The Bannister Girls by Jean Saunders Page B

run away like cowards?’
    â€˜Because it’s not their country, and while Germany is at war with Britain, the government will have no choice but to put them away for the duration, Angel.’
    â€˜I never heard of anything so idiotic,’ Ellen raged. ‘You obviously don’t know that Mr Roly-Poly Strube was beaten to a pulp last night until he was dead. What justification is there in that,
Mother
?’
    Clemence went white with shock, but she was too angry with Ellen to comment on the cruel murder at that moment.
    â€˜Perhaps it will help to prove to you that all this independent women’s movement nonsense will get you nowhere. The government decides what’s best in the end, and it’s as perfectly clear that these foreigners must be put safely away,’ Clemence said coldly, using the moment to chip away at Ellen’s beliefs.
    As Ellen threw up her hands in despair, she turned to Rose, putting a kindly arm around her shoulders.
    â€˜Let’s go and find some witch-hazel for your poor face, dear, to prevent it bruising too badly.’
    â€˜Thank-you, Mrs Bannister,’ Rose sniffled. ‘But in the circumstances, I don’t think I can stay here any longer. I shall go back to London, or into lodgings –’
    â€˜We’ll think about all that tomorrow when you’re rested,’ Clemence said soothingly. ‘London’s not the safest place for you, but I know someone who’s looking for a companion housekeeper, and the position might just suit you, Rose dear, with your experience in housewifery.’
    Their voices faded away as the two of them went out of the room, and while Angel wanted to die with embarrassment at her mother’s implication that Rose’s future status could be little more than a servant, Ellen exploded with anger.
    â€˜If that doesn’t beat all! Rose is more of a ninny than I took her for, if she can’t see how Mother is patronising her. Experience in housewifery indeed! She was married for such a short time, Ronnie could hardly have got the knickers off her!’
    â€˜Ellen!’ Angel felt the ghost of a grin tug at her mouth despite herself.
    She felt so damned responsible for Rose’s outburst. She should never have let her get so interested in the goings-on at Mr Strube’s shop, and she should have recognised that burning light in Rose’s eyes when she heard what had happened. To her surprise, she felt Ellen’s hand on hershoulder, holding her tight for a moment.
    â€˜Sorry, old thing. My tongue runs away with me at times. Don’t go blaming yourself on Rose’s account. Most of the women in the movement found her odd at times. Highly-strung, not to say teetering on the edge! You couldn’t have foreseen what was coming. I mean, look at the way she carried on with old Hobbs. Probably scared him to death, if the truth was known.’
    Angel let that pass.
    â€˜Still. I suppose it was stupid of me to go on so about poor Mr Strube –’
    â€˜Why? We’d known him for years. Why shouldn’t we be sorry he’d been killed? It’s not every day a murder occurs in the village, is it?’
    Angel shuddered. It
was
murder, and someone would have to pay the price. Unless it was all hushed up, of course, and no criminal ever discovered. With her new-found wisdom, Angel wondered if it would be exactly like that.
    â€˜What will they do?’ she asked Ellen.
    Ellen shrugged. ‘The police will make enquiries. No one will admit to anything. No one will have seen or heard anything. There will be no witnesses. Case unsolved. End of case.’
    â€˜How wise you are about such things!’
    Ellen half-smiled. ‘I haven’t lived on the wrong side of London with some very dubious characters without learning more of life than I ever learned in the schoolroom, darling,’ she said.
    Her face suddenly drooped.
    â€˜I shall miss Rose. We’ve been friends a