CHAPTER ONE
You sit on the edge of your seat, hands clasped tight. Sure, and you know what’s coming. In a few minutes, the school day will begin. You swallow hard.
The schoolmistress beckons. The class rises as one, chairs scraping across the floor. You stand as tall as you can, trying not to let your knees knock together.
“Good morning, children!”
“Good morning, ma’am.”
“Shall we sing?”
You begin the day by singing the anthem “God Save the Queen”, of course. But here’s the trouble: you’re not sure you like the Queen. At least, your parents grumble quite a bit.
As you hesitate, the schoolmistress looks at you sharply. “Molly Foley, aren’t you going to sing?”
You know your parents wouldn’t be keen. You feel just the same. “God Save the Queen” indeed! But you’re in Canada West, not Ireland. You’ll be in a heap of trouble if you don’t.
Should you sing or not?
