The CBB :: View topic - Goodbye, Ste Therese

#1: Goodbye, Ste Therese Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 9:43 am

I was re-reading Exile and it struck me that Joey never said goodbye to the school she loved. I thought I would remedy that...

Two girls walked arm-in arm around the deserted building. Their footsteps echoed on the wooden floors, the high polish now dulled. They paused often, looking around the rooms, remembering.

"It will be hard for you, n'est ce pas?" asked the smaller one. The older girl gave a sad smile.

"There are so many memories, Robinette. This was home to me from the time we moved here until Madge married. And even after that, it still felt like home. I remember so much, the first day when we were all getting to know each other, arguing with Grizel, the sale, sitting in the prefect's room as Librarian, and as Head Girl... you'll never get to do that now, Rob."

"But, Joey, the school will go on." the younger girl pointed out. "At the Sonnalpe, and I will be at the Chalet School again, not at the Annexe!" despite the sombre mood, she gave a little skip at the thought.

"It won't be the same, though." Joey relplied. "The rooms, well take the study. It has had so many happenings in it over the last eight years. It didn't matter if it was Madge, or Mademoiselle, or Miss Annersley there, it was a place where you could go if you had a problem and be sure of getting help."

"It will still be so." Robin said. "The Headmistresses study will always be a place where you can receive help, regardless of the room, surely?"

"It won't be the same!" Joey said, sitting down on one of the window ledges. "Oh, Rob, you don't understand. This place is where I spent six years of my life. I can't just leave it and accept Der Edel Ritter as the school. This is the school! Even before St Agnes, and the rest were built, this building was my home."

"But I understand well." the younger girl replied. "I, too, have memories here. Of waking up the first morning and not knowing where I was. Of this place being home. It was home for me, too, Joey. Before I went to the Annexe." she added. Joey nodded.

"I suppose so. But Rob, don't you understand how hard it is to leave?"

"It is hard, yes. And it is sad to think of the poor Ste Therese, and St Agnes, St Claire, St Scholastica, and St Hild, without the Chalet School in them. But it could be much worse, Joey. We could be leaving Austria. At least we need not do that."

"You never know." Joey said, gloomily. "Jem may take it into his head yet to send us out of the country."

"But I think not." Robin replied. "Tante Marguerite thinks he worries too much moving the school to the Sonnalpe. She will never agree to having us sent away. And where would we go? Hardly to Dick and Mollie. It would mean England, and there is no one there to take us."

"True." Joey agreed. "I can't imagine leaving Tiernsee. You're right. At least we will still be in a place we love, with people we love."

"We must give the new building the memories as the old one had." Robin said, decisivly. "Me, I will help with that. You must too, Joey."

"All right." Joey agreed. "We will make Der Edel Ritter a Chalet School to be proud of. And we will stay there for the next eighty years!" Robin giggled.

"Maybe, Joey. Now, we must hurry. Jem is waiting and you know we promised to arrange the new library before the girls arrive." Joey nodded and followed Robin out of the building, locking the door behind them. She paused at the gate, and thought over Robin's words.

"At least we are not leaving Tiernsee." she said quietly, before climbing into the car beside her adopted sister.

Last edited by Eilidh on Fri Oct 07, 2005 10:26 am; edited 2 times in total

#2: Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 9:46 am

Thank you Eilidh that was wonderful. *sighs* Smile

#3: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 10:05 am

Thanks Eilidh. It's a shame their optimism was misplaced though Crying or Very sad

#4: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 10:23 am

Lovely, thanks Eilidh. I can just see that scene

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

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 10:59 am

Thankyou Eilidh, that was really lovely. Bittersweet though, knowing what was to come. Sad

#6: Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 12:05 pm

Interesting that Jo is determined to be gloomy and forgets that Robin has very special memories of the building too - although she does pull herself together eventually

adn Robin is lovely in being so determined to be positive and move on

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

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 12:24 pm

So beautiful and so sad

Thanks Eilidh

Liz

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

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 1:24 pm

That was lovely Eilidh, especially seeing Robin's optimism contrasted with Jo's gloomyness.

#9: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 2:09 pm

Thanks, Eilidh. That was so sad and moving, especially knowing that they would soon have to leave Austria.

#10: Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 2:56 pm

That was lovely Eilidh.
Thank you.

Star Wars

#11: Author: Lyanne, Location: Ipswich, England

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 6:30 pm

Typical Jo - not wanting anything to change! Poor little girls - one forgets how much it was their home. I begin to realise why Jo cannot leave the school.

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

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 6:47 pm

Beautiful Eilidh - I'm glad Jo finally got a chance to say good-bye.

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

Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2005 8:19 pm

Thanks Eilidh, the goodbye made all the more poignant because we know what comes next.

#14: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Sat Oct 08, 2005 1:03 am

Thanks Eilidh. You've reminded me that it was Jo's home as well as school.

Very sad, knowing what we know.

#15: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 4:19 pm

Lovely, thanks Eidlih

Ruth

#16: Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 7:43 pm

Excellent Eilidh - it's so EBDish in tone that I'm going to consider it a missing chapter from Exile.

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

Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 8:45 pm

That was lovely, thank you. Very bittersweet considering what was to come.

#18: Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex

Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2005 8:45 pm

Thank you for a totally moving and beautiful piece.

Hannah

#19: Author: Josie, Location: London

Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 2:39 am

That was lovely, Eilidh. Thanks. Very Happy

The CBB -> St Agnes's House

output generated using printer-friendly topic mod, All times are GMT

Page 1 of 1