Bab’s New Year’s Resolution 35.

List of Characters.

Lola Smith Bab’s adopted trans daughter.
Callista Denton (Callie). Transgendered Duchess of Denton.
Margaret Denton (Maggie). Callie’s wife.
Molly Denton Callie’s grandmother
Ellie Denton Callie’s mother.

After the brief shopping trip and a late afternoon tea Lola and the Denton family continued on to Callie’s home.

‘Well now I get to find out how the other half lives’, Lola thought as the car climbed up onto a moor and the countryside became bleaker.

‘Bloody hell. I wouldn’t fancy living up ‘ere in winter. She concluded as the trees became more stunted and the moorland grasses less lush.

Then the car started to descend into a sheltered and altogether more fertile valley where a lush mature forest enclosed the road with glades of oak, ash, sycamore and beech. An altogether more inviting prospect emerged as the car slowed then entered a large carved stone portal before descending down an arrow-straight drive towards a shining lake. The drive seemed to stretch forever before they emerged from the shady glades into a sunlit valley where a huge house nestled into the gentle hillside on Lola’s right as they arrived.

Facing south, the house (‘more like a palace’ Lola thought,) captured the sun all through the day and presented a spectacular prospect to anybody arriving by the main entrance from the south. Lola and the Denton family had however arrived via the north eastern driveway and she had missed the formal spectacle of driving up to the front of the house as might noble house-guests have done two, or even three hundred years ago. The sight completely overwhelmed Lola’s sense of propriety.

“Bloody Hell! Is this yours?”

“’F’raid so Lola.”

“Who are all these people?”

“Visitors darling,” Maggie explained. “Come to look around the famous Denton Hall.”

“It’s fu – sorry; it’s huge! Don’t you get any privacy?”

“The west wing is where we live, up on the top two floors.”

With that, Callie drove the car into a large stable-yard behind the house then into a private, smaller quadrangle that obviously gave a private access to the West wing from the rear of the house. Even this ‘back-door’ still presented as a huge double-doored portal and through the multi framed glass, Lola could see the back of the main entrance hall where large groups of people were coming and going.

Callie parked the car in the marked box nearest the entrance then unlocked the huge doors before helping Maggie to unload the children. Lola immediately took the opportunity to hold the infant girl in her arms while Callie swept the older boy onto her shoulders and they trooped into the house. Once inside they turned sharp right behind the grand staircase then ascended a much more modest and discreet ‘back stairs’ that was separated from the main hall by a filigreed, carved curtain wall that allowed the user to scan the whole main hall.

Lola realised that in olden times it would have served as the servant’s stairs to allow them to discreetly scan the main hall and render assistance to any important guests.
The ‘back stairs’ comprised three flights that curved towards the back of the house before emerging onto the first floor where they were met by two women. Callie paused and turned as she put her son down.

“Lola, meet Ellie and Molly the Dowager Duchess and Grand-dowager Duchess. My mother and grandmother.

Mum, Nan, meet Miss Lola Smith; a fellow traveller like me.”

“Welcome to Denton,” Ellie declared as she extended her hand.

“Thank you your – uuhm do I say your grace?”

“Miss Ellie will do. Everybody calls me that, even the staff. I only use ‘your grace’ on special, formal occasions.”

Lola next turned to Molly, Callie’s grandmother.

“Four generations eh. Callie’s so young to be a duchess.”

“Yes. We had a few tragic accidents in the family. Callie was but a child when my sons died. One in the army and my second son in a train crash. Now, first things first; do you prefer tea or coffee?”

“Oh! I uhm prefer tea please.”

Molly led them along the long ornate corridor then turned right to a large living room with several doors leading off.

“Put the kettle on Ellie darling, Maggie show Lola the cloakroom, I’ll sort out some cake and Callie can nurse the baby.”

‘I can see who’s the organiser here,’ Lola mused as she took Maggie’s cue and removed her coat in the cloakroom before visiting the loo. ‘Hope she’s not some sort of county-type harridan.’

When she emerged, Maggie was waiting for her with a smile.

“Don’t worry about Molly. She’s got a heart of gold and she’ll make you really welcome. It’s just that when guests first arrive here they are in awe of the place and need to be organised a bit until they settle in and feel at ease. Once we’re sharing tea, she’ll prove to be an excellent hostess, you’ll see.”

Lola grinned as she checked her makeup and hair in the mirror.

“I would have thought you’d be playing the hostess being as you’re the actual duchess,”

“Naah. Molly’s an old hand at it. She knows every nook and cranny of the old pile. She’s been living here as Duchess, Dowager and grand dowager for over fifty years. You should hear the stories she’s got about when she first arrived as a young bride. It’d turn your hair grey with all the formality and pomp.”

Lola grinned as they re-entered the living room and Molly patted a seat on the sofa beside her.

“So, young lady. Callie tells me you’re reading maths at Cambridge.”

“Yes ma-am.”

“Oh that’s a bit formal. You’re Callie’s guest so call me Molly and my daughter in law Ellie. You’re in good company here, Ellie did maths at Cambridge and so did Callie.”

As she spoke, Ellie offered Lola some tea while Maggie served out the sponge-cake. Callie’s son Henry sat close to his great grandmother Molly while Callie nursed baby Caroline at her breast.

In such friendly and informal surroundings, Lola was soon put at ease and the talking continued until dinner needed preparing. Lola was more than happy to share with preparing the vegetables. At the sink she giggled with Ellie.

“I’d have thought you’d have an army of servants to do all this sort of stuff.”

“Oh to heck with all that. There’s absolutely no privacy with all sorts of maids and butlers getting under your feet. Most of what they called ‘old family retainers’ now work as staff running the house as a tourist attraction. Tour guides, running the estate shop and various attractions.

That way the old connections are continued but they get paid a proper living wage and if called upon for special occasions, they double up for extra pay. That way the house and estate pays for its own upkeep and the family aren’t burdened with onerous monthly salaries.”

“So what was it like when Callum revealed himself to be Callista.”

“Well, as you can imagine, there were flutterings in the dove-cote until she revealed that she had a girlfriend, that's me; and that she was able to save her sperm for future inheritance purposes. Molly was very put out but the old duke, Harry proved to be the saviour. He was adamant that Callie be allowed to follow her heart and brain. Once everybody was certain that the ducal succession was secure things became much easier.

You’ll have heard about the royal lineage act; well that set some politicians a’ thinkin’ and at the moment it’s a bit ‘up-in-the-air’ with the laws affecting noble successions. Callie and Maggie had all this to consider when they decided upon marriage and babies. There was a lot of uncertainty surrounding any possible new legislation.

Anyway, the up-shot was that Callista decided to stay with her ‘little-boy’ bits until all the remaining potential grand-parents and great grand-parents were content. Then after Henry was conceived and born naturally, Callie had the op and transitioned while Caroline was conceived invitro. I think you can see that Callie’s besotted with baby Caroline.”

Lola nodded as she paused with potato-peeler in hand.

“From where I’m standing, Callie’s made a lot of sacrifices to hold on to her manhood just to please the family.”

“Nobless oblige Lola darling. Just look around you. There’s no knowing what would have happened to Denton Hall and the estates if Callie’s uncle had got his hands on it. Thankfully it remains a goodly example of ‘Ye olde England’ and more importantly Denton Moor survived the ravages of excessive quarrying while the forest remains a priceless SSE.”

“Yes it looked beautiful when we drove though it via the ‘back-door’. All those beautiful glades of mature trees.”

“It’s not that which makes it an SSE, it’s the fact that it is one of only a few sites in England where Pine Martens thrive and red squirrels thrive.”

“Oh. Why’s that?”

“Well, strange as it may seem, there is a theory that Pine martens don’t seem to favour red squirrels but they find grey squirrels delicious. Consequently, if any of those American imported invaders move into Denton forest, they get caught and eaten very quickly by the martens. Whether the theory is right or wrong I don't know; but we certainly have very few if any grey squirrels in Denton forest.

“How odd. I’d have thought there’s not much to choose taste-wise between two breeds of squirrel.”

“I don’t know why it is, but Maggie thinks it’s because Red squirrels tend to eat mostly pine-cone seeds and their flesh is less palatable to Pine martens. Also grey squirrels are bigger and fatter so they make a better, more worthwhile meal to chase through the trees. Strangely, red and grey squirrels are not related.”

Lola’s brows knitted because she had watched grey squirrels flashing though the woods behind Canal Cottage and they were spectacularly fast.

“How do the martens catch the squirrels.”

“They chase them. You wouldn’t believe how agile pine martens are. Maggie’s got some very rare footage of a hunt and it really is spectacular because it actually shows the kill. The BBC people could not believe the footage was not faked because the action was so beautifully portrayed but it was all a happy accident as Maggie happened to have the camera right there on the spot. The footage remains to this day, the only close-up, focused images of a pine marten chasing, catching, killing and eating a grey squirrel. The BBC used it as footage for one of their wild-life programmes. Of course they also take the young squirrels in their dreys.”

“Aaah. Poor babies.”

“You wouldn’t say that if you saw the damage that grey squirrels do to young trees plus the carnage they commit against birdlife by stealing their eggs. Pine martens destroy the grey invaders and that’s why Denton wood is an SSE. It’s loaded with rare examples of small birds and the trees are in excellent health. By the way, how long are you staying?”

“Only til’ tomorrow. Callie’s got some pointers about surgeons, transitioning and dealing with trans-life in Cambridge. She’s taking me home tomorrow because of the court case.”

“That’s a pity. Denton Forest is a picture of abundance and colours come the Autumn. That’s the time to see it. Some say it’s as good as a New England fall, especially with the newly planted groves of assorted maples planted to cover up the scars of the old quarry. They’re only young saplings just yet but they still look every bit as spectacular with the American reds and oranges contrasting with the English yellows, browns and golds. I’ll extend an invite to you on Callie’s behalf to come up during Michaelmas half term.”

“Gosh. Thank you Ellie.”

They finished ‘prepping’ the veg and were eventually seated to dinner where the conversation, as planned and agreed by Callie and Lola, revolved around transitioning. Ellie’s invitation was confirmed by Callie who also extended it to Lola’s adopted siblings and companions. Lola grinned a caution to the older ladies.

“Be prepared for a gale of fresh air when those kids turn up!” Lola advised. “They’re a bit wild and something of an eye-opener as Callie can confirm.”

“They didn’t strike me as bad kids though,” Callie opined. “Hurt and wounded more than badly behaved. Believe me Lola, this house will have seen a lot worse behaviour during the days of hunt balls and such like.”

“Well that’s the truth!” Molly added as she fixated dreamily on the ceiling. “Wild times they were indeed!”

“Oh do tell Nana.” Maggie implored.

“Tsch, tsch,” best left to the annals of history I think.”

Molly declined to expand further and the frustrated diners were left to concentrate on transgenderism and university life.

Through the evening, Lola picked up numerous tips and sources of help and entertainment and by bedtime her head was spinning. More importantly, she had made a good and useful transgendered friend.

She couldn’t wait to re-join Belinda and the girls.

ooo000ooo

The following morning, Callie picked up on her mother Ellie’s suggestion. She and Maggie took Lola for a walk through the private section of the woods and there revealed the secretive lair of the pine marten in the hollow bole of a large oak tree. Some juicy pieces of Rabbit carcase were placed by the entrance hole and the trio settled down to a very silent wait. Eventually their patience was rewarded by the appearance of a pair of bright beady eyes followed by a slinky mustelan body that slipped cautiously out of the den and sniffed the meat. Lola was beside herself with suppressed delight as she watched the rarest British mammal start to chew on the prize.

When the last piece was gone, it settled to groom it’s whiskers and finally it disappeared back into its den. It was only then that Lola noticed the camouflaged armoured wire leading away from the tree into the soil.

“What’s that about?” She whispered.

“There’s a camera inside the den and it leads back all the way to the house. It’s devoted to monitoring the martens now but when that mad bastard Abdul was stalking Callie this was part of a protective network of cameras all around the house.”

Lola nodded as she recollected that Canal Cottage had to be similarly defended.

After visiting the pine marten lair, Lola had to reluctantly leave Denton Hall. Soon after lunch, Callie piloted her in the helicopter back to Gloucestershire. As arranged, they landed at the local airfield between Gloucester and Cheltenham then a Police car took them to Canal cottage.

ooo000ooo