Painting the Victorian Landscape

Painting the Victorian Landscape

The manor of Lord Oscar was blooming with yellow tulips and at the time when the Dowagers Victorian Ball was quite nearing, there was a sweet melody of whispers and planning from the young and affluent ladies of the manor of Lord Oscar.

Lady Judith went to the backyard garden of her horticulture greenhouse and plucked a few rosemary’s to be put in the cooking for the nights stew with glazed carrots, as it was the favorite dish of Lord Oscar who had left for hunting with the other Lords in wee hours of the early dawn.

Lady Judith watered a freshly rooted Thames herbs in clay pots and mumbled, “There’s so much to do for the ball and I hope the girls are up and ready for breakfast and to go to the seamstress for their measurement of their ball gowns.” Once in the kitchen and giving the cook instructions for tonight’s dinner, Lady Judith heard a knock on the door and with a beaming smile, Lady Judith opened the round golden knob and was not surprised to see the page boy of the Dowager.

Lady Judith bowed serenely and heard the attendee say in happy tones, “It is Peter Kaid from Lady Victoria, the Dowagers mansion, milady. And I’m here to deliver the invitation to the Dowagers ball for the next week.” Lady Judith received the parchment with golden scrolls and beamed, “The Dowager, Lady Victoria had told me of the ball and I’m thankful to you dear Peter to bequeath my girls a formal invitation, I’m sure there would be many suitable suitors for my girls. To Lord Oscar this ball is so important. Kathleen, Henrietta and our beloved Violet are eagerly awaiting to this ball.”

Peter the pageboy of Dowager, said, again bowing down, “The Dowager would be pleased to know this, milady, I now shall take my leave.” The landscape was so captivating with blooming tulips and in the bushes of lavender, purple butterflies flew around, seeking nectar, fluttering their wings in supposed moonlit ecstasy like it was glittering ball night already.

Lady Judith said to the maid, “Beth, go and call the girls down for breakfast, their porridge is ready.” The maid hushed upstairs and called the girls down. As Lady Judith looked up at the stair case, her three daughters, walked down, Violet carrying a book in her hands, Kathleen carrying a knitting kit and Henrietta carrying a flute. The three girls stopped short before Lady Judith and bowed elegantly and said, “Mama, greetings of the morrow. What task have you for us today?” Kathleen said, her warm brown eyes, looking exactly like the days of amber at sunset. Lady Judith said, “Pray you all will get your suitors at the Dowagers ball next week. First have you eat your porridge and I will ask the stable boy to take out the carriage and we will ride to the seamstress to get your measurements for your dresses to the ball. Remember papa needs proper lord son-in-laws to make his advancements towards his estate of lands and his fortunes, with three girls he cannot ask you to carry on that responsibility.” Violet whispered, “Mama, I want a dress of velvet green, it will match with my green shoes papa bought from his last visit to foreign land.” Henrietta giggled and whispered, her golden curls catching in the sunlight’s bright light, “Mama, is it true, there will be suitable Lords at the ball? I fancy a blue dress then, mama.” Lady Judith took her pale pink skirts in her hands and walked towards the dining room, where there were elegant paintings of deer’s and of the forest pine trees. Lady Judith sat down the maid helped all of them to get settled in their seats. The maid put bowls of porridge in front of them and said, “Milady, breakfast is served.” Lady Judith said, “Beth, in an hour tell Steve to take out the carriage and we will be riding to the seamstress.” The maid nodded and hurried outside to the stableman to deliver Lady Judith’s instructions.

Violet spooned her porridge and whispered to Kathleen, “Oh, I want my bodice to be of frills and green, like the one the Dowager wore at the last ball.” Kathleen, said, “Oh I want the Lords to be impressed, so I think I will want a black lace hat to go with my dress.” Lady Judith said, “Remember girls, this ball is important to papa, make sure you dance, eat less and make friends with the Lords, these suitors if impressed will court you for marriage. Papa would be pleased if ideal suitors came forward to his study room to discuss marriage, papa does has quite a wealthy estate.”

Henrietta said, “As I’m the eldest, mama, I will want to wed to a Lord. I will try not to giggle and will of course talk about wealth of the nations, it will be an engaging topic for discussion with the Lords, mama.” Lady Judith said, “But not so much dear, Lords like beautiful ladies to be their wife’s and I see nothing but prettiness and etiquette in your behaviors. The ball will turn out to be exciting I’m sure.”

Giggling about the ball, the three ladies finished their porridge and prepared to go to the carriage to go to the seamstress. Lady Judith said to the driver of the carriage, “Luke, we are going to the seamstress. Please make sure the ride is smooth as we have our three daughters riding with us today.”? The carriage driver nodded and said, “Yes, milady.”

After assisting her daughters Lady Judith sat inside the carriage and said to her daughters, “I hope all of your three have decided on the pattern, color and design of your dress. I have never allowed any dress to be worn without the approval of my seamstress, if Jane gives her approval, you will wear that dress to the ball.” The three ladies whispered, “Of course mama, we will take advice of Madam Jane about our dresses.” Lady Judith nodded and looked outside the carriage. The landscape was full of lavender bushes and birds were flying in the sky like it was painting the secret spells of the Victorian era witches. After some time gazing at the bright horizon, the carriage arrived at the seamstress and on the road were several carriages. Lady Judith moaned in despair, “I hope we are not late, I see several ladies are here already for measurements. Hurry girls, we should not be further late.”

The four of them hurried inside the seamstress salon and it was surely crowded with Madam Jane taking several measurements. But once Jane spotted Lady Judith, she hurried over and said, “Ah lady Judith, what a pleasure and you have the girls here, the three prettiest of ladies, and the talk of the ball.” The three girls bowed elegantly and Jane ushered them away into a spare room where there were the most prettiest of design of dresses. Jane whispered, “The Dowager has a ball of the year I’m sure. With so many attending, and all, but I have just the dresses for your daughters. Word has it the Dowager has invited the most prominent lords in hopes they meet your elegant daughters.” Lady Judith said, “Lord Oscar too hopes that he will get his ideal son-in-laws from this ball. What a night it will turn out to be.”

The seamstress took the girls measurement and listened to what they wanted in a dress and after some discussions, the seamstress agreed with a sketch and suddenly Jane said, “There, Lady Judith, it’s all decided. The dresses will be delivered two day earlier before the ball and these dresses are already being paid for by Lord Oscar. Such a pleasure it was to have you and your girls here today.” Kathleen giggled and so did Henrietta and Violet. Lady Judith said with kindness, “Make my dress with golden embroidery threads, I like your fine embroidery and once again, Jane, thank you so much.” And after a small talk, Lady Judith came out of the seamstress store and beckoned Luke, the carriage driver.

Once seated inside the carriage, Lady Judith said, “One day too, you three will make big decisions for your own households and this is just the beginning dear girls.” Violet giggled and said, “I want a greenhouse of horticulture herbs like yours mama.” Lady Judith looked at her daughters and smiled for she knew Oscar wanted the best Lords for their daughters and he had already paid in advance for their dresses and not to mention how the Dowager awaited their arrival at the ball next week.

When next week came, and when the glittering moonlit ball began at six o clock sharp, the Dowager came to stand beside Lady Judith, and was serenely admiring the three handsome Lords dancing with Lady Judith’s daughters, “Judith, the most handsomest and wealthiest of lord are smitten with your Kathleen, Violet and Henrietta. Never have I seen Lords appreciate such admiration of etiquette in the ladies, and from the way these lords are smitten with Lady Kathleen, Henrietta and Violet, I’d say this is a whirlwind society romance. Lord Oscar would be proud of tonight’s ball.” Lady Judith grasped the old Dowager’s hands and whispered, “You are a wicked witch, dear Victoria. This matchmaking of yours was in your kitty bag for years since you’ve laid eyes on my Kathleen, Violet and Henrietta and since they were mere little girls, didn’t you dear Victoria?”

The old Dowager laughed, “From the moment I laid eyes on Oliver, Arnold and Thomas, I knew your girls would be splendid match for them. I just organized the ball and nothing else, the stars had already shone brightest the moment they were born.” Lady Judith drank a glass of juice and clinked her glass with the Dowager, “This is for Lord Oscar’s daughters…” The Dowager winked and whispered, “To Kathleen, Henrietta and Violet’s etiquette and prettiness… to the future Ladies of manors and mansions…”

And the ball was a night of elegance and fortune of love and gracefulness.