The Best of Daughters by Dilly Court Read Free Book Online Page B

page, but unfortunately the press photographer had captured the moment when Daisy had whacked the police constable with her parasol, sending his helmet flying into the air. She had had her back to the camera, but Ruby’s face was clearlyrecognisable and both their names were printed in the caption. The article below it contained details of their court appearance together with those of the other women who had been arrested.
    Having seen the newspapers, Gwendoline locked herself in her bedroom and refused to come out. The household was thrown into chaos with a constant stream of tradesmen hammering on the front door demanding to be paid. Word seemed to have gone round that the Lennox family was on the verge of bankruptcy. The telephone rang almost constantly until Daisy took the receiver off the hook and left it dangling. Her father and Teddy had gone into the office early that morning and the family home was in a virtual state of siege. The only person enjoying the drama was Beatrice, who stationed herself in the drawing room peering out from behind the curtain at the small group of reporters who had gathered in the street below.
    â€˜I thought I’d find you in here,’ Daisy said with an exasperated sigh. ‘Really, Bea. This isn’t a peep show. Come away from the window.’
    â€˜It’s exciting. Like something out of the French Revolution. I expect to see a tumbrel arriving any minute and we’ll be dragged off to the guillotine.’
    â€˜Hardly,’ Daisy said, suppressing a grin with difficulty. ‘You have an over-active imagination, my girl.’
    â€˜Well, at least they’ll take Father off to the debtors’ jail. I’ll be like Little Dorrit, heroically supporting my poor papa by doing fine sewing for an eccentric but rich old lady.’
    â€˜You couldn’t darn a sock, and the Marshalsea prisonwas demolished years ago, so I’m afraid you’ll have to move to Rainbow’s End with the rest of us. You can make yourself useful by packing up your things. We can’t expect Mrs Myers and Betsy to do all the work, especially if Mother is going to have to let them go.’
    Beatrice turned away from the window. ‘No, surely not? We can’t manage without them.’
    â€˜We might have to. Now come along, let’s get the cabin trunks down from the attic.’
    â€˜But it’s spidery and horrible up there, and Teddy says it’s haunted. Can’t Betsy do it instead?’
    Daisy shook her head. ‘Don’t be such a baby. We’ve got to learn to stand on our own two feet now, Bea.’
    But Beatrice was not listening. She had turned her attention once again to the scene in the street below. ‘Someone’s just thrown a stone at the window, Daisy. There’s a girl waving at me.’
    Daisy hurried to her side. ‘It’s Ruby. I wonder what she wants.’
    â€˜There’s only one way to find out.’ Beatrice raced from the room.
    â€˜Oh, no.’ Daisy picked up her skirts and ran after her. She was just in time to see her sister sliding down the banister and landing with a flurry of starched petticoats. ‘Don’t open the door, Bea.’ But her warning came too late. A gust of air blew in from the street bringing with it the smell of warm grass and even warmer horse dung. A man was attempting to force his way into the house but he was elbowed out of the way by Ruby, who slammed the door in his face.
    â€˜Whew!’ she said, dumping a carpet bag on the floor. ‘I only just made it.’
    Beatrice gazed at her in open admiration. ‘He was twice your size. How did you do that?’
    â€˜Sharp elbows. You got to be quick on your feet where I comes from.’ She glanced at Daisy and grinned. ‘We’re famous, miss. I got me mug plastered all over the papers.’
    Daisy glanced anxiously at Ruby’s shabby piece of luggage. ‘It’s nice to see you again, Ruby,