tunes of a range of voices. The chauffeur, however, did not join in these musical
sessions. ‘I used to wait outside on a little bench, under an open window and
listen, with the nightingales literally within a few yards from me in the woods.’^49
Sometimes on these occasions Ethel would urge Emmeline, who was always
in need of money, to earn large sums through writing newspaper articles that
both American and British editors eagerly sought. But Emmeline, who felt
uneasy with a pen, would not oblige, despite the fact that some of the money
she might earn could be spent on those beautiful clothes she so admired. There
was no more ‘irresistible magnet to Mrs. Pankhurst than a sale’, recollected
Ethel, ‘no severer trial to people who loathe gazing into shop windows than to
walk down Regent Street with her any day’.^50 Emmeline would not be hurried.
‘With your perpetual comeon! comeon!’ she once said sharply to Ethel, ‘you are
as bad as a husband.’ When Ethel pointed out to Emmeline that some of the
money she might earn through writing could be legitimately spent on pretty
dresses instead of being cast into the WSPU treasure chest she would agree, but
then add wistfully, ‘Besides which it is my dutyto look as nice as I can on the
platform. I would do it, dear, if I could, only I really can’t!’
Ethel persevered, especially when she heard that the Union leader had been
offered the princely sum of £100 for just one short article. One evening, when
Emmeline was at Coign, sitting comfortably in an armchair by the fireplace,
pince-nez perched crookedly on her nose, hastily scanning the newspapers for
items that were of interest to her, Ethel broached the subject. ‘I tell you I can’t
and won’t do it. Please leave me alone’, was the reply. But the musician found a
clever way to manoeuvre the situation; she fired a number of questions at
Emmeline who, despite her plea of ‘I wish, dear, you would leave me in peace’,
nevertheless gave enough information to form the basis of an article. Ethel sat
up all night, editing and polishing the ghost-written piece which she read to an
approving Emmeline the next morning. She then put the article in an envelope
in Emmeline’s bag for her to address and post when she arrived at the WSPU
offices. When Ethel enquired a few days later whether the editor had paid for
the article, Emmeline revealed she had forgotten about it. ‘The editor? what
editor – what are you talking about? ... I must have thrown it away with a lot of
old papers.’
The visits to Coignlightened Emmeline’s day but never deflected her from
her main purpose of campaigning for the parliamentary vote for women. She
was despondent when, on 29 May, Lloyd George reiterated in the Commons
Asquith’s view that no time could be found for the Second Conciliation Bill
that session, without jeopardising government measures; a day would be granted
in 1912 for another second reading of the bill with a week set aside for the
further stages. Emmeline interpreted his statement as an attempt to deter the
WSPU from ending the truce and from holding a procession in connection with
the coronation of the King in June.^51 The WSPU did not, however, immedi-
ately reintroduce militancy since Christabel was informed privately that Sir
Edward Grey would make a statement that would clarify the situation; the
THE TRUCE RENEWED