Page 6 of The Wedding Dress Repair Shop
‘No, I’m afraid I’ll want everything back eventually because I’ve got plans for it, as part of that project I mentioned.’
She grinned at me. ‘I don’t know if you’re aware of it, but aswell as my novels, I’ve also written a few non-fiction books?’ She reeled off some titles: ‘Almost a Bride,Great Wedding Disasters,Wed, then Dead?’
I nodded. Once I’d realized we must be related, I had, of course, checked her out on Amazon, as well as googling her.
‘They’re very popular and, over the years, readers have sent me several wedding gowns from their own bridal disasters, and even one or two antique ones that have been passed down in families, along with their stories. And, of course, I have my own dress, too, because I’m also a member of the Jilted Brides Club.’
That I also knew from my internet research, though I hadn’t gone into it much.
‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ I said, but Honey quickly shrugged away my sympathy.
‘I haven’t known quite what to do with all the donated dresses,’ she said, ‘so they’re packed away—’
She broke off, seeing my expression and said quickly: ‘No, don’t worry – they’re carefully wrapped in acid-free tissue paper and stored in moth- and damp-proof boxes!’
‘Iwasabout to ask that,’ I admitted. ‘Whatareyou going to do with them all?’
‘That’s the bit that will interest you, because now I’ve settled into Pelican House, I’ve decided to open a little wedding dress museum and put them on permanent display!’
I stared at her; this was the last thing I’d have expected.
‘A … bridal museum?’ I queried finally.
‘Yes, although, of course, it won’t be the hearts, flowers and happy-ever-after kind, but one dedicated to bridal disappointments and disasters.’
‘That sounds … a fairly unique concept, Honey.’
‘That’s whatIthought! The museum will incorporate theRosa-May Garland Collection, too, because although she wasn’t jilted, according to that journal it might have been better if she had been. It’s clear that by the time her husband left her in Lancashire, she’d started having doubts about her decision to marry him.’
‘Really? It’s frustrating we don’t know what happened to her later, isn’t it?’ I said. ‘Wikipedia says only that she retired from the stage on her marriage, in 1815.’
‘I’ve scanned her journal, so I’ll email you a copy when I get home,’ Honey promised. ‘Her handwriting is really terrible, though. I might get my PA, Derek, to type up the whole thing, at some point.’
‘Great! And, you know, I think the museum’s a really interesting idea, Honey,’ I said, now I’d had time to get over my initial surprise. ‘But you’d need to find suitable premises, of course. And then, if it’s to open to the public, there are all kinds of rules and regulations to comply with.’
‘Ah, but there’s something about Pelican House you don’t know, that makes it all possible,’ she announced triumphantly. ‘It has a later wing behind the main house, backing on to a mews, and, up to my uncle’s death, itwasa museum and open to the public on weekday afternoons.’
‘Really? What amazing good luck!’ I exclaimed. ‘What kind of museum was it?’
‘Theycalledit a natural history museum, but really, it was just a repository for all the dead, moth-eaten, stuffed creatures collected or killed by my ancestors, along with cases of birds’ eggs, insects pinned to boards … all sorts of grisly long-dead stuff. I wanted to make a bonfire of the whole lot, but it turned out that there’s all sorts of red tape about disposing of that kind of collection, especially the remains of any endangered species. I’ve had to get an expert in, and clearing it is still anongoing thing, though we’re getting there. No one,’ she added, ‘seemed to want a full-sized stuffed water buffalo, with or without its glass case painted with a scene of its natural habitat.’
‘No, I don’t suppose there’s a lot of demand for that kind of thing,’ I agreed. ‘Still, the fact that the building’s been a museum of any kind will make things so much easier for you. It sounds perfect.’
‘There’s even a cottage, attached to the far end of the museum, where the former curator lived. He was also a taxidermist, so he had a workroom there, too.’ She paused, then said musingly, ‘I might have to have someone go through the museum and cottage with bell, book and candle, to cleanse the air of any lingering animal spirits.’
I looked at her uncertainly, wondering if she was joking, because that novel of hers I’d read didn’t make me think she would be particularly sensitive to that sort of atmosphere, but she seemed to be serious.
‘I like animals so much more than most people,’ she mused, which went some way to explaining it.
‘So, I’ve already got an expert disposing of the collection and someone else checking what health and safety rules, public liability insurance and anything else we’ll need to sort out before opening. I believe in delegating all the tedious stuff to other people.’
‘If the building was open to the public, does it need much doing to it?’ I asked.
‘Quite a bit, because it was just as run-down as the rest of the house, but it does have lovely parquet floors throughout, which I want to preserve. Some of the glass display cases might have been reusable, but I’m going to get rid of them and start afresh. I’ve found a place in North Wales called Priceless Interiors who will take them, and they’re on the track of the kind ofthing I want instead. That’s where you would have been so useful, because I’ll need expert advice on the storing and display of the wedding dresses and then a permanent curator/conservator to look after them.’
‘It would be a dream job for a lot of people,’ I said, rather wistfully.
‘Once the museum is open and publicized – which will also give my novels a boost – I suspect I’ll be sent even more wedding disaster dresses.’
