Open Day Hetty Feather

Gid, she's here. The circus lady from when we were little with Jem.

You really think she could be your mother?

Perhaps a foundling is your answer for India?

Hetty Feather, meet Charlotte Upton.

You are to be Charlotte's companion. You're going to India.

India?

What am I going to do?

Go to her, Hetty.

The circus?

Ask Madame Adeline if she's your mother.

Hetty! Hetty Feather!

Cranborne? Cranborne?

The child must be found and quick about it.

I'll call for the Constabulary, Matron.

No, Cranborne!

I will not let an errant foundling tarnish our reputation with

the Governors.

But the child's welfare must come first, Matron.

Cranborne, leave this to me.

I'd made it, this was the circus,

the moment I'd dreamt of,

the moment I'd find my mother

and find out who I really was.

Then I wouldn't be plain old Hetty Feather any more.

This punishment - it'll never end.

Tell me about it. Sheila's been sent to fetch more bed linen.

Hetty doesn't know how lucky she is.

Where do you think she is? Do you reckon she's at the circus yet?

I hope so. If Madame Adeline's her mother,

Hetty's dreams will have all come true.

Imagine that.

I can't believe horrid Charlotte Upton gave her the tickets -

that's the real surprise.

Sort and take to the drying room and no slacking.

Punishment is without a break, nor a breath!

Yes, Nurse.

Carry on, then.

It was all starting to come true.

Could it really get any better than this?

-Matron!

-Ormsby?

Hetty Feather's at the circus, Matron!

She reckons some Madame Eileen's her mother!

The circus? That is ludicrous.

It's the honest truth, Matron!

Given your track record, why would I ever believe you?

That toff Charlotte gave her the tickets.

Inform Mr Cranborne he's in charge

until I return with Feather.

Matron, don't I get privileges, Matron?

Here! Take the toffee and go.

Madame Adeline?

Madame Adeline?

It was perfect. The prettiest, most magical place I'd ever seen

and it all felt so familiar - like home.

Little Star, that's what she'd called me.

Thief!

That's my robe! Take it off!

Sorry. No, I'm not a thief.

Get out of my caravan!

But I saw you at the Foundling Hospital.

I've got tickets. I just want to talk you.

Well, children usually wait outside the Big Top to talk to me,

not barge into my caravan.

But I'm not just any child. You came to our village.

Do you remember?

I'm sorry, darling, one village is the same as the next,

it's hard to keep track.

Now, I need to rest. Show yourself out.

But you must remember.

At the circus, you reached out to me.

You called me your Little Star.

Can't you see - it's me?

I'm your daughter!

What?

My name's Hetty now, but what did you call me when I was born?

What's my real name? Who am I?

Hetty, dearest child.

How can I tell you this?

I am not your mother.

But you must be.

We look so alike.

You have to.

You're not my child, Hetty.

I can't help you.

I don't know what your real name is.

I don't know anything about you.

India, it's on the other side of the world -

how can she get away with this?

Foundlings don't just slip out of here.

Exactly. Matron must have made a deal

and if she has, there'll be evidence.

Like what?

Papers. Something official to prove what Matron's doing.

She'd keep that sort of thing under lock and key.

In a place she knows we'd never get into.

Or she thinks that we won't.

Just because I'm not your mother doesn't mean she's not out there.

You could help me look for her.

No, no, after tonight's show the circus moves on.

I can't go with you.

I can come with you.

Wherever you go, I'll search for her.

You're a foundling. The hospital will be worried.

They'll be looking for you.

Please, don't make me go back there.

You don't know what it's like.

Hetty Feather!

Matron!

Oh, my goodness, how dare you? Who are you?

This child has absconded from my care.

I suppose she's told you her ridiculous story about you

being her mother.

This child's had quite a shock.

I will take care of her now.

No, you won't - you treat us like dirt.

You're a liar, Matron Bottomly.

HETTY SCREAMS

Come back!

Hetty Feather, stop this instant!

HETTY SCREAMS

You won't get away that easily, Feather.

Get off me. Stop it.

Back home we go.

I'll cause a distraction.

Yeah, while I search Matron's quarters.

-How?

-Trust me.

HETTY SCREAMS IN THE DISTANCE

Let me go! Argh! You can't do this!

-Hetty.

-Find her - tell her we're working on it.

Tell her everything will be all right.

You two, cover our punishment.

Meet back here before dorm lockdowns.

Please, Matron - let me go! You can't send me away!

You can't do this to me!

I can do as I like.

You nearly cost me £50!

I'll be back for you at six when Lord Upton's carriage arrives.

Next stop for you is far-off India.

Please, Matron, don't send me away!

I don't want to go.

Goodness me, Matron, whatever's the matter with the child?

She is still as unruly as ever. She needs to calm down.

Perhaps I should speak with her.

After all, anything could have happened out there on the streets.

No. You leave her be, Cranborne. That is an order.

She needs to learn. As they all do.

Keep the foundlings on punishment for the rest of the week.

Yes, Matron.

Good.

'Nobody was coming to help me,

'no matter how much I banged and kicked.

'But I wasn't going to accept my fate that easily.

'There was only one thing I could do -

'find a way out.

'Genius.'

Poor Hetty.

However did Matron find out she was at the circus?

I reckon someone snitched. I wonder who.

And you think we care?

All we care about is helping our friend.

Now's our chance.

(Quick, follow them.)

Don't just stand there. Move it.

Come on, girls. Chop chop.

Hetty!

What happened out there? What about Madame Adeline?

There isn't any time. You have to help.

-Matron's selling me!

-What? Like a slave?

As good as. We have to stop her.

That's why we're here. The boys are already on to it.

They're searching her quarters. Looking for paperwork.

We'll search her office. We have to expose her and quick.

Upton's carriage arrives at six to take me away. We have two hours.

It's not safe for you, Hetty.

You need to let us do it.

We'll meet in the Tower.

Use this to pick the lock.

'I might not have a mother, but I did have my friends.

'And my future was in their hands.'

What are you doing, Smeed? Trespassing in Staff Quarters?

It's my sister, Matron.

I just want to make sure that she's safe.

Take me to her, Matron. I have to see her!

You will do no such thing.

Five minutes, Matron.

Anything could have happened to her out there on the streets.

For your own good, Smeed, I suggest you return to your punishment.

'While Gideon kept watch outside Matron's quarters,

'the girls were trying to get into her office.'

Come on! It'll be lockdown before we know it.

You give it a try. I'm not being hopeless on purpose.

Got it.

-Only cos I loosened it.

-Teamwork!

'Time was ticking on...

'Soon, Lord Upton's carriage would be coming for me.

'A key...

'..but no lock.

'It seemed Matron was cleverer than we thought.

'Or was she?'

FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING

Mathias! Mathias!

Someone's coming! Get out of here.

Oh, no.

I've dropped the money.

What are you doing?

We haven't got time for this.

Come on.

Wait!

It can't be!

Put that back.

-We'll get caught.

-Plant!

Come on.

There has to be something here about Hetty.

Got it.

What does it say?

Lord Frederick Upton

of Raja-somewhere, India.

Hetty Feather, general maid.

-Date of birth, 1873.

-Age 14.

This is a contract for selling Hetty.

But Hetty's 11. She's too young to go into service.

Exactly. This is a fraud.

Where are they going now?

A private chat by the looks of it.

Won't be private any more.

It's magic.

They've disappeared!

No, they haven't. If anyone asks, I've gone to the privy.

Well? Did you find anything?

Matron's lied, Hetty. We've got proof.

Everything - written here.

This is all we need.

So who do we tell?

Nurse Winterson?

No. She won't risk her job again.

Cranborne. Come on!

Hetty!

Gid. The girls found some paperwork.

-We've got to go!

-Wait...

We found this behind a secret panel in Matron's quarters.

-It's the money she got for selling me!

-Money?

They were making some kind of deal. It's all down here.

Listen, Hetty. We found this too.

My file?

Yeah, but it looks like Matron got there first.

Where is everything?

My details - who I am, my real name.

Who were my parents? It's all gone.

Everything about my past.

She destroyed my record like I don't even exist.

But if we put all this together, Hetty.

Your file, the money and a big fat lie...

This means we can stop them from taking you to India.

This is the proof.

-You reckon, do you?

-Sheila?

What is this place?

What have you been doing up here?

Getting away from you and your She-Mob.

This is our place, Sheila. You're not welcome.

What's Matron going to say about it?

Feather?

Hetty Feather?!

Looking forward to the hot Indian sun, Feather?

Don't you dare tell Matron where she is!

No. Let her.

Then Matron will sell me - and then she'll get away with it.

After that, it'll be someone else's turn.

Maybe even yours.

You, your friends...

Who knows where you'd be shipped off to?

No-one would ever find out.

You'd be gone forever.

You're a foundling, Sheila.

Nobody cares about you, about any of us.

We've only got each other. Now whose side are you really on?

-MATRON, DISTANT: Feather?

-We've got to hurry.

Feather?

Hetty Feather!

Has that child absconded again, Matron?

She's somewhere inside this hospital. I've checked every dorm.

Oh, the little imp. I'll check the kitchen and the pantry, Matron.

No. HORSES APPROACHING

Lord Upton's carriage. It's early.

Tell the valet to wait.

Explain there's still outstanding business to complete.

Business, Matron?

Ask no questions, Macclesfield.

Yes, Matron. This minute, Matron.

Hetty?

She needs to make up her mind, either stay or get out of here.

-Shut it, Vince.

-The whole hospital's been looking for her.

We need to find Cranborne. Have you seen him?

He left earlier to fill out his punishment report.

Staff corridor - quick!

Oi! We're not doing your chores all day!

Stuff chores!

I've got to see this.

Matron?

Where's Hetty Feather? Have you seen her?

Hetty, Matron?

There will be toffee for reliable information, Ormsby.

You should keep on my good side.

You wouldn't like to end up like Feather, would you?

Feather? I haven't seen her, Matron.

CLOCK STRIKES

Mr Cranborne!

Mr Cranborne, sir!

Matron is selling me to be a servant in India.

We've got the evidence...

What evidence?

We found this, sir.

Good grief.

There's hundreds.

Outrageous - lying and stealing.

And a contract written by Matron.

Using a false date of birth.

And she's ripped up most of my file.

After today, I won't even exist.

Matron...

Is this true?

Mr Cranborne, staff members...

This is simply a tall tale that has got out of hand.

No, it's not!

Lord Upton was so impressed with Feather,

he wanted her to be Charlotte's companion and nothing more.

The rest is merely an administrative error on my part.

And the money?

How do you account for that?

From the proceeds of the foundlings' work and private donations.

I was saving it...

..to donate to the Missionary Society...

..to help street children.

-I see.

-What?!

You believe her?

-She's a liar and a crook!

-Enough!

Surely, you know the truth, Mr Cranborne?

We work so closely.

At times, side by side.

To protect Matron's position,

I shall take this worthy donation to the Missionary Society myself.

And I shall obtain a receipt as proof.

The Governors will be most proud of your fundraising efforts.

Thank you.

No. I'm not going to India.

You can't, please.

And, of course, you would never send a foundling away who is under-age

nor against their will, would you, Matron?

Me, Mr Cranborne?

Go against hospital rules?

Never.

You mean...

-I'm not going...

-You are not going anywhere.

Nurse Macclesfield...

..inform Lord Upton's valet that there has been a terrible mistake.

Yes, Matron.

Hospital punishment is over!

I shall be in my office if you need me.

Well done, Hetty.

-Well done!

-You were so brave. How did you find that stuff?

'So that was it. I was here to stay.

'Matron was too.

'But what did that matter?

'Finally, I had my file.

'But no matter how much I looked,

'all the information I needed was gone.

'Just when I thought I would never find out who I really was,

'I looked closer

'and found something...

'from my past.

'My token.

'A penny, left by my real mother.

'It was the only thing I knew she had touched.

'I gave me hope that one day she would come back for me.

'Somewhere, she was out there

'and one day, I was going to find her.

'I was going to solve the mystery of who I really am.

'No matter what it took,

'no matter the risks,

'I'd keep on with my fight.

'But until that day...I was me.

'Foundling number 25629.

'Hetty Feather.'