said as he strolled over to me to press a kiss to the back of my hand. “I mean no criticism of the suffrage movement on the whole, but I can and will express concern about the welfare of a dearly beloved cousin who involves herself with a group of female roughnecks and hooligans.”
“Odious man,” I said fondly, pulling my hand from his. “The members of the Women’s Suffrage Union are neither roughnecks nor hooligans.”
“No?” Freddy accepted another cup of tea and several almond biscuits. “I’ve heard that the organization is just bursting with women who want to wear trousers, smoke pipes, and run the government. I am told it is common knowledge they have failed in all the feminine arts, and live unnatural and disappointed lives.”
Emma made a little noise of distress.
“No insult intended, I’m sure,” Freddy said quickly.
“Poppycock,” I said sharply, frowning at my cousin. “That will teach you to listen to such ill-informed sources of information. There is nothing at all unnatural about wearing trousers, although we prefer to call them bloomers. They are most healthful and hygienic when bicycling. I have a pair myself, although I haven’t had the opportunity to wear them, so I suppose you could say I’m disappointed in that sense, but that is not what you mean.”
“No,” Freddy answered, stuffing a biscuit into his mouth. “That’s not at all what I mean.”
“You must admit that there does seem to be a certain amount of danger involved,” Caroline said, sending an oddly reproachful glance at Freddy. “If the newspaper is at all accurate, each instance of this group’s demonstration has ended in some form of violence. I question the wisdom of involvement in that sort of protest.”
“There has been violence only because people fear what the Union represents.”
“But it is dangerous,” Freddy said, agreeing with Caroline.
The memory of the violent slurs and attacks against the suffragettes rose with stark clarity in my mind. “No more so than any other cause I might involve myself in, so about this let us please agree to differ.”
Caroline continued to look worried. Emma gave me a small, supportive smile.
“With regards to your original question, Aunt Caroline, the Union has pledged itself to obtain the right for women to vote. That is their sole purpose, and one to which I have wholly devoted myself.”
Freddy sat in a puce-accessorized, wine-colored chair and waved at the still soggy newspaper with an almond biscuit. “Suffragettes, that’s what they’re calling you, dearest one. Suffragettes! I ask you, how can any man take seriously a woman who calls herself a suffragette? You simply must urge your group to come up with a less humorous label.”
Caroline frowned and shook her head at Freddy before asking me, “And how do they intend to achieve that noble goal?”
“Through non-violent protest and every constitutional means. Our plan is to attract attention to the cause via protests, meetings, and parades.”
“But demonstrating in public, my dear. Is it prudent?”
“You don’t mind at all the fact that I intend to take a lover, but you object to me participating in a support parade?” I asked in surprise.
“One can be discreet with a lover,” she said, shocking me to the very tips of my toes. She and Henry had always seemed so devoted that I couldn’t help but wonder if she was speaking from experience. “The same cannot be said of marching about with signs, and chaining yourself to a railing.”
“I don’t believe Cassandra is looking for attention, if that is what concerns you,” Emma said in my defense. “I stopped by briefly to see her last night, before the demonstration had taken place, and she had chosen a spot furthest from those who organized the event, no doubt in due respect for the finer feelings of her relatives.”
That, or I was simply late from my dinner out with the soup dribbler. I cleared my throat and nodded, trying to
“Odious man,” I said fondly, pulling my hand from his. “The members of the Women’s Suffrage Union are neither roughnecks nor hooligans.”
“No?” Freddy accepted another cup of tea and several almond biscuits. “I’ve heard that the organization is just bursting with women who want to wear trousers, smoke pipes, and run the government. I am told it is common knowledge they have failed in all the feminine arts, and live unnatural and disappointed lives.”
Emma made a little noise of distress.
“No insult intended, I’m sure,” Freddy said quickly.
“Poppycock,” I said sharply, frowning at my cousin. “That will teach you to listen to such ill-informed sources of information. There is nothing at all unnatural about wearing trousers, although we prefer to call them bloomers. They are most healthful and hygienic when bicycling. I have a pair myself, although I haven’t had the opportunity to wear them, so I suppose you could say I’m disappointed in that sense, but that is not what you mean.”
“No,” Freddy answered, stuffing a biscuit into his mouth. “That’s not at all what I mean.”
“You must admit that there does seem to be a certain amount of danger involved,” Caroline said, sending an oddly reproachful glance at Freddy. “If the newspaper is at all accurate, each instance of this group’s demonstration has ended in some form of violence. I question the wisdom of involvement in that sort of protest.”
“There has been violence only because people fear what the Union represents.”
“But it is dangerous,” Freddy said, agreeing with Caroline.
The memory of the violent slurs and attacks against the suffragettes rose with stark clarity in my mind. “No more so than any other cause I might involve myself in, so about this let us please agree to differ.”
Caroline continued to look worried. Emma gave me a small, supportive smile.
“With regards to your original question, Aunt Caroline, the Union has pledged itself to obtain the right for women to vote. That is their sole purpose, and one to which I have wholly devoted myself.”
Freddy sat in a puce-accessorized, wine-colored chair and waved at the still soggy newspaper with an almond biscuit. “Suffragettes, that’s what they’re calling you, dearest one. Suffragettes! I ask you, how can any man take seriously a woman who calls herself a suffragette? You simply must urge your group to come up with a less humorous label.”
Caroline frowned and shook her head at Freddy before asking me, “And how do they intend to achieve that noble goal?”
“Through non-violent protest and every constitutional means. Our plan is to attract attention to the cause via protests, meetings, and parades.”
“But demonstrating in public, my dear. Is it prudent?”
“You don’t mind at all the fact that I intend to take a lover, but you object to me participating in a support parade?” I asked in surprise.
“One can be discreet with a lover,” she said, shocking me to the very tips of my toes. She and Henry had always seemed so devoted that I couldn’t help but wonder if she was speaking from experience. “The same cannot be said of marching about with signs, and chaining yourself to a railing.”
“I don’t believe Cassandra is looking for attention, if that is what concerns you,” Emma said in my defense. “I stopped by briefly to see her last night, before the demonstration had taken place, and she had chosen a spot furthest from those who organized the event, no doubt in due respect for the finer feelings of her relatives.”
That, or I was simply late from my dinner out with the soup dribbler. I cleared my throat and nodded, trying to
Similar Books
Knight Shift
Paulette Miller
Making Choices (Black Shamrocks MC Book 2)
Kylie Hillman
A MATTER OF TRUST
Kimberley Reeves
Moonlight
Katie Salidas
The White Wolf
Ron Roy
Lost In Lies
Xavier Neal
December Boys
Joe Clifford
The Wrong Sister
Leanne Davis
One Perfect Summer
Paige Toon