Tracy Chevalier by Falling Angel

Author:Falling Angel
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: 1901-1910, Social Classes, Historical, London (England), England), Domestic Fiction, Highgate Cemetery (London, Great Britain - History - Edward VII, Romance, Sagas, Great Britain, Historical Fiction, General, Fiction, Friendship, Children
ISBN: 9781565115088
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 2001-10-15T05:00:00+00:00

NOVEMBER 1906

Jenny Whitby

First thing was, the house were filthy. I had to clean it top to bottom, then clean it again. The only good thing about it was I didn’t have time to think about Jack. That and Mrs. Baker was actually pleased to see me again-I guess she’d had her fill of the replacements. Them chars was a useless lot.

Then there were my bubbies. Every few hours they’d swell and milk would pour out for Jack, right down my front. I had to wear cotton pads and change ‘em all the time, and even then I’d get caught out. Luckily the missus never saw-not that she’d notice anyway. But it happened once when I were cleaning out the coal fire in Miss Maude’s room. She come in and I had to quick hug a pile of linens to me, coal dust all over me and all, and make an excuse to get away. She did give me a funny look but didn’t say nothing. She’s so glad I’m back she’s not about to complain.

I dunno how much she knows-Mrs. Baker thinks not a lot, that she’s still an innocent lamb. But I don’t know-sometimes I catch her staring at me or her mother and I think: She’s no fool.

Her mother-now, there’s a strange thing. I come back on my tippy-toes, dreading to see her after how we parted. I thought she’d be awkward with me, but when I arrived she squeezed my hand and said, “So lovely to see you again, Jenny. Come in, come in!” She brought me into the morning room, where a fluttery little woman, a Miss Black, jumped up and shook my hand too.

“Jenny is our treasure,” the missus said to Miss Black. Well, I blushed at that, thinking she was teasing me. But she seemed genuine enough, as if she’d forgot all about the blackmail.

“I’ll just settle my things in my room and get started,” I said.

“Miss Black and I are plotting great things, aren’t we, Caroline?” the missus said like she didn’t hear me. “I’m sure you could be of great help to us.”

“Oh, I don’t know, ma‘am. Perhaps I’ll just fetch you some tea.”

“Tell me, Jenny,” Miss Black said, “what do you think about woman’s suffrage?”

“Well, we all suffer, don’t we?” I said carefully, not sure what there was to say.

Miss Black and the missus laughed, though I’d not made a joke.

“No, I mean votes for women,” Miss Black explained.

“But women don’t vote,” I said.

“Women aren’t allowed to vote, but they should have every right to, the same as men. That is what we are fighting for, you see. Don’t you feel you have as much right as your father, your brother, your husband, to elect who is to govern this country?”

“Haven’t got none of them.” She hadn’t mentioned sons.

“Jenny, we are fighting for your equality,” the missus said.

“That’s very kind of you, ma‘am. Now, will you be wanting coffee or tea?”

“Oh, coffee, I think, don’t you, Caroline?”

Them two are together all the time now, plotting against the government or some such thing.

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