| General Fiction posted October 6, 2018 | Chapters: |
...27 28 -29- 30... 
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Chapter in the book
A chapter in the book Briarly Hall
May Blossom bouquet
by zanya
| Background Mrs Goodwood, many years a widow,recently returned to Briarly Hall as Giovanni's nurse, is marrying Butler Eames, also a widower. |
Mrs Goodwood opened the lace curtains early.
"Ay," she murmured to herself. " I hope as Butler Eames likes the pale cream colour and the little bit of lace at the collar. My late husband didn't care for pale cream, always said t'were too pale for english skin.
There was a gentle knock at the door.
"What the heck," Mrs Goodwood muttered . "Who can it be at this hour, don't they know I am to be wed to the Butler today."
Mrs Good wood lifted the latch on her cottage door. Her neighbour, Elsey, stood in the pale May sunshine, with a tiny posy of May bush and Lily -of -the-Valley, wrapped in some brown paper.
"Aw , Mrs Goodwood," Elsey said, " I come over to wish you well on your matrimony to the Butler at Briarly. My husband, Jeremy, plucked these bluebells and lily-of-the valley before dawn, out of sight of the faery folk, before he went to work at the mill."
"Faeryfolk , Elsey," Mrs Goodwood replied, " don't believe in no faery folk. Eames don't believe neither. Had some difficulty with the Vicar about his belief in God. Am marrying a good man. I've been lucky Elsey, to find another good husband. Some folk can't even find one."
The two women chuckled. "Aye," You's right, Mrs Goodwood. Our neighbour Maggie, walked out of her cottage, after Christmas, leaving her husband, John, alone after thirty years. Husband don't know how to butter a scone. Jeremy and me hope the two of you will be very happy. "
A tear flowed down Mrs Goodwood's flushed cheek.
"I hope so and all, Elsey. T'was good of your Jeremy to pluck the flowers. Elsey, Is my dress proper for a wedding ? I hope the Butler likes it. Me and the Butler will be living here in my little cottage . Have scrubbed and cleaned it these past days."
"You are pretty, Mrs Goodwood. Pale cream color suit you. Don't forget to wear a flower in your hair. Pluck one from the posy for good luck."
"Ay," Mrs Goodwood replied, " I love the scent of the May bush."
She attached a floret to her grey chignon.
"T'was a dress I got from my friend Flo. Flo lived in New York for years. Said t'were all the rage in America. Kept it, I did, hung up in the attic. Gathered a lot of dust over the years. Gave it a good dusting, I did."
"Best be getting home, Mrs Goodwood, wish you luck."
The cottage door closed and a smile broke out on Mrs Goodwood's wrinkled face.
The clip clop of horses hooves was heard on the street. Looking out the latticed window of the cottage, she spied a Hansom Cab. Butler Eames was disembarking.
The cottage door, being ajar, Eames walked in.
"Dearest Mrs Goodwood, I have come to fetch my bride in a Hansom Cab."
Mrs Goodwood was giddy with excitement. "Why Butler Eames, I has never been in a Cab."
"Don't worry, Mrs Goodwood," Eames replied, "It's so pleasant. You won't want to get out. We must be at the Chapel to meet the Vicar at noon. "
The couple climbed into the Cab and rode to the local Church.
Vicar Smith greeted the couple by the Church entrance.
Lady Betsey was seated in the front pew.
Being the witnesses, Mr Silkes, the gardener sat by the nave door, with his wife, Jane.
A few local people hovered outside, occasionally peering through the entrance door.
Having read the wedding banns, Vicar Smith then pronounced the couple man and wife.
Outside,local woman, known as Sally the Sage, scattered a few grains of rice over the newly married couple, intoning an old nursery rhyme" fair maid..bathes in the dew from the hawthorn tree will ever strong and handsome be."
Eames turned to his new bride, saying,"Mrs Goodwood we are now blessed with the buds of May from Sally Sage."
Mrs Goodwood and Butler walked back together, through the tiny hamlet of Bretsdale, towards Briarly Hall.
On reaching Briarly Hall, Giovanni ran to meet them. "Mrs Goodwood," Giovann asked , " were there white flowers in the church like for the fairy princess? Butler Eames did you kiss Mrs Goodwood, like the Prince in fairy tales?"
"There, there," Lady Betsey interrupted," Giovanni. Enough questions for today. Go and play in the nursery with the abacus."
White linen tablecloths adorned the dining tables in the servants' quarters. Tea was served, piping hot, in large ceramic pots. Plates of scones were arraigned with large helpings of apple jelly and cream. A small draught of english rum was served to some of the men . The ladies took a sip of a deep red sherry.
A few sprigs of hawthorn, tied with white ribbon, lay, at intervals on the tables. The fresh scent of Spring blossoms wafted amid the teacups.
A middle aged man with a gold earring , skin weathered by a foreign sun, unstrapped his bouzouki and began to play a waltz.
"Dance Madame and Monsieur," he called out to the newly wedded couple. "Dance in joy on your marriage day."
Butler Eames took Mrs Goodwood in his sturdy arms and danced hesitantly, to the music.
"Eames." Mrs Goodwood exclaimed,"t'is a pleasure to have a husband who dances so."
"Mrs Goodwood," Eames replied, " I love to hold you in my arms."
Mrs Goodwood smiled broadly.
Later, as the soft light of the May moon lit up the evening sky, the couple made their way home, arm in arm, to their little cottage on the edge of the hamlet of Bretsdale.
"Ay," she murmured to herself. " I hope as Butler Eames likes the pale cream colour and the little bit of lace at the collar. My late husband didn't care for pale cream, always said t'were too pale for english skin.
There was a gentle knock at the door.
"What the heck," Mrs Goodwood muttered . "Who can it be at this hour, don't they know I am to be wed to the Butler today."
Mrs Good wood lifted the latch on her cottage door. Her neighbour, Elsey, stood in the pale May sunshine, with a tiny posy of May bush and Lily -of -the-Valley, wrapped in some brown paper.
"Aw , Mrs Goodwood," Elsey said, " I come over to wish you well on your matrimony to the Butler at Briarly. My husband, Jeremy, plucked these bluebells and lily-of-the valley before dawn, out of sight of the faery folk, before he went to work at the mill."
"Faeryfolk , Elsey," Mrs Goodwood replied, " don't believe in no faery folk. Eames don't believe neither. Had some difficulty with the Vicar about his belief in God. Am marrying a good man. I've been lucky Elsey, to find another good husband. Some folk can't even find one."
The two women chuckled. "Aye," You's right, Mrs Goodwood. Our neighbour Maggie, walked out of her cottage, after Christmas, leaving her husband, John, alone after thirty years. Husband don't know how to butter a scone. Jeremy and me hope the two of you will be very happy. "
A tear flowed down Mrs Goodwood's flushed cheek.
"I hope so and all, Elsey. T'was good of your Jeremy to pluck the flowers. Elsey, Is my dress proper for a wedding ? I hope the Butler likes it. Me and the Butler will be living here in my little cottage . Have scrubbed and cleaned it these past days."
"You are pretty, Mrs Goodwood. Pale cream color suit you. Don't forget to wear a flower in your hair. Pluck one from the posy for good luck."
"Ay," Mrs Goodwood replied, " I love the scent of the May bush."
She attached a floret to her grey chignon.
"T'was a dress I got from my friend Flo. Flo lived in New York for years. Said t'were all the rage in America. Kept it, I did, hung up in the attic. Gathered a lot of dust over the years. Gave it a good dusting, I did."
"Best be getting home, Mrs Goodwood, wish you luck."
The cottage door closed and a smile broke out on Mrs Goodwood's wrinkled face.
The clip clop of horses hooves was heard on the street. Looking out the latticed window of the cottage, she spied a Hansom Cab. Butler Eames was disembarking.
The cottage door, being ajar, Eames walked in.
"Dearest Mrs Goodwood, I have come to fetch my bride in a Hansom Cab."
Mrs Goodwood was giddy with excitement. "Why Butler Eames, I has never been in a Cab."
"Don't worry, Mrs Goodwood," Eames replied, "It's so pleasant. You won't want to get out. We must be at the Chapel to meet the Vicar at noon. "
The couple climbed into the Cab and rode to the local Church.
Vicar Smith greeted the couple by the Church entrance.
Lady Betsey was seated in the front pew.
Being the witnesses, Mr Silkes, the gardener sat by the nave door, with his wife, Jane.
A few local people hovered outside, occasionally peering through the entrance door.
Having read the wedding banns, Vicar Smith then pronounced the couple man and wife.
Outside,local woman, known as Sally the Sage, scattered a few grains of rice over the newly married couple, intoning an old nursery rhyme" fair maid..bathes in the dew from the hawthorn tree will ever strong and handsome be."
Eames turned to his new bride, saying,"Mrs Goodwood we are now blessed with the buds of May from Sally Sage."
Mrs Goodwood and Butler walked back together, through the tiny hamlet of Bretsdale, towards Briarly Hall.
On reaching Briarly Hall, Giovanni ran to meet them. "Mrs Goodwood," Giovann asked , " were there white flowers in the church like for the fairy princess? Butler Eames did you kiss Mrs Goodwood, like the Prince in fairy tales?"
"There, there," Lady Betsey interrupted," Giovanni. Enough questions for today. Go and play in the nursery with the abacus."
White linen tablecloths adorned the dining tables in the servants' quarters. Tea was served, piping hot, in large ceramic pots. Plates of scones were arraigned with large helpings of apple jelly and cream. A small draught of english rum was served to some of the men . The ladies took a sip of a deep red sherry.
A few sprigs of hawthorn, tied with white ribbon, lay, at intervals on the tables. The fresh scent of Spring blossoms wafted amid the teacups.
A middle aged man with a gold earring , skin weathered by a foreign sun, unstrapped his bouzouki and began to play a waltz.
"Dance Madame and Monsieur," he called out to the newly wedded couple. "Dance in joy on your marriage day."
Butler Eames took Mrs Goodwood in his sturdy arms and danced hesitantly, to the music.
"Eames." Mrs Goodwood exclaimed,"t'is a pleasure to have a husband who dances so."
"Mrs Goodwood," Eames replied, " I love to hold you in my arms."
Mrs Goodwood smiled broadly.
Later, as the soft light of the May moon lit up the evening sky, the couple made their way home, arm in arm, to their little cottage on the edge of the hamlet of Bretsdale.
Thanks in advance, if you took time to read this chapter.
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