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Back When We Meet Again Save as PDF
Chapters (57)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Epigraph
  4. Prologue
  5. One
  6. Two
  7. Three
  8. Four
  9. Five
  10. Six
  11. Seven
  12. Eight
  13. Nine
  14. Ten
  15. Eleven
  16. Twelve
  17. Thirteen
  18. Fourteen
  19. Fifteen
  20. Sixteen
  21. Seventeen
  22. Eighteen
  23. Nineteen
  24. Twenty
  25. Twenty-one
  26. Twenty-two
  27. Twenty-three
  28. Twenty-four
  29. Twenty-five
  30. Twenty-six
  31. Twenty-seven
  32. Twenty-eight
  33. Twenty-nine
  34. Thirty
  35. Thirty-one
  36. Thirty-two
  37. Thirty-three
  38. Thirty-four
  39. Thirty-five
  40. Thirty-six
  41. Thirty-seven
  42. Thirty-eight
  43. Thirty-nine
  44. Forty
  45. Forty-one
  46. Forty-two
  47. Forty-three
  48. Forty-four
  49. Forty-five
  50. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  51. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  52. POPULAR BOOKS FROM THE ERA
  53. When We Meet Again
  54. A Conversation with Caroline Beecham about When We Meet Again
  55. Discussion Guide
  56. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  57. What’s next onyour reading list?

“In the two decades after World War I, the buying and selling of children became such a big problem that an act was proposed in nineteen thirty-nine that should have put an end to it.” Joanna’s gaze was intense, her words full of fervor. “But when World War II broke out, the act was shelved, and so the abuse continues.” She walked over to her desk and picked up a newspaper. “Sadly, the conditions of war—more vulnerable women, more illegitimate babies—have provided the perfect environment for the baby farmers to thrive more than ever.”

Alice shuddered. “I really had no idea.”

“Yes, it’s quite scandalous that it’s been allowed to carry on this long. And so blatantly too—newspapers carrying adverts for babies before they’ve even taken their first breath. It makes my blood run cold.”

Alice was aghast; she had never contemplated this.

Joanna must have seen the horror on her face, because she continued in a more measured tone. “Fortunately, at last the government seems to be listening.” She handed her the newspaper. “This explains it all far better than I can.”

The paper was dated March 20, only a couple of days earlier, and the headline read: Law Will Put Baby Farmers Out of Business on June 1. The article described how the Adoption of Children Act was supposed to come into effect before the war but had been “put on the shelf.” Recently Mr. Herbert Morrison, the home secretary, had brought it in under growing pressure from welfare societies over the growth in child trafficking. It was just as Joanna had described; Alice read how the act forbade anyone other than a local authority or registered adoption society from making any arrangements for the adoption of a child. The article set out how the act would also ban payments and adverts for adoption, and how it would include restrictions on sending children abroad.

Alice looked searchingly at Joanna. “So, this is good news?”

“Yes, for some. But I’m afraid not in time to help you.”

Alice rose shakily to her feet. She handed Joanna back the paper, unable to fully grasp the situation, only knowing she needed to get out into the open air; her wound burned, her breasts were leaking and her head spun. “Thank you. I’m very grateful for your time.”

Joanna put her hand on Alice’s arm again and gazed at her with concern. “Please, do me a favor and go see a doctor. You do look awfully pale.”

Alice nodded, but she didn’t care. All she could think about was that baby farmers might have Eadie, and if she was taken overseas there would be no chance of getting her back.

Thirteen

London, March 25, 1943