This is a short story based on the TV show, "Keeping Up Appearances". A friend lent me the DVD and I decided to write a little story about some of the characters.
Elizabeth Warden parked her car in her driveway and walked up to the front door of her modest country cottage. She had a black purse slung over her shoulder and she fumbled in it to find her keys. After she located them, she opened her front door and let herself in. Her brother, Emmet Warden, looked up from the piano where he was playing music. "Hi, Liz. Did you manage to put them back?" "No, the office was locked, so I couldn't do it. But I picked up the key from Mrs. Nugent on my way back and I'll do it tomorrow." "Make sure that you do it, Liz. If Mrs. Nugent finds out that you took them, you'll be in trouble." "Don't worry, I'll do it tomorrow before the garden competition. She's one of the judges, so she'll be there all day and I'm doing some volunteer work in her office tomorrow, so I can slip into the office early tomorrow and do it then." "Don't forget, Liz."
"I won't. By the way, how's the rose bush doing?" "Beautiful. I checked on her this morning and she's really bloomed." Elizabeth was pleased to hear this. Her beautiful garden was her pride and joy and she had entered it into the annual garden competition, which was being held tomorrow. However, the masterpiece of her garden was a large rose bush covered with yellow roses that she'd purchased and planted a few months ago. The roses had just come into full bloom, so Elizabeth was sure that her garden stood a good chance of winning the competition.
As she walked over to Emmet, she noticed, with some concern, that he had dark circles under his eyes. "Still not sleeping well?" "No. That awful Bucket woman from next door was singing until late last night and then after she stopped, I tried to sleep, but couldn't, so I tried those sleeping pills that the doctor gave me." "Do they work?" "Yes, but I only took one and it knocked me out. I've got a terrible headache now, so I don't think I'll be taking them again. I might give them to you and you can get rid of them for me."
Emmet dug into his pants pocket and handed Elizabeth a crumpled packet. Elizabeth took them from Emmet, slipped her purse off her shoulder and placed the packet inside. As she stepped back, Emmet noticed that Elizabeth had dressed up in one of her nicest outfits - a red satin blouse and a tight black skirt with sheer stockings and black high heels, which was very different to the flowered dresses that she usually wore.
"Why are you dressed up, Liz?" "Hyacinth invited me over for coffee this evening and I thought that I should dress up a bit." "I don't know why you go over there, Liz. You always end up breaking something." "I know, but I didn't like to refuse. Anyway, Hyacinth said that she had something to tell me." "Well, while you're over there, then maybe you could tell her to stop singing at night. It's driving me crazy."
"Emmet!"
Elizabeth looked at her watch. "Oh, it's later than I thought it was. I might just go over there now." Elizabeth grabbed her purse and hurried out of the door.
A moment later, she knocked on Hyacinth's front door. A minute later, it swung open to reveal Hyacinth Bucket. Hyacinth was a plump woman with short, curly brown hair and a smooth complexion. As usual, she was perfectly made up with foundation and pink lipstick and she was dressed in a tweed jacket with a white silk blouse under it, a crimson skirt that came to her knees, black shoes with a small heel and a pearl necklace. "Ah, Elizabeth! You're a little early. Do come in." Elizabeth entered the house and Hyacinth closed the front door behind them before walking down the hall and gesturing for Elizabeth to follow. As Elizabeth followed her down the hall, she was surprised to see a beautiful rose bush sitting in a large pot in the hall, which was decorated with yellow roses. It looked exactly like the rose bush that she had in her garden and she wondered how Hyacinth had found it as her own rose bush was quite rare and she had had to search for months before finding the exact one that she wanted.
Hyacinth ushered Elizabeth into the kitchen and said, "I'll just get my china cups out. They're my Royal Doulton ones with the hand painted periwinkles." Elizabeth said, "Are...are you sure that's a good idea, Hyacinth. It's just that...maybe a mug would be better." "Nonsense, dear. All I ask is that you be careful." Elizabeth's hands were already shaking, so she decided to distract herself and looked around the kitchen. That was when she noticed a pile of ropes neatly piled on the kitchen counter.
"What are those ropes for, Hyacinth?" "Oh, I've entered the garden competition tomorrow. I got Richard to tie some shade cloth over a few of my plants, so that they wouldn't get too much heat. He had to go away for work and won't be back for a few days, so he did it this morning before he left. Those ropes were left over and I haven't had the chance to put them away yet." Elizabeth said, "Hyacinth, I meant to ask. I noticed the beautiful rose bush that you have in your hall and I was just wondering where you got it from as it's very rare? I've actually got one that's exactly the same."
"That's exactly what I wanted to tell you, dear. I got a spade and dug that rose bush out of your garden this afternoon. Don't worry, I've planted it into that pot and you can have it back after tomorrow. I've got an empty spot in my garden and I realised that bush would be perfect for it. I didn't think you'd mind." Elizabeth was horrified to hear this and said, "But, Hyacinth, I've entered the competition too and I really need the prize money." "Don't be silly, dear. You'll find something else to enter. Besides, your garden doesn't really stand a chance next to my garden."
Elizabeth said firmly, "The answer is no. I want my bush back tonight." "You're not listening, dear. I said that you can have it back after tomorrow." Hyacinth turned her back to Elizabeth and started pouring water into the kettle while she placed two china cups on tiny saucers next to it.
Elizabeth clenched her fists. The problem was that being friends with Hyacinth was like being friends with a bulldozer. Hyacinth always had to have her own way and she usually got it because no-one ever stood up to her. She reached into her purse for a tissue in order to calm herself and that was when her fingers brushed something square. She took it out and looked at it. It was the packet of sleeping pills that Emmet had given her. Then she looked at the two tea cups next to Hyacinth and then at the ropes stacked on the kitchen counter.
Meanwhile Hyacinth was saying, "Did I tell you that Mrs. Nugent is coming over tomorrow for tea before the garden competition? Isn't that nice of her? I should really think about what to make for tea. Perhaps I should do some sandwiches?"
Hyacinth continued talking, but Elizabeth wasn't listening.
She had a plan to retrieve her rose bush and to stop Hyacinth interfering with her winning the garden competition...