Orphan Girl by Maggie Hope

Author:Maggie Hope
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781448177837
Publisher: Ebury Publishing

Chapter Eighteen

Tom and Ada were married on August Bank Holiday Saturday, 1914. Ada had at last completed the two years of her training and received the certificate saying so. Tom was back in Durham, his time as a houseman finished; he was going into practice with his father.

On the morning of the wedding, Ada sat before the dressing-table looking glass in the spare bedroom in Mr Johnson’s cottage, gazing at her reflection. She was on her own; Virginia, who was to be matron of honour, had not yet appeared.

‘You must be married from my house, my dear,’ Mr Johnson had declared. ‘You can’t possibly go to the church from the Grays’ place, it would be a bad omen for your future life. No, I insist. You’ll have left the hospital by then and in any case it would not be suitable for you to marry from there.’

Ada was persuaded. ‘You’re very good to me, Mr Johnson,’ she had replied. ‘Why are you so good to me?’

Mr Johnson had looked flustered for a moment before recovering his poise. ‘Nonsense! I’m a lonely old man and you have been good to me, visiting me and telling me all your news. You’re like a breath of fresh air in the place. You’re sure you don’t mind me giving you away? I only suggested it because I thought –’

‘No, no, Mr Johnson, indeed, it’s very good of you to bother. And you’re right, having Dr Gray giving me away was perhaps not the best thing.’

‘Well, I’m proud to do it. I’m fond of you, you know. And proud, too, after all, you are a product of my teaching.’

And a little effort on my part, thought Ada, but she merely smiled wryly.

Now, on the morning of her wedding, Ada sat and pulled her hairbrush through her hair, little flutterings of apprehension coursing through her veins. The doorbell rang and she heard Mr Johnson’s voice as he opened the door to whoever it was – Virginia, probably. There was a soft knock on the bedroom door.

‘Come in,’ she called.

‘Ada! Howay, man! Aren’t you getting ready? You don’t want to be late for your own wedding.’

It was not Virginia who walked in but Eliza and her two boys. Bertie was now a solemn seven-year-old, thin and ill at ease in his new tweed suit and high collar, Miles, a sturdy four-year-old, still had the plump cheeks of babyhood.

Ada jumped up in welcome. ‘Eliza! Oh, it’s lovely to see you, it is that.’ She hugged her friend and gazed critically at her, it was a few months since she had seen her. Eliza looked tired and careworn, she thought, a trifle anxiously. ‘Bye, I’m glad to see you, Eliza, and the bairns too. Haven’t they grown?’

‘Auntie Ada, Auntie Ada.’ Bertie and Miles were tugging at her skirt, trying to get her attention. She bent and put an arm around each of them, kissing them soundly. ‘Aren’t you big, both of you?’ she cried, and the boys puffed up with pride, both standing as tall as they could.

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