“I could make you happy, make your dreams come true
Nothing that I wouldn’t do
Go to the ends of the Earth for you
To make you feel my love”
Adele
Walking without her cane was difficult, not to mention trying to balance a tray laden with a full boiling hot kettle and a number of other not entirely well balanced items, but Violet was a woman on a mission. She walked so slowly that she feared that by the time she finally got to the bedroom that she would need to start the entire ordeal all over again. That everything on the tray would be old and inedible. Instead she focused on walking carefully and trying not to be too frustrated at her own glacial pace. She nudged the door to their room open with a gentle care, hoping that the occupant to the room would still be asleep.
Violet peaked into the room, glad to see Isobel still at rest, she moved slowly to the settee at the bottom of the bed, carefully placing the tray and its stand down nearly soundlessly. She watched as a ribbon of light crept across the room from where it peaked through an opening in the curtain. With this thin glowing hue, she could see that Isobel’s eyes were still closed. She looked so peaceful as her bosom rose and fell, a constant rhythm. She watched as Isobel began to stir in her sleep, an arm reaching behind her to feel for where Violet would normally be lying beside her. Violet moved to her own side of the bed and climbed in, snuggling up against Isobel before she could wake fully. Violet watched in wonder as Isobel seemed to nestle backwards against her while she was still slumbering. She contemplated the woman in her arms, gently kissing the nape of her neck and wondering at her luck. Violet sometimes wondered when the other shoe would drop, when would the world crash down around them and their happy bubble. She tried not to think of it as she started to nuzzle below Isobel’s ear at the soft skin of her neck. She would take what she could while she had it in her arms.
As she did this, Violet tried not to think of the dismal breakfast that she had prepared for Isobel. All she had done was boil some eggs and the kettle; the bread rolls were leftover from last nights supper and she had though to grab the jam; and the orange juice from the ice box. But it was no English breakfast. Perhaps she should have made Spratt cook before he left for the day, but then how would she explain how she wanted it laid out on a single tray? ‘No. No.’ Violet thought to herself, ‘It wouldn’t do. Hopefully Isobel would be happy with her company instead of a hearty breakfast. It was the gesture that would have to count she supposed.’ Violet had even been sure to collect the morning paper and bring it along on the tray as well.
“Mmmm, good morning my love.” Isobel murmured contently as Violet started to nibble gently on her ear. “Is Danker coming? Do I need to go to the other room?” Violet stopped nibbling as Isobel turned in her arms to kiss her. Isobel pulled back to smile at Violet, rubbing her arm gently. Violet brushed a loose curl away from Isobel’s face as she said, “No, Danker today my dear. You mentioned once, having breakfast in bed… I just thought… I would try and spoil you a bit.”
“But what about Danker and Spratt?”
“I gave them strict instructions to go and assist the preparations at the Abbey for the festival.”
“What time will we need to be there?”
“I told Danker to tell Cora to expect us for lunch.”
“And how will you be getting dressed for the festival without Danker?”
“Funny, Danker asked me the same question.”
“Did she? The woman is shameless.”
“Yes, she is.”
“But what did you say?”
“I told her that I would manage somehow.”
“And how exactly will you manage?”
“Well, considering that I made you breakfast — in bed no less, the least you could do is help me get dressed, I mean really.”
“Did you really?” Isobel looked quite taken aback.
“Yes.” Violet said sniffly as she got up to open the curtains, revealing at last the tray on the settee just out of Isobel’s view.
“I thought I could smell something!”
“Nothing gets past you.”
Isobel was positively beaming as she sat up in bed and fluffed the pillows behind her, turning to do the same to Violet’s beside her.
“I’ve never been brought breakfast in bed, no less by a lover.” She declared excitedly.
“Yes, well, you may not be so excited when you see what I’ve made.” Violet said gruffly in response, trying not to show how much Isobel’s candour affected her.
“You cooked!?” Isobel’s eye’s were large, as she blinked and almost in shock said, “I’m sure that I’ll love whatever you’ve prepared.”
Laying the tray across Isobel’s lap, Violet eyed Isobel carefully. In response Isobel drew Violet to her for a kiss, the tray wobbling beneath Violet broke the kiss apart. Almost breathlessly Violet said, “I may not be proficient in the kitchen, but I think this will have to do for an impromptu breakfast for just the two of us. It’s not extravagant but at least we can be alone and enjoy ourselves — an indulgence.”
“I think I like you playing maid.” Isobel said cheekily eyeing her with mirth, and a little bit of revelry at the power she had over this formidable woman.
“Well, don’t get used to it.” She harrumphed in response, while walking over to her own side of the bed again.
When Violet had settled in next to her, Isobel made sure that the tray was stable between them before turning Violet to face her. She let her face simply hover an inch or so away from Violet’s her eyes trying to take in every feature in the warm glow of the morning sunshine. She studied the blush in Violet’s feature’s, and she could feel her heart swell with the love she had for this woman. When she finally kissed her it was slow and almost decadent. This wasn’t a stolen moment. This was languishing in their love for one another.
“The water for the tea will need to be reboiled if you carry on like this.” Violet said wryly, when they stopped for a moment. Isobel felt like saying to hell with the water and the tea, but she knew that this had been a special feat for Violet. The Dowager Countess did not bring just anyone breakfast in bed for no reason. She wondered when last, if ever, Spratt had ever been dismissed from his duties in the house before the day had even begun. No, Isobel thought, glancing at Violet out the corner of her eye as she poured the water into their respective tea cups, this was something else entirely.
They shared the newspaper as they always did. And if Isobel was disappointed in boiled eggs and tea with jam rolls she certainly didn’t let on. They started on the eggs, salt and pepper on their bread with their tea. Violet enjoyed this intimacy between them. But the newspaper soon lay forgotten as Violet bit into a roll of jam still in Isobel’s hand that she held out to her. The smiles never seemed to leave either of their faces as Violet allowed Isobel to kiss the jam away at the corner of her mouth. These kisses were as sweet as the strawberry jam that had evoked them. And when breakfast was done, Isobel was the one to move the tray to the settee before, returning to the bed — where she showed Violet just how wonderful breakfast in bed could be.
At the festival later that day Violet and Isobel sat close together under the marquee, catching each others eyes and smiling brightly. When Danker came over to ask them if they would like some scones with jam. They both politely declined, before starting to laugh, their hands moving to clutch together — a shared secret happiness between them.
Fin