The World Over

The House on Murray Street

Chapter Eleven

           The House on Murray Street

Edith’s POV

I sat on the side of the pavement in the rain where the market was. How had my life become this low? I ran away from the orphanage with dreams of conquering the world and now...only two months later, I was sat in the freezing English weather with no roof over my head and some poxy letters that were useless.

My tears started to merge with the rain as I hunched up my knees to my chest in hopes of securing some body heat.

Someone tapped lightly on my shoulder and I squinted through the rain to see the cook. "Edith my love, come with me." She told me with her soft voice. I abided immediately and clambered to my feet before pulling my shawl tighter around myself. "You should not be out in this dreadful weather." She scolded and I thought she was taking me to William's house so I stood still.

"I cannot go there, Mrs-" I started but she stopped me.

"Firstly call me Freda and I know, I am not taking you there. Do not worry child."

“Then where to?” I questioned softly.

“I do not live at the Cunningham household. I live with my husband on Murray Street.” She told me before turning back around, with me following her. She was always there when I awoke in the morning, but she did always go somewhere at half eight in the evening when we served supper. I never thought that she went home.

We came to a stop outside a little bungalow. It wasn’t much but she seemed happy with it when she opened the door and called out to her husband.

She told me to sit down in the chair in the living room, I felt uncomfortable seeing as I was soaking wet, but I did not want to seem a nuisance and so sat down. A man wandered through the door a few seconds later and greeted me with a smile before sitting down on the sofa opposite me.

“I am Mr Chatterton or Michael.” He told me and I gave him a smile.

“Thank you for letting me stay the night.” I rambled before realising that I had not introduced myself. “And my name is Edith, sir.”

He laughed a little, “do not call me sir, it’ does not fit well with me.” He replied smiling.

“Okay, sorry.”

“Do not apologise either, now do you want a cup of tea?” He offered and I nodded my head before he walked out.

A few moments later, he walked in with a cup of tea in each hand. I took one off him and took a little sip, welcoming the warmth from the cup and circling both of my small hands around the cup. Mrs Chatterton…I mean Freda…wandered in just after him with her cup of tea and a plate of biscuits. I made a childish grin as I saw my favourite biscuits and made a bee line for one, rich tea, and bunked it into my brew.

“So Edith, how old are you?” Mr Chatterton asked after taking a sip of his own cup of tea.

“I am fourteen years old now.” I told them honestly. I had my birthday at Lord Darlington’s house, but I kept quiet, as I could not celebrate it and so I felt no need.

“Only fourteen?” Freda gasped.

I nodded my head. “Oh yes, but I have seen girls from the orphanage at ages younger than mine go into service.” I spoke. “My friend, Carol is married and she is only fifteen years old.”

“But you have seemed to have taken a liking to Master Cunningham.” Freda winked at me and I blushed lightly.

“Yes, we seem to have become good friends.” I told her.

“I cannot believe he is marrying Charlotte Darlington, William is such a nice kid, and she is such a mean and cold-hearted person.”

“I know.”

“Well, I hope that you and William can work something out. Luckily he is not that much older than you at only twenty years old.” She responded and I nodded my head, thankful that I was not the only one who wanted William and I’s relationship to move forward even if it is doubtful as he is to marry Charlotte, Lord Darlington’s daughter, not Edith, the sacked cook’s helper.

For the rest of the evening, we got to know each other a lot more and they were such a lovely couple and I felt so lucky to have found them.

************

It had been two weeks since Mrs- Freda let me live with her and I felt at home and in place for the first time in my life and I did not want it to end, but I knew it would, like everything does in my life. William had visited twice and I had not heard from my mother or father once.

We were all sat in the parlour listening to the radio, music was serenading around the room and it felt soothing and new. I had never listened to music before living here and it was such a relief and took away all your worries just for a few moments.

“Edith, we want to talk to you about something…” Mrs Cha- Freda asked carefully and I nodded my head.

“Okay.”

“Well, we both know that you received a letter from your birth mother, and she could come and visit you at any time, but we were both wondering if you would consider letting us adopt you, seeing as we cannot have children.” Freda asked in a voice just above a whisper.

I was shocked at what she wanted. I mean, I know that as soon as my birth mother comes and finds me, I will want to go with her, where ever she may go and I do not want to hurt Freda and Michael’s feelings by rejecting them.

“Freda…Michael…thank you for asking, but I am not sure. I know that you will look after me, well that’s until I find a job and go and live in the servant’ quarters, but I do not know what is to happen in the future and I do not want to put you through any more pain.” I told them bother carefully.

Freda’s eyes flashed with hurt but she composed herself quickly. Michael responded. “We understand. Just before the new year, we are going to America; we were both wandering if you would like to come?” He offered and my mouth hung open in shock. Me, little Edith…go to America?

“Could I please tell you tomorrow?” I asked. I needed to think about this, I do not want to make the wrong decision and hurt their feelings, I am not like that and I do not think that making a rash decision in this is the best way. They both nodded their heads and so I got up, “I am going to turn in for the night, see you both tomorrow and thank you for everything.” I told them earnestly before wandering up the small hallway and into the smaller room and after changing into my pyjamas, climbed into the bed and fell asleep, thinking about America, the adoption, William and the family I have not seen in eleven years.