Rose's Challenge

by Lucia Masciullo

  ‘That’s why I have decided to take the position at Collingwood,’ Aunt Alice said.

  Silence fell around the table and everyone stared at her.

  Rose’s knife clattered onto her plate. No, she thought, I couldn’t go to that school. I couldn’t bear it!

  ‘Well …’ Father said, and said no more.

  ‘It does mean I may have to stay here longer than I thought, Daniel. I’m sorry if I’m a burden.’

  Father pointed his fork at her. ‘Never say that, sister dear. You’re not a burden at all. If my way of helping the poor is to support you in your educational endeavours, that is how it shall be.And pleased I am to do it.’

  Aunt Alice smiled at Rose. ‘Don’t worry, Rose, I wouldn’t let you attend that school, even if you felt you should.’

  Aunt Alice had guessed her worries! Surely she was the most wonderful aunt in the world. Rose relaxed and tucked in to her roast duck, even eating her green beans without complaint. Now she could look forward to school on Monday again.

  On Sunday, they had to go to church without Mother, and the vicar led everyone in a prayer for her. Rose fidgeted on the hard wooden pew, looking around at the bent heads. Many people had very grave expressions on their faces. Did they all think Mother was going to die? A chill crept over Rose, and she quickly bowed her head and joined in the praying. Even the merry Christmas decorations hanging on the pews and the altar didn’t cheer her up.

  After church, she asked Aunt Alice, ‘Is Mother really going to get better? They’re all acting like she’s at death’s door.’

  ‘The doctor said she was improving.’

  ‘Really?’ The tears that Rose had been forcing back finally spilled over. Mother might be very strict and insist on things like corsets and manners, but Rose had had a glimpse now of life without her, and it felt very empty. Mother ordered the day and bossed the servants, and urged Rose to be on her best behaviour, but her smile of approval always lit up the room. Without that, life would be unbearable.

  ‘Now, now,’ Father said, reaching down and picking Rose up. She hadn’t been held like that since she was very small. Father’s arms were comforting and strong. ‘What’s wrong, Rosie?’

  ‘I’m worried about Mother,’ Rose whispered.

  ‘Oh, you’re a silly-billy. Mother is getting better, and she’ll be back giving you all a rap on the knuckles before you know it.’

  Martha patted Rose on the back. ‘Christmas is coming. Mother is sure to be there for Christmas dinner. She wouldn’t miss it for the world.’

  But Rose wasn’t convinced, for when they got home, she still wasn’t allowed into Mother’s room. So Father opened the door for her and Rose waved from the hallway outside. She saw Mother’s hand wave back, and a small smile on her pale face.

  Father said, ‘She has read all of your letters, Rose, and is very pleased you are doing so well at school.’

  Rose had put in lots of details about the subjects she was studying, but she hadn’t mentioned the cricket yet. She was going to be allowed to play in a game on the School Display Day, despite Myrtle complaining that she wasn’t old enough. Mother wouldn’t be well enough to come along, and Rose had a feeling that might be a good thing!

  At lunch, Father produced a beautiful engraved card which had been delivered the day before. ‘It’s an invitation to the proclamation ceremony in Sydney – the beginning of the Commonwealth of Australia!’

  Aunt Alice clapped her hands. ‘How wonderful. Are you going?’

  ‘No,’ Father said. ‘I couldn’t possibly go without Elizabeth.’

  Rose examined the invitation. What fun to travel all the way to New South Wales and see the carnivals and parades and concerts that were being held after the proclamation in Centennial Park, which was just the official part.

  ‘I hear Lord Hopetoun has arrived to be our Governor-General,’ Aunt Alice said, ‘but he’s very sick.’

  ‘Maybe he’s got the plague,’ Edward muttered under his breath, but Rose still heard him.

  ‘Nobody has the plague!’ she said.

  ‘Edward, do you want to leave the table?’ Father growled.

  Edward stuck his bottom lip out and concentrated on his roast mutton.

  Father waved his fork in the air. ‘Hopetoun’s first job is to select our new Prime Minister. Nothing could be more important at this stage.’

  Aunt Alice smiled at Father’s stern look. ‘And it has to be a Victorian, Daniel?’

  ‘Of course! But I’d accept any from New South Wales who support free trade between the states. This business of paying taxes and tariffs on goods crossing state borders is ridiculous. I have great plans to expand the Emporium, but it’s all for nought if I can’t get goods at a fair price.What happens next is important for all of us.’

  ‘Are you going to sell cars one day?’ Rose asked.

  Father laughed. ‘I don’t think so, Rose. I can’t imagine more than a dozen people who might want to buy one.’

  ‘I would!’ Rose said.

  After lunch, Rose asked Edward if he wanted to play cricket in the garden.

  He grinned and said, ‘Maybe later. I have a boxing lesson first.’

  Rose’s eyes widened. ‘Can I watch? Are you getting better?’ She remembered when Edward first started boxing with John, and how awkward and slow he was.

  ‘I think so,’ Edward said.

  On the lawn behind the stables, John was waiting and Edward was soon stripped down to his undershirt and knickerbockers. Tommy came out from the stables to join Rose and they watched together. ‘How does John know so much about boxing?’

  ‘He used ter be a prize fighter when he was younger,’ Tommy said. ‘Went all round the country fairs, he did, boxing for money, and in the sideshows, too.’

  Rose had never heard of such a thing, but Tommy told her it was common. ‘Haven’t you ever been to a fair? With performing dogs and horses, and ladies who dance with snakes?’

  ‘No,’ Rose said, but it sounded very exciting, even better than a picnic with games.

  Rose expected to see Edward edging around, poking feebly with his fists, but to her astonishment, he immediately began to throw punches at John’s hands, dancing back and forth, his chin tucked in, his face wearing a ferocious expression. The smack-smack-smack of Edward’s fists echoed across the garden.

  ‘Goodness, what happened?’ Rose asked.

  Tommy grinned. ‘We just told him to pretend John is all four boys joined into one, and imagine getting his own back on them.’

  Rose could see that Edward was going to be busy for a while. ‘Want a game of cricket?’ she asked Tommy.

  ‘Sorry, I can’t. I’ve got to finish polishing the leather.’ He sighed. ‘Better get back to it now.’

  Rose trudged back inside. Sunday afternoons were always the most boring time of the week. But maybe this was a good time to study for her arithmetic test.There was another one due on Monday morning, and Rose was worried she would fail yet again. Oh, why couldn’t numbers stick in her head the same way events in history did?

  ROSE decided she’d take her arithmetic books onto the verandah, and she brightened when she found Aunt Alice already sitting in a wicker chair with a pile of books.

  She took one look at Rose’s face and said, ‘Do you need help with something?’

  ‘Yes, please! Long division is turning me into a muddled mess.’

  ‘We’ll soon sort it out,’ Aunt Alice said.

  Rose prayed she was right. ‘When do you start at Napier Street?’ she asked.

  ‘Not until after Christmas. Most schools finish this week, and then have holidays until February’

  ‘We’re having our School Display Day on Friday,’ Rose said. ‘Mother won’t be able to come, and Father will probably be at the Emporium. Would you come instead? Please?’

  ‘Of course,’ Aunt Alice said. ‘Will there be displays of work and art and projects?’

  ‘Yes, but I haven’t been there long enough to have anything c
hosen.’ Rose wriggled in her seat. ‘I will be doing something special, but it’s a secret. You’ll see on the day.’

  Aunt Alice smiled at Rose. ‘That sounds intriguing – I’ll look forward to it.’

  They spent nearly three hours on the dreaded arithmetic, but finally Rose felt she was getting the hang of it. In the Monday test, she was still bottom of the class, but only just, and Miss Capstan gave her a gold star. Abigail, who knew how anxious Rose had been, jumped up and down with excitement when she saw it. She also knew Rose was very worried about playing badly in the cricket match, but that was one thing she couldn’t help with. Instead, Rose sneaked off with Tommy one afternoon for some batting practice. He was a good batsman.

  ‘If you’re not sure of the ball, you should block, like this,’ he said, demonstrating. ‘Don’t try to hit everything.’

  He bowled lots of balls for her, and Rose started to see the ball, and how it curled or arrowed through the air, depending on the way Tommy bowled. Instead of getting out every third ball, she found she could judge better whether to hit or block. Maybe she wouldn’t go out first ball on Friday after all!

  On Display Day the school was full of people wandering through the halls and classrooms, admiring displays of plants and insects, reading poems on the wall and tasting cakes that the older girls had made. Rose proudly showed Aunt Alice every inch of the school. In her classroom she pointed to her desk. ‘That’s where I sit with Abigail. And Miss Capstan stands up the front, and these are some of the poems we read.’

  ‘Goodness,’ Aunt Alice said, leafing through the book Rose gave her. ‘Do you have a favourite?’

  ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade – it’s splendid, all about cannons and fighting. Now come and have some tea!’

  The day was warm with a light breeze, and tables and chairs had been set up under the trees. Rose made sure Aunt Alice had a seat near the area of lawn where the cricket was to be played, fetching her tea and sandwiches and cake.

  ‘You’re not eating,’ AuntAlice said.

  ‘I have something to do in a minute,’ Rose said. She spotted Abigail and her mother coming across the lawn, and waved madly. They joined Aunt Alice at her table.

  Abigail nudged Rose. ‘Are you nervous?’ she whispered.

  ‘I’m trying hard not to be,’ Rose whispered back, but her stomach fluttered all the same.

  Edna and another girl were carrying two large bags of cricket gear onto the lawn, and Rose excused herself and ran to help them set up. When she looked back, nobody was paying attention to what they were doing. But shortly after, the physical exercise teacher rang a bell and announced, ‘Some of our girls are going to play an exhibition match for you.’

  ‘Play cricket?’ a bearded man near Rose said. ‘Women can’t play cricket, for goodness sake.’

  ‘It’ll be a good joke,’ another man said.

  Rose ground her teeth. How dare they laugh! She’d show them that girls could play cricket just as well as boys.

  For the first few overs, Edna and another senior girl were batting, and the bowler wasn’t very skilled. Half of her balls weren’t landing on the pitch that had been marked out. Rose kept glancing at the two men, hating the big grins on their faces. When Edna waved at her to come and bowl, she nearly leapt out of her boots in her hurry to grab the ball. Myrtle made a face as Rose passed her.

  ‘Going to make a fool of yourself, are you, Rose?’

  Rose didn’t answer, but the butterflies she’d been feeling suddenly turned into a horrible churning. She had thought she’d let Edna and her partner hit a few good fours, and then bowl some of her special spinners and see how many she could bowl out.

  But as she lined up to bowl her first ball, she was so nervous that it seemed to fly out of her hand with a mind of its own, nowhere near Edna’s bat. The next was no better, and the third didn’t even land on the pitch! Rose growled at herself – she knew she could bowl better than this – much better!

  As Edna hit one four and then another, some of the parents started clapping, but the men were still smirking, and Rose knew it was at her.

  Right, thought Rose, here goes!

  She rubbed the ball on her dark stockings, stretched her bowling arm up and over a few times, and got ready for her run-up, imagining she was bowling to Tommy at the bottom of the garden. Steady, steady, she told herself, arm over, fingers like so and … bowl!

  The ball curved and dived, and Edna barely managed to block it at the last minute. She smiled and nodded at Rose. ‘Keep it up,’ she called.

  Rose bowled two more, each one curling beautifully, and then the third had the last little hook that she’d been practising. The ball scooted around Edna’s bat, straight into the wickets. ‘How’s that!’ Rose yelled.

  The crowd of parents laughed and clapped enthusiastically. Aunt Alice stood up and clapped louder than anyone, with Abigail and her mother joining in. Rose looked at the men – they weren’t laughing anymore. Myrtle was sneering, but who cared about her anyway?

  After Edna, Rose bowled out five more girls in a row and only gave away four runs.Then it was someone else’s turn to bowl. She fielded for a little while but was happy not to get a turn at batting.

  As they walked off the field, Edna came and shook Rose’s hand. ‘Well played, young Rose,’ she said. ‘That’s the best bowling I’ve seen at St Swithin’s. That match against Merton is definitely happening, after the start of first term.You’ll play, of course.’

  Rose almost burst with happiness. ‘Oh, yes!’

  Edna grinned. ‘Jolly good. There’ll be a note home to your parents at the start of the year – they just have to sign it, and you’re in.’

  ‘Oh,’ said Rose glumly, her delight popping like a soap bubble. There was no way Mother would agree.

  Just at that moment, Aunt Alice came up behind Rose and gave her a big hug.

  ‘You were amazing,’ said Aunt Alice. ‘How did you learn to bowl like that?’

  ‘I just watched the men playing, and Edward and Tommy have helped me practise.’ She grinned at the two men who were still standing nearby. ‘One day I might play for Australia – you never know.’

  ‘Huh,’ said the bearded man, ‘the way our lads are playing, you could probably make the team now.’ The other man laughed, and they walked away.

  Rose drank some cordial and quickly ate some sandwiches, and then they went in to listen to the concert. Abigail sang in the choir, and even had a small solo. Rose felt so proud of her. Others played piano and violin – one played the French horn, and finally six senior girls acted out a short play.

  It had been a lovely day. But then Miss Capstan came over to talk to them.

  ‘Rose, you’ve worked extremely hard, I know,’ she said.

  Uh-oh. Rose held her breath.

  ‘Keep it up and I think you’ll do fine in the higher class next year,’ Miss Capstan said.

  ‘So you get to stay with me?’ Abigail said, grabbing Rose’s arm. ‘That’s wonderful!’

  ‘Well done!’ said Aunt Alice. ‘Those sums will soon be as easy as pie.’

  Rose decided it had been the best day ever, and she wished school wasn’t closing for the holidays. She’d be happy to go all year long.

  When they arrived home, they found Edward in the stables, holding a towel full of ice against his face while John put salve on his knuckles.

  Edward’s wide grin was like a half-moon. ‘They look worse than me, I can tell you. One of them has a bloody nose and the other one has a black eye and a lump on his head like an egg.’ Edward took the ice away and showed Rose a bruise on his cheek. ‘This is nothing. They won’t be picking on me again.’ He puffed out his chest. ‘Father has to go and see the headmaster on Monday. I’m in trouble.’

  ‘You don’t look very worried,’ Rose said.

  Edward shrugged. ‘I’ll be punished, but it was worth it. And now Father won’t call me a milksop anymore.’

  Rose wasn’t sure how Edward could be so happy about bein
g in a fight and then being punished at school, nor why Father might approve, but it was obviously a boy thing. Oh well, let them box. She’d rather play cricket and learn about heroic women like Queen Boudicca and Florence Nightingale. The new term in February seemed so far away!

  CHRISTMAS was almost upon them. Since Mother was still too ill, Aunt Alice was in charge of all the organising. Rose used her new pen skills to write Christmas cards. She also wrote another letter to Mother, telling her about Abigail singing and Miss Capstan deciding she could go up to the next class. Rose was overjoyed when Sally brought down a note from Mother that said: I’m glad to hear you are doing well, Rose. And your writing is so neat, too.

  Aunt Alice took Rose, Edward and Martha into town in the carriage to do their shopping for gifts. Rose wanted to buy all of hers at Cole’s Book Arcade, but Aunt Alice persuaded her that maybe not everyone would like a book.

  ‘But I will give you one,’ she said. ‘What would you like?’

  Rose thought hard. ‘Abigail told me about a book called Little Women, about four sisters. I’d like that, I think.’

  They headed to the Emporium. Martha went straight to the section that sold hats and parasols and purses, while Edward started with the sporting equipment. Rose wasn’t sure where to go, or what to buy anyone. There were plenty of things she’d like for herself!

  Finally, she bought Mother a pretty engraved silver mirror and Father a blue silk cravat. For Martha she chose a hair ornament with green diamantes and feathers, and for Edward she bought a small telescope, secretly hoping that he might lend it to her sometimes.

  Martha was still engrossed in jewellery and hats, so Aunt Alice, Rose and Edward walked along Bourke Street. The city was busy, with everyone doing their Christmas shopping. Trams and carriages thronged the street. Edward was astonished to hear that Rose had been on a tram – twice!

  ‘Could we go home on one?’ he asked.

  Aunt Alice watched several trams pass, their seats full and people hanging off the sides. ‘I doubt we’d get a seat. We’ll go another time.’