THE DEPRIVED... Chapter 3... Part 29.

A continuation of my book.

“You take it easy Beth and I’ll keep the busy-bodies away from you.” said Fanny, pulling at the curtain so that Beth lost sight of the patients and the action in the ward. From behind the curtains she heard Fanny’s voice raised as she ordered the other patients to leave Beth alone. Beth lay quiet, feeling the dizzy spell quieten. She wanted to leave the hospital and be away from this madness though she knew it was not possible till she was really fit. She thought about the convent and the friends she had made there. In a strange way, as much as she loved her friends and the safety of the convent her illness had made it clear that it was not the life for her. She also knew that, at the nearing age of sixteen, she would not be able to stay there unless she took up the dress of the Postulant and that was not possible because she lacked the mind for such a rigid life of prayer and order.

Beth woke with a start, to see Fanny looking at her round the curtain.
“There’s some God’s people here to see you.” she said and drew back the curtain to allow Sister Joy and Sister Francis to pass before drawing the curtain back again and closing them inside.
“Beth, how are you?” asked Sister Joy.
Beth sat up in bed and thanked them for their visit. The patients, young and old, all those able to walk had gathered around outside the curtain and Beth could hear Fanny shouting at them to go away and leave Beth in peace.
“I aint to be in holding the brats back for too long!” said Fanny, poking her head round the side of the curtain.
“It’s alright, Fanny. Open the curtain and allow them to see me.” replied Beth.
Fanny drew back the curtain to allow those who crowded round to stare with wide eyes at the picture of Beth sitting up with the two Nuns standing beside the bed.
“Take no notice of them and they’ll go away.” said Beth.
But Sister Francis spread her arms out, like an avenging vampire and shouted… “Boo!”
This sent the crowd scampering away, to hide behind beds and cots and screaming like banshees.
“Now perhaps we’ll get some peace and quiet so we can talk to you.” said Sister Francis with a laugh, turning back to the bed.
Beth smiled, knowing it would not be long before the more adventurous of the patients would come back to stare and whisper among themselves.
“What are you going to do with yourself when you leave the hospital?” asked Sister Joy.
“I don’t know. Well I haven’t had time to think about it.” replied Beth, not really wanting to tell the Sisters that she did not want to return to the convent.
“We were thinking, that is Sister Francis and I were wondering if you would like to return to the convent and become as Postulant. You have done such good service as an aide with us, we thought…”
Beth held up a hand.
“Please, Sister Joy. I have not made my mind up and to be honest I do not think I will fit in with the lifestyle. I need to be free to make my mind up.” she said.
“Oh Beth, we do understand. We came to see how you were and to talk. We have no intention of urging you to come back to the convent.” replied Sister Joy quickly.
“Yes, I know and thank you for thinking of me, Sisters. It is nice to know you all care.”
“And Sister Dominique sends her best wishes and prays that you make a full and blessed recovery.” said Sister Francis.
“Tell her thank you.” said Beth.
The talk was of matters within the convent and the community work which both Sisters were involved in. Beth listened, laughing at some of the things spoken of while saddened at the deaths of those who seemed to simply give up on life.
“Will you come and visit us when you leave hospital?” asked Sister Joy as both Nuns prepared to leave.
“Of course I will.” promised Beth.
The children and some of the adults had begun to crowd around the bed again, some kneeling at the feet of the Sisters and touching at the long black skirts. Beth smiled as the Nuns made their way to the door, seeing the children following the Sisters and snatching at their skirts till Sister Francis turned quickly and clapped her hands, making all the children scatter once more to hide under beds and cots. With a laugh, Sister Francis turned and waved back at Beth before closing the door behind her.

 

Later that afternoon, Fanny helped Beth stand up and take a few steps round the ward, careful not to step on the smaller children who lay on the floor.
“Doesn’t anyone ever visit these children?” asked Beth.
“They aint seen a drop of anyone since I’ve been here and I’ve been here in keeping for a while’s time. It’s me thinking as most of them are kept here till as like a place in an institution is found for the brats. Some as will likely go to the workhouse, to work there or be let out to the factories, like the tanning factory where they’ll work for their food.”
Beth shook her head. She knew all about the workhouses and how they treated the young and the vulnerable.
“I will be leaving here in two day’s time.” said Fanny suddenly. “I was told by the Doctor earlier.”
“Where will you go?” asked Beth.
She would miss Fanny, who was always so enthusiastic about things and great at keeping the spirits high.
“My brother is in coming to see me tomorrow. His name is Nathaniel but he’s to taking to being called Nat. You’ll like him, Beth. He’s in bondage to work in a new factory that’s opened up in Bow. It’s a factory which makes matches and called Bryant and May. He’s got me in offer of a job as a Match-Girl in the factory.”
“A Match-Girl?” asked Beth.
“A Match-Girl is them as dips the sticks and puts the heads to the matches as to light in striking.” replied Fanny.
“But where will you live?” asked Beth.
“The factory has rooms for us girls. It aint like a workhouse or any place where you is told what to do or how to live. I’m to live in a room with other girls and a rent is taken out of me wage. It sounds like great fun.” laughed Fanny.
“Is Nat older than you?” Beth asked, then frowned. “Wait a minute.” she said, stopping short. “I don’t even know how old you are, do I?”
“I’m at seventeen and it’s me hair loss as gives me more years. But I am in assurance to you I am as I say I am in age. And me brother Nat is three years to the good in age and being twenty” replied Fanny.
“And you’ve never been kissed?” asked Beth coyly.
Beth coloured up, wondering what had made her ask that question.
“Oh, I’ve been kissed many times.” replied Fanny, leading Beth back to the bed and settling her down.
She sat on the edge of the bed, her face serious.
“The last man to kiss me as went soon after and left me pregnant. I went to see this old street woman who has the way of ridding girls of ‘Unwants’. Well, she tries to take the baby away and she mangles me up inside and then had me hair cut as a treat afore dumping me out in the street. Me brother, in his goodness found me and brought me here.”
Both of them said nothing for a while, each into their own hard memories.
“What about you, Beth?”
Beth began to tell Fanny about her baby, the way she was raped and about the child dying.
“Lawd sakes! Perhaps it was to a good for the best, Beth.” said Fanny.
Beth nodded. Yes, perhaps it was, she agreed silently.

 

It was early the next morning when the door to the ward opened and a tall young man entered.
“It’s me brother, Nat!” cried Fanny excitedly, coming to Beth’s bed and shaking her awake.
Beth sat up and watched as Fanny ran to meet her brother as he walked toward her. He lifted her up in his arms and swung her round.
“Mind them brats, Nat!” she squealed.
Nat put her down and spent some time playing with the children, swinging them round as they laughed and wanting more.
“Come and meet Beth!”
Nat put the child down and came over to where Fanny stood alongside Beth’s bed.
“Wotcha Beth.” said Nat.
Beth felt her heart tug, looking up into a pair of sparkling blue eyes and a full mouth above a firm jaw. It seemed they stared at each other for quite a while, as if some electric chord held them in space. There was an instant attraction between them. Beth lowered her eyes, afraid they gave her feelings away.
Fanny stared from one to the other.
“Oi! what have we here?” she joked and laughed even more when both Nat and Beth blushed.
“I’m sure you two have a lot to talk about.” said Beth, urging them away from her bed yet wishing for Nat to stay.
“I’ll come on you and say goodbye afore I go.” said Nat, offering his hand.
Beth took his hand and shook it, feeling the electric shock which seemed to shoot up her arm and she knew Nat felt it to by the way he looked at her, his eyes widening as he smiled.
“Puts her down to lying, Nat.” chortled Fanny.
With a wave of her hand to Beth, she led Nat over to her own bed, followed by the children.
Nat spoke earnestly to Fanny for a while and Beth saw her laugh as she glanced towards Beth. Nat was certainly good-looking and gallant, with an easy charm. Beth smiled at the way a lock of his dark hair seemed to fall mischievously over his left eye when he shook his head and the way he habitually brushed it back, to have it fall again.
Nat then left Fanny’s bedside, to play with the children who danced around him. He then made his way to those who lay in their beds, some bound to their beds by strips of cloth. Nat talked to them all and Beth watched him, feeling her heart quicken as he came at last to stand beside her bed.
“Well, Beth, it was much to my comfort in meeting you and I shall have it in honour if you gives me the leave to visit you again afore I come to take Fanny home.”
Again, he offered his hand and Beth took it, their eyes holding each other for some time.
“I’ll be coming back to you, Beth.” said Nat in softened tone.
“Please do.” replied Beth, lowering her eyes and blushing once more.

“Aint he the soldier!” cried Fanny, seating herself on the side of Beth’s bed after Nat had left. “And he’s taken a real fancy to you, Beth. He is in certainty as tipping his hat at you. All he kept to his mind was on asking about you. Oh no, I didn’t tell him anything about what you told me!” Fanny exclaimed, seeing the sudden alarm come into Beth’s eyes. “I am in telling him as to your age and that you are not to any man’s fancy as I know of. He wants to come and see you.”
Fanny gabbled on and Beth said nothing for a while, not wanting to show her feelings for the man she had just met.