long will it take?”
“How long will we be gone?”
“But what about my sister? She is not here. I want her to come!”
“Hey, what about my little brother?”
“How will we get back?”
“What about my assignment at school? Do I have to finish that?”
“I am supposed to work in the kitchen on Saturday. Cook will be mad if I don’t show up.”
“Do we leave from London?”
“Is that why we are going to London?”
“My two sisters aren’t here. Will they be coming to Canada too? Is Canada close to London? I really want to go to London.” Kenny was going to get as many questions in as possible while he had the master’s attention.
Marjorie heard Kenny shout out. He asked the one question that she was too afraid to voice. “What about Joyce and Audrey? Why did we leave them back at the home?”
“Well, Kenny,” the master began, “we will be stopping at London. Who wants to see the lions at Trafalgar Square?”
Several children yelled out “I do! I do!” and drowned out the talk of brothers and sisters. Kenny kept asking about London. Not London, Marjorie screamed inside, ask about Joyce and Audrey!
Master told them that they would be stopping in London just for a night or two, and while there they would get to meet some real Canadian people at Canada House. “It’s a lovely big building right beside the lions at Trafalgar Square.” He warned them that they talk differently in Canada, so be prepared. He gave a little chuckle, but only Nurse laughed with him. Marjorie thought that was odd coming from him. She had had such a hard time at first understanding the Birmingham accents of everyone at the home. She could understand them perfectly now, as long as they talked slowly.
One girl asked if they were going to live at Canada House. Nervous laughter filled the car, but all faces turned to the master to see what he was going to say. He assured them that they would not be living there. He said, “From Canada House you will go over to Creagh House — a lovely old mansion in Kensington owned by the Fairbridge Society. They use it as a hostel. Then …” he began, but questions erupted again.
“What are we doing at Canada House?”
“Why are we going there?”
“My mum said she would come and get me from the home when she got better. Can she get me from Canada? I don’t think I want to go.”
“What if I don’t want to go either?”
“Can we come back from Canada if we don’t like it there?”
“Will I get to see my sister? I think she went to Canada.”
“Does my mum and dad know you are sending us there?”
“Is it really cold in Canada?”
“Is that why we had to wear our winter coats?”
“Who is going to look after us?”
“Do buffalo have big horns? Can they get us?”
“How are we going to get there?”
“Nobody asked me if I wanted to go. What if I want to stay in England?”
The master found it difficult to tell who was yelling out with questions coming from all directions and all at once. He raised his voice and told them to stop. “Put up your hand and ask one question at a time if you want me to answer.” He had fervently hoped that he and Nurse could keep the children occupied and their thoughts away from where they were going, then drop them off at Canada House and make their departure without this question period. He could see that he had better come up with some good answers, or they would have some very unhappy children on their hands. He surveyed the little group, assessing the impending mutiny. He asked them to be quiet and let him finish. He told them, speaking slowly, that from London they would travel to Liverpool. A lovely huge ocean liner, the Duchess of Atholl, would be waiting there to take them to Canada.
Marjorie asked if he and Nurse would be coming to Canada with them. But he shook his head, said “No,” and told her that they would take the children as far as Canada House and then go back to Birmingham. He smiled and told the children that he and Nurse were not as lucky as them, since neither of them could go to Canada. Bending towards them, and with a very serious note to his voice, he said, “Now, children, listen carefully. You are going to Canada House so that some Canadian people can meet you. Canada will not let just any children into their country, only the very good boys and girls.” He made them all promise him that they would be on their very best behaviour. “Promise me,” he urged. “It is for your King and your country.” The children had no choice but to promise. Master beamed his pride and said, “Good. Now, no more questions and finish your sandwiches.”
“But, sir, can we see Canada from Liverpool?” asked a little boy.
“Of course you cannot see Canada from Liverpool. It is too far away. Now, I said no more questions!” The master put his sandwich down and pulled out some papers from the case he was carrying and pretended to be busy with his work. He didn’t notice the look of alarm that spread over the children’s faces. They had already travelled so far from their families that most of them knew they would never be able to find their way home. Now he was telling them they were going across the great big ocean. How could any of them ever hope to make it back to their families from there? Dreaming of a visit from their mums and dads had kept many children from losing hope and now this hope was gone.
Marjorie’s appetite had vanished. She turned to Nurse and whispered. “If it is so far away, then we aren’t coming back ever, are we?” She wanted to know about her sisters Joyce and Audrey and her best friend Olive. She begged Nurse to go get them. “They should be with us. Don’t make me leave them,” Marjorie pleaded. Marjorie felt Kenny squeeze in beside her and take her hand, but she did not take her eyes off Nurse.
Nurse reminded Marjorie that Audrey was in sick bay. She told her that if she gets better, she might come out to Canada at a later date. She looked away, and said that Joyce had to stay at the home — the home needed her. Although Nurse told Marjorie and Kenny this, she knew that the Fairbridge Society had rejected their big sister Joyce because they thought she was too old for their program.
“You need her?” Marjorie’s tears flowed down her cheeks. “But I need her! She’s my big sister!”
Kenny looked at Nurse with his big brown eyes, “I need her too.”
Nurse had had enough and she told them so. “Some things are just the way they are.” She assured them that when they grew up they would understand, but for now, they just had to realize that the home knew what was best. She noticed that many of the children were watching and listening. She turned and swept her arm to include them all, as she suggested that the children would simply have to learn to accept things. They all should be thankful that they were chosen to go to Canada, “It will be a wonderful new life, so don’t be ungrateful for the chance you have been given.” Refusing to answer any more questions, she got up and sat near the master.
Marjorie sat back in her seat. “Damn it!”
