In the Land of the Long White Cloud

Dorothy,” she declared with a side-glance at the Lavenders and the reverend. “But it does not solve the problem, it only delays it another day. Your new employers will come tomorrow, and then Laurie would have to go with them. No, Reverend, Mr. Lavender, we must find some way to keep the twins together. Are there no neighboring families looking for maids? Then the two could at least see each other during their free time.”
    “And whine for each other the rest of the day!” Mrs. Lavender interjected. “It’s not an option. I’ll take this girl, or another. But only one.”
    Helen looked imploringly at the reverend. However, he made no move to support her.
    “I can only agree with Mrs. Lavender,” he said. “The sooner the girls are separated, the better. So listen, Laurie and Mary. God brought you to this country together, which was gracious of Him—He could have chosen only one of you and left the other back in England. But now He’s leading you down different paths. This doesn’t mean forever; you’ll surely see each other at Sunday service or at least at the high holidays. God has not forsaken you, and He knows what He is doing. We have been charged with following His commands. You will be a good maid for the Lavenders, Laurie. And Mary will go with the Willards tomorrow. Both are good Christian families. You will get enough to eat, clothes to wear, and they will ensure you lead a Christian life. There is nothing to fear, Laurie, if you go with the Lavenders now, like a good girl. If there’s no other way, Mr. Lavender will have to take the rod to you.”
    Mr. Lavender did not look at all like the kind of man who would beat little girls. On the contrary, he gazed with evident sympathy at Mary and Laurie.
    “Now look, children, we live here in Christchurch,” he said, in an effort to comfort the distraught children. “And all the families in the area come here every so often to shop and attend service. I don’t know the Willards, but we could certainly contact them. Then, whenever they come here, we’ll let you off, and you can spend the whole day with your sister. Does that make you feel better?”
    Laurie nodded, but Helen wondered whether she really understood. Who knew where these Willards lived—it wasn’t a good sign that Mr. Lavender did not even know them. And would they be as understanding with their little maid as he was? Would they even bring Mary along when they made their occasional shopping trips to town?
    Laurie now seemed overcome by grief and exhaustion. She allowed herself to be pulled away from her sister. Dorothy handed Mr. Lavender Laurie’s bundle. Helen kissed her good-bye on the forehead.
    “We’ll all write you!” she promised.
    Laurie nodded listlessly while Mary continued to cry.
    It broke Helen’s heart when the Lavenders led the little girl out. She then heard Daphne speaking to Dorothy in a low voice.
    “I told you! Miss Davenport can’t do anything about it,” the girl whispered. “She’s nice, but she’s in the same boat we are. Tomorrow her man’s coming to take her away, and she has to go with this Mr. O’Keefe, same as Laurie with the Lavenders.”
    Anger bubbled up in Helen, but it quickly gave way to a burning feeling of disquiet. After all, Daphne wasn’t wrong. What would she do if Howard didn’t want to marry her? What would happen if he didn’t like her? She couldn’t return to England. But were there even positions for governesses or teachers here?
    Helen did not want to think about it any longer. She would have liked to crawl into some corner and cry, just as she had done as a little girl. But that had not been an option after her mother died. From that point on, she’d had to be strong. And right at this moment, that meant patiently letting herself be introduced to the old woman who had come for Elizabeth.
    The reverend braced himself, but there appeared to be no drama this time. On the contrary, Elizabeth seemed elated.
    “Miss Davenport, this is Mrs. Godewind,” she said, introducing them before the reverend could even say anything. “She’s from Sweden! That’s way in the north, even farther away from here than England. There’s snow there the whole winter—the whole winter! Her husband was captain of a big ship, and he would sometimes take her with him on his trips. She’s been to India! And America! And Australia!”
    Mrs. Godewind laughed at Elizabeth’s excitement. She had a kind face that hardly showed her