Meet Rose

Aunt Alice hailed a cab and they sped up Bourke Street, the horse's mane and tail flying, as if it knew they were trying to beat Mother home.

Rose dared to hope that they would indeed get there first. Trees and houses whipped past, and as the horse slowed on the hill up from the river, Aunt Alice leaned out and peered ahead. 'There's the carriage.' She called up to the driver. 'Take the next right, and then the left. Hurry!'

The driver followed Aunt Alice's directions, urging the horse on, and Rose realised they'd be entering their street from the other end. She leaned forward, craning her neck.

If they were caught, Rose'd be writing lines for the next year! What would Aunt Alice's punishment be? What if Mother put her out on the street? With all her trunks?

No. Rose sat up straight and clenched her hands. Aunt Alice had just given her the most exciting day of her life. How could that be wrong? She would not let Mother turn Aunt Alice out. She would argue and get Father's support and be as stubborn as a mule, so there!

The horse trotted in through the iron gates and Aunt Alice paid the driver. Rose glanced around. 'Maybe that wasn't her in the carriage. '

But as they walked up the steps, the front door swung open and there stood Mother, still wearing her hat and gloves. Her face was set like a stone mask, but her eyes glittered angrily.

'Where have you been, Rose?'

'Into town,' Rose said, wishing her stomach didn't have such huge butterflies bumping around in it. 'I . . . we . . . we saw Father.'

'Don't lie to me, Rose!' Mother stood back. 'Come inside. Now.'

Rose walked into the hallway, her legs shaking, her throat bone dry. She had never seen Mother so angry before, not even when Rose broke her favourite vase with her cricket ball.

'Alice, how dare you take my daughter into such a place!'

'Elizabeth, half of Melbourne has visited Coles Arcade,' Aunt Alice said calmly.

'Not the half I wish to be associated with,'

Mother snapped. 'I want you to -'

Rose interrupted. 'Coles Arcade is a wonderful place, Mother, and Aunt Alice is not to blame. I asked to go there.'

Mother's face turned a deep red. 'That is a perfect example of what a bad influence you are, Alice. Whatever manners Rose might have had are nowhere to be seen. She has turned into the rudest child I have ever met!' Mother sucked in a deep breath, then spat out, 'Alice, you are no longer welcome under my roof'

Rose was horrified. She opened her mouth to protest, but Aunt Alice said, 'Ah, but it's not your house, Elizabeth. I'll leave when Daniel asks me to, and not before.' She turned and

walked up the stairs, her back straight, her head held high.

Mother stared down at Rose, her hands clasped so tightly in front of her that her knuckles were white. 'You are to go to your room and stay there until I say you may leave. That may be never. Go!'

Rose rushed up the stairs, tears spilling down her face, and slammed her door. Mother was the meanest, cruellest person in the whole world! How could she tell Aunt Alice to leave?

It wasn't fair!

Rose paced around her room, muttering to herself, then flung open her wardrobe doors. Lying on top of her underwear was the dreaded corset. That, she thought, is the cause of all of my troubles. And I intend to do something about it.

Rose pulled the corset out and dropped it on the floor. She stamped on it with both feet, but that wasn't enough. What else? She grabbed the scissors from her sewing basket and started cutting at the corset. Some parts were too stiff, but she made half a dozen satisfyingly large holes, then marched it out of her room and down the stairs.

Voices rang out from the drawing room. She stopped - Mother's voice was so loud, Rose could hear every word. Who was she talking to? Martha?

'It's not enough that she has ruined her own reputation, now she has to cast a shadow over our family, too!'

The bubbling anger inside Rose spilled over like a red-hot fountain, and she pushed open the drawing-room door.