Читать книгу An Orphan’s Wish - Molly Green - Страница 13

Lana awoke early. Where was she? Peeling flowered wallpaper surrounded her. And the cheap furniture with bubbling grain wasn’t hers. Light was filtering through from somewhere behind her head and what seemed only a few feet away she could hear loud snoring. And then she remembered. She was in one of the bedrooms in the cottage in the grounds of Bingham school. And the snorer across the landing was Janice.

She jerked upright and swung her long legs out of bed. Her watch showed half past five. She could easily have another hour but she was going to be first into the bathroom to beat Janice.

By the time Lana had washed and dressed and discovered some porridge oats, she heard footsteps above, pacing up and down. Perhaps Janice was desperately trying to work out how she was going to accept sharing. Lana struck a match and lit the gas ring, then stirred the thickening mixture with a battered wooden spoon. When it was ready she popped the lid on and called up the stairs.

‘Janice. I’ve made some porridge.’

Silence. After a few seconds a voice answered, ‘Don’t eat the stuff.’ Janice’s dark head appeared. ‘I don’t have anything to eat until dinnertime.’

‘Well, at least have a cup of tea.’ Lana bit back her irritation.

‘All right. Be down in a minute.’

Lana had finished her porridge by the time Janice appeared. She did at least sit down and drink her tea.

‘I wanted to ask something,’ Lana said.

‘Long as it’s not personal,’ Janice answered immediately.

‘No, it’s not. It’s about Priscilla. Do you teach her?’

‘Yes. History and geography, but it’s hard going,’ Janice said, gulping the rest of her tea.

‘In what way?’

‘She can’t concentrate.’

‘I’m not surprised when she’s lost her parents so suddenly.’

‘I think the best way is to ignore the fact,’ Janice said, without a scrap of emotion. Lana’s eyes went wide. ‘Oh, I know that sounds harsh,’ Janice went on hurriedly, ‘but I think the more she’s reminded by people feeling sorry for her, the longer she’ll take to get over it.’

Lana didn’t agree at all, but she could see it wasn’t worth arguing with the woman.

‘I understand she’s now living at Dr Barnardo’s.’

‘That’s right,’ Janice said. ‘She used to be very good at most subjects at her grammar school, but now she doesn’t bother to finish her homework – sometimes doesn’t do any at all – and won’t take part when we ask questions. But give it time.’ Janice looked directly at Lana and gave one of her mocking smiles. ‘As you told me yesterday – time is the great healer.’

Lana flushed. ‘I didn’t actually use those words.’

‘Maybe not, but the sentiment’s the same.’

Lana bit her lip. No, she couldn’t live with Janice, hearing her chipping away with bitterness day after day. Couldn’t she see she wasn’t the only one who’d suffered in this bloody awful war? The woman hadn’t asked her one thing about herself or why she’d moved from York to Liverpool. Janice obviously wasn’t at all interested in anyone except Janice. Janice, the hard-done-by; Janice who couldn’t see how well off she was, living in a sweet little cottage – well, it would be if she’d clean and tidy it up now and again – and having one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. Well, she couldn’t stop here for the sake of one child and be at the mercy of Janice Parkes.

‘Anyway, you’ll have your house back to yourself in a couple of hours,’ Lana said.

‘What do you mean?’

She had Janice’s full attention now.

‘I’m not going to stay here.’

‘What?’

Lana met Janice’s dark eyes, wide now with curiosity. ‘I’m not going to take up the position of headmistress.’

‘Why ever not? You’ve presumably got the experience.’

‘But not the desire,’ Lana said. ‘I haven’t felt comfortable right from the start. Even on my interview, I wasn’t made welcome by the woman in the office.’

‘Mrs Danvers?’ Janice raised an eyebrow.

‘Is that her real name?’

‘No, it’s Dayton. But we call her Danvers. Mr Benton was a pain in the neck at the best of times, but he couldn’t do anything wrong in Mrs Dayton’s eyes – she doted on him. Just like Mrs Danvers with that spoilt brat, Rebecca.’ Janice curled her lip. ‘Did you see that film?’

Lana nodded.

‘I can’t believe you took any notice of a secretary,’ Janice droned on. ‘She couldn’t have changed your mind.’

Best not to say anything, Lana decided.

‘You don’t mean me?’ Janice practically thumped herself in the chest. ‘Oh, for God’s sake.’ She shot to her feet. ‘Next thing you’ll be telling me is that you can’t live in the cottage because it’s a bit untidy.’

‘A bit?’ Lana exclaimed, thoroughly annoyed. ‘I can’t move two steps before I’m tripping over all your rubbish. This would be my home too, like it or not, so it’s best I go now than drag out the misery.’ She frowned. ‘You know, I could probably accept the state of the place and even help get it shipshape, but I’m not prepared to share a house with such a bitter woman.’ She met Janice’s neutral expression with her own glare. ‘Funnily enough, Janice, I’ve got my own problems – not that you’d be interested.’ She stuck out her hand. ‘So we’ll call it a day, shall we?’

‘Fine by me,’ Janice said, ignoring the hand, and making for the door. ‘I’m sure Mrs Danvers will order you a taxi.’ She turned to face Lana before leaving, two bright spots of colour appearing high on her cheeks. ‘At least I’m not a quitter. At least I’m still here trying to help the children and come to terms with my own rotten stinking existence. So good luck to you.’

With that, Janice marched out.

Raising her eyes to the ceiling, Lana went upstairs. Her suitcase was only half unpacked. If she was honest, she was disappointed in herself for not giving it a chance, but Janice was impossible, and the cottage was not only overflowing with Janice’s clutter but it was also dingy to the point of being downright dirty. It would never have worked. She flung her book on the top of her clothes, pulled the lid down firmly to shut the two catches, and looked round to make sure she hadn’t left anything. Breathing a sigh of relief she walked down the stairs and out of the door.

Back at the school, quiet now the pupils were in class, she glimpsed ‘Mrs Danvers’ behind the glass screen in the office, clattering away on her typewriter. Lana set down her suitcase and was just about to tap on the window when she recognised Priscilla rushing through the entrance, a look of determination on her face.

‘I need to speak to Mrs Dayton.’ Priscilla panted as she practically pushed in front of Lana.

Lana nodded, pleased the woman hadn’t spotted her. It might be interesting to stay and watch how the secretary dealt with whatever was on the young girl’s mind.

Priscilla rapped on the screen and Lana saw there was blood on her hands. She was about to step forward and ask her what had happened when Mrs Danvers – Lana couldn’t think of her by any other name since Janice had named her so – appeared at the other side and lifted the hatch.

‘I’m sorry I’m late,’ Priscilla said, her breath coming in gasps, ‘but there was a cat. It’d been hit by a car and I had to go and fetch the vet.’

‘You always find some excuse or another,’ Mrs Danvers said in a cross tone. ‘The other children manage to get here on time.’

‘They live in the village,’ the girl protested. ‘I come further … and I would’ve been here on time if it hadn’t been for the cat.’

Mrs Danvers pursed her lips that had turned white round the edges. ‘You disrupt the class every morning with your late arrival. We’re having too many complaints about you. I’m going to have to speak to—’

‘To me?’ Lana gently put Priscilla aside as she bent through the opening and put on her professional smile. ‘Miss Ashwin … the new headmistress.’

Mrs Danvers’ eyes widened and Lana saw her neck redden with annoyance. ‘Er, yes, I suppose so.’

‘Well, there’s no need to worry any further. I’ll have a word with her.’ Lana turned to Priscilla. ‘Can you show me an empty room?’

Priscilla’s grey eyes gleamed. She nodded.

‘But first you need to wash your hands.’

Priscilla led her along a corridor to the end where there was a gym. Lana looked at the climbing rope, remembering how she’d fallen once as a child and broken her ankle. There was a ‘horse’ in the middle of the room and a pole ready for netball practice at one side. Metal chairs were lined up against one wall.

‘No one will be here until after break,’ Priscilla said, as they each took a chair.

‘Good.’ Lana gave the girl an encouraging smile. ‘Now tell me what’s going on. You seem to have a problem getting to school on time.’

Priscilla reached for one of her long blonde pigtails and brought it to the front, twisting the end round and round.

‘It’s not my fault,’ she said eventually. ‘And this morning I had to stop and help the cat.’

‘Did you pick it up?’

‘He was bleeding ever so much from his back leg. I wanted to get him onto the side away from any traffic, but he kept growling. I think he was just frightened, so I ran straight to the vet’s and he came back with me with a towel and picked him up with no trouble at all. He said I’d saved his life.’ She looked up at Lana, her eyes anxious.

‘An emergency disrupts the normal routine, but you did the right thing.’ She briefly touched Priscilla’s arm in sympathy. ‘But let’s start at the beginning,’ she said. ‘You’re living at Bingham Hall at the moment, aren’t you?’

Priscilla hung her head.

‘Priscilla?’

‘Yes, but it’s not my proper home.’

Lana raised her eyebrows.

‘It’s just for the time being,’ Priscilla explained. ‘Mum and Dad are away at the moment.’ She looked at Lana through misty eyes. ‘But they’re coming back for me soon.’

Lana didn’t know what to say. Priscilla was perfectly old enough to know how her parents had been killed. But the child was denying the truth.

‘Sometimes I start off late because I help some of the younger ones to dress,’ Priscilla went on. ‘And then I get into trouble for going into class when it’s already started. Miss Booth is always understanding, but Mrs Dayton used to report me to the headmaster.’ She burst into tears. ‘I’m glad he’s gone. He was horrible.’ She pulled a handkerchief from her pocket and blew her nose.

She began to cry again and Lana put her arm around the child’s slender shoulders. This was worse than she’d imagined. Priscilla really thought her parents were coming back for her. Her mind raced, wondering how to deal with the situation. Was it too soon to remind Priscilla that her parents were never coming back? It wasn’t doing her any good living in a dream when there was no possibility of it coming true.

‘Well, you’re safe at Bingham Hall for now,’ Lana said feebly.

‘But when we win the war they’ll come and fetch me, won’t they?’ Priscilla’s eyes were anxious. She put her finger to her mouth and chewed a nail.

‘I don’t know the full story,’ Lana said, noticing all Priscilla’s nails were bitten to the quick. She’d have to do something about that, but first things first. ‘For now I’m going to take you back to class. Which one are you in?’

‘Geography.’

Lana’s heart sank. Janice’s.

‘Let’s put the chairs back then,’ Lana said, undoing her raincoat. ‘I’ll leave my things here for the moment.’ She eased her case into a corner with her foot and threw her coat over the top.

Janice’s mouth fell open as Lana strode in to the geography class without her raincoat or suitcase, Priscilla a step behind. The teacher quickly recovered herself and gestured to the children to remain seated, then silently pointed to Priscilla’s desk at the side. The child hurried over and slid behind it as Lana went over to Janice.

‘Sorry to disturb you,’ she said quietly, ‘but Priscilla rescued an injured cat.’

‘I’ll speak to her after class.’

‘There’s no need,’ Lana said, ignoring the flash of anger in Janice’s piercing brown eyes. ‘I already have. But we’ve disturbed you enough.’ She smiled encouragingly at Priscilla who didn’t meet her eye.

Lana returned to the gym and collected her raincoat and case, then walked back to the cottage. Mr Shepherd had given her today to settle in, so she didn’t have to be anywhere particular until tomorrow. She smiled to herself. She knew how she was going to spend the rest of her day.