Chummy slipped quietly up the stairs of Nonnatus, walking slowly along the top corridor to the bathroom. Her old bedroom was a few paces beyond and quite frankly she had wondered for a moment whether she might just spend a few minutes in there for old times sake. 'Old times sake?' she thought, bringing herself back to the present. 'You've not even left properly yet you idiotic gel!'
She was in need of her first destination of the bathroom, but she was also in need of two minutes of peace and quiet away from the party downstairs. The hum of noise, chatter and laughter was erring on overwhelming after how today had been and as she got closer to the top of the building the noise slowly frittered away. Camilla Browne was never one of those girls who skipped from gathering to gathering as though her life depended on it and Camilla Noakes was quite looking forward to those nights where it would just be her and Peter camped in front of the fire with a cup of Horlicks.
As she closed the bathroom door behind her Chummy tutted as she noticed her shoelace had come undone and didn't hear the two footsteps behind her until a hand rested skirting her backside.
"I wondered where you'd disappeared to…" she said without thinking it could be anyone else but Peter. Hoping it was him that was otherwise there may be a few explanations to be had! She straightened up and turned to face her husband. Husband. Oh gosh!
Peter didn't say anything and took her hand, disappearing to where he had also been taking a moment for himself, having seen her walk past him not realising he was there and promptly pinning her inside one of the many recesses of Nonnatus' walls.
"Peter!" she exclaimed, quickly looking around to make sure that no-one else was walking around the corridors.
The look on his face just said 'what?' before he leaned up to kiss her. It was perhaps the most gentle kiss he had ever given her and she might have just melted into a puddle if he had not been propping her up.
"Are you happy?" he asked. He had that look in his eyes that for years to come she would never be able to describe or explain to herself. It took her years to realise just exactly what she was seeing was pure unadulterated love for who and what she was; no questions and no judgements.
"Completely" she replied, feeling her face light up. He always seemed to be able to make her smile that way and it was another thing she struggled to explain. "But you're not mean to be up here" she whispered.
"I know" he responded, tightening his grip around her waist and squishing closer to her, not that there was much room for that but he seemed to find that last half inch of space. "But it's the quietest and most beautiful spot in the whole place".
"I'll agree with that" she nodded before she quickly realised she needed to qualify herself. "The quiet bit! As much as one is grateful for it all, one just needed a second's quiet".
Peter had excused himself from a conversation with Sister Bernadette and Cynthia and had had much the same idea as his wife who had quite by honest accident followed him upstairs a few minutes after he had departed, not realising where he had gone only seeing she could not see him amongst the throng.
"But I do suppose we have to show our faces at our own reception again!" Peter responded with a goodhearted shrug of his shoulders.
"You go back first" she whispered. "We can't really suddenly walk in there together!"
"Let your mother think what she likes Camilla" he replied, knowing full well what kind of remarks a newly married bride and groom might face if they disappeared off and reappeared together and her mother's face might just be a picture, even if there was no truth in it.
"I was thinking of the roasting you are going to get from Sister Evangelina from being up near our bedrooms!" Chummy stated. "You know the rules".
Peter sighed and nodded, kissed her again and released her. She watched him as he walked away and decided five minutes in her 'old room' was going to be just the ticket.
It was though as though she was walking on the fluffiest clouds imaginable as she descended the stairs those five minutes later intent on heading back towards the hubbub a few yards away. That was, until she saw her mother heading in her direction and for a miniscule moment her heart did not hit the floor at the speed of light. Only for a moment though.
"Camilla dear" Lady Browne smiled tightly, still underneath her rather ginormous pink netted hat. Chummy noticed that her mother had not taken off her scarf or her coat either.
"Mater" she replied clasping her hands protectively together, an instinctive block between her and her mother.
"I wonder if you could direct me to the lavatory?" her mother asked.
"Of course" Chummy replied feeling perhaps more awkward than usual although to some extent thankful that all her mother wanted to know was where the bathroom was. "Top of the stairs, turn left and keep walking along. It's the fourth door on the right".
"Thank you". Her mother took two paces and turned back; careful too that they were alone as there were things that needed to be said with nobody influencing her daughter's sensibilities.
"You still can annul this marriage, Camilla. Your father will provide the funds if I ask him. For the sake of the family's reputation" she continued. "Let alone your reputation which quite brutally Camilla is hanging by it's fingernails".
Chummy breathed for a moment, feeling her breathing quicken. "No I can't annul it Mater. It's perfectly impossible". Impossible because it simply was and there was no other way of saying it.
"It is perfectly possible Camilla" her mother whispered sharply. "The union has not been consummated so strictly speaking in the eyes of the law, it can be made void".
Chummy bit her lip. It was more the reference to martial relations by her mother that caused her a touch of embarrassment, but her mother took it the other way. "Don't tell me you have….already?!" Her mother's face was suddenly quite white.
Chummy chose to keep silent. Of course they hadn't even considered any kind of illicit rendezvous but it was quite fun seeing her mother's face in her misunderstanding. A few years ago Chummy would simply not have dared squeak anything of such a nature to her mother but now these words were falling from her lips with some surprising ease.
"One really does not know what to do with you" her mother muttered as she began to walk up the stairs.
When she was out of sight, Chummy allowed herself to breathe a little before she felt a hand on her back. "Hello Sister" she said, seeing Sister Evangelina behind her.
"Come thought and having something to eat" the Sister said. "And sit down. You have been on your feet all day".