Sunday services were by far the worst part of being a foundling. At least in sewing classes you could talk to your friends, but on Sundays you were bunched up next to them, and if you dared whisper even a word to them, you would be reprimanded.

It was terrible.

The only good part of it was the fact that the boys were sat across the aisle from the girls, which meant Rose got to exchange looks with Ned and occasionally Will as Cranbourne droned on and on and on and on-

Crash.

Rose jumped, her body spinning round.

At the door was a couple, the woman in a turquoise dress and slightly tattered shawl, the man in a suit that was a bit dirty, and both of them looking angry.

"Excuse me!" Cranbourne shouted to them. "This chapel is not welcome to members of the public!"

The couple didn't move, however.

"I'm Hannah Prestwick, and this is my husband, Arthur," the woman explained. "We've come for our child."

Rose audibly gasped.

Matron walked forward, saying threateningly. "All these children belong to the hospital. If you wish to appeal to the board of Governors, make a written request."

"We did. You never replied," the man, Arthur, snapped at her.

Hannah stamped forward. "We won't be put off. We've come all the way from Burnley for this."

Before Matron could speak, a woman in a beautiful blue dress up the front row stood and said. "These people have travelled so far, surely we ought to hear their cause?"

"Who's she?" Rose whispered to Harriet.

"One of the Governors' wives," she replied in the same hushed tone.

"Well said, Lady Asquith," Colonel Brigwell, another Governor, said to the woman, solving the mystery of her name. He walked forward and told the couple. "Join us in the Governors' room after lunch, we'll get to the bottom of it there."

Rose looked around in amazement at her friends and then over at the boys, only knowing two things for sure.

One, that one of the foundlings were going to be claimed and get to leave the hospital forever.

And two.

That that foundling might be her.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

That day at lunch, all the girls could talk about were the couple and their bizarre entrance at Sunday service.

"Did you see his eyes?" Harriet asked Polly as Rose sat inbetween them. "They were as red as... as red as yours," she said, looking at Rose.

Before she could answer, Sheila interrupted rudely. "Well it won't be Green. Who on earth would want that back?"

"It won't be you, either," Rose snapped. "They were both human."

Monica shrugged. "It's probably a boy, anyway. They get all the luck."

"Maybe they'll take that little weed you call your brother," Sheila said absent mindedly.

"He is my brother!" Rose shouted at her. "And he's not a weed."

"Or your little sweetheart," Sheila smirked at Rose.

Rose frowned, and she could feel her face going red. "Will?"

Her enemy sniggered. "Yeah. Bet you'd love to see him go, right? Imagine if they took either of them away, and you never saw them again."

Rose rolled her eyes. "I would be glad. I want them to be happy because they're my friends. You wouldn't understand, you don't have any feelings, or a brother, or any friends in general."

"I've got friends!" Sheila exclaimed, gesturing to Elizabeth and Monica.

"They're not friends! They were just the biggest cowards when you went stomping around trying to find someone to bully into liking you!" Rose shouted.

"Liar!" Sheila said shortly.

Rose turned back to her lunch, seething.

Really, all she wanted was to find out who those people in chapel had come for.

So find out she would.

In her peripheral vision, she saw Lady Asquith, the woman who had spoken in chapel today, come up behind her.

So she started 'choking'.

"Are you quite well, my dear?" Lady Asquith leaned down and looked at Rose.

Matron, meanwhile, said sternly. "Rose Green, what on earth is the matter?"

"Need- the- privy," Rose choked.

"Well, go, child! Quickly!" Lady Asquith said, distressed.

"Matron- need permission," Rose tried not to smirk as she continued to fake cough. She very well knew that Matron couldn't turn her down in front of a governor.

"Well, of course!" Matron said in a strangely high voice. "Of course you must go!"

So, still fake coughing and spluttering, Rose headed out the dining room.

When she got to the privy, she ran quickly past it and headed into the part of the hospital that was forbidden to foundlings, eventually arriving at a door that had a plaque on it. Gᴏᴠᴇʀɴᴏʀs, it said.

Rose quickly opened the door and slipped inside, coming into a very fancy room with lots of flowers in vases, some expensive paintings and a candelabra.

So this is the governors' office, Rose thought. No wonder they're so rich, lucky things-

Her daydream was interrupted as she heard footsteps and voices down the hall.

Her head snapped round to see a cupboard in the corner of the room. She ran to it, opening the door and shutting it to a crack, so she could still see through it.

This was it.

In a few minutes, she would know if she was leaving the hospital.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

"From the moment we met, we knew we wanted to get married," explained Arthur to Matron, Mr Cranborne, Colonel Brigwell and Lady Asquith.

"Then why didn't you?" Brigwell questioned.

"I was poor, and Hannah deserved better," sighed Arthur. "I went to America to make something of myself."

"You abandoned her," Matron said.

"Never," Arthure looked outraged.

"He didn't know about the baby," Hannah spoke softly. "Nor did I, until..."

"You were very young, it must have been quite a shock," said Lady Asquith understandingly.

"Yes," Hannah agreed. "They said she was my shame, but she was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. I longed to keep her, but after she was born, I was so ill, I thought I'd die, and... then she'd have no one."

Matron drew in a breath, her face still stony as Hannah went on. "That's when I heard of this place. And I- god forgive me..." she sobbed quietly. "I-I paid a man to bring her here."

"When was this?" Lady Asquith seemed to be the first to find their tongue.

"August, eighteen seventy six," Hannah recited.

That's around when I was admitted! Rose thought desperately.

"And what token did you leave with her?" Brigwell also asked.

"A thimble, with a letter inside," Hannah explained. "E, for Emily."

Rose sighed. No one at the hospital was called Emily, but she knew that would be the case. Nobody at this place even knew their real name. They had all been given new ones as babies, only being able to be identified by the tokens their parents had left with them. But no one had ever seen their tokens, or knew where they were kept.

"Matron, would you be so good as to go and retrieve the child's admission documents?" Brigwell asked, him and Matron standing up.

Matron leaned closer and whispered. "These people are hardly fit parents-"

"Surely that is a matter for the governors to decide?" Lady Asquith spoke softly, but she was commanding enough.

Matron was silent for a second, and then said. "As you wish," before sweeping out the room.

Rose could barely breathe.

This. Was. It.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

But when Matron got back, she only held questions.

"It wad August, eighteen seventy six?"

Hannah nodded.

"A thimble, with the letter E?"

Hannah nodded again.

"I'm sorry, there is no such record."

Rose hoped that no one heard her gasp, it was so loud.

"No..." Hannah whispered. "I-I don't understand..."

"Matron, how could this have happened?" Lady Asquith questioned the woman.

"The usual way," answered Matron calmly. "The man you paid to take her here took the money and abandoned her. We hear of this quite often."

"No..." uttered Hannah again. "Can you please check again?"

"I have checked the whole of August and September," Matron assured her calmly. "There is no record of an Emily Prestwick being admitted to this establishment."

Rose's heart broke watching the expressions on Hannah and Arthur's faces.

Then she looked to Matron, who was almost... smirking.

Rose frowned.

Why is she... happy?

Well, she would soon find out.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

Soon, Rose began to resent the fact that she was stuck in the stupid cupboard.

Soon, it was time for the Prestwicks to leave. But that didn't mean the governors did. In fact, it meant that Lady Asquith started to ask awkward questions.

"It has come to my attention that some of our foundlings have been placed in unsuitable apprenticeships," she announced to Matron and the rest.

"In what way unsuitable?" Colonel Brigwell asked.

"I have heard reports of ill treatment," Lady Asquith said. "Children starved, beaten, worked like slaves-"

"Impossible!" Cranbourne quickly interrupted. "Every apprenticeship is personally approved by myself and Matron Bottomly."

But Lady Asquith went one step further. "Then perhaps that is the problem."

"What are you implying?" Matron asked coldly.

"I am concerned that your regime is unnecessarily harsh," Lady Asquith shot back. "These innocent children deserve kindness and love."

"These are not children as you know them," Matron emphasised. "They are depraved, born of sin. It is our Christian duty to educate them."

"Then perhaps you could educate me?" Lady Asquith requested. "I should like to observe your management of the girls at first hand."

Great, we're going to be being watched, Rose rolled her eyes. That only meant one thing. Stern looks from Matron and Macclesfield to make sure they said the right thing, even if it was a lie.

Matron wasn't pleased, either. "You intend to snoop around my establishment-"

"Lady Asquith has most generously offered to help," Cranbourne cut in. "I see no reason to object."

"Quite so, I am minded to carry out a similar inspection on the boys' wing," said Brigwell.

Rose sighed.

Everyone was being put through their paces today.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

Finally, finally, the stupid meeting ended and the governors, Matron and Cranbourne left. That meant Rose could slip out, too, and go to recreation, where found Harriet, and told her of the whole story.

"And she's lying about the apprenticeships as well as Emily not being at the hospital, I can tell," she finished. "The look on her face... it was like that Asquith hit the nail on the head."

"But- what makes you think that Matron would have reason to lie?" Harriet frowned.

"I don't know, but I've just got a feeling," sighed Rose.

"Girls?"

The two girls turned to see Lady Asquith, being followed by Nurse Macclesfield, making a beeline for them.

Rose and Harriet exchanged a glance before both dipping into a cutsy and asking. "Yes, m'lady?"

"I wish to ask you... are you happy here?" Lady Asquith asked hesitantly.

"Yes, m'lady," Harriet answered quickly.

And Rose wanted to say no. She wanted to tell the woman that Matron was terrible and that chores were long and hard and all about the tench, as well, and how it had scarred Mary for life.

But Macclesfield was standing behind Lady Asquith, raising her eyebrows expectantly, so she couldn't say that at all.

"Rose Green..." she hissed. "Answer Lady Asquith."

So Rose hesitantly said. "Yes, m'lady."

"Shall we move onto the laundry, m'lady?" Macclesfield quickly said, leading Lady Asquith away quickly.

As they left, Rose turned back to Harriet, saying quickly. "Even if there's a tiny chance they're my parents, I have to do something about it... don't I?"

"If Matron's lied to the governors, she won't have left the evidence lying around for someone to find," said Harriet sensibly.

"So what do you think she's done with it?" Rose asked.

Harriet's face then flashed in understanding.

"She probably burnt it."

𑁍𑁍𑁍

Next thing Rose knew, she was hiding round the corner, waiting for Harriet and Polly to tempt Matron out of her office by telling her that Lady Asquith was asking awkward questions.

Finally, she heard Polly call. "Rose!"

Rose ran round the corner, springing into action as she opened the door to the office, quietly slipping inside and closing it again, trusting her friends to keep watch.

She went straight to the fireplace, digging around in the cold ashes.

Instantly, her hand snagged on a bit of paper, and she pulled it out. And then another one. And another.

It looked like Matron had been burning papers.

Soon enough, however, her hand caught on more than a bit of paper.

It was a bit of metal.

But no. It was more than even that.

It was a thimble. And inside, yes... there it was. The letter E.

Rose put it on her finger and held it up.

It fit perfectly.

Could it be... I mean, would it be... hers?

𑁍𑁍𑁍

"That's definitely an E," Rose said later, in the tower, when she, Polly, Harriet and Hetty had gone up to discuss the papers and the thimble. "This is Emily's thimble."

"So it's true," Polly shook her head.

"Yeah, Matron lied," said Hetty. "But why?"

"Look at this," Harriet drew everyone's attention back to the papers, reading from them as she put them together. "Thank you, for once again supporting my application to the governors. I enclose our customary remuneration."

"What does that mean?" Rose frowned.

"Money, payment," shrugged Harriet, looking back down at the papers. "It's from Mr Brunsden."

"Brutal Brunsden?" Rose frowned.

"He works his apprentices to death," Harriet nodded. "But- Matron still sends him foundlings."

"Because he pays her," realises Polly. "She's selling apprentices."

"That's why she didn't tell my parents I was here," Rose said, completely forgetting that she didn't know she was Emily Prestwick yet. "Because she wanted to sell me!"

"We have to stop this!" Hetty announced.

"But, how?" Polly frowned.

"They may not listen to foundlings, but they will listen to Emily Prestwick," Rose sighed.

"You don't know who she is!"

"But I can find out," Rose smirked, pulling out her 25623 token. "We're all numbered in order."

"Of course! They'll be a gap in the records for eighteen seventy six!" Harriet exclaimed.

Rose nodded. "Tomorrow, you come with me and we'll check the records office."

They nodded.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

That day in the laundry, Rose was trying her best to ignore Sheila, but, of course, the two had to come close at some point, arguing and shoving over a laundry basket.

Until a scream made them turn.

"What is it?" Rose asked Mary, who had made the noise.

"Something moved in there!" She exclaimed, pointing to the boys' laundry basket that had just been brought to then.

"It was probably a mouse," Polly shook her head.

However, when Rose leant down and slowly pulled back a some of the dirty clothes she caught the unmistakable sight of some very familiar black hair. She smirked. Now she knew what was going on.

"It's a rat. A big one," she said, looking Harriet and Polly in the eye. She could not say anything with the she-mob in vacinity. "Come with me to get rid of it."

She tried to wink at them as the three girls left the room, slowly wheeling the basket with them. The slightly heavier basket.

As soon as they were in the next room, Rose murmured. "You can come out, Will. It's just the three of us."

Will grinned round at them, emerging from the pile of clothes as Rose remarked. "You took a risk."

"I knew you were on laundry today," shrugged Will with another easy smile.

Rose frowned. "Yeah, but-"

"I had to," Will panted. "Ned's in trouble. Matron gave him the strap and he's on punishment all week."

"Why?" Rose was shocked.

"Because of this," Will sighed, handing Rose a letter.

Her blood boiled as she read it. Basically, it was telling Ned that he was the child the couple was looking for, and that he should reveal himself to them. They even spoke about a thing not many knew about him. A birthmark on his stomach, shaped roughly like a heart.

But it was fake. The Prestwicks had only spoken of a daughter.

"What'd you think?" Will asked sarcastically as he climbed out the basket. "Is it for real?"

"Course not," Rose said angrily, looking up at him. "The Prestwicks are looking for a girl."

Will frowned. "Then why-"

"Somebody's playing a cruel joke on Ned," Rose snarled.

"But there are things in that letter that nobody knows about him!" Will exclaimed.

"Except me," Rose told him.

"And us!" Polly said.

"Rose told us all about her foster family," Harriet explained to a confused Will.

But it was then that both Rose and Harriet understood.

Because it wasn't just them that had been told.

But Rose realised just after Harriet, as, when she came to the conclusion, the latter was already exclaiming. "That's why she wanted to know?"

"Why who wanted to know what?" Will frowned.

Rose shook her head, walking urgently past him and back through to the laundry.

"You!" She yelled at Mary. "You wrote this!"

"I-I-I had to..." she stammered under Rose's stern gaze.

The she-mob, meanwhile, burst into hysterical laughter.

"Yes, I knew it! He fell for it!" Sheila squealed with glee.

"How could you? Ned never hurt anyone," Rose told Mary angrily.

"I'm sorry," Mary cried. "They made me."

"Then don't be such a coward and stand up to them!" Rose shouted, making eye contact with her and saying savagely. "Enjoy your new friends. You deserve each other."

She didn't even regret being so hard as she stormed out the laundry, seething with anger.

She just needed to get to Ned.

"You can't go now!" Harriet exclaimed once she caught up with Rose, already opening the door to the cupboard that led to the tower.

"I have to," she snapped back.

"But we've got sewing class!" Harriet shouted again, as the bell rang.

"I have to find out the truth and prove it to Ned!" Rose growled, her face suddenly turning to a smile. "And then maybe the Prestwicks will take him and me!"

"If you are Emily Prestwick," Harriet reminded her as she made to climb up to the rafters.

Rose sighed. She knew there was only one way to find that out.

So she climbed up.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

After a quick walk through the now familiar route, Rose landed in the records office, running round and reaching a row of drawers with labels on them.

She dove at the one that read 1876.

Upon opening it, Rose saw a load of files, their numbers sticking out, and started to sort through them.

25618, 25619, 25620...

Rose's heart dropped when she suddenly saw which number was missing.

25621.

Suddenly, she knew exactly who Emily Prestwick was.

And she really, really wished she didn't.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

Rose needed to see Ned.

She had to.

So that was why she was knocking on Matron's office door, right now.

"Enter," came the stern voice from inside.

Rose took a deep breath, opening the door and slipping inside, seeing both Matron and Mr Cranbourne in there. She knew she was going to have to lay it on thick here.

She stopped to curtsy. "If you please, Matron Bottomly, Mr Cranbourne, I have heard that my foster brother, Ned, is in trouble."

"Who told you that?" Cranbourne questioned immediately.

"Kitchen maid's gossip, Sir," Rose lied easily, turning back to Matron. "I was so shocked to hear of his violence and ingratitude. I thought perhaps some sisterly guidance?"

Matron scoffed. "Out of the question."

Rose tried to make her face look really sad.

"You know this establishment forbids fraternisation between male and female," Matron went on.

Rose looked to Cranbourne.

And, after a long pause, he said. "Most of the time, Matron, most of the time. But the influence of the gentler sex has shown to benefit the most hardened criminals."

Matron seemed to agree.

But Rose found it hard not to scoff. Because no one could call her 'gentler' than Ned.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

She was allowed to see him, however. He was on the back stairs, sitting on one and scrubbing another.

He looked up when he heard footsteps. "Rose?"

Rose took a look back at Matron and Cranbourne and knelt down towards him, saying loudly. "Ned... oh, Ned, what have you done? What would our dear foster mother say if she could see you now?"

She sat down on the step above the one he was cleaning as he said. "I'm sorry, Rose."

However, as Rose leant forward to hug him, she made it clear she wasn't mad at him.

She didn't want to shatter his dreams of a family and a home and some love, but she had to.

However, it hurt even more, now. Since she had found out who the real Emily was.

"I should've known it was too good to be true," sighed Ned once he heard. "What an idiot."

"It's not your fault!" Rose said. "It's the she-mob and their horrible tricks! Our real parents are out there somewhere. And one day, we'll get out of here and go looking for them. I promise."

Ned looked at her. "What about the real Emily Prestwick?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "What about her?"

"Don't you want to find out who she is?" Ned raised his eyebrows.

"I know who she is," Rose growled. "But she doesn't deserve a family, or even some friends at the moment."

"Who is it?" Ned asked with a frown.

"It doesn't matter," Rose shook her head.

"What about her parents?" Ned said firmly. "Don't you think they have a right to know?"

Rose sighed. "The thing I hate about you, Ned, is that you're too smart for your own good."

Ned smiled. "You're brave, I'm smart."

𑁍𑁍𑁍

That night in the dorm, Rose decided what she was going to do.

She was going to tell Emily who she was.

Slowly, she got out of bed, picking up the thimble from under her pillow, before creeping across the room to-

Emily

Mary

She didn't know what to call her anymore.

Slowly, she sat down on Mary's bed and shook her gently. When Mary let out a scared gasp, she whispered. "It's only me. You need to have this," and she handed her the thimble.

A confused and blundery Mary took the thimble slowly. "Why?"

"Because it's yours," Rose told her. "You're Emily Prestwick. And your parents want you back."

"But how?" Mary frowned, sitting up.

"I can help you get out," Rose said urgently. "I'll tell Will-"

"No, don't!" Mary exclaimed, hissing scaredly. "If we get caught, we'll get thrown in the tench!"

"If the tench is the worst Matron can do, she's nor trying hard enough," Rose told Mary. Then her face softened. "Mary, this is your mother and father. Your family. You have to take the chance."

"Sorry, Rose, I can't... I just can't."

And with that, Mary lay back down and went back to sleep and Rose, who was smart enough to see she wasn't going to budge, did the same.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

The next day, Rose watched in horror as the she-mob wrung a cold cloth over Mary's head and walked off, smirking, the small, scared girl not doing a thing to stop them.

Mary wasn't strong enough to do this. That was insanely obvious.

Rose sighed. She had formulated a plan last night and, seeing Matron and Lady Asquith walk down the corridor, it was time to put it into action.

"Excuse me, m'lady," she said to Lady Asquith as she walked past. "I think you dropped your hanky?"

She held out a hanky which, in fact, Lady Asquith had not dropped, but which had a very important message inside.

"Oh, no, I don't think I-" Lady Asquith stopped at the look on Rose's face, and then gingerly took the hanky off her. "Ah, yes. Thank you, my dear."

𑁍𑁍𑁍

The hanky had told Lady Asquith that there was VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION that Lady Asquith had to hear. It also stated a meeting place and a time.

"What is this very important information?" Lady Asquith asked Rose.

"Emily Prestwick is here... in this hospital," said Rose. "Her name is Mary Crane."

Lady Asquith was visibly shocked. "But Matron Bottomly said-"

"I know. She lied," Rose said quickly.

"Why would she-?"

"She doesn't want to let any of us go! We're too valuable to her!" Rose exclaimed. In her hand she held the bits of paper she had found in the grate. "She's selling foundlings into bad apprenticeships."

"Selling foundlings?" Asquith was shocked.

"I've got the proof, look!" Rose said, handing Lady Asquith the bits of paper and letting her read them.

Rose tried to hold in a smirk as Lady Asquith said. "You did well to tell me, Rose. Come."

She had done it.

She's beaten Matron!

Or so she thought.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

Matron, Cranbourne and Brigwell were already in the governor's room when Lady Asquith entered, Rose behind her.

"Colonel Brigwell I regret to inform you-" she stopped when she saw the other woman. "Matron Bottomly, I am glad you are here."

"As are we all!" Brigwell joked as he turned to Matron. "This woman is a great asset to this institution."

"Perhaps you will not think so shortly," Lady Asquith quipped, walking further into the room, Rose now by her side.

"I know that you two ladies have had your differences, but I think you'll change your mind when you hear about the donation."

"What donation?" Lady Asquith questioned.

"Several employers have been so impressed by our foundlings that they have made contributions to hospital funds as a token of their gratitude," said Matron.

Liar, Rose thought bitterly.

Lady Asquith, however, stumbled back a little. "The money was for hospital funds?"

"Yes, and it comes to just under fifty pounds," Brigwell said, impressed.

"Fifty pounds?!" Lady Asquith gasped.

Rose, meanwhile, burst out. "She's lying! She wanted to keep the money for herself!"

She was outraged. Outraged. She had put her trust in this woman, and now she was believing Matron?

"Rose?!" Matron frowned. "Child, why would you tell such a wicked untruth?"

"Because it's not an untruth," Rose snarled. "I found the letters! Show her!" She turned to Lady Asquith.

"What are these letters?" Questioned Colonel Brigwell.

"They spoke of payments from the foundlings' employers," said Asquith, Rose smirking beside her. "It rather seemed as though someone was being bribed, but of course, Matron Bottomly's explanation changes everything. She was merely accepting charitable donations for the hospital."

The smug look fell from Rose's face.

"Why would the child come up with such a story?" Colonel Brigwell asked dismissively.

"Because it's not a-" Rose began.

"Rose Green, be quiet!" Matron snapped, turning back to the governors. "This girl, Rose Green, she is quite impossible. A very bad character. I have often been compelled to chastise her, and this is quite clearly her attempt at revenge."

Rose clenched her fists and bit her tongue, forcing herself to stay quiet.

"I assume the girl will be punished for her lies?" Cranbourne spoke up for the first time.

"Oh, yes," Matron looked Rose dead in the eyes. "I have a plan in mind to deal with you, Rose Green."

𑁍𑁍𑁍

Next Sunday service came, and Rose still hadn't been 'dealt with'.

However, she had learnt something about putting your trust in adults. Don't.

BANG!

Rose jumped and turned round to see the Prestwicks, crashing into the chapel.

"How dare you come back here?!" Cranbourne stepped forward angrily. "You've been told-"

"Mother!"

Rose was shocked to see someone run up to the couple. But she was even more shocked to see it was Mary.

She ran up the aisle of the chapel, reaching her parents, and held up her hand. In it, sat on her palm, was a thimble. And Rose knew the letter that was inside it.

Hannah Prestwick already had tears in her eyes. "Emily?!" She asked, almost too scared to admit it.

She cried and gasped as Mary embraced her.

Matron, meanwhile, had finally found her tongue, stepping forward. "Why are you here?" She demanded of the couple.

"We got your letter," Arthur Prestwick explained.

Matron did a double take. "My letter?"

Mary turned round. Her face seemed to have lit up, a smile on her face. "Yes, the letter in which you said you made a mistake. And that I am foundling 25621, Emily Prestwick. And this is my token."

Rose's face lit up, too, as she saw how her parents stood either side of her, as if to say 'we're taking her, and we don't care what you say'.

"Matron Bottomly?" Colonel Brigwell asked, causing the woman to turn around. "How was this allowed to happen?"

"No one is infallible," Cranbourne came to her aid immediately. "Not even Matron. The important thing is that the error has been corrected."

A small part of Rose's smile disappeared as she saw how Hannah and Arthur leaned down to embrace Mary again, all three crying, holding each other so tight. A family together again.

If only that had been me.

𑁍𑁍𑁍

Mary was leaving. It was all cleared. Later that day, she stood in the courtyard, Rose, Hetty, Polly and Harriet around her.

Then Rose pulled her to the side, she had just realised something.

"You wrote that letter!" She exclaimed to the small girl. "You must have..."

"Yes," Mary smiled.

Rose couldn't believe it. "I didn't think you had it in you," she said honestly.

"I didn't," Mary said proudly. "Until you showed me how."

And she deserved it, Rose knew, when she hugged the girl. Mary had arrived at the hospital a plain girl, and a spell in the tench as a small child had changed her forever. But now, as she stood before her friends, she was strong. She had finally overcome her fear, and she had beaten Matron, even if Rose hadn't managed to.

"Emily!" Hannah called to her, after she had hugged all her friends.

"Coming, mother!" Emily called back proudly.

Rose sighed as she walked to her mother and father, trying not to envy her friend.

She soon cheered up, however, at seeing the she-mob's scowls, and at Harriet and Polly and Hetty cheering and clapping for the girl, which she soon joined in with.

Mary turned round and waved to them, as well.

No, Rose suddenly thought when she found herself thinking that. No, that's not Mary.

It's Emily.