Rose on Wheels Read online

  Rose on Wheels

  It’s 1900 and Rose feels that Aunt Alice is the only person who understands her wish to go to a real school instead of having lessons in the stuffy schoolroom at home. But now it looks as if Aunt Alice is going to live in Adelaide, leaving poor Rose with her dreadful new governess, Miss Higginbottom! Can Rose stop Aunt Alice leaving Melbourne? And has her chance of going to school gone forever?

  Follow Rose on her adventure in the second of four stories about a Federation girl who’s determined to do things her way!

  Puffin Books

  For Brian

  With illustrations by Lucia Masciullo

  Puffin Books

  Rose longs to go to school, climb trees and play cricket, but instead she must stay at home doing endless embroidery with horrid Miss Parson. Then her adventurous young aunt returns to Melbourne and Rose gets a taste of how exciting life could be! Aunt Alice lends her wonderful books, and even takes her into the city. However, Mother doesn’t approve of Alice and her modern ideas, and Rose can sense that trouble is brewing …

  Contents

  1 Caught

  2 Double Warries

  3 a New Friend

  4 Secrets

  5 Bowling Bonanza

  6 Ride Like the Wind

  7 Rescued from the Mud

  8 St Swithin’s?

  ROSE pushed her embroidery needle through the doily and gasped as she pricked herself. Holy smoke, I hate embroidery! she thought. Blood welled up and hastily she wiped her finger on a handkerchief. She threw it down and pulled her chair over to the window of the small schoolroom.

  From this part of the house, she could see John grooming the horses, and a strange boy in the yard cleaning Aunt Alice’s bicycle, which she’d promised that Rose could learn to ride. The boy was skinny, about her height but with arms like pea sticks. His bright thatch of blonde hair was like a patch of sunlight moving around the yard, and when he talked and laughed with John, his whole face came alive. I’m going to find out who he is, Rose thought. He looks interesting.

  The room was stuffy, and Miss Parson had piled more coal on the fire while she sniffed and coughed. ‘Rose,’ she said suddenly, ‘I’m not well. Lessons are finished for the day.’

  ‘Oh! I hope you get better soon,’ Rose said, and rushed out of the schoolroom, so grateful to escape that at first she didn’t think much about what Miss Parson had said. But Miss Parson hadn’t been her usual self for a few days. Usually she tried to sound bossy and important like Mother, but lately she’d been very gloomy.

  Oh well, Rose was just delighted to be free for the rest of the day. What should she do? She was soon curled up in an armchair in her room, reading a wonderful new story, Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. It was almost as good as Treasure Island. In the three months Aunt Alice had been staying with them, she’d lent Rose lots of lovely novels to read. Even better was the time she spent with Aunt Alice – laughing and talking about all sorts of things. Sometimes Aunt Alice felt like an aunt, a sister and a friend, all rolled into one.

  But it wasn’t long before Rose began fidgeting, not really in the mood for a book after all. Instead, she remembered the boy and the bicycle – maybe this was the perfect time to ask Aunt Alice if she could learn to ride, and she could find out more about him.

  Rose ran along the hallway to Aunt Alice’s room, knocked and rushed in, banging the door back against the wall. ‘Aunt Alice, do you think – oh!’ She stopped short. The person who stood in front of her was not Aunt Alice.

  It was Miss Parson! The governess froze, colour leeching from her face, her mouth open. She was clutching something tightly in one hand.

  Rose’s heart banged against her ribs. ‘Are you … are you supposed to be in here? ’

  ‘I … I came to … borrow a book,’ Miss Parson stuttered.

  Rose stared at Miss Parson – she wasn’t holding any books at all, but her hand was still clenched. ‘What have you got there?’

  ‘Nothing. Er… one of my hair pins fell out, that’s all.’ Miss Parson took a shuddering breath and moved forward, brushing past Rose and heading for the hallway without another word.

  Phew! Rose was baffled, but she had a feeling Miss Parson had been lying. Rose checked Aunt Alice’s dresser drawers and, sure enough, they were all messy, as though someone had been rummaging through them. She opened the jewellery box but she couldn’t tell if anything was missing. She’d have to ask Aunt Alice later.

  Rose’s heartbeat slowly returned to normal while she puzzled over Miss Parson’s behaviour. Was she only snooping, or was there more to it? She’d often snooped in Rose’s room. And if she were stealing things, why? Was she so terribly poor, like the people Rose had seen being evicted from their house in town? Yet Miss Parson had a room in this house to live in, plenty of food to eat, and a yearly wage. Did she have debts? Rose wondered.

  These worrying thoughts were like sharp teeth nibbling at Rose. Aunt Alice mightn’t be back for ages, and there was no use asking Mother – she’d demand an explanation and then Miss Parson would be in tremendous trouble. Mother would dismiss her, and maybe she’d even go to gaol. That would be awful! Even if Miss Parson were stealing, Rose didn’t want bad things to happen to her.

  Father was at the Emporium. Edward was at school. What about Martha? She always listened.

  Rose walked to the other end of the hallway, to Martha’s room, and knocked.

  ‘Who is it?’ Martha called in a soft voice.

  ‘It’s me, Rose.’

  ‘Come in,’ Martha said.

  Rose entered and found Martha’s room in near darkness. The curtains were closed and no lights were on, apart from a small lamp on the wall. Martha lay on her bed, a cloth over her eyes. Thoughts of Miss Parson flew out of Rose’s head. ‘Are you sick?’ she asked anxiously.

  ‘Just a headache,’ Martha whispered. ‘It’ll go away soon.’

  ‘Oh. I’ll go away too, then.’

  ‘No, no, stay,’ Martha said. ‘I hardly ever see you anymore, or talk to you.’

  ‘Well, you’re always so busy dressing up with Mother and thinking about getting married,’ Rose said. She plopped herself down on the chair next to Martha’s bed and leaned forward, resting her arms on the bedcovers. ‘Maybe that’s why you have a headache. Your brain is tired of hats and hair and hat pins.’

  Martha smiled. ‘I think my head is tired of Lord Elton’s nephew, Raymond.’

  ‘Is he handsome?’ Rose asked. ‘Or is he rich?’

  ‘He’s both,’ Martha said, ‘but he is a complete ninny. Spends all his time gambling and riding horses and pretending he is someone special. Ugh!’ She shuddered. ‘I’d rather die than marry anyone like that.’

  Goodness, Martha’s head must really be aching! Rose thought.

  ‘Me, too.’ She stroked Martha’s forehead, and sprinkled cool water from a jug onto the cloth.

  ‘Oh, that is so nice,’ Martha said. ‘Anyway, Raymond says he may return to England next week, thank goodness.’ She closed her eyes and Rose waited, and then wondered if she had fallen asleep.

  But a smile crept across Martha’s face. ‘I still can’t believe you cut up your corset.’

  ‘Mother nearly had a fit!’ The memory still made Rose laugh, even though it was weeks ago.

  ‘Good for you. The corset she bought me is hurting my back terribly, but she won’t listen. I may have to take to it with the scissors, too.’ She opened her eyes and stared at Rose. ‘Now, something is bothering you, I can tell, and it’s not the corset. What is it?’

  Rose hesitated. Could she really accuse Miss Parson without knowing for certain if she’d taken something?

  ROSE twisted her fingers together, searching for the right words. ‘It’s Miss Parson.
’

  ‘Is she such a bad teacher? She seems very grim.’

  ‘It’s not that. It’s … I just caught her in Aunt Alice’s room, and I don’t know what to do about it.’

  Martha lay back and breathed deeply. ‘Do you think she was stealing things?’

  ‘I’m sure she’d been going through Aunt Alice’s drawers and jewellery box.’

  ‘Now that you mention it, I’m missing my tortoiseshell comb,’ Martha said, frowning. ‘I thought I’d lost it.’

  ‘Aunt Alice is out, but when she returns I plan to ask her to check.’

  ‘You should tell Mother or Father, too,’ Martha said.

  Rose hesitated. That would make things worse, maybe for no good reason. ‘Don’t worry about it. I’ll ask Aunt Alice first.’

  ‘All right.’ Martha rubbed at her right temple. ‘This pain is driving me mad. Can you call Sally, please? I need a remedy.’

  Rose escaped before Martha could change her mind and insist on telling Mother. She went to find Sally, who was in the drawing room, dusting the sideboard and polishing the big silver serving forks and spoons.

  Sally’s face furrowed when she heard Rose’s request. ‘I’m not supposed to give Miss Martha the remedy,’ she said. ‘The mistress said.’

  ‘I’ll take it up,’ Rose said.

  Sally shook her head. ‘It’s terrible strong, only for emergencies. Your mother would be ever so angry.’

  ‘But…’

  ‘Let’s wait. Your mother will be home shortly, and she can decide. Half an hour isn’t long.’

  Rose nodded. Maybe Martha would go to sleep and feel better when she woke up. Rose went out into the garden, walking up and down past the rows of spring jonquils and worrying about Miss Parson and Martha, and wishing Mother would hurry home. Finally, she heard carriage wheels crunching up the driveway, and the horse blowing as it clip-clopped to a halt. John jumped off the driver’s seat and helped Mother down from the carriage.

  Rose ran up to her. ‘Mother, Martha needs –’

  ‘Is that the way to greet your mother?’ Mother said, brushing her skirt down.

  ‘I’m sorry. Good afternoon, Mother. But I have to tell you, Martha’s head aches badly and she asked me to fetch her a remedy.’

  For once, Mother didn’t scold or glare. ‘Thank you, Rose. I shall go up and see her right away.’ She swept up the steps and into the house, leaving Rose standing in the driveway.

  John winked at her. ‘I don’t suppose you’d like to drive the carriage around to the stable, would you?’

  ‘Oh, yes please!’ Rose rushed to the carriage footstool and John helped her up into the driver’s seat, then sat beside her. ‘It’s so high up here,’ Rose said. ‘You can see everything.’

  ‘Aye, well, you need to,’ John said. ‘Lots of silly drivers around, and as for those motor cars – they’re a danger and frighten the horses. Now, take the reins like this.’ John patiently explained how to hold the reins firmly, and then shake them briskly to give Chester the horse the signal to move. Sure enough, at Rose’s command Chester set off along the driveway and around the side of the house, only walking, it was true, but still Rose felt as if she was in charge of the whole world!

  As the horse got closer to the stable, John said, ‘Pull back firmly now, and tell him to stop.’ Rose did so, and the horse obediently came to a standstill, shaking its head a little. Rose looked for the strange blonde boy she’d seen earlier but there was no one around.

  ‘Chester’ll be wanting his dinner,’ John said, ‘so I’d better take the harness off and feed him.’ Rose leapt off the seat and John climbed down more slowly.

  ‘That was nearly as much fun as driving a tram,’ Rose said, beaming.

  John laughed. ‘I’d like to see that one day.’

  Rose waved and ran in through the back door of the house and up to her room. She wanted to wait there until Aunt Alice came home, but her tummy was rumbling, and it was more than an hour until lunch. I’ll go back to the kitchen to ask for something to eat, she thought. Biscuits, perhaps, or a slice of pie.

  Just as she reached the kitchen door, which was slightly ajar, she heard voices and Miss Parson’s name. She stopped, feeling a little bit naughty, but very curious.

  ‘She’s been looking so peaky,’ Cook said. ‘And eating like a horse.’

  ‘It’s not her that’s eating,’ Sally said. ‘She’s got a big handbag that she keeps under the table, and she slips the food into it.’

  ‘What for?’ Cook asked. ‘Does she get hungry in the middle of the night?’

  John coughed, and Rose drew back. Anyone might come out and catch her listening, but still she couldn’t make herself leave.

  ‘I heard her family is in trouble,’ John said. ‘Her mother was a maid at the Duponts, where Miss Alice goes to teach elocution. Miss Alice told me that Mrs Dupont fired Miss Parson’s mother.’

  ‘Goodness!’ Sally said. ‘What for?’

  Was it stealing? Rose wondered.

  ‘Mrs Dupont likes to rule the roost, and screams at the housemaids in French,’ John said. ‘Old Mrs Parson upset her over a flower arrangement, and that was that – dismissed on the spot. Now the family is in debt and near starving.’

  Rose slowly stepped away from the kitchen door and went back upstairs. Poor Miss Parson. It didn’t make Rose like her any more, but it did explain her lined, worried face and the stealing.

  Rose paced around her bedroom. What should she do? She would have to tell Aunt Alice, because Miss Parson had been in her room, but maybe she hadn’t taken anything. Aunt Alice was so clever – she’d be sure to know what to do.

  Rose heard a door open and close, and someone moving around next door. Was it Miss Parson again? Well, no matter how bad things were, she couldn’t be allowed to get away with thieving!

  Rose stepped out into the hallway, went over to Aunt Alice’s door and threw it open. ‘I know about your family,’ Rose said loudly. ‘But you have to stop.’

  A FIGURE emerged from behind the wardrobe door.

  ‘Rose! Whatever do you mean – I know about your family?’

  Rose’s face burned. ‘Sorry, Aunt Alice, I thought you were someone else.’

  Aunt Alice raised her eyebrows. ‘Who else would I be?’

  ‘I thought it was Miss Parson. I saw her in here before.’ Rose swallowed hard. ‘I … think she might have been stealing. Can you check your dresser, please?’

  ‘Goodness, I hope you’re not right, Rose.’ Aunt Alice shut the wardrobe door with a bang. ‘She’ll be dismissed.’

  ‘But … it’s not just that.’ Rose grabbed Aunt Alice’s hand. ‘Miss Parson is in a terrible position – her family are starving.’

  ‘Well, I have to tell someone,’ Aunt Alice said. ‘If she steals something really valuable, she might end up in gaol.’

  Rose let go of her aunt’s hand and wrapped her arms around herself. ‘I just think it would be awful to make Miss Parson’s family starve even more.’

  A smile twitched at the corners of Aunt Alice’s mouth. ‘I’m not sure you can starve even more than starving. But I understand why you’re upset, Rose. Let me look around first.’ She swiftly inspected her drawers and then her jewellery box.

  ‘Hmm, my amethyst butterfly brooch is missing.’

  ‘Oh.’ Rose felt her stomach plummet. ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘I suppose I could have misplaced it. I’ll wait a day or two and see if it turns up, but I’ll be keeping a close watch, and if anything else is missing, I will have to take action.’

  ‘All right,’ Rose said, relief rushing through her. At least no one was going to go and accuse Miss Parson right now.

  The lunch bell rang, interrupting Rose’s thoughts, and she trudged downstairs, questions still whirling in her head. At the dining table, she sat quietly as Sally served up beef and vegetable soup and everyone’s spoons clinked against their plate. It seemed nobody was in the mood for conversation today – Aunt Alice looked tired an
d Martha’s face was still so pale that Rose could see tiny veins under her skin. Mother’s brow was set in a deep frown.

  ‘Rose,’ Mother began, then paused for a moment. ‘Did anything happen this morning with Miss Parson? ’

  Rose looked up and saw Aunt Alice staring at her, her eyes troubled.

  ‘Um … Miss Parson wasn’t very well. She kept saying the schoolroom was cold.’ Rose bent over her plate and pushed some pieces of carrot around.

  ‘It’s all very strange,’ Mother said. ‘She has left us, just packed her bags and gone. It’s most inconvenient. And the silly woman wouldn’t give me a reason.’

  Rose’s spoon clattered into her plate. ‘She’s gone? Where?’

  ‘How should I know?’ Mother said crossly. ‘I suppose I shall have to find you another governess. I’m so busy at the moment, this is the last thing I need.’

  Aunt Alice said softly, ‘I could be Rose’s governess.’ At Mother’s ‘Hmph’ she added, ‘Just until you find someone suitable, of course.’

  Rose crossed her fingers tightly under the table. Please say yes, Mother, please! But Rose knew not to utter a word.

  ‘And what would you teach her?’ Mother asked. ‘Something entirely unsuitable, I would imagine.’

  ‘Just what she is learning now,’ Aunt Alice said. ‘French, embroidery, perhaps some dancing or elocution. Good manners.’

  Rose stared at Aunt Alice. Holy smoke! Why on earth would she want to keep learning those stupid things? Aunt Alice shook her head slightly at Rose.

  ‘Oh,’ said Mother. ‘You are experienced in those subjects?’

  ‘Certainly. It’s what I am teaching the Dupont girls, in between their English lessons.’

  Mother sniffed. ‘I will need to consider it. I really do need to find someone… qualified.’

  ‘Fine,’ Aunt Alice said. ‘Let me know when you decide.’

  For the rest of lunch, Mother quizzed Martha about her social engagements, and whether she would see Lord Elton’s nephew before he left for London.