The View From Here // freddy honeychurch, a room with a view fanfiction

summer on summer street

A fast month had passed since the Stockwells moved to Summer Street. Small flowers bloomed on trees on the avenues of the small Surrey community, the surrounding countryside grew greener and appeared more alive as each day passed. Over the month Candance had spent at Summer Street, she had decided that she rather liked the Emersons, George and Lucy, and the Honeychurches. She found that they were the right kind of people, for her at least.

Candace sat in the Honeychurch drawing room, gazing out into their beautiful country garden; Freddy watched her. Since he had first met Candace, something about her intrigued him endlessly. He often watched her behaviour from afar, wondering how very graceful yet clumsy she could be at one time or admiring her grin as she chuckled with George and Lucy when they came for tea. For the first time in his life, Freddy Honeychurch was confused. Of course, he had been in a muddle here and there before Candace Stockwell waltzed into his life, but everything he felt towards her intensified tenfold in her presence. But it was there, as he studied her from across the room, Freddy knew that there was more to Candace Stockwell than she was letting on.

Mrs Honeychurch was in the drawing room too, attempting to hold a conversation with both of the young adults that could be considered proper, rather than the two's preferred way of spending time with one another. A wave of inspiration hit Freddy's mother as she followed Candace's focused gaze. She had been staring at a path. The small, muddy path lined with bushes that led to the Sacred Lake, as Freddy lovingly called his favourite bathing place.

"Freddy," Mrs Honeychurch broke the comfortable silence of the drawing room in an attempt to get the young man's attention. "Why don't you go and show Candace that pond you love so much?" Freddy's eyebrow raised upon hearing his mother's suggestion. Take Candace to the Sacred Lake? It was called "Sacred" for a reason, that and it would only remind him of bathing, a rather odd thing to think about when on a walk. Over the month of Candace's presence, Freddy had gotten to know her rather well; he knew her favourite colour (green,) and what she liked to do for fun (read terribly written novels.) Yet there was something about the young Miss Stockwell that made Freddy want to know more, that caused his mind to wander from any rational train of thought.

"What a splendid idea!" Lucy called, walking into the drawing room, her arm linked with George's. They were staying at the Honeychurch house for a while, they too found the young Miss Stockwell to be enjoyable company - and they thought her to be an ideal match for Freddy. "You always did love the Sacred Lake," She said to her brother before turning to Candace, "you will love it too, the forest surrounding it is lovely."

"All right then," Freddy agreed, getting up from his chair the other side of the room and walking over to the door next to Candace's seat. "Would you care to join me on a walk, Miss Stockwell?" He held his arm out for her to take. She did.

"Lucy, George, do accompany them," Mrs Honeychurch told her daughter and son-in-law, ushering them out of the drawing room and into the sunny gardens of the Honeychurch estate.

~~~

As the four young people clambered over tree roots, they chatted idly amongst one another. Both Freddy and George led the way, holding back branches for the women they were escorting to the lake of Freddy and Lucy's childhood. Lucy and Candace talked to each other about Italy.

"Oh, it's wonderful, Miss Stockwell, I implore you, you must go at least once in your lifetime!" Lucy exclaimed to the slightly younger woman, who was holding her skirts to keep them from getting dirty.

"Oh, Mrs Emerson, do call me Candace, I hate the formality of Miss Stockwell. It makes me feel like a governess." Candace sighed, reminiscing back to the days of her youth.

"Only if you call me Lucy in return, Candace." Lucy replied, testing out the girl's name on her lips. It felt comfortable, like she should have been doing it already.