Days 102 and 103

Using alternate words to Love, Announce, Beautiful, Delicious, and Move.

…

There was something about Felicity that had struck me from the first time I saw her, across a hall, through a crowded dance floor. Had it been the dress, or the way she stood, cigarette in one hand and a glass of champagne in the other, casually watching those on the dance floor trying to execute a fluid and in-sync waltz.

Or was it the expression of disdain?

All I knew in that moment she was the one, and it was love at first sight, for me.

A half hour later, after my sister, the reason for the gathering, announced her engagement to Mr Phillip Alexander William Thorogood, she left him to explain himself to her friends and came over to where I had been watching the proceedings.

Her engagement was entirely unexpected by me and our parents.

“So, what do you think?”

“He has too many names, and therefore must be a criminal.”

“He’s English. They all have too many names. It’s their idea of keeping the relatives of the past unforgotten, or something like that. I confess I switched off when he started on the history of the Thorogoods.”

“I hope you will be happy.”

“But you want to know about Felicity. I’ve seen you giving her that look.”

“What look?”

“She interests you. But as beautiful as she appears, I can assure you she is not. With her, beauty is only skin deep.”

“That’s hardly the way you should speak of your friends.”

“She is not my friend, she’s a relative or some such of Phillips, who came with her parents. But enough about her, have you tried the Apple cake? It’s absolutely delicious, if not divine. It’s going to be my wedding cake.”

I shook my head. She had an obsession with apples. “And what did Phillip think of that?”

“He doesn’t know yet, but he won’t care?”

I saw Felicity look in my direction, though I suspect it was directed more towards my sister. I got the impression she was here at Phillip’s parents’ behest, checking her out.

Then, a glance at me, Felicity started walking towards us.

“Oh, dear. I just don’t want to talk to her, so I will move around and mingle. Head her off at the pass, will you, Peter? There’s a good little brother.”

She went sideways, and I headed towards Felicity to head her off at the pass, happy to take one for the team.

….

Now to replace the above key words…

….

There was something about Felicity that had struck me from the first time I saw her, across a hall, through a crowded dance floor. Had it been the dress, or the way she stood, cigarette in one hand and a glass of champagne in the other, casually watching those on the dance floor trying to execute a fluid and in-sync waltz.

Or was it the expression of disdain?

All I knew in that moment she was the one, and it was love at first sight, for me.

A half hour later, my sister, Annabel, was called up, after a brief speech thanking everyone for coming, to tell the gathering in her usual coy manner that she had accepted Mr Phillip Alexander William Thorogood’s hand in marriage. Afterwards, like a deer caught in headlights, she left him to explain himself to her friends and came over to where I had been watching the proceedings.

Her engagement was entirely unexpected by me and our parents.

“So, what do you think?”

“He has too many names, and therefore must be a criminal.”

“He’s English. They all have too many names. It’s their idea of keeping the relatives of the past unforgotten, or something like that. I confess I switched off when he started on the history of the Thorogoods.”

“I hope you will be happy.”

“As much as I can see you’re dying to hear all about him, I can see you want to know about Felicity. I’ve seen you giving her that look.”

“What look?”

“The one you reserve for interesting people that won’t have anything to do with you. She may appear to have that certain thing about her, I can assure you, she can be and has been trouble for Phillip and his parents. If you want an opinion, her beauty is only skin deep.”

“That’s hardly the way you should speak of your friends.”

“She is not my friend, she’s a relative or some such of Phillips, who came with her parents. But enough about her, have you tried the Apple cake? It’s one of several cakes the bakers of my wedding cake tendered as a sample, and it’s divine. We’ve practically decided it’s going to be the wedding cake.”

I shook my head. She had an obsession with apples. “And what did Phillip think of that?”

“He doesn’t know yet, but he won’t care?”

I saw Felicity look in my direction, though I suspect it was directed more towards my sister. I got the impression she was here at the behest of Phillip’s parents and checking her out.

Then, a glance at me, Felicity started walking towards us.

“Oh, dear. I just don’t want to talk to her. You use your charm on her while I mingle. Head her off at the pass, will you, Peter? There’s a good little brother.”

She went sideways, and I headed towards Felicity to head her off at the pass, happy to take one for the team. The fact that Annabel didn’t like her made Felicity far more interesting.

…

©  Charles Heath  2025