Emily’s description, and Tilly experiences a great sense of family, of unity, amongst them all. For a brief second she has a huge longing for her parents, far away in Canada. She shrugs it off quickly, responding to the introductions, displaying the camera.
‘I’ve got permission to take photographs,’ she says, ‘for the new website. I’ve got some ideas already, but if anyone has any suggestions…?’
Mother Magda looks rather anxiously at Sister Emily and Father Pascal as if for inspiration. Janna smiles rather shyly, as if she’s not certain that she is qualified to give an opinion.
‘The orchard looks beautiful when the bluebells are flowering,’ she says hesitantly.
‘And when the trees are in blossom,’ agrees Sister Emily quickly. ‘Though that won’t be quite yet.’
‘We’ll need one of the chapel,’ suggests Father Pascal. ‘How many are we allowed?’
‘As many as you like,’ says Tilly. ‘The website needs to be updated regularly so there is always something new for people to see. We could post events and things like that. Perhaps even have a blog. And I was thinking about what Sister Emily called Holy Holidays rather than the actual retreats and quiet days. I had this idea of doing a little video.’
‘Oh?’ Clem looks at her quickly, eyebrows raised; interested. ‘Of what?’
‘Well, last time I was here I walked down to the beach. It’s so beautiful. I thought I could do a video clip showing people how they can simply walk out of the door and on to the cliffs or down to the sea.’
‘How exciting,’ exclaims Sister Emily. ‘Could you do all that with your camera?’
‘I think so,’ says Tilly cautiously. ‘We could show the walk in different seasons with a little voice-over.’
They gaze with respect at Tilly and her camera.
‘Sound as well as pictures,’ says Sister Emily thoughtfully. ‘Just like the television. You could describe the flowers…’
‘And the birds,’ says Janna suddenly. ‘’Tis wonderful out on the cliffs when the seagulls are raising their chicks. They sound like babies crying.’
‘Yes, well, I’m not quite up to David Attenborough,’ warns Tilly, ‘but I could have a go.’
‘And our little acer grove in the autumn. And the azalea walk.’ Pink with excitement at the thought of the possibilities, Sister Emily clasps her hand together in delight. Mother Magda sees Tilly’s apprehension and steps in.
‘I think this is Clem’s department,’ she says firmly. ‘It all sounds very exciting and we shall look forward to seeing the results, but Clem is our expert. We’ll leave him and Tilly to discuss it all.’
She smiles at Tilly encouragingly and moves away, taking Sister Emily and Janna with her. Father Pascal smiles at Tilly, raises a hand in farewell to Clem and goes to fetch his car.
‘Right then,’ says Tilly. ‘I think this is where I start showing initiative, isn’t it? Am I allowed in the chapel?’
‘This is a good time, actually,’ Clem says. ‘It should be empty. I think your video is a brilliant idea.’
She flushes with pleasure at his praise. ‘Just a thought,’ she says casually. ‘Could you show me the chapel? Or are you rushing off somewhere?’
‘I think I’ve been detailed off to help you with this,’ he says. ‘Come on in.’ He pushes the heavy oaken door open and leads her into the hall. A small group of people stand at a table where cards are for sale, and a door stands open to the library, but Clem leads her out by another door and along a passage. He opens the chapel door gently, reverently, and looks inside. He turns to smile at her and pushes it wider so that she can go in. She stands just inside, looking at the beamed roof, the plain stone altar, the simple wooden crucifix on the wall behind it, the mullioned windows flooded with sunshine. The sanctuary light glimmers in its stone niche and candles have been lit in the terracotta bowl at the foot of the carved statue of Our Lady.
‘I’ve got permission to take photographs,’ she says, ‘for the new website. I’ve got some ideas already, but if anyone has any suggestions…?’
Mother Magda looks rather anxiously at Sister Emily and Father Pascal as if for inspiration. Janna smiles rather shyly, as if she’s not certain that she is qualified to give an opinion.
‘The orchard looks beautiful when the bluebells are flowering,’ she says hesitantly.
‘And when the trees are in blossom,’ agrees Sister Emily quickly. ‘Though that won’t be quite yet.’
‘We’ll need one of the chapel,’ suggests Father Pascal. ‘How many are we allowed?’
‘As many as you like,’ says Tilly. ‘The website needs to be updated regularly so there is always something new for people to see. We could post events and things like that. Perhaps even have a blog. And I was thinking about what Sister Emily called Holy Holidays rather than the actual retreats and quiet days. I had this idea of doing a little video.’
‘Oh?’ Clem looks at her quickly, eyebrows raised; interested. ‘Of what?’
‘Well, last time I was here I walked down to the beach. It’s so beautiful. I thought I could do a video clip showing people how they can simply walk out of the door and on to the cliffs or down to the sea.’
‘How exciting,’ exclaims Sister Emily. ‘Could you do all that with your camera?’
‘I think so,’ says Tilly cautiously. ‘We could show the walk in different seasons with a little voice-over.’
They gaze with respect at Tilly and her camera.
‘Sound as well as pictures,’ says Sister Emily thoughtfully. ‘Just like the television. You could describe the flowers…’
‘And the birds,’ says Janna suddenly. ‘’Tis wonderful out on the cliffs when the seagulls are raising their chicks. They sound like babies crying.’
‘Yes, well, I’m not quite up to David Attenborough,’ warns Tilly, ‘but I could have a go.’
‘And our little acer grove in the autumn. And the azalea walk.’ Pink with excitement at the thought of the possibilities, Sister Emily clasps her hand together in delight. Mother Magda sees Tilly’s apprehension and steps in.
‘I think this is Clem’s department,’ she says firmly. ‘It all sounds very exciting and we shall look forward to seeing the results, but Clem is our expert. We’ll leave him and Tilly to discuss it all.’
She smiles at Tilly encouragingly and moves away, taking Sister Emily and Janna with her. Father Pascal smiles at Tilly, raises a hand in farewell to Clem and goes to fetch his car.
‘Right then,’ says Tilly. ‘I think this is where I start showing initiative, isn’t it? Am I allowed in the chapel?’
‘This is a good time, actually,’ Clem says. ‘It should be empty. I think your video is a brilliant idea.’
She flushes with pleasure at his praise. ‘Just a thought,’ she says casually. ‘Could you show me the chapel? Or are you rushing off somewhere?’
‘I think I’ve been detailed off to help you with this,’ he says. ‘Come on in.’ He pushes the heavy oaken door open and leads her into the hall. A small group of people stand at a table where cards are for sale, and a door stands open to the library, but Clem leads her out by another door and along a passage. He opens the chapel door gently, reverently, and looks inside. He turns to smile at her and pushes it wider so that she can go in. She stands just inside, looking at the beamed roof, the plain stone altar, the simple wooden crucifix on the wall behind it, the mullioned windows flooded with sunshine. The sanctuary light glimmers in its stone niche and candles have been lit in the terracotta bowl at the foot of the carved statue of Our Lady.
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