Free Legacy of Greyladies by Anna Jacobs Page B

started. You’ll see. We need to give women somewhere to speak out, train them to speak out for their own future. One woman’s voice isn’t enough. We need a big, loud chorus.’
    ‘A lot of women won’t dare speak out, even so. They’ve been brought up to keep quiet and let men do the talking about the wider world.’
    ‘That’s the beauty of it. They’ll learn to speak out by running their own group.’ Babs drained her glass of wine and poured herself another one. ‘Can’t you say something nice about the idea?’
    ‘Sorry. I love the idea of Women’s Institutes. I just think it’ll be hard to get them going. The best way might be to get an important person in each village on our side.’
    ‘But that would go against what we’re trying to do. We want ordinary women to speak to such people as equals!’
    ‘They’ll learn to do that gradually.’
    Babs leant back, scowling. ‘Gradually isn’t good enough. I never was very patient when a thing needed doing.’
    ‘Sometimes you have to be patient.’ Olivia took a deep breath and said it. ‘But if I can help in any way, then I will, because I really do like the idea. I can start after I go back to live in my old home in Swindon and— Hey! What are you doing?’
    For Babs had pulled her up and was waltzing her round the room. ‘I knew you’d help. I just knew it! You have that independent look to you.’
    So Olivia danced with her friend and at that moment something tight and painful inside her loosened just a little.

Chapter Five
    On Thursday 23rd December, Phoebe sat down to a solitary dinner in the great hall at Greyladies. When her husband was away, she used the smaller table near the window and in the daytime had a lovely view over the gardens. She sometimes wished she could eat in the kitchen with Ethel and Cook, for company. But that would make them feel uncomfortable.
    The meal was excellent, as usual, but Phoebe didn’t feel hungry. She pushed her food round her plate then piled it to one side, hoping it looked as if she’d eaten more than she had.
    She paused, fork in the air. Was that the sound of footsteps outside the back of the house? If so, they were too slow and faint to be caused by one of the soldiers who made regular patrols round the building. Anyway, tonight’s guard had clumped round the house and passed her window only a few minutes ago.
    The footsteps were coming closer. Surely it couldn’t be a trespasser trying to spy on what was going on inside the house? Her heart began to thud and a sudden urge to hide from view made her slip from her seat and move out of sight of whoever might be outside the window.
    As she flattened her back against a bookcase, she wondered if she was being foolish. Was there really someone prowling outside, or was she just imagining it?
    She was debating whether to return to her meal when she heard more faint sounds, closer this time. Someone was walking across the gravel outside and trying to keep quiet. The sounds were regular, definitely footsteps, definitely not a product of her imagination.
    She remained perfectly still, listening intently, feeling rather ridiculous to be hiding like this in her own house. She would draw the curtains at night from now on. She didn’t usually bother doing that, as the moonlit gardens could look so pretty and there was no one who overlooked these private gardens.
    This was all Hatterson’s fault for making her feel nervous. How dare he urge people to burn down Greyladies? What had she ever done to him that he wished her ill? In church, it had felt as though he was threatening her. He wouldn’t have dared try to occupy their pew if Corin had been with her.
    She’d have to face Hatterson again in two days’ time, because it was unthinkable that she should miss the Christmas Day service. Perhaps the men who’d come to her aid last week would keep an eye on her pew and stop any trouble before it began.
    And perhaps she was worrying about nothing.
    She jumped in