Hetty Feather

- Season 2

(2016)

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..

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...

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.

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.

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.

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

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 ...

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.

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.

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 ...