Free Miss Purdy's Class by Annie Murray

afternoon it began to rain hard. The sky turned deep smoky grey, and rain drummed on the roof and ran in streams down the long classroom windows. The last lesson was arithmetic. Gwen set the children to measure various objects in the room with the spans of their hands, so they were busy sizing up the desks and benches, the size of their friends from knees to the floor and writing the results in their exercise books. Joey Phillips had once again gone missing from school. Gwen was uneasy. He had been there for the afternoon register. During the first period he had asked to be excused to go to the toilets out across the playground. He never came back. Well, the boy would have to be taken in hand. But if only she could deal with it without Mr Lowry having to know.
    Gwen looked out at the rain and wondered if it was raining at home. Edwin might be out on his bicycle. She thought of him with a sudden pang. He was so safe, so kind. She’d be able to see him again as soon as the half-term holiday came. And I’m going to spend the rest of my life with him . The idea came to her as strange and unreal. Her mind wandered back to Joey Phillips. Was he out in this? He’d be drenched. She felt very uneasy. Why did she feel so worried about this particular child?
    ‘Have you recorded all your results?’ She collected herself and spoke to the class. ‘All right, finish up now!’
    There was a scurry of activity as final figures were written down. They were all finding their way back to their desks when Lucy Fernandez went down again.
    ‘Miss Purdy – Lucy’s having a fit!’
    Gwen rushed between the desks to the child’s side, panic rising in her. Miss Monk had said something should be put in her mouth to stop her biting her tongue. Was that right? It had looked so harsh and cruel the way the other teacher did it. Gwen knelt by Lucy and held her hand under the girl’s head as she began to go into spasm, surprised by the wiry force of her body.
    ‘Our Mom says you have to put a spoon in their mouth,’ a voice said. ‘D’you want me to go and ask for one in the staffroom?’
    Gwen tried to sound calm. ‘I don’t think that will be necessary. Just sit down all of you.’
    The bell rang out across the assembly hall then, signalling the end of school.
    ‘Go along all of you,’ Gwen said. ‘Go home. I’ll see to Lucy.’
    The children all hurried out, except little Alice Wilson, who hung behind. She peered down at Lucy.
    ‘Will she be all right, Miss?’
    The worst of the fit was passing and Lucy was growing still again and sleepy.
    ‘Yes, she will, Alice, don’t you worry,’ Gwen said, intensely relieved. Thank heavens, she didn’t seem to have swallowed her tongue! Once again, though, the pool of urine was seeping from under her on the floor. Alice didn’t seem to notice this.
    ‘How’s Lucy going to get home, Miss Purdy?’
    ‘D’you know where she lives?’
    ‘Number fifteen, Alma Street.’
    ‘Thank you, Alice. That’s not far. You run along home now. I’ll look after Lucy.’
    ‘Yes, Miss,’ Alice said, though with apparent reluctance. Once she had gone there was silence, except for the wind and spattering rain outside, the classroom clock’s ticking and the quiet breathing of the skinny, dark-haired child. Then Mr Lowry put his head round the door.
    ‘What are you doing, Miss Purdy?’
    When Gwen explained, Mr Lowry came closer and frowned at the child, prone on the floor. He tutted impatiently. ‘Oh goodness, what a nuisance. There’s not a child left in the building we can send for the mother.’
    Gwen felt her hackles rise. Anyone would think the child had fits on purpose! ‘Don’t worry, Mr Lowry. She lives very close by. And she’s only a little scrap of a thing. I’ll take her home myself.’
    Mr Lowry raised his eyebrows. He seemed to disapprove of any act of kindness. He and Miss Monk deserved each other, Gwen thought sourly. They’d be a perfect match, those two. After a moment’s