'You should grateful to have a future' I kept telling myself. Mathias and the boys were in the army and obviously the survival rate in service was much, much higher than there. But still, my heart ached for Hetty and Gid and most of all Mathias.
"We've arrived now Ma'am," the cab driver said. I climbed out of the cab and watched it clatter away over the dirty cobbles. Turning around slowly, I took in the scene before of my eyes as smoke swirled in front of my eyes, obscuring my vision while I could hear the loud honking of steam ships. People bustled about bumping in to each other and shouting.
"Mind out!" a man growled at me as I slid out the way to avoid him. Spinning around to find a spot where someone wasn't already standing I placed my few belongings on the floor.

"Does Madam need help with her bag?" said a familiar voice from behind me. I turned around slowly not believing my ears. A boy in foundling uniform... Mathias! For a moment I just looked at him, then I ran towards him and wrapped my arms around him. We drew apart happily! I was ecstatic, and Mathias looked like he felt the same way.
"Harriet! I'm so glad you hadn't left before I got here!" he said blithely with a smile of relief and delight.
"Have you got a ticket?" I asked, suddenly realising that our reunion would be very short if he didn't.
"Of course, I have dummy! I wouldn't bother coming if I didn't, what do you expect me to do? Become a stowaway?" Mathias said.
"Mathias!" I exclaimed my eyes wide, "Where did you get that? You didn't steal it – did you?"
"How dare you!" Mathias replied grinning, "No, this is Matron's ticket Hetty just gave it to me!" Hetty. The name resonated around my head and just like that my blissful moment ended.

But there was no time to be sad as a voice echoed around the dock announcing the boarding of 2nd class passengers to America – us. Mathias handed me his ticket, tucked the money into his pocket and picked up my case. I carefully put his ticket in my pocket with my own and bent down to pick up the scratchy, woollen blanket. Feeling it reminded me of our recently ended time at the Foundling; heavenly nights spent in the tower, the time when we went on strike to save Nurse Winnie and many other times, both good and bad but it also reminded me of what was to come – my future in America.

"Come on Harriet! That was the final call!" Mathias said urgently. I nodded and we rushed towards the boat where our tickets were checked by a man in a sailor's uniform.
"Travelling together, Sir, Ma'am?" the man asked.
"Yes, we are," I answered with a smile to Mathias.
"Cabin 216 then. A good passage to you," the man said with a nod. Mathias took my free hand in his and together we walked up the ramp onto the rocking boat.

The movement of the boat was disorientating and I probably would have fallen over if I hadn't been holding hands with Mathias. There was a map on the back of our tickets and with my help Mathias found our cabin. It had two bunks with cotton blankets and thin, depleted pillows, a cheap looking wooden table that was nailed to the floor, two chairs, a mirror above a porcelain washbasin, a screen presumably for changing behind and a small cupboard. The walls were a depressing shade of brown and our porthole-window was mostly submerged with murky water. I could feel the boat starting to chugg away, away from London, away from the Foundling and away from my friends. Shaking the thought away I put my blanket and case into the cupboard and looked at Mathias who was stretched out on the bottom bunk. His tawny hair caught the light – he had taken off his cap now and I couldn't help thinking how lucky I was to meet someone like him.
"Food comes with the ticket, right?" he said cheekily.

"With mine, not sure about yours," I answered "According to this the food should be delivered to our cabin in half an hour. I'm not sure if I can wait that long – I haven't had any thing to eat since breakfast."
"I'm sure we can pass the time. Why don't we go and have a stroll around up on deck?" Mathias suggested.
"That would be lovely!" I beamed.

It was quite a struggle to get up to the deck, with other passengers shoving us out their way in the tight corridors, the unnerving swaying of the boat and (when we reached the higher floors for 1st class passengers) room service trolleys being pushed by posh, snooty-looking waiters in starched uniforms. But once we had got up the deck it was worth it. Mathias found us two deck chairs positioned right by the rail and the view was glorious. The water (which was getting clearer and bluer by the second) appeared to have tiny sparkling diamonds in it and there were massive rolling waves that jumped up at the boat, leaving salty spray on my lips.
"Oh Mathias! This is amazing!" I cried out in wonder, "I've never seen anything like it!"
"I'd figured that," he replied with a warm smile, "I grew up by the sea – before I went to the Foundling that is. All I remember is what the sea was like – the smell, the taste, what it looked like and the cold, refreshing feeling you get when you dip your toes in. We're not doing that though!" After that I just stared at the ocean for ages, never tiring of the way the water moved or the salt in the air.

"Harriet? Food?" Mathias reminded nudging me.
"Oh. Yes. Of course." I said shaking myself out of my daydream. Together we made our way back down to our cabin where a waiter was knocking on the door with two trays both laden with a bowl of thick soup, two slices of bread, a cup of water and a small pot of jam. "Sorry sir. That's our cabin" I said taking the trays as Mathias unlocked the door. I set down the trays on the table and sat down opposite Mathias who was already chewing his food ravenously. I ate the food absent mindedly, thinking about Hetty and Sheila and Gideon and Ned and Walter and all the others from the Foundling – how was their future shaping out?

"Mathias, do you miss the others?" I said slowly.
"Of course, I do Harriet. I feel bad about not going to the army with the boys but I think if I hadn't come with you then I would have missed you so much more. It would have been unbearable," he replied sadly, "But there's nothing we can do for them than hope for the best." I nodded and stacked our dishes, before going to wash my face and change into my night gown in the wash room. Coming out of the washroom I whispered goodnight to Mathias and climbed into the top bunk, falling asleep almost immediately.