Kensington Manor

Chapter Six: The Tour

It took three hours for the Herrings to finish breakfast. The morning banquet was once again absurdly decadent and indeed seemed never ending, but Violet was patient and not at all frustrated in waiting for the tour to begin. She sipped gingerly at her tea and giggled ever so slightly at her aunt and uncle's jolly antics.

"It truly is like sleeping with a water buffalo, your aunt snores horrendously loud. I could have sworn I was back on Safari."

"And I can say the same about your flatulence."

"Move your great girth woman, Violet's been waiting like a saint for you all morning. She's probably chomping at the bit to get out and see the world."

"Yes well be that as it may, the world must wait until my belly is full. I need all the energy I can get these days. I should like to make a couple stops at the Butcher and Baker, they have exquisite sales this month."

"Then I shall hire an architect to widen the front door upon your return home."

"Thoughtful as always my love. Come, Violet, let us begin our adventure through the streets!"

The carriage pulled up and the two of them climbed eagerly inside. Being some three hundred pounds; the elderly glutton was assisted by both her driver and head butler. With a hefty push and

shove, she burst through the carriage door like a cannonball. Then at last they were on their way to the marketplace. They passed beautiful brick apartments, all newly built with gardens much smaller than back home. It was difficult to imagine living in such close proximity to your neighbour when Kensington's closest acquaintances lived an hour down the country road. The second thing Violet noticed was the noisy bustling streets filled with both upper and lower class shoppers with the occasional beggar on the street corner. There were shoe shine and repair stands, fruit and vegetable vendors and much to her delight; a dressmaker and seamstress, displaying all the latest summer fashions. Aunt Violet noticed the excitement in her eyes and with a wink she asked her driver to come to a complete stop in front of the shop. The large lady flopped out of the carriage like a fat Jack in the Box, too large to fit through the door. "Now my dear, I should very much like to purchase a brand new dress for the Parker's luncheon, I will not hear any protest about style and colour."

"With this grand selection, you need not worry, they all look splendid."

"The finest threads in all of England." the shopkeeper exclaimed.

"Let's see now, your tiny bust will fit in any of these I declare. An impossible feat at my current weight, but lucky you, the pick of the litter."

Violet was fitted in a long royal blue gown with a white lace trim.

"The very picture of heaven my dear, you give a princess a run for her crown. We shall take it, wrap it up shopkeep! Send the bill to my usual address. We must be off, daylight is burning!"

The next stop was at aunt Dorothy's favourite butcher to order a lamb shank, a few pounds of beef marrow and chicken livers for the dogs.

"I say the venison is also looking delightfully tasty, I shall take an order of that as well, a good portion my good man, I'm not a skinny thing." Large packages of meat now towered above them. "And now if you please, we must make haste to the baker. The man is a genius with his pies, so much so my poor chef can't duplicate them at home. Well worth the small fortune I'm spending today."

The carriage was now overflowing with parcels and packages from additional vendors and fashion boutiques. "Bless my soul, it appears I've purchased all of London. Well no matter my dear, let us continue our tour of the botanical garden and the theatre then we shall be due for a proper luncheon at one of these fine establishments."