Postby KP Presents » Mon Apr 13, 2015 3:10 am
It was a wonderful lunch, and it was nice that Freddie took really good care of me, passing me more food if I wanted it. Frank was being just as attentive to Louise I noticed.
“So where is your brother today, Mary?”
“Eddie? Well after he dropped me off here, he was going round to see Angela I think, and spend the day with her family. I guess we’ll meet up again later.”
“Is this the first time you’ve been invited up to the Manor House,” Louise’s dad said to Mr Cottrell.
“No – we were invited to a birthday party there over the Christmas holidays,” Mr Cottrell replied, “we know the Craig family quite well, and Mark Williamson is my boss.”
“They should all be there as well,” I said as some apple pie, freshly baked, was handed round. “Lord Holderness does seem to like having a lot of younger people around.”
“Well, he has a fairly large extended family of his own,” Mr Hobson said, “but yes, and given we are part of that extended family now, even in a roundabout way.”
“I presume Abe and Becca will be observing Seder later?”
“Yeah – we’ll see them tomorrow, but Sam and his family are seeing it through with them as well.”
“Guess they won’t be at the manor house then,” I whispered to Louise.
“Guess not – pity.”
“Cathy is going to be there as well, as their guest,” Mary said, which threw me for a minute, until I remembered Cathy was also going out with Samuel.
“Well, that is a real sign of her affection,” my mum said, “she’s not Jewish, is she?”
“No – she doesn’t really have any form of religion,” Mary said, “I guess the fact she has two mums doesn’t fit well with a lot of the established churches.”
“Their loss,” Mrs Cottrell said, “definitely their loss.”
“Right – everyone ready?”
Lunch had been over for a while, and both Louise and I had taken the chance to untie our knees and go to the bathroom before we gathered in the hallway.
“Mark, have you fed Trojan?”
“Yes – and refilled his water trough. The chickens are back in their pen as well.”
“Good – just checking. Everyone in the cars – I’ll lock the house up.”
As I got in with Mum, Freddie and Louise joined their parents, and the Cottrells piled into their large people carrier – and AWAY WE WENT!
Well, not quite the Wacky Races, but we drove round town and out towards Holderness Manor, going up the tree lined road that led to the front door. As we pulled up, I saw the front door open, and the housekeeper to Lord and Lady Holderness come out.
“Welcome,” she said as she smiled at us, “Her Ladyship is in the main hall, if you would like to join her, while Miss Suzanne and Master Robert are in the library should any of you wish to join them first.”
“On you go,” Mum said to me, “We’ll see you later.”
Louise and I went with Freddie, Eric and Frank while Mark went with Mary alongside the adults, them heading down the hallway while we went through the big wooden door that led to the library.
“Hey there,” Bobby Holderness said as we came in, “I’m so glad you could all make it here today.”
“Thanks for inviting us,” I said, “so who else is...”
That was when we saw who was sitting on the floor, and we knew the fun was just beginning as Bobby said “open wide...”
Mary
“So this is getting serious between you and Master Cottrell, is it?”
“If you mean serious like you and Angie, no – but I do think of him a lot,” I said as Eddie drove me over to the Cottrell farm. I’d accepted Mark’s invitation to spend the morning with him and the rest of his family, while Eddie himself was going from there to join his fiancée and the rest of her family. We’d all been invited to the Manor House for the evening later, but we weren’t expected there much before three o’clock.
“I like Mark,” Eddie said as we drove along the road, “he’s a sensible lad.”
“Shouldn’t it be Mum and Dad having this talk to me,” I said with a smile.
“Oh they will – I just wanted you to know how I felt,” Eddie said with a grin as we pulled up outside the farmhouse. As I got out of the car, Mark came to the door, looking at me as he said “Hi – that is a very nice dress.”
“Thanks,” I said with a blush. I hadn’t really been sure what to wear, so I had on a short sleeved blue denim dress, with some dark tights and black ankle boots.
“Come away in,” he said as I waved to Eddie, “we’ll be ready to head off in a few minutes.”
“Thanks,” I said as I came in, to see Frank and Eric running up the stairs, and then we both went into the kitchen where Mr and Mrs Cottrell were sitting.
“Hello Mary,” Mrs Cottrell said as she stood up, “would you like some tea, it’s freshly brewed.”
“Thank you,” I said as I sat down, “so what’s going to happen this morning?”
“Well, apparently there is a tradition round here that the families walk to the church for the service,” Mark said, “so we’ll meet up with the Kerrs and the Hobsons at the main road, and walk there with them. We’re going to invite them back here for lunch, and then we thought we’d head up together to the Manor House.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I said as I took the mug of tea, “and how do we keep Louise and Fiona happy between the service and lunch.”
“I think we can count on the boys and Freddie to help with that,” Mark said with a smile.
“Help with what,” Eric said as he and Frank came in.
“Keep Louise and Fiona occupied before lunch today.”
“No problem, right Frank?”
Frank smiled and nodded. I know he’s really shy, but he seemed to have got used to me being around now.
“We need to get going if we are going to meet the others,” Mr Cottrell said as he stood up, and put his jacket on, “let’s go.”
We filed out of the house, waiting as Mr Cottrell closed and locked the door, and then walked down to the end of the road – just in time to meet the Hobson and Kerr families as they walked down the road.
As they got closer, I saw that Louise Hobson was walking slightly strangely, as if she could not move her legs properly – and as they joined us, I guessed that she really could not, given the big grin on her face. Well, it seems to be a universal truth that when two or more of this extended group of friends meet, one or more shall end up bound in some way – but I was grateful she had enough sense to make it discrete.
The service was nice – if a little mixed up – but afterwards we walked back together to the Cottrell farm, Mark going over and patting Trojan’s nose as the front door was unlocked.
“Can you give me a hand with Lunch, Mary,” Mrs Cottrell said as we went in, the younger generation heading for the front room.
“Sure,” I said, “what do you want me to do?”
“Help me with a pot of tea first – let’s all go into the kitchen.”
“Mark and I need to see to the animals first – we’ll change and join you later,” Mr Cottrell said as I went with Mrs Kerr, and Mr and Mrs Hobson, into the large kitchen.
As they sat at the table, Mrs Hobson let out a giggle and gripped her husband’s hand.
“Are you all right, Gail,” Mrs Kerr said as she looked at her friend.
“Oh yes,” she replied, “sorry, just something rubbing me up the right way.”
“Oh my lord,” Mrs Cottrell said, “you really did it?”
“I did,” Mrs Hobson said, “have done all day. You?”
“I may in a little while. What about you, Claire?”
“I’ve something different going on,” Mrs Kerr said, as she smiled – and that was when I finally noticed a very low humming sound.
Now, I’m not naive – I know there are some things adults do not even the likes of me and the girls get up to, but as the three mothers looked at me I said “Uh-uh – Mum would have a fit.”
“You’ll keep our secret though?”
“With the tornadoes around? No problem at all!”
“Thanks – we’re not the only ones doing this,” Mrs Hobson said. “Linda, want to get ready?”
“Can you three sort out the meats and things then?”
“No problem,” Mrs Hobson said as we stood up. “On you go.”
The three of us soon had meats and salads sorted out as Mrs Cottrell came back in, giggling slightly as she walked.
“Right – help me take these through,” she said as I looked at Mr Hobson.
“I know, I know – I just go with the flow,” he said as he stood up and helped as well.