This is a repost, but Ray will be back with new stuff when she returns from her holiday
Rayminion
Chapter 1
Despite the early hour, Francie found herself wide-awake. She lay, snuggled beneath her plumeau, thinking about what was to come. Today was the first day of the Christmas holidays and the first full day of her stay at Freudesheim. The previous day had been the final day of term and, as such, had been spent toing and froing between the school and the Maynard family home, trying to sort out possessions and where they should be. Francie grinned to herself. She would almost swear that at one stage she managed to carry the same collection of miscellaneous underclothes and handkerchiefs between the two buildings on no fewer than three occasions!
Everything had finally been arranged and she had been able to unpack her things in the dainty room that Joey had shown her to. The walls had been painted an austere white, but that was relieved by the sunshiny-yellow curtains, rugs and counterpane which gave the whole room a warm feel. Her clothes, such that she had at present, were either neatly put away in the chest of drawers or hanging in the large hanging closet, while her books had been added to the contents of the bookshelves beside the bed. Beside the window stood a basket chair with cushions, also done in yellow, which looked just right for curling up in. In fact, the whole room felt very much like a place she could come and spend time in if the noise and the chaos got too much.
Today would see a trip down into Interlaken for some Christmas shopping and the arrival of the four eldest Maynard boys, plus Ruey's two brothers. The former would also let her buy some non-uniform clothing more suited to the Alpine regions. Mimsie had kindly sent a trunk full of her home clothing, which Francie had unpacked because, as Joey had pointed out, it would be better for being properly put away rather than left in the trunk in the Freudesheim attic, but most of it wouldn't be worn until Easter. The boys' arrival, though, was something that she was apprehensive about. She had no experience of boys any older than Geoff and she was fairly sure it was going to be an awkward first meeting.
Outside her bedroom, she heard the soft sound of footsteps and a moment later there came a gentle knock on her door.
"Francie?" Len's voice was soft.
"I'm awake," Francie answered, wriggling into a sitting up position.
For response, Len opened the door and poked her head into the room. "Breakfast's going to be in half an hour," she announced. "We're getting an early start into Interlaken so that we can be ready to come home when the boys' train arrives."
Francie stared. "How on earth will we all be able to come back at once?"
Len chuckled deeply. "Minnie," she answered. Francie opened her mouth to object to that statement, but Len shook her head. "You'll see," she promised. "We've got to get a move on, though."
And with that, Len departed for the bathroom. With little other choice, Francie got out of bed and made suitable haste with stripping her bed and preparing for the day ahead. As she did so, she silently thanked her stars that Joey was a little less rigorous in her demands than Matey was where bed stripping was concerned. Her morning routine at school had been difficult, to say the least, since she'd broken her arm; though she was aware that Matey had been lenient with her over matters such as mattress turning, and sundry members of her dormitory had been permitted to help her out when necessary. All the same, the last two and a half weeks of term had been even more of a scrum in the mornings, and even now, with Joey's lesser demands, Francie found she was still barely down in time for breakfast.
To her surprise, both Joey and Jack were sitting at the breakfast table when she arrived. She had been assuming that, given the early start, the only people eating would be those going to Interlaken.
"Would you like coffee or tea?" Joey asked, interrupting Francie's train of thought.
"Coffee, please," Francie answered, taking her seat as Con, the last of the triplets, arrived in the Speisesaal.
"Coffee it shall be, then," said Joey, dispensing coffee from the big urn and passing the full cup down to Francie. "Wire in. I suppose Ruey is on her way?" she added, looking at the middle triplet with raised eyebrows.
"She is," Con answered, sitting down. "She was hunting for a hankie."
Con's answer was rendered moot as at Ruey entered the Speisesaal at that moment, and breakfast got properly underway. There was scrambled eggs or porridge on offer, as well as toast and a choice of either Anna's home-made raspberry jam or golden honey, all washed down by either coffee or tea. Francie chose scrambled eggs and then helped herself to toast, which she spread liberally with the jam, which was more richness than they normally received during term time.
As she ate, she listened as the triplets and Ruey bantered between themselves, with Joey and Jack putting in the occasional word. It was a fascinating window on family life, Francie decided, though she did wonder quite what the noise level would be like when the whole family was assembled.
Breakfast began to wind down, and as last cups of coffee were drained and last bites of toast swallowed, Joey said, "You have ten minutes to get ready to go; late comers will be left behind." She gave them all a mischievous look. "And don't think I won't, for we've simply too much to do before the boys' train arrives. Don't worry about making beds this morning; they can be made when we get back."
"Are you coming too, Mama?" Con asked.
"I certainly am," Joey replied. "You're not the only ones who want to do some shopping! Now if everyone's finished?" At answering nods, Joey said grace and then dismissed them from the table with another reminder that they had just ten minutes to get ready.
"What about Felicity and the others?" Francie asked as she followed Len up the stairs.
"Flixy is going to spend the morning with Lucy Peters," Margot answered from behind her. "And Rosli will look after Cecil and the twins. You didn't think we'd be taking the babes, did you?"
Francie looked over her shoulder and pulled a remarkable grimace at the youngest triplet. "Of course I didn't; I was just wasn't expecting your mother to be coming with us."
"Mama will spend the afternoon with the babes," Con answered. "Since she's spending the morning with us."
"Besides," said Len, "I rather think your step-mother asked Mama to see to any clothing you need."
"I don't want to be a nuisance," Francie began.
"Rot," said Margot bracingly. "Mama said herself she has shopping to do, and I know we three, at least, need some new winter clothing as well, so even if you weren't here, she'd be coming with us."
Francie blushed and said no more.
In less than the required ten minutes, all five of them were ready and waiting in the hall.
"All here?" Jack asked.
"All but Auntie Joey," Ruey pointed out.
"And here I am," said Joey, descending the stairs. "Is everyone ready? Does everyone have everything? Purses? Bags? Coats?"
"Mother!" Margot complained. "We're not Flixy, ah, Felicity," she modified under her mother's stern gaze.
"What have I told you about that particular short?"
Margot blushed. "Sorry, Mama."
"Well if we're all ready," said Jack, "shall we go?"
At the chorus of yeses, he chuckled and opened the front door, ushering them out into the still-dark, cold morning. To Francie's surprise, parked immediately in front of the door was a minibus.
"Minnie," said Len with a grin.
Francie chuckled. "I now see how we're all going to get back here."
Len just chuckled in response as they all piled into Minnie. Barely moments later, they were off.
"What's the plan?" Jack asked as he pulled onto the coach road.
"First things first," said Joey, "the girls all need new winter clothes of one sort or another. You're welcome to come with us, or we can meet for early elevenses at the pâtisserie."
"I'll meet you for elevenses," Jack decided. "The usual place?"
"Yes," Joey agreed. "Ten o'clock?"
"Can do," said Jack affably.
"After that," Joey continued, "we'll have about an hour before the boys' train arrives for any Christmas shopping that needs to be done." She paused to look at the five girls. "We'll split up for that, I think; I know I can trust all of you to meet us at the Hauptbahnhof at noon."
"We will, Mama," Con promised.
"Definitely," agreed Ruey.
"You all know Interlaken quite well," Joey added, "and heaven knows, should any of you get lost, you all speak decent German."
"Lost!" Margot exclaimed, outraged. "We shouldn't get lost."
"I never over estimate anyone's sense of direction," her mother retorted. "And that includes my own," she added, provoking a chuckle from Jack, who murmured something rather pointed about Umfert. Francie glanced at Len, but she looked just as puzzled as Francie felt. "Anyway. There it is; that's the plan. Does anyone have any objections? Speak now or forever hold your peace."
No-one did.
"I'll drop you on the Hoheweg," said Jack as they reached the outskirts of Interlaken, "then park Minnie in the Hauptbahnhof's car park. So be ready to tumble out; we shan't have long."
His warning proved accurate as, even allowing for the early hour, the Hoheweg was busy and there was barely time for Jack to stop to let everyone out.
"This way," Joey directed, and the morning's adventures began.
An hour later, and weighed down with several bags of winter woollies and assorted other necessities required for the alpine climate, Francie was only too relieved to take a seat in the warm pâtisserie for elevenses.
"Are you all right?" Len asked as she took her own seat.
"A bit overwhelmed," Francie admitted. "We don't seem to have stopped since we left Minnie."
Their first port of call had been a department store similar to ones Francie had visited the last time Mimsie had taken her shopping in London. The chief difference was that it was barely past nine o'clock in the morning and while the London shops would just be opening up, the Interlaken shop was already busy. From there, several jumpers had been picked out along with a couple of skirts, a pair of comfortable climbing breeches and a padded winter coat. At this last, she had started to voice an objection, since she had a school winter coat that she could wear, but Joey had stopped her:
"Your step-mother asked me if I could see to getting you warm clothing so that you wouldn't have to wear any of your school uniform during the holidays. And that includes a coat. Besides," she added, "this will be better for scrambling and hiking than your school coat, and I have one or two scrambles and hikes planned."
"I told you Auntie Joey would have some wizard plans for the hols," Ruey had pointed out as soon as Joey was out of earshot, and that had ended that particular discussion.
At the next shop, everyone acquired new pairs of thick, woollen socks, stockings and sundry other items of underwear, while at a third shop, both Ruey and Margot required new boots. They had then needed to run in order to meet Jack at the pâtisserie in time.
Len offered a grin. "I do feel a little like Alice, always being told to 'come on'," she admitted. "Still, it's a chance to breathe now. Help yourself to some coffee and tell me what cake you'd like. I'll get it for you."
"You don't have to," Francie began.
"I don't," Len agreed, "but dad'll probably have rude things to say about how much you've done with your arm today as it is. No point in making it worse!"
That was something Francie couldn't argue with. "An éclair, then," she said, "and thank you."
Len grinned and went to chose their cakes and Francie helped herself to coffee from the steaming pot already on the table. It didn't take long before the rest of the party joined her at the table and began enjoying some well-earned elevenses.
"So, a successful morning so far?" Jack asked.
"Mostly," Joey agreed. "Though I couldn't find the oddments I wanted for Geoff and Phil; they've outgrown all their winter clothing from last year and none of the winter clothing I have put aside fits them!"
"Girls?"
"Oh, definitely," said Con before taking a rather incautious bite out of her cream horn, which, predictably, spurted its filling onto her plate.
"Messy brat," said her father affectionately.
"You'd think you'd know better than to do that by now," said Len severely.
Con just grimaced with a will at both and cleansed her fingers by the simple expedient of licking them.
Francie chuckled and made doubly sure to avoid the same fate when she bit into her éclair.
"I think," said Joey, sipping her coffee, "that it might be best if we take our purchases back to Minnie, rather than us lugging them around the rest of the shops."
"Given that one of us isn't supposed to be doing any lifting if she can help it," said Jack, giving Francie a pointed look, at which she promptly blushed, "that's probably a good idea. I do suppose you left something for other folks when you'd finished?" Jack added, eyeing the number of bags that they'd piled up on one of the spare chairs.
"Hi! We haven't bought that much, my lad," Joey retorted. Then she too eyed the number of bags. "Though I suppose we do have rather a few purchases between us."
"Then that's settled. If you five have finished," he continued, looking at the girls, "I suggest you scoot off and get on with whatever shopping you have left to do. We'll see to your packages."
"Don't forget," Joey added as all five stood up, "you need to be at the Hauptbahnhof by noon. Stragglers may be left behind."
"We'll be there," Len promised.
Once they were outside the pâtisserie, Margot asked, "Where to?"
"The big toyshop, I think," said Con thoughtfully. To Francie, she explained, "We four," and she waved her hand at Len, Margot and Ruey in an expansive gesture that set Margot to ducking lest her sister actually poke her in the eye, "are getting together to buy the boys a really lavish Meccano set. Even Charles enjoys making models and dad's set just isn't up to much."
"And we're getting Fliss and Cecil some new furniture for La Maison des Poupées," Ruey continued.
"Do you want to join us?" Len finished.
"Con, you're a positive menace," Margot muttered.
"Sorry," said Con most unapologetically.
Margot opened her mouth to respond, but Len got in first. "Hey; no scrapping. We simply haven't got time for that." To Francie, she said, "So how about it?"
As Francie had been wondering just what she should do regarding gifts to the other Maynard children, this seemed like the obvious answer. "Of course."
"The toyshop, it is, then," said Ruey, and they set off in that direction.
"What about Roger?" Margot asked.
"I expect he'll enjoy the Meccano with everyone else," said Ruey, but she sounded doubtful.
"We ought to get him something separate," Con argued. "After all, even Steve's years younger than he is."
"But what?" Margot demanded.
Slightly shyly, Francie ventured, "What about book tokens?" She suddenly found herself the focus of four sets of eyes as Ruey, Con, Margot and Len all turned to look at her.
"Francie, you're a genius!" exclaimed Con.
"That's the very thing," agreed Len.
"What a wonderful idea," Margot decided. "It's perfect."
"Definitely," said Ruey nodding vigorously. "I've no idea what he'd like in a book, but this way, he can choose his own."
Francie blushed. "Glad you like it," she murmured.
Sparing her from further embarrassment, Len decided they needed to get a move on and the pace she set the group left no-one time for comments until they reached the toyshop.
The next half an hour was filled with the very pleasurable task of choosing the new dolls house furniture and picking out the Meccano set. Francie had never been one for playing with dolls and dolls houses, but looking at the display of furniture the shop possessed, she rather wished she had been. Once that was done, Ruey and Margot, armed with contributions from everyone else, made tracks for the big bookshop to purchase the book tokens for Roger, leaving Len, Con and Francie to wander through the Interlaken Christmas market.
"What a wide variety of stalls," Francie observed, as she spied a stall selling cakes and sweets cheek-by-jowl with a stall filled with hand-blown glass works.
"Isn't it?" said Con with a grin. "I love it. Sometimes, they have demonstrations, too; last year, they had the glass blower, demonstrating how he creates the vases and so on. I could have watched him forever!"
"It's a pity he's not here today," said Len. "Have you ever seen glass being blown?" she asked Francie, who shook her head. "Maybe next time, then." She smiled. "If you have any presents you still need to buy, this is a good place for it."
"I was wondering what to get for your mother and father," Francie admitted.
"Mama is easy," said Con with a grin. "She collects carved animals, and there's a stall with some simply amazing carvings just round the corner."
Len nodded. "Papa is easy, too; there's a stall that does the most luscious truffles that Papa likes. We'll show you."
Francie smiled. "Thank you."
And by the time they reached the Hauptbahnhof, Francie had a beautifully carved cat and a kilo of the truffles tucked into her handbag. She had also contrived to slip away from Len and Con for a couple of moments and nestling beside the gifts for Joey and Jack were a small note book for Con, a lovely little vase that she'd seen Len casting longing glances at, a selection box of truffles for Margot and, after advice from both Len and Con, a new fountain pen for Ruey. The final package in her handbag was another notebook, together with a pen, which she'd bought for Eric. It had been tricky deciding what she should get for him, and she finally settled on the book and pen with the idea that he could use it to write down flashes of memory to see if they made any more sense when all combined.
"All done?" Margot asked as she and Ruey caught them up at the entrance to the bahnhof.
"Just," said Len. "Though I did think we might have to run for it to be on time!"
Ruey chuckled. "So did we," she admitted. Then she looked around. "Where are Uncle Jack and Auntie Joey?"
"Over there," said Con, spotting her parents, who were further along the concourse. "And they've got someone with them," she added in surprised tones.
To Francie's surprise, Len first went white, then red. "Oh my!" she exclaimed, and, forgetting her dignity, Len tore across the bahnhof concourse, making a beeline for the mystery man standing with her parents.
I have really enjoyed the rest. 
I thought it was an update. Aw well, since it's already started, I'm joining in the bumping. I didn't want to start it....but I had thought about it 
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