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The Bettany Girls - Complete
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Author:  Joyce [ Wed Feb 28, 2007 4:29 pm ]
Post subject:  The Bettany Girls - Complete

Hi,

I have always wanted to write a Chalet School filler, but never felt in the right mood till a few days ago and I banged out the following story. Of all things I was watching the Oscars at the time!

I'll post the first chapter just to see if you like it and I'll take it from there.

Cheers,
Joyce

I always wondered what happened in the Bettany household the holidays before 'Wrong Chalet School' begins. We are told in Wrong that there had been one or two unpleasant spats because Maeve was feeling that Peggy was ‘coming over the big sister with her.”

And yet by 'Bride' the two are on very good terms and Maeve adores Peggy. So this is the story of what might have happened in between the two books between the girls and the whole family.

Maeve is one of my favourite characters so I always wanted to know more about her. She always seemed overshadowed by Peggy and Bride but I see her as an interesting character who simply got overlooked.

At the beginning of this story – Maeve and Maurice are 11, Bride is 16 and Peggy is 17.

Chapter 1.

“It’s just not fair! Why can’t I see mummy?”

Maeve was working herself up into a real tantrum but Peggy was unmoved.

“Mummy is ill,” Peggy explained for what felt like the hundredth time. “She can’t have us going in and out of her room all the time. We need …”

“It’s not fair!” Maeve repeated. “Just because you are the oldest doesn’t mean you can tell me what to do. Don’t come over the big sister on me!”

Maeve stormed out leaving behind a family looking at each other in consternation. There had been a few spats between Maeve and Peggy these holidays but nothing this bad.

The Bettany children were home from school for the holidays and had been finishing breakfast. Peggy had been assigning chores for the day and everything had gone well, until Peggy had put a stop to Maeve’s idea that they visit their mother after breakfast.

Maurice made a move to go after his twin but was checked by Peggy.

“Just leave her,” Peggy said. “She’ll calm down and come back and apologise.

"In the meantime, Maurice and Jacky, if you have finished, go and start on the outside work. Bride, you and I will start on the bedrooms and then give the living room a quick going over. Oh dear, I wanted Maeve to do the flowers in the living room. She is so good at that.”

“She’s a nuisance,” Rix growled. “Dad should deal with her, not you. I’ll give him a hint,” At 17, Rix had no time for his youngest sister’s tantrums, and he backed his twin, Peggy, in everything.

“No, don’t do that,” Peggy said quickly. “Dad has enough to worry about. And when Maeve comes back, I’ll talk to her and sort her out.”

As the two left the room, Bride went to stand by the window. She could see Maeve heading for the stairs leading down the cliff towards the beach and her own private hidey hole.

Bride bit her lip as she watched Maeve disappear.

As the second oldest girl, she felt some responsibility for the younger children as well and she and Peggy had always worked well together. But then, there was only one year between them and they had always been together whereas they had not met the ‘second twins’ till they were eight.

Bride however, knew that she took charge of the children without being overly bossy. Peggy could not help sounding like the Head Girl. Maeve felt that while she had no choice but to listen to her sister at school, it wasn’t fair to extend that to home.

Bride sighed. She loved her older sister but she felt Peggy had judged the situation with Maeve wrongly. This was not going to be easy to fix.

***

Author:  Lesley [ Wed Feb 28, 2007 5:00 pm ]
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This looks interesting - and you can sympathise with how Maeve feels.

Thanks Joyce

Author:  Elbee [ Wed Feb 28, 2007 5:11 pm ]
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Well done Joyce! I'm looking forward to the next chapter already :D

I've always liked the Bettany children, especially Bride.

Author:  Chair [ Wed Feb 28, 2007 5:50 pm ]
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Thanks, Joyce. It's interesting to see the relationship between Peggy, Bride and Maeve.

Author:  Alison H [ Wed Feb 28, 2007 7:03 pm ]
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Thanks Joyce - and welcome to the CBB!

Author:  Loryat [ Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:00 pm ]
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Interesting start - is this around the time when Mrs Bettany is really ill? I'd like to see more. 8)

Author:  MaryR [ Wed Feb 28, 2007 9:13 pm ]
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Difficult to stop being Head Girl once you're appointed, I suppose. :lol:

Well started, Joyce.

Author:  Fiona Mc [ Wed Feb 28, 2007 9:41 pm ]
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Always loved reading about the Bettany girls and you're right Maeve always seemed to be overlooked

Author:  Elder in Ontario [ Wed Feb 28, 2007 10:28 pm ]
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Interesting start, Joyce - I'll look forward to seeing it unfold. I always felt that situation was hard on Peggy as well as Maeve, and I do remember how much Bride tried to act as a 'buffer' between them, both at home and at school.

Author:  Cath V-P [ Thu Mar 01, 2007 12:00 am ]
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How difficult for all of them; it must have been very hard for everyone to adjust after the four eldest children's long separation from their parents. And then Mrs Bettany was ill....

Author:  Tara [ Thu Mar 01, 2007 12:51 am ]
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Weird how in this era no-one seemed to realise the problems of children having to adjust to unknown siblings - and parents, for that matter. An interesting beginning, Joyce. Thank you.

Author:  Joyce [ Thu Mar 01, 2007 4:55 am ]
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Here's chapter 2 - The first few weeks home from Maeve's perspective.

I've tried to use the description of where the Quadrant was from what we are told in "Tom Tackles", but I know absolutely nothing about the North Devon coast. So I have made up the cliffs and the caves.

Chapter 2

When Maeve stormed out of the room, she had no real idea of where she was heading.

The Quadrant was located on the North Devon coast not far from Bideford. The house was on top of a cliff and the back overlooked the sea. Though the sea was normally too wild to bathe, they were allowed to walk along the beach and explore the cliff base.

It was here that Maeve found a tiny cave that she turned into her own private place. It was here that she now headed.

When Maeve reached the cave down on the floor and cried out all her rage and despair.

Gradually she calmed down and the gentle sound of the waves reached her. She got up and lay down on the sand to watch the sun dancing on the water and the light blue of the sky meeting the dark blue-green of the water.

Maeve started to remember …

***

“Mummy, are we really going to England?” eight-year-old Maeve danced into the room and grabbed her mother around the neck.

Mollie Bettany laughed and hugged her daughter.

“Yes, dear. Daddy has resigned from the forestry and in a few months we will be back in England. You will go to the Chalet School with Peggy and Bride and Maurice will go to school with Rix. But first we will have an entire school holiday to get to know each other again. Oh it will be lovely for the whole family to be together!”

For the next few months Maeve helped her mother and the amah prepare for England. So many things had to be packed away and stored that she did not have time to think have much she would miss India and how foreign England would seem to her. She had read all the letters from her brothers and sisters and seen their photos so many times that she felt like she knew them.

All the long journey home, Mollie told her stories of her family and the funny things they had done when they were younger. Truth be told, Mollie Bettany had been separated from her older children for so long she barely remembered them and the anecdotes she told were from letters from her sister in law Madge Russell.

But they made for fun hearing and Maeve found herself looking more and more forward to meeting Bride and Peggy. She found herself thinking how nice they must be “Just like a younger version of mummy,” she thought. And she could tell them secrets. Though she did everything with her brother, Maeve felt, even at eight, that there were some things only a sister would understand.

The ride to the Chalet School seemed endless and Maeve noticed that her parents seemed more and more agitated the closer they went, but finally they arrived and Mollie barely let the car door be opened before she sprang out and grabbed the two girls who had raced down the steps to meet her.

Maeve got slowly out of the car and Maurice joined her. Mollie was hugging both girls over and over again. One was tall and fair with curls and the other was also tall but had short brown hair with glasses. Both seemed to tower over Maeve.

The fair-haired one looked her and smiled. Peggy, she thought, but she was not sure.

“Mummy, which is which?” she asked.

“I’d forgotten you two!” Mollie said wiping tears from her eyes. “Peggy, Bride, here are second twins. Maeve, this is your big sister Peggy and this is Bride. You’re coming to school with them next term. Now let’s go inside. I’m sure Jo is eating her fingertips off waiting for us.”

Mollie walked into the house with Peggy and Bride on either side. Maeve followed slowly with her brother and aunt Madge.

As she watched her mother chattering happily to her older sisters she felt a slight chill. For the first time she started to realize what it would mean to share her mother.

***

That meeting at the Chalet School had been the first in a bewildering week of meeting cousin after cousin and then all her sister’s school friends.

She liked the Maynard triplets who were just a bit younger than her but she did wish auntie Jo would stop telling everyone that she had seen her and Maurice when they were howling infants. So what, Maeve secretly thought.

But it was getting to know her family that Maeve found hardest.

Suddenly it went from her and Maurice and mum and dad to eight of them. It went from her being the centre of attention to being one of six and the youngest one at that. And she had older brothers who snubbed her if she said something out of place which Maurice had never done.

Bride and Peggy were nice as she expected but she realized that girls so much older than her were unlikely to want to hear her secrets. Her dreams of them all being chums crumbled bit by bit.

And Rix scared her. She HATED being frightened by the things he said but she couldn’t help but shrink away from him. Her mother noticed and had a quiet word with her eldest son after which he looked a little shamed face and tempered his comments a bit, but not by much.

Worse of all mummy and daddy were always busy.

Daddy was shut away in his study looking over papers all day and Rix was always with him. When he was out, it was always with Rix and Jacky and Maurice tagging along. Before it was always her and Maurice and daddy showing them how to play cricket.

And every time she walked in the house, mummy was busy. Going off in corners with Bride and Peggy for private chats and there was no room for Maeve.

Perhaps part of Mollie felt guilty that she knew the older girls so little. She wanted to feel like their mother again and felt that sharing their hopes and dreams were the best way. There was nothing wrong with that, but Mollie did not notice that by trying to make it up to her oldest girls, her youngest was feeling left out.

Arranging the new house also took days and Mollie was always looking at curtain and carpet samples with Peggy and Bride, unpacking the treasures from India and even trunks of things that had been left behind in England all those years ago.

Again, it was wrong not to include Maeve but after she had dropped a vase, Maeve was told to run along and play. And gradually Maeve stopped asking if she could help too.

Mollie also let Peggy and Bride decide on color schemes which led to some very strange choices. For years, Maeve was to wake up in a room with bright orange curtains.

When the sun shone on them they glowed eerily and made her feel like she was in a giant pumpkin. The sun was to prove her friend however, as it faded the curtains and they were replaced by a soft damask rose when she was 13.

Maeve started to go off for long walks on her own or explore the cliffs around their new home and Maurice usually went with her. Sometimes Jacky would come and the three of them would spend the day racing on the sand and finding new exciting caves in the cliffs. It was on one of these explorations that Maeve found her cave.

It was nice to have her own place but it hardly made up for having mum and dad to herself. Maeve sighed – did noone understand her?

(I know I got the sequence wrong and we are told in "Tom Tackles" that Maeve and Maurice enter the school with Madge and then Mollie with Peggy and Bride. But I thought it would look better to have Maeve looking at her mother walking away.

I’m also not sure if we are ever told whether which of the second twins was older, so I made it Maurice.)

Author:  Lesley [ Thu Mar 01, 2007 7:59 am ]
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I can understand in a way - Mollie would feel guilty about not being with Peggy and Bride for so long - but did she have to exclude Maeve? :cry:


Thanks Joyce.

Author:  Frogize [ Thu Mar 01, 2007 8:20 am ]
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Poor Maeve! I've always thought she was rather neglected, both as a family member and as a character. It's weird the way they think that just because you're related to someone you and they will automatically get along. You wouldn't have those kind of expectations with any other stranger. I'm enjoying this very much - looking forward to more. Thanks Joyce.

Author:  Alison H [ Thu Mar 01, 2007 8:53 am ]
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Thanks Joyce. I've always thought that it must've been very hard for all of them, the older 4 children moving in with their parents and Maurice and Maeve after spending almost all their lives until then with the Russells - Bride and John can have had no memory of their parents, other than through letters - and Maurice and Maeve suddenly having 4 elder siblings whom they'd never met before living with them.

Author:  Chair [ Thu Mar 01, 2007 11:46 am ]
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Thanks, Joyce. I am feeling sorry for everyone involved, especially Maeve and Maurice.

Author:  RroseSelavy [ Thu Mar 01, 2007 1:44 pm ]
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Thanks Joyce. This is really good - Maeve was kind of neglected.

Author:  leahbelle [ Thu Mar 01, 2007 2:15 pm ]
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Lovely to read more about Maeve. Thank you!

Author:  Loryat [ Thu Mar 01, 2007 3:37 pm ]
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This is really interesting. I'm glad you're doing it because I always thought it would have been a good storyline for EBD to have written more about, wheras instead it seemed to just peter out.

In the Bettanys' case everything ends happily, but this sort of thing must have led to family estrangements. I like how you've included Mollie barely remembering Peggy and Bride, as well, since (unless it's covered in Tom Tackles) EBD doesn't seem to have much.

Author:  Mrs Redboots [ Thu Mar 01, 2007 4:51 pm ]
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This is extraordinarily good - many thanks!

Author:  Fatima [ Thu Mar 01, 2007 5:33 pm ]
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Yes, it must have been really tough on them all, getting to know each other and beginning to feel like a family; poor Maeve, feeling left out like that, though.

Author:  Alice [ Thu Mar 01, 2007 6:00 pm ]
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This is very good. A really interesting drabble, thank you.

Author:  JustJen [ Thu Mar 01, 2007 6:56 pm ]
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A very interesting drabble.
Please update soon

Author:  MaryR [ Thu Mar 01, 2007 8:38 pm ]
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Poor Maeve, to go from being a small family to such a large one - and to suddenly being neglected. Of course she wouldn't understand WHY she was being neglected. :cry:

Author:  JoS [ Thu Mar 01, 2007 9:21 pm ]
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Am enjoying the family relationship dynamic. Thanks Joyce and welcome to the CBB.

Author:  Fiona Mc [ Thu Mar 01, 2007 11:57 pm ]
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Really enjoying this. I feel sorry for them all. Mollie must be so caught up in her feelings that she hasn't seen Maeve's feelings. Poor Bride and Peggy too. It must have felt strange for them. I wonder if they ever missed Auntie Madge or their cousins?

Author:  Cath V-P [ Fri Mar 02, 2007 12:19 am ]
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How very difficult for all of them - and I can see that it would be so easy to leave Maeve out, especially when you're trying to learn about four of youir children at once.

Author:  Joyce [ Fri Mar 02, 2007 5:28 pm ]
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I'm glad you guys like it.

This is chapter 3. I've always liked Bride and saw her as more fun and less prissy than Peggy. Even when she was Head Girl she managed to stay very natural.


Chapter 3

The sun was rising rapidly in the sky and lying on the sand was very hot. Maeve was thinking of going back to face the music when she saw a long-legged brown-haired girl walking down the steep cliff stairs.

Bride was coming down to the beach.

“Maeve,” Bride said. “Let’s have a chat.”

Maeve looked at her. Bride and Peggy were such allies that she was not sure that Bride was not going to scold her. But Bride looked sympathetic and smiled at her.

“Ok,” Maeve said.

“You know, Maeve, I don’t think I have ever told you how much we longed for mummy and daddy when they were in India. It was hard being without mummy especially.

“Auntie Madge will always be very special to both Pegs and me, but there were so many of us in the nursery – all of Auntie Madge’s family, and us and Daisy and Primula. It was hard sometimes not to feel a bit like one of crowd. And Sybil … well, she didn’t like to share.”

“She doesn’t now,” Maeve said ruefully remembering a tussle with her cousin over a book they both wanted.

“Yes, well, she’s better than she used to be,” Bride said with a grin.

“But you can imagine how much we missed mother and wanted to be one family. Peggy got used to being ‘mother’ to us and we turned naturally to her whenever we had a problem or wanted to talk.

“There was a horrible night when we were younger and Jacky had his appendix out and it nearly burst. He was so ill that we thought he was going to die and Peggy and I huddled together and cried. But Peggy’s main concern was how she was going to tell mummy. It was one night we both just wanted her to be there.”

Bride’s eyes shimmered with tears as she remembered that night. Boyishly she used the back of her hand to wipe them away.

“Perhaps we have been selfish wanting mummy to ourselves all the time but we have had so little of her – Peggy and me and Pix and Jacky. Can’t you share her a bit with us?”

Maeve nodded. Despite herself she felt sorry for her sisters and she also remembered her mother’s face when she got the letter telling her that all was well with Jacky. It was the first time that she realized that what were just names to her, were living, breathing loveable people to her mother.

“It must have been hard,” she said. “And I know mummy will always be my mummy. But that doesn’t mean Peggy can tell me what to do all the time. I don’t like being bossed round. You understand that, but she doesn’t.”

“Peggy was always more mothering. And much more responsible than I am,” Bride said. “She was always the one who took charge of us and I guess we needed her to be.

“I know she’s being a bit bossy now, but she’s worried about mother being ill. Could you try and remember that – that Pegs is just trying to help mummy when she’s not feeling well?”

Maeve sighed. But the silent time on the beach with only the sound of the waves sliding onto the shore to accompany her memories had calmed her down. Try as she might, she could not resist Bride's appeal

Maeve nodded and promised she would try harder to get along with Peggy.

The sisters went back to the house. But even though she apologized to Peggy and tried to keep her promise to Bride, Maeve still felt a bit sore.

Peggy also felt that her youngest sister was avoiding her and the rest of the holidays was spent in a state of tension with the two girls dancing round each other.

Author:  Alison H [ Fri Mar 02, 2007 5:38 pm ]
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Thanks Joyce - this is really interesting.

Author:  Chair [ Fri Mar 02, 2007 5:49 pm ]
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Thanks, Joyce. I'm sorry that there is still a bit of tension between them.

Author:  Elbee [ Fri Mar 02, 2007 7:10 pm ]
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I'm really enjoying this, Joyce.
Thank you.

Author:  Lesley [ Fri Mar 02, 2007 7:51 pm ]
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And has anything been said to Peggy? Because just expecting Maeve to change doesn't seem very fair. However much Peggy has acted as a leader she should be able to recognise why Maeve resents her so much - and she is the older and so should be more mature.


Thanks Joyce - very interesting dynamics.

Author:  Pado [ Sat Mar 03, 2007 2:12 am ]
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Thanks - you're exploring relationships that I've been wondering about for a while now. This can't have been an easy time for any of the Bettanys.

Author:  Joyce [ Sat Mar 03, 2007 3:26 am ]
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thanks for the feedback. I'm glad you are enjoying it.

I must say you are a very kind hearted lot- I thought all the sympathy would be for Maeve but you seem to be sorry for all of them. :D

I'll post some more later but I had an idea for another one off story last night and I want to get it out.

Cheers,
Joyce

Author:  Cath V-P [ Sat Mar 03, 2007 6:57 am ]
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That was very interesting; of course they have to compromise in ways that they haven't thought about before. And presumably Peggy's main thought is to do everything she can for her mother to save her from extra work and worry. And Bride did so well there, trying to bridge the gap between Peggy and Maeve,

Author:  Clare [ Sat Mar 03, 2007 2:16 pm ]
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This is really interesting Joyce. It's such an insight into the Bettany family - as you say, it's something EBD should have expanded on more, other than just dropping hints about Maeve resenting Peggy.

Author:  macyrose [ Sat Mar 03, 2007 6:30 pm ]
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Clare wrote:

Quote:
it's something EBD should have expanded on more, other than just dropping hints about Maeve resenting Peggy.


And then suddenly adoring her.

I'm enjoying this a lot!

Author:  Joyce [ Sun Mar 04, 2007 5:11 pm ]
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Chapter 4

Maeve was relieved when she went back to school. Being one of a crowd was not so bad there and she could easily get lost among a host of girls.

But the term was a hard one – what with being moved to a different dormy and trying to stay out of Peggy’s way.

The whole silly jujitsu affair was dumb as well – she hadn’t even enjoyed it, she was always tired the next day and scared that someone would get hurt. But she couldn’t stand up to the Dawbarns.

Secretly, she was glad they were found out, and she was really glad it was Bride who found them and not Peggy.

At the end of term, she was asked to stay with a friend and she spent most of the holiday away from her family.

When she was home, Peggy was getting ready to go to Switzerland and was very happy. She was easier to get along with now she was no longer ‘being the Head Girl’ and Maeve felt more at ease around her than before. Finally, we could be a real family, she thought.

But the next term changed all that.

It started like an ordinary day. Maeve was late getting up and was scolded by her dormy prefect but that was all in a day’s work for her.

But after breakfast came the summons.

“Maeve, Miss Annersley wants to see you,” Matron said.

“Oh heck. What have I done?” Maeve thought. In her panic, she didn’t notice that Matron was looking at her with soft gentle eyes, very unlike her usual look.

When she reached the study, Bride was there. “Oh Maeve,” she said. “It’s mummy…”

Bride crying! Maeve thought. She never cries!

Miss Annersley held out a hand and Maeve grabbed it. She was not as close to Auntie Hilda as the older girls, but right now she felt like a lifeline.

“Maeve,” Miss Annersley said quietly. “You remember how ill you mother was during the holidays earlier this year? Well, the trouble has started again and she is in hospital for an operation.”

Operation, Maeve mouthed silently.

“Your daddy wants you to all be together,” Miss Annersley continued. “You auntie Madge will here soon to take you and Bride to the hospital.”

“Is it bad?” Maeve asked through chattering teeth.

Miss Annersley struggled to find the right words. “Your mummy is not well,” she said finally. “You can help by praying for her. And we will all pray as well – remember Maeve, God will be with you no matter what happens.”

But in Bride’s tears and Miss Annersley’s tense face, Maeve found the real answer to her question.

***

The ride to the hospital seemed interminable. Bride was quiet and seemed to not hear a word that Maeve said to her. Auntie Madge was quiet as well and after the one hug for both girls, she seemed to have no words of comfort for them.

When they reached the hospital, Peggy was waiting. Bride reached out and hugged her and started to cry again. Rix went over and the three of them whispered together.

Maeve went over to her brother Maurice and the two of them sat together and remembered the happy days in India when mummy was well and they played all day with her.

Daddy was with Auntie Madge and the doctor and they looked very sad and worried. Daddy came over and tears were in his eyes. Oh no, Maeve thought, clenching her hands. No, I don’t want to hear.

“Children, please come over,” Dick said. “Mummy has to go into surgery soon and the doctor said you can all see her one by one. Only you must be very quick and quiet and not tire her.”

One by one they walked into the room. As if by common consent, they went by age with Rix and Peggy leading the way.

Maeve watched them all walk in and out again and could not help but feel the doctor had allowed them this chance to say goodbye.

Finally it was her turn. Daddy leaned over, “Mummy has to go in to surgery soon,” he said. “Just hug her, OK?”

Maeve nodded and went in. Her mother looked so small and white against the crisp hospital sheets.

“Maeve,” Mollie whispered. “My baby.”

Maeve walked over. “Shh… mummy,” she said. “You mustn’t talk.”

“I like that,” Mollie said with a flash of humour. “My baby telling me what to do.”

Maeve smiled. “I love you mummy,” she said.

“I love you,” Mollie said. “You’ve always been my good girl.”

Maeve choked.

Suddenly she remembered all the times she had not been so good. The times when she had skipped chores and skived out of work leaving it for her brothers and sisters to do And the time when she had yelled at Peggy and ran away across the beach.

She had a glimmer now of what her sister had been trying to do – spare their mother from too much trouble. To make mummy happy and feel like they were one big happy family.

Maybe Peggy had a sense of what was coming, and even then she was trying to shield her mother, to make her feel that no matter what they would go on being a family.

And she had wanted to shield her sister – she knew what a shock it would be for Maeve to see their mother looking ill. Maeve wished now she had helped rather than hindered her sister.

But time was too short to tell her mother that. So Maeve just hugged her and left the room.

Soon afterwards Mollie Bettany was wheeled out into the operating room. The heavy sedation had set in and her face was peaceful. The doors swung open and the bed rolled through and out of sight.

At that moment Maeve’s heart broke.

***

The day dragged on. Doctors and nurses passed by in the hall while the Bettany family waited for news.

Auntie Madge came over with food and cups of tea and coffee but the children refused it all.

Finally, the doctor came to talk to them. “Mrs Bettany has come through the operation well,” he said. “But her heart is not taking the strain. The next few hours will be critical.”

In later years, Dick Bettany was to kick himself for that moment. “Why did I not take the doctor aside?” he berated himself. “The children did not need to hear that.”

“I’ll come back when there is more news,” the doctor said. He walked away leaving behind a family in shock.

Dick Bettany leaned his head against the wall and shuddered. His sister and Rix stood on either side of him. Peggy and Bride walked outside together. Maurice collapsed on a chair and cried brokenheartedly. Jacky sat next to him and tried to console his younger brother.

Maeve looked at them all. She knew she should try to hug someone but she felt numb. She was scared - daddy looked so old. He wasn’t supposed to look old.

Rix looked up and saw his youngest sister standing alone, looking so small and lost. His heart went out to her.

He went over and kneeled next to her and hugged her. “Maeve, Maurice will be all right,” he said quietly. “He just needs to cry for a bit. Why don’t you see what Peggy is doing?”

Maeve hugged him back and then walked over to the door where she had seen her sisters leave.

She found them sitting on a bench under a tree. Peggy looked up when she heard footsteps, held out a hand to Maeve and smiled though her blue eyes shimmered with tears.

“Are you hungry?” she said remembering they had not eaten since that morning.

Even now, she’s trying to be mother, Maeve thought fondly. “No, not really,” she said. “Let’s just sit here a while.”

Maeve sat down between them. Slowly a hand crept into Peggy’s and the other stole into Bride’s.

And the three sisters sat there and waited. And prayed.

(I know it’s unlikely that young children would be allowed to see their mother before an operation, but I wanted a hospital bed scene)

Author:  Lesley [ Sun Mar 04, 2007 6:20 pm ]
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Awww, that was lovely - poor little girl - and especially finding Bride in tears in the Head's study - Bride being a prefect and all.


Thanks Joyce

Author:  keren [ Sun Mar 04, 2007 7:30 pm ]
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very good and moving

don't worry about the timeline, even EBD didnt write them in the correct order so got it mixed up

Author:  JoS [ Sun Mar 04, 2007 7:47 pm ]
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What a moving and emotional scene Joyce. Thank you. At least Mollie's illness helped the Bettany children to pull together as a family.

Author:  Alison H [ Sun Mar 04, 2007 7:53 pm ]
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Thanks Joyce - that was really moving.

Author:  Chair [ Sun Mar 04, 2007 11:30 pm ]
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Thanks, Joyce. I'm glad that they all pulled together in their hour of need.

Author:  JustJen [ Mon Mar 05, 2007 6:41 am ]
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I must say Joyce, that you hvae a wonderful job wit h this story.

Author:  Joyce [ Tue Mar 06, 2007 5:02 pm ]
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Here's the next chapter.

Chapter 5

The day dragged on into the afternoon. Peggy insisted they return back inside and she brought food to them. Even though Maeve thought food would choke her, she tried her best to eat something when Peggy whispered that it would help Maurice to eat if she would try as well.

Finally as the sun set in the distance, the doctor returned smiling. “Mrs Bettany is much better,” he said. “And I think we can expect her to keep on improving.”

The family was silent – the shadow had come too close to rejoice just yet. But then Jacky made a sound between a cheer and sob and the whole family started to hug and cry and talk all at once.

Madge started to arrange transport to the hotel she had arranged for them. Dick wanted to stay longer in the hospital and Rix volunteered to stay with him, but only after a decent meal. Now things were better, Rix’s appetite returned in force.

As they moved towards the cafeteria, Rix looked back at his sisters, caught Maeve’s eye and winked. She smiled back and waved happily.

As there were so many of them, the boys and Bride went to the hotel first and Peggy and Maeve sat down and waited for the car to return for them.

“You know the whole time I was praying for mummy I was glad for one thing,” Maeve said looking at Peggy.

“What’s that?” her sister said.

“That you were here. That you could be our mother.”

“I could never be mother! Never!” Peggy said staring at her sister as if she had lost her mind.

“No, I didn’t mean take her place,” Maeve said calmly. “Just that you were here to keep us together and going on. You would never have let us fall apart no matter how bad things were. Nothing seems so bad when we are all together.”

Peggy smiled. “Sorry for snapping,” she said. “And you’re right. I would have tried to keep us going. But so would you have Maeve, we all would have.”

“But we take our cue from you,” Maeve said. “You and Rix are oldest so we follow what you say and do. Whatever you say to do, we do.”

Peggy was silent. She always knew that she was responsible for the younger ones but she never knew till now just how much they relied on her for guidance and leadership. Even when she was Head Girl, she knew it was a job that would be over when she left school. But being the older sister would last for a lifetime.

She looked at Maeve - the copper head of curls and the deep blue eyes, the pretty face that hid a clever mind and a deep thinker. For the first time she saw her as Maeve – a person, not just one of the ‘second twins’.

Her sister was growing up and she almost did it without a mother. Peggy felt a deep love for her and vowed that no matter what she would try to be a better sister

But “I thought you didn’t like it when I was bossy,” was all she said with a grin.

“I still don’t,” Maeve said. “So don’t you try it!” But she was laughing as she said it and for Peggy joined in.

“Tell you what,” Peggy said. “I’ll stop telling you what to do. Instead I’ll ask you and we can discuss it if you don’t like it. If you think I am being unfair you can tell me and we’ll talk about it.

“But sometimes I’ll need you to help me round the house, especially now that mummy is ill. She might not be well for a while and I’m going to need all your help to keep the house going – can I rely on you for that? After all, we both want what’s best for mummy.”

For the first time, Maeve felt Peggy understood her. She hugged her sister. “Can I tell you a secret?” she began.


(Nearly at the end. I can’t find what color eyes Maeve had so I gave her blue ones because Joey said she looked like Sybil. Cue for emails telling me where to find what colour eyes Maeve had :D )

Author:  Dawn [ Tue Mar 06, 2007 6:12 pm ]
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That is lovely
I'm really enjoying this Joyce - thankyou

Author:  Chair [ Tue Mar 06, 2007 8:09 pm ]
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Thanks, Joyce. I'm glad that Peggy and Maeve have sorted things out.

Author:  Fiona Mc [ Tue Mar 06, 2007 8:28 pm ]
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This is really lovely

Author:  MaryR [ Tue Mar 06, 2007 9:59 pm ]
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Just like Peggy, I too am beginning to see Maeve as a real person.

Thank you, Joyce.

Author:  Lesley [ Tue Mar 06, 2007 10:44 pm ]
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Thanks Joyce, Maeve is growing up, isn't she - and so is Peggy.

Author:  Joyce [ Wed Mar 07, 2007 5:18 pm ]
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The final bit. I wanted to bring the Bettany girls full circle

Epilogue

“And I am pleased to announce that our new Head Girl this year will be Maeve Bettany,” Miss Annersley said smiling at the crowds of bright young faces looking up at her.

Cheers and clapping broke out as a red-faced Maeve went up to have the Head Girl badge pinned to her tie. The same badge that Peggy had worn, the same one that Bride had worn. That all the Head Girls before her had worn.

They were gone now those girls, scattered to all corners of the world. Peggy was married and far away with her navy captain husband. Bride too was married and had moved to Hong Kong.

But they were still Chalet girls at heart and would expect her to carry on the great tradition they had left behind.

“They will be so proud of you,” Miss Annersley said as she pinned the badge on.

Maeve didn’t need to ask who. She knew.

THE END

(I actually have no idea what happened to Bride after "Ruey" when she is at Peggy’s wedding. But I live in Hong Kong and I wanted her here! :D

It also occurred to me while writing this that the Bettany girls are the only family where all the sisters became Head Girl. OOAOML gets in the way of Vi completing a Lucy hat trick!

I liked the continuity of the badge passing on from HG to HG and I can’t imagine that Maeve would not think of Peggy and Bride at the moment she received it.)

Author:  Alison H [ Wed Mar 07, 2007 5:22 pm ]
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(Bride was engaged to a solicitor called Simon Carrington, but I don't think we were ever told where they planned to live.)

Thanks Joyce - this has been lovely.

Author:  Chair [ Wed Mar 07, 2007 5:44 pm ]
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Thanks, Joyce. It was lovely to see Maeve thinking of her sisters.

Author:  Lesley [ Wed Mar 07, 2007 5:52 pm ]
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That's lovely - thanks Joyce, really enjoyed this.

Author:  Clare [ Wed Mar 07, 2007 6:32 pm ]
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Such a lovely ending Joyce, thank you, I've really enjoyed reading this.

Author:  Mrs Redboots [ Wed Mar 07, 2007 7:03 pm ]
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Thank you, Joyce. I really enjoyed that.

Author:  macyrose [ Wed Mar 07, 2007 8:11 pm ]
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Bride's forthcoming marriage is mentioned in Adrienne in a letter Dick writes to Jo:

Quote:
“Mollie says I’m to tell you to tell Adrienne that we want to see her. You lot had better come over for a few weeks in the summer. In fact, my chicken, you’ll have to. Bride’s wedding is to take place in early September. You’ve had to miss young Sybil’s – you must be present at Bride's. She insists on having all her girl-cousins for bridesmaids – except Sybil, of course. In fact, Sybs will have to take back seat as a guest because our own Peggy will be here in August, complete with baby son and, we hope, small sister expected in June. Peggy, therefore, is booked for matron of honour. It’s a mercy Bride’s future husband has only brothers and boy-cousins, or it would be a cavalcade Bride would be having to follow her up the aisle!”


I've enjoyed your story very much, Joyce. The Bettanys are actually my favourite family out of the Bettany/Russell/Maynard clan, though I thought it was glossed over how difficult it probably would have been to merge the two groups of the family after a gap of so many years. Your story did a good job of showing that part.

By the way, all three of the Bettany girls becoming Head Girls was predicted in Bride:

Quote:
Peggy was urgent that Bride should take on the job.‘I did it, and I’d like you to do it; and Maeve, when her turn comes,’ she said eagerly. ‘It would be such fun if we could say we’d all been Head Girl at school!’


Though, personally, I couldn't understand why Maeve was made Head Girl (apart from her being one of the Clan) since she didn't seem particularly distinguished in any way.

Author:  Elbee [ Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:50 pm ]
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A lovely story Joyce, thank you.

Author:  Joyce [ Thu Mar 08, 2007 4:50 am ]
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[quote] Though, personally, I couldn't understand why Maeve was made Head Girl (apart from her being one of the Clan) since she didn't seem particularly distinguished in any way.[/quote]

I agree. In "Feud" EBD had a real chance to show her capabilities as the two schools clashed. But we don't get anything from Maeve.

Then in "Jane" she and the triplets break up a fight. And she shows some personality in that which I was glad to see.

Cheers,
Joyce

Author:  Fiona Mc [ Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:26 pm ]
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Thanks Joyce, have really enjoyed this

Author:  leahbelle [ Thu Mar 08, 2007 2:22 pm ]
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Thanks, Joyce :D .

Author:  Karoline [ Thu Mar 08, 2007 3:36 pm ]
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Thanks Joyce, I really enjoyed this

Author:  Vikki [ Thu Mar 08, 2007 10:43 pm ]
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Thank you Joyce, that was lovely!

Author:  JustJen [ Fri Mar 09, 2007 5:25 am ]
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Thanks Joyce I really enjoyed your story

Author:  Miranda [ Sat Mar 10, 2007 3:58 am ]
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Thanks Joyce, that was lovely. I just read it all the way through and I thought that it was a very realistic portrayal of how difficult Maeve must have found the move back to England. I'm glad she got her HGship at the end :)

Author:  brie [ Sat Mar 10, 2007 5:02 pm ]
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thanks joyce i just found this and it was lovely

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