| General Fiction posted August 12, 2018 | Chapters: |
...21 22 -23- 24... 
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Chapter in the book
A chapter in the book Briarly Hall
Sir Alfred's prodigal son
by zanya
| Background Lady Betsey returns from their daughter, Lady Mathilde's wedding. Sir Alfred considers it to be a matter of urgency to trace their son, Lord Airdale. |
As Lady Betsey disembarked from the carriage, she caught sight of Sir Alfred in the study. He was holding his special, grey quill as he wrote.
"Eames," Lady Betsey began," has Sir Alfred not yet left for Italy?"
" No, not yet ma'am," Eames replied.
" Did you have a pleasant stay in London, ma'am at Lady Mathilde's wedding ? " Eames enquired.
" Marriage is one of mankind's best inventions," Eames continued,"how I miss my late darling wife,Victoria, especially at eventide and at Christmas."
Lady Betsey paid no attention, at first, to Eames philosophising about the married state.
"I hope to remarry some day," Eames continued, " if I meet the right person. Difficult at my age."
"Eames," Lady Betsey said," have you taken leave of your senses? See to it that my leather trunks are safely delivered to my boudoir. Take special care with my wooden hat box, as my hat with the peacock's feather is stored inside. That is my lucky hat, Eames, so it must not be damaged in any way."
"Yes Ma'am, at your service, Ma'am, it shall be done at once," Eames replied, reverting to his manorial demeanour.
Lady Betsey made her way inside the Manor, briefly stopping for a moment outside the study door, where Sir Alfred was still writing.
"Good evening, my darling," she called out, but no response was forthcoming.
Lady Betsey noticed Mr Sander's bicycle outside, by the stable wall. It was now late afternoon and Giovanni's lesson should have ended already.
Suddenly Giovanni came running towards Lady Betsey. He raced towards her outstretched arms.
"Nonna, Nonna Lady Betsey," Giovanni shouted, "come va..come va Nonna Betsey?"
Lady Betsey's face lit up with pride, on hearing Giovanni speak to her in Italian.
Tutor, Mr Sanders, followed at a distance.
"Lady Betsey," Sanders said " Giovanni is so excited to speak his first words of Italian to his Nonna Betsey. He is such a clever young man, eager to learn. He insisted I wait until your return, all the while practising his new words."
Tears filled Lady Betsey's eyes.
"Mr Sanders," Betsey said " It is so important in the world, as it is today, that we understand each other better, is it not, and language is a sure way of doing that?."
"Especially," Mr Sanders continued , " if part of your family tree is firmly rooted in another culture."
Lady Betsey was a little baffled, wondering how much Mr Sanders knew about Giovanni's origins.
"Giovanni, " Lady Betsey said," you must greet Grandpa in Italian also".
"Mamma Mia!," Giovanni replied, " Mr Sanders hasn't taught me the word for 'Grandpa' yet. Shall I run after him, before he gets his bike and ask him?"
"No..no, not at all, Giovanni, " Betsey replied , as she watched Mr Sanders cycle through the front gate of Briarly Hall.
"Nonna Betsey," Giovanni asked," did Aunt Mathilde have a splendid wedding ? Was the carriage big and white"?
"Later, Giovanni, later," Betsey replied, as she tousled Giovanni's mop of curls.
Mrs Goodwood took Giovanni by the hand, as she greeted Lady Betsey.
" Lady Betsey", Mrs Goodwood began, " Lady Mathilde's wedding has made you very happy. You are wearing a broad smile on your face for the first time in ages".
"Yes, Mrs Goodwood," Lady Betsey replied, " and Giovanni is also a source of great joy, on my return. Have you heard him speak Italian ?"
"Yes Ma'am", Mrs Goodwood replied," can't say as I understand a word."
Lady Betsey pushed the door of the study, gently, where Sir Alfred was still hard at work.
"Sir Alfred," Lady Betsey said ," It is getting late. I have so much to tell you, from Lady Mathilde's wedding. Shall we repair to the dining room for supper?"
Sir Alfred stood up behind his desk, came forward and put his arms around Lady Betsey.
"Darling Lady Betsey, it is time to search for Lord Airdale, the matter is now urgent."
The couple strode, arm in arm, towards the dining room.
"Eames," Lady Betsey began," has Sir Alfred not yet left for Italy?"
" No, not yet ma'am," Eames replied.
" Did you have a pleasant stay in London, ma'am at Lady Mathilde's wedding ? " Eames enquired.
" Marriage is one of mankind's best inventions," Eames continued,"how I miss my late darling wife,Victoria, especially at eventide and at Christmas."
Lady Betsey paid no attention, at first, to Eames philosophising about the married state.
"I hope to remarry some day," Eames continued, " if I meet the right person. Difficult at my age."
"Eames," Lady Betsey said," have you taken leave of your senses? See to it that my leather trunks are safely delivered to my boudoir. Take special care with my wooden hat box, as my hat with the peacock's feather is stored inside. That is my lucky hat, Eames, so it must not be damaged in any way."
"Yes Ma'am, at your service, Ma'am, it shall be done at once," Eames replied, reverting to his manorial demeanour.
Lady Betsey made her way inside the Manor, briefly stopping for a moment outside the study door, where Sir Alfred was still writing.
"Good evening, my darling," she called out, but no response was forthcoming.
Lady Betsey noticed Mr Sander's bicycle outside, by the stable wall. It was now late afternoon and Giovanni's lesson should have ended already.
Suddenly Giovanni came running towards Lady Betsey. He raced towards her outstretched arms.
"Nonna, Nonna Lady Betsey," Giovanni shouted, "come va..come va Nonna Betsey?"
Lady Betsey's face lit up with pride, on hearing Giovanni speak to her in Italian.
Tutor, Mr Sanders, followed at a distance.
"Lady Betsey," Sanders said " Giovanni is so excited to speak his first words of Italian to his Nonna Betsey. He is such a clever young man, eager to learn. He insisted I wait until your return, all the while practising his new words."
Tears filled Lady Betsey's eyes.
"Mr Sanders," Betsey said " It is so important in the world, as it is today, that we understand each other better, is it not, and language is a sure way of doing that?."
"Especially," Mr Sanders continued , " if part of your family tree is firmly rooted in another culture."
Lady Betsey was a little baffled, wondering how much Mr Sanders knew about Giovanni's origins.
"Giovanni, " Lady Betsey said," you must greet Grandpa in Italian also".
"Mamma Mia!," Giovanni replied, " Mr Sanders hasn't taught me the word for 'Grandpa' yet. Shall I run after him, before he gets his bike and ask him?"
"No..no, not at all, Giovanni, " Betsey replied , as she watched Mr Sanders cycle through the front gate of Briarly Hall.
"Nonna Betsey," Giovanni asked," did Aunt Mathilde have a splendid wedding ? Was the carriage big and white"?
"Later, Giovanni, later," Betsey replied, as she tousled Giovanni's mop of curls.
Mrs Goodwood took Giovanni by the hand, as she greeted Lady Betsey.
" Lady Betsey", Mrs Goodwood began, " Lady Mathilde's wedding has made you very happy. You are wearing a broad smile on your face for the first time in ages".
"Yes, Mrs Goodwood," Lady Betsey replied, " and Giovanni is also a source of great joy, on my return. Have you heard him speak Italian ?"
"Yes Ma'am", Mrs Goodwood replied," can't say as I understand a word."
Lady Betsey pushed the door of the study, gently, where Sir Alfred was still hard at work.
"Sir Alfred," Lady Betsey said ," It is getting late. I have so much to tell you, from Lady Mathilde's wedding. Shall we repair to the dining room for supper?"
Sir Alfred stood up behind his desk, came forward and put his arms around Lady Betsey.
"Darling Lady Betsey, it is time to search for Lord Airdale, the matter is now urgent."
The couple strode, arm in arm, towards the dining room.
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