Among the Darkness Stirs

Audrey sat quietly with her hands folded in her lap, waiting for the Matron to come to the point.

“Lead by example. Do you understand what that means?” she asked Audrey.

“I am sure I have some idea of what it means. Yes.” After all, she wasn’t ignorant.

“Good. Then I will consider the matter closed. I bid you a good evening, Ms. Wakefield.”

Audrey’s eyes followed the Matron as she left the room. Audrey frowned. She had no idea what the conversation had been about.

After supper, Audrey returned to her classroom to place some exercises on the chalkboard. She didn’t want to return to her small little room at the end of the hall just yet, and she could get ahead of herself for the next day with her students.

She thought again of her odd conversation with Matron and knew it must be her friendship with the male staff, Levi and Joseph, that she objected to. Both men had gone out of their way to be kind to her, but she could think of nothing she had done that warranted such a bizarre conversation.

She thought again of the afternoon. She had enjoyed meeting Theodocia and sightseeing with Henry in Norwich. She rather liked his company, and she was lonely in Norwich, away from all she knew. She would maintain a discreet distance, but she saw no reason to avoid him or the other male staff simply because Matron didn’t approve.

The next few days flew by, and the classroom became more manageable. Another female inmate replaced the first illiterate one, and the second one seemed very eager to help out. By the end of her second week in the workhouse, Audrey received two letters.

The first letter was from her mother asking how she was doing in her new position and sending love from both her and Audrey’s sister to her. The second letter was from Theodocia Ryland asking her to come to the house the following week to speak at her society matron’s club. Audrey liked Henry’s mother and was eager to make a good impression. She wanted to do well at the workhouse, and she knew Theodocia Ryland was influential in the town.

She had learned that much from Joseph, who spoke about Mrs. Ryland as if she were the Lord Mayor’s wife. She took up pen and paper and wrote back to Theodocia, accepting her gracious offer. In truth, she was pleased to be invited to speak. She wanted to speak about the plight of the workhouse people and help shed a light on it.

When she was tidying up, she heard a light knock on the door. “Enter,” she called.

A man with a balding head and a full beard entered her room. “Ms. Wakefield?”

She stopped what she was doing and turned to face the stranger. “I am Audrey Wakefield.”

“How do you do, my dear? I’m Dr. Samson Beesley, the medical officer here. I wanted to introduce myself to you,” he said.

“Dr. Beesley, pleased to make your acquaintance.” They shook hands.

“I heard from young Levi and Joseph we had a new schoolmistress on board. I believe the exact term Levi used was a looker,” he told her.

Audrey smiled. “I’m not sure about that.”

He smoothed his beard down, giving her a knowing look. “Well, my sight may be going as I grow older, but in this instance, I would say the young pup is correct.”

“Would you like to take a seat?” She indicated one of the chairs near her.

“I’m afraid I’m headed home so I’ve no time to chat. I alternate my time here at the workhouse, and as it happens, I’m expected home.” He turned to leave but paused in the doorway. “Perhaps next week we can meet again and discuss our lives over tea.”

“I’d like that.” He seemed kind.

“Good evening, Ms. Wakefield.” And with that, he was gone.

Audrey finished her tidying and locked the room behind her. She walked down the long hallway filled with doors and people bustling behind them, passing the women’s ward. She was about to turn left when, at the end of the hallway, she heard someone humming a song. After a brief moment of hesitation, she took a step forward and looked inside the room to find an older woman dancing barefoot in her room.

The woman appeared to be in her seventies. Her small bare feet delicately touched upon the concrete floor as she swayed to unheard music. Audrey watched her for a moment, her spirits lifting at the woman’s joy, and then she moved away from the door.

“Don’t be shy, dearie. Come in if you like,” the woman’s voice called out to her.

Audrey stopped and turned back around. “You saw me?”

“One doesn’t forget a face like yours,” the woman said.

The woman wore the workhouse garb of a grogram gown made of a coarse fabric of mohair and wool. Her apron and mop-cap had been tossed aside. Whereas most of the female inmates looked dowdy and grey, this woman had added a yellow silk ribbon to her long grey hair, adding a vibrant pop of color.

“My name is Audrey Wakefield. I’m the new schoolmistress,” Audrey introduced herself.