What could have been - very interesting. Like the way Len and Margot would have been different but Con probably the same.
Assume Joey lost Stephen due to the shock?Thanks Eilidh
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| What Might Have Been http://www.the-cbb.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=5446 |
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| Author: | Eilidh [ 19 Dec 2008, 16:39 ] |
| Post subject: | What Might Have Been |
This plot bunny has been in residence all day... I don't think there's any more though Len Maynard hurried down the road towards Plas Gwyn, her head bent against the falling snow. She rushed up the path and opened the door thankfully. "Oh little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie," Margot's voice sounded from the living room. "Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by," Con contributed from upstairs. Len smiled. Yet in the dark streets shineth, the everlasting light." she sang herself, clearly. There was a brief pause, then both of her sister's joined her for the last line of the verse The hopes and fears of all the years, are met in thee tonight. "I'm home!" Len called, rather unnecessarily, banging the door behind her. "Come and help then!" Con said, coming slowly down the stairs with her arms full of Christmas decorations. Len relieved her of some of her burden, and they deposited the whole collection in the front room, where Margot was already struggling with the big tree. "Did you find the angel?" she asked in a muffled voice from it's depths. "Here!" Con said triumphantly, waving it in the air. "And I found the rest of the stuff as well, so we should easily be finished before Mamma gets home." "And I got the milk and the bread, and I managed to get a cake as well." Len contributed, taking some of the decorations and getting to work on the pretty room. "What time does Mamma get back?" "She said six." Margot replied. "And I'm finally done here, I think...owwwwww!" she finished with a yell. Both her sisters jumped. "What?" Con demanded, coming closer. "Oh!" she said, giggling, as she saw the situation. "You've got your hair caught on the branch, Margot, you idiot! Len, come and help." "Shades of Rosalie Way." Len said, assisting Con in untangling the branch from her sister's hair. "At least you're not stuck in a hedge, Margot!" "Just untangle me?" Margot suggested. "Done." Con responded. removing the last of the pine needles from the red-gold pigtail. "Tomorrow," Margot said firmly, "I'm going to have my hair bobbed." "On Christmas Day?" Len asked with a grin. Margot scowled at her. "OK, as soon as the shops open again." she said. "I've been meaning to get it done for ages anyway." "Well, if that's the tree done, lets get the rest of the room finished." Con suggested, ignoring her sister's hairdressing plans on the grounds that Margot threatened to bob her hair at least three times a day. Her sisters joined her and as they worked, Margot raised her voice in one of the carols they had recently done for their school play, and the other 2 joined her. "Now." Len said, when they'd finished. "Margot, if you can get the fire going, and Con can go and put the kettle on and see about cutting some bread, I'll sweep up - I'm convinced that you two left half that tree on the floor when you were bringing it in! It must have been twice the size when the man gave you it!" "Well Mamma said to tell them that we wanted a monster one." Margot giggled. "So thats what I did, and this is what he gave me, didn't he, Con? Con?" she asked again, when there was no response. "Hmm?" Con asked, "Yes, monster tree, sorry. Yes he did." "What is it?" Len asked. "I'm just thinking." Con said, "What do you think it would have been like if Papa was still here?" "What do you mean?" Margot asked curiously. "Well, think how different it might have been." Con said, indicating the photo on the fireplace, which showed a laughing man in uniform, with a pretty woman and three baby girls. "We're 16 years old." she continued. "Would we be living here, at Plas Gwyn, if Papa was alive, if he hadn't been lost off that ship? Maybe we would have gone to Switzerland with the San instead of Uncle Jem and Auntie Madge. Maybe we would have brothers, or sisters." "I don't think I'd like that." Margot said thoughtfully. "It's always been so nice with just us." "We might still have had Anna, as well." Len added. "If there had been more of us Mamma would have needed help, and if Papa had still been here we would have been able to afford to have some maybe. I was always so sorry when she went to work at the school with Karen, and then they went to the Swiss branch." Len had always been fond of Anna, Con reflected. "That would have been nice." lazy Margot put in. "Then we could have wasted our time in lounging about, waiting for other people to do things, like the Russells can, instead of having to do so much in the house." Her sisters exchanged exasperated and amused glances. "Light the fire." Con told her, laughing. "Really, we'd be different if all that had happened." Margot said, thoughtfully, as she started on her task. "If there were more of us, all those responsible tendancies that Miss Edwards was praising Len for would be seen far more often, and would start to get on our nerves." "And you'd have far more people to lose your temper with and would get into much more trouble!" Len retored. "And Con..." Margot said slowly. "Actually, it wouldn't make any difference to Con, she'd be in a dream most of the time anyway!" Con made a face at her. "I just wonder sometimes what it would have been like," she said, "We barely remember him at all. Sometimes I just... wonder." she finished slowly. "And we've made the right decision about next term too, haven't we?" Len asked, after a pause. Both her sisters nodded. "We can learn just as easily in Carnbach as in Switzerland." Con said firmly. "We've been there for long enough now." "And while Mamma always said we would go to Switzerland when we were 16..." Margot added thoughtfully, "...she doesn't really want us to go." "And I don't like to think of her here alone all through the term." Len said. "At least at Carnbach we only board weekly. I know she's got friends in the village and her writing and so on, but she'd be lonely." "We decided before, anyway." Con said. "We're not going, and we're telling Mamma that tonight, and that's the end of it." "Mercy!" Len exclaimed, jumping to her feet. "We might not be going to Switzerland, but we are going to need to move if we're going to have tea ready for Mamma. Run, Con, and put the kettle on. Margot and I will finish in here." There was a flurry of activity for the next 20 minutes, after which the front door banged again. "Oh girls!" Joey exclaimed, coming in, "It looks wonderful, well done and thank you!" "How was your meeting?" Con asked, taking her mother's coat and hanging it up to dry. "Boring." Joey responded with an infectious grin. "And London was cold, wet, and very busy. But never mind, because I'm home now." "Tea is ready." Len called through from the kitchen. The other 3 made their way to the small dining table and took their places around it, as Len carefully brought in the big teapot and put it in its place. Margot repeated the brief latin grace, and they sat down to their meal. "We'll go back to London after New Year and see about getting your Swiss uniforms." Joey said, when the plates were considerably emptier and Con was attempting to convince the teapot to fill her cup again. The triplets looked at each other, and Margot nodded at Len. "Mamma... we've been talking." Len said, slowly. "And we're all agreed." "I'm pleased." Joey replied. "I'd be even more pleased if I knew what you were agreed on!" "We don't want to go to Switzerland." Margot said, feeling that Len was taking far too long to get to the point. "We want to stay at Carnbach, and stay here with you." Joey stared at them. "But...it's always been agreed that you would go at 16!" she gasped, eventually. "Well, we don't want to." Len said firmly, and the other 2 nodded. "We're staying at Carnbach." Con confirmed, speaking for the first time since the subject had come up. "But Margot, my lamb - what about Emmy?" Margot shrugged "You and Len and Con are more important than Emmy." she said in a low voice, her face going slightly pink. "You won't change our minds, Mamma. We're old enough to decide. And... I'd like to believe that Papa wouldn't have wanted us to leave you alone." she finished. Joey sighed. "I don't like this." she informed them all, gazing roung the table. 3 blank faces stared back at her. "However, I know that if you 3 have made up your minds, then that will be the end of it. However, it's Christmas Eve - I'm not going to start trying to argue over it with you now. I suggest we clear the table, then all have a rest for a few hours, then head out to Midnight Mass." Later that evening, they made their way out quietly - Joey had her arms linked with Len and Margot, and Con was on Len's other side. The town was peaceful as the entered the church, and took their accustomed places among the choir, where they stood every Sunday. As the organ started up, Margot sqeezed Joey's hand. "Merry Christmas Mamma." she said softly. |
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| Author: | JackieP [ 19 Dec 2008, 16:54 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
That was beautiful, Eilidh. How different it could have been... Thank you. JackieP |
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| Author: | Emma A [ 19 Dec 2008, 16:56 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
Oh, that was lovely, Eilidh (if one gets past the sadness of it just being the triplets and Jack being dead) - I do like the way they are so protective of Joey. Are you sure the plot bunny won't give you more of this? *whistles innocently* |
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| Author: | Lesley [ 19 Dec 2008, 17:01 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
What could have been - very interesting. Like the way Len and Margot would have been different but Con probably the same. Assume Joey lost Stephen due to the shock?Thanks Eilidh |
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| Author: | abbeybufo [ 19 Dec 2008, 17:40 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
Thanks Eilidh, that was most thought-provoking. [I'd not done the sums with Stephen, Lesley - always somehow thought he was the result of a joyful reunion  ]
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| Author: | Lisa [ 19 Dec 2008, 18:24 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
Ohhhh - lovely and sad at the same time. They've grown up to be lovely well-adjusted girls. Feed that bunny some more mince pies, Eilidh! |
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| Author: | snowmaiden [ 19 Dec 2008, 18:33 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
Oh Eilidh, that was lovely! And also a bit of a tearkjerker. *Scatters bunny-food innocently around Eilidh* |
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| Author: | Carolyn P [ 19 Dec 2008, 18:54 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
That's beautiful, thanks. |
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| Author: | Alison H [ 19 Dec 2008, 18:57 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
That was sad but lovely. (I think we have to assume that Stephen was the result of Jack coming home on leave not long before he was reported drowned  - I'm not sure that EBD did the maths either!)
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| Author: | PaulineS [ 19 Dec 2008, 19:17 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
It was lovely, hope there is more. (I too wondered about Stephen) |
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| Author: | Elbee [ 19 Dec 2008, 23:32 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
Very sad, but it was lovely to see them all so close. Thank you, Eilidh. |
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| Author: | Karoline [ 20 Dec 2008, 10:41 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
Thank you Eilidh |
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| Author: | Vick [ 20 Dec 2008, 13:43 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
That was lovely, thanks Eilidh.  *also leaves more bunny mince pies around* 
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| Author: | JB [ 20 Dec 2008, 13:56 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
That was beautiful. Am wiping away a tear. |
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| Author: | Chris S [ 20 Dec 2008, 16:22 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
Thank you for the lovely story. I often wondered if Joey would have been such a major character in the books if she hadn't had so many children. |
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| Author: | linda [ 20 Dec 2008, 19:35 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
That was lovely, but a little sad. It was interesting to see how things could have turned out if Jack had not come back. Thank you, Eilidh |
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| Author: | Elle [ 20 Dec 2008, 20:49 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
Awww. That was lovely. |
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| Author: | Chatelaine [ 23 Dec 2008, 13:24 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
This was a lovely story! So nice to see what might have been, and to have a glimpse of a mature, "real" Joey, unlike her persona in the later books! |
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| Author: | Cat C [ 23 Dec 2008, 16:27 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
Thank you so much! You've got me thinking about all sorts of things now... |
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| Author: | Smile :) [ 23 Dec 2008, 22:19 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
Sad but lovely, thanks eilidh. *scatters bunny food . . . more perhaps?* |
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| Author: | JS [ 23 Dec 2008, 22:26 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
So nice, would also like more  .
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| Author: | Abi [ 28 Dec 2008, 00:27 ] |
| Post subject: | Re: What Might Have Been |
Sad, but lovely. Wonderful how much closer the triplets are to Joey too. Would also like to see more! |
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