I · Ceremony
The Signet Library
Three o’clock in the afternoon
Parliament Square
Edinburgh EH1 1RF
Field notes
Our story
Portrait
They met over a disputed fern. Idris, volunteering at the Bovey Valley field station, had labelled a specimen as soft shield fern; Amara, visiting with a hand lens and strong opinions, said it was nothing of the sort. They were both partly right, which is still how most of their arguments end.
The second meeting was arranged, though neither will say by whom. There was a walk along the Wray, a downpour, and a flask of tea that Idris maintains was mostly Amara’s. Seven years, two flats and one ill-advised sourdough starter later, the hand lens lives on the kitchen windowsill.
Last spring, on the same footpath, Amara produced a ring from a seed envelope marked No. 214. Idris said yes before reading the label. We’d love you there when we make it official. Muddy shoes entirely welcome.
