Restoration in the River

Please Please Me

"Well Ma'am, I believe that is all" Clayton closed his folder and began to zip it up, then halted. "Actually, that's a lie, are you and Mr Lennon free for the taking of the official photographs tomorrow at 11 am?" 

"Mr Lennon and I, with Miss Mawko, will be up at six in the morning to begin our daily walks around the grounds, Clayton, just so the staff don't think we're bolting or anything preposterous!" She informed him. "And yes, Julian and I are free for the photographer tomorrow."

He smiled at her "we are aware that you wouldn't 'bolt' on us Ma'am, but I will make sure the staff know, most of us are up before dawn anyway! Government House rarely sleeps!" Then he made a note in his diary. 

She smiled at him.

"Oh, Winston, Mr Lennon's male Golden retriever, when is he arriving back in the country?" Clayton asked, just wanting to make sure.

"In eight weeks," She said "so the second of June"   

"Forgive me Ma'am for being nosey, but Mr Lennon was a bit 'down' yesterday, does he not like April Fools Day?" He asked, cautiously, "tell me to mind 'your own bloody business' if I crossed a line!"

 "He lost his mother, four years ago, on April Fool's," She said.

He looked down at his folder "should have shut my mouth, shouldn't I?" 

"You probably know more about us than we know Clayton!" She told him, "Now, I think I will go to bed, goodnight Commodore" 

He smiled and stood up as she headed across the study to the door. "Goodnight Ma'am, thank you!" 

She passed Stella in the Foyer that led to the staircase, which led up to the bedrooms and private living areas of the Governor and their spouse.

When the Open Day was held each year usually in June, upstairs was cordoned off and restricted to the general public who came in their thousands to take a walk through the beautiful mansion and it's equally stunning grounds.

It was the public's chance to be 'Governor for a day'.

"Oh Stella, just the person I wanted to see!" She said happily, stopping her.

"Yes, Ma'am?" She said.     

"A big thing to ask but could you fetch some roses from the garden and pull the petals off for me, then make a trail out of them that leads up to the Master Bedroom? I know it's nearly nine pm!" She asked the head of her household staff. "And I know it will need to be cleaned up after, but could you reuse the petals in some potpourri?" 

"May I ask Ma'am, whatever for?" Stella asked. 

Emmaline then handed her a handwritten note, "and after that, give this to Mr Lennon! Is he still out on the verandah?"

"Yes he is Ma'am" then it dawned on her "ohhh, yes of course Ma'am! Forgive me for being so naive! I'll get onto it right away!"

She smiled at Stella "thank you!"

*

He didn't even see her out in the garden in the dark picking the best roses there.

In fact, he didn't even notice her come back into the house past him to do as Emmaline had asked her to do. She stopped the trail at the Master bedroom door which was currently closed, then headed downstairs to deliver the note she had written for him, giggling like a little schoolgirl at the thought of what the Governor was up to.

Julian was dozing in the chair he was sitting in, Mawko sat on the floor in front of him, watching him with her head cocked to one side. She wanted to go inside and go to bed but knew she couldn't leave him outside.