Free Fiction Friday

Excerpt from

"Water Music"

being

a fictional work

in three suites

and divers movements

Copyright 2021. Michael Yoder

Suite the First

1.

Overture

"Mother! I'm twenty-seven years old! I'm fully capable of making my own decisions!"

George's mother stopped in the middle of the hallway. Her blue dress rustled as she turned to her son, snapping her fan closed.

"George Reginald Baker!" She tapped his shoulder with her fan as she spoke. "You are twenty-seven and so it's time that you chose a bride and settled down. God knows that your father, rest his soul, would want to see you take a wife and provide the family with children. You have a perfectly fine job in the Notaries Public and what about that Anna Hammersmith? A most comely young woman. I personally know that she thinks very highly of you. Mary?!" Martha Baker turned her attention to a housemaid.

"Yes, Ma'am?" Mary asked whilst curtseying. "How may I be of assistance?"

"We shall be having guests for supper this evening," Martha told her."Speak with the cook. There shall be - "Martha counted in her head. "Twelve, including the family. I should think pheasant and fish of some sort as well as jellies and sundry others dishes. I will leave all that to Cook and expect that we shall dine at 8 o'clock. We must also have flowers, I shall leave that to your devices. There is the flower vendor down in the lane. George follow me to my chambers, if you please."

Martha snapped opened her fan and scurried down the long hallway followed by George. The house in Knightsbridge was large and fashionable: there were portraits and paintings that silently observed everything from the white plaster walls and tall windows open now in the heat of early July. Martha's husband, James Baker, had been a well appointed lawyer for many years before his passing, and while the family was not immensely wealthy, they kept staff and a country home. As was fitting, George, being the eldest son, stayed with his mother and younger siblings, who were not yet of marrying age, although his sister, Jane was almost 18 and close to being of age to be assigned a husband.

"Mother?" asked George. "Who will be dining with us this evening? This is the first you've mentioned it. You know how I do not enjoy surprises."

Reaching the door to her chambers, Martha turned to George and recited the list of guests. "There shall be the family, all six of us, as well as Anna Hammersmith-"

"Mother?!" George interrupted. "You are working at making matches here, about which I am most uncomfortable."

Martha ignored this comment and continued. "There will also be Anna's widower Father, Mrs. Abercrombie, I invited her, she, having been recently widowed, but she will go on and on. Also in attendance will be a Mr. John Hargreaves, a most handsome gentleman I met at the opera of an evening, and Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Landis. There. Are you happy now?" She opened the door to her room and shut it just as quickly.

George sighed. He wandered down the long hallway to his own chambers, unsnapped the buttons of his green vest, tossed off his wig and threw himself on his bed.