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Back The Dazzle of the Light Save as PDF
Chapters (55)
  1. Praise for Georgina Clarke
  2. 1
  3. 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. 6
  8. 7
  9. 8
  10. 9
  11. 10
  12. 11
  13. 12
  14. 13
  15. 14
  16. 15
  17. 16
  18. 17
  19. 18
  20. 19
  21. 20
  22. 21
  23. 22
  24. 23
  25. 24
  26. 25
  27. 26
  28. 27
  29. 28
  30. 29
  31. 30
  32. 31
  33. 32
  34. 33
  35. 34
  36. 35
  37. 36
  38. 37
  39. 38
  40. 39
  41. 40
  42. 41
  43. 42
  44. 43
  45. 44
  46. 45
  47. 46
  48. 47
  49. 48
  50. 49
  51. Historical Note
  52. Acknowledgements
  53. Also by Georgina Clarke
  54. About the Author
  55. Copyright

‘Ralph has the potential to become prime minister of this country, Harriet. He might have made a mistake – a foolish and hurtful one – but you have made mistakes, too, don’t forget. You have thrown yourself into recklessness when restraint and caution might have been the wiser course. You will learn to forgive Ralph for this, even as he accepts you, with all your faults – and we must hope that he will. Our country needs men like Ralph, and we must overlook their weaknesses and indiscretions sometimes, for the greater good. We have to be strong and virtuous, to show them the way.’

Harriet does not want to be strong or virtuous. She does not know what she wants anymore, and when her mother leaves, despite her own resolution, she buries her head into her pillow and sobs.

43

43

Thursday afternoon

Maggs talks all the way to the jewellers. Yak, yak, yak. Ruby does not listen. She has heard Maggs’s lecture many times before. She can recite it almost as easily as she can recite the alphabet. Always the same: don’t linger about, do what you’ve gone to do, don’t run unless you’re certain someone is chasing you, don’t look guilty.

This is a solo job, though, and Ruby will be on her own in the shop. Maggs will wait outside again, ready to block the path of anyone who might be chasing her down the street.

Ruby knows what she is doing. Maggs needs to bloody shut up so she can concentrate.

Maggs has stopped lecturing and is talking about Daisy. Even here, far away from the Borough and the Forties, Maggs drops her voice.

‘She’s really struggling, Ruby.’

‘I know. I’ve seen her, remember? I’ve not cut her off.’

‘Annie’s torn. She wants to help her out, but she can’t let her brothers know – or Freddy Moss.’

‘Annie should make up her mind.’

‘You’re right. I said as much to Annie. The Forties are the Forties, whatever the Elephants say.’

And Daisy will be back on her feet soon without their help; Ruby has made sure of that.

The shop is in sight.

‘Shut up now, Maggs. I need to focus.’ Ruby feels inside her pocket for the velvet purse. It is within easy reach. If she pokes her fingers into the bag, she can subtly ease out the pieces one by one. She can decide, just by touch, which is which and replace the real gems with them. She will take her time, remain calm, be deliberate. It is the first time she has been sent to do this, but it’s hardly her first job.

Maggs halts outside a shop selling clocks. ‘I’ll wait here,’ she says. ‘Looks more interesting than the florist.’