A Moment to Remember (25 page)

‘Ada.’

‘They are so lovely.’

‘They’re for you and Lizzie, to welcome you to your new home. You can take them upstairs when we close.’

Milly swallowed back a sob. Nobody had ever bought her flowers before in the whole of her life.

That evening, after they had finished their meal, Lizzie said, ‘That was really nice. I had no idea you were so clever.’

‘Thank you.’

‘I’m useless at almost everything. I can dance and hold a conversation, but I think that’s as far as I go.’

‘I’m sure you must have some hidden talent.’

‘I don’t think so.’

When Lizzie picked up a book and settled herself on the sofa with her feet on a stool, Milly knew that she would be doing the washing-up alone.

 

At the beginning of May there was great excitement at the office. The women were being urged to attend a rally at Buckingham Palace to present a petition to the King. Ada was busy organising everyone, making sure they knew where to meet up. Lizzie was thrilled at the idea of them all marching together, but Milly was more cautious. Even after all this time she was always worried about getting arrested.

That morning as they went on their way, they met up with other groups and they all held their banners proudly up high as their numbers increased. Although Milly was very nervous, she was also exhilarated. This was wonderful, being with all these women marching together for one cause. She didn’t think the King would come out and greet them, but he would know they were outside his home.

At the palace gates, the police were out in force to meet them. As the women drew nearer, the police began to move slowly forward. Some were on horseback, with their truncheons drawn. The horses looked restless, large and menacing. Lizzie had linked arms with Milly and was forging ahead. The foot police with their batons raised moved forward to meet the women. There was some screaming and yelling, and several of the women began to fight back as batons came down. Milly could see marchers wielding umbrellas and bats as well as other weapons. Women were falling all around her. There was a lot of noise and shouting. She tried to hang back, but Lizzie was dragging her forward.

A policeman’s baton hit Lizzie on the side of the head and she fell to the ground. Her hat was askew, but was still held firm by her hatpins. Milly screamed and tried to pull her away as the crowd surged forward. She was terrified of the horse’s hooves as they pounded the ground. Lizzie was unconscious and her head was bleeding. As Milly knelt over her, someone trod on her hand and another woman fell over them. With a great deal of effort, Milly managed to get to her feet and drag Lizzie further along the road, out of the way of the horses and the crowd. Lizzie lay in the gutter and Milly sat on the kerb. They must have looked a sorry pair, dirty and crumpled, but at least they were safe for the moment. Further along the road Milly could see women being thrown into the back of a Black Maria. Lizzie began to groan.

‘My head. What happened?’

‘You’ve been hit.’

Lizzie felt her head and looked at her gloved hand. ‘Look. Look, I’m bleeding.’

‘Yes, I know. And if I hadn’t dragged you away, you might have been trampled.’

‘Help me up. I can’t stay here in this filthy gutter.’

A policeman came and stood over them. ‘Are you with that lot?’ He pointed his baton at the crowd of milling women.

‘Yes,’ said Lizzie defiantly.

‘Well you ought to get yourself along to the hospital with that cut.’

‘Why? Are you afraid I might show the press and complain about police brutality?’

‘No. It’s just that it needs looking at, that’s all.’ With that he walked away.

‘I agree with him,’ said Milly. ‘It does look rather deep.’

With blood slowly running down her face, Lizzie tried to stand up, but slumped to the ground again. ‘I feel dizzy.’

‘Just sit here for a while.’

‘I’m cold.’

Milly looked about her, bewildered. What could she do? ‘Look, if I help you, do you think you could stand?’

‘I don’t know.’

Milly was filled with fear. Lizzie’s face was deathly white and the side of her head was covered with blood; the skin around the gash was slowly turning back and blue. ‘Come on, hold on to me. I’ll try and find us one of these new taxi cabs and get you to the hospital.’

Slowly she got Lizzie to her feet and they staggered away from the noisy crowd. As she looked back, Milly could see dirty, dishevelled and bloodied women sitting on the kerb and on the monument. They all looked dazed. Around them, a number of men were laughing, shouting and generally enjoying the spectacle.

A
S THEY APPROACHED the taxi rank, Milly could see the drivers talking. Would one of them be willing to take them? ‘The hospital, please,’ she said in a voice she hoped sounded full of confidence.

‘Can’t say I want the likes of you in me taxi,’ said the first man in the rank. ‘But a fare’s a fare. Git in.’

As they settled down, Milly couldn’t believe she was sitting in one of these new-fangled taxi cabs. She glanced at Lizzie, who sat with her head drooping forward, looking very unwell. Milly held her hand. ‘You’ll be fine as soon as we get that cut seen to.’

Lizzie didn’t reply; she just sat back with her eyes closed.

‘Right, ’ere yer are, miss,’ said the cab driver as he pulled in to the entrance to the hospital and reached behind him to open the door.

Milly was worried how much he would charge them, but as they got out, Lizzie handed him her purse. He took some money and gave the purse back.

‘Thank you kindly, miss.’ He touched his cap.

As they made their way slowly inside, a nurse approached them. ‘Come with me.’ She ushered them into a small room. Lizzie’s blood had seeped into her pretty fawn hat and down on to her coat. She looked a very sad sight. ‘Sit here. A doctor will be with you soon.’

Lizzie slumped into the chair and Milly hovered over her.

The door opened and a doctor appeared. ‘Now, what’s the problem?’ He moved towards Lizzie. ‘Well, young lady, what have you been up to?’

‘We were at a rally,’ Milly began softly.

‘Women’s suffrage?’

Milly nodded. Would he treat Lizzie?

He turned to the nurse. ‘That means we could be in for a busy time.’ He returned his attention to Lizzie. ‘You’ve taken a bit of a blow, by the look of it.’ He touched her head and she winced. ‘This certainly needs a stitch or two. I’ll get Nurse to get you cleaned up, then we’ll see where we go from there.’ He left just as quickly as he’d appeared.

The nurse turned to Milly. ‘I think you had better wait outside for your friend.’

Milly went and sat outside, and after a while the nurse came out and hurried along the corridor.

The doctor returned. A few minutes later the nurse reappeared and bustled down the corridor again. When a man wheeling a trolley went into the room, Milly began to sense that something was wrong.

It was a while before the door opened again. This time Lizzie was wheeled out on the trolley.

‘What’s happened?’ asked Milly as she walked alongside the doctor.

‘The young lady has had a nasty bump and lost a lot of blood, so I’m keeping her in overnight just for observation. Now be a good girl and give the nurse all her particulars, then go on home and get yourself cleaned up.’

Milly looked down at her dirty, dishevelled clothes. She looked a very sorry sight.

 

It was late afternoon when Milly arrived home. She wasn’t surprised to see that the office was still closed. She prayed that nothing had happened to Ada, Pat, Eve or any of the other volunteers. She wandered around the flat feeling very sad and lonely. She couldn’t believe that this morning they had all set off with such high hopes. Why couldn’t the government just give them the vote? So many of these women were intelligent and well educated, and willing to go to prison for what they believed was their right. Milly knew she couldn’t do that. She sighed. Perhaps one day women would have their say.

 

After a restless night, Milly could hear that someone was in the office, so she hurried downstairs.

‘Good morning, Milly,’ said Ada very cheerfully when she opened the door. ‘And how are you this fine morning?’

‘I’m very well, but I’m afraid Lizzie is in hospital.’

Ada put her hand to her mouth. ‘Oh my dear, what happened? Is she all right? Is she badly hurt?’

‘I don’t know. She was hit on the head with a truncheon. I took her to the hospital and then I was asked to leave.’

‘We will have to go along to the hospital later on to see how she is, and if they will let her come home.’

‘Are you all right?’ asked Milly.

‘Yes thank you, my dear. And what about you?’

‘I bit shaken, but nothing to worry about.’

‘Good. A few did get themselves arrested, including Mrs Pankhurst, and I think some have been injured, but at least the press was there in force, so we are well and truly filling the papers this morning. I think I’ve bought most of them, so we can start cutting out the articles for our scrapbook. And don’t forget, we must always remember our slogan, “Deeds Not Words”. I think we proved that point yesterday.’

Milly was a little upset that Ada wasn’t too concerned about her friend. ‘Would you like me to go to the hospital to see if Lizzie will be allowed home today?’

‘Leave it till this afternoon. After all, doctors don’t usually do their rounds till late morning.’

Ada seemed to know the hospital routine, but then again, Milly guessed she had been through this before.

‘Did you see how many women were at the palace? It was a wonderful turnout.’ Ada was full of enthusiasm. ‘I do hope that we disturbed the King.’

 

It was late afternoon when Lizzie, a large bandage wrapped round her head, walked into the office.

Milly rushed up to her. ‘How are you? What was wrong?’ She led her to a chair. ‘Why did they keep you in overnight?’

Lizzie gave her a weak smile. ‘I’m fine. I think I fainted, and that’s why they kept me in. It was dreadful, all those people screaming out all night, and those uncomfortable beds. I didn’t sleep a wink and I feel so tired.’

‘Milly, take Lizzie upstairs, make her a cup of tea and see that she rests.’ Ada was in control of the situation.

Once they were in the flat, Milly asked Lizzie if she wanted anything.

‘Just to get out of these filthy clothes. You should have seen the state of my hat and gloves; I’ve thrown them away. And I can’t see me wearing this coat again.’ She threw the coat on to the floor.

Milly picked it up. It was beautiful brown velour and must have cost a fortune. She knew so many people who would love to have a warm coat like this, even if it was dirty and bloodied. ‘I’ll boil a kettle and you can have a nice wash; that will help you to feel better.’

Lizzie half smiled. ‘Thank you. I knew you would look after me.’

‘Would you like me to tell your father?’

‘Good heavens, no. I don’t want him round here fussing over me.’

When Milly returned to the flat later that evening, Lizzie was sitting on the sofa wearing her lovely dark red housecoat. She looked very pale, but relaxed.

‘Milly, come and sit with me.’ She patted the sofa. ‘What have you been up to?’

‘Not a lot really.’

‘That was certainly some rally.’

‘Yes, it was. Mrs Pankhurst has got herself arrested again.’

‘You really do have to admire that woman, and her daughters. Now, what have we got for dinner tonight?’

The last thing on Milly’s mind had been dinner. ‘I don’t know. I’ll go out and find something.’

‘Good girl.’

As Milly wandered to the shops, she thought about yesterday. It was certainly something she would never forget. She knew she couldn’t be as dedicated as some of the women, but she did believe in their rights.

 

The following afternoon, Milly was downstairs making tea. When she came in from the tiny kitchen, she was surprised to see Tom standing in the office. ‘Dr Walsh,’ she said formally.

‘Hello.’ He turned his black trilby round and round in his hands. ‘I’ve come to see the patient we had in yesterday. Is Miss Phillips around?’

‘She’s upstairs,’ said Milly.

Ada came in from outside.

‘Miss Roberts, and how are you? I trust the arm is in working order?’

‘Yes thank you. My goodness, fancy you remembering me after all this time.’

‘I never forget a pretty lady or her assistant.’ He smiled at Milly, making her blush.

‘Milly, take the doctor up,’ said Ada, smiling broadly.

‘This way,’ said Milly. She was shaking. Had he come back into her life?

‘Well I never thought I’d be back here to look at another of the walking wounded,’ he said as he followed her up the stairs. ‘How are you, Milly?’

‘I’m very well, thank you.’

At the top of the stairs he stopped and took her arm. ‘I’ve been thinking about you a lot. I was very sad when you said you didn’t want to see me, you know.’

Milly didn’t answer. She couldn’t. She was still in awe of him. ‘Lizzie’s in here.’ She pushed open the door. ‘Lizzie, I hope you’re decent. There’s someone here to see you.’

Lizzie was stretched out on the sofa. She looked up from her book as they walked in. ‘And you are?’

‘Dr Walsh. I was told that a young lady had been injured yesterday, and I was sent to follow it up.’

Lizzie smiled. ‘I didn’t know doctors did this sort of thing. I always thought you were too busy to leave your domain.’

‘We are allowed some time off, and it’s just that I know some of the women here and I wanted to make sure it wasn’t one of my previous patients.’

Lizzie swung her legs off the sofa. ‘Please, come and sit down.’ She patted the seat.