Rose perused the book that morning, not understanding what most of the shorthand used in it meant, but knowing that there were money terms in there.

"Look at this!" She said to Harriet, going over-

"Girls, nice straight line!" Macclesfield called as she slipped into the dorm.

Harriet, who was holding the book at that point, quickly hid it under her mattress, Rose not being able to stop it.

"Come on! Chop chop! No dawdling!" Macclesfield shouted, as Rose and Harriet ran to join the line, not being able to change the book's whereabouts for now.

Rose knew she would have to look further into it if she wanted to bring down Matron.

But she did know she had to do just that.

Bring her down.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

As Macclesfield got stopped (or rather, stopped herself) by the constable in the halls, Harriet turned to Rose.

"Anyone could find that book under my bed," she said worriedly. "We could get in real trouble."

"But it had Matron's name in it, with amounts of money," Rose was only invested in the book's contents. "Mr Grace must've paid Matron for something, it proves they're connected. I need to find a better hiding place for that book. I'll go and get it."

"Rose, you'll get caught-" Harriet started. "Rose!"

"Silence!" Macclesfield turned back round in a flash. "Rose Green - get back in line!"

Rose sighed, sliding back into her place behind Harriet as Macclesfield continued leading them down the hall.

She sighed.

They needed to get that book hidden.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

"The answer's in there," Rose whispered to Harriet during a boring lesson about verbs. "Why would Matron be getting money from Mr Grace? What if- what if Blanche wasn't the only foundling she sold? Maybe she's done it before-!"

"It you keep going after Matron, you'll make things worse!" Harriet hissed.

"But what if it's still happening?" Rose questioned. "We need to stop her."

Harriet sighed, dipping her quill into her ink-

"Harriet!"

In a flash, Rose grabbed her best friend's arm and pulled it towards her, splattering herself with in.

"What is going on?" Macclesfield demanded, looking up.

"Harriet didn't mean to-" Rose began.

"I didn't-"

"Enough!" Macclesfield snapped. "Go and get changed quickly before Matron sees that mess."

Good. That was exactly what Rose wanted.

Now she just needed to get that book.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

Rose sprinted up the stairs and into the dorm, heading straight to Harriet's bed and diving her hand in amongst it-

But it found nothing.

Nothing.

Rose's heart froze.

There was nothing there.

What. Is going. On?

But she knew exactly what had happened.

Matron had got there first.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

When Rose entered the classroom, the first thing she saw was Matron stood at the front, a man with an American accent, dark skin and shoulder length black hair next to her.

As Matron spoke to the man at the front, Rose slipped back into her seat next to Harriet, hardly able to breathe.

Then Matron said. "Harriet."

Rose couldn't breathe.

Harriet's eyes looked up, locked on Matron's.

"Mr Benjamin has brought word from the Asquiths," said Matron, making her way towards Harriet, referring to the American man. "They're staying in New York for the foreseeable future. And they would like you to join them there."

Rose felt her muscles slightly loosen as she smiled, other foundlings around the room shouting their well dones. 

Matron, meanwhile, in the hubbub, leaned closer to Harriet, smirking, and whispered. "What did you think I was going to say?"

She knows.

Oh n-

Rose's eyes were wide as Matron turned back round, saying. "Mr Benjamin, would you excuse me a moment?"

The man nodded and she turned back to the benches. "Rose Green?"

Rose froze and her eyes widened, and Matron said no more, walking towards the door.

Rose got up and walked out, feeling like her shoes were tonne bricks. Matron knew, she had found the book under Harriet's mattress, and she knew Rose had hidden it there-

"Go to Cook," Matron said. "Tell her I require a special meal for our guest. A leg of lamb and a trifle."

"Yes Matron," Rose walked past her-

"I've heard reports of Harriet hiding stolen property under her bed," Matron said to her, towering over her, her expression venemous.

"Harriet wouldn't steal," Rose decided to say.

"The governors are yet to approve her going to America - it would be a shame for her to lose out on this opportunity, or for someone else to ruin it for her."

There was a silence so heavy Rose could cut it with a knife. She couldn't think, breathe, speak-

"Take my message to Cook," Matron told her. "And come straight back!"

Rose nodded, sighing as she headed along the corridor.

She. Was. Dead.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

"A leg of lamb and a trifle?" Cook checked as Rose told her Matron's order.

Rose nodded. "That what she said."

"Some cold slices, she said! Nothing fancy," Cook complained. "She's changed her tune, what's so special about this guest?"

"He's American," said Rose. "He sounds so funny, you should see his shoes!"

"Not likely I'll have a chance to, with a leg of lamb to roast," sighed Cook.

"What are those supposed to be?" Rose asked, pointing at a tray with some shrivelled up bits of pastry on it.

Cook sighed, shaking her head. "I've not baked this badly since I were a girl," she muttered under her breath. "I can't serve those."

She looked back to Rose, who was frowning, and said. "Go on, back to class, before Matron comes for the both of us."

Rose sighed and headed out the room. She had heard many reports from the girls this morning, saying that some were sick.

Maybe these events were all connected.

But she had more important things to think about.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

"Come along, girls!" Macclesfield shouted from the front of the line as she led the girls down the hall.

"If she found it under my bed, I'll be punished," sighed Harriet to Rose. "If I get in trouble, maybe I won't be allowed to go to America."

"Don't be silly, she can't do anything to stop you," Rose shook her head. "There must be a way to find that book. It's probably in her office."

"How far do you think it is?" Harriet asked.

"Matron's office? Just round the corridor-"

"No, America!" Harriet hissed. "It's such a long way."

"What if she's hidden it in the library? Do you think I should check the library-?"

"Mr Cranbourne."

"Nurse Macclesfield."

Harriet turned back to Rose. "Rose, I don't think I want-"

"No, it's probably in her office, don't you think?" Rose completely ignored her. Her whole focus was on the book.

Harriet seethed. "You clearly don't care enough about me to listen."

And she was right. Rose wasn't.

"Well done, Harriet!"

The sounds of the boys passing made Rose's head snap up, as Mathias said. "You're going to America."

"Everybody knows," Harriet murmured miserably.

"But what if she's locked it away?" Rose was still in book finding mode as she walked off, not even looking at Will when his hand brushed hers.

Harriet and Will exchanged a look.

And just by that, they knew they were both feeling the same way.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

"Come on, girls! No shilly-shallying!" Macclesfield shouted as she led the girls across the yard where the boys were doing drill.

Elizabeth, by now, was moaning with sickness, and everything came to a head when she vomited straight onto the tiles.

Looking over at the boys, Rose saw that both Gideon and Judd had just done the same thing.

"Poison!" Her brother's voice reached her. Ned was upright, shouting, and making sure he hand everyone's attention. "The food!"

Cook, who was also in the yard, snarled. "I'll not have you besmirching my name, you little-"

"It's the flour!" Ned continued regardless. "It's been poisoned for days, maybe even weeks!"

"What are you saying?" Cranbourne marched up to him.

"Keep quiet, what nonsense!" Matron snapped.

"Wait!" Mr Benjamin, the American man, stopped them all. "This boy has something to say, I wanna hear him."

"Thank you, sir," smiled Ned. "Gid felt ill when he ate a lot of bread at breakfast, and Judd ate all the leftover Yorkshire puddings, not Mathias, Will, Walter and I didn't have any of the bread and we've not been sick, therefore it's the flour that must've been poisoned!"

In this moment, everyone was distracted. So Rose saw it as the perfect opportunity to slip away.

Sneaking round Macclesfield, Rose sprinted towards the door and ran inside.

She knew exactly where she was headed.

Matron's office.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

It was unlocked, and inside it, Rose searched everywhere.

In her desk, her drawers, through her paperwork, and in all the other hiding places-

Click

Rose wasn't facing the door when it opened, but she knew who would be there when she turned round.

"You just cannot help yourself, can you?"

Matron's voice was low and threatening, and Rose had to fight her instincts not to shiver at it.

"Oh, you silly girl," Matron continued, starting to slowly move round the desk towards Rose. "If you just kept your head down, you might have a chance of seeing your mother again, or you might find yourself at the other end of the country."

They started to slowly circle round the desk, Rose just wanting to get as far away from Matron as possible.

"You can't do that!" She fired back.

"Oh, I can do what I like," Matron's lip curled. "Harriet's position could still disappear just like that!"

She clicked her fingers and Rose's muscles clenched.

"I saw the book, it's proof!" Rose yelled.

"Proof of what?" Matron shut the drawer Rose had been searching through with a clang. "Hm? Tell me, Rose, what is it that you think you know?"

Rose fell silent and Matron leaned back. "You know nothing," she confirmed, drawing the book from her pocket. Rose's eyes widened. "And besides, who would believe the word of a... disobedient little foundling over mine?"

"They believed Ned," Rose retorted. "Mr Benjamin listened to him! Maybe you should follow his lead!"

Matron's anger bubbled just below the surface and she moved round the desk, but not to Rose.

She moved to the fire, where she chucked the book into.

Rose ran at it but Matron stood in her way, hands on her hips. Then she got a box of matches from the table and lit one, throwing it into the fire.

When she stood up, she said, to a horrified Rose. "In the morning, that will be ashes."

"You can't do-" Rose started.

"I've reached my limits with you Rose Green and I promise you, you will suffer! Now GET OUT!" Matron's voice rose more and more and eventually, she was screaming.

And Rose was running, the door pushed and slammed behind her.

Once she was out, she struggled to breathe.

That was it.

Her one chance to destroy Matron.

And it was gone.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

That night, in bed, Harriet behind her, Rose sat up, saying quietly. "It really was evidence of what she did, and she burned it!"

Harriet sighed heavily, and didn't answer.

Rose sat up further. "She destroyed the evidence, don't you care?"

Harriet was up quicker than Rose had ever seen her, snapping. "It's always about you. I don't wanna hear anything about the book!"

"What's wrong? Is this about America?" Rose asked. "Because-"

"Shut up about America!" Harriet scoffed. "Like you even care! Nobody does! I'm just supposed to jump on a ship and sail away forever-"

"It's a big adventure, you can't be a baby about this!" Rose was over her shock, now, and firing insults back as fast as Harriet gave them out.

"I don't want it," Harriet told her honestly. "I don't wanna leave everyone and everything behind!"

"Then why didn't you say anything?"

Big mistake.

Harriet gave a scoff and rolled her eyes. "I've been trying all day, Rose. All day. But all you care about is Matron."

"It was our chance!" Rose tried not to yell. "I had to try and stop her - I had to! Bringing down Matron helps all of us."

"Stop it!" Harriet told her. "This was never about helping foundlings. It was about you versus Matron."

"That's not true!" But Rose knew, deep down, it was.

Harriet looked at her for a second before saying. "You're selfish, Rose. And you never listen."

She lay back down on her bed with a heaving sigh, but Rose stayed sitting up for a few seconds.

Everything seemed lost.

She hadn't won anything against Matron.

She hadn't helped any foundlings.

She didn't have the book.

And worst of all, she had fallen out with her best friend.

And it was all her fault.