Here is another installment and the biggest so far, I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Thanks again to my editor/beta reader North200
~
It was the night of the Gala and Sally had invited Ruth and Ivy over to her place to get ready.
The game-keepers cottage was a perk of Sally's job and it was lovely. Small but perfect in every way from to the climbing yellow rose scrambling up the front of the house, to holly hocks that had self-seeded in the tiny back garden. The kitchen was packed full of jars of preserves and bottled delights and there were books everywhere. It reminded Ivy of her own place, only the cottage was a little bit bigger.
Although Richard hadn't been dominating her thoughts for much of the preceding weeks Ivy had been thinking about him all day. She hadn't seen Richard for over a month. She'd regretted storming out that day, she was too hot headed, she should have let him finish what he was going to say. It would have been more professional to resolve the situation after it happened, less awkward when they did see each other again.
She kept going over it in her head, over and over, swinging back and fourth between reactions. Sometimes she was furious with him, sometimes she thought she had over-reacted, misinterpreted his actions. She considered about telling Ruth and Sally about what happened and getting another opinion, but every time she started to confide in the two women she would lose her nerve.
He'd emailed a copy of the architectural designs with their planting plan incorporated and it looked amazing. Ivy and Kevin had begun preparing the outdoor beds and they were all set to start planting in the autumn.
"Have you heard back from Bath College?" Sally asked, pulling Ivy out of her thoughts and back into the present.
Terrence had encouraged her to apply to do a diploma in horticulture at the local college. She'd gone for an interview the week before. If she was going to stick around, be in one place for a while she may as well use the time to get some qualifications.
"Yeah, the next course starts in September, it's on Wednesdays, I think I'm going to go for it."
"That's great Ivy!" Ruth said.
They were in Sally's lounge. There was a large full-length mirror - which normally lived in the bathroom - leaning against a wall. Lipstick, styling gel, jewellery, nail varnish and other assorted beauty products littered all the available surfaces. There were rejected clothes lying discarded across the furniture, and all over the floor.
Sally was standing in front of the mirror with her hands on her hips. "I think this colour makes me look a bit washed out," she said, pulling a face.
"No!" Ruth and Ivy said in unison. "You look hot," Ruth added from the sofa.
Sally didn't look convinced.
"It looks great on you," Ivy said, "Really."
Ruth had done something incredible to Ivy's hair. It was piled up messily on top of her head with some artfully arranged tendrils hanging down. Ruth had an intense look of concentration on her face as she added the final pins needed to hold it in place. She leaned back and while examining Ivy she nodded slowly.
"Have a look, see what you think, but I think you should totally wear my red choker with that dress."
Sally was nodding in agreement from the other side of the room.
The three of them were finally ready. Apart from her jacket and her underwear everything Ivy was wearing was borrowed. Unusually she was wearing both make up and jewellery She was even wearing heels but they were quite chunky, so she didn't feel too unsteady on her feet as they walked over to the big house.
*
It was a warm summery evening and everyone was there. Kevin looked dashing in his suit; he was with his wife Christine, a friendly woman who Ivy had only met once before, with warm, smiling eyes and rosy cheeks. She heard Seph's laugh booming across the room before she saw him. He was sitting on a chair against the wall of the ballroom surrounded by people. He looked like a king holding court. She couldn't hear what he was saying but what ever it was, it was making his audience laugh so loudly it carried all the way to the door.
They wandered over to where Roger and Alex were standing awkwardly by the French windows, dressed smartly but clearly feeling a little out of place. She noticed Roger was looking at her as though he'd never seen her before and she felt self-conscious. Did she look ridiculous? Maybe the jacket was a bit much? Maybe she shouldn't have worn the heels?
As though reading her mind Sally squeezed her hand and whispered "You look fabulous, darling." Ivy felt herself blush as she smiled shyly back. Sally always knew just the right thing to say.
~
Ivy was surprised and a little nervous to discover that the seating for the meal was allocated already, each of the large circular tables sat eight people. At the table she had been seated at the only person she already knew was Caroline; Terrence's only daughter and Richards beautiful younger sister who thankfully she was sitting next to and who chattered away so enthusiastically no one noticed Ivy's lack of input.
Everyone else seemed to be nice enough. There were a pair who reminded her of Charles and Camilla -they could have stepped straight out of The Telegraph weekend supplement. The elderly man who was sitting next to her seemed a little more down to earth. He lived near by and liked to talk about his two dogs - another pair of red setters, like Sasha and Rosco. Caroline looked incredible, in her shimmery aquamarine sequin-covered dress and she was on form. Ivy looked on with respect as she seemed to effortlessly command the attention of everyone at their table and a few others besides. Nearby tables
As Andrew told Ivy about how he liked to walk his dogs for at least an hour every day, she discreetly scanned the other tables. As hard as she tried to concentrate on what he was saying her eyes kept flickering back to the entrance, it seemed they had a life of their own this evening. She could tell Andrew had noticed she was distracted when he looked over his shoulder to see what she was looking at. She was determined to stop, to focus better on what he is saying. Her tolerance for conversations about pedigree dogs wasn't great but she didn't want be rude.
She couldn't see Richard anywhere, she just wanted him to hurry up and arrive, so she could get used his presence and relax. Eventually with a knowing smile Caroline intervened, rescuing her from the well meaning but dull dog enthusiast. Gripping Ivy's arm she explained that both her brothers were going to be arriving late.
"They're missing dinner but they will be here for dancing afterwards." Her eyes were wide with excitement. "Richard had an important work meeting this afternoon that he couldn't cancel and on the way back he's picking up Will. He's at Uni in Bristol."
"Is Sara going to be arriving with them?"
Ivy tried to make sound like she was too interested in the answer, but she knew she hadn't managed it when Caroline's eye brows raised.
"No!" she laughed and it sounded like the tingling of a delicate silver bell as it carried across the ballroom, but it was good-natured laughter.
Leaning towards her Caroline whispered conspiratorially, "Sara and Richard aren't
together,
Ivy, they're just old friends." Her eyes glittered, and she seemed to be trying not to laugh again. Ivy couldn't understand what was so funny but at the same time her head was spinning with this new revelation.
Keen to move the conversation in a less awkward direction Ivy asked "So, there's going to be dancing?"
"Yes," Caroline replied clapping her hands together. "First there's going to be ballroom dancing and then fireworks" she leaned forward and dropped her voice, "and then all the fogeys go to bed and then there's more dancing."
She was so enthusiastic that Ivy was reminded of a small child who had woken up to discover it was her birthday.
Even though it was delicious, Ivy didn't manage much of her food. At the end of the meal and everyone turned towards a small stage at the far end of the hall that she hadn't noticed before. Terrence climbed the short flight of steps leading up to it, looking dashing in his signature grey linen suit. He spoke briefly about the charity. A woman from the charity spoke too. She told them she was grateful for the money raised and mentioned something about a raffle later. It was clear that she had known Terrence and Cartwright Hall for a very long time but Ivy wasn't really listening. Her head was filled with Richard and her new discovery about his relationship status, she combed through their interactions in her mind with this new information. Nervous anticipation rose up in her stomach and she was torn between wanting to run and hide before he arrived and wanting to see him.
As soon as the speeches were over Caroline grabbed Ivy by the hand and pulled her into the ballroom. She had never seen anything like it, the closest she'd come was helping out at the masked ball. It looked very different from how it had for the birthday party. The decorations were toned down, they were less exuberant, more refined. But it was still stunning.
This was a much older crowd, many of them were already in dancing pairs and gliding round the room elegantly. Her eyes were drawn to the source of the music and she realised there was a small chamber orchestra playing at the far end. A woman with long dark hair, wearing a long green dress was strumming on a large gilt harp, it all felt a bit surreal. She hovered uncomfortably near the entrance where many of the other staff members were. She saw Tim for the first time, and she smiled and waved at him, he began to walk over to where she was standing but before he could reach her Terrence appeared. He asked her to dance and swept her onto the dance floor with a flourish before she had the chance to refuse.
"You look stunning my darling, thank you for coming, I'm so glad you're here. I really must apologise again about what happened at the at the birthday party.
She smiled and shook her head "Thank you, but you don't need to apologise again, really."
Terrence had already apologised countless times.
*
Richard arrived just as everyone was finishing their meals, he grabbed a cocktail from a passing tray and found a spot at the edge of the ball room where he could easily see the rest of the party. Where was she? As he took a large mouthful of his drink he felt another presence and he turned to find his great aunt Edith. She rested her hand on his arm.
"How are you dear boy?" she asked in her thick Parisian accent.
He had to concentrate very hard to understand Edith, but she always insisted on speaking English even though she wasn't very good at it. He inquired after her children more out of civility than interest and she began to talk enthusiastically about her son's promotion.
