Posh Frocks & Peacocks - Tracie Podger Page 0,1

smiled. She asked me to take off the dress and then measured me for the alterations. We hadn’t even discussed the price at that point. While I was being measured, I studied the garment. The detail was so intricate. I could make out birds and roses, all stitched in the same colour or created with beads. It was subtle yet when the eye attuned, what I was looking at was a wonderful garden. The sleeves were cream tulle, again, embroidered and with small silk covered buttons at the cuffs. The undergarment was silk and boned, fitted and straight. The second layer over the top was looser and fell into a train.

“Do you think you could add Ronan’s name somewhere?” I asked.

“I can. That’s quite a nice idea,” she replied.

An hour later I was measured and then dressed. “We haven’t discussed a price,” I said.

Daniela picked up the label. “My grandmother would like three hundred pounds for it, but I’m happy to chat to her,” she replied.

I stared at her, wondering if I’d misheard. That seemed awfully cheap for a vintage dress so detailed.

“We’ll take it,” Joe said, not batting his eyelids.

“Are you sure?” Daniela asked me.

“Absolutely, and I expect you’ll let me know what the alternations will cost, nearer the time?”

“Of course, thank you. I think she’ll be so pleased. Do you mind if, once it’s all done, I take a photograph to send her? Grandpa died last year and I know she’d love to see this dress being used.”

“I’d love for you to do that. We can also make sure to send her some official photographs as well,” I said. It was on the tip of my tongue to invite them but apparently sensing that, Joe grabbed my arm and we left.

My small family only wedding had expanded just a little. Some of my old friends from Kent were coming up, which pleased me. My parents were flying over from Spain, and Joe was thrilled with that news.

“We have to put them on the same table as Petal and Eric,” he’d gushed. He had been helping me with the seating plan.

A lunchtime wedding was going to take place on the terrace. The reception was then going to be held on the lawn. During the afternoon, there was going to be small tables and chairs, Carly, who had quit working at the hairdressers, was in charge, and afternoon tea would be served. A small orchestra would play some background music. Ronan had been in charge of the evening and booked a marquee and a local band, convincing me they were amazing for both pop style music and folk.

We had caterers coming in to lay out an evening buffet so Maggie didn’t need to worry, but she had insisted on doing the afternoon tea.

“No one can make a scone like me and I’m blooming well not giving my recipe away,” I recalled her saying with those short arms over her large boobs. When Maggie had her arms crossed that was the end of discussion.

Luckily for us, there was a very short break in filming the drama series at the castle so we could get married, and some of the ‘set’ had been left. There were four vintage vehicles on the drive; one of which was a Rolls Royce. It had been agreed I could have some photographs taken with them, although we weren’t allowed to drive them, of course. When we’d signed the contract for the television series to be filmed at the castle, we’d made a point of stating there was one weekend that summer we wanted to be kept free. Since the pilot had been so successful, the television station had commissioned a whole series. It had been bedlam for weeks while they set up but the take down would be super quick, they assured me.

Maggie dragged me from my thoughts and back to the present. “Take it off otherwise it’ll get ruined,” she said.

I stood in front of the mirror. “I wonder what she thought when she wore this?”

“Who?” Maggie asked.

I told her the story of the grandmother and the three weddings; I thought I had already. Maggie’s memory was a worry of late and something I had meant to talk to Ronan about.

“Oh, bless her, that’s a lovely story. Now let me see this special message,” she said turning me around and picking up the train.

Under the peacock that had a small amount of blue silk thread to highlight it, I’d had Ronan’s and my initials and