To Begin At The Beginning
Advent Calendar
Annie had a smile that plucked at the heartstrings. On Sunday mornings, even in the depths of winter, when an east wind threatened to freeze the very blood of life, the little church at Nether Placket was always packed with attentive worshippers.
It was not the mellifluous oratory of Parson Spindleshanks that ensured a full turnout, though some of the older worshippers could remember a time when the Parson had been able to touch a nerve with one of his sermons. It was the desire to catch a glimpse of Widow Bracegirdle's only child Annie and her captivating smile that ensured the overflowing pews. The object of their fascination meanwhile gave thanks for small mercies and vowed that she would never again allow a man to trick her into unholy matrimony.
The more perceptive reader will have surmised from this, that Annie Bracegirdle was not an unattached woman. Her engagement to a young man of the cloth, had been announced shortly after she left the hallowed bosom of St Margaret's College for Ladies. This had led to her being most unfairly known by local harridens as 'Fast' Bracegirdle or even 'Forward' Bracegirdle.
The engagement had continued for twenty one years. Walks in the park, picnics in the vicarage garden and even a day trip or two to the sea had kept the relationship fresh as the couple continued to formulate their wedding plans.
Finally, and I write not in jest here reader, after twenty years the wedding date was set, the Bishop himself agreed to attend the union and the village hall was made ready. The whole of Nether Placket was present as the couple made their vows before Parson Spindleshanks and there was scarce anyone in possession of a dry eye on that glorious June afternoon in 1914 when Annie changed her name from Bracegirdle to Bedworthy.
After the ceremony, rice was thrown and Annie's wedding posy found its way into the hands of Marge Caloreigh who, everyone agreed, was by far the most worthy recipient and whose ample figure had already caught the roguish eye of the best man.
That evening there was feasting and some of the best dancing ever seen in Lower Placket. At ten thirty, Parson Spindleshanks gave the couple his final blessing and they left for their new home in the little cottage at nearby Upper Placket.
Just after midnight, Widow Bracegirdle, who by now was fast asleep after all the excitement of the day, was rudely woken by a terrible commotion at her front door. Pulling on her dressing gown she hurried downstairs where she found Annie in floods of tears. Shaking uncontrollably the young woman explained to her mother how her husband of nine hours had first tugged at her new nightgown and then attempted an assault on her virtue. She had rejected, most emphatically, his lustful advances, had packed her bag and hurriedly made her way back to the safety of her mother's home.
A month later, following many hours of discussion with the district midwife and with the local Doctor, who was unfortunate enough to have been born into a family named Tool, she agreed to a trial reconciliation. The reconciliation resulted in the birth of two children, a girl and a boy. The girl was named Annie after her mother and the boy was inexplicably given the name Dickie. Annie's sadly misjudged husband vanished totally without trace on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
Back in Upper Placket Annie Bedworthy's faith was unshaken by the sad event. In fact some villagers observed that it was as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. In later years, aware that many men in the area spoke of her as 'the bedworthy woman,' she reverted to using her maiden name.
This event did not go unnoticed in the local inn where many a man in his cups on a Saturday night was heard to declare, "Her might be Widder Bracegirdle now, but her's still the most bedworthy woman round here by a long chalk."
Annie had a smile that plucked at the heartstrings. On Sunday mornings, even in the depths of winter, when an east wind threatened to freeze the very blood of life, the little church at Nether Placket was always packed with attentive worshippers.It was not the mellifluous oratory of Parson Spindleshanks that ensured a full turnout, though some of the older worshippers could remember a time when the Parson had been able to touch a nerve with one of his sermons. It was the desire to catch a glimpse of Widow Bracegirdle's only child Annie and her captivating smile that ensured the overflowing pews. The object of their fascination meanwhile gave thanks for small mercies and vowed that she would never again allow a man to trick her into unholy matrimony.
The more perceptive reader will have surmised from this, that Annie Bracegirdle was not an unattached woman. Her engagement to a young man of the cloth, had been announced shortly after she left the hallowed bosom of St Margaret's College for Ladies. This had led to her being most unfairly known by local harridens as 'Fast' Bracegirdle or even 'Forward' Bracegirdle.
The engagement had continued for twenty one years. Walks in the park, picnics in the vicarage garden and even a day trip or two to the sea had kept the relationship fresh as the couple continued to formulate their wedding plans.
Finally, and I write not in jest here reader, after twenty years the wedding date was set, the Bishop himself agreed to attend the union and the village hall was made ready. The whole of Nether Placket was present as the couple made their vows before Parson Spindleshanks and there was scarce anyone in possession of a dry eye on that glorious June afternoon in 1914 when Annie changed her name from Bracegirdle to Bedworthy.
After the ceremony, rice was thrown and Annie's wedding posy found its way into the hands of Marge Caloreigh who, everyone agreed, was by far the most worthy recipient and whose ample figure had already caught the roguish eye of the best man.
That evening there was feasting and some of the best dancing ever seen in Lower Placket. At ten thirty, Parson Spindleshanks gave the couple his final blessing and they left for their new home in the little cottage at nearby Upper Placket.
Just after midnight, Widow Bracegirdle, who by now was fast asleep after all the excitement of the day, was rudely woken by a terrible commotion at her front door. Pulling on her dressing gown she hurried downstairs where she found Annie in floods of tears. Shaking uncontrollably the young woman explained to her mother how her husband of nine hours had first tugged at her new nightgown and then attempted an assault on her virtue. She had rejected, most emphatically, his lustful advances, had packed her bag and hurriedly made her way back to the safety of her mother's home.
A month later, following many hours of discussion with the district midwife and with the local Doctor, who was unfortunate enough to have been born into a family named Tool, she agreed to a trial reconciliation. The reconciliation resulted in the birth of two children, a girl and a boy. The girl was named Annie after her mother and the boy was inexplicably given the name Dickie. Annie's sadly misjudged husband vanished totally without trace on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
Back in Upper Placket Annie Bedworthy's faith was unshaken by the sad event. In fact some villagers observed that it was as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. In later years, aware that many men in the area spoke of her as 'the bedworthy woman,' she reverted to using her maiden name.
This event did not go unnoticed in the local inn where many a man in his cups on a Saturday night was heard to declare, "Her might be Widder Bracegirdle now, but her's still the most bedworthy woman round here by a long chalk."
Posted by Milt at 9:22:00 am
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