Review, Edit and Update
How do two people, set in their ways, blend their lives? Martha Haverstock and James Digby presented me with this challenge. Thus, my challenge today, was to add context to their dialogue while maintaining the quality of each character.
Climbing Roses
“Martha, have you sent out the invitations?”
James Edward Digby, butler for the Beaufort Estate, and Martha Haverstock, housekeeper for the Beaufort Estate had been planning their wedding for quite sometime. Both in their mid sixties, in the early days of their plans, they had decided to move into James home. Martha did feel a bit uncomfortable with such a move. Bringing all her fussy decorations and sewing things in would certainly disrupt James' neat as a pin home. She did stay over night once or twice but slept in the guest bedroom. They would get up in the morning and have coffee, toast and the strawberry/rhubarb jam Martha brought with her. They didn’t want any gossip so any time there was a sleep over, it was planned for their days off. Joanie had to be let in on their secret because, normally, she always checked on her mom before she went to bed. Martha didn't want to frighten Joanie. Joanie had always liked James and was very pleased for her mom. She wasn’t so sure how she’d feel once they were actually married. Especially if they moved in to her mother’s half of their duplex.
“I’m just finishing them up, dear. I’ll take them into Hartley postoffice tomorrow and get them posted. You look like you have something to tell me, James. What is it? Is everything all right?”
James cleared his throat. "I know you are not comfortable living here after we’re married and quite frankly it makes me a bit nervous too. I’ve never been married before, so don’t know what to expect. My home has always been arranged the way I want it…… I know….. That sounded dreadful but there it is. So here’s what I want to tell you." James seemed to be stumbling over his words. "Samuel and I talk quite frequently." James didn’t usually spend this much time getting the point. He was direct and succinct. "I had opportunity to go out to the toolshed the other day. I needed some nails and my hammer was out there. I need to fix that broken front porch step.”
Martha, busy with putting the last stamps on the wedding invitation, was rather blunt. “James, leave that to Samuel. Little fixes like that are part of his job.”
“No, it’s quite an easy fix. Just replacing a couple of loose nails.” James took a deep breath. In a very characteristic way, he stood, picked up cups and saucers from their workday morning coffee. Martha reached for her cup. “James, I’m not finished my coffee yet. Whatever is wrong?”
James put both cups down on the table and returned to his seat at the long kitchen table. “Where was I? Oh yes. Samuel and I got to talking. I let slip that you and I were getting married and to expect an invitation. Then I went on to say we hadn’t decided which home we would be living in.”
“James. You didn’t.” Martha’s face went pale, wedding invitations forgotten. "We decided we didn’t want anyone to know until they received our invitations." She sighed slowly. "I suppose if it’s just Samuel, our secret should be safe. He’s not one to gossip." Martha's composure settled and let her worry pass. "Now, did Samuel have anything to say?"
"I must say he was pretty calm. He put down the tools he was cleaning and walked outside. At first I thought he was finished talking but then he called out to me. ‘James. C’mere a minute. Look over there. Can’t really see it from here, but you know it’s there. ‘Member that little cottage to the west of here? Just outside Estate land? For sale sign is up.’".....James hesitated, picked up the coffee cups again, looking to make sure they were both empty. He took a deep breath. "Martha, I called the Realestate agent and made an appointment to see what condition the cottage is in, what the square footage is. My appointment is this afternoon. What do you think?”
“Oh, my dear James, you sound almost excited. You mean the cottage with the climbing roses? I think it’s just wonderful. It would be our very own place. I’d still be close to Joanie and Ben and Abby. We could walk to work together and someday retire together. Oh, it just sounds lovely. Just lovely.” Martha was glowing.
“Martha, I am so pleased. Don’t get too excited until we see if it will be big enough. It is just a cottage, but I’ve only ever seen it from the outside. You need to have a sewing room and I need an office. We’ll go this afternoon. Martha, I must admit, I am excited and so happy that, after all these years, we’ll finally be married.
“There is nothing more admirable than when two people
who see eye to eye keep house as man and wife,
confounding their enemies and delighting their friends.”
~ Homer, The Odyssey
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