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The CBB -> St Agnes' House

#1: How Joey Met Jean MacKenzie Author: Caroline, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 9:18 am
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This story was originally written as a chapter towards the end of The CS and Robin, but it didn't really fit with the rest of the plot, so didn't make it through editing.

Part 1 of 3

‘I say, Joey!’ Dr Maynard strode purposefully into the study at Plas Gwyn.

‘Hmm?’ murmured his wife vaguely, her head with its earphones of black plaits remaining firmly concentrated on the task in hand – correcting the manuscript of her latest girls’ school story. Jack grinned broadly, well aware that she had barely registered his presence, and calmly removed the thick pile of paper from her.

‘Hey! Careful with that, my lad!’ exclaimed Jo, waking up in a hurry now that her precious book was threatened.

‘OK!’ Her husband relented and the manuscript was safely tucked into a desk drawer. ‘Now – are you going to listen to me?’

Jo jumped to her feet and reached up to ruffle his fair hair, grinning impishly. ‘I suppose so – as you’ve asked so nicely. You are a bully, Jack!’

‘You deserved it, Madam Wife!’

‘I did, oh Lord and Master!’ Laughing, she curtseyed. ‘What’s so important?’

‘I want you to listen to a story.’ Jo re-seated herself and Jack perched on the corner of her desk. ‘D’you remember my talking about Ken Mackenzie?’

Jo frowned in thought. ‘Your old school chum – the Air Force one… Scottish, with a young wife?’

‘That’s the fellow – well remembered, by the way – and it’s Mrs Mackenzie that I want to talk to you about.’

‘Why? What’s up?’ Jo looked interested.

‘I had a letter from Ken this morning – it’s here, you can read it if you like,’ Jack handed over a few closely written sheets. ‘His Squadron is based down on the South Coast at the moment and Jean – his wife – is with him. But Ken’s about to be posted to a new Airbase where she can’t join him – he doesn’t say where or why, of course, I imagine it’s far too hush hush for civilians, even wives – and he’s worried about what’s going to happen to her when he has to transfer. She could go to her people, but they live in Edinburgh, and she doesn’t want to be so far from him, and he doesn’t like the thought of her living in a city at the moment, so – ' Jack raised his eyebrows.

‘So – your pal wants to know if she can stay here for a while?’

‘Spot on, my darling! I think you’d like her, Jo. Ken says she’s a ‘jolly lassie’, friends with all the world, and about your age. The added complication is that they’ve a new young son – Alan – and Jean’s been none too fit since his arrival. She’s lonely on the Airbase, of course, and worries terribly about Ken. All that, along with the infant, means she’s been really quite poorly and their doctor says she needs a change. Ken thinks that a quiet life for six months or so, away from the War, France and the RAF atmosphere, where she doesn’t know what he’s up to – under my professional eye and with your well-known friendliness, of course – might just do the trick.’

‘I suppose – ’ Jo sounded doubtful and a frown crossed her expressive face. ‘I’m not sure that we’ve room for her, though – when would she arrive?’

‘Oh, not for a few weeks – Mackenzie doesn’t transfer until after Christmas. He’d like things settled soon, though, to allow Jean to get used to the idea and so that she isn’t worrying about where she and the baby are going to live.’

‘I can understand that – ’ Jo heaved a sigh.

‘I can sense a ‘but’ coming!’ He looked quizzically at his wife, and her normally pale checks flushed with colour.

‘It’s just – Well, Frieda’s old news, of course,’ said Jo, referring to her school chum and house-guest Frieda von Ahlen, ‘and Rob, Daisy and Primula are part of the family, but I’d hoped to have you to myself for a bit, now that the Army has let you go, and if Mrs Mackenzie’s staying here, I’ll have to entertain her, and then there’s the babes – I won’t be able to spend as long with them, and Margot’s still not strong, and – ’

‘Whoa, there!’ Jack put an arm around his wife, as tears filled her eyes. ‘Calm down, Jo! All of that is true, of course, but don’t forget that although I’ll be here as much as I can, my work is at the San and I shall have to be there much of the time. You know how lonely you were this term with Robin and Daisy boarding at school – Jean will be company for you. And apart from that, Frieda’s here to help look after her.’ Jo didn’t look convinced. ‘Aren’t you being just a little selfish? The Mackenzies need our help – it would mean a lot to Ken to know that his family were safe and happy. Listen, why don’t you talk this over with Madge this afternoon? You are still going up to the Round House, aren’t you?’

Part 2 Coming Soon.....

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

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 9:30 am
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Ohhh this is really good Caroline! I love it when EBDisms are solved!
Thanks for posting it!

#3: Author: keren, Location: Israel

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 9:40 am
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Thanks for letting us see this.

#4: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 2:05 pm
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Thanks, Caroline. I'm looking forward to seeing the meeting between Jo and Jean.

#5: Author: Mrs Redboots, Location: London, UK

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 2:22 pm
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Thank you for posting this, Caroline.

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

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 2:41 pm
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Oooh you kept this one well hidden!

Thanks Caroline

#7: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 2:52 pm
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Thanks Caroline. It's interesting to see a younger Joey who doesn't open her home to all and sundry!

Kathryn

#8: Author: LesleyAnn, Location: Perth, Scotland

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 8:05 pm
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Thanks, Caroline, for posting this. It's good to see the relationship between Jack and Joey at this period in the books.

#9: Author: Lizzie, Location: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 8:36 pm
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I love stories that explore the Jack/Jo phenomena, especially when they're both being nice...

Thanks Caroline, I look forward to more...

Lizzie

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

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 9:24 pm
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Oooh! This is great. Thanks for sharing it Caroline! Very Happy

#11: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 11:22 pm
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Thank you for sharing this Caroline. I love Jo and Jack when they are like this. Nice that Jo was a bit concerned about openeing her home. How she changed as she grew older.

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

Posted: Wed May 03, 2006 11:38 pm
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I've never noticed it before, but Ken Mackenzie, that's a rather unfortunate name...

Plausible solution to an EBDism, Caroline, more whenever possible please!

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

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 1:25 am
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Thank you Caroline, this is lovely.

#14: Author: Tiffany, Location: madthesispanicargh

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 8:09 am
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thankyou Caroline - it all makes sense now!

#15: Author: Caroline, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 8:20 am
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francesn wrote:

Oooh you kept this one well hidden!

Thanks Caroline

To be honest, I'd forgotten all about this story until I read the 'who is Jean' thread on Anything Else!

Thanks, everyone, for the kind comments.
Caroline.

#16: Author: Caroline, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 8:23 am
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Here's Part 2

‘Madge! Where are you?’ Jo called out to her sister, Madge Russell.

‘Hello, Joey-Baba! I’m in the Salon – come on through,’ announced a distant voice.

‘How are you?’

‘Stop shouting at me, you infant, and come and see!’ Laughter filled the room as Jo and Frieda came through the double doors, to see Joey’s much older sister seated on the sofa, with her youngest child, two-year old Josette, playing on the floor in front of her.

‘Hello, Madge darling!’ Joey treated her sister to a bear-hug and then pounced on little Josette. ‘Come to Aunt Joey, precious!’

‘You’re looking well,’ said her sister, anxiously scanning the sensitive face with its clear creamy pallor. Orphaned at the age of twelve, Madge and her twin brother Dick had raised their frail baby sister, with the help of an elderly guardian. Consequently, Madge was the only mother Jo had known and the bond between them was strong. ‘How are the babes?’

‘They’re fine – trotting all over, too!’ Jo grimaced. Her triplet daughters had just celebrated their first birthday and now they were mobile she was having difficulty keeping up with them. Madge smiled – she also had three children, but they were ‘singletons’, as Jo phrased it.

Frieda, one of Jo’s dearest friends at their beloved Chalet School, founded by Madge in Frieda’s native Austrian Tyrol, turned from greeting Josette to bestow her own welcome on her former Headmistress. Madge had given up her job on the occasion of her marriage, but she still retained a keen interest in the School, which was now situated some three miles from her Armishire home.

When all the greetings were over and the ladies were settled, Jo proceeded to tell them about Ken Mackenzie’s letter.

‘And so,’ she concluded, ‘Jack wants to invite Mrs Mackenzie to come and stay for six months or so – for as long as the Squadron Leader’s posting lasts, anyhow. I’m not sure that I want to entertain a complete stranger at the moment, though.’

‘Why ever not?’

‘Oh, I don’t know.’ Jo flushed uncomfortably. ‘I’ve been looking forward to having Jack and the babes to myself and being a real family for once.’

Madge smiled sympathetically. Until recently Jo had been a sociable soul, making friends wherever she went. However, two years ago several members of the Chalet School, Jo included, had been forced to escape on foot from post-Anschluss Austria after angering the local Gestapo. When they had reached safety in Guernsey, Jo had been ill for several months with shock and reaction. Her marriage had followed, and then the birth of triplet daughters, and she had seemed to recover, only for the outbreak of war to force the School to flee again, resulting in a dangerous crossing to England for Jo, Frieda, the School’s Miss Wilson, and the baby triplets.

Six months later, a bad illness for her youngest daughter had upset her equilibrium once more and all this, in combination with the absence of her husband during most of the first years of their marriage on active service in France, had affected her profoundly, creating an ongoing insecurity in her life. In consequence, she had become somewhat ‘clannish’, a trait that seemed strange to those who knew her of old. Madge knew all about it, of course, and thought it best not to mention her own conversations with Jack Maynard on the subject. They were agreed that Jo needed a healthy interest outside her own circle to rouse her from this unnaturally inward-looking mood. Jean’s visit would, hopefully, do both of them the world of good, and so Jo was firmly persuaded that inviting Jean to stay was the only decent thing to do, and that her fears, whilst understandable, were groundless.

#17: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 8:52 am
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Thanks Caroline Very Happy

#18: Author: MaryR, Location: Cheshire

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 11:03 am
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This is wonderful, Caroline, with a very interesting reflection on Jo's character at that time.

Thank you so much.

#19: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 11:58 am
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Thanks, Caroline, this is a very interesting take on the situation.

#20: Author: Laura V, Location: Merseyside, UK

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 12:31 pm
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Quote:

I love it when EBDisms are solved!
Thanks for posting it!

Me too! this is great!! Very Happy

#21: Author: Simone, Location: Newton le Willows

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 3:31 pm
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Thanks for posting this Caroline

#22: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 5:13 pm
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Thanks, Caroline. It's good that Joey has agreed for Jean to come and stay.

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

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 6:11 pm
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It's so great when the ebdism is solved!

Thanks Caroline

#24: Author: LesleyAnn, Location: Perth, Scotland

Posted: Thu May 04, 2006 8:05 pm
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This is really interesting - I had never thought of the Jo's flight from the Gestapo and subsequent experiences as having this kind of effect on her character before, but of course, it's completely possible.

I'm really enjoying this drabble...

#25: Author: Caroline, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 12:34 pm
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Final Part....

Jo being Jo, once she had made her mind up to something, was determined to do it thoroughly. She dispatched a chatty letter to Jean, introducing herself and her family – adopted sister Robin Humphries, nieces Daisy and Primula Venables, triplet daughters Len, Con and Margot, Frieda von Ahlen with son Louis – and welcoming Jean to her lovely Queen Anne home.

Several weeks later, on a snowy evening in January, Jack collected a pale, tired-looking Jean Mackenzie and her son from Armiford Station. Back at Plas Gwyn, Joey and 16-year old Robin bustled around, putting the finishing touches to the guest room and making sure all was warm and welcoming.

As the car pulled up outside, Joey swathed herself in a shawl and opened the front door, casting a beam of yellow light into the gathering gloom.

‘Jean, my dear, I’m Joey Maynard!’ she cried, as Jack helped their guest from the car and Robin sped to lift the sleeping child from her arms. ‘We’re so glad to see you! Come along inside.’

The golden voice, one of Joey’s greatest assets, was full of warmth and affection and Jean immediately felt drawn to its owner.

‘Thank you so very much for inviting us – ’ she faltered in soft Scottish tones, gazing up at Jo. ‘I’m so sorry to have imposed in this way – ’

‘You aren’t imposing – we’re delighted to see you. I hope you don’t mind my calling you Jean, by the way – I feel as if we are friends already. Now, don’t worry about young Alan, Robin – this is her – will take him along to the night nursery and get him settled. Let’s get your outdoor things off, and then we can see about a spot of tea.’ She ushered Jean into the drawing room, where a jolly fire danced in the hearth and a small table was set for a meal. Jean took the proffered seat on the sofa and took stock of her surroundings – a charmingly pretty room, with book-lined walls and graceful furniture.

‘You’re very k-kind – ’ she stammered and then, suddenly overcome by the mixed emotions of the day, she burst into tears and buried her face in a cushion. At this, Jo gave a sharp exclamation and put a comforting arm around Jean, soothing and petting and talking nonsense to the dark curly head on her shoulder until Jean was calmer.

‘You poor dear, you must be exhausted! Why don’t I take you upstairs and let you see your room? You can check on Alan and then get into bed, and I’ll bring you a little something to eat.’

Jean let herself be persuaded, the two girls climbed the broad shallow stairs of Plas Gwyn side by side and, barely an hour later, Jean was fast asleep.

The next morning dawned bright and crisp, with the pale January sun glinting off a light dusting of snow. Jean awoke early and lay still, revelling in the peace and tranquillity of the house. Gazing around the lavender-coloured chamber, which would be hers for the next few months, she felt calmer than she had done for a long time, despite dear Ken being so far away. No nightmares had troubled her, her sleep had not been disturbed by the sudden drone of aeroplanes, the wail of the air raid siren or the inexplicable terrors of the night. Jean smiled as the sound of merry, girlish laughter filled Plas Gwyn – Robin and Daisy going about their daily chores downstairs.

‘I can be happy here,’ she thought.

Thanks for reading!

#26: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 12:35 pm
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Thanks Caroline Very Happy

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

Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 2:04 pm
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Thank you - what a lovely place to finish it.

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

Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 5:10 pm
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That was lovely, thank you Caroline

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

Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 9:49 pm
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Thanks for posting this Caroline, I really enjoyed it!

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

Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 10:03 pm
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That was fabulous Caroline - thankyou very much for posting it

Have you got any other bits that were edited out hidden away? Very Happy

#31: Author: Sugarplum, Location: second star to the right!

Posted: Fri May 05, 2006 11:23 pm
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Thanks Caroline - a lovely explanation

#32: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 1:38 am
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Thanks Caroline, that was really lovely and so realistic.

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

Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 5:01 am
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Thanks Caroline, that was fascinating.

#34: Author: Ray, Location: Bristol, England

Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 1:38 pm
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Thanks Caroline; you've very nicely filled that gap - I may just print this out and tuck it into the front cover of Highland Twins Smile

Ray *applauding*

#35: Author: LesleyAnn, Location: Perth, Scotland

Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 4:16 pm
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Thanks Caroline that was really lovely and just the right place to finish it...

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

Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 4:33 pm
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Lovely story Caroline! Just where to finish it. Filled the gap!! Smile

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

Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 4:57 pm
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That was so sweet Caroline!
Your Jo is lovely!

#38: Author: nikkie, Location: Cumbria

Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 8:43 pm
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Lovely thanks Caroline

#39: Author: nikkie, Location: Cumbria

Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 8:46 pm
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Lovely thanks Caroline

#40: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 12:27 am
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Thanks, Caroline. It was lovely to see the two women meeting.

#41: Author: JoS, Location: South Africa

Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 12:36 am
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Thanks Caroline. I really enjoyed this. Up until now, I had resolved to complete my EBD collection (well the CS and La Rochelle at least) before buying the fill-ins. After reading this, I have to purchase Robin. Smile

Bang goes my bank balance - again!

#42: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 6:46 am
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Very nice, Caroline!
Thank you. Very Happy

#43: Author: Changnoi, Location: New Mexico, USA

Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 4:04 am
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That was very nice!

Was there more?

I ask because Jean seems to know that Jo has a reputation for being welcoming and seems to think that Jo's house is just the place for the Highland twins to get comforted and to ease their way into social life of the school. I'd love to see more between Joey and Jean, with Joey using Jean's visit to help come out of her depression.

And it was VERY nice to see Joey being affected in a non-going-into-hysterics way by events. In the earlier books, her emotional reactions tend to consist of getting ill. In the later books, she is immovable, just sort of blustery boisterous Joey. Here, she is....human-er.

Thanks!
Chang

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

Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 5:49 pm
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Thanks Caroline - that was a lovely fill in Very Happy

#45: Author: Caroline, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 12:25 pm
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Thanks for the kind words, everyone. No - no more about Joey and Jean, unfortunatly.

Chang, apparently I always write Joey as nice and human. The GGBP editor has to tell me to stop making her so sweet, because it's not authentic enough....

Caroline.

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

Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 12:24 pm
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Just read all the way through this and thank you so much for writing it Caroline. I'm another who will be printing it out and keeping it tucked in the correct place. If you do ever intend to elaborate on the story, you'll have a willing and eager reader here anyhow!

#47: Author: Mollio, Location: Ireland

Posted: Sun May 28, 2006 4:12 am
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Lovely. Thanks. Very Happy

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