Suffragette Girl by Margaret Dickinson Read Free Book Online

arrested.’
    Augusta’s eyes shone with excitement. ‘If only I was your age again.’ She patted Isobel’s hand. ‘I won’t try to stop her, but you must promise me one
thing.’
    ‘Of course – if I can.’
    ‘You must keep me fully informed of what’s happening. And I mean
everything.
I don’t want to read in the papers about her being force-fed in prison.’
    Isobel shuddered. ‘I hope it won’t come to that, Mrs Maltby, but yes, I promise. Florrie or I will write to you at least once a week.’
    A deep chuckle came from the other chair. ‘And if they’re
both
in prison, ma’am, I’ll let you know.’
    They laughed together and Augusta said, ‘Then she can go with my blessing, though what her father will say when he finds out, I dread to think.’
    Edgar Maltby had plenty to say.
    He thumped his desk and sprang to his feet with the agility of a man half his age. Then he marched up and down his study with swift, angry strides, whilst Florrie stood in front of him dressed
in her travelling hat and coat. Whilst Isobel and Timothy waited in the hall, Florrie had come to say ‘goodbye’ to her father. Her trunk was already packed and on the back of the
carriage waiting on the front driveway. Augusta had wished her well, but her mother had dissolved into tears and begged her not to leave.
    ‘Mother darling, you still have James.’
    ‘But he’ll be going back to school next week. I’ll have no one to talk to.’
    ‘There’s Gran and Father, surely—’
    Clara covered her face, muffling her voice as she said, ‘Your grandmother doesn’t like me. She never has.’
    ‘Oh, Mother, that’s not true. She’s very fond of you. I know she perhaps gets impatient with you sometimes, but – but – well, you could try to be a little more
cheerful. Not so – not so
downtrodden.
’
    ‘But I am,’ Clara wailed. ‘That’s the whole trouble. They’re so strong. You’re all so strong. But at least when you’re here, you stand up to them. I
– I don’t feel so alone.’
    Florrie had kissed her mother’s forehead and murmured, ‘Gran will look after you and I’ll write every week. I promise.’
    ‘But you’ll need a maid. And you really can’t expect your grandmother and me to spare Beth.’
    ‘Isobel’s maid will look after us both, I’m sure. Please, Mother, don’t worry so.’ Giving her mother’s cold hands a final squeeze, she said, ‘Now
– I have to go and see Father.’
    Clara broke into fresh sobs. She hated family rows and there was going to be one now. She knew there was. Florrie was so rebellious and Edgar would be so angry. She held her breath and, as she
feared, only a moment later heard his loud voice from the study.
    ‘I will not have a daughter of mine disgracing herself in such a way. I’m fully aware of what Isobel Richards has got herself into. All this suffragette nonsense.’ He raised
his voice to an even louder pitch. ‘And yes, I do know you’re standing in the hallway, Miss Richards, and can hear every word I say.’ He turned to his daughter once more.
‘You’re a sad disappointment to me, Florence. What if your name should appear in the papers? We shall be the laughing stock of the county.’
    So, Florrie thought mutinously, he’s not concerned about my safety, only the precious reputation of the Maltby name.
    The door was flung open and Augusta stood there. ‘What on earth is all the shouting about?’
    Edgar rounded on her, stretching out his arm and pointing at her. ‘This is your fault. I blame you, Mother, entirely. Encouraging Florence’s disobedience. No doubt you were behind
her refusing Richards’s proposal. I suppose you want her to marry a stable lad,’ he sneered. ‘To keep up the family tradition.’
    There was a moment’s shocked silence, but Augusta merely smiled and said mildly, ‘If a stable boy was the man she loved, then, yes, I would encourage her. But you’re wrong
about Gervase. I would’ve been delighted for her to