“Have you considered a verdict?”
“Yes, M’lord, we find the defendant guilty as charged.”
“Guilty! Why yes, of course he’s guilty and he’ll now enjoy seven years in His Majesty’s prison at Dorset to consider the price of his crimes. Bloody orphans - orphanage to a life of crime, in and out of prison, same story over and over again, they never learn.”
Still standing Carlton again intervened, “M’lord, in light of this young man’s acknowledged good character and the fact that this is his first offence, might there not be another acceptable option in this case?”
Sir Arthur paused, glowered and then looked again directly at the prisoner, “You’re suggesting a term of military service to His Majesty?”
“Yes, indeed I am M’lord. I am informed that there are several persons in attendance who are willing to confirm his better qualities.” Sir Arthur appeared to brighten at an opportunity to appear benevolent. “Well, young man, there’s a fortunate offer for you. What do you say to a term of service to the King, eh? Might be just the thing to turn you down the right road.”
There was no response. Danny could feel his knees begin to buckle. He thought he could faint.
“Come, come, young man, it’s a simple question, a seven year term in prison or seven years service to His Majesty the King? I should think the choice an easy one for a boy like you. Do you accept Mister Carlton’s offer of service?”
Danny wavered and then spoke quietly and reluctantly, “I guess I have no choice then Judge.”
“No, I guess you don’t!” Sir Arthur roared back, “and you will refer to me as ‘My Lord’ or I shall charge you with contempt of court and fling you directly into the bowels of Dorset.” He then pulled his glasses down and hammered his gavel very hard three times in exclamation. A moment later, Sir Arthur gathered himself, calming his breath and rubbing his jowls and then lifted his head slowly and purposefully, re-set his glasses to regain his bearing. He again narrowed his focus on young Danny, choosing to address him in his most paternal tone.
“You see, young man how you today have benefited from the graciousness of British justice? You are a damned sight lucky you’re not in France where they’d ‘ave just flung down a dark well in the Bastille or rolled you off to the guillotine. You are a very fortunate young man indeed,” another extended pause as he turned to the bailiff, “Mister Simpkins! Who is attending here today on behalf of His Majesty’s forces?”
“Sergeant Reeves of the Royal West Kent’s M’lord.”
“Well then,” Sir Arthur smiled as he pointed to the prisoner in the box, “Here’s another young apple for you to polish, Sergeant - that makes three more again this week.”
Reeves stood and nodded, “Thank-you M’lord, we’ll try our very best.”
“Take him away then. I am sick of the sight of him, damn orphans,” Sir Arthur glanced again at the clock on opposite wall. “Now then gentlemen, if we can all remain expeditious, we have time to dispatch just one more.”
* * *
Maggie’s Escape
“Dearest Rosie,” she began. The candlelight was so dim she could barely make out the words. She held the pages higher up toward the flame, careful not to touch its edge.
“I’m sorry I haven’t written earlier but the time has gone by in such a blur that I don’t know where to start. You should know that I made it all the way to Liverpool. It was quite an adventure on my own but I made it! I am now well settled and about to begin a position in service with Canard Steamship Lines. I’ve been in training for two weeks now learning all about working on board a ship and later next week I’ll set out on my first voyage to America on the second class lounge of the SS Glorious.”
Rose twisted the page again toward the candle while Lily stretched her neck forward in anticipation, “They tell me that if I can continue to do well I can hope for promotion someday to the first class decks, imagine me, Maggie Dixon, serving in first class.”
“Good girl!” Lucy chimed with a wide grin, “good for you Maggie.”
Rose smiled and went back to the page, “and there are so many huge ships heading to so many places from here, mostly in the Empire. I’m hoping someday to get to Australia or New Zealand where I’m going to get off and start over.”
Rose flipped to the second page and continued on still straining under the light.
“Did you hear anything from Phil? I’d like him to know where I am. He told me that day that he’d hope to catch up to his brother in the merchant navy. I suspect he may be here in Liverpool but I’ve no way of reaching him. I’ll keep searching when I can but the odds are long and he’s probably already gone to sea.”
“Mrs. Quayle, is that you in the barn?” It was Mrs. Beechly’s voice calling out from beyond the paddock.
“Yes, Mrs. Beechly, it’s me, I’m on my way,” Lily called back. She turned back to Rose and whispered, “Nosy old bag! I’ll leave you to finish it, Luv. You can tell me all later. Make sure you burn that before you come in, we can have no evidence!”
Lily shut the door firmly as she stepped out of the barn.
“Just checkin’ to see if that old sow was gettin’ ready to deliver. By the looks of it she should be ready any day now.”
“Oh, that seems a bit strange, couldn’t you have checked with Mr. Alton or one of the hands?”
Lily chose not to respond and simply glared angrily at Beechly who paused, stared back at Lily for a moment and then got on with her business.
“Oh well. I want to discuss the menu for tomorrow’s dinner. Since it’s a tribute to Her Ladyship’s great victory at the flower show, Lord Knowles expects it all to be very special.”
“Great victory indeed. There wasn’t a single judge who would have dared to vote against her two years runnin’,” Lily clucked as they started back toward the house.
“That’ll be enough of that nonsense,” Mrs. Beechly chided. “She won her prized cup again and she’s restored the honour to Meaford House. Now it’s up to us to make the whole evening as great a celebration as we possibly can.”
Rose could hear the voices trail off in the distance. She retrieved the pages from her apron and held them back up into the light.
“Whatever happens I could never have made it this far without your mother’s help. She probably told you that she persuaded Mr. Jameson to wire his brother at Cunard and asked dear Mrs. Peters to write a letter recommending me. Without them, I wouldn’t have stood a chance. So please give her my love and tell her I won’t let her down.
Write to me care of Employee Post,
Cunard Steamship Lines, Liverpool.
All my love,
Maggie
PS. I hope your Danny is OK in the army. Poor lad - he took an awful beating from that judge.”
Rose lowered the pages down again and inhaled slowly. She thought for a moment about how easy it would be for her to run off and join her friend – the two of them together again, sailing off aboard a great ship to freedom of Australia. Then Danny crawled back into her mind and she shook those thoughts away. She’d made her commitment and she knew that she would stick by it. Rose lifted the pages into the flame, watched them burn, dropped the last fading ashes to the floor and blew the candle out.
* * *
The