The Reunion Hetty Feather

-Just think, "I can get through this."

-You really mean that?

-Harriet will never know what I wanted to tell her.

-Sneak out.

-Escape?

-Confinement to dormitory, it is.

Yes, sir. Sorry, sir.

When I leave the foundling hospital, will you wait for me?

You know where to find me.

-Matron!

-Blanche, what on earth are you doing?

-Come quick.

-You snitched...

-Again.

-You need to know that I'm not your friend.

I'm not anyone's friend.

Now Mr Cranbourne has agreed to his new position...

His new position, Mr Cranbourne?

It seems you and I are now equals, Matron.

This is my hospital.

You're my girl, Hetty.

My very own girl.

'For as long as I could remember,

'I'd always dreamt of finding my mother.

-ANGRILY:

-Finished?

'Who could possibly have believed that being locked in the tench

'by Matron would mean that I'd finally meet her?

'I'd run away, I'd written letters,

'all in the hope of making the biggest discovery of my life.

'I never thought she'd already be with me,

'that I'd know her, have seen her, every single day.

'It was more than even I could have imagined.'

"My own girl."

Are you really...?

Am I....?

-Er...

-Why are you here so early?

Making a start.

The more we get done now, the less to do later.

'All I wanted now was to spend time with my mother

'and get to know her.

'I knew we had to keep it a secret from everyone.

'But more than anything,

'it was important to keep it secret from Matron.

-'Now she was losing control of the hospital...'

-Your decision.

'..who knew what she'd do if she found out?'

Your decision to promote Mr...

Your decision to promote Mr... You can't do this!

Matron.

Oh...

SHE SIGHS

-I dropped my paperweight.

-Oh.

Er, Matron, there is a visitor here to see you.

Lady Asquith.

Oh, what a pleasant surprise. Yes, do.

Please, bring her in.

-SURPRISED:

-Harriet.

All done, Ida.

Perfect.

And me.

Well...

Who fancies learning a plaited bloomer for Matron's lunch?

I do. Teach me, Ida.

How about I teach you both?

There'll be no need for that.

Cook.

You're all better, then?

My hands are, but my poor feet...

Bunions. I'm a martyr to 'em.

I take it these two have been helping in my absence?

Yes.

And they've not put a foot wrong.

Sorry, I didn't mean...

Well, you can be on your way.

What? Not be on kitchen duty?

Never?

Some extra help might come in handy.

You're only just back, you need to take it easy.

One of them can stay.

You'll do.

You, back to scrubbing floors.

No, I have to be here.

You heard what Cook said.

Go on.

Er...plaited bloomer, Ida.

Where do we start?

-SHE SIGHS

-Right.

All was well until yesterday evening when it appears Harriet

received a visitor.

My butler, Collins, believes it was a foundling boy.

He saw him as he left and recognised the uniform.

No, that cannot be possible.

-No boys have been reported missing?

-(No.)

I did tell Collins he must have been mistaken.

Harriet says the same.

Harriet.

It was a street boy, Matron.

He was gone in a minute.

He stole a pie.

A street boy does sound more likely, Lady Asquith.

I agree.

However, the fact remains that Harriet failed to report it.

While she does show promise,

another year in the hospital might be for the best.

You're bringing her back?

Perhaps I was a little hasty in my agreement.

Lady Asquith, I do apologise for my charge not been up to standard.

I'll leave the matter in your hands, Matron.

-I'll see myself out.

-Goodbye.

Change into uniform, chores as usual.

-SHE WHISPERS URGENTLY:

-A street boy?

Have you seen the way Mathias Grigg looks at her in chapel all doe-eyed?

-What?

-If anyone was going to get out to go visiting,

a pound to a penny it'd be him.

And he wasn't at the art fair either due to a fracas.

Today, he's on chores until after lunch.

Nurse Macclesfield, Mr Cranbourne was in charge of the boys

-all day yesterday.

-Yes, Matron.

Should I send for him?

No.

No, that won't be necessary.

Ida.

-SHE WHISPERS:

-Hetty.

I snuck up from the privy.

You can't.

I just had to see you.

No, no-one can know who I am, Hetty.

I'm not even married. I'm not allowed to claim you.

If they find out, I'll be out on the streets again.

-I'm sorry, I just...

-You have to go, now.

But meet me later then, in the tower.

You lock the hatch, so you can unlock it.

-COOK SHOUTS:

-'Ida! Get a move on!'

Coming.

(Hetty, please!)

I'll sneak out next lesson. Just promise you'll try.

'What are you doing, Ida?

'Laying them yourself?'

I promise. Now go!

Go!

Coming, Cook!

You two, over there, please.

Sorry, Nurse.

You can go in there.

Harriet!

Come.

Sit.

Yesterday a foundling boy escaped

and visited Harriet at Lady Asquith's,

and we think it was Mathias Grigg.

If this is true, I want proof...

..and you are going to get it for me.

Harriet has returned to the hospital.

Now...

..you find out what you can...

..you report back...

..immediately.

And if I don't?

Blanche, I think you know what's best for you.

We both know what you did.

You sold me to a factory.

No. I saved you.

You told us all yourself.

This time I could tell the truth and you would go to prison.

Try it.

Let's see how far you get.

Maybe far away from this hospital.

Somewhere much worse.

I can make that happen.

And no-one will believe your story now

because you are nothing, Blanche.

You mean nothing.

I am all you have.

Take it. Get me what I need.

-Mathias took a risk.

-You won't tell anyone, will you?

Of course not. I can keep a secret more than you realise.

Shhh! It's Blanche.

Well, if it isn't Harriet.

We don't need your help.

I just came to say welcome back.

Well, there. You said it.

Now stay out of our way.

Go back to being Matron's snitch.

Come on, Hetty.

Hetty!

I know why you told on us and I don't blame you.

You're forgiving her?

She got you put in the tench.

And maybe I deserved it, but I'm out now and you're back,

so let's just forget about it, right?

Right. Now can we go?

No matter what you tell her, that's all you'll ever get.

-What?

-Another gift from Matron.

After a while, even the toffees will stop.

You're a foundling, Blanche.

No better than the rest of us...

..but you're no worse, either.

Wait.

Matron thinks Mathias snuck out yesterday...to see you.

She sent me to get proof.

Why are you telling us this?

Matron can't win all the time.

Shall I fetch a cushion for your feet, Cook?

And some ointment from the infirmary?

Oh, Ida.

You take it easy.

Straight to lessons now, boys.

-SHE WHISPERS:

-Gideon!

Gideon!

What are you doing?

Where's Mathias? I have to see him.

-I don't think so.

-You got Harriet sent away.

And now she's back.

Matron knows he escaped yesterday.

I was going to warn him but...

I think I can help him too.

If Cranbourne asks, I left my waistcoat at drill.

Oh, come on.

Girls.

Well, look who it is.

What happened? Did you smash the china?

Or put salt in the sugar bowl?

So much for perfect Harriet.

Well, she's still better than you, and if you're not careful,

she might bag herself a cushy kitchen job.

-Your job.

-You won't. Ida wouldn't let you.

Cook could be persuaded.

Your time's up, Ormesby.

Hetty! Sheila!

Stop that at once, please.

It wasn't Sheila, Nurse, it was us.

Sorry, Nurse.

Well, if you're that sorry, you can clean out the storeroom.

And tomorrow, double writing practice.

Come.

Them two are up to something.

You think they're planning to sneak off to the tower?

Only one way to find out.

Right, boxes tidied, shelves dusted

and make sure you get into all those corners.

IN UNISON: Yes, Mrs Macclesfield.

I shall be back in an hour.

What's going on?

Harriet, I've found her.

-Found who?

-My mother.

It's Ida.

Ida?

I have to see her, but you can't tell anyone.

Go!

Mathias.

Mathias.

-Why is she...?

-Harriet's back.

And Matron's going to send for you.

But I can help.

Trust her.

We have much to discuss, Matron.

I ought to formalise Mr Cranbourne's promotion.

Oh, quite.

In fact, I've been thinking that a joint running of the hospital

-does make sense.

-A necessity, I feel.

As long as Mr Cranbourne can live up to the standards

that leadership requires.

I'll call for tea.

Thank you.

BELL RINGS

Slates cleaned and straight to privy break, girls.

That gives us 15 minutes.

Ready, Nurse Winterson.

Off you go.

-Well?

-It was Mathias who visited Harriet.

She was telling Hetty all about it in chores.

She said he dropped his cap in the scullery.

Harriet hid it in the kitchen. It's still there.

You should ask him about it.

Off you go.

Apologies for the interruption, colonel.

It appears that something has come to light.

-Really?

-Yes.

An incident yesterday...

on Mr Cranbourne's watch.

Ida.

We made it.

We did.

Oh, God.

Oh!

They think they're smart.

They won't know what's hit 'em when they see us.

Then what?

We'll tell Matron about them and their stupid tower.

You were my world.

A tiny little thing.

With a fluff of fiery red hair.

I never wanted to let you go, you know that?

And I tried my hardest but...

I know.

If you had the chance, you wouldn't have brought me here.

All them years.

I can never get 'em back.

You learning to walk, your first words...

So, think about the years ahead.

Now we're together, we can leave here.

Not until you're older, we can't.

You're under the hospital's care.

They'd bring you back and lock me up.

We'll wait, then.

I always imagined that you would have red hair just like mine.

You get that from your father, and your freckles and your eyes.

Little jewels.

Sapphire, that's what I called you.

Sapphire.

But you're Hetty to me now.

Absconded?

Mathias was in the dormitory during the art fair, I sent him there.

Hm.

And you accompanied him?

I gave him clear instructions.

The boy will tell you himself.

Mr Cranbourne did order me to the dorm but...

I snuck out.

-What?

-I didn't want to be stuck on my own,

so I got out and hid in the chapel.

The chapel?

-No, you did not.

-Let the boy speak.

I just wanted to see all the guests and the paintings get sold.

Lady Asquith bought the portrait of the two young ladies for £200.

He could have heard that from anyone.

It was nice of her to offer you a hanky, sir,

when the food fell on your shoe.

Matron?

The boy is lying.

He was not there and I can prove it.

You see, Harriet has been heard gossiping,

and apparently you left your cap at Lady Asquith's.

That was a costly mistake.

You see, if we look, we will find it in her kitchen.

You really should have kept Grigg in check, Mr Cranbourne.

Such...such lax judgment.

Well, it is not of the standard our governors expect.

But I have my cap right here.

Do not be fooled. That could belong to any boy.

No, it's Grigg's cap, Matron.

It has his number in it, and each boy only has one...

as you know.

Colonel, the girl has been...

Thank you.

Grigg, you may go.

Thank you, sir.

-This is absurd.

-I couldn't agree more.

Your accusations against Mr Cranbourne are clearly unfounded.

I'm so sorry to have wasted your valuable time.

-DISTANT VOICES

-(It's them.)

That's not Harriet.

'Just like when you were a little girl.'

Well, it's a job, mind. Gutting fish is smelly work.

Eugh!

But the fishermen have loads of stories

and I'll write them all down.

Your journals.

I write everything down in here.

I even wrote about you.

What I thought my mother would be like.

Sheila, let's go.

And until now, this is all I ever had.

Me too.

But we have to keep this a secret.

But I don't want to go back.

Well, you have to.

And I have to fetch Cook's ointment.

-SHE IMITATES COOK:

-I'm a martyr to my bunions, Ida.

-THEY LAUGH

-Come on.

I heard you were back.

Has Matron seen you?

I'm in the clear thanks to Blanche.

You can't be here.

See you soon?

Sheila.

We'll be late.

Imagine finding your own mother.

Sheila?

-Ormesby!

-It's Ida, Matron.

-What?

-She's Hetty Feather's mother!

-Harriet...

-You saw her?

Thank you.

Right, let's see if this place passes muster then.

Back to your dorms.

IN UNISON: Yes, Nurse.

-I'm so glad Harriet's back here.

-Yes.

Ida Battersea.

Matron?

Or is that even your real name?

Matron?

Why don't you tell us why you're really here?

Hm?

I don't...

To meet in secret...

..with your own child?!

-Matron, don't do this.

-This woman...

This woman...

is Hetty Feather's mother.

Hetty?

If you want your child, you apply to the governors.

You know they won't let me claim her.

Dismiss this sinful woman.

No, please!

I know I've done wrong, but I'm of good character.

Hetty's all I've got.

Assume your authority, Mr Cranbourne.

Joint control, remember.

Cranbourne.

(Do it.)

No!

-Ida Battersea, come with me.

-No...

Let me see Hetty!

Let me see her!

-NURSE:

-Gideon!

Hetty!

Come quick. It's Ida.

Matron knows everything.

She's sending her away.

Come on!

She's my child!

Please, let me say goodbye to her!

Keep walking, Ida, please.

HETTY SCREAMS: Ida!

Ida!

Hetty!

-Ida!

-Hetty!

-Ida!

-Hetty!

-She's my mother!

Rules are rules, Feather.

Please, Nurse.

No!

Please!

Please, Mr Cranbourne! She's my world.

-I'm sorry.

-Please!

Get her out. Get her out.

Hetty! Please!

Have her wages and belongings sent on.

Ida!

No! Please! Ida!

She's gone.

Everybody back inside now. Come on, please.

Come along.

We'll remember this.

HETTY CHOKES BACK TEARS

I WILL find my mother again.

This isn't over.

SOMBRE PIANO MUSIC

'Hetty Feather - foundling number 25629.

'That's what they might call me, but it's not who I really am.

'Now I don't just have a token, I have a MOTHER.

'I don't have to imagine her any more.

'She's real.

'One day I'll be with her.

'Nothing and no-one can stop me.'