There was electricity in the air, Rilla could feel it around her on this first day of August. The dance was getting closer, though every morning she watched her father grumble at the paper and she tried to be patient about the verdict, surely now that she was fifteen she would be allowed to go? If her parents considered it at all, it had not been mentioned to her and she knew bringing it up would do no good.
She hopped along the stones of the garden and the tall grass and the wildflowers that her mother had planted long ago. Balancing as she stood on one leg she tried to centre herself on the old stepping stone. She took a deep breath, her hair down her back, blowing lightly in the summer breeze.
"Rilla!" She hears her name be called from the sunroom window, making her wobble. "You will freckle even more if you don't wear your hat," she calls out to her daughter.
Rilla sighed and pulled the string and right the large-brimmed straw hat on her head, perched lightly on the curly knot of hair she had tied back from her face. Blocking her face from the sun, she looks around before she skips through the gate, down over path that leads to Rainbow Valley.
She finds Walter with his poetry and sits down on the blanket beside him, tucking herself into his side moving her hat so it's lying against her back again.
"You're worried about Germany and France?" She asks him which surprises him.
"If this happens, this war will be greater than anything we have seen," Walter says closing his book. "Did I hear that Kenneth stopped by the other day when we were out?"
Rilla made some sort of noise. "He was a perfect guest until he called me Spider. Puss or Kid I could have tolerated when I was fourteen Walter, but Spider? When he came to wish me a happy birthday? Why would he tear my soul about like that?"
"Well, you are only fifteen Rilla-my-Rilla," Walter reminds her. "He hasn't seen you lately and you know boys like to tease girls. I call Una a brick all the time,"
"Which is not nice at all," Rilla points out to him. "Do you think Mom and Dad will allow me to go to the dance? I'm fifteen now?"
"You'll have to wait and see," Walter says with a shrug of his shoulders, but the corners of his lips were impishly up turned like he knew something she didn't.
"Do you ever wonder what a pomegranate tastes like?"She asks after a moment of silence.
"Why do you ask?" Walter asks.
"I was reading about Persephone being trapped in the underworld by Hades by a pomegranate seed, we never had one before. It makes me curious what one tastes like." Rilla explains.
"Probably like grenadine that Dad keeps for special occasions to put in your soda," Walter tells her.
"Really?" Rilla's mouth gapes. "Is that what the red syrup is made out of?"
"I believe so, it's pictured on the bottle," Walter tells her looking at his watch. "Weren't you supposed to meet some friends this afternoon?
"We are supposed to go wading in the water," She tells him. "I guess I should go get changed," she kisses his cheek before rushing off towards home once more. Her friends are just arriving as she runs up the steps. She waves at them and tells them to give five minutes to change.
"Where are you off to?" Her mother asks in the middle of the whirlwind and flurry as Rilla comes down in her bathing suit, as she did up the button on the skirt of it.
"To the shore, we're going to go wading, don't worry Mrs. Drew will be watching over us." She says kissing her mother's cheek.
"Very well," Mother nods her head. "Pin up your hair and wear your bonnet so it doesn't get matted."
"I will," Rilla nods her head dutifully, holding it up in her hand as well as her large towel.
"Go have some fun, but later tonight I want us to read Austen together as we talked about," Mother reminds her.
"Of course," Rilla says with another kiss on the cheek She scampers away pulling on her sand shoes.
The sand is warm and soft between their toes when they kick off their shoes and lay out towels. Their bathing suits of long tunics and bloomers, or in Rilla's case a one-piece combination of lighter dark cotton, after the skirt was tossed aside. Her father did not like heavy knits or fabrics or skirts for swimming and advised most parents against it. The girls didn't go far, keeping to the shallow as she splashed about and waded in the cool water.
Their chaperone watches and reads a book simultaneously under a large straw hat.
"I heard the Kenneth Ford was walking Ethel Reese home lately?" Alice says nudging Rilla. "Didn't you have the biggest crush on him?"
"He's Walter's pal," Rilla shrugs but blushes giving her friends the answer despite her answer as she floats.
"But he does visit Ingleside?" Betty asked with a small smile.
"Sometimes, he's a family friend?" Rilla reminds them. "Trust me I am merely puss or kid to him."
"Even with that tiny waist?" Majorie's eyebrows raise.
"Why would he even notice me when my sisters are around? They have much better figures than I do," Rilla retorts. "Alice has a smaller waist than I do."
"I doubt that, if anything we are the same measurement," Alice objected. "I just have more bosom than you do, so it looks smaller."
"You may have a larger chest, but Rilla has more derriere than you," Betty says saucily.
"She may have the derriere but I have the mother-bearing hips," Marjorie pips up. "According to my mother anyway, though she keeps trying to strangle them in my corsets."
"So we all make up the perfect woman in pieces," Alice says sighing.
"I think a perfect woman wouldn't have to worry about her nipples. It's so annoying when it's cold or they just randomly decide to show?" Rilla says sighing.
"You mean like now?" Majorie laughs, pointing towards Rilla's smaller chest. "I feel like you have more peaks than mountains." She teases.
"Oh thank you!" Rilla huffs covering her chest with her arms, looking sad.
"She was jesting, your bosom is perfectly fine," Alice steps in looking at Majorie.
"Only fine?" Rilla pouts looking down at herself, They weren't that small but Alice definitely had larger.
"Oh don't go looking for more compliments," Alice shakes her head.
"Girls! Don't go out too far!" They hear Majorie's mother call out as they realize they have floated out much more than they realized. Rilla looks towards the shore seeing her two brothers, the male Merediths and Kenneth Ford, dressed in summer wear, but not bathing wear.
She looks around as she sees Jem waves her towards shore.
She looks to her friends and shyly walks to shore, dripping wet as she wraps her arms around herself. More self conscious of her cold wet suit and warm summer air. Jerry and Carl had the propriety to turn around and speak to each other. They had all been swimming before, but apparently, now was different. Even Ken mostly averted his eyes and looked at his pocket watch as he said something to Walter.
"Is something wrong," she asks Jem.
"No, but Mom wanted me to give you a message that Mrs. Meredith and her got called to the Jacksons. She mostly likely won't be home until late." Jem tells her. "She apologizes for missing your night together with Sense and Sensibility."
"Oh, thank you for telling me," Rilla says shivering enough that Walter jumped into action looking for her towel, but it was Ken who managed first. Keeping his distance he laid it over her shoulders and nodded his head with a small glance as he walked past her and went to speak to Jerry and Carl
"Just doing what was asked, now don't get lost out at sea Spider," Jem grins at her. "Actually, I never saw a swimming spider. Actually, you should do a few tricks for us."
"I'm not a…." Rilla's voice raises. Thinking back to the conversations in the water…blushing bright red knowing just how much she looked like a drowned rat with all her long limbs.
"Either way I told Susan we'll do up a fish fry like old times in the valley," Jem tells her with a grin.
Rilla mainly nods her head, "Anything else or can I go back to my friends?" She asks and Jem shakes his head and waits for her to go back to her friends it appears.
"Go on young men, give the girl some privacy to get back into the water why don't you, you may be brothers, but the girls are no longer twelve years old," Mrs. Drew told them.
"Of course, apologies," Jem says nodding his head. "Have fun Spider," he says grinning and kissing her cheek before skipping off and beckoning the other boys.
She waits for them to leave before dropping the towel and nodding her head to Mrs. Drew who smiles at her before walking back into the water, and as soon as she approaches her friends a large sound of laughter emerges, loud enough that some of the boys turn and look at the girls up on the edge of the dune they were on.
It is early the next morning and Rilla helps make the toast for the morning breakfast when her parents are looking at each other, talking silently as they tended to do as her Father nods his head. they were all still in kimonos and dressing gowns, they would dress after breakfast before heading to church.
"You may go to the dance," Her mother says looking at her and then Father who nods his head. What was the saying, the husband may be the head of the family, but the wife is the neck that directs the head?
"But…you must stay close to your brothers and sisters. Don't go running off, don't go exploring with any young men who you don't know as well as Kenneth, and if anyone makes you feel uncomfortable, find one of your siblings." Her Father tells her.
"Really!" Rilla exclaims, bouncing on her heels until she hugs them both tightly. "I will make both of you proud, and be on my best behaviour!"
"Naturally," her father says with a slight drawl, but his eyes have a look of slight disbelief as he sees his daughter as a growing woman for the first time. How long ago was it that his wife had told him that their youngest had embarked on the beginning of becoming a young woman? Over a year ago this point surely not?
"May I wear my new dress?" She asks her mother.
"It's your dance you may wear whatever you wish dearest," Mother laughs lightly
"Perhaps just not as Persephone though," her father recalls her rather indecent costumes.
"Why would I!" Rilla exclaims confused and everyone laughs. To dress up as such in the attic is one thing, but to leave the house in basically her underclothing!
She bounces as she eats her breakfast, The twins shake their heads drinking coffee, still yawning as they are tired after the late-night bonfire with the Merediths that Rilla had not attended. As soon as she finished she races back up the stairs, unties the belt of her kimono and reaches for her corset and underthings.
'At least I won't have to worry about rags, belts and aprons,' Rilla thinks with a sigh as she riffles through her drawer of dainties and sees the box of napkins of soft flannel. That had come before her birthday, which was only the week previous.
Her dresses were mainly white, with a view of interchangeable coloured sashes to dress them up. Then of course her new green one with pink daisies on it. Her light green gingham school and house dress needed to be let out at the hem soon. Nan and Di had light pastels Nan took more pinks and purples to Di in her blues and yellows. A few of their old gowns have made their way into Rilla's closet of course, though the skirts were much too narrow the styes these days.
She sighed, laying out her choices on the best, her Sunday best white, or her new green one that she had yet to wear.
Green it had to be green of course.
Now she only had to wait two days before the dance would arrive as she stared out her little bedroom window. Church, she had to get ready for church! She jumped into action and grabbed her Sunday dress. She ties herself into her corset, before wrangling all the odds and ends of fasteners of her clothing before tying her hair back from her face and slipping on her shoes.
She was on a light layer of perfume when she was called to leave. she grabbed her small bag and skipped down the stairs, grabbing her hat on the way out the door. They all walked to church, waving and making small talk to their neighbours as they made their way into town, staying for the afternoon tea picnic as everyone talked about the state of Europe and the dance that the young people were putting up.
It was afternoon when they made it home, resting out of the August heat when a familiar face came up to the gate.
"Miss Oliver!" Rilla calls out waving at her old teacher. "How was your trip?"
"It was perfect Rilla, Actually things have been settled with Robert's Father and we decided to get married!" She says showing off her left hand. "I wanted to write, but things were such spur of the moment!" She explains to Mother who appears before her side.
"Oh, but the school!"
"I already telegrammed and explained, they wished me all the happiness and joy," the new Mrs. Robert Grant tells her.
"But….boarding!" Rilla exclaims and her mother puts a hand on her shoulder gently. "You're not moving to Charlottetown, are you? Please say you will stay in Lowbridge where it is closer? Surely they need a lawyer. "
"Rilla," Mother says gently.
"I'll still come to visit you, and we can keep up your reading this winter through letters," Gertrude tells her sympathetically, "and maybe you may visit me occasionally if your parents allow it?" She looks towards Mrs. Blythe.
"That sounds like a lovely suggestion, I am sure Dr. Blythe would allow it being her old teacher," Mother says to them. "Congratulations, Gertrude, truly I hope marriage is everything you have hoped and longed for"
"Thank you, Mrs. Blythe, we are here to pick up more of my things, and to settle the house now that I do not need for it." Mrs. Grant tells them.
"Will you stay for the dance? Oh, you can have your first dance as a married couple! Wouldn't that be utterly romantic for them mother?" Rilla raises her toes as her voice becomes higher in excitement.
"I am sure Gertrude and Robert wish to have some time to themselves Rilla," Mother says with a knowing smile. "Are you planning a honeymoon?"
"Oh yes, the honeymoon! Actually, what does one do on a honeymoon?" Rilla says after a moment of thought. "Please don't come back with any babies! They ruin all the fun when they are around."
The older ladies both stifle a laugh as Rilla looks rather indignant about their amusement at her own words.
"Come on, sweet one," Gertrude says wrapping her arm around her old pupil.
They walk inside, asking for tea as they all sit down.
"So do you know who will take over the school?" Mother asks their guest.
"I am not sure, they asked my opinion on it, but I know the Meredith's beside Carl is going to Redmond and he's still taking harbour head again from what I know. I am sure whoever they get will be up for the task. At least they won't have to keep reminding someone to stop daydreaming in class," she says directed at Rilla.
"That was once!" Rilla looks up from her spot, indignant as usual.
"I know I am teasing Rilla," Gertrude laughs and her mother joins in.
"Ahh Miss Oliver! Visiting I see? How is vacation?" Her father says coming into the living room.
"Actually it is Mrs. Grant," she says explaining to the doctor.
"Congratulations! That is wonderful for you, I suppose you will not need to board this school year then. is in Charlottetown after all." Dr. Blythe asks.
"Yes, he has just bought a house for us with money from the settlement," Gertrude nods her head with a happy smile.
"Is it pretty? I do hope it is not truly haunted," Mrs. Blythe said with a shake of her head. "A little haunting is fine, but one never wants one that is truly haunted."
"I don't believe so, but I was looking out into the garden last night, as the sun set as Robert was making sure the horse was good for the night and I had the oddest wave come over me. The garden was wet with puddles of dark red, and then it was raining and I realized it was raining blood. Robert kept calling out to me and I was in such a trance. I fear something bad is coming,"
"I am sure it will all be fine," Mother says with a knowing smile. "Rilla and I have been reading Sense and Sensibility together though. I never thought to be horrified that Colonel Brandon was thirty-five when Marianne was sixteen, but I do find myself being vehemently opposed to it these days, how times have changed since my own childhood." Anne laughs.
"Times have changed indeed," Gertrude laughs. "What do you think of Colonel Brand Rilla?"
"I mean…he is old? Why would any girl want to be with someone that old?" Rilla says after a moment and the older woman laughs at her answer and nothing more is said about the book.
Rilla was up in her room, wrapped in her kimono as her mother brushed through the tangles of her damp curls. Fresh from her bath, smelling like rose water that she had put in the bath. She runs lotion on her arms and hands as her mother detangles her hair.
"You know one day you will have to do this for yourself," her mother says with a small amused smile.
"One day, I'll just get my husband to do it more me, much like you have Father brush yours out sometimes when he's home," Rilla says shaking her head and making her mother catch a tangle just makes an audible gasp but says nothing.
"Oh does he know?" Mother says questionably but with a smile.
"I've seen him do it; the door was cracked open one evening when I got up to use the toilet," Rilla says nodding her head. "Then the door was closed. Actually Mother what does one do on a honeymoon they sound so romantic. And please don't say they get to know each other. Surely if they are married they know each other? " Rilla asks her mother, who looks still amused.
"Well, I suppose you are old enough for slightly more adult answers." She says after a moment and sets down the hairbrush. "Remember how I told you how your body was changing and growing into a young woman when you found yourself bleeding? That that monthly can help create a life when you are married?"
Rilla nods her head.
"Well, honeymoons are for couples to explore new sides of their relationship and those moments are private and those moments can create children. Though, remember we don't talk about these things in public or to people who aren't immediate family or I suppose doctors," Mother tells her carefully. "It's something special you share with your husband, its love in its grandest form and any good man will cherish you in those moments you are together."
Rilla's brow furrows in confusion.
"Just remember as you get older, that any boy who makes you feel uncomfortable isn't a gentleman. No one should touch you intimately without a wedding band on your finger Rilla, It's important to save such things for the ones you love and within the bonds of marriage." Her mother stresses, taking hold of one of her daughter's hands. "No one should ever touch you in places you consider private who is not your husband, and if anyone ever tries to, tell your father and I."
Rilla nods her head. Private places…she knew what those were, but she also saw her brother's hands roam around Faith Meredith's torso.
"Jem and Faith though, they touch and kiss I've seen them?" Rilla's brow furrows in confusion.
Her mother sighs shaking her head. "Hand holding, hugging, kissing, especially when you love someone. It's all completely acceptable and allowable if you trust and know the other person, but every couple has their boundaries and knows to not cross them. Even your brother knows the rules or propriety, though you shouldn't be spying on your brother and Faith." Mother finishes with a look of disapproval.
"I don't spy!" Rilla exclaims. "I can't help if I walk through the valley or groove and run into them, can I? Nan and Jerry do the same thing, also by the way."
"I'm sure they do, but they are older and both in love and sweethearting, but they all know what is appropriate and what is not for their ages. You will understand in time, but you need to know the fundamental basics of keeping one safe from unwanted attention."
"I saw Mary Vance and Miller Douglas prancing around the harbour before," Rilla tells her adding to the gossip. "I don't think Mrs. Elliot would approve of them if she saw them either."
Her mother stifles a chuckle and shakes her head. "Oh to be fifteen again, really my dear girl,"
"Do you think boys will dance with me?" Rilla asks her hopefully.
"I am sure you will have plenty of dances," Mother tells her with a wistful shake of her head. "Now do you need help with curlers?"
"Can you do the back for me?" Rilla asks sheepishly. "I want my hair to look perfect tomorrow."
"You will look pretty no matter what," her mother says shaking her head. "But remember pretty is as pretty does."
Rilla nods her head, though every possibility of the dance is going through her young mind. It was going to be brilliant, it was going to be splendid and mark a new time in her life.
It's the turning of the tide, next chapter the world opens up.
Also if anyone is enjoying this please let me know what you think. It makes me feel like I am not cross-posting between here and A03 for nothing, or wonder if cross-posting is even necessary at all.
Tina.