Christmas for the Halfpenny Orphans. Cathy Sharp

use old Dr Simpson’s practice for the children at St Saviour’s sometimes, but I haven’t seen Dr Kent before.’ She’d thought him attractive, in a cool, remote sort of way; his hair was dark ash blond and his skin fair and his eyes a sort of greenish brown, or what some people called hazel.

      ‘Well, he seems nice and efficient, though he doesn’t smile much,’ Mrs Morris said. ‘I must admit I was terrified when your father brought up that blood. If you hadn’t been here, I’m not sure what I would’ve done.’

      ‘Well, I was here.’ Michelle squeezed her mother’s arm. ‘You’ve got to stop worrying and look after yourself, Mum. I’ve noticed how tired you’ve been lately and I think you do too much.’

      ‘I’ve been worrying about your father. I dread the winter for him and keep thinking it’s time he found himself a job inside somewhere – but he says there aren’t enough jobs going – and we do need more money. At times we’ve hardly enough for the rent, let alone the coal and our food. I wish your dad could get a steady job, something reliable.’

      Michelle looked at her thoughtfully. ‘If there was a different sort of job going – slow steady work – do you think Dad would take it?’

      ‘Give him a chance! What are you thinking of?’

      ‘I can’t say too much yet; I need to talk to someone first – but leave it with me …’

      ‘Can I talk to you, Angela?’ Michelle hovered hesitantly in the doorway of Angela’s office. ‘I wanted to ask something – it’s personal.’

      ‘Of course, come in,’ Angela said and smiled, indicating that she should sit in the chair opposite.

      ‘It’s a bit awkward,’ Michelle said, feeling almost afraid to ask, now she was here. ‘My father was ill this morning. I had the doctor in and he thinks he may have ulcers in his stomach – and his cough gets worse every winter … and Mum and me, we thought it was time he did an indoor job. Well, indoors more than out – and I heard that the caretaker here was leaving so he could live near his daughter in the country, and wondered if, when he goes …’

      ‘You would like your father to be caretaker here?’ Angela looked thoughtful. ‘Our present caretaker is planning to stay on until a few weeks before Christmas. Do you think your father will be sufficiently recovered by then?’

      ‘Yes, if has treatment for his problem he should be feeling better by then,’ Michelle said, her cheeks warm. It was much harder to ask for a favour than she’d imagined. ‘I was hoping he might be considered.’

      ‘I can promise you he will be considered if he applies,’ Angela said. ‘I’m only one of several people concerned in appointing a new caretaker, Michelle. It would have to go to the Board. I couldn’t tell you now that he would get the position, but I’m sure that his application would be given every attention.’

      ‘Thank you, that’s all I wanted – just that he could be given a chance. So many men don’t even get an answer to their applications for work these days.’

      ‘Yes, I do understand …’ Angela hesitated, and then seemed to make up her mind. She looked in her drawer and took out her notepad. ‘What is your father’s current job, and what work has he done in the past?’

      ‘He was a crane driver for years, a skilled man,’ Michelle said. ‘He used to load and unload cargoes but then the war started and he was in the army for a while, until they invalided him out in ’43. When he came back he had a weak chest; the doctor said it was bronchitis, but it has been worse recently – and he’s been working as a casual worker on the docks for a long time, doing anything he can really.’

      ‘Do you think he could put up shelves and mend broken windows – things like that?’ Angela asked. ‘It would involve some outside work I suppose, but our caretaker has to look after the garden and the boiler in the cellar …’

      ‘I think it would be better than what he does now – and it would be regular.’

      ‘Well, I’ll see what I can do – but I can’t promise anything. You know I can only give my opinion if asked – so perhaps your father would call in one day and have a chat when he’s feeling well again.’

      ‘Thank you,’ Michelle said, her eyes pricking with sudden tears. ‘You didn’t mind my asking about the post of caretaker here?’

      ‘Not at all; I’ve been given the task of finding someone suitable and if your father was willing to try, I dare say he might suit us. You are one of our best nurses, so he comes with a good recommendation … but it would have to go to the Board before it could be confirmed.’

      ‘I don’t know how to thank you …’

      ‘Let’s see what happens first. We haven’t actually had any other applicants yet, though I’m sure we shall. And your father might not wish to take up the position; it isn’t a great deal of money for a skilled man.’

      ‘Mum is more interested in Dad’s health than money,’ Michelle said. ‘I’m sure she would manage, even if she did a part time job to help out herself.’

      ‘Then ask Mr Morris to come and see me here when he feels up to it,’ Angela said. ‘And now I’d better not keep you; I’m sure you’ll be needed elsewhere.’

      ‘Yes, I shall,’ Michelle said, glancing at the watch pinned to her uniform. ‘I mustn’t be late. Thank you so much!’

      ‘I haven’t done anything yet.’

      Michelle nodded, but she was feeling excited as she left the office. If her father truly had ulcers and bronchitis, then a caretaker’s job could be exactly what he needed …

       FIVE

      ‘Hello, I’m Mary Ellen, and you’re Samantha, aren’t you?’ The girl in the sick ward bed stared at Mary Ellen warily as she approached. ‘Miss Angela asked me to come and see you. She says we’re going to be sharing a dorm in the new wing soon, and she wanted us to make friends.’ She sat on the edge of the girl’s bed. ‘It’s lovely over there, all fresh and new, and the dorms aren’t too big. There will be four of us. Marion, you, your sister Sarah, and me …’ Mary Ellen glanced across at Sarah in the next bed, who sat staring at them, her eyes wide and her thumb in her mouth. ‘Hello, Sarah. I think you will like it here; it’s much nicer in the dorms. Me and Marion go to school with Billy Baggins, he’s a bit older and good at football and running. Once you’re up and about, you’ll have fun here; we do all sorts of things …’

      ‘Mary Ellen … have fun,’ Sarah repeated, smiling and nodding.

      ‘Sarah isn’t well yet,’ Samantha said protectively. ‘She doesn’t talk much but she knows everything we say – so don’t think she’s daft!’

      ‘I wouldn’t,’ Mary Ellen said, puzzled by Samantha’s hostility. ‘Sarah is very pretty. I wish I had hair her colour.’

      ‘We’re twins,’ Samantha said, the stiffness easing out of her. ‘I thought I could look out for us both after Pa … but I couldn’t find enough food to eat. I tried to sell what we had left but the man cheated me and would only give me five shillings for all of it …’

      ‘What man?’ Mary Ellen asked.

      ‘Alf, from the scrapyard. I know it was worth more, perhaps two or three pounds, but all he paid me was five bob and he threatened to tell the police I’d stolen it if I didn’t leave it with him.’

      ‘Even two pounds wouldn’t have lasted long,’ Mary Ellen said. ‘Don’t you have anyone you could live with?’

      Samantha shook her head, but Sarah took her thumb from her mouth and said, ‘Aunt Jane won’t have Sarah. She says Sarah idiot girl – Pa gone away …’