Open Writing

By early March Muriel had almost given up hope of hearing from Charlotte Walker regarding an inroduction to Eveline Duncan when she received the following note.

Dear Miss King,

Yours sincerely,
Charlotte S. Walker

Muriel promptly rushed over to May’s house to share the news. May was thrilled, so Muriel returned home and penned an immediate reply accepting the invitation.

The girls and their mothers went to town later in the week, shopping for ball gowns. It had been decided that both girls could have new dresses as birthday presents. Gone were the days when dresses had to be made to order, and the making of them could take weeks. Now there were many ready-made dresses in the shops. These could be tried on and, unless alterations were required, immediately taken home.

First they went to Miss Leia Akyrne, Ladies’ Outfitters, but found nothing that suited. Then to Georges Ltd where they met with the same negative result. At James Wilkes's, where there was a ladies’ costume department run by Misses Lowe and Wilkes, they met with success.

May’s dress was of 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. May 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 on the afternoon of March 23rd, the day of the ball, Charlotte ordered a carriage and had it stop in Lansdowne Crescent to pick up Muriel and May. They had arranged to dress at Dot’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 less than half-an-hour to get there. On arrival, they were allowed to hang their dresses in a spare room, then they were invited back to the drawing room for tea. Charlotte introduced her friends to Eveline’s mother.

“Pleased to meet you, I am sure,” said Mrs. Duncan stiffly. This was her first social function since the death of her husband, John, who had died four months earlier at the age of 62. She was greatly missing him. Even with the support of her daughter Eveline she keenly felt her loss.

Her older daughter, Caroline, had until recently lived with her family in the house next door. However Caroline had now moved to another address, though one of her sons came by bicycle every afternoon to make sure that Mrs Duncan was all right.

“What does your father do for a living, Miss King?” Mrs Duncan asked.

“He is an epicurean victualler, Mrs. Duncan. He owns the J.J. Williams and Co. shop in the centre of town. He prides himself on offering only the best in all goods. Generations of our family have been grocers.''

“Oh, yes,'' said Mrs Duncan, not exactly 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 in his teenage years, 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 Britain, living in Calne, 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 Bailiffs 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.

On hearing this, Mrs. Duncan nodded her approval. “I shall not dance this evening,” she told the girls. "it would not be appropriate to do so for someone in mourning. But I can enjoy listening to music and watching others dance.''

"I know believe you both are interested in knowing something of my nephew, John?'' said Eveline with an arch look.

The girls blushed as they nodded their heads.

"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 who are aldermen. Are to Mr. Ernest Augustus Day or Mr. Harry Day related to them?''

“No, I am afraid not,'' 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 came 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 as we were 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 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.

The subject was left at that because it was time for the women all needed to put on their gowns and attend to their toilettes.

Eveline and Charlotte both wore much plainer ball gowns, as befitted 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.

Towards seven o'clock they got into the hired carriage and went the half mile down the road to Perdiswell Hall, which was built in the 18th century and was now owned by the Walkers.

Eveline told them something of its recent history. “Henry Walker is a prosperous manufacturer who desired to live as a country gentleman. He bought the estate for £26,805 in 1875. However, his wife, Georgiana, died when she was 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, a nurse and two nursery maids. He is a significant local benefactor, especially generous to Claines Church and Claines School.”

When the women arrived at the mansion they took off their capes, then they were ushered into the ballroom and formally 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, departing in a cab.