“Only trying to protect my sister, Officer,” the man said. “I’m Laurence Patterson the Third and I believe you know my father, Justice Laurence Patterson.”
“Know the gentleman well, sir.” The sergeant touched his cap. “I suggest you take the young lady home before any harm comes to her. Off you go, miss.”
Lucinda shot us a furious look as she was led away.
“This isn’t fair, Sergeant,” Sid said. “We have the same right as any citizen of New York to march in the parade.”
“Not if your presence causes a disruption, which it clearly was. It’s my job to make sure the parade goes nice and smoothly. So this is my final warning. Go home or get arrested.”
“We choose to get arrested,” Sid said. “Are you with me, sisters?”
The policeman sighed. “Very well, if you insist. Take ’em away, men. There’s a Black Maria waiting around the corner on Fiftieth.”
“This is outrageous!” Sid exclaimed.
“My father will hear of this,” another woman shouted.
“Your father will thank me, miss, for keeping you safe,” the sergeant called after us.
“Why, it’s Miss Murphy, isn’t it?” said a voice in my ear, and I looked into the face of a young constable I recognized. He was one of the few who had been loyal to Daniel during his time of disgrace.
“Hello, Constable Byrne,” I said, giving him a weak smile.
“What are you doing mixed up with this lot?” he said.
“Campaigning for the vote for women, like the others.”
“Listen,” he said quietly, “why don’t I just escort you through the crowd and let you make your own way home. No need for you to go through the unpleasantness of jail. I’m sure Captain Sullivan wouldn’t want it.”
I must admit I was sorely tempted, having experienced jail on more than one occasion. But then I saw Sid and Gus and Emily being marched down the street like common criminals.
“I’m sorry,” I said, “but I can’t abandon my friends now. I know where my duty lies. Take me to the Black Maria with them.”
“Very well, if you insist.” He looked most worried. “But Captain Sullivan won’t like it.”
“You could do me one favor, please, Constable. Could you get word of this to Captain Sullivan? I’ve no wish for my friends and me to spend longer in jail than necessary.”
“I’ll do my best, Miss Murphy,” he said, and helped me up into the back of the police wagon.
Four
Isn’t this exciting,” said a voice from the darkness as the Black Maria took off, lurching from side to side.
“Absolutely ripping,” another voice agreed.
“I’m going to contact our friend Nellie Bly and make sure it gets into all the papers,” a voice that sounded like Sid’s said. “This will give us better publicity than we had hoped for. And maybe stir up sympathy among other women when they see how we’ve been treated.”
“I hope they don’t actually treat us badly,” a small voice said with a tremor of alarm. “I’ve no wish to be locked up in a dismal cell with only bread and water.”
“They’ll fine us and let us go with a warning,” Sid said. “Besides, we must be prepared to suffer for the cause. You saw how those men in the crowd behaved. We don’t have an easy task ahead of us, that’s for sure.”
“Oh dear, my father’s going to be furious,” another voice whispered. “You saw how Lucinda’s brother behaved. My father will be ten times worse.”
“Stick to your guns, Matilda,” Gus said. “You are over twenty-one and able to make up your own mind.”
“Yes, but I’m still living under his roof. I’ve no profession and no marriage prospects. What will I do if he throws me out?”
“Come and live with us,” Gus said. “We’ve a spare room and Molly’s just across the street with spare rooms too. We’ll start a little colony of Vassar girls suffering for the cause!”
This caused merriment and the black mood was broken. All the same, I could understand that it was terrifying for these young women to be lurching along in pitch darkness, not knowing where they were headed. I knew, and I wasn’t looking forward to it, I can tell you. I just prayed that these delicate flowers were not shoved into cells with female pickpockets and prostitutes to teach them a lesson. In fact I prayed that the constable would be able to find Daniel and deliver my message.