Everyone is gathered around the table. A vast amount of food has been eaten and all that remains are the dregs of a custard jug and the last neglected crumbs from a vast blackberry tart.
Everyone is here. A special occasion made up not of a birthday, or an anniversary, or a festival, but simply of friends getting together to enjoy each other’s company.
All the farmhands, with the wives and girlfriends are here. Mrs Collier, of course, heads the table. But Mr Kalkowski sits to one side of her. Chad’s parents are here too.
And sitting together, under the tabletop, Chad squeezes Jenny’s hand.
He gives a nudge. “Now you think? They’ve all finished eating. I don’t think they’re going to move again for a while with that lot inside them.”
She bites down on her excitement. “Mmmm, yes.”
Chad rises from his seat. “Um, ‘S’cuse me, everyone.”
The chatter dies down, everyone turning curiously towards him.
“Sorry to interrupt you all….”
He is nervous, unused to speaking to so many at once. “…. Since everyone’s here together tonight, I wanted to make an announcement.”
He looks down at Jenny. Her eyes, the green of spring grass as it sways in the breeze, shine up at him, and of a sudden, his nerves evaporate.
“…. Or really, Jenny and I wanted to make an announcement.” Chad’s mother and father exchange a knowing glance. “I…. we wanted to tell you all that I have asked Jenny to marry me, and she has said, Yes.”
The room erupts into clapping and congratulations. Mrs Collier rises smoothly from her seat. “Brett, come down to the cellars with me. I think we’ll bring up some of that gooseberry champagne from last year.”
Mr Bennett gives her hug. Then Mrs Bennett. “Thank you, Jenny. I know you’ll make Chad very happy.”
Nathaniel, with a broad grin, kisses her soundly on the lips. “Congratulations, Jenny. Don’t mind if I kiss the bride-to-be, do you, Chad?”
Diane pats at the bump on her belly. “Won’t be long before you have one of these too then, eh, Jenny?”
embarrassment by the return of Mrs Collier and Brett, carrying arm-loads of thick-walled bottles, corked and wired. The first cork eases out, then pops. Pale yellow foam splashes out and the first flute is pressed into Chad’s
clinking their glasses. Everyone is laughing and joking
Almost everyone.
wine, looking thoughtful. Then, seeing Jenny watching, he raises his glass, tugging his mouth
*****
sound of chatter and giggling drifts across
upwards, one eyebrow raising. “Don’t you
sniffs. “It’s different now, isn’t it. Two young people, going to
what if…?” His voice
would hardly be the first girl to walk down the aisle, then achieve in seven months what takes cows and duchesses nine. If they’re getting married, what does it
dust with the tip of his
of them have been good friends ever since she arrived here. What’s more natural than that they
Eleanor. I’m very fond of Jenny. Of both of them, of course,
obviously love each other. They’re never apart. How could it be a
really not for
she snaps. “Just
*****
“Mr Kalkowski?”
“Yes, Jenny.”
a date now, for the wedding, in the Spring, in May. Mr and Mrs Bennett said that would be a good month because the weather’s
old man keeps his voice neutral. “May
thing is, you’re invited of
“But what Jenny?”
have anyone, a father or a brother or anything. Would you give
eyes swim ,and he makes a pretence of cleaning his spectacles on a handkerchief. When he doesn’t answer, Jenny sags. “Don’t you want to give me away?
then swallows hard. “Yes, of course, Jenny. It would be
*****