The CBB :: View topic - Only in my dreams (completed 03/11/05 )

Only in my dreams (completed 03/11/05 )

The CBB -> Ste Therese's House

#381: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 9:59 am

Please come back and resolve the cliff! Very Happy

#382: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 10:11 am

Thanks for all the replies - I'll post the next bit soon! In answer to the questions, there weren't any really bad reviews of Con's play, and I promise faithfully that Freddie will not turn out to be Austin Powers!!! Laughing

#383: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 11:19 am

I had that when babysitting the other week. She went back to sleep very quickly though whcih was good as I wanted to see Waking the Dead *g*

Thank you Alison.

#384: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 11:25 am

Thanks for the replies. I've got rid of the nasty bunny who thought it'd be good to make it sound as if there were intruders in the house Twisted Evil

! Time for a medical emergency now. However, although I realise that this is a breach of Chalet School protocol so serious that it's probably punishable by having to turn every sheet in the school sides to middle, no-one will be getting romantically involved with any doctors!

In the nursery, she found Julian sitting up in bed, tears streaming down his face. Barbara had climbed out of her bed and was standing next to him.

“Julian, what on earth’s the matter?” Con asked anxiously.

“My tummy hurts,” Julian sobbed. “It hurts a lot, Auntie Con. I feel really bad. Please make it better.”

Con persuaded Barbara to get back into bed, insisting that Julian had probably just been upset by something that he’d eaten, but inwardly she was worried. She couldn’t help remembering the time that her brother Charles had been struck down by appendicitis whilst they’d been in the Tyrol. It would be unusual in such a young child, but as the daughter of the Head of the San she knew that anything could happen where medical matters were concerned. Julian was screaming with pain by this time, and she was sure that this was something much worse than one of the “bilious attacks” which so often affected members of the family. Oh, why did this have to happen when David and Vi and Nanny were all away?

She tried to get Julian to go back to bed, but he clung on to her, begging her not to leave him. Eventually she carried him down the stairs, followed by Barbara who was badly frightened by this time and refused to stay upstairs on her own. Con managed to coax Julian into letting go of her, and sat him down on the settee with Barbara next to him. Then she walked to the telephone and dialled the number that Vi had left for her. David would know what to do.

She tried three times. She didn’t even get the engaged signal. There was just a strange noise at the other end. Calm down, Con, she told herself. Don’t panic. Try the operator: they’ll be able to put you through.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t. An engineer had accidentally cut through a cable in the Edinburgh area, she was told. (Sorry about the rather pathetic excuse!) They were working to fix it and were hoping to resume normal service as soon as possible, though, the operator told her, as if that was any help. She slammed the phone down. Now what should she do? She was frightened to give Julian anything to try to stop the pain in case it was the wrong thing and made the situation worse. Maybe she should ring Uncle Jem. No: she didn’t want to worry him and Auntie Madge. Anyway, she needed to get a doctor to Julian now. Was there a number anywhere for David and Vi’s GP?

Julian screamed again and Con made a decision. She needed to get him to hospital. Luckily the nearest hospital wasn’t far away. If only she had a car, but she hadn’t. Taking a deep breath, she dialled 999. “Ambulance please,” she whispered. Her voice shaking, she gave the Russells’ address. “Please hurry!”

#385: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 11:28 am

Best thing she could have done! Laughing

Thanks Alison.

#386: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 11:31 am

Poor Julian. Hope its not too serious. Hope she remembers to leave a note for Vi and David...

Thank you Alison.

#387: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 12:03 pm

Oh dear! Poor little Julian.

Thanks Alison

Liz

#388: Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 12:15 pm

Oh no poor Julian! Hope it's nothing serious! Thank you Alison! Very Happy

#389: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 1:14 pm

Poor Kid, but well done for Con keeping her head and doing the right thing.

#390: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 1:22 pm

Oh dear, the poor little lad! Hope everything is okay!

#391: Author: Robin, Location: London

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 2:51 pm

right decision Con!
Hope that he's ok...

Thanks Alison

#392: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 2:57 pm

Oh poor ickle Julian! Please make him all better please Alison

#393: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 3:00 pm

Yay for Con - oh how badly underestimated she has been by her family.
Thank you, Alison, I am really enjoying this.

#394: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 3:13 pm

Now feeling very guilty for using poor Julian as a plot device! I am even starting to feel sorry for Joey after all the illnesses EBD inflicted on her in the Tyrol books Rolling Eyes

#395: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:13 pm

Eeek!
Poor little Julian! I hope he'll be okay.
And well done to Con for keeping her head and doing the sensible thing!

#396: Author: Le Petite Em, Location: Cheltenham

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 4:57 pm

Aww! I hope Julian well get better and that's not too serious. Good to see Con thinking quickly!

#397: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Thu Oct 20, 2005 8:13 pm

EEEEK! Please make Julian better.

Thanks Alison

#398: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 7:54 am

Keep calm, Con, she told herself. She walked back into the living room. “We’re going for a ride in an ambulance,” she told the twins, forcing a smile. “Then we’ll get to the hospital and they’ll soon make you better there, Julian. Barbara, I need you to be a good, brave girl.”

At that the moment the telephone rang. She rushed to answer it. Maybe it was David or Vi, she thought irrationally: maybe the telephones in Edinburgh were working again already and they’d rung up to ask if everything was all right. She snatched up the receiver. “David? Vi?” she asked breathlessly.

“Con? It’s me: I’ve just got back.” He’d intended to ask when he could see her, to explain what needed to be explained, but it was clear from the sound of her voice that something was wrong. “Darling, is everything all right?” he asked anxiously. “You sound terrible. What’s the matter?”

“Oh Freddie,” she sobbed. “I’m on my own with the twins and Julian’s ill. I think it’s appendicitis. I’m waiting for an ambulance to take us to the hospital. Oh Freddie, why did this have to happen when there was no-one here but me?”

“Con, you’ve done exactly the right thing in ringing for an ambulance,” he reassured her. “Julian couldn’t be in better hands. You’re very capable, Con: you know you are.” He paused for a moment. “Con … would you like me to meet you at the hospital? I don’t want to interfere, but … well, I thought that you might want someone to wait with you.”

“Oh Freddie, would you?” she said thankfully. “I’d be very grateful.”

“I’ll see you there, then,” he said. “Everything’s going to be all right, Con. I know it is.”

She put the phone down and took a deep breath. She knew that she could have coped on her own if necessary, but she’d feel so much better with Freddie there beside her. What was that expression that she’d heard Mamma use about Papa … something to do with the time that they’d lost Auntie Rob and Hilary Graves in a cave at the Tiernsee …

#399: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 7:56 am

Hurrah! Luffly Freddie!

And well done Con for realising he's her SLOC!

Thanks Alison

Liz

#400: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 7:57 am

Repeat after me, Con 'Solid Lump of Comfort!' Laughing

Thanks Alison.

#401: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:06 am

Awww.... Freddie is so lovely! Love that last paragraph Laughing

#402: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:26 am

Hehe! Solid Lump Of Comfort!

#403: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:49 am

Freddie is a nice SLOC... isn't he? Smile

#404: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 9:20 am

Yay for Freddie and for Con realising she could have coped if necessary but that Freddie will make things easier!

#405: Author: Robin, Location: London

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 9:37 am

aww, have a nice grin on my face!
Thanks Alison

#406: Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 10:15 am

Aww that was so sweet! I'm glad Freddie is there for her, even though she could have done it on her own! *smiling lots* Very Happy

Thanks Alison!

#407: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 10:34 am

Two days off the board, and look at what's happened!

Freddie really is a SLOC to Con, and she obviously cares for him. Wonderful!

Glad Jo stayed away from the first night of the play, she would probably have gone up to take Con's bow, and then launched into a long speech which would have terrified the critics.

#408: Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 10:57 am

Lovely episode, thank you, Alison.

#409: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 12:57 pm

Con gazed wearily around the little side room in which they’d been sitting for what seemed like hours and were now waiting for the doctor to come to speak to them. Julian had been rushed into surgery and was now minus his appendix. She’d burst into tears with relief when the nurse had told her that her little cousin had come through the operation safely. Thankfully Barbara had fallen asleep in the ambulance and had been sleeping peacefully ever since.

“You look worn out,” Freddie said. “Would you like me to get you a drink? I could do with a glass of water: it’s boiling hot in here.”

“Well if you will wear a jumper at this time of year,” she said, managing a half-smile. “And I’d love a cup of tea, please.”

The doctor came into the room just as Freddie returned with the drinks. “Miss Maynard? Julian’s going to be absolutely fine. We’ll have to keep him in for a little while, but we’re quite satisfied that he should make a full recovery.”

“Oh thank you!” she gasped. She still hadn’t been able to contact Vi and David, but at least now she’d be able to tell them that all was well. “Oh I can’t tell you how grateful I am for everything you’ve done.”

#410: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:12 pm

Thank goodness for that! It's always even worse when your in charge of someone else children and something goes wrong.

Thank you Alison.

#411: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:19 pm

Awww, luffly, helpful Freddie and yay for Julian being okay! Smile

#412: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:48 pm

Gorgeous, thank you Very Happy

#413: Author: Robin, Location: London

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 2:23 pm

phewee! thanks Alison.
Now is Con going to break down with the stress of it all and come around to find Freddie's arms encircling her, and bury her head on his shoulder and weep?!? Wink

#414: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 3:12 pm

Robin wrote:

phewee! thanks Alison.
Now is Con going to break down with the stress of it all and come around to find Freddie's arms encircling her, and bury her head on his shoulder and weep?!? Wink

... and then get engaged and then get married and then have triplets ...

If only the course of true love were going to run so smooth ...

#415: Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 3:13 pm

Quote:

Now is Con going to break down with the stress of it all and come around to find Freddie's arms encircling her, and bury her head on his shoulder and weep?!? Wink

I hope so!

Just caught up on a few days' worth, Alison, and I'm really enjoying it! I'm joining everyone else in wondering about Freddie's job, but delighted that he is turning out to be such a SLOC!

#416: Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 3:14 pm

Yay I'm glad Julian is okay. Freddie just ask her to marry you!!!!! Thank you Alison! Very Happy

#417: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 4:23 pm

This is so nice, thank you Alison. Freddie is lovely and so right for Con.

#418: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 4:48 pm

Alison H wrote:

“Well if you will wear a jumper at this time of year,” she said, managing a half-smile.

To hide something underneath perhaps? *suspicious*

Thanks Alison

Liz

#419: Author: Le Petite Em, Location: Cheltenham

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:15 pm

Chalet_school_lover wrote:

Yay I'm glad Julian is okay. Freddie just ask her to marry you!!!!! Thank you Alison! Very Happy

Yes, but find out his little secret first!
So pleased for Julian Very Happy

This is brilliant!!!!! Smile

#420: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 8:22 pm

That was lovely with Con and Freddie, alhtough obviously not as nice for Julian, glad he is ok though.

Now, the mystery??? Please?

#421: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 9:10 pm

Phew!
Thank goodness Julian will be okay!

#422: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 3:12 am

Very glad to see reconciliation amongst family Very Happy

, and relieved that Julian's OKl. Not so sure what to think about Freddie, though. Surely Elisaveta's son wouldn't be up to anything dishonorable, but ...

#423: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 8:01 am

Come on alison, let's have the proposal. I'd love it if Freddie does take over Belsornia. Just think, if Con becomes Queen of Belsornia, Jo would have to curtsey to her. Hehehe!

#424: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 10:41 am

I'm getting towards the end now, I promise!

The doctor smiled. “That’s what we’re here for, Miss Maynard. Julian won’t be awake for several hours yet, so may I suggest that you take the little girl home and try to get some sleep yourself? You look exhausted, if you don’t mind my saying so.”

“He’s right, Con,” Freddie said gently once the doctor had gone. “You and Barbara need to get home.”

She nodded. “All right. I’ll just drink my tea first.”

“It’s lukewarm, I’m afraid,” he said. “You know what hospital tea can be like.”

“Oh never mind: I’ll drink it anyway,” she said. She reached out to take the cup from him, but her hand slipped and she knocked the cup sideways, spilling tea on to his sleeve.

“Oh Freddie, I’m sorry!” she said. “Here, roll your sleeve up and let me put some of this water on your arm so that it doesn’t burn.”

“It’s all right: don’t fuss,” he said hastily, but she’d already taken hold of his arm and begun rolling his sleeve up for him. Then she cried out in horror. No wonder he’d been wearing a jumper. His arm was a mass of angry looking bruises.

“Oh dear Lord! Freddie, what on earth’s happened to you? Have you had an accident, darling? Or did someone do this to you? Why didn’t you tell me?”

He took a sharp intake of breath. This was just what he hadn’t wanted to happen. He was sure that no-one had seen him leaving the house, but they couldn’t talk here: you never knew who might be around. He tried to think of a plausible explanation to give her. “Nothing like that,” he said . “I …er, had a silly accident in the hotel in America. I wasn’t looking where I was going and I fell down the stairs.”

She looked at him suspiciously. She could see from the look on his face that there wasn’t a word of truth in what he’d just said. “Oh come on, Freddie!” she said. “Do you seriously expect me to believe that?”

He said nothing. “There’s something very fishy about this so-called job of yours, if you ask me,” she said frankly. “That day I took the twins to the zoo, I saw you in a café with a priest and another man, when you were supposed to be working, and now this. What’s going on, Freddie? I want to know.”

“Not here,” he said. “I can’t tell you here. Let’s go back to the Russells’ and we can talk there. I’ll go and bring the car round.”

“You can drive there on your own. I think I’d rather get a taxi,” she muttered.

“Oh look, don’t do that. It’s the middle of the night. Let me take you home. Please, Con. It could be ages before you can get a taxi, and Barbara should be at home in bed.”

Seeing the sense of what he said, she agreed. Neither of them said another word until they were inside the house with the door shut behind them.

#425: Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 10:45 am

Oooh Please let them sort it out! And what is this job of Freddies?! Thank you Alison! Very Happy

#426: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 10:51 am

Argh!
Please tell us what Freddie has to say!

#427: Author: Le Petite Em, Location: Cheltenham

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 10:57 am

Oooo please tell us soon!
Very suspicious... Confused

#428: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 11:03 am

Oh, please tell us quickly! Those bruises seem mightly suspicious!

#429: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 11:18 am

Just caught up with umpteen posts of this...and we're poised on a cliff!!

Really enjoyed it Alison!!

#430: Author: CatherineS, Location: Smalltown, West of Scotland

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 12:07 pm

Thanks, Alison, I'm really enjoying this. I love Con.

#431: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 1:18 pm

Ooooh come on Freddie, tell her everything! Smile

#432: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 2:39 pm

Glad Con's not that gullible as to believe such a lame excuse! Hope everything gets sorted - and hope Con left a note if David and Vi get back before them!

Thanks Alison.

#433: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 2:40 pm

Come on Freddie, we want to know the truth as much as Con does.

#434: Author: Sarah_G-G, Location: Sheffield (termtime), ? any other time!

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 3:27 pm

Typical! I finally manage to catch up with this, and I end up on a cliff! Rolling Eyes

Oh well! Thank you for all the posts, anyway (and another one soon would be very nice... Smile

)

#435: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 5:23 pm

Oooh hurry up and tell her Freddie! Very Happy

Thanks Alison

#436: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 7:50 pm

Hope they get home soon so we can find out.

#437: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2005 10:27 pm

Thanks Alison.

Poor Freddie - hope Con will understand.

Liz

#438: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 7:19 am

The sight of the telephone, sitting on its little table in the hallway, reminded her again that she still hadn’t been able to speak to Julian’s parents. “David and Vi,” she said falteringly. “How on earth am I going to tell them? I know that it’s the middle of the night but I ought to try again anyway: they’d want to know as soon as possible." She dialled the number and heaved a sigh of relief. It was ringing: the fault on the line had been fixed at last.

Barbara stirred and Con looked at her anxiously. The last thing she wanted was for Barbara to wake up and hear what she was telling Vi and David, and she wasn’t sure that she’d be able to carry the three-year-old up the steep stairs to the nursery. “It’s all right,” Freddie murmured, seeing her concern. “I’ll carry Barbara upstairs for you. She’s still in her pyjamas: I can just put her straight to bed.”

Con nodded. “The nursery’s the second room on the left at the top of the stairs,” she said. She watched him as he carefully carried the little girl up the stairs. What a wonderful father he’d make, she thought wistfully, her anger forgotten for the moment.

Freddie waited until Con was off the phone, then came back downstairs quietly. “She’s fast asleep,” he said. “How did David and Vi take the news?”

“They’re coming straight back,” she said. “David was quite calm once I'd told him that Julian'd come through the operation safely: he is a doctor after all. He said that they could never thank me enough for realising how serious it was and getting Julian to hospital. Vi was tearful, though. Julie, her eldest sister, nearly died of appendicitis, years ago at school. Oh Freddie, when I think what could have happened…”

“It’s all right,” he said, putting his arm round her shoulders. “Everything’s all right now. Julian’s going to be fine.”

She snuggled close to him for a moment, but then reluctantly pulled away. She wasn’t sure that she wanted to hear what he had to say, but there was no point in putting it off. “Freddie … I don’t want you to think that I’m not grateful for your support tonight, because I am, but …”

“But it’s time that I told you the truth,” he finished the sentence for her. “I know; I do know. I think we'd better go and sit down.”

#439: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 8:46 am

Yeah! Good, glad we've got to this part!

*Sits down and makes self comfy, waiting for next post - watches expectantly.*

Thanks Alison.

#440: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 9:34 am

Please don't make us wait until tomorrow to find out Freddie's secret! Very Happy

#441: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 9:46 am

Yeeee! (Nope, I don't know what that sound is either) Can't wait to find out! Please don't make us wait too long!

#442: Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:01 am

Yay finally! Please don't keep us waiting too long!! Thank you Alison Very Happy

#443: Author: tiffinata, Location: melbourne, australia

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:42 am

It'll be tomorrow when I found out!
Sorry, find out
Laughing

Last edited by tiffinata on Sun Oct 23, 2005 10:15 pm; edited 1 time in total

#444: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 12:09 pm

Another cliff!

#445: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 1:48 pm

This is really good, thanks Alison. Now all we need are a few answers!

#446: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 2:09 pm

Thanks Alison Very Happy

Ah the truth at last

*looks around* Any seats left?

Liz

#447: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 3:19 pm

Thank you Alison.

*settles down with hot chocolate, whipped cream and marshmallows to await satisfactory conclusion*

#448: Author: Le Petite Em, Location: Cheltenham

Posted: Sun Oct 23, 2005 3:50 pm

Thank-you Alison- but another cliff?? How will I live? Wink

Never mind, anticipation is a good thing.
At least Freddie is coming clean.

#449: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 12:14 am

The view is nice up here . . . Very Happy

#450: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 6:48 am

Thanks for all the replies Very Happy

. It's nice to know that people are still reading this Very Happy

! Hopefully this bit will give everyone a pretty fair idea of what Freddie is up to, and I promise that he will spell it out very soon ... I couldn't post it all at once because it was a bit too long!!

Con led the way into the living room. Belatedly, she remembered that the library books she’d knocked over earlier were lying about all over the floor. Oh well, she’d tidy up later: that was the least of her worries at the moment. “Sorry about the mess,” she said. “It’s not usually like this … Freddie, what on earth is it?” His face had gone as white as a sheet.

“All these books,” he said faintly, a note in his voice of what sounded almost like despair. “What’s happened to make you want to read about Prague? Did something happen during the afternoon? Oh please tell me that nothing’s happened.”

Con stared at him as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Freddie, have you gone mad? I’ve been reading Glorious Prague, by Charles Stevens. You’ve probably heard Aunt Elisaveta mention his eldest daughter, Margia Stevens the pianist. That’s the only reason these books are here. What is going on with you?”

“Oh hell, I’m sorry, Con. I just … I rang you as soon as I got home, that’s all, and then I went straight to the hospital, so I don’t know what’s been going on since I left Washington.” He realised as soon as he’d said that last word that he’d made matters worse. What on earth had he been thinking of? If there’d be any news from Eastern Europe, he would have been informed before he’d even got off the plane: he certainly had enough contacts in Moscow and Firarto to have guaranteed that. The trouble was that he was exhausted and jet-lagged: it really wasn’t a good time to be having this conversation, and he was making an absolute hash of it. He opened his mouth to explain, but she interrupted him before he could say any more.

“Washington? You’re supposed to have been going round engineering works! Since when has Washington been a centre of the engineering industry? How many other lies have you told me?”

It had been a long and very traumatic night. She’d had no sleep, she’d been worried out of her mind about Julian and she’d had the difficult task of telling her cousin and his wife that their three-year-old son had just undergone a life-saving operation. She was tired and emotional. It was all too much.

“I’ve had enough of you, Freddie Helston,” she flared. “You don’t want anyone to know that we’re seeing each other; you make me feel like some sort of guilty secret; you tell me lies about where you’re going and what you’re doing; you make strange remarks about Carl’s girlfriend being a Protestant; you come back from America covered in bruises and expect me to believe some cock and bull story about falling down the stairs, and then you fly off the handle because there are a few library books on the living room floor. Well, I’m not taking it any more. Get out. Get out and don’t come back.”

She refused to listen to another word he had to say, and eventually he realised that there was no point trying to explain until they’d both calmed down. “Can I see you tomorrow?” he asked desperately as he stood on the doorstep.

“No you can’t,” she snapped. “Nor any other day either. And don’t bother trying to ring because I won’t speak to you. We’re finished.”

*Goes to hide under the desk in case anyone tries to throw anything at me! Rolling Eyes

#451: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:44 am

NO!! They can't be finished!! Please don't leave us in suspense too long, Alison! I'm really enjoying this drabble, thank you.

#452: Author: Rosy, Location: Gloucestershire-London-Aberystwyth

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:51 am

Nooooooo!

Don't do it Con!

Thankyou for the drabble -tis fab!

#453: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:57 am

Nooooooo!

That didn't tell me much at all!

(But it does make for exciting reading Laughing

)

#454: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:41 am

Good for Con, even though I am shouting 'nooooo' at the computer screen (and I'm not alone *g*) At least now he knows not to mess her around and (hopefully) tell her the truth.

#455: Author: Robin, Location: London

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 9:04 am

noooo Con! I've a feeling she's going to regret doing that in the morning (well, I hope she is anyway!)

And Alison, although we want to know Freddie's secret, we don't want this to be over! Very Happy

#456: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 9:59 am

Hear him out Con please.
Thanks for the update!

#457: Author: Le Petite Em, Location: Cheltenham

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 10:31 am

Nooo Con, what are you doing????
They can't be finished, they have to sort things out!!
Please don't leave us hanging for too long...

#458: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 11:07 am

Things will be better in the morning, they both need some sleep and some food. I'm sure there will be a happy ending, Con deserves it.

#459: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 11:26 am

I am trying to sort this all out and I was even dreaming about it last night ... just trying to write it in a logical way and can't turn to chocolate for help because I'm supposed to be on a diet Sad

. Thanks for all the lovely replies Smile

#460: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 11:29 am

Maybe he could do a Mr Darcy and write her a letter...

Thank you Alison! *sends virtual chocolate*

#461: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 12:44 pm

Aaaaargh!!!!!!

(although I MAY have a teeny inkling of what Freddie is up to now........)

#462: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 12:46 pm

Vikki wrote:

(although I MAY have a teeny inkling of what Freddie is up to now........)

I thought I knew, but now I'm confuzzled about why he has bruises....

*offers to kiss it all better*

#463: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 1:05 pm

Mia wrote:

*offers to kiss it all better*

I'm first in the queue! Although I think he only has eyes for Con ... awwwww...

Keep having to remind myself that this is actually a story!

#464: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 2:06 pm

Con, like most of the other Maynards, could be stubborn when she chose, and Freddie now found out just how stubborn she could choose to be. For two weeks, she refused to see him, she refused to speak to him, and she ripped up his letters and sent them back to him. When she found him waiting for her outside the theatre, where she’d been using the office in which to work on her new play, she threatened to ask the security guard to remove him. “I’ve told you. I never want to see you again,” she said, trying hard not to look at him. She didn’t like feeling that she’d been made a fool of, and she had no intention of falling into his arms as she knew very well she would do if she let him talk to her.

Freddie very rarely lost his temper in ordinary times, but these weren’t ordinary times. “You might well find that wish coming true in more ways than one,” he snapped back at her. They glared at each other for a moment and then they both turned their backs and walked away.

It was Julian, now home from hospital, who finally made Con change her mind. “I might have died, Auntie Con,” he solemnly informed her. “People sometimes die when they have big operations, don’t they?”

“Oh Julian, don’t say that!” she exclaimed, hugging the little boy close. His words set her thinking, though. Freddie’s father had been tragically killed in an accident. Margot, Charles and Phil had all suffered life-threatening illnesses. Her father had so nearly been lost at sea during the war. Life could be so short … much to short to behave as she’d been behaving towards a man who had given her so much love and support. Whatever Freddie was involved in, she at least owed it to him to hear what he had to say.

“Vi,” she called. “I’m going out.”

I am in a happy smiley mood because I went over to another department to get some info and the nice girl there said that she could see I'd lost weight Very Happy

. I feel that staying off the chocolate has been worth it now! So I thought I'd post all this bit together instead of just the bit when they were arguing!

#465: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 2:20 pm

Yay what a shiny update - and congrats on the losing weight! Very Happy

#466: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 2:44 pm

Congrats on losing weight!

And yay for Julian for getting Con to realise she should at least hear him out Smile

#467: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 4:30 pm

Oh - so glad Con has decided to give him a chance - hope she's not too late (but he did deserve to suffer a bit!)

Thanks & congratulations Alison Very Happy

Liz

#468: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 4:40 pm

Yes, he did deserve to suffer for a while! Well done, Alison, both with the weight loss and the drabble.

#469: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:04 pm

So far so good - glad Con had finally decided to listen to Freddie - even though he did deserve it!

And congrats on the weight loss.

#470: Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:32 pm

Life is INDEED too short, Con, so go for it.

Thanks, Alison.

#471: Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 7:43 pm

Oooh Thank you Alison! I hope Con and Freddie sort this soon! Very Happy

#472: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:06 pm

Congratulations, Alison. I'm glad of the update, too. Life is too short.

#473: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2005 11:48 pm

Most excellent, and I agree. Life is definitely too short.

#474: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 12:05 am

Go Con!

First for being stubborn, and then for coming to her senses.

*waits happily*

#475: Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 2:14 am

Sometimes you have to be glad you've missed a couple of days of a drabble. Today is one of those days.

So glad Con has seen sense.

#476: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 7:12 am

Hope this isn't an anti-climax after all that! Possibly a teensy little bit far-fetched, but here goes ...

At first there was no answer. She knocked on the door, over and over again. Had she got the right house, she wondered. She’d never actually been here before. Eventually he answered, though. “Con!” he said. He looked around, his face filled with worry. “Did anyone see you arrive?” he asked urgently.

“See me? No, of course they didn’t. There’s no-one around.” She was half beginning to wish that she’d stayed at home now. She wasn’t quite sure what sort of reception she’d been expecting, but it certainly hadn’t been this. Who was supposed to have seen her? She didn’t like the sound of this at all.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m so sorry. Look … oh Con, I’m so glad to see you. Please come in,” he said. He put his hand on her shoulder briefly and she followed him into the house. She looked around with interest. You could tell so much about someone from their home … but this wasn’t how a home should look. The shelves were bare. There were unmistakeable signs of things being packed away. Her eyes fell on a pile of letters, neatly addressed and waiting to be posted. The one on top of the pile was addressed to her. And why was there a rucksack on the floor?

“Are you going somewhere?” she queried.

“I’m going home,” he said starkly.

“Home?” She sensed that something strange was happening here, but she couldn’t quite make sense of it. “Home to Arosa? But I had a letter from José yesterday and she said nothing about it.”

“Switzerland isn’t home,” he said, shaking his head fervently. “It is to Mother, it’s what she wants, but it isn’t home to me. I’m going home. Home to Belsornia. Popular opinion there’s overwhelmingly in favour of declaring independence and restoring the monarchy. I’m going home to lead a coup d’état.”

Ever since the incident with Emerence Hope and the clock in Zermatt, Con had tried very hard to do as Mary-Lou had advised and acquire a little tact. Unfortunately, it tended to desert her when she’d had a serious shock.

“Freddie, have you completely lost your senses,” she blurted out. “How can you possibly take on the Red Army? And the armies of all the other countries of the Warsaw Pact? The Americans are the only power strong enough to take on the Soviets and there’s no way they can get involved in Belsornia as well as Vietnam. You don’t stand a chance. You’ll be killed.”

#477: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 7:16 am

What a shock for Con! Poor girl!

Thanks Alison - not an anticlimax at all Very Happy

Liz

#478: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 7:42 am

Oh dear, poor Freddie - Con may be tactless - but she's right!

Thanks Alison

#479: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 8:22 am

Con certainly is right - the Soviets would come to the aid of the Belsornian Communists within seconds, and then they'd crush the rebellion easily, even if it is only Khrushchev! Look at Hungary, Freddie, look at Hungary! Have we got to 1968 yet? If so, look at Czechoslovakia as well!

Sorru... got a bit carried away there Embarassed

Please let Con persuade him out of it! Or let it work, lol Laughing

Definitely not an anti-climax! Glad Con isn't looking at it through rose-coloured spectacles.

#480: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 8:28 am

LadyGuinevere wrote:

It's the summer of 1968 at the moment. Don't worry, Freddie's contacts have told him about the planned invasion of Czechoslovakia - that's why he got stressed out when he saw that Con was reading a book about Prague. He promises that he will explain that shortly!

& I really hate myself for being a picky cow here, but Khrushchev resigned in 1964 so the Soviet leader is now Brezhnev. Feel free to chuck something at me for saying that!! * Ducks!*

#481: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 8:35 am

Eeep! Sometimes its useful to have the ability to be blunt, and I hope Con makes Freddie see sense. Thanks Alison

#482: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 8:48 am

Oooh!

1) Thank you! This is wonderful and definitely not an anti-climax

2) The Communists might have other concerns with Czechoslovakia and might not be that bothered with Belsornia *hopes*

3) *general incomprehensible wibble about Freddie* *collapses into a spineless jellyfish mess*

#483: Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 9:13 am

Ummm why am I wibbling? I was hoping that by finally catching up with all the drabbles I would have missed lots of cliffs and all would b ehappy and shiny!

Thank you for a lovely 20 odd pages! Very Happy

#484: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 9:16 am

Oh please let things be ok! Confused

#485: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 9:42 am

aitchemelle wrote:

Thank you for a lovely 20 odd pages! Very Happy

Thank you, that's lovely of you! Smile

Getting towards the end now Smile

#486: Author: Robin, Location: London

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 9:54 am

hope Con isn't right and that Freddie will get killed Shocked

Would be great for him to be king again though...

And Queen Constance has a certain ring to it Wink

Thanks Alison

#487: Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 11:12 am

Oooh I wonder what will happen!!!!!!! Thank you Alison! *waits to find out* Very Happy

#488: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 11:38 am

Alison H wrote:

LadyGuinevere wrote:

Nope, fully my fault there (feels most stupid now!). What happened was when I wrote the first part of the post, I was working on about 1962 (for some unknown reason), and then I went back and added the Prague bit afterwards when I had thought a bit more about the early parts!

Brezhnev is marginally more scary than Khrushchev Smile

Ahaha, I hadn't thought about that with Prague... it hadn't quite twigged! Smile

#489: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 1:18 pm

Hope no-one minds the slight foray into Eastern European politics - I will get back to Con and Freddie's romantic problems soon, honestly! Especially seeing as I love Russia and therefore tie myself in knots if I try to write too much about the Soviet period! - but EBD's attitude to Belsornia in the later books got on my nerves a bit. Elisaveta and José both say that they're pleased they don't have to bother with being royal, which is fair enough, but neither of them seem even remotely bothered about what might have been happening in Belsornia under Stalin and Khrushchev. Even though we're told in the earlier books that the Belsornian people were devoted to the royal family - they adored Elisaveta and went wild with rejoicing when Freddie was born (& I'm sure he was a lovely baby!). I think Freddie is a more caring and idealistic person who isn't all that bothered about living in a palace and so on but does genuinely want to help his own people.

Rolling Eyes

I keep having to remind myself that EBD actually made Belsornia up -I have been worrying about its history and the personalities of its royal family all week!

To her surprise, he laughed. “That’s a start, anyway,” he said. “I wasn’t sure that you were going to believe me. It sounds ridiculously far-fetched, doesn’t it?”

“You wouldn’t make something like that up,” she said with certainty, following him into the living room where they sat down next to each other. “I know how you feel about Belsornia and how it’s been affected by being part of the Soviet Union.”

“Oh it’s been affected all right,” he said bitterly. “The Nazis wrecked the oil refineries and the mineral extraction works, but all that could have been put right with the right investment, but the Soviets have never been interesting in developing industry in Belsornia: they’ve got more than enough oil and minerals in other regions and it suited them for Belsornia to be agricultural. So they forced our farmers into collectivisation, which has been a disaster, and then set them such high quotas for food production that, by the time the central authorities had taken what they wanted to distribute elsewhere, there wasn’t enough left enough to feed our own people. And of course they wouldn’t admit to it: they wouldn’t even let my grandfather send money to help those in need. If those in charge at a local level had at least been Belsornians then maybe it would have been different, but that’s never been allowed to happen. Belsornians weren’t even allowed to be Communist Party members when the Soviets first took over, and even now all the high-ranking positions in the country go to people from other Soviet republics, and Russian rather than Belsornian’s used as the language of government even for internal matters. Then there’s been the repression of the Church. Admittedly the Roman Catholic Church gets accorded a little more respect from the Soviet authorities than the Greek Catholic Church does, but that’s not saying much.

“That’s why one of the men you saw me with was a priest. Both of those men are active in the Belsornian resistance movement: the government-in-exile’s never ceased to exist, as you know, and it’s based in America where the biggest community of Belsornian exiles exists, but there’s support in Britain and other countries too. And there’s never been any real support in Belsornia itself for being part of the Soviet Union, and my grandfather’s death and the refusal to allow him to be buried in Firarto just seemed to bring things to a head. Despite the fear of the authorities there are plenty of people in Belsornia who are in touch with the government-in-exile, and if what they say is true then there’s scarcely a man, woman or child in the country, other than the officials who come from the Russian Federation and the other republics, who isn’t ready to support a move for independence.”

#490: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 1:38 pm

Excellent... I love Eastern Europe Smile

#491: Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 1:39 pm

Alison H wrote:

Hope no-one minds the slight foray into Eastern European politics - I will get back to Con and Freddie's romantic problems soon, honestly!

I for one enjoy learning more about E European politics as I have no idea about any of it!

I too frequently have to remind myself that Belsornia is made up, having once had a massive argument with my mother when I was younger!!

Thank you! Very Happy

#492: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 1:43 pm

I hope the coup is successful *refusing to wibble*

#493: Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 1:59 pm

I also find it hard to remember Belsornia is made up! Thank you for the update! I can't wait for more! Very Happy

#494: Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 2:20 pm

Collectivism was a disaster in the Soviet Union as a whole. they apparently put in Farm Managers who had no experience of farming. Then as everything had to sent away, the workers had no incentive to put any effort into their work. The patches of land they did have to work for themselves were extremely productive though!

#495: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 2:35 pm

If the Coup is successful and Freddie asks Con to marry him then will she become Queen Con?

#496: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 2:52 pm

Cazx wrote:

If the Coup is successful and Freddie asks Con to marry him then will she become Queen Con?

I think she would have to call herself Queen Constance because it sounds more regal, but, yes, she would be the Queen. Always assuming that she didn't turn him down, of course!

Now getting funny looks from colleagues because of giggling Laughing

#497: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 3:16 pm

Pat wrote:

Then as everything had to sent away, the workers had no incentive to put any effort into their work. The patches of land they did have to work for themselves were extremely productive though!

Funny that! Laughing

Loved the bit on politics Alison - makes it all seem that much more real.

#498: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 4:32 pm

Oooh, yay!! My hunch was right!!!

Hope Freddie won't end up getting himself killed!

#499: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2005 4:54 pm

Alison H wrote:

Always assuming that she didn't turn him down, of course!

Don't even think things like that Alison!

Thanks for the update - it's good to know Freddie would have the people's support Very Happy

Liz

#500: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 12:37 am

Oh help!! Perhaps if Belsornia is very small, the USSR won't notice ...., yeah right!

Thank you Alison.

#501: Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 2:36 am

Alison H wrote:

Cazx wrote:

If the Coup is successful and Freddie asks Con to marry him then will she become Queen Con?

I think she would have to call herself Queen Constance because it sounds more regal, but, yes, she would be the Queen.

Wouldn't she be Queen Mary? Loving this BTW!

#502: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 7:57 am

Please try to use lots of imagination here - I'm doing my best to make it sound plausible!!!

“I don’t doubt that,” Con said carefully, “but that doesn’t alter the fact that surely the Soviet Army would move immediately to crush any uprising.”

“The Soviet Army won‘t be there,” he said. Con’s eyebrows rose sharply, but she didn’t say anything.

“Prague,” he said. “As you know, the Soviets are very uneasy about the reforms that Dubcek’s been bringing in in Czechoslovakia. We have people in Moscow, and the one place that Belsornians have been allowed to hold high office in in our own country is the Army. We know that the Soviets and their Warsaw Pact allies are planning to put an end to the reforms in Czechoslovakia by sending in troops. Con, believe me, if there was anything I could do to prevent bloodshed in Prague then I would do, but I can’t: there’s nothing we can do about that: we aren‘t strong enough and we have to be realistic. What we can do is arrange for those troops who’ll remain in Belsornia, the majority of whom are native Belsornians, to mutiny in support of independence. We very much hope to do this with as little fighting as possible, but if it comes to fighting then we’ll fight. That’s one of the reasons I’ve been spending time in America: one of the things that the Belsornian community there have been dealing with is military training for the exiles.”

He smiled ruefully despite the seriousness of what he was saying. “I’m sorry I made up that ridiculous story about falling down the stairs, but I couldn’t very well announce in the hospital that I’d been on a military assault course and I’d got the bruises to prove it. Belsornia isn’t of any great strategic significance, and after the mess the Nazis and the Soviets between them have made of our economy it isn’t of any great financial significance either. There are no strong traditional or cultural links between Belsornia and any of the other fifteen republics, so it’s hardly as if Brezhnev’s likely to fear a domino effect if Belsornia secedes from the Soviet Union.” He grimaced. “That’s what people keep telling me that they think, anyway.”

“And you?” she asked. She felt strangely numb: she couldn’t quite believe that they were having this bizarre conversation.

“I’m relying on the fact that we should have political support from the West,” he said quietly. “Having a friendly country in the Balkans would come in very useful, especially now that this military government’s taken control in Greece, and anything that looks like a blow to communism is going to be welcome to the American government with a presidential election coming up. Then there’s the question of the oil.
(Elisaveta goes on about oil in Highland Twins!) I don’t doubt that our oil industry can be revived, and Western Europe’s desperate for alternative sources of oil after the trouble in the Middle East last year. No-one in Belsornia wants to play power politics, though, Con. All anyone there wants is the sort of peace and prosperity that they had before the war. When my grandfather was on the throne.”

There was one thing in particular that didn’t make sense here. “Aunt Elisaveta,” Con said. “She’s never wanted to be Queen: she’s always said so. I think that really she was sorry when Belsornia did away with the Salic Law. She’s always said that she regarded being royal as a burden. Even when I was still at school I remember her saying that she wanted to renounce her title, but the government-in-exile would never hear of it. ” She looked at him, puzzled. “Does she even know about this?” she demanded. “She doesn’t, does she? Oh Freddie, what on earth are you doing? Even if this does somehow succeed, how on earth do you propose to restore the monarchy without the rightful monarch? ”

#503: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 8:03 am

Very good question Con

Thanks Alison Very Happy

Liz

#504: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 8:36 am

Thanks Alison!

Trying not to squee just yet so I don't jinx anything! Very Happy

#505: Author: Robin, Location: London

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 9:00 am

Very good question indeed. Perhaps she can be persuaded to abdicate...

thanks Alison

#506: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 9:11 am

'Tis indeed a good question, though I suspect they'd be reasonably happy with the son!

You've done a great job of making it sound plausible! Smile

#507: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 10:10 am

Abdication is the way forward and then they can chose Freddie!

Thank you Alison.

#508: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 11:57 am

I am now having serious problems remembering that Belsornia doesn't actually exist!!

In trying to resolve the Elisaveta problem, I have got myself extremely worried over the possible options of a) just conveniently missing her out of the line of succession (as Henry VII effectively did with his mother) or b) restoring the Salic Law (but then got stressed in case that could be interpreted as excluding male heirs descended via the female line, as the French said when Edward III claimed to be king of France as well as England).

It isn't really an issue as Elisaveta never wanted to be Queen anyway and so getting her to step aside in favour of Freddie isn't a problem, but what really worries me is that I don't seem to be able to distinguish between real history and Belsornian history! I am fully expecting to find Belsornia neatly marked on a map of the Balkans next time I look at an atlas!

Definitely time for dinner break ... Rolling Eyes

#509: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 12:06 pm

*hugs* Im sure Elisaveta would be very happy to stand aside, and we want Queen Constance Wink

Im worried about Mirania though, did they manage to escape communism or does Freddie have some relatives who he can help install there as well?

*also worrying about fictional states*

#510: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 12:08 pm

I love this drabble so much, it's totally different to all other drabbles and very believable!

#511: Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 1:00 pm

This drabble is amazing! I can't wait for more!! Thank you Alison! Very Happy

#512: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 1:08 pm

When you were talking about Belsornia not being real I actually did a double take, thinking "what's she saying? of course it is!"

I hate to think what my geography lecturer if I'd mentioned Belsornia this morning....we were doing Soviet history for some reason.

Great drabble, Alison, thank you!

#513: Author: Nicola, Location: Derbyshire

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 1:09 pm

Oh help, I've just caught up on three days or so of this, and it's been an absolute rollercoaster. Thank you, Alison, and please don't worry about the plausibility, it's far too believable, that's why we're all hiding under desks. (Repeat to self: it is only a story, they are not real...)

#514: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 1:15 pm

Ally wrote:

*hugs* Im sure Elisaveta would be very happy to stand aside, and we want Queen Constance Wink

Im worried about Mirania though, did they manage to escape communism or does Freddie have some relatives who he can help install there as well?

*also worrying about fictional states*

Thanks for hugs!

I'm assuming that Mirania escaped communism. EBD never mentions it after Highland Twins (unless I've forgotten!). However, seeing as the Queen of Mirania was the Duke of Mirolani's aunt and the Duke of Mirolani was Freddie's father, then assuming that the Queen of Mirania's son (did she have one??) is now the king, then he will be Freddie's first cousin once removed ... now worrying about fictional royal family trees as well as fictional states ... Laughing

#515: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 1:21 pm

Unless she had no son, in which case Freddie could be the next heir anyway! Smile

Perhaps he could liberate both? Wink

#516: Author: Le Petite Em, Location: Cheltenham

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 3:14 pm

Another one who keeps thinking thst Belsornia is real!
I hope Freddie will be safe as he can be in Belsornia. Can we have a Queen Constance please?
Ooo how would Joey react to this? She'd better be nice!

#517: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 3:16 pm

Hmm maybe Belsornia and Mirania have merged into one state (with everything luffley and peaceful natch) Wink

#518: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 3:43 pm

Oh, this is wonderful! I can just see Con as the Queen. Does Joey still want to be the lady in waiting??!

#519: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 3:56 pm

“Mother isn’t the rightful monarch,” he said. “Not any more. She always wanted to renounce her title, as you say, but for years the government-in-exile wouldn’t agree to it. She never used her title anyway, though, so no-one realised when they finally did agree, and she agreed not to make the decision public because they were concerned that it’d demoralise the resistance movement. By then she thought that the title was irrelevant anyway, because it looked impossible that the monarchy could ever be restored, but she still felt that she wanted to formally give up her position as nominal Crown Princess. She agreed to keep quiet about it to humour them, though: they’d never given up hope of a Restoration.” He took a deep breath. “She wanted to renounce the claim to the throne for all of us, but they wouldn’t agree to that. So, when I was 21, they agreed that Mother could give up her claim to the throne in favour of me. If this succeeds, she won’t be the Queen: I’ll be the King.”

“I see,” she said. No wonder he hadn’t wanted anyone to know that they were seeing each other: her family were many things but blue-blooded wasn’t one of them. Well, she wasn’t going to disgrace herself by breaking down in front of him. She tried to think of something to say. “What about your brothers and sisters?” she asked.

“Con…” he said.

#520: Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 4:01 pm

Oooh What's he going to say??? Shocked

*waits to find out* Thanks for the update Alison! Very Happy

#521: Author: Alice, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 5:00 pm

Chalet_school_lover wrote:

Oooh What's he going to say???

My words exactly!

#522: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 5:35 pm

Poor Con, feeling worthless again, when she really isn't! Smile

#523: Author: Sophoife, Location: down under Down Under

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 5:43 pm

I knew it! It's The Lost Prince and Freddie's Marco! Er, is the priest the Rat?

Sorry Smile

this is great Alison!

#524: Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 6:06 pm

Con must be wondering to herself how she got mixed up in all this. Shocked

Thanks, Alison.

#525: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Wed Oct 26, 2005 6:08 pm

So what if you haven't got blue blood, Con? It's not really someone to boast about, the only member of the animal kingdom other than Royals to have blue blood are lobsters! Laughing

Thanks Alison.

#526: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 12:13 am

Never thought I'd be glad Elisaveta abdicated but I am Very Happy

Thanks Alison

Liz

#527: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 2:45 am

Fascinating...though I still think his chances are more than a bit remote.
Thank you Alison.

#528: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 2:50 am

Oohh, lovely, thank you, Alison. What is Freddie going to say? I hope it is sweet and romantic!

#529: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 7:56 am

This post and the next one are going to be rather long so that I can get on with the next bit! Thanks for all the replies.

“What about your brothers and sisters?” she repeated.

He decided that it might be best just to answer the question. “Carl is a doctor and all he’s ever wanted to be is a doctor,” he said. “He’s happy in Switzerland. Who knows, one day he might even end up at the Gornetz Platz with your father. And he has a lovely girlfriend, whom we all get on well with … and who’s a Protestant so if he marries her then he’ll never be able to succeed to the throne, although that doesn’t bother him at all. José’s always wanted to study law but there was never the money for her to go to university. I’m afraid that Grandfather held rather old-fashioned views about women going to university, but now that his estate’s been settled she should be able to do her law degree if she still wants to, and if she can find a place which I’m sure she’ll be able to. Raoul wants to go to Australia to take over Grandfather’s share of his cattle run, and Guita’s still at St Mildred’s. But I have to do this, Con.”

“And you told me you were an engineer,” she said blankly. She couldn’t get her head straight: she didn’t know what she was supposed to say.

“I am.” he said. “I trained as an engineer and I work as an engineer … but on a freelance basis so that I only work when … well, when I can. Sometimes in Switzerland. Sometimes in England. I’ve always felt more at home here than in Switzerland. My great-grandmother was English, remember. All this wasn’t meant to happen so soon, but events in Czechoslovakia have brought things forward: I didn’t know it was going to happen so soon: everything’s happened at once…. I know you must think I’ve been telling you a pack of lies all this time but…”

“Too right I do,” she cut in. “Well, at least now I understand why you didn’t want anyone to know we were seeing each other. I’m not exactly any sort of a match for the King of Belsornia, am I? That’s if you don’t end up dead in a ditch or thrown in a gulag for the rest of your days … oh Freddie, I’m so sorry, I can’t believe I’ve just said that.” She buried her face in her hands miserably.

“Not exactly any sort of match,” he repeated. “Oh Con, is that why you think I didn’t want to tell anyone? How could you possibly think that? You’re lovely – you’re talented, you’re intelligent, you’re beautiful, you’re kind and thoughtful … if anyone’s not a match for anyone then I’m not good enough for you. I’ve made a right mess of things, haven’t I?”

“You’ve still got a lot of explaining to do,” she sniffled.

#530: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 8:05 am

Awwwwww luffly Freddie - glad Con is listening to him, and hope he can convince her how wonderful he thinks she is.

Thanks Alison Very Happy

Liz

#531: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 8:09 am

He certainly has! Laughing

#532: Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 8:11 am

Interesting background to the family though, Alison, fleshing them all out.

And of course she's good enough for him. Shocked

Thank you.

#533: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 9:04 am

I'm glad he can reassure her that she's good enough for him

*Dusts off the hat Caroline gave me for all Maynard weddings* Wink

#534: Author: Robin, Location: London

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 9:11 am

Keep talking Freddie, I'm not convinced yet either....

Thanks Alison - this is fab Very Happy

#535: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 9:17 am

I hope Con and Freddie can sort things out... Confused

#536: Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 9:43 am

Thank you Alison!

My mind is piecing all this information together - wouldn't it just be easier if Mirania and Belsornia WERE real?

#537: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 2:34 pm

Sorry, this is going to be a rather long and convoluted and possibly melodramatic and soppy post ... but I want to get on to the next bit now and if they spend much longer talking then Belsornia will end up missing its opportunity ... worries again about inability to remember that Belsornia is actually fictitious...

“You may very well be right about the ditch or the gulag,” he said bleakly. “Don’t think that I’m under any illusions about what I’m taking on. I’m so sorry, Con: I had no right to get involved with anyone, not under these circumstances, but when I met you again and Jane and José set us up like that it all just seemed so right. I’ve made a right mess of things, haven’t I? The only reason I didn’t want anyone to know we were seeing each other was to protect you, though. It’s well known that my mother doesn’t want to rule Belsornia: no-one would suspect her of being involved in this. There are members of Eastern European royal families all over the place: not even the K.G.B. watch them any more. But if it were known that I’d been seeing someone … no-one would have hurt you, Con, I’m sure of that, I would never have put you in any danger, but they might have watched you and it wouldn’t have been pleasant for you. It isn’t pleasant, believe me, always wondering if someone’s watching you. That’s why I never wanted us to go anywhere that we were likely to be seen. And it’s why I never wanted anyone to know. People can say things, accidentally, casually, without realising whom they’re speaking to.”

“What about me?” she asked angrily. “Didn’t you trust me? Couldn’t you have told me? You must trust me now: you‘ve told me things that are potential dynamite. How do you think I feel about the fact that all this has been going on all along and you’ve never told me?”

“I thought I was protecting you,” he said. “I got it all wrong. All I can do is ask you to forgive me.” He bit his lip. “I think part of the trouble is that I’ve been dealing with plots and secrecy and danger for so long that sometimes I forget how to deal with normal life. It won’t happen again, though. I’ve been so miserable without you these last couple of weeks.”

She could sort of relate to that. “For as long as I can remember people have told me off for living in a storybook world,” she said. “It’s hardly the same thing but I can see what you’re saying. Maybe if I’d spent less time in romantic daydreams I’d’ve worked some of all this out. And I’m sorry I ripped up your letters and refused to speak to you. ”

“Do you want me not to go?” he asked quietly. “I am deadly serious. They can do this without me. There’s no law that says that Belsornia can’t be an independent republic.”

“Oh don’t be so ridiculous,” she said. “Even if you were willing to do that I wouldn’t let you, not on my account. The monarchy’s the focus of Belsornian nationalism: it always has been. Anyway, I admire you; I admire you for doing this. I know that everything you’ve said about Belsornia’s true. I want Belsornia to be independent. I just don’t want you or anyone else to be hurt.” She shook her head. “Mother and Auntie Madge and Uncle Jem, and David and Sybil, and Peggy and Rix and Bride and Jackie, they all went to Belsornia before the war, and I’ve always envied them that, because I’ve never had the chance to see Firarto or Prague or Budapest or any of the other places behind the Iron Curtain that I want to see.”

“I was born in Firarto,” he said. “Carl doesn’t remember living there, but I do.” He took hold of her hand. “Con, if this happens, if we win our independence, if I can go home … would you…”

“Don’t,” she interrupted. “This isn’t the time. You’ve known about this all along. I didn’t know anything about it until today.” She looked up at him. “When? When are you going?”

“This week,” he said.

“I see,” she said. “Well, I’m not going to try to change your mind. I understand that you feel that you have to do this.” She wanted to scream at him to forget this whole ridiculous idea, that she wouldn’t be able to bear it if anything happened to him, that it could end up with people lying dead all over Belsornia and the sort of repressive Soviet rule that would make what had gone before look mild by comparison, but she didn’t. If what he said was true, then Belsornia felt that it was willing to take this chance and live with the possible consequences. “I’ll be thinking of you,” she said quietly. “And I’ll be praying for you: I’ve learned to forget a lot of the things that I learnt at home and at school, but not that. I don’t want you to say anything else, though. And I think I’d better go now.”

She stood up and then she left. Not before they’d shared a very long goodbye kiss though.

Last edited by Alison H on Thu Oct 27, 2005 2:42 pm; edited 1 time in total

#538: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 2:39 pm

Finally things are looking a little brighter...well apart from Freddie goig off to possibly to be killed end up in a ditch or a gulag of course!

Thank you Alison!

#539: Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 2:40 pm

Please don't apologise Alison! This is great stuff! And extremely interesting! You know your stuff about Eastern Europe Very Happy

#540: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 3:22 pm

This is fascinating, thank you, Alison. Are you sure Belsornia is not a real place??

#541: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 4:14 pm

I don't think Freddie will make it Crying or Very sad

The USSR will not want to show any weakness during the height of the cold war and I think they will crush the Belsornians and shoot Freddie. Crying or Very sad

*Hopefully I'll be proved wrong*

#542: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 4:51 pm

*hopes Cazx is wrong*

Thanks Alison - Belsornia sounds real when you tell us about it Very Happy

#543: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 4:57 pm

*hurriedly fills in all the ditches so Freddie can't end up in one*

*hopes someone else will think of a way to take care of the Gulags*

Thanks Alison Very Happy

Liz

#544: Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 6:41 pm

Oooh Please, please let Freddie live!!!!!!!! Thank you Alison this is amazing!! Very Happy

#545: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 7:42 pm

Alison I think you're wrong, Belsornia does exist, I checked all the books on my desk and they all say the same.

*Debates whether to mention that all the books on my desk are chalet school books? Nah!*

#546: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 8:55 pm

Wow...just caught up with all this weeks posts (half term!!) Poor Con, to find him, loose him, get the truth and now face up to the fact that he might die.

Please let him escape the Russians.

#547: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 11:03 pm

What a problem...mind you, if Belsornia isn't real (apologises for the sacrilege Very Happy

), then perhaps the USSR will ignore it? Or decide to be nice?

Thank you Alison.

#548: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 1:16 am

*willing to invoke a Memory Charm or cloaking device, if either will help Belsornia*

#549: Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 2:29 am

What do you mean Belsornia's not real. Of course it is! And because this is a story all will end happily every after.

(or else I will initiate a poking of Alison)

#550: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 7:53 am

(Recap of intervening events to follow later!)

1969

The bells were ringing out at Firarto Cathedral. Some things in Belsornia had remained unchanged since medieval times, despite everything that had happened over the past thirty years. Whenever something of importance to the country happened, the bells rang out at Firarto Cathedral, their tones indicating whether it was an event to be celebrated or an event to be mourned. Invasions. Defeats. State funerals. Victories. Coronations. Royal weddings...

Or was it just the members of the Firarto Campanology club having their monthly bell-ringing practice?

#551: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 7:59 am

Oh sneaky - a futuristic cliff - I like it! Laughing

#552: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 8:14 am

Oh, that's just mean! Razz

#553: Author: Robin, Location: London

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 8:32 am

so mean!!!
Smile

#554: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 8:35 am

Alison H wrote:

Victories. Coronations. Royal weddings...

Yes, please, all of the above!

#555: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 8:37 am

Alison H wrote:

Or was it just the members of the Firarto Campanology club having their monthly bell-ringing practice?

Brilliant!

#556: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 8:38 am

Alison, that was sneaky!

#557: Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 10:31 am

Alison Please may we have some more? *smiles very sweetly* Thanks for the update! Very Happy

#558: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 12:38 pm

Thanks for the replies. Back to 1968 to finish off the political bit ...

With the Red Army’s generals’ attention focused on Czechoslovakia, the Belsornian regiments of the Soviet military mutinied in favour of independence and of the late King Carol’s eldest grandson, whose arrival in Firarto was the catalyst for widespread popular demonstrations across the country in support of his cause. Following the tragic events in Prague, Albania pulled out of the Warsaw Pact in protest at Brezhnev’s actions, relations between the Soviet Union and Belsornia’s neighbour Romania deteriorated sharply, and Marshal Tito made clear his determination to pursue a policy of non-alignment for Yugoslavia. Aware that its influence in the Balkans was on the wane, that the Western powers were keeping a close eye on events and not wanting to risk damaging the Eastern Bloc alliance any further for the sake of a small and impoverished state, the Soviet government decided against military action in Belsornia and agreed to recognise the tiny nation’s independence on condition that it pursued a policy of strict neutrality. Mirania, which had been reduced to the status of a province of Belsornia, had its independence restored as part of the same agreement.

Josephine M Bettany’s publishers, not wanting to become embroiled in a political row, politely but firmly refused her suggestion that she should write a book about the extraordinary events and call it Freddie Meets A Communist Dictator.

#559: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 12:44 pm

Quote:

Josephine M Bettany’s publishers, not wanting to become embroiled in a political row, politely but firmly refused her suggestion that she should write a book about the extraordinary events and call it Freddie Meets A Communist Dictator.

So what happened to Con??

Thank you, Alison, this is wonderful.

#560: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 12:49 pm

Woohoo! It worked! Smile

Love Jo's proposal Smile

#561: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 1:14 pm

Yippee!

Thanks Alison - wondered how you were going to manage it - but it sounds very feasible.

#562: Author: Chalet_school_lover, Location: Gloucester

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 1:17 pm

Thanks Alison! Very Happy

Anymore Freddie and Con??

#563: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 1:28 pm

Fatima wrote:

So what happened to Con??

Thank you, Alison, this is wonderful.

Thank you

As for what happened to Con, I'm working forwards back (?? there's something wrong with this sentence but you know what I mean!) to this morning's post about the bells ringing at Firarto Cathedral, so the story's not quite finished yet ... Very Happy

#564: Author: Robin, Location: London

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 1:33 pm

yay! glad there was no vengeance!

Thanks Alison

#565: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 1:36 pm

Yay it worked, huzzah!

Looking forward to more Freddie and Con as well, and lol at Joey!

Thanks Alison Very Happy

#566: Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 2:07 pm

At Joey....

So..... what happened next??

#567: Author: Le Petite Em, Location: Cheltenham

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 4:07 pm

Oooooooooo just caught up with loads of this!!!
Can't wait to hear what has happened to Con...
Have a good feeling...

#568: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 8:06 pm

Oh, this looks very positive.

Thanks.

#569: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 2:31 am

Well, this is very promising!

Looved Jo's suggestion...snigger!

#570: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 7:43 am

Still being secretive, but only to stop the newspapers from gossiping ... Wink

Please excuse any excess sentimentality!!

Elections were held as soon as they could be organised. A new democratic government took power, and a referendum on the restoration of the monarchy produced a “yes” vote of very close to 100% Very Happy

. The greatly admired king was working very hard and, with so much to be done, the coronation wasn’t to take place until the following year. However, the Royal Palace, which had been used as the headquarters of the Belsornian Communist Party, became his official residence and his home. The government ministers were extremely glad that he insisted on paying the Palace telephone bills himself: they couldn’t understand whom he spent so much time talking to.

His first state visit abroad was to the United Kingdom, much to the excitement of the British press who were delighted at the visit of a young, popular and extremely good-looking bachelor king. Some of the tabloids were rather disappointed that he didn’t give them much to gossip about, though: he seemed to spend any time not taken up by official engagements either visiting old family friends or, of all places, at the theatre.

Belsornian exiles began to return to their country, and a number of wealthy Belsornian-Americans provided the country’s oil and mineral industries with the investment needed to help them recover from years of neglect. The Belsornian economy received a further boost when the countryside outside Firarto was chosen as the location for the filming of the Hollywood version of the play popularised earlier in the year by Sir William and Lady Carew’s theatre company. The play’s author, now becoming well known in her own right, accompanied the cast to Belsornia: after all, not many people could speak both English and Belsornian.

She wasn’t needed on set all the time, which gave her plenty of opportunity for travelling around and learning about the real Belsornia. Used to the Bernese Oberland with its fields full of cows and goats, she found the arable countryside of Belsornia much more appealing. At the holiday resort of Elmiano, she forgot her dignity and went paddling in the Black Sea. It was so happy and peaceful there that it was easy to forget that Soviet warships were stationed not so far away and that things might have turned out very differently, but Con knew what a risk Freddie had taken and she understood that, in not telling her about his plans sooner, he had only been doing what he’d thought was best. She knew that he would never keep secrets from her again. When she ventured up into the mountains, which had protected Belsornia from the Turks, the Venetians, the Hungarians, the Austrians and Napoleon’s French but had sadly been unable to protect the country from invasion and occupation twice in the twentieth century, she found herself thinking about how much scope Belsornian history provided as a subject for her next play. She might even try writing it in the country’s own language: she spoke it practically fluently by now. Everywhere she went, she heard people speaking out in praise of the new regime.

Sitting in the White Salon in the Royal Palace, with the King of Belsornia’s arms around her, she confided that this part of South East Europe was beginning to feel very much like home.

“You don’t know how happy I am that you feel like that…” he said.

#571: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 7:46 am

So, let's have the full proposal, bended knees, ancestral ring, the lot.

#572: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 8:01 am

Awwww! Agreeing with Jennie here - want to see Queen Con - or will it be Queen Mary?

She's achieved quite a lot for someone her entire family thought was just an unpaid home help, hasn't she? Laughing

Thanks Alison

#573: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 8:02 am

Oooooh More please, and quickly, lol Laughing

#574: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 8:10 am

That was lovely. I am so hoping that there will soon be a royal wedding. Thank you Alison.

#575: Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 8:17 am

Have just caught up on the last few posts, Alison, and all I can say is *fantastic*

Looking forward, like all the others, to a romantic resolution. Laughing

Thank you.

#576: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 8:18 am

I would love to see Jo's face when Con is crowned Queen!

#577: Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 8:58 am

Awwww how lovely! I'm so pleased it's worked out well!

Queen Mary Constance of Belsornia??

#578: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 9:35 am

Does Joey know about Con and Freddie's relationship? I want to see her reaction! Very Happy

#579: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 9:40 am

Please post more Alison! I'd love to see the proposal... Very Happy

#580: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Sat Oct 29, 2005 9:59 am