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Great Writing - Home > Extended > Day after Day - Chapter 3
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Extended Work
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| Day after Day - Chapter 3 | |
| By jean.day | ||
| 07 April 2006 | ||
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Early in March Muriel had just about given up hope of hearing from Charlotte Walker in regard to her proposal to introduce her to Eveline Duncan, when she received a note from her. “Dear Miss King, Do you remember that you asked me to get you invited to Little Perdiswell to meet my friend Eveline and her mother? I think I might be able to offer you something even better. Eveline and Mrs. Duncan have had an invitation to a household ball at Perdiswell House, for Miss Eva Mostyn Walker who will be twenty one. She is no relative of ours, but of course we know of her father, a widower, Harry Walker who is so prominent in the town. Her father said that he would be pleased to include the three of us at his daughter’s birthday party. Would that suit you? It will be on Friday the 23rd. Then you will be able to chat to Eveline at the same time. I don’t think we would all be able to stay at their house. They are not able to entertain more than one guest as their house is quite small. But if we all travel together by cab, it should not be too expensive. I expect that Eveline’s nephew will be invited, as he will be home from Oxford for the Easter break. Let me know what you think of this proposal. Yours sincerely, Charlotte S. Walker” Muriel rushed over to May’s house to share the news. May was thrilled. So Muriel rushed back home and penned an immediate reply in the positive. The girls and their mothers went to town later in the week to see what ball gowns were available. Gone were the days when dresses had to be ordered and made, taking weeks. There were now many ready made dresses available to be tried on in the shop and bought and taken home immediately, unless alterations were required. First they went to Miss Leia Akyrne, Ladies Outfitters, but found nothing that suited. Then to Georges Ltd. and also had little success. James Wilkes who had a Ladies’ costume department under Misses Lowe and Wilkes was their third attempt and there they were successful. May’s dress was a green silk. The bodice had black jet bead decoration and a raised collar. It had puffed sleeves which curved at the elbow and each sleeve cuff had black bead floral detail. The heavy pleated skirt was also decorated with black jet beads. Muriel worried that it was too expensive but her mother said it would do her for many occasions over the years. Muriel’s dress was much plainer. In pale yellow it featured a high bodice with a flowing, layered skirt. The gown was made of silk chiffon over silk charmeuse, with a beaded, embroidered lace overlay on the bodice and the center front of the skirt. The bodice and sleeves were edged with beaded trim. Early afternoon on March 23rd, the day of the ball, Charlotte ordered a carriage and had it stop on Lansdown Crescent to pick up Muriel and May. They had arranged to dress at Eveline’s house, so had taken their dresses in bags, being careful to keep them from getting mussed. It was only four miles to Perdiswell where Eveline and her mother lived, so it only took a matter of fifteen minutes to get there. Once there, they were allowed to hang their dresses in the spare room, and they were invited back to the drawing room for tea. Charlotte introduced her friends to Eveline’s mother. “Mrs. Duncan, may I present my friends Miss Muriel King, and Miss May Stinton.” “Pleased to meet you, I am sure,” said Mrs. Duncan stiffly. This would be her first occasion of public socialising since the death of her husband John in December 1899 when he was only 62. She was feeling his absence greatly and even with the support of her daughter, Eveline, she often felt at a loss. Her older daughter, Caroline and her family had until recently lived in the house next door, but they had now moved to Barbourne Road and she missed them. One of Caroline’s sons usually bicycled out most days after school to make sure they were all right. The Duncan house was also up for sale but Mrs. Frances Duncan had not yet decided whether they would move in with Caroline and her family or go to Stockton on Cherwell where her son George lived. “What does your father do for a living, Miss King?” “He is an epicurean victualler, Mrs. Duncan. He has the J.J. Williams and Co. shop in the centre of town, offering only the best in all goods. We have been grocers in our family for generations.” “Oh, yes, well,” said Mrs. Duncan, not approving of grocers. Her husband had inherited wealth accumulated by his father James Duncan who was famous for redesigning the Pamplemousse Gardens in Mauritius. John had moved with his family to Mauritius when he was a teen, and she had met him there. Her two eldest living children, Caroline and George had been born there, but not Eveline. John, with financial support from his father opened a nursery business when they returned to the U.K. and lived in Colne, Wiltshire. After James Duncan, John’s father died and they inherited some of his wealth, they moved to Worcester specifically to be near their daughter Caroline. “My father was the Registrar for High Baliffs and Clerks in the District for 17 years until 1889, and then he was promoted to the Office of Treasury Examiner of County Courts and has his office in Sansome Place,” said May. Mrs. Duncan approved that May’s father was of a higher quality in terms of his profession. “I shall not dance this evening,” she added, “as it would not be appropriate for someone in mourning. But I can enjoy watching others and listening to the music while you young things disport yourselves.” “I know that you both are interested in knowing more about my nephew, John,” said Eveline with a slight giggle. The girls blushed, but acknowledged that they would be pleased to know more of him. John used to live next door, with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Curel Roberts Day. His mother is my sister, Caroline,” said Eveline. “Day!” exclaimed Muriel. “I know two Mr. Days from amongst the aldermen. Are they related to Mr. Ernest Augustus Day or Mr. Harry Day?” “No, I am afraid there is no relation between them at all,” said Mrs. Duncan with a laugh, “although Mr. Ernest Day lives here in Perdiswell. Mr. John Curel Roberts Day, my son-in-law, is an assistant school inspector for the primary schools in the area and his family come from Rochester in Kent.” “Oh,” said Muriel, somewhat subdued. “And what does Mr. John Day do, if I may ask. He said that he was off to Oxford when we met him leaving the memorial service for the Queen in February.” “John is studying theology at Oxford University,” said Eveline. “He is in his second year. He is home for the Easter break at the moment, but has volunteered to help the vicar at the local church, and therefore didn’t feel he could take time to attend a ball.” A vicar-to-be was not quite what Muriel had envisaged in her dreams of her husband-to-be, but she was not totally put off. “Perhaps he helps at the Sunday service in the church,” she speculated. All the assembled women laughed. “I dare say, if you attended church here one Sunday in the next few weeks, you might well have occasion to see him,” said his grandmother. But the subject was left at that as the women all needed to put on their gowns and attend to their toilettes. Eveline and Charlotte both wore much plainer ball gowns, as befitting their ages. Eveline’s was in pale lavender and Charlotte’s in even paler blue. Mrs. Duncan wore a simple dress in grey – still feeling the need to be in half mourning. When it came towards seven, they got into the hired carriage and went the half mile down the road to Perdiswell Hall. Perdiswell Hall was built in the late 18th century and was currently owned by the Walkers. Eveline filled them in on the recent history of the establishment. “Henry Walker,” she said, “Is a prosperous manufacturer who sought life as a country gentleman, and he bought the estate for £26,805 in 1875. However, his wife Georgiana died at only 40 and he was left to bring up his four children, though with the aid of his sister and a large staff of servants including a governess, nurse and two nursery maids. He is also a significant local benefactor, especially generous to Claines Church and Claines School.” The women arrived at the Walker mansion, and, after taking off their capes, were ushered into the main ballroom and introduced. Unfortunately from Muriel’s point of view, her intended had either not been invited or had chosen not to attend but she was never without a partner for the dancing. May, Charlotte and Eveline all had a number of dances and enjoyed themselves, but it was Muriel who put a challenge to the birthday girl, Eva Walker, in being the Belle of the Ball. Although they very much enjoyed themselves, they took their leave of the festivities at ten and a cab conveyed the Duncans home and then took May and Muriel back to Lansdown Crescent.
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