Suffragette in the City (38 page)

“And what of you? What of the fair Cassandra?” he asked, turning suddenly to me.

“That will depend a great deal on Griffin. We might travel—I have always longed to travel, and Griffin has mentioned several exciting places he wants to visit—he wants
us
to visit,” I said happily.

We fell silent, thinking about our promising futures. Small groups of people started to arrive, chatting and calling to one another merrily. The audience was made up of mostly low to middle class citizens, a fact I kept in mind when dressing for the event. Rather than wear an afternoon dress or even a suit, I had dressed in a conservative gray skirt and pale blue shirtwaist with a simple straw boater and matching blue ribbon. Recent news stories had hinted that suffragettes were made up of women from the idle class who had nothing better to do with their time, hence my particular pains to appear in a neat but simple costume. I hoped Helena had a similar insight.

Mrs. Knox arrived looking calm and cool. She motioned me over to her, and spoke in a quiet tone. “Have you explained the situation to Miss St. John?”

“I have. I must tell you, this will be our last demonstration.” 

She raised her eyebrows.

“Neither of us wishes to leave the Union,” I hastened to explain. “We both would like to support the cause in a less…
physical
manner.”

“I quite understand, my dear. We have many members who support our efforts without stepping foot in a march or holding a single banner. You need not risk imprisonment in order to be of benefit to the cause.”  She glanced meaningfully at Robert, standing nearby. “I can understand your decision.”

I flushed, and was going to correct the false impression, when she continued. “I also wished to tell you that the Union also does not hold it against members if they choose to not serve their sentence in prison. I was happy to see that you and Miss St. John were released early.”

I shuffled my feet uncomfortably at the subject.

“Helena’s brother had us released,” I said nervously. “We were prepared to serve our time, but he had us released instead.”

“There is no shame in obtaining a release, my dear.”  Dark circles under her eyes emphasized her fatigue. I was sure Maggie’s destructive plans were the primary cause for her weariness. “No woman is meant for every role.”

I spotted familiar figures strolling towards us, so thanked her and turned to watch Griffin and Helena approach. My heart performed its usual contractions and physical jerks when I saw Griffin. I wondered idly how long it would take before I no longer received a thrill upon seeing him.

“A very long time, I hope,” I said out loud as Griffin greeted Robert, then sighed when I took a closer look at Helena. Rather than dressing down to fit in the crowd, she had outdone herself with a rich plum-colored afternoon dress with pink silk inserts. Her hat was large and extravagant, bristling with ostrich feathers. I dragged my eyes from the horror of her hat to her brother. Griffin was taller than most men around him, and presented an impressive picture of physical strength. I was meditating on his many masculine charms—best seen when he was unclothed—when he approached, an endearing grin upon his face. I believe he would have embraced me if I had not stopped him.

“Cassandra, can it be you no longer enjoy those kisses I thought pleased you so much?” he teased as I held him back with a firm hand.

“On the contrary, I enjoy them too much. In addition to which, I know you, Griffin. You would not be content with a polite greeting.”

His grin deepened. “There can be no embarrassment in two engaged persons showing their mutual affection.”

“There is when that affection is displayed in a public place. And as we are on the subject, I don’t believe we
are
engaged.”

“We are!” he rumbled, trying to draw me closer.

I eluded his grasp. “No, I think not. For an engagement to take place, there must first be a proposal, and I do not recall having received one.”

“Whether or not you remember it, you did.”  His jaw took on a familiar stubborn appearance. “I asked you that day at your sister’s house.”

I blushed at the memory of our activities on that day. “As I recall, you suggested marriage as a solution to a problem. I hardly think that can be classified as a proposal.”

“Hrmph.”  He frowned, eyeing me speculatively. “But we have already announced our intentions, so we
are
engaged.”

“
You
announced an engagement,” I corrected, enjoying every minute of his discomfort. “I believe I was most adamant about waiting several years before I marry.”

Griffin
glared at me while I smiled sweetly at him. That was how Robert and Helena found us, Helena pointing out that the other suffragettes had gathered, and that we were wanted.

I glanced at the gathering and a spike of fear gripped me as I saw a face I recognized—one of Maggie Greene’s captains was included in the entourage. She stood with the other three women, waiting expectantly for Mrs. Knox to give the word to go in. I turned back to Griffin as Helena went to join the group. I wanted to tell him, but one look at his calm, unconcerned face made me bite back the urge. I resolved instead to keep a firm grip upon Helena, and make sure she was not anywhere near the militant woman.

Griffin
took my hand, instantly easing my worry. “You remember your promise?”

“Yes, Griffin, I have already told you I will stay behind the speakers and not interfere. Helena will be behind me. We will not in any way obstruct or attack the audience or other speakers. We will not participate in any—what was your phrase?”

“Scrummage.”

“—scrummages. We will not chant slogans or wave signs lest we should inadvertently strike someone. Do you mind terribly if we breathe?”

“Only if you have to.”

His lovely amber eyes were full of trust, love, and even—I might have been mistaken—pride. I grabbed him by the sleeve and pulled him towards me, kissing him quickly, then turned and ran after Helena.

Three women were clustered around Mrs. Knox, waiting to receive final instructions. As she handed out the
Votes For Women
sashes, she reminded us that our duty was to stand quietly and make ourselves visible but not vocal or physical. I watched the militant from the corner of my eye, and frowned at her smug look.

I felt sick then, for I knew her presence meant trouble. Caught in a trap of my own making, I grabbed Helena by her plum-colored sleeve, and held her back until everyone had passed.

The meeting was typical of its type: working class men and a few women who came to hear their favorite candidates. The rhetoric from the stand was as it usually was, promises that would never be kept, derision against a faulty government that would be corrected under the candidate’s office, benefits and good times ahead. In the middle of the speeches, a sudden movement to the right caught my eye. I glanced down the row and saw to my horror that Maggie Greene and two other militants were seated on the other side.

“Damnation,” I muttered to myself, worry filling me at the sight of her. I knew the militants were present solely to cause trouble, and I was at a loss as to how to prevent it. Mrs. Knox was clearly out of her element; although she leaned sideways and held a brief conversation with Maggie, it was with an unhappy and concerned face that she sat back.

Question time came, and several members of the audience rose and asked the standard questions. We sat for thirty minutes or so before the designated speaker from our party rose and made her way to the questioner’s podium. Maggie was among the group, and although I tried, I was not able to keep Helena at a distance from her. Eight of us stood behind Mrs. Knox, on the surface a solid supportive line, but below, a group divided. I was desperately worried and shot several meaningful glances at Maggie.

“Mr. Chester,” Mrs. Knox called out in a loud, clear voice, “if you are elected, will you do your best to make Women’s Suffrage a government measure?”

A roar went up from the crowd, and several stewards moved in towards Mrs. Knox. They spoke to her in a low tone. She shook her head, and repeated her question, louder than before.

I watched the stewards nervously, aware of the four militants standing directly behind them. The candidate consulted with a short man in an appallingly loud checked suit and derby hat.

“Answer the question, please, Mr. Chester,” Mrs. Knox said.

“I am afraid,” Chester said finally, “that I am unable to answer that question at this time. It is a matter for some thought, and not one which I have had sufficient time—”

“You are afraid to answer the question!”  Maggie shoved Mrs. Knox aside and took over the questioner’s spot. “You are the same as every other man here, afraid to let women have any power! You would do well to be afraid!”

I missed the initial assault upon the candidate because I was simultaneously pulling Helena away from where she stood near the militants, and watching Mrs. Knox in hurried consultation with the other moderate member. I heard the horrified gasp from the crowd, however, and saw the results.

Mr. Chester lay on his back, blood streaming from his head. As I stared in shock, the four militants removed large rocks from their skirts and threw them at the remaining candidates. Two of the stewards grabbed for the women, initiating a brawl that seemed to spread instantly to everyone in the area. Helena struggled against me, trying to reach the women.

Suddenly, the room was full of police constables, seeming to stream in from everywhere, racing down the aisles, and up from the speaker’s platform. The audience, in a panic, began to push their way toward the doors. I was rudely shoved aside by a large man making a hasty exit, and lost my grip on Helena. Stewards and policemen dragged the militants through the crowds, towards the back of the hall. I struggled to work my way to Helena, who was now pushed into the far aisle. The number of people attempting to rush down the narrow aisles caused a dense backup of bodies, all fighting frantically to reach the two exits.

As I slipped out of the hold of a constable, I saw Griffin to my left, trying to fight the crowd and make his way down the aisle. He was being pushed backwards by the sheer volume of people, and although I saw him bodily lift people out of his path, I lost sight of him when I was suddenly snatched from behind by a constable. Helena was ahead of me, struggling to help Mrs. Knox. In front of me, one woman was knocked down and trampled by the crowd. I tried to avoid stepping on her as the constable dragged me towards the back of the hall.

Unlike my prior arrest, this time I fought, but was only rewarded by having my thumb bent backwards until I thought it would break. My arms were wrenched behind me and, blinded with pain, I was dragged down the aisle toward the back entrance. I was stepped on and kicked in the process; the front of my shirtwaist was ripped almost exposing my undergarments.

As I was being dragged down the aisle, I saw a policeman beating one of the Suffragettes on the breasts. I kicked out toward him, and had the satisfaction of making contact with an extremely vulnerable spot. I could not see Helena anywhere, leaving me with the hope she had made an escape. Our
Votes For Women
sashes had served as a target for the police who were obviously lying in wait, for only members of our group were being attacked. The thought crossed my mind that the militants had wanted this result, and I felt certain it was Maggie and her group who had tipped off the police to our presence. Just how Maggie had finagled one of her captains into the delegation was a matter for later conjecture.

I was dragged out to an alley and tossed into a waiting Black Maria. My head hit the side of the van and I saw stars for a few minutes. Shaking my head to clear them, I could feel someone’s leg underneath me. I tried to rise, and was knocked down as another woman was flung into the van.

The ride to the police station was unthinkably miserable. Not only were we all nursing injuries, I had lost Helena and had no way of knowing what happened to her. Worse, I was sure the militants had sealed our fates—we would be arrested and charged according to their plan. Griffin would have a hard time obtaining a release for Helena and me once we had been convicted of assault for a second time.