Hi there to my readers. Here's the long awaited update. I hope you enjoy it. In case you were wondering, Mary looks like Laura Michelle Kelly and Gavin Lee is Bert. I adore them both. I do not own Mary Poppins, but I wish I did. Read and Review.
London 1900
Being engaged indefinitely was not what I had bargained for. Then again, neither was working as a nanny. Bert and I met when I was sixteen and we fell instantly for each other. How you can be in love with someone you've only met a few time is beyond me, but love him I did.
The day we met is one of my fondest memories. I was living with my uncle then. My parents had died some years earlier and I had become Uncle Albert's responsibility. During the winter months he would send me off to Miss Katharine's School for Young Ladies. He could certainly pay for it. My parents left a great deal of money behind to pay for my upbringing, and Uncle Albert was already fairly well off to begin with.
During the summer months I would come home and putter around the house. Uncle Albert kept up my supply of books and insisted that I go for a walk at least once a day, no matter how hot it was.
It was a sweltering day in July when I met Bert. I had not walked far when I decided it was just too hot. I walked back home and put my bonnet on a peg.
"Don't go into the parlor," Uncle Albert said when he saw me. "There's a sweep working on the chimney."
I stared at him in horror. " A sweep? Uncle it's much too hot for a walk, let alone a man to be stuck up inside a chimney all day. Have you given him anything to drink?" He shook his head. " I'm going to take him some lemonade." I got down a glass, filled it with ice, and withdrew the pitcher. I filled the glass to the brim and then carried both into the parlor.
What met my eyes was one of funniest sights I had ever seen. Our furniture was covered with white sheets and down on his knees was a very young chimney sweep. He was going about his work happily though his brow was drenched with sweat.
"Excuse me," I called softly and sat the pitcher on the covered table. He jumped about a foot in the air and then turned around to face me. He was covered in soot and quickly withdrew a handkerchief to mop away some of the grime. "I've brought you some lemonade." I handed him the glass and he took it gratefully. " I have to apologize. I'm so sorry my uncle called you out on such a day. Without anything to drink you might have keeled over." I studied his face. He was very handsome under all that soot.
"Oh, that's all right Miss. Everbody's gotta work, me included." He smiled and I refilled his glass once again. " I 'aven't 'ad lemonade this good in awhile." His cockney accent made me smile. "Miss," he held the glass out to me. "I've got to get back to work." I nodded and went forward to take it. Unfortunately, he let go before I could grasp it and it fell to the floor, shattering into several pieces. " Ah, gosh I'm sorry. You can take that outa my pay." We both knelt down.
"Oh, that won't be necessary. I can fix it quite easily. Just turn your back."
"Wot?"
"Just turn your back." He shrugged and did so. When I was sure he was not looking I waved my hand over the mismatched pieces and they fused back together. I picked it up. "There. You may turn around." He faced me once again and I saw his eyes bug out. "Good as new." He scratched his head and shrugged once again. " I won't keep you." I smiled and picked up the pitcher on the table.
"It's Bert, Miss. Bert. Thank you for the lemonade." I nodded and left the room.