A Weekend at Eagle House- Chapter1

                                        A Weekend at  Eagle House
                                                by  Carly  R Phillips




                                          Chapter 1



It was a bright spring day in Chesney upon Tyne, 1921.  Marline Hodburry was just getting the post which had come through the letter slot. . The usual mail seemed to have come, the church bulletin from St. Michaels,  and few advertisements . However there was one piece of mail which stuck out among the rest.  A blue envelope of high quality stationary with a silver eagle sticker on the back.  The Hodburry’s had never gotten anything like this in the mail.  Cards came from family of course but not like this.  The envelope  was address to both Marline and her husband John, so Marline opened it.  Inside was a letter,  typed  which read:  You are both invited to spend this Bank Holiday weekend at Eagle House, Kingsley, Devon.  You will be the guest of  Lt. Col. James Barrett and his wife Lady Constance.  Enclosed are directions.  Sincerely  Lance Michell, P.A to Lt. Col Barrett. 

“ Strange.” thought  Marline. “ I can’t see why they would want to invite us. We do alright but we are not royalty or anything.  John did  serve in the war, but not on the front lines.”  Still it was an invitation not to be passed up. She decided to call her husband about it at work. John worked for  Myston brothers as a PA  Picking up the telephone, she dialed the operator and asked to be put through to 82106. “ And you say we are to be the guests of  Lt Colonel Barrett?”  John had read of his getting awarded a British War Medal. a few years back. 

The war had  not been long over  however,  John couldn’t recall meeting him.  John had served in the war, but not did not know him very well..  He was  a Captain  working at the Army Training Estate as a instructor.  He wasn’t in active duty now, but he knew should war break out again, he very well could be asked to go.  “ Being in the Army myself,  perhaps he wants to have a get together with those who live near by.”  “Perhaps.” said Marline. “ Well then you had better call and say we will be there.”  Or RSVP, but  John didn’t care for the French nor for it as a language, so he said the same a different way. 

About  50 km  away in the town of  Bury St Edmonds,  Laurence Gornsley was checking his  post.  Glancing through the envelopes he saw a blue envelope, with a eagle sticker on the back.  Laurence recognized the stationary.  It was from Lt. Colonel Barrett.  Laurence and Barrett had served together in the Western Front.  Laurence was a Major, the rank just below  Lt Colonel.  As he opened it, he was pleased to see the invitation, but a little puzzled.  He hadn’t seen  Barrett since the dinner where Barrett was awarded his medal. Being in the same division,  Laurence had been invited also along with is wife Helena.  He wondered how many others were sent the invitation.  Perhaps  some of his Army chums were invited also, a few he had stayed in touch with more than others.  Like Simon Hocksworth, a Major like himself.  He and Simon got married around the same time,  in 1919, a year after the war.  Both had married Army nurses who at the time were in nursing school.  Laurence went to the study and dialed the operator. “ Hello, please put me through to 55671.” 

Lady Constance picked up the phone. “ Hello?  Oh good afternoon Laurence. Oh I am pleased to hear that.  Yes around 5:30pm would be fine, we will have dinner at 6:00pm. What’s that?  10 others will be coming as well.  Mr. and Mrs. Hodbury,  Bernard and Penny Morcroft,  and Nathan and Jessica Wilson,  Simon and Jillian Hocksworth, whom I believe you already know and  Grant and Rosalind Pentergree ..  With you and Helena it makes 12 Why?  I am not  sure,  William wouldn’t tell me. However we don’t have anything else on our schedule and no other guests are with us at the moment,  so I didn’t see anything wrong with it. " That sounds great to me." said Laurence. "  To which Lady Constance brightly said,  Ok then we shall see you this weekend. Goodbye.”  James put down the receiver an pondered the names.

Only one name stuck out besides Simon Hocksworth.  Oh yes and Bernard Morcroft. Who could forget him? thought Laurence.  Yes, he remembered Bernard well, but he didn’t like him when he knew him.  He was a Major also like himself but one of those types which wanted to be the  next Sir John French.  John French, A highly decorated officer, praised for his decisions in battle.  Bernard did not have French’s personality though.  Bernard was quite annoying and arrogant.  He wondered why he was invited or if he had changed at all.  Barrett found him annoying them also so much he once had him dig a trench in the rain because he got on his nerves so much.  Being a rank above  Barrett could do so. If  Morcroft was as annoying then, was he that annoying now?    It was only Wednesday.  Two days before he had to find out. 

In Gravesham, Bernard was coming home for his lunch hour.  Penny has prepared Chicken Kiev’s and salad.  There was a envelope on the table by the telephone. He picked up  the letter which  had been already opened,  Penny opened it since it was addressed to them both..  Lt Colonel Barrett! Why was he inviting us?  Bernard's eyes grew wide as he read the invitation.  Bernard hadn’t forgotten how he had lost his temper at him more than once. Still, to refuse, that would cause speculation.  Bernard couldn’t have people talking, no!  He had his reputation to think of.  “ I see you have seen we have been invited.” said Bernard as he sat down to the table. “Yes, from Lt Col Barrett.”  “ Yes, and I know what you are thinking, but we need to go.” “ After how he treated you, singled you out?” Penny looked at him in the eye.  “ Yes, I know what happened during the war dear but I can’t have people talking.”  “ Talk? Who would talk?” “ You would be surprised. I am sure we aren’t the only ones to be invited and those people for sure would talk.”  Penny looked around. “ Alright, if it means that much we will go.” “ Right. I will phone them after lunch to confirm.”

  Back in Chesney upon Tyne,  Marline was bringing in the washing which was now dry on the line outside.  She thought about the weekend coming up.  Lady Constance was very agreeable.  She was from the Ashwell family a very prominent  family in the Midlands.  Eagle House was her uncles house given to her and Lt. Col. Barrett when they married two years ago. The Times had a big story all about the wedding and details. Marline remembered her neighbor Julia Wright telling her more info. She had been in Kidderminster that day and had seen the procession going into the church.
Marline was looking forward to the weekend but couldn’t help wonder why they had been invited.  John didn’t know them apart from Lady Constance being from the Ashwell family but many people knew that..  As she folded the laundry, she summed up in her mind that they would just have to see what the weekend would bring.
Their sons  Jack and Robert were away at Arlington for another few weeks. They went to a private school there.  It was fortunate that this was this weekend, as she wouldn’t want to miss their coming home.  It was 4 pm.  Time to hear the news.
Marina switched on the wireless.  “BBC 1 News for  Apri14, 1921  The Fascists marched on Rome today.  Benito Mussolini has been made leader of the Fascist party…”  Marina  didn’t know much about Fascism but she hoped it wouldn’t come to Britain.

In Kidderminster,  Grant and Rosalind Pentergree had read and discussed the invitation they also received.  Going to the Barratt’s would be a pleasant occasion.  Grant was a Lt. Colonel also in the war, still was and worked at Summerfield as a training instructor. The Pentergree’s and Barretts had spent holidays in the past together. Lady Constance had gone to the same boarding school as Rosalind, Molvern St Thomas.  Yes Rosalind had fond memories of that school.  She had met Lady Constance, then known as just Connie, had met when they were both 3rd yrs.  They were both in Calvert  House. She was in 221C on the 2nd floor and  Lady Constance was on the 3rd in 321F.  They had met a lunch about five days into the spring term of  1910.  Since then they had been good friends.  Rosalind was still a little puzzled as to why they had been so formal with a invitation and did not  phone instead.  Still, it would be good all the same to see them again. 

Also in  Kidderminster, and also receiving a invitation were  Nathan and Jessica Wilson.  Jessica was just coming into the living room  where Nathan was looking at the invitation.  “ Darling, did you see this?” “ Yes, I did,  didn’t you serve in the same regiment as Lt Col Barrett?” “ Yes, I did, he was a couple ranks above me.”  “ Have you seen much of him since then?”  “ Well, not really.  Not since that Army regiment reunion you and I went to last April.”  “ Oh yes I remember. He’s a tall fellow, muscular, medium brown hair.” said Jessica. “ Yes that’s him. Originally from  Yorkshire married an Ashwell.”  “ I see, why do you think they invited us?” “ Not sure, but I think we should plan on going.  Might be some other people from the regiment there.” “ I have wondered what Eagle House is like.” said Jessica.  “ Well now is the chance for you to see.” said Nathan.

Finally, of the list of  invited guests, In Wolver Hampton,  Simon and Jillian Hocksworth were in their front parlor listening to the wireless. .  “ Was that the second post  that just came ?”  “ I think so, I’ll go have a look.” said Simon. “ I say! it’s a invitation from Lt. Col Barrett and his wife.  They have invited us for the weekend”  “That’s interesting, but why?” asked Jillian.  “ It doesn’t say,  I would like to go, shall we?” “ Would be interesting to meet Lt. Col Barrett. I have heard you mention him from time to time but I have never met him.”        “ No, work kept me from going to that dinner he was given a medal at.  I wonder if Laurence will be there. “ “ I’ll give the Barrett’s a call, perhaps I can find out.” Jillian left the parlor and returned a few minutes later.  “ You are in luck, Laurence will be there, as well as Bernard and  Nathan and few others.”
“ How many of us will be there in total?”  “ There will be twelve, fourteen including the Barrett’s.”  “Right, well I know Eagle house is rather large.”  said  Simon.  Simon thought a minute about the event coming up.  Nathan he knew fairly well but not very.  Bernard was famous for being impossible  when they were out in the trenches.  Simon hoped he had matured since then, but Simon doubted it.  Seeing Laurence again would be nice though.  Simon wondered what it was all for.  In a few days time the answer would come, but the reasons for them being invited would remain a mystery for awhile after they all arrived.