Deeds Not Words

❁ཻུ۪۪ chapter three: Newspaper selling

I flopped back down on my bed exhausted. Mother came in with a leaflet, "sign this" she ordered me too and I signed it with my fountain pen, unaware of what it was. All I knew that it was from the WSPU.

I am now a proper, proper suffragette.

I handed it back to her, smiling. "I'm an actual suffragette now" I commented to myself, smiling. I looked at the clock. It was now dinner time. I could smell the scent of the homemade vegetable soup.

"Marigold! Dinners prepared!" Mildred shouted. "Coming!" I shouted back and stuffed my suffragette ribbon into my cotton pillow case.

I walked downstairs and smoothed out the skirt of my dress, making sure my petticoat wasn't peeking out. I heard Roger and Daisy chitchatting to an unknown guest. I went into the dining room and I was shocked to see Ethel standing there.

That Ethel girl. There's only one word to describe her (which I'm not going to say as it is only used outside of a kennel)

"Good afternoon Marigold" she said turning to me and waving, smiling fakely. "Afternoon Ethel" I greeted her, walking forwards and sitting down at the dinner table. "May I be excused to use the lavatory Mr Aldaine?" Ethel asked, looking me up and down. "You shall Ethel" Father replied, opening the door for her like she was of a regal title, he then walked into the sitting room.

Johnny knocked on the lavatory door, "corset too tight?" He teased her making Ethel groan. Roger and Daisy both got the giggles. I let out a little snort. Ethel flushed the toilet and came back out again. "Oh the smell is terrible!" Johnny put a hand on his forehead and pretended to faint. I laughed, looking down at my lap to hide it.

"Do be quiet, you dirty little servant" Ethel snapped, looking at Johnny sternly. "He's not any of that Ethel, he's a nice boy and is very smart and funny and he makes my boots shine brightly and he's my best mate" Roger said innocently, giving Ethel a "I'm adorable" look.

Ethel sighed and went back to her seat. "Where are your sisters today?" I inquired. "Pardon?" Ethel replied, wiping her mouth with a napkin, pretending she didn't hear me. I took a deep breath. "I asked where are your sisters today?" I repeated myself, dipping my bread into my soup and taking a bite of it.

"Oh, Helen is away with her sweetheart and Angel is horseriding, do you have a sweetheart Marigold?" she answered, looking at me as daintily as possible. "No," I replied simply, smiling cheekily, "I'm a free woman as of now, I have some good friends who take the part of a sweetheart for me" I sat up straight.

"You are getting on like a suffragette" She said to me in a quiet tone, a faint whisper. I shrugged, "I don't mind that, I think they are all empowering individuals who stand for what they believe in and will stop at nothing to get their message across" I finished my soup as I said that and I placed the dishes near the sink. I wandered out of the room not saying a single word.

Johnny was in my room collecting the washing. "Good for you Marigold, you showed that Ethel who's the daughter of this house" he gave me a wink as he was walking down the staircase to do the washing and I winked back.

I laid back on my bed, just letting myself drift off in my thoughts. I became sleepier and sleepier then I slowly fell asleep.

*dream sequence*

"Marigold, I've got a surprise for you" Benjamin said, his words gliding like strokes of a paintbrush against a canvas.
"Oh what is it? What is it?" I asked frantically, smiling
"Now, now, don't get your knickers in a knot" he giggled, fixing my hat. He took hold of my hand and ran with me across this beautiful field of grass, we stomped carelessly over all the flowers.
"Close your eyes now" he demanded nicely, I did so.
"Now, 1, 2, 3, open!"