Free Secrets by Lesley Pearse Page A

it is for me. But you’ll be fine. Mrs Makepeace is very welcoming.’
    All at once Adele saw her destination straight in front of her. It was a plain red brick house with tall chimney pots, partially covered in ivy and surrounded by the tall fir trees from which it got its name. It was a very long way to even the closest neighbour.
    ‘Such a splendid situation,’ Miss Sutch said with a satisfied sigh. ‘Of course it’s a shame you couldn’t have seen it for the first time in sunshine, but you’ve got the whole summer ahead of you for that. Now, driver, wait here, I shan’t be long.’
    Miss Sutch wasn’t long, in fact she did no more than take Adele to the front door and ring the bell, and once it was opened by a stout woman with grey hair wearing a floral frock, she began making her excuses.
    ‘This is Adele Talbot, you are expecting her, I believe? I shall have to love you and leave you as the taxi is waiting, and the driver getting grumpier by the minute because he’s afraid of getting stuck in the mud.’
    ‘I’m Mrs Makepeace, love,’ the woman said with a smile, taking Adele’s small case from Miss Sutch. ‘Come on in and meet the others, it’s nearly tea-time.’
    Adele felt let down by Miss Sutch’s haste to leave, which made it seem that the interest she’d shown when she first picked her up from Charlton Street was perhaps false after all. But Mrs Makepeace looked nice enough, and even if this place was very remote, she would have the company of other children.
    ‘Goodbye,’ she said, turning to Miss Sutch. ‘Thank you for bringing me here.’
    ‘Such a well-mannered girl!’ Miss Sutch simpered, already backing away to the taxi. ‘You’ll have no trouble with this one, Mrs Makepeace. Now, I must dash.’
    ‘That one could learn a few manners herself,’ Mrs Makepeace said as she drew Adele into the hall and closed the door behind her. ‘She’s always the same, rushing like the March Hare. I often wonder if her boss knows how careless she really is. But then she has no idea what it’s like to be without a home or family – brought up in the lap of luxury, that one! Now, let’s go into the kitchen and meet everyone. We are one big happy family here so you’ve nothing to fear.’
    The big hall was very bare, with just a shiny wood floor and an old sideboard, but there was a big vase of daffodils on it, and it smelled of lavender polish.
    Adele’s first impression of the kitchen and her ‘new family’ was surprise that both were so large. As Mrs Makepeace opened the door, she saw a huge table with what looked like a dozen children sitting around it, all staring at her.
    ‘This is your new friend Adele,’ Mrs Makepeace said, ushering her in and putting her case down by a dresser. ‘Now, I’ll start with the youngest. Mary, Susan, John, Willy, Frank,’ she said, pointing out each child around the table. ‘Lizzie, Bertie, Colin, Janice, Freda, Jack and Beryl. Now, what do we say to new friends, children?’
    ‘Welcome,’ they chorused as one.
    ‘That’s right, you are welcome.’ Mrs Makepeace smiled broadly at Adele. ‘Now, there’s a spare seat waiting for you next to Beryl. I’ll just make the pot of tea and we’ll all start.’
    Adele was sure she’d never remember everyone’s name. The only one she’d caught was Mary’s, who was just a baby, no more than eighteen months old, sitting up in a high chair chewing on a crust of bread, and the oldest, Beryl, who was perhaps eleven. The others ranged from three up to ten and were all quite unremarkable, as shabbily dressed as she was, and just as thin.
    ‘Grace now, please,’ Mrs Makepeace said as she put a giant-sized white enamel teapot on the table.
    Everyone save little Mary jumped up and stood behind their chairs, bowing their heads over folded hands.
    ‘We thank the Lord who put this food on our table,’ Mrs Makepeace said. ‘May we remember but for His loving kindness we might be hungry and neglected.