An Orphan’s Wish: The new, most heartwarming of christmas novels you will read in 2018

‘In what way?’

‘She can’t concentrate.’

‘I’m not surprised when she’s lost her parents so suddenly.’

‘I think the best way is to ignore the fact,’ Janice said, without a scrap of emotion. Lana’s eyes went wide. ‘Oh, I know that sounds harsh,’ Janice went on hurriedly, ‘but I think the more she’s reminded by people feeling sorry for her, the longer she’ll take to get over it.’

Lana didn’t agree at all, but she could see it wasn’t worth arguing with the woman.

‘I understand she’s now living at Dr Barnardo’s.’

‘That’s right,’ Janice said. ‘She used to be very good at most subjects at her grammar school, but now she doesn’t bother to finish her homework – sometimes doesn’t do any at all – and won’t take part when we ask questions. But give it time.’ Janice looked directly at Lana and gave one of her mocking smiles. ‘As you told me yesterday – time is the great healer.’

Lana flushed. ‘I didn’t actually use those words.’

‘Maybe not, but the sentiment’s the same.’

Lana bit her lip. No, she couldn’t live with Janice, hearing her chipping away with bitterness day after day. Couldn’t she see she wasn’t the only one who’d suffered in this bloody awful war? The woman hadn’t asked her one thing about herself or why she’d moved from York to Liverpool. Janice obviously wasn’t at all interested in anyone except Janice. Janice, the hard-done-by; Janice who couldn’t see how well off she was, living in a sweet little cottage – well, it would be if she’d clean and tidy it up now and again – and having one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. Well, she couldn’t stop here for the sake of one child and be at the mercy of Janice Parkes.

‘Anyway, you’ll have your house back to yourself in a couple of hours,’ Lana said.

‘What do you mean?’

She had Janice’s full attention now.

‘I’m not going to stay here.’

‘What?’

Lana met Janice’s dark eyes, wide now with curiosity. ‘I’m not going to take up the position of headmistress.’

‘Why ever not? You’ve presumably got the experience.’

‘But not the desire,’ Lana said. ‘I haven’t felt comfortable right from the start. Even on my interview, I wasn’t made welcome by the woman in the office.’

‘Mrs Danvers?’ Janice raised an eyebrow.

‘Is that her real name?’

‘No, it’s Dayton. But we call her Danvers. Mr Benton was a pain in the neck at the best of times, but he couldn’t do anything wrong in Mrs Dayton’s eyes – she doted on him. Just like Mrs Danvers with that spoilt brat, Rebecca.’ Janice curled her lip. ‘Did you see that film?’

Lana nodded.

‘I can’t believe you took any notice of a secretary,’ Janice droned on. ‘She couldn’t have changed your mind.’

Best not to say anything, Lana decided.

‘You don’t mean me?’ Janice practically thumped herself in the chest. ‘Oh, for God’s sake.’ She shot to her feet. ‘Next thing you’ll be telling me is that you can’t live in the cottage because it’s a bit untidy.’

‘A bit?’ Lana exclaimed, thoroughly annoyed. ‘I can’t move two steps before I’m tripping over all your rubbish. This would be my home too, like it or not, so it’s best I go now than drag out the misery.’ She frowned. ‘You know, I could probably accept the state of the place and even help get it shipshape, but I’m not prepared to share a house with such a bitter woman.’ She met Janice’s neutral expression with her own glare. ‘Funnily enough, Janice, I’ve got my own problems – not that you’d be interested.’ She stuck out her hand. ‘So we’ll call it a day, shall we?’

‘Fine by me,’ Janice said, ignoring the hand, and making for the door. ‘I’m sure Mrs Danvers will order you a taxi.’ She turned to face Lana before leaving, two bright spots of colour appearing high on her cheeks. ‘At least I’m not a quitter. At least I’m still here trying to help the children and come to terms with my own rotten stinking existence. So good luck to you.’

With that, Janice marched out.

Raising her eyes to the ceiling, Lana went upstairs. Her suitcase was only half unpacked. If she was honest, she was disappointed in herself for not giving it a chance, but Janice was impossible, and the cottage was not only overflowing with Janice’s clutter but it was also dingy to the point of being downright dirty. It would never have worked. She flung her book on the top of her clothes, pulled the lid down firmly to shut the two catches, and looked round to make sure she hadn’t left anything. Breathing a sigh of relief she walked down the stairs and out of the door.

Back at the school, quiet now the pupils were in class, she glimpsed ‘Mrs Danvers’ behind the glass screen in the office, clattering away on her typewriter. Lana set down her suitcase and was just about to tap on the window when she recognised Priscilla rushing through the entrance, a look of determination on her face.

‘I need to speak to Mrs Dayton.’ Priscilla panted as she practically pushed in front of Lana.

Lana nodded, pleased the woman hadn’t spotted her. It might be interesting to stay and watch how the secretary dealt with whatever was on the young girl’s mind.

Priscilla rapped on the screen and Lana saw there was blood on her hands. She was about to step forward and ask her what had happened when Mrs Danvers – Lana couldn’t think of her by any other name since Janice had named her so – appeared at the other side and lifted the hatch.

‘I’m sorry I’m late,’ Priscilla said, her breath coming in gasps, ‘but there was a cat. It’d been hit by a car and I had to go and fetch the vet.’

‘You always find some excuse or another,’ Mrs Danvers said in a cross tone. ‘The other children manage to get here on time.’

‘They live in the village,’ the girl protested. ‘I come further … and I would’ve been here on time if it hadn’t been for the cat.’

Mrs Danvers pursed her lips that had turned white round the edges. ‘You disrupt the class every morning with your late arrival. We’re having too many complaints about you. I’m going to have to speak to—’

‘To me?’ Lana gently put Priscilla aside as she bent through the opening and put on her professional smile. ‘Miss Ashwin … the new headmistress.’

Mrs Danvers’ eyes widened and Lana saw her neck redden with annoyance. ‘Er, yes, I suppose so.’

‘Well, there’s no need to worry any further. I’ll have a word with her.’ Lana turned to Priscilla. ‘Can you show me an empty room?’

Priscilla’s grey eyes gleamed. She nodded.

‘But first you need to wash your hands.’

Priscilla led her along a corridor to the end where there was a gym. Lana looked at the climbing rope, remembering how she’d fallen once as a child and broken her ankle. There was a ‘horse’ in the middle of the room and a pole ready for netball practice at one side. Metal chairs were lined up against one wall.

‘No one will be here until after break,’ Priscilla said, as they each took a chair.

‘Good.’ Lana gave the girl an encouraging smile. ‘Now tell me what’s going on. You seem to have a problem getting to school on time.’

Priscilla reached for one of her long blonde pigtails and brought it to the front, twisting the end round and round.

‘It’s not my fault,’ she said eventually. ‘And this morning I had to stop and help the cat.’

‘Did you pick it up?’

‘He was bleeding ever so much from his back leg. I wanted to get him onto the side away from any traffic, but he kept growling. I think he was just frightened, so I ran straight to the vet’s and he came back with me with a towel and picked him up with no trouble at all. He said I’d saved his life.’ She looked up at Lana, her eyes anxious.

‘An emergency disrupts the normal routine, but you did the right thing.’ She briefly touched Priscilla’s arm in sympathy. ‘But let’s start at the beginning,’ she said. ‘You’re living at Bingham Hall at the moment, aren’t you?’