Return to the Secret Garden by Holly Webb

Miss Dearlove had stood up at the end of breakfast and explained that since war was expected to be declared within a few days, the Craven Home for Orphaned Children would be evacuated “somewhere safe.”

They had been told the day before that they were leaving. If she huffed and growled, she wouldn’t cry, and she wasn’t going to give Arthur Banks the satisfaction of that, however much Miss Rose frowned. Why do I always get into trouble?” She walked down the street next to Miss Rose, seething and muttering to herself. She knew that wasn’t quite true, but she wasn’t letting them have the last word. “Today of all days, Emmie? I would have thought you’d have more sense.” Miss Rose was usually less bad-tempered than the matron, but even she eyed Emmie and sighed. The station’s bound to be busy, and there isn’t that much time to spare.” She scuttled down to the end of the line again with one last growled “Behave!” to Emmie. As if we haven’t got enough to worry about.” She glanced down at her watch. Why is it always you? And after your ridiculous behavior this morning as well. “You can walk here with Miss Rose and the babies since you can’t be trusted to behave like a ten-year-old. It was best not to get in her way-but somehow Emmie always did. The matron was like a busy little clockwork train, wound up into a clicking fuss of pure crossness. She was a tiny lady, not actually much bigger than Emmie, but Emmie didn’t dare pull away. She grabbed Emmie by the arm and hauled her up to the front of the line. “He pushed me…” Emmie started to say, but Miss Dearlove didn’t bother to listen. Of course you! You bad-tempered little girl, how dare you kick Arthur like that?” “Me, miss?” she asked innocently, trying to look as though she didn’t know what was the matter.

Of course Miss Dearlove hadn’t seen Arthur giving her a push. She kicked Arthur again because he was smirking at her-and because she felt like it.Įmmie whipped around with a sigh. Lucy had probably fled out into the backyard, Emmie decided miserably. Emmie still stared though, hoping to see the small, black cat peering after her around the corner of the tall house. Lucy hardly ever came out onto the street. It was stupid to expect that she would be anyway, Emmie thought. She kicked him swiftly and walked backward instead, still trying to see.īut Lucy wasn’t there. Each of them carried a paper bag and a gas mask, and that was all they had.Įmmie trailed, peering over her shoulder, so that Arthur, behind her, gave her a shove to tell her to keep up. Everything they owned was with them-a few clothes, a battered, shapeless stuffed toy here and there. The others didn’t turn because they didn’t need to. The children marched down the street in a long line of twos, and only one of them looked back.

Return to the Secret Garden by Holly Webb