David's Story 26/10/05 Complete.
The CBB -> Ste Therese's House
#1: David's Story 26/10/05 Complete. Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:21 pm

After four terrible nights' sleep, I've decided to placate the PB's and start posting this.


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I was born in the Tyrol, in Austria, my parents' first child. For a time, it seemed that I was going to be the only boy, but when I was in my teens, my mother had twin boys, Kevin and Kester.

At first, my world seemed to be exclusively feminine. I can just vaguely remember a lot of girls holding me and passing me from hand to hand, but then there's quite a big gap in my memory. Suddenly, there were two older children, my cousins, it seems, Peggy and Rix Bettany, and a smaller one, Jacky, and then another girl appeared, apparently she was my sister Sybil.

I put all these events together as I was very small when they happened, and of course, the memories are just tiny, occasional flashes.

As I began to grow more aware, I realised that the nursery was dominated by Rix. He was a boy, he was older, and he led all our games and pastimes. The person we saw the most of was Rosa, our nanny and I often saw my mother. My father didn't appear in the nursery quite so often, and as I grew up, I was told that his work was more important than we were. My father was James Russell, the founder and Medical Director of the big TB sanatarium on the Sonnalpe, and a very busy man.

My mother was also very busy. She spent a lot of time out of the nursery, but when she was there, she used to teach Peggy and Rix. There was another young woman too. I now know her as my Aunt Jo, but when I was small, she seemed to come and go. In some ways, I found her quite alarming when I was small. Now, I know that the reason for that is that children forget people and things quickly, but adults have a continuous memory. We forget them, but they remember us.

Then two more children joined us. They were my father's nieces, Daisy and Primula. Apparently, their father had died out in Australia, and my aunt had brought them over to Austria to try to find my father. By this time, Rix was the leader in the nursery, and he had a definite objection to playing with babies. I can remember him telling Sybil, my sister that she was just a baby, and Sybil's protests.

As we got a bit older, my memories get a little firmer, and I can definitely recall that whilst Rosa looked after all of us very well, and I had some time alone with mummy every day, Sybil seemed to be the one who got left out. Rix said that this was only natural, Sybil was just a girl and a baby.

Then came a time when all the grown-up people round us had very little time for all of us, apart from Rosa. We hardly saw Mummy, and when we did, she looked as though she was thinking about something else all the time. I know now that it was the time of the Plebiscite, and the Anschluss, when Austria ceased to be a country and became part of the Great German Reich. My mother owned a school by the Tiernsee, and it was still running. Then they had all the worry of movingthe school up to the Sonnalpe.

Apparently, the Nazis were taking too much of an interest in the School and the San, so both my parents were very worried about the situation. I've had to piece all this together by listening carefully to when my parents have talked about it, and by reading about it in History. My parents always refused to talk about it to me, and I soon learned not to ask them any questions about that time. They were quite clearly hiding something from me, or so I thought then. Now, I wonder if they refused to talk about it because they didn't want to remember such a dreadful time.

This account is rather piecemeal, but with the lack of information and the gaps in my memory, it's difficult to write a coherent narrative. One thing I do remember is that Aunt Jo disappeared for quite a time. I didn't miss her, she was always coming and going. The other thing that I do remember, very vividly, is that my mother seemed tired and unhappy all the time.

Then we were on the train, a big train, which took us a long way. After one stop, when some men in grey uniforms got onto the train, my father seemed to be pleased that the train was moving again, but my mother seemed to get even more tired. I slept for a lot of the journey, and when I woke up, we were in a place called Guernsey, or that's how it seemed to me.

We had hardly got there, or so it seemed, than I was being shown something with a red face that squalled. It was all tightly bundled into a shawl. I was told that it was my new sister, and her name was Josette. She was called after Aunt Jo. She had come back from wherever she had been, and was getting married to a doctor, my Uncle Jack. He worked with Daddy. She came back, but Aunt Margot disappeared. I didn't know where she went, but when I asked Mummy, she said she had gone to Heaven. I accepted that, children do, they don't know any better.

By now, there was a definite pecking order in our lives. Peggy and Rix came first, as bosses of the nursery, then Primula and Jacky, then me, then Sybil. Mummy had a lot to do with the new baby, and she was teaching nursery lessons to some of the others, but Sybil wan't old enough to join in those. She was teaching Daisy, too. Daisy was a big girl by then, so she looked after us sometimes and helped Rosa, but she didn't have lessons with us.

Children can be observant, but often, they can't put what they notice into its proper background, so later on they have to put things together. Someone will say something, and a small piece of memory will slot into place, loke adding another bit to a jigsaw puzzle. that's whet this time was like for me. I saw things, but I didn't understand them, not til a lot later.

Last edited by Jennie on Wed Oct 26, 2005 8:56 pm; edited 7 times in total

 

#2:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:29 pm

Please don't strangle the plot bunnies Jennie Very Happy

poke them so you can get some sleep.

Liz

 

#3:  Author: Kat, Location: Swansea PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:30 pm

Thank you plot bunnies!

And thank you for listening to them Jennie Wink Laughing

 

#4:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:34 pm

Thanks Jennie, I was hoping you would do David's story as well Smile

ETA:
Quote:
My father didn't appear in the nursery quite so often, and as I grew up, I was told that his work was more important than we were.
How absolutely awful!

Last edited by Mia on Tue Oct 18, 2005 1:50 pm; edited 1 time in total

 

#5:  Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 12:40 pm

Ooh thanks! Very interesting from his point of view!

 

#6:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 1:09 pm

Please be nice to the bunnies, Jennie! We heard about what a lovely baby David was and how everyone at the school loved him, and then the poor boy seemed to get overshadowed by Sybil's tantrums and Josette's illness, and no-one even seemed to care how he'd feel when his parents stayed on in Canada longer than planned! Really looking forward to hearing things from his point of view.

 

#7:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 1:48 pm

Thank you Jennie!

 

#8:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 2:17 pm

Wonderful - so glad the Bunnies came back to plague you, Jennie!

Such a sad account - and that he has himself almost at the bottom of the pecking order with only Sybil beneath him.

Thanks Jennie.

 

#9:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 2:22 pm

Thanks, Jennie. It's really interesting to read David's PoV. I'm really enjoying this so far. I also find his opinion of Jo quite funny!

 

#10:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 2:27 pm

Hurrah for the bunnies Very Happy

Thank you Jennie, its interesting to see David's side of things.

 

#11:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 2:27 pm

This looks like it's going to be interesting.

Thanks Jennie.

Star Wars

 

#12:  Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 3:16 pm

This looks really interesting! Looking forward to seeing things from David's point of view! Thank you Jennie, great start! Very Happy

 

#13:  Author: JustJen, Location: Dorval, Quebec PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 5:02 pm

You know I felt very sorry for David. It seems to me that he got shoved aside when all the others kids arrived, then packed off school and more or less never heard from again other than he is studying to be a doctor much later on.

 

#14:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 5:09 pm

Mexican Wave

Wonderful! It rings true when you think of that nursery of cousins.

 

#15:  Author: Gem, Location: Saltash/Aberystwyth PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 6:27 pm

Ooooh - thank you, Jennie!

Looking forward to more! Wink

 

#16:  Author: fio, Location: swansea united kingdom PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:07 pm

Confused Where did Bride get lost to?She's older than Jackie so she should've got a mention Shocked

 

#17:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:38 pm

Huurah for Jennies bunnies!

 

#18:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:46 pm

We like these bunnies! Please don't kill them! Smile

Thanks Jennie... looking forward to more! Mr. Green

 

#19:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 10:05 pm

fio wrote:
Confused Where did Bride get lost to?She's older than Jackie so she should've got a mention Shocked


Maybe Bride was actually David in a frock to try and get more attention? Wink

 

#20:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:11 pm

Poor David and Sybil. I suppose Madge felt she should try to compensate for what the Bettany and Venables children had lost, but even so....

This is great, Jennie.

 

#21:  Author: tiffinata, Location: melbourne, australia PostPosted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:28 pm

Wot everyone else has said!

David really appeared to get forgotten about.
Let those bunnies have their way, once they calm down, sleep will return.

 

#22:  Author: Ronara, Location: London PostPosted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 12:30 am

Cath V-P wrote:
Poor David and Sybil. I suppose Madge felt she should try to compensate for what the Bettany and Venables children had lost, but even so....


My mother did similar with my two younger sisters when she and my father divorced. She swore blind that she didn't love any of us any the less but somehow my brother and I were never completely convinced. Confused

Cath V-P wrote:
This is great, Jennie.


Oh absolutely. I'm glad we're getting to see more of this series again, I've missed it.

 

#23:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:29 pm

I'm so glad you're posting this Jennie. The bunnies are only annoyed because they've been forced to wait for so long.

EBD never had time for them you see.....and we all know what neglected bunnies can do....

 

#24:  Author: keren, Location: Israel PostPosted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 6:50 am

Nice to see this.
Things are never as simple as EBD presents them!

 

#25:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 12:04 pm

I've managed to piece all this together, as I said before, from listening to conversations between the grown-ups. Some of us learned to be very quiet all the time. When we were in the nursery, for example, we knew that Rix would dominate anything we did, and often refused to play any game that involved the smaller ones. Bride, for example, was almost invisible, Rix had told her she was a girl, and she didn't have Sybil's spirit, so she was almost inaudible as well. Peggy came off the best, as she was Rix' twin, so she was an honorary boy.

I learned an awful lot, as I've said before, by listening to the adults talking. Sometimes we were allowed to have tea in the drawing room if there were only family guests. I soon learned to play quietly, so that I could pretend to be absorbed in my games whilst listening. This sort of situation happened most often when Aunt Jo came to tea. She would make a big fuss over me and the others, then ignore us while she settled down for a cosy chat with Mummy. I always found Aunt Jo quite alarming, she was a sort of, well, I can describe it only as a windy, gusty sort of person. She disturbed everything when she arrived, turned everything upside down, then she'd settle back and expect to be the centre of attention. Not long after she'd got married to Uncle Jack, she started to get very fat.

One day, I heard Mummy talking to Daddy about Aunt Jo. Daddy seemed fairly angry, and told Mummy that there was nothing he could do, Dr Chester was in charge. But Mummy carried on looking worried for ages. Anothe reason why I didn't like Aunt Jo very much was that she didn't like Sybil. She was always saying nasty things about her, telling Mummy that Sybil was vain and bad-tempered and always wanted to be the centre of attention. Really, it was Aunt Jo who expected to be the centre of attention, so it puzzled me when she said that.

Then aunt Jo had three babies all at once. She behaved as if no-one else had ever had three babies together before. She pretended not to like them very much or care about them, but I did notice that she didn't seem to like it very much if people weren't always talking about them.

Then we had to move again. I remember carrying a little case onto a boat, and all the grown-up looking very worried and constantly going to the rails of the boat. Mummy had done a strange thing before we left. Before I got dressed that morning, she came into the nursery and put a sort of chain round my neck, with a disc on it. It had my name on it. I could read my own name by that time, so I recognised it. All of us children had one of these. Once we got to a place called England, we spent the night in a big house with lots of rooms. It was called a hotel. The next day, we went on another long journey on a train, changing from one train to another.

We finally arrived at a big house, and I was told that we would be living there. It was called the Round House. There was a small farm attached to it, so we would have milk and eggs.

Several good things happened then. Rix went away to school, and so did Peggy. Daisy and Primula went to school as well. Mummy's school had started again in a big house that was a few miles away from us. Jacky went to school as well. It was lovely in the nursery without them. I thought we might get more time with Mummy, but she was busy with the school, and then it seemed that Aunt Jo had come over the sea again, and Mummy spent a lot of time with her.

Mummy did give us nursery lessons, but she hardly ever played with us. We didn't see much of Daddy at all. He was busy starting up a new hospital in the Welsh mountains. I was told that he was an important man and he was curing lots of people who had a horrible disease in their chests, so I wasn't to bother him.

 

#26:  Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 12:21 pm

Thanks for the update! Bless him! Very Happy

 

#27:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 12:42 pm

Out of the mouths of babes ...! I love his opinion of Jo!

 

#28:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:10 pm

Poor little chap! Thanks Jennie.

 

#29:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:32 pm

Quote:
Not long after she'd got married to Uncle Jack, she started to get very fat.


This has to be the best line! Laughing

Thanks Jennie!

 

#30:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:39 pm

Poor David... interesting to read a different POV. Thanks Jennie

 

#31:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 4:04 pm

Thanks, Jennie. This is great. I thought David and Primula were more or less the same age. Wouldn't David have started school at the same time as Primula?

 

#32:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 4:46 pm

Poor little boy Sad

Thanks Jennie

Liz

 

#33:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 11:47 am

Poor child. ((David))

 

#34:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 12:02 pm

On my seventh birthday I was told that I was to be sent to Prep School. It was obviously important because Daddy told me himself. I hardly ever saw him, though sometimes we were allowed to have breakfast in the dining room and we saw him then. We had been brought up to obey him instantly, so he was rather frightening when we did see him. Rosa kept telling us that we had to be obedient, she seemed quite frightened about it sometimes, so we tried to make things better for her by not getting our clothes dirty or making a mess in the nursery.

I didn't know what a prep school was, so I was rather puzzled by this announcement. It seemed to me that no-one ever explained anything to me, but all the grown-ups expected me to understand what they were talking about. My father then started to tell me that it would make a man of me, and how I was to behave when I got to school. That was when I realised that I was going away. I wouldn't be at home any more. I didn't even know whether I would be allowed to come home for holidays.

Mummy made a fuss over getting my clothes ready for going away, but it didn't really sink in until a large trunk appeared in the box room and I was told that it was for me. It seemed such a big trunk, for a time I thought that I was going to be put into it and sent off. I also had a night-case and a tuck-box.

The day before I left, Daddy told me a lot of things, how I was to behave, I wasn't to cry, I was to play games and not mind getting dirty, if I played games well, I would be respected in school. Then he told me that I was to work hard in every subject, but hardest in Maths and Sciences. He expected me to follow in his footsteps. I was to become a doctor, and when I was qualified, I was going to work at the San. Eventually I would own it, so I would never have the bother of finding a job. I was worried by these pronouncements, as I'd never heard of Maths or Science. I'd done sums and nature study, but these didn't seem to have any relationship to what I would be learning at school. I didn't dare to ask what they were, so my heart sank at the thought of finding out. I did ask Daddy if we were going to be able to do some painting at school but he frowned and said that though I would be able to, it wasn't really important, so I didn't have to bother so much about it.

I think that the first time I realised how important going away to school was came the next morning. Daddy actually took the day off from the San and drove me to school. Mummy came too. I enjoyed the drive, but I didn't enjoy the feeling of not knowing where I was going and what would happen to me there. I didn't want to leave home, and I didn't want to leave Sybil. I was worried about her, and thought she would be lonely without me. Josette was walking around, but she wouldn't be company for Sybil. And then, I didn't want to leave Sybil alone because of the things that Aunt Jo said about her.

Aunt Jo was living in Howells Village, very near the School, so she was always coming up to the Round House to have tea. Every time she did that, she was nasty about my sister. Sybil had started saying things such as 'I belong here, you don't.' Well, it was true, Sybil did belong with us, so why shouldn't she say so? Aunt Jo said that it was nasty and jealous of Sybil to say things to Daisy and Primula and the others, but I think that Sybil was trying to tell people that she did belong, even if she never saw much of Mummy and Daddy. She hardly ever had any time with Mummy. She was supposed to have a quiet story time with Mummy every day, but she hardly ever did. She would sit down with Mummy, but then one of the others would make a fuss, or have a small accident, and Mummy would rush off to them, and then it would be time for something else. I knew Sybil would be lonely without me, and I cried a little in the car.

Eventually, we drove through a pair of large gates, and up a long gravel drive to the school. Every time I heard some of the gravel crunching under the car wheels, I got more and more frightened.

 

#35:  Author: Gem, Location: Saltash/Aberystwyth PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 12:11 pm

Oh, the poor little children! Crying or Very sad

*hugs them*

Thanks Jennie Very Happy

 

#36:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 12:29 pm

Oh poor David! Don't know who I want to thump more, Jo or Jem! This is very believable, especially Jem's attitude towards his son. Thanks for the update.

 

#37:  Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 12:32 pm

Awwww poor little boy! *Hugs*

Thank you Jennie! Very Happy

 

#38:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 12:42 pm

Thanks, Jennie. Poor David - being made to feel he should become a doctor at the young age of 7.

 

#39:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 1:16 pm

Poor David - I hope the Cathedral School isn't going to be too awful

 

#40:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 1:55 pm

And the saddest thing of all is that Madge and Jo always thought what wonderful mothers and aunts they were. Poor little David.

 

#41:  Author: Sarah_G-G, Location: Sheffield (termtime), ? any other time! PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 2:39 pm

Oh, the poor child! I hope he manages to enjoy school. Somehow I don't think he'll get much sympathy from home if he doesn't.

 

#42:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 2:57 pm

Poor David, having to worry about his little sister!

 

#43:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 3:11 pm

You can actually see it can't you? So sad. Crying or Very sad

Thanks Jennie.

 

#44:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 3:27 pm

Well, what can I say about prep school? I hated it, but with my father's words ringing in my ears, I did my best. At least at home I had a reasonably comfortable bed, at school I slept on a mattress filled with iron filings. The dormitories were bleak, there's no other word to describe them. If we got three marks for untidiness in the dorms, we weren't allowed cake for tea at the weekends. And the food. I just can't say how bad it was. I wasn't used to eating a rich diet at home, far from it, Mummy believed in plain, wholesome food for children. At school the food was still plain, but it was far from wholesome. I honestly don't know how the cooks could ruin food so easily. If there were any complaints, and that often happened after a particularly loathsome meal, were were told, very sharply, in Assembly, that there was a war on, and grumbling was unpatriotic. We had to do gardening for one of our lessons so I know that the cabbages were fresh, but the cooks managed to give them such a degree of sliminess that we couldn't eat what we'd grown.

I worked hard in all my subjects, coming near to the top in the form lists, so I knew my parents would be pleased with that. Games were hellish, especially when the wind was blowing from the mountains, chilling us all to the bone. And we couldn't have hot baths or showers afterwards because of the war. The only spot of brightness in my week was the double lesson of Art. It was blissful to be in the Art Room, to be surrounded by colour and different textures. I felt guilty for enjoying every minute of it because of what Daddy had said, but I managed to tell myself that as long as I was doing well in Maths and Science, I was obeying him and he couldn't tell me off for enjoying my art lessons.

When I went home at half-term, I ate as much as possible, stuffing myself with food. Mummy finally noticed and told me off, but when I told her how awful the food was at school, she took no notice, just telling me that I had to put up with it.

My years at the School were fairly miserable, but everyone else was miserable too. The older boys bullied the smaller ones, though the staff made token efforts to suppress it, usually after something bad happened, such as when four of the oldest boys twisted James Fuller's arm so badly that the bone cracked and James had to go to hospital and have it put in plaster.

I made some friends there, but didn't keep up with them afterwards as I was the only boy who was down for Winchester. Most of the rest were going to Marlborough or Shrewsbury. One thing struck me, though: no-one else had his life mapped out for him in advance. A couple of boys would be inheriting a house and land, so they would be involved in running the family estates, but that was it.

I survived those years, but really had very little hope that Winchester would be better. I did well in Common Entrance, and got my place. My father even told me that I had done well, which made a change.
I seemed quite detached from family life during that time. I didn't even hear about the accident with the kettle until two months after it had happened, and by then Josette was recovering. I didn't know how bad Sybil felt, or what she went through with the way my parents treated her. I also found out, much later, what Aunt Jo had said to her and about her.

For someone who was supposed to be the son and heir, I was remarkably ill-informed about what was happening in my family, and in the family business. I didn't hear about the accident to the staff until half-term, and then I was never told how serious it had been. I often felt that I was the forgotten child. After Stephen was born, it was clear that Aunt Jo loved him and looked after him very well, but it seemed in some indefinable way that whereas she was glad to have a son, she was disappointed that he hadn't been another girl.

Then I received a letter from Mummy, telling me that she and Daddy were going out to Canada for a year or more. They were taking Josette, Ailie and Margot, the third triplet. Sybil and I weren't just being left behind for the school terms, we were being left behind for the holidays as well. I wasn't even allowed a weekend away from school to say goodbye to them, and they didn't come to take me out for a farewell meal. I was expected to get on with it, so I did. There was nothing else to do. i went to the Quadrant for one of my holidays, it was good fun there, but the best thing of all was that Auntie Mollie gave me a sketch-book and pencils, so I was able to go out sketching. I loved that. It didn't occur to me then that she and Uncle Dick wanted to concentrate on rebuilding their relationship with the four children they hadn't seen for such a long time. I was used to remote parents who didn't have much time for their children, but the way Auntie Mollie behaved, anyone would have been forgiven for thinking that her four had never been given any love and affection for years. I knew better, they'd always come before me and Sybil. I think now, looking back on it, Mother was so intent on making the Bettanys feel that they were loved, that she assumed that we knew we were because we were living at home with our parents. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way.

 

#45:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 3:33 pm

There must have been an awful lot of little boys sent away like that, not knowing what to expect and finding it terrible.

Jem's dynastic ambitions sound dire. Poor David (and Sybil).

Thanks Jenny.

 

#46:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 3:34 pm

Madge didn't even listen to her son, poor David.

Thanks Jennie.

 

#47:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 4:44 pm

It wasn't as if the sea voyage to Canada was all that long, but no, I wasn't even allowed out there for the summer holidays, and we had two months. If anything important happened, Mummy wrote to Aunt Jo, and she would give us the news. That's what happened to Sybil when our parents extended their stay in Canada. Mummy didn't even bother to let us know personally. The twins were born, and we knew nothing about it until long afterwards. Then Aunt Jo and Uncle Jack were to go out there, so Uncle Jack could consult with Canadian doctors. They were taking all their children, but we were left behind. If Len and Con could go to Canada for a year and go to school there, why couldn't Sybil? Her French would have benefitted from a year out there. I knew from her letters to me that Sybil was miserable and feeling left out. It was only later that I learned from her how miserable our dear Aunt had been making her, miserable and guilty. The woman never learned to let Sybil alone, always rubbing it in that Josette's accident wouldn't have happened if Sybil hadn't been so big-headed. Anyone else would have let it drop, but not AJ. She even had the nerve to tell Sybil that Mummy had been a wonderful mother to her. Is that why Sybil never felt loved and wanted?

Just recently, I've been exchanging letters with Sybil. I thought she might be horrified at my decision to change my life-style, but she's not. She's been wonderfully supportive. She tells me all about her happiness with Hugh, and I'm honestly glad for her. I hope they'll both come down to Provence to see us, there are a lot of fascinating sights to see, and the fabrics - well, some of the old-style Provencal embroideries are wonderful and I know Sybil would love them if she saw them.

All in all, I didn't see my parents for over fifteen months, yet when they came back, they seemed to expect us to pick up where we'd left off. I kept quiet, it was no use to argue with them, and if they couldn't see that I was older, bigger and far more independent, that was their problem. The only praise they had for me was over my school reports. I was still patiently slogging away at my academic subjects and achieving good results, whilst living for the lessons in the Art Room. I joined the Handicrafts Club, a new thing for the school. I knew Mummy couldn't object as she was so keen on it for her school, and the Sales made a lot of money for the San. Father even told me that it would help with keeping my hands flexible for when I was operating. I pretended that I was doing Pottery, and as long as I took home a couple of misshapen objects every term, I was safe. Of course, they soon disappeared. What my parents didn't know was that as soon as I'd made a couple of things, I'd be off to the Art Room to learn more about painting. It was bliss, utter bliss and I could lose myself in learning how to paint things. I think that the Art Room at Winchester was where I first learned how to look at an object and really see it. Think about an apple, picture it in your mind. It's just an apple; but not when you really look at it, it's far, far more than a piece of fruit. And how do you convey the textures, the colours in paint. It's not easy, but it is possible.

It's odd when you think about it, Sybil and I both want to express ourselves artistically, and make no bones about it, embroidery is an art-form, and we were both forced to give our ambitions through parental pressure. So much for a warm, loving, communicating family. I don't think my parents know the first thing about me and I don't think they ever will.

 

#48:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 4:54 pm

Thanks, Jennie. I feel so sorry for poor David - my heart goes out to him.

 

#49:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 5:15 pm

What a depressing thought!

David is most insightful... I'm glad that at least Sybil had him when growing up.

 

#50:  Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 5:32 pm

Poor David! I really feel for him! All he want's to do is art! Thank you Jennie, I am enjoying this lots! Very Happy

 

#51:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 5:33 pm

David must have been so bitter - not to ever feel really loved.

Thanks Jennie.

(PS Why couldn't Sybil go out to Canada with the others? Confused )

 

#52:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 5:35 pm

Poor David, its sad he grew up so unloved. Thanks Jennie

 

#53:  Author: nikkie, Location: Cumbria PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 7:38 pm

I love the way he sees Jo!
Thanks jennie

 

#54:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 7:40 pm

Wow, just caught up on this and you can see David growing up and growing further away from his family in every line.

Thanks for continuing with it Jennie.

 

#55:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 8:52 pm

This is v sad but really good, Jennie. The way they treat David does ring very true.

 

#56:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 2:30 am

Poor David; he's so distanced from his family. Crying or Very sad

 

#57:  Author: JustJen, Location: Dorval, Quebec PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 4:21 am

Redaing this I feel so sorry for David.
Many thanks for posting.

 

#58:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 2:55 pm

My parents came back from Canada, though I didn't see them until the end of term. My mother wrote to me, saying how eager she was to see me, but also said that she had a lot to do with settling back in at home, so she knew I'd understand that seeing me would have to be put off until the beginning of the holidays. The rest of the letter was about how well her new twins were, Yes, I didn't see them for ages! But then, I ought to have been used to it by then. When Ailie was born during my summer holidays, I'd been sent to stay with a friend, and when I got home, I was allowed to see Mother for a few minutes, but I didn't see the baby until the next day, when the others were there. Of course, the most part of the letter was about Dear AJ and her new twins, and how well Margot had responded to the Canadian climate, and how well the triplets spoke French after a year at a convent school. I still have the letter, she didn't even ask me if I was well.

It's no use repining, that was my family. I'd got used to the idea that I just didn't count, except in one respect. I was to inherit the family business. That meant, in case anyone is bothering to ask, and no-one in my family bothered, that I would have to specialise in chest diseases, that was a foregone conclusion. I didn't even want to read medicine, I wanted to paint, but there was no help for it. I knew my father wouldn't support me at Art school. But when I went home for the holidays, I hit on a method of being able to carry on with my drawing. I knew that I was going to have to do Anatomy, so I had a good excuse for going out. When my father started to protest, I told him that I was practising drawing things so that my Anatomy drawings would be good when I started medical school. He humphed over it, then gave me his reluctant consent. So I was able to escape from the house to follow my real passion in life.

Fortunately, all attention was diverted from me by the plans that were being made. We, of course, weren't involved in making the plans, we just heard about them. My father had decided to open a new TB San and General Hospital out in Switzerland. It was impossible to return to Austria as it was still dominated by the Communists, but he managed to find a place in the Bernese Oberland on the Gornetz Platz. There was also a disused hotel that could be used for a school, and a convenient guest house near the hotel that would make a good family home. So there was all the fuss about splitting the school. Some parents wouldn't want their daughter to be educated abroad, not with the Cold War still going on. If my Father went out there, my mother could have taken up her old position as Headmistress. Sybil was all for this, she'd be able to finish her education and still live at home.

Mother decided against going, so that left Uncle Jack and AJ to go out there. Sybil immediately decided that she wanted to stay in Wales and go to Glendower House, but no, she was told she was going to Switzerland and that was that. She was also told that she was a lucky girl to be able to go to school so near to her Aunt's house, and with winter sports thrown in. Well, poor Sybil, she could hardly stand there and scream, 'I'm not going out there because I hate the sight of that old bitch and I don't want to be in the same country as she is.' now could she?

So off she went. Mother must have sensed her reluctance, because she promised Sybil, faithfully, word of honour, etc, etc., that if she worked hard and did well in her School Certificate, Sybil should have her course at the School of Art Needlework in London. Josette was to go to Switzerland as well.

I was in the Sixth Form by then, still working hard at Maths and Sciences, and still painting like fury whenever I could. By now, my Art teacher was making noises about my going to Art School, so one evening I plucked up the courage to talk to him. I told him why I was doing the Science course, and how my life had been planned out for me. He was understanding and sympathetic, and agreed to give me a token report at the end of term, saying that I had attended the Hobbies Club and set a good example to the other boys.

So off the school went, and so did the Maynards. By then, I had realised that the main focus of that family was the girls. The poor boys were dumped into Prep Schools as soon as possible, and left there for the whole terms. I know Uncle Dick and Aunt Mollie took pity on them, or they would have had very little to cheer them up.

I started at Medical School. I thanked my lucky stars that I had had all that practice in hiding my feelings, because the dissection classes were disgusting. I had to keep telling myself that they would come in useful when I was able to paint, they'd make my figure drawings and paintings much better if I knew the anatomy behind them. So I endured. I was OK, I even managed to turn out for the Rugby team, so I was seen as one of the good guys. I hated the beer-swilling afterwards, and left as soon as I could. My team-mates all thought I had a willing woman waiting for me. I did, she was on the canvas that I was painting.

By this time, I was adept at hiding my real nature. I knew that the female form held no allure for me, and I had no desire to embark on a close relationship with a woman. The woman who was always closest to me, and always will be, is Sybil, my sister. She's the only one I can really talk to. I've often wondered if it's Nature or Nurture that's responsible for my sexuality. A cold, distant father who was never a feature of my childhood, and a mother who seemed to prefer her nephews and nieces to me and my siblings, not to mention the smothering love she gave to her own sister. Still, I went wearily on, fighting against my own inclinations, academically and sexually. I could see no escape from this situation. And when I went home, there was another worry.

When I was finally told about the arrival of Kevin and Kester, I was astonished. Conception implies a degree of closeness; from what I had seen of my parents' marriage, it had long since deteriorated into a formality without affection or warmth. After their birth and childhood, and I was absent for most of that, the old formality had descended again. But when I went home for the vacations, in spite of trying to stay out of the house as much as possible, and then making excuses about revising my work, (most of the time I spent staring into space) I had no choice but to realise that my mother was using the sherry bottle as a crutch to see her through the day.

By now, Sybil had finished school and she had done well in her School Certificate, so she expected out parents to keep their word. Instead, she was kept at home, 'just for a couple of years' until she was old enough to live in London. Mother needed the help. I think that they were hoping she'd meet someone they could approve of, marry him and settle down to domestic bliss. Instead, she helped around the house, did some work for the Red Cross, and embroidered as though her life depended on it. They honestly never seemed to notice her unhappiness, but then, I think that they'd got out of the habit of noticing us as soon as they took Uncle Dick's children to live with them.

 

#59:  Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 3:31 pm

Aww poor David, Madge and Jem seem really mean! *hugs all of them* Thank you Jennie Very Happy

 

#60:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 3:32 pm

Thanks Jennie

Liz

 

#61:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 3:52 pm

Thanks, Jennie. I really feel as if I can see it all happening in front of my eyes.

 

#62:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 3:59 pm

This is so sad, and reads so true to all we see in the books.

Points I like - Sybil wanting to stay at Glendower House, David surprised at birth of twins Kevin and Kester, David's woman being on the canvas, not in the flesh.

Thanks Jennie.

 

#63:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 4:33 pm

Poor David and Sybil. This is so sad Jennie.

Thank you for bringing David's story to us.

 

#64:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 4:37 pm

Thanks Jennie. This is so true to life. Poor David and poor Sybil ...

 

#65:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 4:40 pm

Thanks Jennie.... it really fits in well with what we already know.

 

#66:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:30 pm

Quote:
Well, poor Sybil, she could hardly stand there and scream, 'I'm not going out there because I hate the sight of that old bitch and I don't want to be in the same country as she is.' now could she?



I loved that line Very Happy It's interesting to see how close Sybil and David were as children.

Thanks Jennie.

Star Wars

 

#67:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 11:50 pm

Oh, how miserable for him. At least he had Sybil, so there was some affection in his life - and he recognises that Dick and Mollie were doing the best they could for the boys.

Thanks Jennie!!

 

#68:  Author: JustJen, Location: Dorval, Quebec PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 3:52 am

I'm really starting to feel very sorry to David and his sibilings. Poor poor kids.

 

#69:  Author: Gem, Location: Saltash/Aberystwyth PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:48 am

Poor David Sad Glad the Art teacher understood....

Thank you Jennie Very Happy

 

#70:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 12:13 pm

Then came the news. My parents were going out to Australia for a couple of years, as Father was to consult with the medical authorities on the treatment of TB out there, and do some teaching.

By this time, my father had been made a baronet for his services to medicine, and though my mother pretended be embarrassed about having a title, she was secretly very pleased, and really didn't like it if anyone failed to call her Lady Russell. I saw this title as another burden on my shoulders, another thing to inherit, along with the San. It seemed to press down on me, as though I would never be rid of family obligations.

Josette was eighteen, finished with school and very much looking forward to reading for a degree in Economics. She had won a coveted place at LSE, no mean achievement. She was very excited, no wonder.

Then came the blow. She and Sybil were told that they were to go out to Australia with our parents. The fact the Josette and Sybil had both worked hard, passed their exams, and had won their places didn't seem to matter.
Another thing that didn't matter was the fact that our parents had given their word to both girls. I got tear-stained letters from both of them, raging at the denial of their hopes and ambitions.

The letter I got from Mother mentioned nothing about this, just the information that they were going out there for a couple of years; the girls were going with them so that Mother wouldn't be lonely; they had been promised a good apartment by Mr Hope; oh, and the house would be under dust-covers for two years, so if I went to the Round House, I mustn't expect to be waited on, as only Rosa would be there to keep the house warm. Ailie and the twins would be spending their holidays at either The Quadrant or in Switzerland. What a lovely letter! Not a word about missing me, but quite a lot about how much she was going to miss her sister, but they would be able to write to each other every week.

But, and this was even better, I received another letter that was going to change my life. It was from a solicitor. From the way that my father spoke, it had seemed to me that he had inherited every penny that my grandfather had left. I admit that he had used quite a lot of the money on Daisy and Primula, educating and clothing them, but it seemed that there was a clause in his will, leaving a trust fund to his oldest grandson. The capital hadn't been touched for almost thirty years, and in spite of the War, it had grown nicely. I would get the lot when I was twenty-one.

I'm sorry if I sound as though I'm a schemer, but I soon realised that by the time I got the money, my parents would be on the other side of the world, and could do nothing to stop me making my own decisions. So, I played it calmly and coolly, carrying on with my medical training, but also going to some Art classes. There were painting weekends, and I went on them. If my parents ever bothered to ask, I would tell them that I'd been invited to the country for a weekend by a fellow student, and I'd accepted the invitation. Apart from a few arch comments about pretty sisters, my parents accepted that I needed some social life. I didn't even feel guilty about deceiving them. This may sound like sophistry, but if my parents had ever bothered to get to know me, they would have realised that I was not going to be the son and heir that they wanted. But they didn't. Looking back, I can see that I've never in my life had a real conversation with my parents. Sad, isn't it?

 

#71:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 12:32 pm

That is so sad....

Do you know I had forgotten that David would inherit the baronetcy as wel

Thanks Jennie

 

#72:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 12:57 pm

At least David could recognise how unfair it was on his sisters, even if Madge and Jem couldn't! And thankfully we already know they got it eventually.

 

#73:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 1:01 pm

Apologies if I'm spreeing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By this time, I had met Tim, the man I'm living with. Everyone has this notion that people of our sexual preference are feminine and interested in clothes and domestic things. We're often called poofs. Tim isn't like that, he played Rugger on the same team as I did, and even had a try-out for his County youth side. It was often the thing at medical school to have drinking mate, so no-one ever thought it was strange when we had a pint together. As I say, nothing was ever obvious, not from looking at us. We were friends first, our relationship grew slowly. It was over two years before either of dared to admit our real sexuality, and far longer before we did anything about it. His mother had died when he was fifteen, and shortly before his twentieth birthday his father also died in a car crash. This left him reasonably well-off, no need to leave medical school, and his aunt and uncle who were his guardians had a family of their own. It wasn't that he was unwelcome at their house, but it made it easier for us to be together. He even came to stay at the Round House; we would go off for long walks together, a relief to my mother, and the subject of jovial comments from my father along the lines of, 'Fresh mountain air, it'll do you good, keep you fit.' I don't think that they had the slightest idea.

Sybil was another matter; I think she guessed, but apart from one or two comments to me in private, she said nothing. She was like that, Sybil, determined never to let me down. To be on the safe side, she even came out with us on some of our walks. I think Mother began to have hopes, but though Tim and Sybil were friendly, they didn't show any signs of affection. I think Mother saw Tim as a definite possible, young, training to be a doctor, money and a house, just the sort of person they were looking for.

But then the family set sail for Australia. By this time, Sybil was a really beautiful girl, or young woman, I ought to say. The thing was that she din't realise it. Dear AJ had given her a complex about her looks, so it took Hugh to give her back her beauty. She was lovely, graceful and sweet-natured.

I didn't know Josette quite as well, but it was clear that she was the cleverest of the family. If anyone deserved to have her ambitions fulfilled, it was Josette. That's why I'm glad about what happened, that she's been able to take up her place at LSE, she deserved it. After Mother's behaviour in Australia, she needs to get away.

Tim and I took things slowly, building our relationship. He knew my plans, and how much I wanted to be an artist. We spent the summer vacation in France, ostensibly chasing girls and drinking, in reality looking for a place to live. As soon as I came into my capital, and Tim into his, we spent some of it on a small house in Provence. We live a quiet life in a small village in the Garrigue. Tim transferred to University down there, and is finishing his training at a French hospital. We both enjoy it. I'm going to Art School and painting away. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Back to the family. The first letter I received from Sybil told me the awful news. Mother had discovered the delights of a gin and tonic on the voyage out, and had turned into a snob of the first water. They were now mixing in Melbourne High Society, and Mother adored being 'Lady Russell'd' everywhere she went.

Then Sybil met Hugh, the man who's now her husband.

 

#74:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 1:02 pm

Hope he's going to inherit the money as soon as he's 21 and not find that it's held in trust till he's 30 or anything!

 

#75:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 5:30 pm

I'm glad that David feels that he's now happy and contented with Tim. It's a shame that he couldn't talk to his parents as well.

Thanks Jennie.

Star Wars

 

#76:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:18 pm

Thanks Jennie - again, this reads so true to what could have happened and the way David is portrayed in the books.

 

#77:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:04 pm

It was very clear from what Sybil wrote in her letters to me that she fell in love with Hugh almost at once. She was less sure about how he felt about her. Unfortunately, our parents didn't really take to Hugh, he never hesitated to put his own opinion forward if he disagreed with them. This was a no-no. We'd been brought up to obey and never argue, so Hugh's behaviour was an affront to them.

Still, it seemed that the relationship was going along very nicely until Mother started to drop hints to Hugh that Sybil was fortune-hunting. That split them up. I had a letter from Darling Mother, telling me that Sybil had met a nice young doctor, just qualified, going to work in a small outback hospital. According to DM he was extremely suitable, so Sybil should be encouraged to marry him.

What I know from her letters is that Sybil was bitterly unhappy at this time in her life. Our beloved parents seemed determined to spread their blight over everything about their family, and apparently didn't care that their oldest daughter was living her life in misery, not as long as they were appearing regularly in the social columns, seeming to be happy and smiling away for the cameras. I also learned that DM was drinking more heavily than ever at home. She had enough sense not to drink much whilst she was out, but she was hitting the gin bottle with alarming frequency at home. Why Father did nothing about it, I'll never understand.

Then Sybil's letters changed. She and Hugh had met again, and he had realised that she did love him. He proposed, she accepted and they wanted to set the wedding day. That was when the fun really began.

Mother's idea of the ideal wedding was that dear AJ and the triplets should fly out for the wedding so that the trips could be bridesmaids. The rest of the wedding was to be suitably modest so that the parents could pay for the flights.

Sybil stood up to them for the first time in her life. She utterly refused to have AJ or the triplets there, and wanted to choose her own dress. of course, there were long, loud and vicious arguments about it, with DM insisting on having her own way. Sybil stood firm. I think that she ought to have been awarded a medal for courage for the way she stood up to them. I could only admire her for her determination.

Finally she got her own way, but only after Hugh told the parents that he would pay for the lot, dresses, church, flowers, cars, reception, if they didn't give in. Hugh has connections with the press, so the parents were worried that the news might be leaked in the social columns. Sybil had her dream wedding. I wasn't invited though I could have flown out there. To think of that - my DM simply didn't bother to make even a token suggestion that I might be there for my sister's wedding. Apparently, the letters that Sybil got from AJ were masterpieces of venom; Sybil was an ungrateful wretch, disobedient and didn't deserve her wonderful parents.

Still, Sybil had her dream wedding, and even challenged the parents on her wedding morning. It seems that Father began to see a little bit of light and even apologised. That was something, but it was too late. Hugh and Sybil sailed for England on their wedding night to set up home in London.

As a footnote, they're very happy. Sybil is doing a course at the School of Art Needlework and some interior design courses as well. She's helping Hugh with his property developing and they live a quiet life for the most part, preferring to be together rather than go out dancing and drinking. So much for fortune-hunting and social-climbing!

Then there was Josette. She was reading for a degree at Victoria University in Melbourne, and had got engaged to someone called John. She wrote to me regularly, and it was obvious that she too was unhappy at home. DM was getting through a bottle of gin every day, and Josette's life wasn't worth living, not that it ever was at home. I suppose she had the best time of her life when she was at school. At least she was valued there, not just a disposable body to be ordered about. I knew that she was just marking time, wondering how she could escape, then the crunch came.

 

#78:  Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:31 pm

Thank you Jennie! Just read 3 updates! This is so lovely, and so sad! Thanks again can't wait for more! Very Happy

 

#79:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 9:27 pm

Excellent - how terrible that David wasn't even invited to his sister's wedding.

NB Jennie, when you've got a minute, I'd really love to see those letters from Joey to Sybil??? *Hint hint* Laughing

 

#80:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 11:28 pm

Poor David. He really was the forgotten child.

Thanks Jennie

 

#81:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 11:44 pm

Oh, poor David. But how heartening that he was able to make his own life and build a satisfying relationship with Tim.

Thanks for the lovely updates Jennie.

 

#82:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 11:26 am

Thanks, Jennie. I'm glad David had Tim to support him and he was still able to go to his Art classes. I'm also glad Sybil had Hugh to support her.

 

#83:  Author: RroseSelavy, Location: Oxford, UK PostPosted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 11:55 am

Thanks Jennie, I'm really enjoying this Very Happy

I like the way you've made David's voice change as he grows up.

 

#84:  Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 5:07 am

Jennie I'm sorry about the PBs but really glad you're giving us David's story too. Thanks heaps!

 

#85:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 7:53 pm

I know that Josette gave Sybil a hard time on her wedding morning, but I know now that she was jealous. She was having serious doubts about her own engagement, after all, John was the first young man she'd ever gone out with. Apparently he took a traditional view of marriage. He went out to earn the living, she stayed home to run the house and have the children. What a waste of my sister's brains!

Finally, her unhappiness actually filtered through to Father's consciousness, and, I have to be fair about it, he's done his best to help her. She broke off her engagement to John; the man hardly saw her once the news about DM got out. Apparently, Father has changed a lot, and even has a proper relationship with Josette, you know, listening to her, asking her what she wants. She's at LSE now, and living not too far away from Sybil. Josette deserves a lucky break, and so does Sybil. It seems that Sybs and Hugh went out to Guernsey when Josette had a holiday job helping to look after the Lucys' children, along with the young Ozannes and Chesters.

DM's alcoholism must have been at its height when I wrote to Father, telling him what I had done, and how I was living. I half expected a posse of gendarmes to come charging into the village to haul me away for immoral behaviour. I suppose I wrote the letter to let him know how utterly I was rejecting him and the way he had brought me up. His first reply was written in haste, he'd just had DM admitted to a clinic for treatment. His later letters were better; he actually explained what was wrong, and even told me that he was ashamed of the way he'd had me brought up, never listening to me, just making assumptions. That's an advance for us, and no, I'm not being sarcastic or even slightly ironic. It is an advance. It seems that dear AJ flew out to Australia to manage Josette's wedding and liberate DM from the clinic. She behaved in her usual way, so Father actually threw her out. All communication has ceased. I must admit it's a relief to know that she can't have any more influence over my family.

The news about DM is a little better, she's finally admitted that she's an alcoholic and is having treatment. Perhaps my parents will have a second chance. I might be estranged from them, but I'd still like to see them have a little happiness together, it might mean changes for all of us if they do.

I get letters from Sybil regularly, she keeps me up to date with all the news. She and Hugh are talking about coming out here for a holiday next summer, I'm looking forward to meeting my brother-in-law. I just hope that our quiet life isn't too quiet for them.

I hope Josette will come as well. It would be good to see them and hear all their news first hand. When both of them were writing to me about their misery at home, I felt their anguish, but I still didn't get every little detail, not that I want to to re-awaken their memories of those times. There are some things that are better left to lie down and die.

Still, it would be good to see them again and build some sort of family unit out of the five of us.

And what about Tim and me, what sort of life do we have together?

 

#86:  Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 8:02 pm

Thank you for the update Jennie, this is a brill drabble! *waits for some more* Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy

 

#87:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 8:20 pm

Thanks Jennie - so nice that David was able to start rebuilding his relationship with Jem. And how nice that Sybil, Hugh and Josette all accept his lifestyle.

 

#88:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 8:49 pm

Eeek, I missed several updates!

Thanks Jennie... I do hope David can have a proper relationship with Jem after everything that's gone on.

 

#89:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 8:55 pm

As I said before, we have a house in a small village in the Garrigue, near enough to the towns and the cities to be able to shop and to go out, but far away enough to live our lives the way we want to.

We don't hold wild parties, but we do invite people to dinner or to lunch. The house has four bedrooms, a salon, a kitchen and two bathrooms. We love it. We're slowly getting the garden sorted out,a nd we're even thinking about growing our own vegetables, or some of them.

One of the reasons that we bought this house was that it has a garage over which is my studio. It has good north light and Velux windows in the roof, perfect for me. There's view for a painter in every direction.

For the most part we live a quiet, domestic life, content with our work and with being together. What we give each other is more than sex, it's unconditional love and affection, something we both lacked in our lives. The villagers have accepted us as we are. We're always given a warm welcome in the shops when we go in for our bread and groceries, silence never falls if we decide to go into the bar for a drink. We've been paid a high compliment, been asked to help with the vendange, no less. So, we're making friends here and that rounds out our lives. We have something that's really precious, something that I never thought I would have - contentment.

We've both accepted that we'll never marry and have families, and there are no regrets there. Perhaps we'll be uncles one of these days, if my brothers and sisters marry and have children. For now, we''ll just be happy to see them if they come to visit us.

In some ways, this has been a painful journey back into the past, but now I've revisited it, a lot of the bitterness has gone. Perhaps it's been good for me to look at my past, it certainly makes my future look even better.

Now, all I really wish for is to be able to reproduce the ever-changing colours that I see around me, and look forward to seeing my sisters again.

Yes, my life is good.

 

#90:  Author: tan, Location: London via Newcastle Australia PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 9:25 pm

Fantastic! Laughing

 

#91:  Author: tan, Location: London via Newcastle Australia PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 9:26 pm

Is everybody else losing posts instead of gaining them? I seem to have lost ten! I know I don't post that often ...

 

#92:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 9:48 pm

Wonderful Jennie - so glad David and his partner have found acceptance and contentment.

*Waiting for next bunnie to bite Jennie on the leg.*

 

#93:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 9:50 pm

I think there's some archiving being done, Tan.

Jennie, thanks for the lovely ending - glad that David is happy.

 

#94:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 10:19 pm

So glad David is no longer so bitter about it all.

Thanks Jennie

Liz

 

#95:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 2:08 am

Lovely drabble all the way through, Jennie. Thank you.

*sneaks the special bunny food through the letterbox when Jennie is not looking*

 

#96:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 2:40 am

Jennie, this was lovely. So good to se that David is not bitter and that he and Tim are building such a sound and happy life together.

 

#97:  Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 3:41 am

Sigh. I do so love a happy ending.

Thanks for bringing us David's story.


Are we going to see Kevin and Kester's tale next?

 

#98:  Author: JustJen, Location: Dorval, Quebec PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 4:55 am

A lovely lovely story.
So how about Alie, Kevin and Kester? When do we hear about them?
shoves plot bunny Jennie

 

#99:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 7:40 am

Thank you Jennie, Im so glad David is happy with Tim Very Happy

 

#100:  Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 8:11 am

Lovely ending! Glad he's really happy Smile

 

#101:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 8:57 am

Thanks Jennie

 

#102:  Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 10:28 am

Thank you Jennie! I'm glad that David is happy!

Laughing at CBBers shoving more PBs in Jennie's direction!!

 

#103:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 10:54 am

Just caught up.

I love this Jennie, you have really captured somehting in your portrayal of David. Thankis for writing it.

So, who is left....Ailie?

 

#104:  Author: pygmy, Location: glasgow PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 12:46 pm

Just read all of this in one go and really enjoyed it. Thanks, Jennie.

 

#105:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 2:27 pm

Thanks, Jennie. I'm glad David is so happy with Tim. I really enjoyed readnig this tale from David's PoV.

 

#106:  Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 5:40 pm

Thank you Jennie! I did enjoy that! Very Happy

 

#107:  Author: Fatima, Location: The Middle East PostPosted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 6:00 pm

Ah, that was nice. Thank you, Jennie. It is good to see David happy. I hope your bunnies do keep on giving you inspiration; it would be fun to hear about Kevin and Kester - hint hint!

 

#108:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 8:52 am

As ever, no plans yet, but who knows when the bunnies will bite. At the moment, I'm just enjoying the sleep.

 

#109:  Author: Lyanne, Location: Ipswich, England PostPosted: Mon Oct 31, 2005 8:58 pm

Thank you Jennie. I just read this in one go and am trying to swallow the lump in my throat.

 

#110:  Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 12:50 pm

Thankyou Jennie for a lovely end to David's tale


I'd love to see all the siblings going out to stay with David and Tim

(sorry Wink )

 

The CBB -> Ste Therese's House


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