The Five Shilling Children Read online

  Also by Lindsey Hutchinson

  The Workhouse Children

  The Wives’ Revenge

  The Lost Sisters

  The Orphan Girl

  The Girl on the Doorstep

  The Fallen Women

  The Five Shilling Children

  Lindsey Hutchinson

  AN IMPRINT OF HEAD OF ZEUS

  www.ariafiction.com

  First published in the United Kingdom in 2019 by Aria, an imprint of Head of Zeus Ltd

  Copyright © Lindsey Hutchinson, 2019

  The moral right of Lindsey Hutchinson to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act of 1988.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  This is a work of fiction. All characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

  ISBN 9781788541503

  Aria

  c/o Head of Zeus

  First Floor East

  5–8 Hardwick Street

  London EC1R 4RG

  www.ariafiction.com

  Contents

  Welcome Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Become an Aria Addict

  For Wendy and her mother Polly

  1

  ‘Oh for God’s sake Polly, stop yer snivelling!’ Minnie Fitch said looking down at her nine-year-old daughter. ‘I’ve got enough to do lookin’ after the babby, and you’re always crying!’

  Minnie sighed heavily as she watched Polly run out of the back door of their two-up, two-down house in Bank Street, Wolverhampton. A moment later the steam train trundled past on the iron rails that ran alongside the row of houses. As it passed, it set the whole house rattling and when the whistle blew, the baby in her arms began to howl yet again. John was teething and had given his mother no peace during the night.

  Dropping onto a wooden kitchen chair, Minnie cried along with him – out of pure exhaustion. Pushing her fair hair out of her face, she wiped her eyes on the corner of her apron.

  ‘Mummy, I watched the train go past!’ Polly yelled as she came running back into the kitchen. Seeing her mother in tears, she stuck her fingers in her mouth and stood staring. In her young mind she wondered if she had been the cause of her mother’s weeping.

  The London and North West Railway cut through the heart of the large industrial town of Wolverhampton in the Black Country, its steam trains thundering past the groups of houses day and night.

  Another train went past and everything shook again. Polly watched a cup jiggle along the edge of the table before dropping off the end and shattering into a hundred pieces.

  ‘Bloody trains!’ Minnie yelled, and Polly now knew what had upset her mother. She sighed a little breath of relief to know the tears were not down to her.

  Wiping her snotty nose on her old cardigan sleeve, Polly shivered. ‘I’m cold,’ she mumbled through her wet fingers. Her bare feet were dirty as were her hands and face. Her cotton dress, almost a rag now, held no warmth. Brown eyes regarded the woman who began to yell at her, and hair so dark it was almost black fell about her face as her chin touched her chest.

  ‘Well go and get into bed then!’ Minnie shouted.

  Polly shook her head saying nothing. She didn’t want to go to bed, it wasn’t night-time yet. She watched her mother close her eyes and squeeze them tight – the warning sign of a rising temper. As Minnie opened them again, Polly took to her heels. Unfortunately, she wasn’t quick enough and the slap bounced off the back of her head.

  ‘Do as you’re bloody told! Minnie was in full swing now, chasing Polly into the living room, a screaming baby held on her hip. All her own tears forgotten, Minnie Fitch had had enough. Laying John in her husband’s big easy chair, she caught Polly by the arm. Swinging the child round she smacked her bottom hard ignoring Polly’s screams and crying.

  ‘I’m fed up to the back teeth with you lot!’ Minnie said harshly as she threw her daughter away from her. Catching John just as he was about to roll off the chair she went outside and dumped him in an old perambulator in the communal back yard. Securing him in with straps, she left him to cry it out.

  Polly sat on the floor in the corner of the room sobbing her little heart out. Try as she might, she couldn’t understand why her mummy was so horrible to them; her brother Adam usually suffering a scolding in the same way. Polly wondered where ten-year-old Adam was; she hadn’t seen him all morning. Probably out scavenging with the big boys – Peter who was eleven and twelve-year-old James. She knew they should be at school, but was fully aware they had no intention of going.

  Pushing her lank dark hair off her face, Polly ran her nose along her sleeve once more, her sobs dry now. Her bottom was sore so she lay down on her side before shoving her dirty fingers in her mouth again. Polly’s chocolate brown eyes roamed the room as she lay quietly. Daddy’s chair by the empty fire; a kitchen chair for mummy and a peg rug on the floor. There were no curtains at the windows but no-one could see in anyway because the glass was too dirty. The filthy windows meant the light couldn’t get through either, so there was a small table which held a candle in its holder.

  Sleeve and nose coming together yet again, Polly wished Adam would come home. He was the only one who had any time for her.

  *

  Polly and Adam were constantly chastised by their father and so had become very close. Both sharing the same dark eyes and darker hair, they had, even at this early age, noticed the difference. Their brothers and parents were all fair haired with blue eyes. Polly remembered Adam asking why that was and he had received a thrashing from their father in reply. Gerald Fitch was a bully.

  She heard her mother bring in the screaming baby once more and then a noise from the kitchen had Polly listening carefully. Realising it was Adam’s voice, she jumped to her feet and raced through the door throwing herself into his arms. Everything would be all right now – Adam was home.

  However, all was not well, for James was arguing with her beloved Adam.

  ‘You’m a bleedin’ liar Adam!’ James yelled.

  ‘I’m not! I begged those sausages and well you k
now it!’ Adam returned.

  ‘Mum, he didn’t. It was our Peter – he told me so!’

  Adam was furious at the lie and kicked out at his big brother.

  Minnie thrust the wailing baby into Polly’s arms and went to separate her sons who were now brawling on the kitchen floor.

  ‘You two, get off to the slag heaps and find summat for us to burn. I can’t cook these sausages with no fire!’ she said to her eldest boys. ‘And you, yer lying little bugger, I’ll teach you to tell me an untruth!’ Minnie gave Adam a good hiding where he stood.

  Dropping back onto her chair she took back the baby and looked at the boy she had just thrashed. He was staring back at her defiantly, breathing heavily through flared nostrils. Suddenly Minnie knew he had been telling the truth but it was too late now, Adam had taken a punishment he didn’t deserve without making a sound. She loved these two children who were so different from the others, but she was so very, very tired and her heart ached as she watched them now.

  Turning towards a sobbing Polly, Adam took her hand in his and led her upstairs. ‘Shh, it’s all right now. You get into bed and you can have my blanket over your own. You’ll soon get warm.’ Adam sat on the bed with his little sister. He was shivering but it was not the cold – it was anger. His brothers had got him into trouble again. He had fought valiantly but James was bigger and stronger than him.

  At almost five feet tall even at his young age, Adam was as thin as a lath. Having had no schooling didn’t mean he was stupid – he was far from it. Adam was street-wise with common sense in abundance.

  Polly slipped her tiny hand into his and smiled. Adam’s heart melted and his anger dissipated in an instant. No words were needed for they were of an accord. In this harsh household they only had each other, and Adam vowed then and there he would always take care of Polly.

  Neither of the two children had supper that night; there was not enough to go around, so Minnie wasn’t allowed to call them down from the bedroom. The two older boys ate and retired to bed in the same room as Adam and Polly.

  It was late when Adam was woken by his father shouting. Creeping to the top of the stairs in the darkness he listened.

  ‘James and Peter have to eat Minnie, they do all the scavenging and coal picking!’ Gerald yelled.

  ‘I bloody know that – I ain’t stupid!’ Minnie rasped, ‘but them two little ’uns ain’t had a bite for two days now.’

  ‘Look, I can’t bring in any more money than I am already. I asked for a raise and the gaffer told me to bugger off!’ Gerald was exasperated. ‘I don’t know what you do with your money!’

  ‘Oh that’s bleedin’ rich coming from you! You spend yer coin on beer every damn night afore you come ’ome.’ Minnie railed back at him.

  ‘I deserve that ale! I work hard for it!’

  ‘I don’t care. I have to feed them kids tomorrer.’ Minnie sighed as John let out a lusty cry. ‘Now that one wants a feed and I’ve dried up,’ she muttered quietly. Then turning to her husband, she raised her voice, ‘So, you’ll have to do without milk in your tea so the babby can have it.’ Grabbing the already prepared bottle then the child from the packing crate that Gerald had stolen from a local factory, she shoved the bottle teat roughly into his mouth. Instantly John was quiet, happily drinking his watered-down milk.

  ‘Blimey, Minnie, we have to do something otherwise somebody is going to starve!’ Gerald was pacing the room by the light of the single candle.

  ‘Well I can’t do any more than I am. These children keep me busy from morn’ til night – I’m bloody exhausted.’ Minnie sat John up and patted his back. After a huge burp, the baby settled to the bottle once more.

  ‘There’s only one answer to this,’ Gerald said.

  ‘Oh ar, and what would that be?’ his wife asked.

  ‘The two little ’uns will have to go to Reed’s.’

  ‘I won’t take ’em!’ Minnie railed. ‘They’re my babies!’

  ‘You bloody will if I tell you to, and you make sure you get a good price for ’em an’ all!’ Gerald boomed.

  ‘There has to be another way!’ Minnie yelled back.

  ‘There ain’t. Now unless you want a thrashin’, you’ll do as ye’re told!’ Gerald was in no mood to argue further. He’d stopped off at the boozer on the way back from his job at the brickworks and sunk a few pints of porter. He knew he got nasty when in his cups but Minnie’s arguing was driving him to distraction.

  ‘If you want to sell my babies then you do it yourself cos I won’t!’ his wife challenged as she placed John back into his makeshift bed.

  All that could be heard from Minnie after that was her howling and crying as she was beaten by her drunken husband; a sound all too often heard in their household.

  Adam, shocked to the core had crept back to bed but hadn’t been able to sleep. Reed’s! The Orphanage! He knew come the morning he and Polly would be frog-marched up the tramway and left with Miss Reed. He’d heard the horror stories about that place; how the children were beaten black and blue. For him, that would not be much of a change from his life here he realised. The orphans were given no food if they were naughty; again no change there. So, all in all, would it be any worse a life than the one they were living now? He supposed not.

  But for all that had happened to him, Adam didn’t want to go. His mother yelled and his father smacked him, but they were still his parents.

  He lay awake until the light began to creep into the bedroom, searching its way between the dirty patches on the window.

  Somehow, he had to tell Polly where they would be going very shortly. She would cry and yell, so it would be up to him to be a man and look after her from now on. Adam was afraid for himself but more scared for Polly.

  As the time drew nearer, Adam’s fear grew until he was shaking. He was terrified he would never see his parents again.

  2

  It was an hour later when Minnie yelled up the stairs for Adam and Polly to get themselves dressed. The bedroom was cold and Adam shivered as he nudged his sister awake. ‘Come on, titch, it’s time to get up.’

  ‘I don’t want to, it’s warm in here,’ Polly said sulkily.

  ‘I know but mum said as how it’s time.’ Adam placed Polly’s one set of clothes on the bed and left her to it. Racing down the stairs he shot out the back door to the privy. A moment later he was back. Looking around the kitchen where his mum was feeding the baby, he saw there was no fire in the grate. Judging by the empty table he guessed there would be no breakfast either.

  ‘Is that lazy bugger still in bed?’ his mother asked.

  ‘No, she’s just getting up,’ Adam answered feeling fear surround him again.

  ‘Right, when this ’un is fed, we’m going out.’

  ‘Where we going, Mum?’ Adam felt he should ask even though he already he knew the answer.

  ‘Never you mind where, just get them old boots of Peter’s on and fetch her ladyship downstairs.’

  Adam nodded and took the stairs two at a time. It wouldn’t do to upset his mum because she would only take her temper out on Polly.

  ‘Are you dressed, our Pol’?’ Adam called as he reached the tiny landing.

  ‘Yes!’ came the answer. The door opened and Polly glared at her brother. She was cold and hungry and in no mood to argue.

  ‘Come on, Mum’s waiting,’ he encouraged.

  ‘What for?’ Polly asked as she stepped down the bare wooden stairs carefully.

  ‘Just hurry up or else she will be mad again.’

  ‘All right, Adam!’ Polly said a little sharply.

  Waiting at the bottom of the staircase for her, he felt like crying. Polly was so innocent but his older head on his ten-year-old shoulders told him they would both have to grow up pretty quickly now.

  The children watched quietly as Minnie held John to her chest and expertly wrapped a large shawl around herself and the baby tying him in a cocoon.

  Grabbing Adam and Polly by the hand, she was about to march t
hem through the door when she came face to face with Gerald.

  ‘Why ain’t you at work?’ Minnie asked in surprise.

  ‘I’m making sure you’re doin’ as I told you,’ her husband replied.

  ‘These two are goin’ to school,’ Minnie said as she pushed the children behind her.

  Gerald shook his head slowly then in a lightning swift movement he pushed Minnie aside. Having the baby strapped to her chest overbalanced her and she took a few steps to right herself.

  It was all the time that Gerald needed and he grabbed Polly and Adam by an arm each and dragged them towards him.

  ‘No, Gerald!’ Minnie yelled as he made to walk away with her children.

  ‘You look after the babby!’ Gerald snarled.

  ‘Gerald – please…!’ Minnie begged holding out her arms.

  ‘I told you last night but I knew that you wouldn’t do as you’re told. So, I’ve come to do it myself!’ Gerald glared at his wife as he spoke.

  ‘Gerald – for God’s sake!’ Minnie yelled before launching herself at the man trying to take her children away.

  A fist caught her on the jaw and she felt a tooth jump out of its socket before she collapsed to the ground. Her arms instinctively folded across John to protect him as she fell. She heard Polly crying but it was as if she was underwater. She saw Adam staring at Gerald, a look of pure hatred in his eyes.

  Whistles and bells sounded in her ears and the light grew dim; her heart ached at the pleading look on her children’s faces as they were hauled away.

  John was screaming as Minnie got to her feet and dashed to the door, but she could see no sign of her husband and children. Her heart was breaking as she leaned her thin body against the door frame and she wept bitterly. She hated herself for her weakness; she should be able to protect her offspring but she couldn’t. She wished for the millionth time she’d run away years ago when she had the chance.

  Suddenly an arm slipped around her waist and Minnie was helped to a chair by her neighbour, Flo’ Spittle.