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We were expecting special visitors for lunch. My father was the rector of a country parish in County Kilkenny. I was six years old and feeling the loss of my brother and sister who had both returned to boarding school. Helping with the preparations helped to pass the time. I volunteered to go and pick some wild flowers in the fields to make a little flower arrangement for the hall table. It was early summer and the grass tennis court had been cut and marked. The rockery in the front driveway was looking very colourful. I brought back the flowers and arranged them in a small vase. The kitchen was a hive of activity and the smell of roast beef coming from the aga emanated up stairs from the basement. I was told to go and change into my best dress quickly. I was excited about this as it meant I could also wear my new red shoes. "Who's coming anyway"? I shouted to my mother. I thought she said "the Bishop and his wife." That explained the fuss. A knock came to the door and I heard dad answering it and showing the visitors in. In the dining room my dad asked the Bishop to say grace. My cardigan fell off the back of my chair and landed on top of our little dog asleep beside me. He jumped up in surprise and walked away wearing my cardigan on his head and back. I got a fit of the giggles and fortunately the Bishop's wife saw the funny side of it too. After lunch coffee was served in the drawing room and I was allowed to go and play. I went down to the kitchen and had another bit of the sherry trifle Katie, our maid, gave me. Harry, the gardener came in and was given a large plate of leftovers too. I went in to the scullery to get some more cream for Harry's pudding. On the floor I discovered we had finally caught the little mouse in the trap my mother and I had left with some cheese attached. She'd be so pleased: I raced up stairs to tell Mum and Dad. They were still drinking coffee in the drawing room. I barged in and from behind my back produced the dead mouse, holding it up by the tail. The Bishop's wife screamed and jumped up spilling her coffee all over the sofa. My father told me to take it out to the yard at once, wash my hands, then come back and apologise. "It's not alive you know" I said, "Out" said my father. What a disappointment I thought. The Bishop and his wife left shortly after that. I had to shake hands and apologise -they were very nice to me and told me not to worry. We waved to them as they drove on their way to Kilkenny where my father said they were going to spend the night with the Bishop in the Palace "I thought he was the Bishop dad"? I said. "No no" he replied "That was the Archbishop from Dublin".
Daphney Flannery |