The Guardian Angel

During her darkest days in the orphanage, a kindly presence was there to comfort little Holly

''ll take her down, Sister Winifred." The young woman hastily stepped forward to take the child's hand in a firm grip.

The nun reluctantly released her hold on the child's ear and scowled before nodding. "Very well, Miss Newcombe. But be sure that she stays in the punishment room until after supper this evening. It won't hurt her to do without her meal. She may come back upstairs in time for evening prayers before bed." The small child rubbed at her stinging ear and scowled back at the nun defiantly as Miss Newcombe deftly turned her around and hurried her away.

"Oh Holly," she said sadly. "Why do you get yourself into these scrapes?" "T'weren't my fault," the little girl answered defensively as she limped along beside her. "It was Tommy Bellows sayin' Millie wouldn't last a month in her new 'ome so I belted 'im one! But she will, won't she?" "I sincerely hope so, dear," the kindly woman answered as they came to the door at the end of the corridor that led to what was known as the punishment room.

Miss Newcombe selected a key from the many that hung from a chatelaine about her waist and, once the door was unlocked, she led young Holly through it.

Before them, a steep stone staircase led down into darkness and, as they descended the steps, the smell of damp rose to meet them.

Holly Mundy was just seven years old and small for her age. She had fair hair that had a tendency to curl and bright blue eyes, and there were dimples in her cheeks when she smiled, which was seldom.

But then the child had never had very much to smile about. Abandoned at birth on the steps of the Sisters of Mercy Orphanage run by the nuns on the outskirts of South Shields, she had lived there ever since, her only long-term friends being Miss Newcombe and her best friend, Millie. Millie had been chosen by a childless couple just the week before and today she had gone to live with them.