Jack offered to walk Rose back but Rose declined.

"This is something I have to do myself," she said. And it was with trepidation she approached the house. At least Cal won't be back yet, she thought. It will just be Mother I have to deal with.

Rose had thought long about what exactly to say as she walked. She did want another confrontation. After all she was married and living in her home now, away from her mother. Yet she was never going to get away from her Mother's presence. Cal obviously was going to use Ruth to help control her. The best angle of attack Rose decided, was direct.

The butler opened the door. Rose asked where her mother was and was led into the parlour. Mother sat there sipping tea. She looked pale and tired not angry as Rose expected.

"Rose, where have you been?"

"Never mind Mother. I just have this to say. This is Cal's house and you and I are both guests in it. We know that. So let us put on a united front in front of Cal while you are here and there won't be any unpleasantness."

"I don't understand you Rose. I really don't. If Cal knew about your behavior this afternoon."

Rose stood in front her Mother and looked her in the eye. "If Cal knew I had been out the house alone this afternoon he would beat me again Mother. Is that what you want?"

"No darling. That is what I tried to say to you earlier. He does not ask much of you. Just behave yourself, be a good wife. Honour and obey and he will be a good husband too." Ruth stroked Rose's face in an almost affectionate gesture that took Rose by surprise. "I am not stupid Rose. Now go and get ready and we can be gone shopping before Cal comes back. He need not know about this afternoon"

Rose went to get dressed puzzling over her Mothers comments. Did she know all along that Cal mistreated her in private? If she did, did that make things worse because she gave her blessing to a wife beater or better because understood what Rose was going through?

Ruth really enjoyed the shopping trip, Rose noted. Or at least she enjoyed giving the Hockley account a good hammering. Cal had given them a free reign and Ruth was determined to use it to stock up her wardrobe. The majority of the boxes they returned with were for Ruth.

"We are going for lunch with Lady Stokely tomorrow, perhaps the theatre in the evening. Then I think Cal has a dinner party in mind later in the week." Ruth informed Rose whilst undoing her packages and holding up the garments in front of her.

"Well, you'll have plenty of new dresses to choose from Mama," Rose answered sarcastically. Her next few days had been planned out and she had no spare time.

Cal returned in a relatively good mood much to Roses relief. He confirmed the arrangements for the dinner party and a few other things which Rose realized also kept her busy.

Rose spent the next couple of days with an uneasy truce with her Mother. If things got a little too overbearing, Rose would retreat to her gallery and study her paintings. Jack's paintings had been returned framed and Rose had them hung. She was drawn to them and lost herself in them, a world far away from the one she was a prisoner in.

Cal continued to be in a good mood, his wife was being well behaved and he was sure it would not be long before his first child was on the way. His chat with Ruth had paid off and he was feeling very pleased. His father's health was not too good, but he was comfortable. However Cal, knew it wouldn't be long before he had complete ownership of Hockley Steel and all of the Hockley fortune. With Rose at his side and the birth of their first son, he could truly be royalty.