Read Online Remember Me by Irene N. Watts - Free Book Online Page A

to wash your hands and brush your hair and go into the sitting room. There’s someone to see you,” she said.
    Marianne knocked at the door.
    “Come in, dear,” said Aunt Vera.
    Dear? She never calls me that. This must be someone pretty important.
    “Mary Anne, this is Miss Morland. She has come from the Children’s Refugee Committee to see how you’ve settled in with us.”
    Marianne said, “How do you do.” She knew that no reply was expected.
    Miss Morland said, “Well, Mary Anne, you
are
a lucky little girl to have found such a beautiful home. Mrs. Abercrombie Jones tells me your English is greatly improved. Is there anything you would like to ask me? No? Well, then, I really must go. I have one more visit to make today. The
Kindertransports
are arriving almost weekly now, Mrs. Abercrombie Jones. It’s hard to place so many children. We are so grateful to people like you.” Miss Morland stood up.
    Marianne asked, “May I walk Miss Morland to the gate, Aunt Vera?”
    Mrs. Abercrombie Jones hesitated, and then said too brightly, “Of course you may.”
    Marianne opened the front door. Perhaps she could talk to Miss Morland properly now.
    Miss Morland said, “You were one of the early arrivals, weren’t you? That must have been exciting.”
    Marianne said, “Yes. I am wondering about the orphans in Harwich and … and did the other children go to Jewish homes, or -”
    Miss Morland interrupted her, “You all seem to be settling down nicely. That’s what it’s all about. Fitting in, and learning to be English girls and boys. Now I really have to go. Good-bye, dear.”
    Miss Morland shut the garden gate behind her, and walked briskly down the street.
    Aunt Vera stood in the doorway.
    “What were you and Miss Morland talking about, Mary Anne?”
    “I asked her about something. It’s not important.”
    Her chilblains started to itch. She’d changed into her almost-new shoes before going into the sitting room.
    “Where did you get those shoes?” Aunt Vera uttered each word precisely.
    “I bought them at the jumble sale,” said Marianne.
    “You did
what?
” Aunt Vera’s voice went a notch higher. “Where did you get the money?”
    “I had some left, and Mr. Neame lent me the rest. Aunt Vera, my shoes were too small.”
    “Do you realize what you’ve done, Mary Anne? You have made a spectacle of yourself.
Again.
Shamed me in front of everyone. People will say I am not taking proper care of you. You are an ungrateful, thoughtless girl. Why didn’t you tell me? I will not tolerate this underhand behavior. Go to your room.”
    “I am sorry, Aunt Wera … Vera. I did not mean to be ungrateful. Are you going to send me away?” asked Marianne. She picked at her thumb.
    “That possibility has crossed my mind. However, I accept your apology. You people do not behave in the same way as we do, I suppose,” Aunt Vera said a little more calmly.
    Marianne said again, “I am sorry to offend,” and went upstairs.
    Back in her room, Marianne hugged her bear, and looked out at the sky for a long time. Here, in this room at night, all the loneliness that she pushed away during the day settled around her like the fog that was so much a part of London.

• 12 •
“Be patient a little longer”
    M arianne usually passed the postman on her way to school. Today he had a letter for her. “Good news from foreign parts I hope, Miss,” he said.
    Marianne tore off the corner of the envelope with the stamp on it and gave it to him for his little boy’s stamp collection.
    She read the letter in the playground and was almost late for registration. She got a bad mark for dictation, which she was usually good at, because she’d missed out two sentences.
    After school she and Bridget walked to Bridget’s house in silence. The girls sat in the kitchen, as they often did. Finally, Bridget spoke. “Why are you so upset?”
    “What kind of mother sends letters like this?” Marianne said, spots of anger on her