‘And yet even in Emmeline’s undoubtedly liberated environment where both parents were advocates of equal suffrage, she was aware of a difference in how her brothers were treated compared to her and her sisters,’ Lady Russell’s ringing voice proclaimed. ‘The boys’ education, for example, was considered a much more serious matter by their parents. Emmeline realized that men considered themselves the superior sex and that the best of women, her own mother, apparently acquiesced to that belief. The young Emmeline found this very difficult to reconcile.’

As Lady Russell paused to take a sip of water from the glass at her elbow, Ruby was aware of a sudden flood of homesickness sweeping over her. Whether it was the memories of her own happy childhood she didn’t know, but she had to make a conscious effort to close her mind to thoughts of her mam and da. Her mam had chosen Olive. That’s what she had to remember, she told herself sternly. When push had come to shove, and in the face of a huge betrayal from her sister, their mam had sided with Olive.

She took a deep breath, willing the momentary weakness to pass as quickly as it had come. It was Ellie’s departure that had made her so up and down in the last little while, that was all. But she couldn’t dwell on that either, or how Daniel Bell might be treating her friend. It was too weakening. She just had to hope that Ellie would seek her out if anything was wrong.

She felt relief when Lady Russell began to speak again and she could concentrate on what the other woman was saying.

‘When Emmeline Goulden married Dr Pankhurst she knew she was marrying a man of like mind,’ Lady Russell declared firmly. ‘He was a man who had lent the weight of his honoured name to the suffrage movement before it became popular, and who believed that society, as well as the family, stands in need of women’s services. Their children would be treated equally in every respect, regardless of their sex.’

The crowd were hushed; even the woman in front of Ruby was quiet now. It was clear Lady Russell wanted to emphasize her next words as she moved to the very edge of the bandstand, bending slightly forward as she said, ‘To any unmarried girls here, I urge you to choose very carefully when you commit yourself to your life partner. Politicians and leaders will fight on for the suffrage movement, but I believe it is in the family home, from cradle until adulthood, where the greatest changes are required. The values that children learn from their parents are the ones that will change the world for good or ill. Make it for good, young women of Britain.’