Roses at Home-4
By the time they got back to the manor, the party had been efficiently moved indoors to a ballroom, and many people were dancing to a live band. Marie and Nelson were moving among the tables greeting their guests. William led Kate past the ballroom into the kitchen. He set her down at the table and busied himself at the fridge.
“William what are you doing?” Kate asked, watching him curiously.
“You need ice for that-.” Suddenly he sneezed. And again. Kate giggle a bit but was interrupted when she sneezed as well.
“Well, well,” Dr. Voigt, Nelson’s father walked in. “This should teach you two about sneaking off during weddings.” He looked at Kate. “One of the driver’s alerted me about your ankle. Let’s have a look.”
And within a few minutes, he had wrapped up her ankle expertly in sports tape. It was already feeling much better and she was considerably drier as well. But now she was sniffling, and so was William.
“What these two need,” he said looking at the cook. “Is a piping hot cup of tea and some warm clothes. Go on! Off you go!” He shooed them to their bedrooms to change while the cooks prepared the tea.
As soon as Kate got to her guest suite a maid walked in with heated towels. She considered wrapping up in them, but then hopped in the shower instead. The warm water soothed her ankle, even through the plasticy tape. She finished quickly, and went to her suitcase. Kate had only brought one formal outfit for the wedding. So she put on a simple white cutwork skirt with a beaded tank top and a cardigan. She looked at her strappy shoes and opted for ballet flats instead.
She had started blow drying her hair when there was a knock at the door. The maid walked in again. “Mr. Moseley would like to know if you are ready to join him for tea.” Kate froze, hair dryer in one hand, mousse in the other and her comb between her teeth. She dropped the hair dryer and signaled for ‘2 minutes.’ The maid smiled, nodded and walked out. Quickly she parted her hair, pulled it into a low ponytail and walked out of her bedroom. The maid led her to a parlor room near the ballroom where William was waiting. Tea service had been set for two.
He looked comfortably casual in khaki pants with a button down linen shirt. His hair was slightly wet and rather tousled but perfect all the same.
“Well this looks lovely,” Kate said looking at the tea and biscuits on the table. “Thank you,” she nodded to the butler who was standing nearby.
“I think we’ll serve ourselves sir,” William gave the butler a knowing look. The butler bowed himself out of the room, closing the doors behind him. Kate had already begun serving tea when William looked back at the table.
She looked up at him. “Sorry, I didn’t want to wait for it to get cold.” She handed him a cup and sat silently for a few minutes, sipping and munching.
“So how’s your ankle now?” William asked while pointing with a biscuit.
“Oh much better, thank you,” Kate smiled. “It barely hurts at all. I think it was a mild sprain. Nothing too serious.”
William smiled with that same look from the park. He leaned forward in his seat. “Well Miss Martin, how do you feel then, about a bit of dancing?” He stood up and offered his hand.
“Mr. Moseley,” Kate said, fanning herself with her hand. “I doubt you could keep up with me.” And so they went, hand in hand to the ballroom to join the party.
“William what are you doing?” Kate asked, watching him curiously.
“You need ice for that-.” Suddenly he sneezed. And again. Kate giggle a bit but was interrupted when she sneezed as well.
“Well, well,” Dr. Voigt, Nelson’s father walked in. “This should teach you two about sneaking off during weddings.” He looked at Kate. “One of the driver’s alerted me about your ankle. Let’s have a look.”
And within a few minutes, he had wrapped up her ankle expertly in sports tape. It was already feeling much better and she was considerably drier as well. But now she was sniffling, and so was William.
“What these two need,” he said looking at the cook. “Is a piping hot cup of tea and some warm clothes. Go on! Off you go!” He shooed them to their bedrooms to change while the cooks prepared the tea.
As soon as Kate got to her guest suite a maid walked in with heated towels. She considered wrapping up in them, but then hopped in the shower instead. The warm water soothed her ankle, even through the plasticy tape. She finished quickly, and went to her suitcase. Kate had only brought one formal outfit for the wedding. So she put on a simple white cutwork skirt with a beaded tank top and a cardigan. She looked at her strappy shoes and opted for ballet flats instead.
She had started blow drying her hair when there was a knock at the door. The maid walked in again. “Mr. Moseley would like to know if you are ready to join him for tea.” Kate froze, hair dryer in one hand, mousse in the other and her comb between her teeth. She dropped the hair dryer and signaled for ‘2 minutes.’ The maid smiled, nodded and walked out. Quickly she parted her hair, pulled it into a low ponytail and walked out of her bedroom. The maid led her to a parlor room near the ballroom where William was waiting. Tea service had been set for two.
He looked comfortably casual in khaki pants with a button down linen shirt. His hair was slightly wet and rather tousled but perfect all the same.
“Well this looks lovely,” Kate said looking at the tea and biscuits on the table. “Thank you,” she nodded to the butler who was standing nearby.
“I think we’ll serve ourselves sir,” William gave the butler a knowing look. The butler bowed himself out of the room, closing the doors behind him. Kate had already begun serving tea when William looked back at the table.
She looked up at him. “Sorry, I didn’t want to wait for it to get cold.” She handed him a cup and sat silently for a few minutes, sipping and munching.
“So how’s your ankle now?” William asked while pointing with a biscuit.
“Oh much better, thank you,” Kate smiled. “It barely hurts at all. I think it was a mild sprain. Nothing too serious.”
William smiled with that same look from the park. He leaned forward in his seat. “Well Miss Martin, how do you feel then, about a bit of dancing?” He stood up and offered his hand.
“Mr. Moseley,” Kate said, fanning herself with her hand. “I doubt you could keep up with me.” And so they went, hand in hand to the ballroom to join the party.