . . . Will I ever see yer again, Ruth?’Through her sobs she heard Ruth say, ‘I’ll never forget yer, Amy. When we’re older, maybe things’ll be different and then we can travel to see each other. Look, I’ll definitely come to see you, so hang on to that. I’m going to make me fortune making hats. And when I do, I’ll buy a ticket to travel on this ship to Canada, and that’s a promise.’They clung to each other again.A stern voice forced them apart. ‘You, there, what are you doing? Amy, who is this?’‘It’s me friend, miss. She’s come to say goodbye.’‘All right then, but hurry, we’ll be moving forward shortly.’The queue began to move. Ruth walked alongside her until they reached a barrier that stopped her.Amy didn’t take her eyes off her as they were hoarded up the gangplank. She couldn’t. She could see Ruth’s lovely smile, and the tears running down her face, as she frantically waved. And then just as it was her turn to step inside the ship, she heard Ruth shout, ‘I love you,