Buy Hetty Feather

In Victorian London foundlings Hetty Feather and Gideon Smeed are fostered by the Cotton family until the age of five when they are taken to the foundling hospital, run by the austere Matron Bottomly and separated into different wings for boys and girls. Having sworn that she would look after Gideon Hetty makes efforts to see him, meeting Mathias, an older boy who looks after Gideon and who plans to escape and run away to sea. Hetty helps Mathias craft a letter to the man who will facilitate this and plans to join him and other boys in an escape attempt. However, thanks to the She-Mob, a group of nasty girls who seek to ingratiate themselves with matron, she fails to join the escapees. Following the discovery that three boys have gone the hospital is subject to an even harsher regime.
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Hetty tells her friends Harriet and Polly that it will soon be her and Gideon's birthdays as celebrated at the foster parents and, since the sexes are segregated, she must think of a way to meet Gideon for a celebration. When food is stolen from the kitchen Matron orders a lockdown but Hetty takes advantage of a rat infestation to get a message to Gideon and later, under the guise of helping the rat-catcher lay traps, she and her friends obtain access through the loft to a tower where they meet Gideon and his friends and establish their own den. Later that night the food thief is caught - it is Mathias who, having escaped, has returned to the hospital where he is hiding.
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Matron attempts to coerce a cowed Mathias into being her spy as she sets the orphans to work making toys, supposedly destined for charities though Gus discovers that she and tradesman Cooper are planning to sell them to stores for profit and leads the others in sabotaging the goods. They are almost caught but Mathias rescues them before explaining how he returned to the hospital to avoid being sold as a slave. Matron is angry when she sees the damaged toys but, as the children are falling ill due to lead paint, humane teacher Mr Cranbourne persuades her to stop her venture, pointing out that the governors would not be happy to know about her deal with a rogue like Cooper.
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A new foundling arrives, a little girl called Eliza, who was fostered with the same family as Hetty though Hetty is disappointed that her borrowed brother Jem seems to have forgotten her. Matron also receives a visitor, her kindly sister Annie, appalled that Matron will not visit their dying mother. When Eliza takes revenge on Matron by shredding her clothes Hetty takes the blame and is put in solitary but Annie discovers the real culprit and rescues Hetty, explaining that she and her sister were also raised in a workhouse, hence Matron's severe attitude. Thus Hetty has information to use against her enemy and is also cheered to find that Jem has not forgotten her at all.
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The foundlings must perform a hymn by composer Mr Melrose to sing at a charity lunch but they are bored by it so kindly Nurse Winterson teaches them a music hall song, with the result that Matron sacks her. Hetty, aware that the nurse is the sole provider for her invalid father, persuades the children to go on strike and refuse to sing at the lunch but Matron tries to call her bluff by threatening punishment. Fortunately the children stage a concert of their own which so impresses Mr Melrose that he persuades Matron to reinstate Nurse Winterson.
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An army sergeant visits the hospital to recruit a drummer boy, the successful candidate being decided on the outcome of a series of tests. In the event the sergeant picks both Walter and Matthias - who has stood up for his friend against the bullying Vince but Matthias declines the offer, stating that his fight is within the hospital. Meanwhile Hetty and Sheila are forced to work together in the infirmary and call a brief truce whilst they help to bring the withdrawn Charlie out of his shell.
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Gideon gets a letter from his mother wanting to see him and he attempts to escape but Hetty proves to him it was a hoax perpetrated by the unpleasant Sheila. Meanwhile Hannah and Arthur Prestwick come to the hospital to reclaim the little girl they left there. Matron claims that no such child was ever admitted but Hetty comes up with proof and her friend Mary is reunited with her parents. Hetty's attempts to persuade a humane governor, Lady Asquith, that Matron is selling the foundlings to cruel masters as apprentices are, however, less successful as Matron lies her way out of it.
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Visitors arrive for the hospital's Open Day, including Cranborne's cousin Lord Upton and his young daughter Charlotte, who are due for an immediate diplomatic posting to India. This gives Bottomly the idea of getting rid of Hetty by sending her with them as Charlotte's companion. Hetty recalls a visit to the circus, believing performer Madame Adeline to be her mother so that when a raffle is announced with circus tickets being given the highest bidder Gus and Mathias attempt to win them for Hetty. The raffle is declared invalid after Sheila and Vince are found to have cheated but Charlotte, taking pity on Hetty, helps her escape from the hospital.
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Hetty arrives at the circus but Madame Adeline assures her that she is not her mother and Bottomly follows and arrives to drag her back to the hospital. Aware that Bottomly has sold Hetty illegally to Lord Upton, lying about her age and receiving private monies Hetty's friends set about finding incriminating evidence, which they can show to the honest teacher Mr Cranborne and expose Matron Bottomly's heartless plan before Lord Upton arrives to take Hetty to India. At the same time Hetty discovers a token which may lead her to finding her birth mother.
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Hetty is shocked at the brisk way in which baby Hazel Didcott is received from her mother for reception at the orphanage, the more so when she learns Hazel's name will be changed - although she is told why it is necessary. She plans to send Hazel to Peg and Jem, who know more about her birth mother and when bad boys Vince and Judd are caught stealing to trade for a football she takes advantage of their situation to further this plan..
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During a stormy night Hetty entertains her friends with stories of Joseph Twig, whose ghost allegedly haunts the orphanage tower. Next day wealthy Mr and Mrs McCartney arrive and are desperate to adopt Polly, who is the image of their late daughter. Matron is reluctant, claiming that adoption is against the rules lest the birth parents return but is swayed by the couple's generous donation. Hetty has her misgivings about her friend going to strangers but gives in to Polly's own wishes when matron agrees to give her Polly's new address - a promise she does not keep. At the same time some of Hetty's friends plan a prank to scare Judd and Vince by pretending to be the ghost of Joseph Twig.
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Kindly Nurse Winterson smuggles a letter from Hetty to Jem but when he arrives unexpectedly at the orphanage he has no news for Hetty regarding her true mother. Vince and Judd steal the token left with Hetty at the orphanage as a baby in the hopes of obtaining money to buy their football but kitchen maid Ida steps in to make them retrieve it, thus providing Hetty with a new friend whilst Matron is keen to be teacher Cranborne's friend when she learns that, unless his missing cousin Jasper reappears, he is an heir to the Earl of Ellerslie.
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Matron suddenly disappears after receiving a mysterious letter, leaving Donald Cranbourne in charge but he is soon visited by his stern vicar father, demanding he leave the orphanage and return home. Gideon auditions for choristers school but fails as his voice has broken - though he is invited to reapply in a year. He lies about his rejection but when he is found out persuades little Eliza, who fights other girls in order to be Hetty's best friend and now wants to run away, that they should face up to everybody together.
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The orphans are intrigued when Matron returns and clearly has a secret in the cellar. It turns out to be a wild girl called Blanche, who claims that Matron sold her to a factory and then had her committed to a mental asylum after an accident. However when Hetty introduces her to governor Brigwell Blanche claims that Matron has saved her - a ploy for her to gain power over Matron.
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The bullying Blanche Newbould continues to be deliberately rude and threatening to everybody and even Matron seems too scared to punish her though one night Monica finds Blanche crying and reminds her that they were once good friends. Next day Blanche denies knowing her and Monica is later found dead, having fallen down a flight of stairs. Whilst it is an obvious accident Matron claims Monica tripped over brushes left by young decorator Stan Pollard, though Hetty and her sleuthing friends exonerate Stan when they force a surprising confession from Matron
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Explorer Dr Kate Webster comes to the orphanage to give a talk to the boys whilst Lady Asquith's butler Collins gives the girls a test, the winner to go to work with her. Anxious to see the lecture Hetty hides away, causing a diversion which allows the doctor's pet python to escape. It terrifies Vince who, having stolen a statue from the doctor, attempts to blame Matthias though she identifies the real culprit whilst Sheila is also disqualified for cheating. Matron, meanwhile, loses her interest in Mr Cranbourne on discovering that he is not the heir to an earldom after all.
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Hetty pens an anonymous love letter from Mathias to Harriet, requesting she wears a feather on her dress to acknowledge it but it is accidentally picked up by Matron, who assumes it is from Colonel Brigwell and complies with the request. . Hetty decides to go one step further with another letter containing a sham marriage proposal but she is ultimately betrayed by Blanche and punished. However she comes to realize the power of words and continues to write her journal.
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Matron holds a fund-raising art exhibition for the patrons, having locked Hetty in a dark outhouse as a punishment but Hetty is comforted by Ida, who gives her some surprising news whilst Blanche gets Sheila and Elizabeth into trouble and Mathias sneaks off to visit Harriet, who is now working for Lady Asquith. Meanwhile Matron is horrified when the governors decide that Mr Cranbourne should be appointed in joint control of the orphanage with her - his first act being to release Hetty.
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Hetty is now sure that Ida is her mother but needs to keep it a secret from Matron as, having deposited Hetty at the orphanage, Ida cannot legally reclaim her before her majority. Meanwhile Lady Asquith returns Harriet to the orphanage following allegations that Mathias sneaked out to see her and Matron tries to bribe Matron to secure proof. However Hetty persuades Blanche that Matron is merely using her and inspires Blanche to concoct a lie to save Mathias and make Matron look foolish. Hetty and Ida are less fortunate when they are betrayed by Sheila to Matron and a happy reconciliation seems in doubt - though Hetty is still eternally optimistic for her future.
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On the day that Miss Sarah Smith arrives as the orphanage's new governor Ida briefly returns to drop off a letter informing Hetty that she is living at the Ludgate workhouse. Harriet takes the letter to Hetty who runs away to search for her but Sheila informs on her to Matron Bottomley. Lost on the streets of London Hetty is rescued from Mr Grace's gang of teen-aged thieves by flower seller Cissy, a resourceful orphan, who takes Hetty to stay with her and her sickly younger sister Lil. Meanwhile Matron engages the services of shady Mr Bromsden to find Hetty.
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Due to Sheila's treachery Matron discovers Ida's letter whilst Hetty and Cissy arrive at the workhouse to find Ida has left, for a job in Highgate. Selling flowers to finance the tram ride there they are saved from Grace's gang by a prospective customer. This is Miss Smith, who suggests Cissy takes Lil to a nearby refuge. She also returns Hetty to the orphanage, explaining that Ida would be sacked if it was known she had a child. She is actually a kindly woman who invents an elaborate lie to prevent Hetty and Harriet being punished and Hetty feels that she can trust her. Meanwhile Nurse Winterson attracts the romantic attention of young Constable Clarke.
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There is a break-in at the orphanage and next day Bromsden arrives to tell Matron that Jess, one of Grace's gang, has escaped and is on the premises with stolen goods, including a book which will incriminate them both. Hetty and her friends hide Jess whilst making sure all the stolen items are found - except the book - but Jess is discovered anyway. Miss Smith comes to visit, offering Hetty work in Highgate where she can meet Ida in secret and to place Jess in her refuge but Hetty selflessly allows Blanche to have the job so she can be near her kin, Jess. Having learnt that Matron is desperate to find the book Hetty is convinced it will prove to be the woman's undoing and sets out to locate it first.
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Matron discovers the book recording her illegal sale of orphans and puts it on the fire in front of Hetty before entertaining Chester Benjamin, an American philanthropist, keen to open an orphanage in New York with Matron in charge. However when the staff and children start to fall ill and the source is traced to cheap flour bought by Matron to cut costs he withdraws his offer but Hetty is still determined to defeat her. Meanwhile slimy young Vince picks up on the relationship between Nurse Winterson and Constable Clarke.
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Following a storm which damages the roof Matron hopes to impress the visiting governors by claiming that she will start fund raising for a new one. One of the governors, Dr Bridges, brings his naughty little daughter Annabelle, who almost gets Elizabeth in trouble but the doctor is impressed by the orphan's honesty and offers her work. A miserable Hetty is cheered by Vince and comes close to befriending him - until she learns he has been blackmailing Nurse Winterson. Miss Smith and Cook conspire to let Hetty have a secret meeting with Ida, but Matron finds out, forcing Miss Smith to resign.
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RSM Charlie Palmer comes to the orphanage to drill the boys for a military display and confesses to Walter that he is his father. Meanwhile, in an effort to reunite Nurse Macclesfield with Constable Clarke Hetty 'stages' a theft, hiding a picture so that the constable will come to investigate and continue seeing the nurse. This plan works but Charlie is accused of the theft and Hetty has Sheila to thank for clearing his name. For the first time both girls seem united against Matron.
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With Harriet due to leave Matthias throws a picnic for his friends, including Sheila, whilst Colonel Brigwell brings patrons Mr and Mrs Callender to announce that most of the boys are destined for the army. Gideon is not happy, as he confesses to Mrs Callender, whom Matron has blackmailed not to tell Mr Callender that they knew each other in the work-house and she takes him and Sheila to be their servants. Aware that Grace has been arrested and could expose her Matron uses the roof fund money to buy herself a passage to America but is overheard by Hetty.
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On the day most of the boys leave for the army and Harriet to work in America Matron, aware that Hetty knows she has stolen the money and bought her own transatlantic ticket, locks her in a cupboard, from which she is rescued by Sheila. The girls confront Matron and prevent her from fleeing, exposing her theft in front of the governors, who order her arrest. Mr Cranborne proposes a fairer regime, encouraging Nurse Winterson to court Constable Clarke and promoting Nurse Macclesfield to temporary matron. A grateful Mrs Callender agrees to employ Hetty along with Gideon and Sheila whilst Hetty finds Matron's ticket and gives it to Matthias so he can be with Harriet but when the police arrive they find Matron has escaped through a secret passage.
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Hetty, Sheila and Gideon are now working for the Callender family, under stern housekeeper Mrs Penhaligon. Gideon befriends Edwin, the invalid son of the house, kept away from the others and notices secret meetings between gardener Jack and Emily, the Callenders' rebellious daughter. Matron, in hiding with Bromsden, sends two boys to retrieve the incriminating book from Hetty but they accidentally kidnap Emily instead.
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Hetty and Sheila realize that Matron had sent spies to recover the book and has mistakenly taken Emily. Helped by Emily's friend Henry Hetty and Gideon rescue her but Hetty is caught. However she persuades Matron to accompany her in secretly retrieving the book but Sheila has told the family everything and they set a trap to arrest Matron and her accomplices. Now in possession of all the facts the grateful Callenders arrange for Hetty to resume seeing Ida and for a more relaxed regime in the household for their children and servants.
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Hetty and the gang find crucial clues to the Dawn Star, although Flo and Ambrose are now watching them closely and Lady Grenford appears to know more about the diamond than she is letting on.
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Lizzie discovers a secret tunnel with a clue, while the gang races Ambrose to find the jewel, and Hetty fears that Ashok is growing too friendly with Lady Grenford.
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The gang realise they need to break through a wall to get to the jewel - but can they do it without being discovered? And what will Agnes do when she finds out Gideon and the others have been lying to her?
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The gang are in danger when Rosamund leaves Lady Grenford and Ambrose in charge. Hetty finally cracks the code - but can the gang get to the Dawn Star in time?
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The gang are stunned when Hetty is accused of stealing the Dawn Star, and a fire in the barn leads to a dramatic escape.
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Hetty and the gang race back to Calendar Hall to stop Ambrose before anyone gets hurt, and to discover the truth about what really happened at the house.
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