Storm and Silence

from the bed, where, judging from the dampness of her pillows, she had

ith suppressed anguish. With both hands, she held a handkerchief to her mouth as if to stifle a scream that was on the tip of her tongue. Glittering tears decorated her f

you wearing Uncle Bufford's old striped trousers?' At the last question, she actually stopped crying.

r, patting her on the he

u?' she repeated the qu

gged.

he

here i

n gone the

It didn't sound very convincing, unf

rs?' she asked again. Apparently, this poin

or some legitimate reason why a girl should b

wide, puffed sleeves and lace trimmings, and, of course, the crinoline, a structure for supporting enormous hoop skirts that was made out of the bones of whales

s there a legitimate reason why a

se she actually h

nswer, Lilly? Wh

ent with Ella. I bit my lip, trying de

r hands together like a little chi

er? But I simply couldn't tel

he dark, that is. If I told her that I went out, dressed in men's clothes, to illegally vote at a parliamentary election, was offered a job as a secretary, go

y.' I affected a quite convincing shudder. 'And I had read in some book – I don't remember the title right now – of girls dressing up as men when they did not want to be harassed, so I thought why not do

to my sister Maria for the very first time in my l

eone, but when they were in the family circle and I was the subject of their mirth, they frequently

eful about who you

ked politely, suppressing the urge to

eyes as if this s

been talking about nothing but him for the last three

glare on the twins. They were annoying enough under normal circumstances, but now that

oes the talk

hanged a mean

tall,' gi

k as night,' said Maria,

ght,' I mumbled. 'More like

ignor

biggest ship they've ever seen down there, with an army of servants and armed guards, and he started buying up property all over town. Nobody has been able to find out who exact

uld see by the longing sparkle in my sis

fe. I didn't feel much li

ctically shut himself up in that place he's had built in Leadenhall Street – almost never comes

st. At any other time, I might have enjoyed speculating about the reasons behind this, but right now

answer to the government. This man... did he answer to anyone? Again, I remembered how his henchman had hauled off the fat swindler int

yed to acquire the fortune he apparently possessed. Not by inheriting it from a noble an

the lump in my throat. 'You mentioned h

only rumoured to be one of the richest men