Ida didn't take long to settle in at Redcliffe. After only a few short days she felt like she had come home. Although she enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the city and the comforts of her father's house, she had missed spending time with family and re-acquainting herself with her uncle's farm and the surrounds again. She was keen to get started on her new projects, the paper and her studies, and eventually prove her worth to her father and show aunt Beatrice that she didn't need to get married to live a fulfilled, meaningful and successful life.
She loved coming to the newspaper office with Uncle George every morning and literally get her hands dirty, when she started taking over the handling of the printing press besides picking and writing stories for printing.
This morning, however, she was running a little late. She had spilled some tea over her blouse and had to change before meeting for a photo shoot with Neil Davis, the new photographer.
The church, which functioned as a school during weekdays, had gotten a new bell, kindly donated through the charitable efforts organised by the Lady's Aid Society. There would be a pot luck after the blessing of the bell and the school children had practised a couple of new songs especially for the occasion. The whole Greene household had been busy baking treats and Ruth and Rachel had bought some new ribbons to go with their Sunday dresses. It was altogether promising to be a beautiful afternoon.
As Ida approached the church she could see that Neil had already set up the box camera. The building itself had been decorated with garlands of wild flowers and green branches of gum tree along the railings, above the door and awnings of the windows by the pastor Allan and his wife.
Neil greeted her with a big smile. 'Good morning, Miss Champion. Isn't it a glorious morning?'
'Good morning. I am sorry, I am a bit late! And yes, it is!' Ida dropped a basket with freshly baked pastry at a nearby table. Some of the locals had moved benches and tables on the South lawn and slowly more people on foot or in wagons started to arrive.
'Don't mention it.' Neil pointed towards the church door. 'The Allan's are inside, if you want to get some quotes from the pastor for your article.'
'As I've told you many times before, please call me Ida!' She encouraged him. 'We work together. There's no need for such formalities.'
'Alright, then, Ida...could I please ask you to stand over there for a moment, so I can check that the camera is set up properly?' Neil moved towards the camera, pulled the black cloth over his head and adjusted the lens. 'All seems to be in order. Thank you.' He appeared again from underneath the cloth. His hair stood up funnily.
Ida couldn't help but giggle. 'Your hair...' she pointed.
'Oh, thank you...I am sorry...' He tried to smooth the streak of hair and laughed nervously.
To minimise his embarrassment, Ida moved towards the church. 'I think I had better have a quick word with the pastor before the blessing.'
'Yes...Of course...' Neil stammered.
YOU ARE READING
My fake fiance
RomanceIda Champion has come to live with her aunt and uncle and their 5 children after the death of her mother. Her father is busy running a paper in Sydney and has not enough time to devote to his daughter. Ida is an independent, modern woman in the 1880...
