Suffragette by Carol Drinkwater Read Free Book Online Page B

Baker paused and took a sip of her tea.
    “Why did she do that?”
    “I explained to you earlier, Harriet is not militant and she believes that there is important work to be done behind the scenes, in the offices. I am needed for that work because as a
trained teacher I can write the pamphlet literature, and correct the spelling and details.”
    “What happened to the two women?” I asked.
    “They were arrested. And two others with them. The police hauled all four off to Bow Street Magistrates’ Court, where they were charged with disorderly conduct, found guilty and
sentenced to three weeks’ imprisonment or to pay hefty fines. All chose prison because it creates publicity for our cause. Good Lord, look at the time! We must dash, Dollie, if we are to make
the gallery. Now then, Mary, you take Dollies remaining newspapers and sell them for us, will you, dear? Thank you. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
    And with that we were gone and off to the Monet exhibition. It was quite wonderful. Such colours, soft as butterfly wings. But I will have to write about that adventure tomorrow because now I am
exhausted. My feet are killing me and Flora has guests for dinner. I intend to wear one of my new frocks.
    28th May 1909
    I spent about half an hour yesterday standing in front of a painting entitled
Waterlilies
, painted by Claude Monet in 1903. I don’t think that I have ever seen
anything so lovely. It is curious because when you move up close you can see clearly that the canvas is a mass of painted dots. The idea is that, joined together, they give the impression of a
shape or a colour or a scene. That is why he and other artists painting in the same style are known as “Impressionists”. According to Miss Baker there is an entire school of painters in
France who have been christened “French Impressionists”. Not “school” as in my one at Cheltenham, but as in “school of thought”: a way of thinking. The
Impressionists have a way of looking at light and its effect on objects and nature. Wandering through the exhibition, gazing at all those canvases, it was as though someone had drawn back the
curtains on to a new world, a new mode of
seeing
. I have never perceived life, looked at nature, from such a perspective before. It was so beautiful. It really lifted my mood.
    I so like Miss Baker. It would be too wonderful if she could be my summer tutor. I shall suggest it to Flora.
    29th May 1909
    Trying to find time to spend with Flora is so difficult. She has been busy working on a film and there have been so many visitors. Luckily, this evening I found her alone in her
room. She was curled up in a flowery kimono, on her chaise longue, hair flowing long and loose, barefoot, reading a script, with the two Russian Blue cats, Strindberg and Ibsen, dozing at her
side.
    I wasted no time in asking if I could possibly withdraw a portion of the money that Lady Violet put in trust for me.
    Flora looked astonished. “It is not within my power to authorize that,” she said. “Is there something you need?”
    I explained that I had been to see my mother. “I fear she may be seriously ill and needs urgent medical care. I must have money to help her.”
    Flora tossed her script to the carpeted floor. “But, Dollie, it is locked away. The terms of the will have to be respected; that is the law. But I can come with you to meet your mother. I
could bring a doctor who can examine her. Then we’ll know what needs to be done. And you are not to concern yourself with the costs.”
    I stroked one of the cats, thinking about what Flora had offered. “I don’t know that my mother would be willing to see a doctor.”
    “A close friend of mine, Caroline Sturge, is a doctor. She’s very kind. Why don’t we give her a try?”
    I agreed that we should, and once I had made the decision I felt as though a great load had been lifted from me.
    “That’s settled then. Now, please be a sweetheart and take me through my