In a melancholy mood the girls went to do as they were told.
Chapter Ten
T
he girls spent the next few hours cleaning the cabin as best they could. Dirty bedding was taken up on deck and left to soak in huge barrels of sea water, and the floor was mopped as thoroughly as they could manage, but the smell persisted, so the girls escaped back up on deck again where the air was clean, although the sky was still leaden.
‘I ’ope we ain’t in fer another storm,’ Susan said fretfully as she stared up at the dark clouds. Nancy’s tragic death had affected them all badly and suddenly all the fun had gone from the adventure they were embarking upon.
‘I shouldn’t think we are,’ Pearl said, hoping to reassure her. ‘And anyway, we’ll be docking in the Bay of Biscay in the next couple of days to stock up on supplies. I’m sure the captain would put off sailing from there if he thought there was a risk of us running into another storm.’
Nick ambled up to join them, his face grave. ‘We heard in the lads’ quarters about what ’appened to little Nancy,’ he said solemnly. ‘What a shame; she were a nice kid, weren’t she?’
‘Yes, she was.’ Pearl swiped a tear from her cheek and they stood in silence, staring out across the vast expanse of sea suddenly longing for a sight of land.
At three o’clock, everyone assembled on deck for Nancy’s burial. A short plank had been fastened to the rail that jutted out across the water and a sailor carried Nancy’s body, wrapped and tied securely in sailcloth, across to it and laid it on top.
The priest took his position to one side and solemnly began the service, ‘Unto Almighty God we commend the soul of our sister departed, Nancy Bell, and we commit her body to the deep; in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection unto eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ; at whose coming in glorious majesty to judge the world, the sea shall give up her dead . . .’
His voice droned on as tears spilled down the cheeks of many of those present. Even the captain, who had taken off his hat as a mark of respect, looked to be damp-eyed. It seemed so sad that such a young girl who had her whole life in front of her should be snuffed out so quickly like a candle in the wind. And then the plank was lifted slightly and Nancy’s little body plummeted into the water below and slowly sank out of sight.
‘That’s it then.’ Susan swiped a trail of snot from her nose on the sleeve of her dress as they all trooped into the dining hall. It was done.
They sailed into the Bay of Biscay two days later and the children watched in fascination as the sailors lowered the gangplanks and began to bring on board fresh food supplies. Pearl had a yearning to run down the gangplank after them and feel dry land beneath her feet, but of course they weren’t allowed to leave the ship as the captain was keen to set sail again while the weather was in their favour. And so, some three hours later, they were off again, and the excitement slowly began to rise once more because they all knew that the next stop would be their destination and their new homes.
As the wind filled the sails, the port slowly became smaller and soon there was nothing but sea to be seen again. The sailors had obligingly strung some lines up across one corner of the deck and the girls took advantage of them when they washed out their clothes in the big barrels and hung them across the lines to flap in the breeze; it was nothing like doing the laundry back at the workhouse.
‘We’ll be itching again with the salt in these when they dry,’ Susan complained, but Pearl didn’t mind. At least they would be clean.
‘Why don’t we hop in the barrels an’ have a bath afore we empty the water?’ she suggested, but Susan didn’t seem too keen on that idea. She’d never been that meticulous about hygiene.
‘Well, I’m going to; pass me that soap,’ Pearl instructed and before Susan could object, she’d stripped down to her underwear and disappeared around the back of the barrel where she wouldn’t be seen as she hopped in.
‘Ooh, it’s cold,’ she giggled as she dunked her head beneath the water. She began to rub the coarse soap into her hair until she’d worked it into a lather.
When she emerged dripping some minutes later, she shook herself like a dog and dried herself roughly on her dress before slipping it back on and grinning.
‘That’s lovely; I feel all tingly an’ clean now,’ she declared, and soon other girls were doing the same, and laughter and curses filled the air as they disappeared beneath the water, only to reappear seconds later coughing and giggling.
‘Go on,’ she urged Susan. ‘We ain’t none of us smellin’ too sweet an’ it feels really nice.’
Somewhat reluctantly Susan followed suit, and by the time they all went into the dining cabin for their meal their hair was shining and their faces were glowing.
Thankfully the rest of the journey passed uneventfully and as they neared their destination, excitement began to mount.
‘I ’opes I get set on in a big posh ’ouse,’ Susan said thoughtfully as they sat over dinner one evening. ‘Then I’ll get to wear a really posh uniform an’ be a maid to a proper lady.’
Miss Walker had informed them that they would be travelling to Galt in Ontario where they would stay in what she termed ‘a holding home’ founded by Annie MacPherson until they were found a position. They knew that the settlement they were heading for was a thriving community where many of the settlers had bought parcels of land and established farms, and the town was growing and becoming prosperous.
‘Miss Walker says Galt is right on the Grand River an’ all,’ Susan went on enthusiastically. ‘That’ll be nice won’t it? We could per’aps learn to swim in us free time. I just ’ope we get placed close to each other.’
Pearl giggled. ‘Well, that surprises me seein’ as yer don’t even like to have a bath.’
Susan sniffed disdainfully. ‘That’s different,’ she said primly. ‘Swimmin’ is ’avin’ fun.’
Pearl glanced at Eliza who was sitting quietly beside them, staring off into space as usual. Following the storm, she had developed a cough and Pearl was concerned that it seemed to be getting worse. But still, she comforted herself, she was sure to get better once they were off the ship and on dry land again.
At last, during the second week in June, a cry came from the crow’s nest. ‘Land ahead!’
Everyone scrambled to get to the rails, and sure enough, far in the distance they saw a land mass. They had been told they would dock at Port Mississauga in Ontario, and now the excitement reached fever pitch as the land drew closer.
‘We should be docking this evening,’ the captain told them when he came to stand amongst them. The voyage had claimed poor Nancy’s life, but he was painfully aware that it could have been much worse. During the previous voyage, a case of dysentery had broken out and claimed the lives of eleven people. He stared at the bright-eyed children gazing with delight at the far distant land and felt infinitely sad. They were all going to uncertain futures with no one to care what became of them, unlike his own two children who he missed greatly but who he knew were cossetted and pampered back at home. But then he supposed that he had at least got them there safely and surely nothing could be worse than the lives some of them had led back in London? Many of them had been rescued from what amounted to little more than child slavery in the matchbox industry and the rest were from various orphanages and workhouses where they worked long, tedious hours for their living. His eyes rested on Pearl and when she smiled his heart ached. Both she and her sister, with their lovely silver-blonde hair and deep-green eyes, were going to be beauties in a few years’ time, if he was any judge.
‘Captain, you’re wanted, sir!’ A voice sounded behind him, and with a last smile at the children he went about his duties. Very soon what became of them all would be in the lap of the gods. He could only pray that life would be kind to them.
Dusk was settling across the landscape as the children prepared to disembark early that evening.
‘Are you quite sure you have everything, girls?’ Miss Walker as
ked from the cabin doorway. Eleven heads nodded and she smiled as she ushered them past her and up on to the deck. The sailors were busily manhandling the gangplank into place and as Pearl peeped down at the sea swirling far below, she was surprised to see how blue and clear it was; nothing at all like the sludgy brown water back at the docks in London.
She squeezed Eliza’s hand and smiled at her. ‘All ready for this, are yer?’
Eliza merely stared blankly back at her as Pearl led her forwards. It was time to start their new life; there could be no going back now.
Chapter Eleven
‘H
ere we are then; this is where you’ll be staying. For now, at least,’ Miss Walker informed them, as she ushered them into a building made entirely of logs that was unlike anything the girls had ever seen. Inside, though, it was surprisingly spacious and comfortable. She led them into a long, narrow dormitory with beds placed against each wall.
‘Choose which beds you’d like to sleep in and leave your things on them then come along to the dining room for some food and a drink; I’m sure you must all be hungry. I’ll be back in five minutes to show you where it is.’ Miss Walker smiled at them and slipped away.
Pearl yawned. After disembarking they had travelled for hours by train and across rugged country in a convoy of horse-drawn carts to get there and they were so tired that some of them were almost asleep on their feet. Pearl had watched the passing scenery with interest to begin with, keen to get a picture of her new home country, but then tiredness had claimed her and she had napped for most of the way. If truth be told she was still exhausted and would have liked nothing more than to just curl up in one of the beds – they did look surprisingly comfortable – but Eliza had eaten hardly anything for days and she was keen to persuade her to eat something at least. Her sister’s cough seemed to be getting more persistent, and Pearl had decided that she would speak to Miss Walker about it at the earliest opportunity.
Most of the girls had perked up considerably now that they had finally arrived at their temporary home and they were keen to look about.
‘Just look at them trees,’ Susan said, peering out of a window. ‘I don’t fink I’ve ever seen any so big.’ She threw her bag on to the bed next to Pearl’s and looked around, excitement shining in her eyes. Canada, with its vast, open spaces and forests, was a far cry from the crowded, sooty streets of London and she already had a feeling that she was going to like it here. Freda, on the other hand, didn’t look very enamoured of anything.
‘It’s like bein’ dumped in a wilderness,’ she whined. ‘Look, there ain’t even no street lights ’ere. What if a bear walks in?’
‘I doubt that will happen; we do have doors, yer know, and I’m not sure a light would stop ’em,’ Pearl told her with a chuckle as she took her brush from her bag and started to tidy Eliza’s hair.
They had been told that the boys would be in a similar building next door and she was looking forward to finding out what Nick thought of their new home. Knowing how much he loved the outdoors, she had no doubt that he would love the place.
True to her word Miss Walker was back within minutes and led them to yet another enormous log cabin that served as a classroom for the younger children and a dining room for the residents there. Nick was already seated at a table by a large window with some of his friends, and he winked at Pearl and gave her a cheery wave. There was a large trestle table where two women in long white aprons were dishing out food and soon they were all seated with steaming dishes of pork chops and mash, and glasses of creamy milk in front of them.
‘Well, it’s nice to know we ain’t gonna starve at least, even if there is a chance we could get eaten by bears,’ Susan said cheerfully as she tucked in. She never refused food yet she was stick thin and Pearl wondered where she put it all.
Even Eliza ate a little of her meal which pleased her older sister no end.
‘If any of you would like to do a little exploring do go ahead,’ Mr Briggs, the young man who had accompanied the boys, told them when the meal was over. ‘But please stay within sight of the home until you know your way around a little more. It would be awful if we had to send out a search party the first day we got here. The rest of you are free to return to your rooms and rest, if you prefer.’
‘I’m off fer a look round,’ Susan told them. ‘Anyone fancy comin’?’
‘No thanks, I reckon I’ll go an’ ’ave a lie-down.’ Pearl stifled another yawn as she took Eliza’s hand and led her outside. Dusk was falling and all that could be heard was the sound of the birds in the trees. It was hard to believe that the town of Galt was only a short distance up the rough road.
Mr Briggs and Miss Walker appeared and made off in the direction of the large woods behind the home for a stroll.
‘Hm, they look like a couple o’ love birds, don’t yer think?’ Susan grinned, then wondered off to join a couple of the other girls who were going for a walk, while Pearl and Eliza went back to the dormitory. Once there, they lay down on their beds and within seconds, they were fast asleep.
The next morning, after visiting the bathhouse, the girls again made their way to the dining room. Susan beckoned them over to her table to tell them, ‘Miss Walker says people will start to arrive today to see if any of us are suitable fer the positions they ’ave. I just bloody ’ope no one chooses me fer laundry work! I ’ad enough o’ that back at the work’ouse!’
They ate a hearty breakfast and were then led into a large room which also served as a classroom for the older children. Eventually people began to arrive and walk amongst them, eyeing them up and down.
‘I feel like a cow on show at a cattle market!’ Susan hissed to Pearl.
Some of the people were extremely well dressed, while others were clearly farmers and their wives. Pearl saw one such man and his wife approach Nick and the boy sitting next to him. She couldn’t hear what was being said but it was obvious that Nick was happy from the broad smile on his face. Minutes later the man went off to speak to Mr Briggs and Nick came bounding over to them like a young deer.
‘I’m goin’ to work on a farm.’ He punched the air with exhilaration. ‘Can yer believe that, eh? It’s just what I dreamed of.’
Pearl was pleased for him but she knew she would miss him. ‘Will you be far away?’ she asked.
He shook his head as his eyes strayed to his new boss. ‘Only about two miles out o’ town as the crow flies, apparently, so ’opefully we’ll still bump into each other from time to time.’
His new employer was signing some forms and minutes later he approached Nick. ‘So are you ready, boy? I’ve got the cart outside.’
It was the first time Pearl had heard a Canadian accent and she liked the way his words seemed to roll together.
‘Yes, sir,’ Nick answered as he gave the girls one last smile and followed the man from the room.
‘Good luck,’ Pearl called after him but through the window she could already see him clambering on to the back of the cart, still smiling broadly as the farmer and his wife took the front seat.
When she turned back, Pearl noticed a woman was speaking to a scowling Freda and soon after the woman approached Miss Walker.
‘Looks like you’ve found a place too,’ Pearl said as Freda glowered at her.
‘Oh, yeah, workin’ in a smelly butcher’s shop,’ she grumbled.
The room was full of people now and Pearl held tight to Eliza’s hand praying that they might be chosen to go somewhere together. She knew Eliza would never cope on her own.
Soon a dainty, very well-dressed woman in a fancy bonnet trimmed with peacock feathers stepped into the room and began a conversation with Miss Walker. She was attractive and looked to be in her mid to late thirties and Pearl watched as Miss Walker’s head nodded in answer to the questions the woman was asking. Shortly after the woman began to wander around the room and as her eyes fastened on Eliza she suddenly stopped directly in front of them.
‘Are you two sisters?’ she asked in a
refined English accent, her eyes fixed tight on Eliza.
Pearl nodded and answered for both of them. ‘Yes, missus, we are an’ we’d like to find a place where we can work together, if possible.’
‘Hm, I see.’ Her eyes flicked briefly to Pearl before returning to Eliza. ‘And are you good at housework?’
‘Oh yes, missus. We’re both real good at cleanin’ – an’ washin’ an’ ironin’,’ Pearl assured her eagerly. She had no idea who the woman was but from her clothes and the way she spoke she clearly wasn’t a farmer’s wife. As the woman stared thoughtfully at Eliza’s blank face for a second, Pearl detected a deep sadness in her eyes, but then seeming to reach a decision the woman went to seek Miss Walker out again.
After a while she came back to them and said, ‘I have decided to give you both a trial. ‘You,’ she said to Pearl, ‘will be trained to be a maid, and you’ – her voice softened as she smiled at Eliza – ‘will be working in the kitchens. Does that sound suitable?’
‘Oh yes, missus.’ Although the woman spoke very well, she didn’t seem to be unkind and Pearl was just relieved that she and Eliza could stay together. At that moment Eliza started to cough and the woman frowned.
‘Have you had that cough for long, my dear?’ she enquired as she reached out to gently touch the girl’s hair, but Eliza simply hung her head and remained silent.
Pearl hastily told her, ‘She’s had it fer some time, missus, but it is gettin’ a bit better.’
The woman shook her head and sighed as she turned her attention to Pearl. ‘I can see I have a lot of work to do with you to bring you up to standard, starting with some elocution lessons. Your grammar is quite appalling.’
‘Elecru what?’ Pearl looked worried.
‘Elocution lessons; teaching you how to pronounce your words and speak properly,’ the woman explained patiently. ‘But now I really must go. Someone will be here to fetch you and your sister later this morning and when you get to my home the housekeeper will tell you what to do and what will be expected of you both.’
An Orphan's Journey Page 9
