I closed the gate behind me and before I knew it, I was zooming down the sidewalk, headed to who knows where. I sure didn't know! The whole landscape was foreign to me. The sidewalks were level and went on around a bend down the wooded lane. It was mid morning, but there wasn't a soul in sight, anywhere. All I could see was wrought iron gates, one after the other. Some were covered with the overgrowth of beautiful purple flowers and green vines. I think some of the vines were actually English Ivy. I recognized it from pots that Mama used to keep on our balcony...
Mama, oh my goodness...the thought of her made me stop dead in my tracks. It had only been weeks now, since our New York visit. Yet, it seemed like several months ago. I felt such an eerie feeling of foreboding. I noticed the wind slightly whisper through the trees. There were no birds, I noticed the eerie quietness, except for the wind, and even it, I could barely hear. I knew it though, because I felt it whisper and blow over the hair on my arms and I could see the leaves on all the trees sway. I looked all around and decided that I had best turn and go back to the flat. This neighborhood, now, gave me the heebie jeebies. Odd, too, since it seemed so different, just a while earlier.
I turned the bike around and peddled as fast as I could. I was hoping to recognize a familiar driveway, but soon, I realized that they all sorta looked...alike! I then realized that I didn't even know the street address. It was a moment of sheer panic, as I reconized that I was in a strange neighborhood, in a strange city...and I was lost!
“Nona, Nona....Nona,” I screamed, to the top of my lungs, hoping that maybe they were outside and might hear me. I stopped screaming and listened...my face was breaking out in a sweat and my voice sounded hoarse...I can't believe that I didn't remember some landmark or marker to mark my place so I'd know when I came back. I sit there listening for any sounds...nothing, I couldn't hear anything...not even the wind that I felt rustle over the sweat beads that gathered upon my forehead...
“Nona,” I screamed one last time. I felt the blood rush to my face and my heart was pounding in my ears. I should have known better, I thought.
Right up in front of me, one of the gates opened and a tall, thin boy peered out, around the open gate. He looked like he might be twelve, maybe. His hair was long and hung in silky blond strands across his forehead and down around his ears. His face was thin and his eyes were so big and blue green. They reminded me of the color of the Gulf of Mexico, where we used to go vacation for the summer.
“Can I help you?” He spoke, in a very English dialect. “Are you lost?” he asked.
Okay, I took a deep breath, here I go...I know he isn't going to understand a word I speak. Even though we both speak English, it may take a quizzical look from him before he understands my words. So, I knew that I had to speak slow, clear, and precise.
“Yes, I am lost! Do you happen to know where the Maitland house is?” I asked in earnest. I was nearly in tears.
“Oh, sorry...I do not know any Maitlands...Maitland, you say?” he asked, with a quizzical look of peaked interest.
“From the states are you?” he asked.
I took a deep breath and thought of the only question I knew to ask, the only thing that would come to mind, “Well, do you know Drew Beals?”
Goodnight and God bless!
Week of July 16th, 2010
Drew suggested that we drive by Aunt Sara's flat, just to check on everything. He said that nobody had been by there in a few weeks.
John nodded his head in agreement and Daddy agreed, too. Soon we were whizzing down the wrought-ironed gated community of Highgate. The houses looked like Victorian cottages, with porches that encircled their fronts. Most every house had wooden front doors with stained glass side windows and transoms. Their front yards were overflowing with Iris and Wisteria plants. It looked like every house had it's own elaborate garden.
Soon we pulled up in front of a huge gate with two large Gargoyles on either side of the stone posts. The trees branches swung down low over the gates , as if trying to hide the entrance to onlookers. Was this a flat, I wondered? It looked more like a big, pale yellow house, a house trimmed in elaborate white wood, with rambling rooms and a weather vane over the cupola.
“Is this Aunt Sara's flat?” I questioned, as I swallowed hard. “It looks more like a big, tall house to me,” I added.
“Well, yes, it is actually your house, now, Miss Heiress.” Drew said. “You see there is a lovely flat round back that I usually stay at, if I'm in London. Aunt Sara has kept the main house occupied for several years now. She sublet to a nice family that works in London. Just a man and his lady, but they keep check on things and Aunt Sara adored them.” Drew added.
Soon John had accessed the gate with a secret code and we slowly drove round the big home to the back. He parked the car right in front of the place. We were all astonished that this place belonged to Aunt Sara, too.
“Very nice, very nice,” I heard Nona say, as she strained her head to see.
There were two lovely pots of pink tulips adoring the entrance to the flat. The tall, brown, stained wooden door had a big brass Lions head with a round ring in it's mouth that must be a door knocker. There were two small, narrow windows that ran down each side of the door. They were dressed in what looked like bright red window shades pulled halfway down the windows. The big bay window sitting to the right of the front door had attached flowerpots filled to overflowing with the most beautiful pale lilac plants. As I opened the car door to get out, I could smell the heavenly scent of all the garden and nearby lavish scenery. It was a truly beautiful place. Then I saw it! Close to the front door sat the most appealing, shiny red bicycle. It had big, thick, white wall tires, a very plush, well padded seat and a metal basket on the front. It was all I could do to not want to run and jump on it and go for a ride.
“Whose bike is that,” I asked.
Drew looked at me and smiled. “Well, Miss Heiress, that would be yours, officially, now, I guess.”
“Nona, may I go for a ride? Oh please,” I pleaded. “I haven't ridden a bike in ages!” I exclaimed.
“But Lauren, you don't know the neighborhood.” Jana said. “Is it safe?” she asked, looking directly at Drew.
“Yes, you have a sidewalk. Just stay to the right. There is a walk through gate on the left of the big entrance gate. Just unlatch it and go on. She'll be alright,” he said, looking at Nona.
My hands were already touching the cold metal of the handlebars as I leaned it a bit to push up the kickstand. I loved to ride a bike...
Goodnight and God bless!
Week of July 9th, 2010
On Driving to London
The bacon, even the bacon here is different, I thought, as I happily munched on my sandwich. Here the bacon is never sliced thin and cooked crisp. It is sort of thick and chewy, a lot like ham, I think...and the bread tastes different, too. They call it wheat meal. And the tomatoes, well, they call them toe-mot-toes, but they taste pretty much the same.
The landscape began to change as we made our way into London. Again, I noticed the distant Wiltshire hillside with it's White horse. That is a likeness of a big horse carved into the chalk-like ground. This one has a perky tail, too, all curved and full!
The fields no longer have the pretty yellow flowers growing everywhere. John called them Rape plants. He said they were oilseed, from the mustard seed family that is harvested for food for hogs and sheep. And he just told us that we'd need to keep our car windows up and rely on the air conditioning, because the Rape plants are now rotting and the stench is terrible.
Nona is now making small talk with the professor, and I'm thinking she is giggling way too much! I wonder why the professor seems to bring that out in her? And looking across the seat at Jana and Drew, it seemed like almost the same thing going on there. Too. Yet, they are both quiet and looking out the car windows. Jana is holding his hand. Hmmm. I take a deep sigh and wonder what that feels like to her? Daddy and Holly are sitting up front with John. I guess I was the one who ended up sitting here with all the lovey lovebirds...
I do wonder where the professor has been lately. I just overheard him telling Nona that she would have loved this place called Tyntesfield, where he has been engaged by The National Trust to monitor their restoration. The Victorian estate is located just seven miles outside of Bristol, in North Somerset in the Vale of Nailsea. I remember Bristol because that is where Drew said the original ship the U.S. Great Britain was kept. That was the ship that Hailey and Grandmother Elise traveled to America on. Everything in England amazes me, since it all is still standing, hundreds of years later. The professor said the Tyntesfield house was constructed of yellow stone from the Bath area. And come to think of it, most places over here are constructed of stone...The professor said that walking through the front door, you're struck by a strong church-like atmosphere. Some of the main rooms are richly fitted up with carved stone and woodwork, tiles, stained glass and marble inlay. And, it does sound lovely, I guess, but after Montecumbay, not much impresses me, anymore, since it is already so much grander than Hailey Grove....
Goodnight and God bless!
Week of July 2nd, 2010
“Perhaps that is Drew, out there, in the boat house,” Nona whispered. But I could tell she wasn't certain.
To me, it just looked like a dark shadow of a person, a dark shadow, not some glowing light, so I wasn't too afraid. I mean, it was broad daylight and about ten o'clock in the morning.
“Nona, I'll hurry up and finish dressing. Aren't we still going to London today?” I asked, as I took my eyes away from the boat house and up to her quizzical looking face, now sort of flushed. She scratched her head and pushed her hair behind her right ear, a trait that I had undoubtedly picked up from her. Or maybe, she from, from me. I wasn't quite sure...
“Hummm, yes, you do that, sweetie,” she said. But I could tell she was still focusing on the boat house shadow.
I ran into my bathroom and began the morning process of brushing my teeth and hair, and then washing my face with the soft, fluffy white washcloth and lavender soap. This trip, we had brought our own washcloths from Hailey Grove, since no place here seemed to have them available. They seemed to only have hand towels and bath towels. I remember last trip, when Nona asked Mrs. Beals for a washcloth, she looked at her funny and said, “Well, Misses, I believe you are referring to a face cloth, and here, we call them a flannel, and well, it is a personal item and we expect you to bring your own.”
I remember Nona smiling and saying to me later, after Mrs. Beals had answered her question and went on her merry way, that the English are just a wee bit different from us Americans...
After I slipped on my sun dress and sneakers, I was ready to go. I felt a little hungry as we descended the grand staircase and I could smell what was the leftover aroma of bacon...
“Nona, was all the breakfast gone?” I asked.
“Now, Missy, do you think Mrs. Beals would forget to save you something? Actually, I believe she said she was taking the leftover toast and bacon and making you a sandwich to tote with you on our drive into London, so don't worry, or fret, as Mrs. Beals would say. She didn't forget you!” Nona said.
By then, I supposed the dark, ominous shadow had left her inquisitive thoughts, for she seemed to be a little less serious, and a bit more like her playful, happy self.
Sure enough, Daddy greeted us with a nice little lunch box and a good morning hug.
“Mrs. Beals packed your breakfast and the others are out front awaiting John to bring around the car. We have a full load traveling to London. Even Drew is accompanying us, as well as Professor Simpson.” Daddy said.
With the last addition to our trip, the Professor, I could guess that this was why Nona was all dressed in favorite clothes and wearing more make-up than her usual. Now her appearance all began to make some sense...and to think, I was figuring it was maybe hoping to see the Queen at Buckingham Palace!
