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“Margot has the more showy looks,” she thought, “but there’s something in Len’s face that appeals to me far more. What is it? A steadfastness, I think. I doubt if I’d trust Margot as far as I could see her; and Con’s writing looks like always coming first with her. Len is different. She feels people, just as Joey always has done." |
JayB wrote: |
We have Jack behaving in typical high handed EBD doctor fashion, letting Grizel believe her injury is worse than it really is, for her own good. What kind of disciplinary action is appropriate for a doctor who lies to a patient? Plus the lack of patient confidentiality in that he tells Jo about it. |
Jennie wrote: |
I always had a soft spot for Grizel, I think EBD gave her a raw deal, so I was glad that Neil finally proposed, though I think any self-respecting feminist would hit him over the head with a frying pan to be on the receiving end of such a proposal. |
Mia wrote: |
Neil Shepherd is lovely though but his proposal is of the Entwistle school. I always wondered what he was doing carting a volume of babies' names around Europe though, he must have been quite keen to settle down! |
Quote: |
Meanwhile, Neil Sheppard had sat down beside Grizel, who felt suddenly
breathless and shy. Gently he put a hand under her chin and tilted her
face to his.
"Is it 'Yes', Grizel?" he asked quietly. She glanced up and what he saw in her eyes gave him his answer. "Jack's going to have a little more practice in giving brides away this summer," he said when at last they could think of more mundane things. "How – what do you mean?" Grizel stammered. "I – we must wait till I'm absolutely fit, Neil." "Wait nothing! You can walk now and that's all that's necessary." "But – but – there's all Steppy's business." He silenced her firmly and for a minute or two no more was said. Then he replied, "You're not going to England to be away for weeks on end from me. I'm coming with you and we'll make those solicitor chaps get a move on. Then, when everything's in train, we'll summon everyone and have a nice little wedding in England before we wind up the loose ends. When that's done, we'll come back here to take over the chalet I've just nailed and settle down as an old married couple." Grizel was scarlet, but the eyes she lifted to his were brimful of happiness. "Am I to have no say in the matter?" "None at all. There's no need to wait, my darling. We've been two lonely people, but now we've found each other. Let's be lonely no longer." His voice deepened. "I want the right to take care of you, beloved." "Oh, Neil!" And with that, Grizel surrendered. |
Loryat wrote: |
Not very feminist is it? What about the book of baby names? |
Quote: |
"It's a very good name," he told her. "Len is pretty, I grant, but your proper name is musical and stately. Has a good meaning too." |
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....... "It means a torch - a light. Don't you know Charlotte Yonge's History of Christian Names? I must introduce you to it. ...... Others that she says are obsolete or nearly so have been revived and are all the rage, while those that were popular in her day ... are hardly ever heard unless they happen to be bestowed on hapless infants because they're family names." |
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......... "I'm Neil Albert. They tacked my grandfather's name on to "Neil" ... it has a fine meaning and one that the lamented Prince Consort exemplified throughout his life." |
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....... "What does Aunt Grizel's name mean, Dr Sheppard?"
"Stone heroine," he said. "Oh -o -oh" Len was rather taken aback. "Well, at least it means heroine," she added hastily. "And what does your "Neil" mean, Dr Sheppard?" "A champion," he replied. |
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"Well, keep the book to yourself;" he warned her. "It's old and worn. It won't stand a lot of knocking about." |
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What always struck me as weird was the part when Grizel is organising a stram crossing and she puts on her bossy voice which they all instinctively obey because it takes them back to when she was Head Girl. |
Lizzie wrote: |
I would have liked more Juliet. She's barely there, and we don't find out anything about her family, which is a shame, because I really like her. Seems that EBD sort of forgot her, or maybe got bored of her? |
KB wrote: |
I think it was because she became less interesting. When she was a rebel, or was doing her best for Madame out of gratitude, or at the school, she was very interesting. When she went up to the Annexe, she was less interesting and so only appeared every so often. After Exile, she was no longer employed by the school, and furthermore she lived in Ireland, so it was somewhat natural that she would fade away. |
JayB wrote: |
Juliet
could have been kept in the story if she'd stayed on as a teacher, but
by that time EBD had introduced Hilda and Nell, so maybe she thought
she had enough strong adult characters. And maybe she didn't expect to
go on writing CS once Jo had left school, and so wanted to give Juliet
a happy ending. She had the same problem with Mary Lou, and I think a lot of us agree that EBD's method of keeping ML in the story isn't very satisfactory. |
JayB wrote: |
. And maybe she didn't expect to go on writing CS once Jo had left school, and so wanted to give Juliet a happy ending. |
francesn wrote: | ||
That's really interesting - would New House have been a sensible ending point? Was there any other sensible stopping point in the series? |
Quote: |
She
ran off, scarcely waiting for his farewell, and was at once surrounded
by a throng of girls, all begging her to come back next term, and go on
teaching them. ‘Not likely!’ said Jo calmly. ‘My book is accepted, and I’ve got to start a new one—Well, of course I shall! Think I’m going to stop short now? We’ve seven babies in the nursery, and even with Rosa and a Mamsell, I shall be needed. Oh, I’ll come down to see you—often. But as a regular thing, I really have finished with school now.—There’s Jem calling me: I must go! Good-bye, everyone, and a happy Christmas to you all!’ She wriggled free, raced to the car, and sprang in. Dr Jem started her, and, waving her hand, her eyes not so clear as they might have been, Joey drove away from the Chalet School. |
francesn wrote: |
So what made her write New? |
Lisa_T wrote: |
2. Grizel hitting Neil with a pan. Query: where would she find the pan, since if I remember rightly, she was in the Salon or the garden at the time, and not terribly mobile? If the pan was already there, WHY was it there? What was Joey doing with it? |
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