Anna Dee - When the Valleys White with Snow

www.grosvenorhousepublishing.co.uk

This is a true story. The time is the late 1950s to 1960s. The actual events that occurred, depicts the attitudes that were deemed acceptable within society, and those that were not, at least for women! Everyone has a skeleton in the proverbial cupboard; this book reveals quite a few from mine. It involves explicit sex, violence, abuse, attempted murder, and adultery resulting in falling in love; so I think we can safely say it is not suitable for children.

The title When the Valleys White with Snow is a line from the song Danny Boy and runs with the love story into book 2. In Sunshine or in Shadow All you need to relate to this story is a loving heart. God Bless you.

Anna Dee.

This book is dedicated to Ken

Who said he would be here

In sunshine, or in shadow,

And I love him so

I was sat in the middle of the orphanage grounds, telling him how I wanted to go home to my mother. I have a mother you know. I looked up at him as I said it, but the sun was dancing around his head, and it was so bright I had to look down. I played with the leather throngs on his sandals; his feet were bigger than mine. I looked at my feet they seemed so small. I didnt know how to run away like an older boy had. Im eight years old now, but my feet will grow, I said, still crying and playing with his sandals. My tears fell on his foot and I wiped them off with my dress, and I told him again, I just want to go home to my mother. Matron made me write to her again, I sobbed. She said I havent to put that I want to go home but I did. I had to write it again, and I put that I didnt want to stay here, and when Matron read it, she was really cross and made me write it all over again!

Anna Valerie was running towards me. Come on she shouted, grabbing my arm. Matron said we can have the bike and scooter out now youve finished your letter. She pulled me up and we started running towards the back of the house, I turned to wave good-bye to my friend Jesus, but He had gone.

Valerie was two years older than myself she had brown hair and eyes. Mine were the opposite; my eyes were blue and my hair white blonde. We played together and shared the same bedroom with three twelve year old girls, Marjorie, Irene, and Gladys, also, the youngest girl in the home, little Anne. That night when we went to bed and the lights went out, we asked Gladys to tell us a story. She always told super stories. Some were scary others fired our imagination. She began, and I just knew it was going to be a good one. It was about giant ladybirds that lived in the hills far away. So big that they didnt eat leaves, but trees, and they didnt build their homes in the cabbage patch, but in caves high in the hills. Gladys stopped.

The sound of the door opening reduced us all to total silence. It was Matron. I can hear you talking, she cautioned us. No more talking. No one spoke for a long time, then first one, then another, said, Go on Gladys finish the story. After much whispering she began where she had left off, but because she was speaking quietly, it made it seem even scarier. She was almost at the end when the door opened again.

Matron didnt turn the light on this time, but used her torch. She started with Valerie and shone the light in her face, she must have blinked for the next minute she was being told to stand outside in the corridor. The same happened with Marjorie, then Irene. Fear was building up in me, as her hollow footsteps clipped over the floorboards to Gladys, who was in the next bed to me. I heard her clambering out, and I wanted to cry, because I knew it was my turn next. I tried to control my breathing and to stop myself from screaming, but as the torch hit my face, I let out a blood-curdling yell of terror, and stared upwards at her. Matrons face had been close, and when the scream erupted, she jumped backwards, then moved quickly to me saying, Its only Matron go back to sleep! She walked away towards the door, and before it closed I managed to glimpse the girls, they were stood frightened, waiting for her.

I had felt lucky that she had misunderstood my actions, but I cried for the girls, as always to my friend Jesus. Please dont let Matron belt them It was my fault too; I wanted her to tell a story. Then I pushed my face into the pillow to stifle the sound. I couldnt sleep. I lay there listening for screams, or crying, I wanted the toilet but dare not move from my bed. Hours seemed to pass they didnt return. Eventually I fell asleep. Still wanting the toilet, I felt myself get out of bed and walk slowly down the long dim corridor, peering into the dark corners for Matron. It was such a relief to reach the bathroom. The sudden shock of wetting myself woke me up. I was still in bed. I knew I would be in trouble the next day so I sat up and tried to rub the sheet dry. I couldnt stop looking at the empty beds and crying. The door suddenly opened and I laid down pretending I had just turned over Matrons voice whispered threateningly, Bed! No more talking! The girls scrambled into bed. I waited for a minute then whispered, What did she do to you? Irene sobbed, Ill tell you tomorrow dont talk We all cried ourselves to sleep.

The next morning Matrons fat body blocked the doorway as she shouted, Come on! Its time to get up! We all began to stir and I remembered my wet bed. I got dressed and bundled my pyjamas and sheets up into a ball, before setting off down for breakfast, hoping they wouldnt be noticed. Matrons voice boomed from the corridor, Make your beds! I looked at Valerie and she sensed there was something wrong. I told her, and after thinking for a moment, she passed my glass from the locker, and said, Drink your water. Then taking the glass from me she laid it on top of my pyjamas. Before I could say anything, she went into the corridor and shouted to Matron. Annas just dropped her glass of water on the bed; shall I help her to change the sheets? Matron glanced around the door, No. leave it, I want you all downstairs for breakfast. I felt my body sag with relief.

After breakfast we went into the playroom, there wasnt much time because the older children were due to go to the Sunday morning Church Service. I quickly asked the girls what had happened to them for talking in bed. Did Matron belt you? All the children gathered around to listen, as Valerie told us. Marjorie was made to stand in the dining room in the dark, and Irene in the playroom. Gladys was sent down the cellar, and I had to stand at the top of the cellar steps. The light was shining from under the staff room door, so I could see a bit, she added. It was to be many years, before I realised just how cruel this punishment had been. Marjorie was going blind, and was frightened of the dark. Irene had a spinal disorder that caused her pain when standing, and Gladys, like all of us, was terrified of the cellar.

The playroom door opened and the older children were called out to get ready for Church. Can I go too, Miss Greenly? I asked. You will have to ask Matron. She replied, smiling at me in her usual loving way. I smiled back at her. I liked Miss Greenly, she was thin, wore glasses, and was always kind to us all. I really wanted to go to Church, so I plucked up the courage to walk down to the staff-room, and knock on the door. I wanted to say something nasty to Matron for punishing the girls, but when the door opened and I saw her looming there, I quietly asked, Please Matron, may I go to Church with the older children? Her brown, beady, eyes stared at me, and then she promptly said, No. youre too young! The door was instantly closed on me.