‘See if I care …’ Betty stuck her tongue out at her. ‘Rotten ole cow!’
Ruby went round the desk and slapped her across the face just once. ‘You will care if I send you away. What I just did is nothing. You’ll be restrained and drugged if you’re violent and kept in a padded cell …’
Betty stared, shocked into listening. ‘Sorry,’ she mumbled, eyes filling with tears. ‘Didn’t mean it …’
‘You have one last chance,’ Ruby repeated and held out her hand. ‘Give me the lipstick and don’t let me see you wearing it again …’
Betty handed it over reluctantly but raised her head in defiance. She held her tongue, still stunned by the slap and the threat of what would happen to her in a remand home, but Ruby guessed it wouldn’t last long. Because she knew what the girl had been through at home, she would give her one last chance, but she didn’t regret the slap. Betty had to learn discipline and if she didn’t she would deserve all she got …
‘How are the Miller children settling in?’ Beatrice asked Wendy when she saw her later that afternoon. ‘Do you think they’re ready to be moved on yet?’
‘In my opinion no,’ Wendy said, looking thoughtful. ‘Archie is set on visiting his mother at the police station and wants to prove her innocence. I don’t think he has much chance of doing either, even if Mrs Miller is innocent – but I believe he would resent being sent away or being separated from his sister. She is a little truculent at times, but does what the carers ask her, so both Tilly and Kelly say …’
‘That is exactly my own opinion,’ Beatrice nodded her agreement. ‘I shall wait until we hear what happens to their mother. If she is sent to prison, of course, they must both be moved to Halfpenny House.’
‘Yes, I suppose so. It’s a pity we can’t just keep them here.’
‘We only have so much room. I spoke against handing over the new wing to the Children’s Department, but we had little choice in the matter. I’m afraid that in the case of a prison sentence for Mrs Miller I shall have no alternative but to send them on. However, I shall keep them together.’
‘Oh yes, they must stay together,’ Wendy agreed.
‘Well, that has settled my mind,’ Beatrice said. ‘You are off this evening I believe?’
‘Yes, I’m looking forward to it,’ Wendy said. ‘I’ve arranged to go to the pictures with Kelly. Her boyfriend is working and her father said she should have a night out for once, and as her sister is old enough to help about the house now she asked me if I wanted to see Annie Get Your Gun with her.’
‘Is that a new film?’
‘No, it came out in 1950 but somehow I never got to see it and neither did Kelly. It’s on again at the Odeon and we thought it would make a nice change; it’s a musical.’
‘Ah yes, you will enjoy that,’ Beatrice said. ‘How is young Dick this evening? He has as nasty a case of the measles as I’ve seen …’
‘He has been feeling very sorry for himself,’ Wendy smiled in sympathy, ‘but I’ve seen an improvement today, and fortunately we haven’t had any further cases pre-senting themselves.’
‘Good. Well I shan’t hinder you; I’m sure you have things to do …’
Beatrice smiled as she walked back to her office. Thank goodness she didn’t have to work with Ruby Saunders!
‘Can I see my mother?’ Archie asked the following Saturday morning at the police station. ‘I’ve brought her some fudge. She likes fudge and I got it special for her.’
‘I’m sorry, lad,’ Sergeant Sallis said from behind the counter. ‘She was found guilty at her trial yesterday and she’s been moved to Holloway … they gave her an eighteen-month sentence …’
‘They can’t have …’ Archie was stunned. ‘She’s innocent. Why doesn’t anyone believe us? If she took that money where is it?’
‘She said she was innocent but the stolen cheques were found in her desk and a sheet of paper on which she’d been practising the manager’s signature – and there was ten pounds missing from the cash box too. Only she and Reg Prentice had the key … and he was the one that drew attention to the missing money.’
‘Then he took the money and he put those things in Mum’s desk, I know he did,’ Archie said belligerently. ‘It ain’t fair. Mum ain’t a thief …’
‘If it were up to me I’d give her the benefit of the doubt,’ Sergeant Sallis said. ‘I’m truly sorry, lad. I wish there was something I could do, but the evidence went against her. She got a light sentence because of her previously good record and with good behaviour she might be out in a year or less.’
Archie felt the rage building inside him, but he wasn’t going to rage at Sergeant Sallis. Twice, he’d let him see his mum for a few minutes, and he wasn’t supposed to do that, Archie knew.
‘How can I see her?’
‘I’m not sure they will let you visit at the prison,’ Sergeant Sallis said doubtfully. ‘You’re still a child in the eyes of the law – but I’ll find out for you, and if there’s a way I’ll get you a visiting order, and if not I’ll get you the proper address so you can write to her and send her a little parcel.’
Archie swallowed his anger and bewilderment and thanked him. He shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked away, shoulders hunched defensively. It was hell being a kid with no parents. If he’d been older he could’ve stood up to those people who’d labelled his mum a thief; she’d told Archie she was innocent and believed she’d been set up and she’d whispered a name. For some reason Reg Prentice had had it in for his mum, but she hadn’t told him why; instead she’d told him to keep it to himself and not make trouble.
‘If you go round there and accuse him it will only make them think you’re a troublemaker, Archie. You have to stay strong, look after June for me, and I’ll come back and find you when I can …’
Tears were burning the back of Archie’s throat. He wished there was something he could do to comfort his mother, picturing her sitting in a cell, either alone or with other women – women who were thieves and worse. How she would hate it! Sandra Miller had always done her best to keep her children honest, clean and decent, and she’d been that way herself. Archie didn’t believe for one moment that his mother had stolen those cheques or any money either. Someone had wanted to punish her and one day Archie was going to find out why and when he knew for certain … Reg Prentice had just better look out, that’s all.
For the moment he had to take care of his sister. Archie was well aware June had been in trouble at school. He’d taken her to task over it, telling her what a fool she was to let others provoke her. He knew she was getting a lot of bullying at school, other girls jeering at her because her mother was locked up for theft and calling her names. Archie had endured some of the jeering himself, but he’d ignored it, squaring up to one of the boys and asking him if he wanted to make something of it. Because Archie was older and stronger than his sister, he’d succeeded in quietening the bullies, but June was different. She didn’t like to be the object of scorn, and she was upset because their mother had gone away. Archie had tried to tell her it wasn’t Mum’s fault, but he didn’t know whether she believed him or not.
He kicked angrily at a discarded can, lingering at the edge of the market. He didn’t want to go back to his room at the orphanage; he hadn’t made many friends there and he missed the life he’d known before his mother was arrested.
‘Hey there, young ’un,’ a voice said and he saw Billy Baggins coming towards him. ‘Got nothing to do?’