Helen skipped happily between Jean and Lucien, asking a never ending stream of questions about the house, the other children, whose names she had remembered, Ballarat, until Jean had to stop her and tell her there was plenty of time for her to find out these things, but first ...
"I'll leave you two ladies to your shopping," Lucien stopped outside a children's outfitters, "I have arrangements to make." He kissed them both and sauntered off, smiling.
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Jean sat on the bed, exhausted. Helen had never been into such a shop for clothes, and Jean made the mistake of allowing her to choose some of the outfits. But Helen couldn't choose, she loved the green dress with dark green piping down the front, and the blue one with the daisies round the hem, and the lilac one.
"Green and blue suit you, darling," she smiled, "so, how about we have the green dress and the blue one, some blouses and skirts, then you can make each outfit different."
Helen nodded, so much for her, she had got used to wearing one outfit only and now she had at least four. Jean added enough underwear and socks for a week and three pairs of pyjamas and a robe.
"Shoes, sweetheart," she looked down at the scuffed sensible lace up shoes, "those are past their best."
"They're a bit tight, too," Helen bit her lip, she wasn't supposed to ask for things.
"We'll have your feet measured, then," Jean paid the bill and took her purchases.
"Can I carry some, Auntie Jean?" Helen held out her arms, "please."
Jean passed her the bag of underwear and they headed out to find a shoe shop.
And so it had gone on, they had arrived back at the hotel loaded down with purchases and gasping for a drink.
"Lunch, in our suite, ladies," Lucien smiled, taking a bundle off Jean, "then perhaps a nap?"
"Sounds perfect," Jean sighed watching Helen look all around and explore her small room next to theirs.
Lucien took over with Helen while Jean freshened up. He helped her put her new clothes in her room and let her choose the pyjamas she would wear that night.
A bell boy brought up a trolley with all manner of things for lunch, Helen had never seen such a feast and tried just about everything.
It was clear, after lunch, that Helen was not ready to nap or rest so Lucien said he would take her out to one of the local parks .
"You put your feet up, love," he smiled, "my turn."
"Don't go spoiling her, Lucien," Jean settled down on the bed, "just a walk in the park."
He waved as he left the room, and she had a feeling it would be ice cream and sweets.
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He too expected requests for ice cream and sweets, which he would have been hard pressed to refuse, but all Helen wanted to do was run around in the late autumn sun. She asked the names of the flowers and plants.
"Ah well, Auntie Jean is the one for those, Helen," he laughed, "I'm not very good with those. I'm a doctor, see. I know which ones are roses," he added seeing she was a tad disappointed he didn't know everything.
"Tell you what," he went down on one knee, "why don't we catch the bus and head over to the Koala Sanctuary?" He only knew that was a possibility because he had seen a bus pass them as they entered the park.
"Ok," she grinned and took his hand. The only time she had left the school before was for a regulation walk three times a week, and they never went anywhere like the Koala Sanctuary.
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Jean undressed down to her slip and slid under a blanket. She'd forgotten how exhausting small children could be and Helen was a little whirlwind. At home, she was certain, the older girls would be a help and once she had settled in it would be easier. Jean had no illusions, it would take time for Helen to adjust to her new life, she seemed to have unlocked the natural vivacity in the child, as if she had had her natural brightness dulled by the rigid school and the less than kind treatment. Of course, they would never know what her natural mother, Agnes, was like, unless Helen could tell them, but her memories would be childlike and not really the insight they could use to guide her through the coming months. She slipped into a doze still hoping Lucien wouldn't be too indulgent.
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Helen was beginning to flag by the time Lucien helped her off the bus outside the hotel. An early dinner followed by a bath and bed for her, he thought, then he and Jean could have some quiet time, together.
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Jean blinked in the late afternoon light shining through the gap in the curtains. She looked at her watch and decided she had better get up and dressed, Lucien must surely be on his way back with Helen and they would have to sort out the evening. Hopefully she would be ready for dinner and bed. They had an early start in the morning, to catch the train to Sydney.
Conversation over dinner centred around what they had seen at the Sanctuary, Lucien had bought her a small stuffed koala which she kept firmly tucked under her arm in case someone decided to take it off her. Jean could only sympathise but insisted it sat on the side while she had her bath.
"You don't want him getting wet, Helen," she soaped a sponge and wiped it down her back and over her shoulders.
"Can I have him in bed with me?" Helen lifted her chin so Jean could clean her neck and chest.
"Of course you can, both Mary and Li had a soft toy for bedtime," she smiled and dotted a bit of the suds on her nose.
"Can you wash my freckles off?"
"Why on earth would I want to do that?" Jean was shocked, "I think they're lovely."
"The other girls laugh at me."
"Helen, you aren't going back there, ever," Jean stopped washing her and looked at her, "you are part of our family now, freckles and all." She returned to washing her legs and feet.
"Does that mean you are my new mummy?" Helen drew her foot away as Jean tickled it.
"I am, didn't anyone tell you what 'adopted' means?"
She shook her head and bit her lip.
"It means," Lucien had heard everything and poked his nose round the door, "we are your new parents, because you haven't got any others, and we want you to be part of our family. Because," he stepped towards the bath and squatted down, "we love you, Helen and want you to be happy."
Helen leapt out of the bath, sending water and soap suds all over them, and flung her arms round Jean's neck.
"Steady on!" Lucien laughed, retrieving a towel and wrapping it round the small and slippery child. Jean let him take her and wiped her face and shoulders with another towel.
"I'll fetch her pyjamas," she laughed, "while you dry her off."
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Somehow they managed to get Helen into bed and asleep at a reasonable hour.
"Why do adults persist it keeping small children in the dark?" Jean huffed, "at least they could have told her more."
"I agree, they could have told her what it meant to be adopted," he took his wife in his arms, "she may not have wanted that."
"In her case I think they were just glad to get rid of her," Jean kept her voice low, not wanting to wake the sleeping child.
"You could be right, now," he spun her round and set her on the bed, "I have arranged that we fly to Melbourne tomorrow, quicker than train and around the same cost as the extra hotel room."
"I never thought of that," she smiled, "we shall be home when we said we would be."
"Indeed, now," he draped his tie over the bedpost, "did you have a good nap?"
"Yes, thank you," she smiled, "most refreshing," she lowered her eyes, coyly.
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The sound of Helen talking to her Koala woke Jean. Thankfully it wasn't too early and it made her smile. She knew Mary and Li had had private talks with their teddies when they were young, telling them things they had done that day, or were going to do. It would seem Helen would do the same, there would be things she could say to the toy that she would find it hard to tell another living soul. Jean stretched and reached over the side of the bed for her nightdress that somehow she had forgotten to put on the previous night - must have got distracted. Lucien shifted against her and grunted. She nudged him as she slipped the thin cotton garment over her head.
"Helen's awake," she whispered, "pyjamas."
"Uh? Wha'?" he blinked and swallowed. She waved the trousers at him, "oh, right," he rubbed his eyes and smirked.
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Helen was surprisingly easy to control on the plane. She was happy to listen to Lucien tell her stories, tales from the countries he had visited, countries he would like to take Jean to, one day, maybe the family, too. Jean's thoughts turned to more mundane matters, such as enrolling Helen in school, the one Li and Mary had gone to, as long as Miss Craven wouldn't be teaching her. Li would be going to Wendouree Grammar next year so wouldn't be there to keep a watchful eye over her, as Mary had done for her.
"Daddy," Helen gasped as they started the descent to the airstrip, "my ears hurt!"
"Swallow, hard," he took her face in his hands, "Jean do you have any boiled sweets?"
"Here," she unwrapped and passed him a barley sugar, "try this." She had heard that this was one way to stop the effects of a pressurised cabin on the ears and had picked some up in the airport.
Helens' eyes filled with tears as her ears 'popped' and she felt the relief. He pulled her into his arms and soothed her, "all over now, pet," he murmured.
Jean smiled at his ease with the child, he would have done the same for Mary or Li but because they had yet to get to know their third daughter it was doubly touching.
Lucien carried Helen down the aircraft steps and the three of them went to collect their luggage and find a taxi to take them to the station.
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"With luck we should be home for dinner," Jean checked the time of the train, "I've just got enough time to ring them so they aren't too surprised."
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Thomas answered the phone in the study. He had finished surgery early so he could be ready to meet his adopted granddaughter and had no distractions. He could update Lucien on the patients later, when the children were in bed, as he had done when they came back from Sydney.
"Ah, Jean, hello," he smiled, "everything alright?"
"Fine," she assured him, "just wanted to let you know we will be back on the five o'clock train. We flew from Brisbane, Lucien said it would be too long a journey by train for Helen."
"Capital," he laughed, "I shall let the girls know and dinner should be waiting for you."
"Lovely, tell Mary there is a stew in the freezer that will feed us all."
"I think she's found it and left it to defrost," Thomas thought back to a conversation he had had with the oldest of the children that morning, "just need some veggies and potatoes."
"Good, well, the train is just pulling in, so we'll see you later."
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Just as they were getting onto the train Jean noticed a familiar head in the crowd. She was sure she recognised the dark wavy hair falling just over the collar of a fitted blue coat.
"Lucien," she touched his arm, "isn't that Alice?" She pointed.
"I do believe it is, darling," he smiled, "must have had the day off."
The woman in question was shaking hands and smiling at a smaller red haired woman, dressed in tweed jacket, well cut trousers and fedora. As she turned, waving good bye, she noticed the fair hair and beard of her colleague and blushed, as if she was somewhere she shouldn't be. She couldn't ignore him or his wife and the little girl he had in his arms so, taking a deep breath and preparing herself for questions she went over to them.
"Hello, Alice," Lucien grinned, "escaped the morgue?"
"Day off," she huffed, "thought I'd visit an old friend, as I have nothing else pressing."
"Good for you," he laughed, "join us?"
"Oh er ..." she stuttered.
"We're on the way home," Jean smiled gently, "come and sit and get to know Helen."
"I suppose ..."
"You're pretty," Helen put her finger to her chin, "are you mummy and daddy's friend?"
"I er ..."
"Indeed she is Helen," Lucien jiggled the child, "meet Dr Harvey, she is a friend of all of us, she helps me and Uncle Matthew, who you have yet to meet ... he's a policeman."
"Lucien, at this rate .." Jean indicated the train.
"Of course, my dearest," he nodded, "ever keeping me on track. Now," he put Helen down who reached out for Jean's hand, "you keep close to mummy and I'll carry the cases, ok?"
Helen nodded and clutched her koala tight.
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Settled in the carriage and with the luggage stowed above them, the new family and their friend chatted about this and that, what had happened in Ballarat in the past few days,
"Honestly, Lucien," Alice was beginning to relax, "how much trouble can the town get into in three days?"
"You'd be surprised," he laughed.
"So," she decided the change the subject, "this is Helen?"
"It is," Jean lifted her onto her lap, in what Lucien termed, 'full protective mother mode', "we are happy to welcome her into the family."
"Well, Helen," Alice had thought this out, "you are a very lucky little girl, to be adopted by doctor and Mrs Blake, I know you'll be extremely well looked after, and loved."
"So, who's your friend?" Lucien sat back and observed his colleague, there was a look about her he wasn't sure of.
"Oh, Mac, she lectured when I was at university, medicine," Alice cleared her throat, "she did autopsies for the police, once upon a time."
"Bet she has some stories to tell," Lucien hummed.
"She does," but Alice was tight lipped, past cases weren't what she had gone to see Dr Macmillan about. "You'd get on well with her," she inhaled, "she's ... one of a kind."
Lucien opened his mouth to ask another question, but one look from his wife told him to change the subject or shut up.
"Quiet then?" Jean suggested.
"Nothing to bother the morgue with, or the police," Alice agreed. "I did look in on your father, he seemed to be handling surgery well."
"Thanks for that, Alice, he was ok when we went to Sydney, but long term I think he'd find it tiring."
"Can I go to the morgue, daddy?" Helen piped up, feeling a little left out, and what was a morgue, anyway?
"No!" three voices shouted, "certainly not," Jean huffed, "not the place for little girls."
"But ..."
"Sweetheart, it's where daddy and Dr Harvey look at bodies to see why they've died," Lucien could see she would not be put off with 'it's daddy's work', as a reason. "Not a nice place for pretty little girls like you." He patted her cheek.
Helen stuck out her bottom lip.
Jean laughed a little laugh and kissed her, "there are some things, sweetie, that you can't do, just yet, but as you get older ..."
"Oh," she seemed fairly satisfied with that and snuggled against Jean, all this travelling was getting tiring.
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As they alighted from the train Jean offered Alice dinner with them.
"We can call Matthew ..."
"No, no thank you," she shook her head, "you've got to get Helen settled and ..."
"Well, soon then," Jean smiled, "you know you are both welcome anytime."
"Thank you, I'll let Matthew know."
They watched her head off to her car, then hailed a taxi to take them home. Helen had dozed on the train but was now wide awake and looking all around at the new sights.
"Interesting," Lucien gave the driver the address.
"Now then, Lucien," Jean's voice had a warning tone.
He smiled and nodded.
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Mary and Li had the dinner ready and the table set when their parents and new sister arrived. They were both excited but Thomas has asked them to try to be calm.
"Helen isn't used to such happy surroundings, from what your mother told me," he smiled, "so just be nice and welcoming, friendly and happy but not shouting and squealing all over the place."
They nodded and listened but when Lucien opened the door they ran squealing up the hall and launched themselves into their arms.
"Well, hello to you too," he hugged Li and then Mary, while Jean reached with her free arm for the girls in turn. Helen hung on, her arms round Jean's neck and flinched at the sudden onslaught.
"That will do, girls," Jean smiled, "you've made Helen jump. Hello, Sylvia," she smiled at the other girl lingering on the edges of the family.
"Sorry mum, sorry Helen," Mary grinned, "hello, I'm Mary and this is Li, we're your new sisters, I 'spect mum has told you."
Helen tried a smile but Jean noticed her hold got tighter.
Thomas pottered up towards the group and chastised the older girls, mildly.
"I did tell them to be gentle," he smiled at Jean, "come on, you three, let's get you in. Mary, Li help your father with the suitcases. Jean, bring Helen into the lounge, let's start to get acquainted."
Both Jean and Lucien appreciated Thomas taking over a little. They were tired from travelling and knew Helen was a little weary.
Jean shrugged out of her coat and sat down on the couch. She helped Helen out of hers and lay it to the side.
"Well, sweetheart," she nuzzled the curls and kissed her, "that was a bit of a shock for you, wasn't it? This here is your new grandpa, he doesn't run about and shout."
"Hello Helen," Thomas stayed put in his chair across from the couch, "you are a very pretty little girl, just as your daddy said."
She smiled shyly but that suited him fine, he didn't expect her to rush into his arms.
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Mary and Li helped Lucien sort out the suitcases, put Helen's clothes in the small wardrobe and the laundry in the basket.
"Sorry papa," Li looked down.
"We were just so happy to have you back, and to meet Helen ... she is adorable," Mary confirmed, "we forgot all gran'pa had told us. We'll try to be quieter."
"Just be gentle, I know you can do that," he smiled and held his arms open for both of them, "she's spent a lot of time travelling with just mama and me, though she did meet Dr Harvey at the station, still, Alice doesn't rush around like you two."
Mary laughed at the thought of Dr Harvey rushing anywhere, she always seemed so unhurried.
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Over dinner Helen relaxed. She sat next to Jean and ate the meal placed before her, and although before she hadn't had the choice; either eat or starve; this was tasty. She cleared her plate and had room for a little peach cobbler and custard.
Mary noticed she had her little koala with her at all times, at the table he was tucked behind her.
"I like your koala," she smiled.
"Daddy bought him for me," Helen pulled him round and held him tight, "at the san ... san ..." she looked at Lucien for help.
"Sanctuary, pet," he smiled, "I took her to the Koala Sanctuary while your mother had a couple of hours break."
"I bet that was fun," Li sucked the last bit of dessert off her spoon.
"Yes."
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Jean showed Helen all she needed to see for that night, her bedroom, the bathroom and where her parents would be.
"I'll show you everything else tomorrow, love, for now, let's get you washed and into bed. You're tired."
"Ok, mummy," Helen yawned, "can my koala stay with me?"
"Of course he can," Jean smiled and tucked her into bed, "now, good night, sleep tight," she kissed her forehead.
"Night, mummy," Helen turned over and closed her eyes, she was asleep before Jean left the room.
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"Lucien," Jean pursed her lips, "it's no business of yours why Alice was in Melbourne." It was still gnawing at him, that he didn't know everything about his colleague.
"I know, but what if she is working on a case with Matthew and needs help?" he swirled his drink round.
"Then she will ask for help, but she is allowed to have friends outside of Ballarat."
"I didn't think she had any friends," he mused.
"Alice didn't have much fun growing up," Jean sighed, "from what I gather, but I should imagine she made some connections while she was at university, so stop worrying about her."
"Right, sorry."
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Alice folded the towels that had been on the line all day. Matthew hadn't worried when she said she would be spending the day in Melbourne, catching up with an old friend, just said he would see her that evening. Their free days didn't coincide too often, but that was ok, they had the evenings together and both agreed that working together and living together could be stifling, now they had taken their relationship to the next level. Nobody knew and they planned to keep it that way, to all intents and purposes they just shared a house, but more often than not they shared a bed, too.
As she had left that morning he had kissed her and whispered that if she was passing a chemist they were running low on precautions.
She had smiled and blushed but said she would do her best.
The last thing she wanted to do was to run into someone she knew in Ballarat, so seeing the Blake's on the train was unnerving for the private pathologist. It was true what she said about Mac but she had also gone to see her on a personal level.
Matthew breezed through the door, her car on the drive indicated she was back, there had been nothing of consequence that day for the force to deal with, a couple of driving offences and an argument in the street to break up, but it had been an easy day. He was looking forward to cooking the evening meal with Alice and having a whisky afterwards, followed by a little ... well who knew what!
"So, how was your friend?" he dried the plate she had washed.
"Very well, thank you," she smiled, "we had a good catch up and lunch together."
"Nice," he grinned.
"I bumped into the Blake's on the way back, at the station in Melbourne," she emptied the sink and dried her hands, "I think Lucien was trying to get out of me why I had gone to see Mac."
"He's a nosy one," Matthew put his cloth down and grabbed her by the waist, "nothing for him to know, was there?"
"No, but it wasn't something I wanted to deal with here," she pulled him to the couch, "something for us."
"What do we need?"
"Not to have to keep finding a chemist that doesn't know either of us," she blushed, "I asked Mac to fit me with a diaphragm, that way, if we are getting low on precautions ..."
"Wha'? Oh, yeah, right," he grinned, "see why you didn't want to go to your doctor here."
"So ..." she raised an eyebrow.
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The rest of the term break was spent helping Helen get used to her new life. The older girls helped keep her out of the surgery when Lucien was working and did some baking with her. Together with Jean they all went into town to get the groceries and pay bills. Slowly they introduced the little girl to people she met, their friends and possible school mates.
They invited Matthew and Alice over to dinner, something Alice was worried about.
"Look," Matthew helped her into her coat, "he's not going to ask you why you were seeing Mac over dinner, not in front of Helen. And anyway, you were visiting an old friend. Jean'll give him the death stare if he starts getting into dangerous territory."
"I suppose you're right," she sighed, "Jean is one of the few female friends I have, here or in Melbourne, and I would hate to lose that."
"Jean is never going to condemn either of us for sleeping together without being married."
"Who said sleep was involved," she smirked.
"Exactly," he kissed her cheek, "now, come on, or we'll be late."
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Matthew was right. Conversation centred around more mundane topics, those suitable to be held in front of children. Matthew told a few stories of when they were young, blackberry picking with Jean when they were ten, or picnics round the lake which were just a sandwich and a bottle of water. He told Helen how clever her mummy was when she was at school, and how kind she was to the smaller children.
Lucien found the stories just as interesting and suggested an afternoon walk and blackberry picking, at some point.
"I'll let you know when they are in season, Lucien dear," Jean smiled, "you can take the children."
"You'll come too, love," he laughed, "just a nice family day out."
"Can we mummy?" Helen looked into Jean's face, "please."
"Sounds fun, mum," Mary agreed, "and then we can use them for pies or jam, can't we?"
"Alright, then," Jean shrugged, "it would be nice."
Lucien suggested Matthew and Alice joined them but for that he did get the death stare. Jean didn't think it was the kind of afternoon Alice would enjoy.
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Jean had to see about getting Helen into school. She thought that given her experience of school perhaps mornings only for the first week then full time. She arranged to take Helen round the school when she dropped Li off the first day of term.
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Miss Wood was waiting at the door to meet Helen and speak to Jean.
"So lovely to meet you, Helen," she smiled down and the child, "and to have you join us here."
"Well, Miss Wood," Jean smiled in return, "the school has been very supportive to Mary and Li, for the most part," she thought of Miss Craven, "so it seemed a shame to look at another school for Helen. "Of course," she continued, "you know the doctor and I have one request ..."
"I quite understand, and I think we can avoid that issue," Miss Wood nodded to a teacher as they headed towards the infant classrooms, "at the moment that teacher is working further up the school and with two classes to each year there is no reason why Helen should have to be taught by that particular member of staff. If course I will keep you informed of the situation."
Jean and Lucien had talked over whether or not they wanted to put Helen where Miss Craven could have contact with her.
"The school is a good school, Lucien," Jean sighed, "but I don't want Esther Craven teaching Helen. As soon as she finds out that we have adopted her she is bound to visit some kind of misery on her."
"Quite, but, even though she has returned Li has nothing to do with her so perhaps we can trust Miss Wood to keep them apart," he had nodded, "I think we should give them the chance." And so it had been decided that Helen should follow the girls but if there was any hint of trouble they would pull her out.
"I'm surprised she wasn't sacked," Thomas had walked in on the conversation, "treating a child like that."
"Miss Wood has decided to give her a second chance," Jean sighed, "and Li's friend, Alice, says she always seems to be 'popping in' to the classroom. I think she is keeping her under observation."
"Good," Thomas huffed, "well, it's up to you ..."
"I like the school, Thomas," Jean folded her arms, "and she is only one teacher."
"She's right, dad," Lucien decided to step in, "we will keep a close eye and if necessary move Helen, but let's hope we don't have to do that, Li has the rest of this year there, before moving to the Grammar school. I don't think moving her now would be a good idea, and we would have to move them both."
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Helen found school unnerving and surprising. She was surprised that she was allowed to go home each day, to the sanctuary of Mycroft Avenue and the arms of Jean and Lucien. She had only ever known boarding school. It took her a while to make friends, worrying that other children would tease her about her freckles and red hair. Her teacher, a young woman with only two years experience, took pains to see she was seated near the front and always with another quiet pupil and encouraged her to see her if she had any worries.
Because there were also boys at the school, Helen found the rough and tumble of playtimes particularly difficult. She was often found standing at the edge of the playground, just watching the ball being kicked about or the skipping ropes being turned. She had tried hopscotch but kept wobbling so had given that up and didn't see the point of running unless you were trying to get somewhere, quickly. None of these things were encouraged at her other school in Brisbane, the exercise there was a walk or, when one was further up the school, lacrosse, hockey and tennis.
Nightmares returned. Not every night, and she couldn't tell Jean what they were about because as soon as she woke up she forgot. So Jean changed the bed, glad she had had the foresight to get a cover for the mattress, kissed her and said she wasn't to get upset, sheets could be washed.
At first Li had not wanted to intervene, wanted her to find her own feet, but gradually she could see that her little sister was uncomfortable at playtimes. This was probably why she had nightmares.
She wandered over to her one day and bent down to whisper in her ear. "Would you like to walk with me, Helen?"
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The girls in Li's class considered themselves too grown up to play ball games or skip so would wander around the playground and chat. They knew how close Li was to Mary and had seen her chewing her lip as she watched the lonely little girl that had come into her family. It was their idea she should go and suggest she walk her round the play area.
"She's so bright at home, always asking questions and making us laugh," Li sighed, "she loves to bake with mama and us and is always giggling when the flour gets in our hair, or over our clothes. Then, as soon as she gets here she goes all quiet and withdrawn."
"Have you said anything, to your parents?" Alice asked, "they should know."
"I asked Helen if she would like me to talk to them, but she said she had to go to school or she wouldn't be as clever as papa," Li shrugged, "I don't know what to do, but I hate seeing her like this."
"What school did she go to before?"
"A boarding school, and it wasn't very pleasant," Li took a deep breath, "I'm going to take her for a walk round the playground, I'll talk to mama tonight, Helen goes to bed first."
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Helen slipped her hand into Li's and looked up at her with a small smile.
"So, how's it going?" Li asked quietly.
Helen shrugged, she didn't quite know how to answer, the truth was all the noise, children running around and shouting unnerved her. She wasn't used to it. They weren't allowed to make all that noise at her last school or run around and she was afraid of being knocked over. It had happened, before, on purpose by the girls who teased her - pushed over or knocked into a prickly plant in the garden - she would prefer to sit in the library and look at books at playtime, but she was told she needed the fresh air. A group of boys ran past, shouting, Li felt Helen flinch.
"Bit loud, aren't they?" Li gave a little laugh, "boys," she tossed her head and rolled her eyes.
"Why do they run around like that?" Helen's voice was barely audible over the general hubbub.
"It's playtime, Helen, time to let off some steam, stretch the legs and clear the head," Li explained, "time to have fun."
The boys ran past again, and this time, quite by accident one of them bumped into her, momentarily unbalancing her. Li kept her on her feet but saw her biting her lip against tears.
"Hey, Helen, you're ok," she squatted down in front of her, "he just wasn't looking where he was going. It was an accident."
"They used to push me over at the other school," Helen sniffed, "into the scratchy bushes."
"I see," light began to dawn, Helen's memories weren't good ones, of playtimes or free time outside.
"Is everything alright, Li?" Miss Wood had seen her take Helen by the hand and walk her round the playground.
"Helen's not greatly enamoured by the noise and running about, Miss Wood," Li stood up and smiled, "she's not used to it. I don't think playtimes were much fun at her other school."
"I see, but we can't have you sitting inside all day, Helen, dear," she stroked the auburn curls, "that's not what you want, is it?"
"I want to stay in the library, with the books," Helen whispered.
"Hm," Miss Wood thought for a moment, "how about you have a book outside? You could have a chair in the shade and sit and read, that way you would get some fresh air as well."
"I could come and get you, at the beginning of play time, if you like," Li smiled, this seemed like it might be the answer, until she got used to the situation, "help you choose a book and carry a chair for you."
Helen nodded.
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So Li started fetching Helen from her classroom each break time, helped her choose a book and set her in the shade to read, or look at the pictures, which given her age was more likely. She did, however, speak to Jean and Lucien one evening.
"I would have said something sooner," she admitted, "but I hoped she was just finding her feet."
Jean's hand flew to her mouth, Helen always came out of school with a big grin on her face, but now, she thought, that was just the relief that she was there to take her home.
"What do we do? I thought everything was ok. She chatters on about her lessons." she gulped, "I can't let her retreat from the world."
"I doubt she is retreating from the world, Jean," Lucien put his arm around her, "it's just so foreign to her, the joy the children feel at being allowed out of the confines of the classroom."
"But she's so joyous here."
"Where she feels safe, loved and we are a small group. Mary, Sylvia and Li don't run around like five year olds, they play games with her, but don't run past her and threaten to knock her over," he squeezed her shoulder, "don't fret just yet, love," he smiled, "let her get used to it, with Li's help," he looked at his daughter who nodded, "reading in the shade."
"Alice said she'd help too, papa," Li smiled, "she has a younger cousin who is afraid of her own shadow."
"Lovely," he smiled, "why don't you take one of the picnic rugs, though," he looked at Jean, "then if she's sitting on the ground perhaps another quiet child might join her."
"Help her make friends," Jean agreed, "that might work."
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"What made you think of the blanket, Lucien?" she wriggled close to him as they lay in bed that night, "I wish she had said something."
"You heard Li, she thinks that if she doesn't go to school she won't be clever, and, as for the blanket, well, I had thought we would have a picnic ourselves, sometime." He gave her a squeeze, "we can't expect her just to slip into her new life like a replacement white plate, in a stack of older white plates. She has to get used to us, the school, her new bedroom, and the fact that you won't punish her for wetting the bed."
"Sheets wash, Lucien," she huffed, "so do pyjamas, I could care less about that, it's her that matters. If she can't settle in school perhaps we should engage a tutor, for home."
"That won't cure the problem, Jean," he turned on his side to look at her, "that will just make her reclusive. No, let her continue going to school, give her time. Li will keep an eye on her and Miss Wood will keep us informed. Perhaps you could invite one child to tea, one she has formed a friendship with?"
"Perhaps, on her birthday? Mary and Li never bother about parties these days, but when they were little they liked having a friend or two over for tea and cakes."
"Excellent idea," he grinned, "now, wife, I have an idea of my own ..."