Hats and Veils
Oh, she was a feisty one, that Miss Sybbie. Just like her mum, some had said. Never afraid to speak her mind. Never afraid to enjoy a little fun.
"Sshhhh, George, don't let Nanny hear!" said Sybbie, as she dove into the pile of bed linens that had just been placed outside the nursery door by the upstairs maid, Pat. Young George, who enjoyed a good time as much as the next person, still was mortified that Sybbie would dare 'interfere' with the maid's work. Marigold had not much to say; she just looked on with mystified glee as she watched Sybbie snatch a sheet from the stack.
Sybbie had thought this through. Well, as much as impulsive and eager children do before they jump into something with both feet.
"We have to go quickly! Nanny will be back so very soon and Miss Pat will know that one of our beds will be short a sheet. Hurry! Follow me!"
There was no question that Sybbie was the ringleader of this threesome. George and Marigold were always up for an adventure, but it was usually Sybbie who came up with the grandest ideas and plotted them through to completion. With much of the help gone now, and the children being older, along with the general changing of the times, it was not unusual to see the children about the house, rather than being kept away in the nursery most of the day. And today was one of those days.
"I'll tell you in a minute. Come on, we've no time to lose. We've got to get downstairs before Nanny finds us." She grabbed a pink-and-lavender flowered hat from the dress-up trunk and hurried out the nursery door, hat in one hand and bed sheet in the other.
George and Marigold looked quizzically at each other, then grinned and followed her out. Who knew what Sybbie had in mind or where they were going, but no matter. They were both very much up for the adventure.
They all three scurried down the hallways and corridors and headed down the back steps to the kitchen. Being a bit older now, Sybbie had an inkling of how the day's schedule went and she had a feeling (and hoped ) that Mrs. Patmore and the Carsons, along with Anna, perhaps, might be enjoying a short tea break together.
Well, as luck would have it, she heard all four of those voices, along with Miss Baxter's, chatting away in the kitchen. She put her hand up to silently signal George and Marigold to stop their whispering and giggling. They tip-toed down the remaining stairs and, while still tucked out of sight in the hallway, Sybbie opened the bed sheet with a flourish, found an edge, put it over her head and topped it off with the pink and lavender hat to hold it in place. George and Marigold grinned and knew what Sybbie was up to. They remembered Uncle Tom's story a few nights before, a story that had a 'happily ever after' ending to it. Oh, was this going to be fun!
Sybbie pranced and twirled her way into the kitchen, smiling from ear to ear. George and Marigold stopped at the doorway.
"My, my…what have we here?!" exclaimed Mrs. Patmore, not noticing that Mr. Carson had about dropped his teacup and Anna had covered her mouth to keep in the peals of laughter threatening to escape at any moment. Miss Baxter was a bit unsure how to react, while Mrs. Carson smiled and clapped her hands, asking, "Why, Miss Sybbie, what's this all about, lass?". Mr. Carson was just about to scold the threesome for being Nanny-less when Sybbie twirled again and said, "Look, Mrs. Carson. Your hat was pretty, but this is what you should have had on your head when you and Mr. Carson got married." Mr. Carson was now on the edge of his seat, wondering where all this would go.
Before replying, Mrs. Carson took a moment to absorb the absolute sweetness standing there before her and remembered how beyond thrilled she was to see Mr. Branson and his daughter turn up at the Carson's wedding reception. And joy was added to joy when it was announced that they were back to stay.
"Why didn't you have one of these, Mrs. Carson? Why did you just wear a hat? It was very pretty, but brides are supposed to wear one of these. Aunty Mary told me she had one when she married George's daddy. I saw a picture of them. She was bee-u-ti-ful, Mrs. Carson. And Daddy read us a story the other night that had a picture of the lady and she had one of these, too. And the story said that the lady and the man lived happily ever after. Are you and Mr. Carson going to live happily ever after? I think that you will, even if you didn't wear one of these. But you should have worn one. You would have been so very pretty!"
Mrs. Carson tried to get a word in edgewise, but little Sybbie just kept on and on, chatting away. "Do you mean a veil, Miss Sybbie? " Sybbie nodded, glad to be reminded of the word. She knew what it was; she just couldn't remember the term.
While Anna, Miss Baxter and Mrs. Patmore just sat, grinning at the sight before them and thoroughly enjoying the conversation between the two 'brides', Mr. Carson was speechless. He was initially horrified that the children were downstairs unsupervised and then was just not quite sure what to make of Miss Sybbie with a sheet and a lady's hat on her head. Truth be told, once he got over the initial shock, he was a melting mess of soppy feelings on the inside. All he could think of was the antics of Sybbie's mother many years ago. Here was Lady Sybil's daughter, looking, acting and sounding just like her own mum. She may have been the youngest of Lord Grantham's three daughters, but she was the one concocting adventures just like the one being played out before his eyes right now.
"Well, my dear, many brides wear a hat rather than a veil on their wedding day. Older brides, especially, really prefer to wear a hat. A nice hat, of course. Maybe even a new hat. And, really, a veil would have looked out of place with the rest of my wedding outfit. I did have a new dress and a beautiful coat, as well. Did you not think the hat looked right?" The housekeeper was enjoying this conversation with Miss Sybbie immensely.
"Oh, no, Mrs. Carson! The hat was wonderful. And your coat was so pretty. Aunty Mary told me that it was Grandmama's coat and that Miss Baxter changed it so it would fit you just right. You did look so very nice, Mrs. Carson. And your coat was so, so soft. I could feel it when you hugged me at the wedding party!"
"Well, lass, I am glad that you think I looked every bit the beautiful bride, even without a veil.", said Mrs. Carson.
The three women were thoroughly enjoying this back-and-forth between Sybbie and the housekeeper, keeping silent while watching and listening. Mr. Carson, by this point, thought his heart was going to burst. He could not even begin to label all the emotions running through him as he tried to take in what was playing out before him.
He did, though, finally come to his senses and return to butler-mode. "Well, my three little ones, don't you think it's time we go up and find Nanny?" George and Marigold nodded and Sybbie agreed. She, however, had one last thing to ask of Mrs. Carson.
"Please, Mrs. Carson…before we go up, would you just try on the veil? You know, just so you'll know what you would have looked like if you HAD worn one instead of your hat. It feels so nice to wear a veil. Please?"
It was all anyone, young and old alike, could do to not cheer on Sybbie and her request. "I…well…I'm not sure…" was the housekeeper's reply. As if on cue, Anna, Mrs. Patmore, Miss Baxter, George, Sybbie and even Marigold vocalized their encouragement. Only Mr. Carson said nothing. But his smile was just as big as everyone else's when Mrs. Carson agreed. Miss Baxter stood to help hold the sheet in place as the bride anchored her veil in place with the pink and lavender flowered hat. She took three twirls around the kitchen floor to a rousing round of applause, stopped in front of her husband, took his hands in hers and whispered, "I do…always and forever."