voice, the expression of sheer terror in the Superintendent’s bloodshot eyes. She might beg them to be good but Miss Crombie, as every girl present knew only too well, no longer had the power to make them.
Within seconds the dining room was in uproar. Food was flying everywhere, girls were jumping up and down on the benches, singing and dancing, yelling and screaming, and poor Miss Crombie and her staff were becoming ever more demented, running around ineffectually blowing whistles and clanging bells, achieving nothing very much at all. It was not surprising that, in view of their hunger, the girls’ good humour rapidly deteriorated and serious fighting broke out. Crockery and windows were broken before, finally, the riot was brought to an abrupt end by the arrival of the constabulary.
Chapter Eight
Several days later Ruby once more stood before Barthram Stobbs. Miss Crombie was not present on this occasion as she had handed in her resignation on the evening of the riot and departed, clutching her carpet bag, without spending another night in the place. Many of the girls had been brought before the Board of Guardians or, worse, the magistrates’ bench. Pearl and several other girls who had taken no direct part in the riot were nevertheless accused of provocation and ordered to spend three days in padded cells, meant to cool their hysteria. Pearl didn’t go quietly. She’d been dragged away screaming that it was all Ruby’s fault.
Ruby was utterly devastated. Of course it had been her fault. It had been she, yet again, who had made a fuss, a reckless complaint about the state of the food, and poor Pearl who had suffered in consequence.
The interview was this time conducted by the Chairman of the Governors himself, his bloodshot eyes entirely unforgiving, even the pimple on his bulbous nose seeming to nod a warning that no protest would avail her. Barthram Stobbs’s offer had apparently changed and the Chairman was telling Ruby what a very fortunate young woman she was.
‘You are to be spared from sinking further into immoral depravity through the sanctity of holy matrimony.’
‘Holy ... ?’
‘Hold your tongue, girl! Haven’t you done enough damage already? We’ve lost Miss Crombie and must now find a new, less beneficent Superintendent to keep the girls in order.’ The Chairman sighed heavily as he glowered down upon her and Ruby would not have been in the least surprised to see fire breathed from those wide, hairy nostrils. Turning his back upon her, he addressed his next remarks directly to his visitor. ‘`Immorality is ever a problem with these reformatory girls. Along with disobedience, rudeness and impropriety. They are drawn from the lowest stratum of society and it is a well-nigh hopeless task to redeem them from those depths.’
Barthram Stobbs said, ‘This girl has potential, I believe, and I am, as I have explained, in need of a wife. I really do not have the heart to seek more than a good housekeeper and helpmeet. My dear late wife was All to me, and without her I cannot imagine ever. . .’
He could hear the quiver of insincerity in his own voice, felt certain the dratted man could guess that this was all a lie, that he was no widower, never had had a wife, nor ever felt the need for one. But he did now. Dear God, he must have her. He meant to make Ruby McBride his own, one way or another, and if the price was matrimony, so be it. It was one he would happily pay.
The Chairman cleared his throat. ‘Quite, quite. I understand perfectly. I admire your Christian charity, sir, and trust you will not live to regret this amazing act of generosity.’
‘I’m sure I will not.’
‘The necessary arrangements have been made?’
‘Indeed they have. I collected the special licence this morning. We can be wed today, without fuss or delay.’
‘Very wise, I’m sure.’ The Chairman turned to Ruby, who was listening in a state of complete shock. ‘Well, there you have it, girl.
Within seconds the dining room was in uproar. Food was flying everywhere, girls were jumping up and down on the benches, singing and dancing, yelling and screaming, and poor Miss Crombie and her staff were becoming ever more demented, running around ineffectually blowing whistles and clanging bells, achieving nothing very much at all. It was not surprising that, in view of their hunger, the girls’ good humour rapidly deteriorated and serious fighting broke out. Crockery and windows were broken before, finally, the riot was brought to an abrupt end by the arrival of the constabulary.
Chapter Eight
Several days later Ruby once more stood before Barthram Stobbs. Miss Crombie was not present on this occasion as she had handed in her resignation on the evening of the riot and departed, clutching her carpet bag, without spending another night in the place. Many of the girls had been brought before the Board of Guardians or, worse, the magistrates’ bench. Pearl and several other girls who had taken no direct part in the riot were nevertheless accused of provocation and ordered to spend three days in padded cells, meant to cool their hysteria. Pearl didn’t go quietly. She’d been dragged away screaming that it was all Ruby’s fault.
Ruby was utterly devastated. Of course it had been her fault. It had been she, yet again, who had made a fuss, a reckless complaint about the state of the food, and poor Pearl who had suffered in consequence.
The interview was this time conducted by the Chairman of the Governors himself, his bloodshot eyes entirely unforgiving, even the pimple on his bulbous nose seeming to nod a warning that no protest would avail her. Barthram Stobbs’s offer had apparently changed and the Chairman was telling Ruby what a very fortunate young woman she was.
‘You are to be spared from sinking further into immoral depravity through the sanctity of holy matrimony.’
‘Holy ... ?’
‘Hold your tongue, girl! Haven’t you done enough damage already? We’ve lost Miss Crombie and must now find a new, less beneficent Superintendent to keep the girls in order.’ The Chairman sighed heavily as he glowered down upon her and Ruby would not have been in the least surprised to see fire breathed from those wide, hairy nostrils. Turning his back upon her, he addressed his next remarks directly to his visitor. ‘`Immorality is ever a problem with these reformatory girls. Along with disobedience, rudeness and impropriety. They are drawn from the lowest stratum of society and it is a well-nigh hopeless task to redeem them from those depths.’
Barthram Stobbs said, ‘This girl has potential, I believe, and I am, as I have explained, in need of a wife. I really do not have the heart to seek more than a good housekeeper and helpmeet. My dear late wife was All to me, and without her I cannot imagine ever. . .’
He could hear the quiver of insincerity in his own voice, felt certain the dratted man could guess that this was all a lie, that he was no widower, never had had a wife, nor ever felt the need for one. But he did now. Dear God, he must have her. He meant to make Ruby McBride his own, one way or another, and if the price was matrimony, so be it. It was one he would happily pay.
The Chairman cleared his throat. ‘Quite, quite. I understand perfectly. I admire your Christian charity, sir, and trust you will not live to regret this amazing act of generosity.’
‘I’m sure I will not.’
‘The necessary arrangements have been made?’
‘Indeed they have. I collected the special licence this morning. We can be wed today, without fuss or delay.’
‘Very wise, I’m sure.’ The Chairman turned to Ruby, who was listening in a state of complete shock. ‘Well, there you have it, girl.
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