On Holly’s day off she was pleased to see her mother’s friend, Mrs Sunday Branning, arrive. She and her mother were of a similar age and had been friends for years. She often dropped in for coffee and a chat and was more than a little fond of Holly who she had known since she was a baby. Sunday was a very kind and caring woman and some years before she and her husband Tom had turned their lovely home in Hartshill into a children’s home called Treetops. They were well known for taking in waifs and strays and treating them as their own and as a child Holly had spent many a happy day there. Today Sunday was looking very pretty in a smart two-piece costume in a soft blue colour that complemented her eyes and her lovely blonde hair was fastened into an elegant chignon beneath a matching hat that she wore at a jaunty angle on the side of her head. Anyone seeing her would have found it hard to believe that she was almost forty-three years old, for she carried her age well.
‘Hello, love,’ Sunday greeted her when Holly joined her and her mother in the drawing room. ‘I came into town to get some new clothes for some of the children. I swear they grow like weeds.’ She chuckled. ‘Anyway, while I was here I thought I’d pop in to see your mam. It’s a good excuse for half an hour’s quiet. But how are you? Your mam tells me you’re working at the cottage hospital now.’
Holly nodded. ‘Yes, I am and I’m enjoying it although you see some sad sights.’ As an idea suddenly occurred to her she asked cautiously, ‘I don’t suppose you have a spare place for another child at Treetops by any chance, do you?’
Sunday raised an eyebrow. ‘Why do you ask? Do you know of an orphan that needs a home then?’
‘Well … not an orphan exactly,’ Holly admitted. ‘Although he may as well be. There’s a little boy in Mary Ward at the moment. He’s six years old and his name is Robbie.’ She went on to tell Sunday all about the position he was in as Sunday listened sympathetically.
‘Poor little mite,’ Sunday sighed when Holly was finished. ‘And you say his mother doesn’t even want him home?’
Holly nodded. ‘That’s right, she’s an awful woman. Robbie was in a terrible state when he first came in and she didn’t even bother to come and visit him. But he’s on the mend now, although it was touch-and-go for a time whether or not he would make it.’ She grinned. ‘Mind you, I can’t pretend he’s an angel. The first time I met him he threatened to kick my arse if I tried to get him into the bath. He’s a right little character. But now Matron is saying that she thinks she’ll have to get a place for him in the workhouse. We can’t just turf him out to go back onto the streets.’
Sunday shuddered involuntarily at the mention of the place. She herself had spent her early years in the Union Workhouse and none of the memories she held of it were good. ‘Well, I would have to have a word with Tom as we are full at the minute but, saying that, I suppose we could always squeeze another little one in at a push. Leave it with me.’
Holly was delighted. If only Robbie could go to Treetops she was sure it would be the making of the child. He had never had any love or stability in his life but she was sure he would blossom if Sunday took him under her wing. Holly had always greatly admired her and thought her life story was like something one might read about in a book. The poor soul had been abandoned on the steps of the workhouse as a newborn and it was many years later before she discovered that she was actually the daughter of Lady Huntley of Treetops Manor who had been led to believe by her late husband that her daughter had died at birth. A joyful reunion had followed and since then both Sunday and her mother had worked tirelessly to improve the conditions in the workhouse for those unfortunate enough to be incarcerated there. They were both on the board of guardians now and were well known for their charity work. Holly was sure that Robbie would be much happier living at Treetops and she prayed that Tom would agree to it.
‘Well, I’m going to pop in and see Robbie in a minute,’ Holly informed the ladies and Emma frowned.
‘But, darling, it’s your day off,’ she pointed out.
‘I know, but I just want to check he’s all right.’
‘This little chap has really got under your skin, hasn’t he?’ Sunday smiled. ‘I’ll tell you what. This was only a flying visit so why don’t I come to the hospital with you? I could have a chat to Matron and meet the boy.’
Holly was all for the idea, so they set off in Sunday’s smart new Morris automobile.
The matron was delighted to see them both and while Holly headed for the ward, Sunday went into the office with Matron to have a chat.
Fifteen minutes later they walked down the ward and Holly told Robbie casually, ‘Ah, this is Mrs Branning, Robbie. She’s a friend of my family and she’s come especially to meet you.’ She didn’t want to raise his hopes until Sunday had had a chance to speak to Tom so she wisely didn’t mention the possibility of him going to live with her.
‘You must be Robbie,’ Sunday said when she reached the bed. ‘Holly has told me all about you, my dear. How are you feeling?’
He glared at her suspiciously. She looked very posh and he wondered why someone like her would take the time to come and see him.
‘I’s all right,’ he answered guardedly. ‘Are you one o’ them from the work’ouse? I know yer plannin’ to put me in there but I’ll tell yer now I ain’t goin’ an’ that’s flat!’
‘Robbie!’ Holly was shocked. No one had mentioned the workhouse to him as yet as far as she knew. ‘Whoever told you that?’
‘Nobody,’ he mumbled grumpily. ‘I ’eard two o’ the nurses on night duty talkin’ about it when they thought I was asleep. They said me mam ’ad come to see Matron an’ told ’er that she didn’t want me back.’ He swiped angrily at a tear that trickled down his cheek. ‘But yer can forget that idea cos when I leave ’ere I can look after meself.’
Sunday’s pretty face crumpled as she listened to the child and in that moment her heart was lost yet again. ‘But you’re very young to be thinking of fending for yourself,’ she said gently. ‘How would you manage and where would you live?’
Robbie shrugged his thin shoulders. ‘The blokes leavin’ the pubs always chuck me a penny or two and I can sleep in shop doorways,’ he answered sullenly.
In that moment Sunday made her decision and she was sure that Tom would understand why when she told him about the child. ‘How would you feel about coming to live with me?’
Robbie’s eyes almost popped out of his head. ‘Live wi’ you? Where?’
Sunday smiled at him reassuringly. ‘I have a lovely big house in Hartshill on the edge of town all surrounded by woods and quite a few children live with me. There are big gardens to play in and you’d share a room with two other boys but you’d have your own bed. We have a cook who makes lovely meals and puddings. I heard you like cherry cake and she’s especially good at making that, and three times a week Mrs Lockett, the vicar’s wife, comes in to do lessons. You’d learn to read and write and do sums. I’m sure you’d enjoy that.’
Robbie looked thoughtful before asking, ‘An’ do we get the stick if we’re naughty? Me mam uses the stick all the time, an’ her men friends.’
‘No, Robbie, we never use a stick,’ Sunday told him gently, her heart aching for the poor little mite. ‘So what do you think?’
He sniffed nonchalantly. ‘I dare say I might come an’ try it fer a time,’ he answered, as if he was doing her some great favour and Sunday grinned.
‘Right, well just as soon as Matron says you’re well enough to leave here I’ll come and fetch you, shall I?’
‘If yer want,’ he said airily and Holly felt as if she would burst with joy. Here, hopefully, was one little boy she wouldn’t have to worry about for much longer.
Three days later when Dr Nason had declared Robbie well enough to leave Sunday and Tom arrived to collect him bearing new clothes.
‘Wassup wi’ me old ’uns?’ Robbie muttered as Matron drew the curtains about the bed so that he could get dressed. But he put them on all the same and felt quietly pleased as he stared down at the smart new trousers and the soft leather shoes. Admittedly Sunday had had to guess the size and they were a little large for him but after his old ones that had leaked water and rubbed blisters on his ankles he felt as if he was walking on air. His pleasure increased when Matron and Holly followed them all outside to Tom’s motor car.
‘Are we really goin’ in that?’ he asked, his voice awed.
‘We certainly are,’ Tom told him as he ruffled his hair and winked at Holly who was feeling rather anxious. ‘You’ll have lots of rides in it in the future. How about you come up front with me? I’m sure Sunday won’t mind sitting in the back.’
Robbie was smiling now as he turned to say goodbye to Matron and Holly. The matron smiled at him warmly and shook his hand making him feel very grown-up. And then it was Holly’s turn and she found it difficult to speak past the lump that had formed in her throat.
‘You be good now and do what Sunday and Tom tell you,’ she said in a choked voice.
He stared up at her solemnly and nodded. Then suddenly he flung his arms about her waist and his voice was thick as he whispered, ‘Thanks, Nurse ’Olly. Yer all right, you are.’
The next minute he was scrambling up into the seat next to Tom and Matron and Holly stood and waved till the car turned a corner and was lost to sight.
‘I think we can safely say that’s going to be a very happy ending for one child thanks to you, nurse.’ The matron smiled at her approvingly and they both returned to their duties.
Two weeks later Holly and her mother visited Treetops and were delighted to find Robbie had settled in nicely.
‘Our teacher, Mrs Lockett, reckons I’m brainy,’ Robbie told Holly gleefully when he had rushed out to meet her. ‘I can count up to ten already an’ I’m learnin’ me ABC now!’
‘Why, that’s excellent,’ Holly answered astounded at the change in him. His cheeks were glowing from the time he spent playing outdoors and he had gained a little weight. He’d also had a haircut, which he wasn’t so happy about, much to their amusement.
‘Tom took me an’ one o’ the other lads to the barber’s,’ he told them, solemnly stroking his shorn curls. ‘An’ Cissie went through me ’air every single night wi’ a nit comb till she were sure all the nits were gone. Don’t know why she boffered really. I were so used to ’em they didn’t boffer me. But ooh, the grub ’ere is lovely!’ He rolled his eyes in ecstasy. ‘Cook makes smashin’ dinners as well as cakes an’ tarts an’ we never ’ave to go to bed wi’ a ’ungry belly. She reckons I’ve got ’ollow legs cos I eat so much but Sunday told her that’s normal cos I’m a growin’ boy.’
‘So you’re happy here then?’ Holly asked and he grinned.
‘Nor ’alf.’ His attention was caught then by Ben, a child slightly older than him who was kicking a football about the lawn. ‘Sorry, but I’ve gorra go.’ His eyes were fixed on the ball. ‘I’ll see yer before yer leave, eh?’ And with that he was gone like the wind as Holly watched him with a smile on her face that stretched from ear to ear.
She and Emma then spent a very pleasant hour with Sunday and her close friend, Cissie, in the drawing room but eventually Emma told them, ‘I’m so sorry but I’m going out this evening so I really ought to be getting back to get ready.’
‘Are you?’ Holly was surprised. Her mother rarely went out in the evenings apart from to go to church. ‘Are you going somewhere nice?’
Two spots of colour appeared in her mother’s cheeks. ‘Yes, I’m going with Walter to the theatre. Charlie Chaplin is on at the Hippodrome and Walter thinks we’ll enjoy it.’ She watched closely for Holly’s reaction and when Holly smiled Emma almost sighed with relief.
‘I’m sure you will and it’s about time you got out a bit more.’ She had no doubt that this might be the first of many times Walter Dolby took her mother out and she wished her well. It was time she had a little happiness in her life. Unbidden a picture of Richard’s face flashed in front of her eyes and the pain was back, just as strong as it had been on the day she had said goodbye to him. He was still the first person she thought of when she opened her eyes each morning and the last one she thought of before going to sleep, but she knew she had done the right thing. Hopefully, Richard would meet someone who was worthy of his love in time but she knew she never would. If she couldn’t have him she didn’t want anyone, but at least she had her work and she intended to concentrate on that.