Reading Room VI - The Lads in Other Times - The Victorian Kitchen Gardener by Lizzie

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Title: The Victorian Kitchen Gardener
Author: Lizzie
Pairing: B/D
Link to story or zine/ProsLib info: at the Circuit Archive or at the Hatstand Archive or on the ProsLib CD or in Whatever We Are, You Made Us

Who doesn't like a Lizzie story? 

Doyle is staying with his sister and her husband, as he recovers from pneumonia. He is introduced to Bodie, a gardener at a local estate. Lizzie brings them together fairly quickly with some 'frottage in the potting cottage', and just as quickly breaks them apart with a misunderstanding on the part of both men. Doyle, wanting to help Bodie with whatever problem he is unwilling to talk about, keeps poking with a stick until Bodie finally erupts. Of course walls of anger and pride are built. Bring on the angst.

Lizzie artfully employs the sister, Frances, on Doyle's behalf and the Cook for the estate on Bodie's. Leave it to the women in their lives to know the true nature of their relationship and force them to overcome their stubborn pride. Its not easy to become attached to new characters in fanfiction, but these are two that I really enjoyed. After a particularly nasty exchange, Ray is unwilling to give up his outrage at Bodie. Frances asks Ray how long he intends to make Bodie suffer.

"He deserves it."

"Oh well, that's all right then, I take it all back!" He really was infuriating at times. Frances felt she could cheerfully have shaken him.

"He beat the living daylights out of me!"

"Yes, well...the notion has occurred to me on more than one occasion."

Ha! Now how many of us have had that same thought when the boys are being stupid? Bits of humor are present as well, for instance after their first encounter, Bodie reminds Ray that, as a policeman, he should follow his own advice.

"Which is?" "Come quietly."

I have yet to come away disappointed from any of Lizzie's stories and this historical AU is no exception. Thankfully, (for me anyway) you don't need to know much about Victorian England to get the feel for the setting of this story. Lizzie never overburdens with minutia. There is just the right amount of detail to set the scenes, making it easy to picture the gardens, the cottage, the kitchen and the assorted characters. Her writing moves smoothly between the thoughts and emotions of one person to the next.

The friendship, the conflicts, the angst and the interventions all intertwine for an enjoyable, believable AU with a happy ending! Your thoughts?

(Sorry I couldn't figure out the page split thing...)