| General Fiction posted August 2, 2018 | Chapters: |
...19 20 -21- 22... 
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Chapter in the book
A chapter in the book Briarly Hall
Suffragette Nuptials
by zanya
| Background Lady Betsey attends the nuptials of her daughter, Lady Mathilde and Marquis Gregoire, in London. |
Dorothy, Lady Betsey's lady's maid, snapped the old wooden trunk shut. Lady Betsey adjusted her red bonnet and put on her leather gloves. Though it was only late September, there was an autumnal chill in the morning air.
Butler Eames waited by Betsy's boudoir to take the trunk to the waiting carriage. Lady Betsey and Dorothy were to take a train, a day early, to London, ahead of Lady Mathilde's nuptials.
Lady Betsey gazed out of the carriage window at the approaching dawn.
"Dorothy", Betsey began," raise the carriage window shutters, so we can see the approaching autumn dawn. Briarly is a beautiful place in the early morning. I remember, my first glimpse of Briarly, as a young bride, before the world knew the horrors of war. Having been born in a small Manor House, on the Scottish Highlands, Briarly seemed vast to me".
Dorothy listened intently, since Lady Betsey rarely spoke of her origins.
As Dorothy raised the carriage shutters, streaks of orange sunlight lit up the horizon.
"Ma'am ", Dorothy began," is his Lordship attending Lady Mathilde's marriage ?"
"No, Dorothy", Betsey replied," Squire Alfred has urgent matters to attend to in foreign parts".
"Shame, Ma'am", Dorothy continued, " Mathilde, being his only daughter. Me and my late husband, Victor, longed to have a daughter , but we had two sons. One died in the war and the other lost his leg".
Lady Betsey began to doze off.
Sad n' all, Dorothy thought to herself, no husband to be with her and a bastard for a grandson. Rich folk don't seem to get life any easier than us ordinary folk.
Dorothy noticed the countless haystacks, dotted throughout the fields. A few men worked along the perimeters, with large scythes, trimming the edges.
Apple trees hung with reddish apples, while large, purple plums had fallen to the ground. Dorothy longed to open the window to get the scent in her nostrils.
A few hours later, the chimes of Big Ben could be heard .
**********************
Sept 26th dawned overcast. Lady Betsey, rose early, careful to don her hat with the peacock feather. Nuptials were due to begin at 11a.m.
At 10a.m the carriage arrived at the Hayfort Hotel for Lady Betsey.
Arriving at the tiny church in Haysham, Lady Betsey was directed to a front pew. The interior was dark, except for two candles burning by the altar. A musky, dank smell filled the air. A small number of guests were already present. Lady Betsey was introduced to Lord Charlois, Gregoire's father.
"How nice to meet you, Lady Betsey", he said, " your daughter, Lady Mathilde, soon to be my daughter-in-law is a feisty, young woman, ahead of her time. Perhaps with her married woman status soon, she will be obliged to disengage".
" I should think not, Lord Charlois", Lady Betsey continued, not yet sure, as to how such political engagement might be viewed by Mathilde's future in-laws.
"Is Sir Alfred in attendance also?" Lord Charlois asked, without waiting for a reply. "Lady Charlois, is confined to bed with complications of pneumonia", he said. " How Lady Charlois longed to be present for Gregoire's marriage. Why she had given up hope of Mathilde ever accepting his marriage proposal".
Pastor Westwood tuned up the organ. Marquis Gregoire entered the chapel, by a side door with his witness, his older brother James. Gregoire was dapper, in his black wedding suit, with a white carnation in his lapel.
A young organist and chorister seated themselves and soon the strains of the Bridal Chorus from Wagner's Lohengrin rang out in the little chapel.
The guests turned to look towards the Church's great wooden, entrance door to see Lady Mathilde arrive, in her bridal raiment. Accompanied by her witness and erstwhile Suffragette sister, Elspeth, the two smiled conspiratorially. Arrayed in an ivory satin suit, with light grey cloche hat, Mathilde carried a tiny bouquet of pink autumn lilies, from which a little silver horseshoe dangled.
Pastor Westwood smiled at the bridal couple. A young pageboy took his place, behind the couple, holding a silver cushion, with two wedding rings.
The guests stood up. Pastor Westwood began the service.
"Do you Lady Esther, Alexandria, Elisabeth, Mathilde take Marquis Philip, Emmanuel, Georges, Sylvester, Gregoire to be your lawful wedded husband, to love and honour, until death do you part"?
Lady Betsey noted the absence of the word 'obey' from the service. But this was her 'feisty' daughter.
A tiny tear, rolled down Betsey's cheek on hearing Mathilde respond with an audible 'I do'.
Outside, a small group of Suffragettes, arraigned in white, lined up by the chapel door, as the couple emerged. Lord Charlois avoided their gaze and hastened to his carriage. Rice fell everywhere around the happy couple. As Lady Mathilde climbed into the carriage, a male voice shouted loudly," what about the plebs then, the ones with no property..no vote for them ..eh"?
Mathilde turned to respond but Marquis Gregoire gently took his new wife by the arm," Mathilde darling, not today, on our wedding day..time enough for Suffrage.."
Following the marriage service, tea was served at the nearby Gastern Hotel.
Lady Betsey hugged Mathilde warmly. "How good of you to come to London for the service, Lady Betsey", Marquis Gregoire said.
Was Briarly Hall's future now in safe hands, Lady Betsey wondered.
A biblical verse, from Betsey's old Sunday school teacher, suddenly came to mind: "Do not let your hearts be troubled.".John 14:27
Lady Betsey smiled softly, as she rejoiced in the possibility of a new beginning for Briarly.
Butler Eames waited by Betsy's boudoir to take the trunk to the waiting carriage. Lady Betsey and Dorothy were to take a train, a day early, to London, ahead of Lady Mathilde's nuptials.
Lady Betsey gazed out of the carriage window at the approaching dawn.
"Dorothy", Betsey began," raise the carriage window shutters, so we can see the approaching autumn dawn. Briarly is a beautiful place in the early morning. I remember, my first glimpse of Briarly, as a young bride, before the world knew the horrors of war. Having been born in a small Manor House, on the Scottish Highlands, Briarly seemed vast to me".
Dorothy listened intently, since Lady Betsey rarely spoke of her origins.
As Dorothy raised the carriage shutters, streaks of orange sunlight lit up the horizon.
"Ma'am ", Dorothy began," is his Lordship attending Lady Mathilde's marriage ?"
"No, Dorothy", Betsey replied," Squire Alfred has urgent matters to attend to in foreign parts".
"Shame, Ma'am", Dorothy continued, " Mathilde, being his only daughter. Me and my late husband, Victor, longed to have a daughter , but we had two sons. One died in the war and the other lost his leg".
Lady Betsey began to doze off.
Sad n' all, Dorothy thought to herself, no husband to be with her and a bastard for a grandson. Rich folk don't seem to get life any easier than us ordinary folk.
Dorothy noticed the countless haystacks, dotted throughout the fields. A few men worked along the perimeters, with large scythes, trimming the edges.
Apple trees hung with reddish apples, while large, purple plums had fallen to the ground. Dorothy longed to open the window to get the scent in her nostrils.
A few hours later, the chimes of Big Ben could be heard .
**********************
Sept 26th dawned overcast. Lady Betsey, rose early, careful to don her hat with the peacock feather. Nuptials were due to begin at 11a.m.
At 10a.m the carriage arrived at the Hayfort Hotel for Lady Betsey.
Arriving at the tiny church in Haysham, Lady Betsey was directed to a front pew. The interior was dark, except for two candles burning by the altar. A musky, dank smell filled the air. A small number of guests were already present. Lady Betsey was introduced to Lord Charlois, Gregoire's father.
"How nice to meet you, Lady Betsey", he said, " your daughter, Lady Mathilde, soon to be my daughter-in-law is a feisty, young woman, ahead of her time. Perhaps with her married woman status soon, she will be obliged to disengage".
" I should think not, Lord Charlois", Lady Betsey continued, not yet sure, as to how such political engagement might be viewed by Mathilde's future in-laws.
"Is Sir Alfred in attendance also?" Lord Charlois asked, without waiting for a reply. "Lady Charlois, is confined to bed with complications of pneumonia", he said. " How Lady Charlois longed to be present for Gregoire's marriage. Why she had given up hope of Mathilde ever accepting his marriage proposal".
Pastor Westwood tuned up the organ. Marquis Gregoire entered the chapel, by a side door with his witness, his older brother James. Gregoire was dapper, in his black wedding suit, with a white carnation in his lapel.
A young organist and chorister seated themselves and soon the strains of the Bridal Chorus from Wagner's Lohengrin rang out in the little chapel.
The guests turned to look towards the Church's great wooden, entrance door to see Lady Mathilde arrive, in her bridal raiment. Accompanied by her witness and erstwhile Suffragette sister, Elspeth, the two smiled conspiratorially. Arrayed in an ivory satin suit, with light grey cloche hat, Mathilde carried a tiny bouquet of pink autumn lilies, from which a little silver horseshoe dangled.
Pastor Westwood smiled at the bridal couple. A young pageboy took his place, behind the couple, holding a silver cushion, with two wedding rings.
The guests stood up. Pastor Westwood began the service.
"Do you Lady Esther, Alexandria, Elisabeth, Mathilde take Marquis Philip, Emmanuel, Georges, Sylvester, Gregoire to be your lawful wedded husband, to love and honour, until death do you part"?
Lady Betsey noted the absence of the word 'obey' from the service. But this was her 'feisty' daughter.
A tiny tear, rolled down Betsey's cheek on hearing Mathilde respond with an audible 'I do'.
Outside, a small group of Suffragettes, arraigned in white, lined up by the chapel door, as the couple emerged. Lord Charlois avoided their gaze and hastened to his carriage. Rice fell everywhere around the happy couple. As Lady Mathilde climbed into the carriage, a male voice shouted loudly," what about the plebs then, the ones with no property..no vote for them ..eh"?
Mathilde turned to respond but Marquis Gregoire gently took his new wife by the arm," Mathilde darling, not today, on our wedding day..time enough for Suffrage.."
Following the marriage service, tea was served at the nearby Gastern Hotel.
Lady Betsey hugged Mathilde warmly. "How good of you to come to London for the service, Lady Betsey", Marquis Gregoire said.
Was Briarly Hall's future now in safe hands, Lady Betsey wondered.
A biblical verse, from Betsey's old Sunday school teacher, suddenly came to mind: "Do not let your hearts be troubled.".John 14:27
Lady Betsey smiled softly, as she rejoiced in the possibility of a new beginning for Briarly.
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