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| Advent Three - Eustacia Benson http://www.the-cbb.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=6967 |
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| Author: | Advent Drabblers [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:23 am ] |
| Post subject: | Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
Professor Benson rubbed her eyes and leaned back in her chair, slowly moving her fingers down to her temples. She couldn't believe how tired she was. She was working harder now than she had as an undergraduate, never mind the late nights, no technically the early mornings, she had worked to complete her PhD Thesis. Now however they were being pressured not only to take on more students, to get them through the exams, to mark more essays and hold more tutorials but also to publish their own work regularly. And not just journal articles, but books as well. In the plural. To attract sponsorship. Revenue. Money. It was fine when she was younger, she could rely to some extent on her father's name to give her an 'in' and she was a fine scholar, no doubt about that, but the spark, the originality, the something that would mean she could regularly publish new work was not there. That it never had been was known only to Eustacia. Not Stacie, that side of her personality, along with it's conscience, was pushed firmly to one side where her work was concerned. Her father's unpublished notebooks had furnished her with a lot of research avenues to pursue. Taking his thoughts and ideas and then doing the background research and writing it up under her own name had got her a long way. It was her book on Aeschylus heavily based on her father's work that had got her the Chair. Unfortunately after so many years the stash of notebooks had been milked dry. She had been through them with a fine tooth comb, but no nits of unused ideas were there. Now she was reduced to working through the night on increasingly obscure Greek writers, trying to find someone that no one had written on and no one knew anything about so she could say what she wanted when writing her book. It was impossible. With a sigh she gave up, put all her books to one side and turned to the pile of essays from prospective students. These were students hoping to be accepted to work for a PhD under her and she always did the selection herself, being sure to cull out any candidates who may end up as professional rivals in the future. Tonight she ploughed through the dreary and the pompous quickly whittling down a short list until she only had one to go. It was from a foreign student, a young man from Turkey who had written up his research proposal based on some documents held by a small local library and a village legend. It was well written, well argued, and most of all unique. Over the next few days Eustacia did some research, a literature search, haunted the library and used all her language skills to read some obscure German articles from East Berlin. This was new. This could be the book that guaranteed her future and cemented her reputation. There was some careful planning needed. A personal interview with the young man, for which she would travel into central Europe, meeting him in some capital or other. She would accept him, although the proposal in his accepted application would be very different to that which she had just read. She could afford to accept him, after all he would never actually reach Oxford. He would make it home before the poison would take effect. By the time he showed any symptoms he would be away from Eustacia, away from the 'spa water' she would induce him to drink and any traces would have left his system. Her father had left her more than just notes on Greek tragedies. |
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| Author: | Alison H [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:27 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
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| Author: | Emma A [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:29 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
| All my illusions shattered! |
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| Author: | JB [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:29 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
| Love the comb and nits metaphor (do I mean metaphor?  )
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| Author: | Liz K [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:11 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
| And I thought that, afte all those months of lying flat at Die Rosen, under Madge and Jem's wonderful influence, Stacie would never turn out like this. But, then, maybe Eustacia would!!!!!!! Duo personality, nice one. |
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| Author: | aitchemelle [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:19 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
 
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| Author: | Kacca [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:26 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
Brilliant. I do love this sentence so..... Quote: She had been through them with a fine tooth comb, but no nits of unused ideas where there.
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| Author: | Carolyn P [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
Argh...I used the wrong were...will go and edit! |
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| Author: | ChubbyMonkey [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 2:16 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
Well, that's an unexpected side to Eustacia! What else has she got up to I wonder? Thankyou.
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| Author: | JS [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 4:43 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
Gracious
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| Author: | PaulineS [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:58 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
Well I think all three of you have Adventitis, not just Lesley. (communal drabble) Thanls for your hard work. |
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| Author: | LauraMcC [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:59 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
I love this other side to Eustacia! |
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| Author: | Advent Drabblers [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
Stacie Benson walked up the steps of the Oxford magistrates Court with a good deal of apprehension. It was January and the War had been going for some time, and living alone as she did, she found it hard to deal with the blackout regulations. She was living in her parents' house, and as it was a rather large building there were a great many windows that needed covering every evening. Now that the evenings were drawing in and everything had to be done so early it was especially difficult. She had stretched the black fabric over frames the same size as the windows in an effort to make the whole thing quicker, but first she found that a single layer of material was letting light through, and then, once she'd bought more, that the frames were now too big and she couldn't get them into place properly. She'd had more than one warning from the ARP Warden, Professor Mould, who happened to be a Fellow from her college, and one moreover who disliked the very existence of female students. He was always particularly hard on them, and seemed to have a special dislike for Stacie, possibly because she excelled in her work. He was forever banging on her door, telling her that she was showing alight, even after she'd been out and checked that she was showing no more than anyone else. It had got worse recently, after he'd discovered that she'd been at school in Austria; he'd even called her a traitor to her face. He was a little man, only about 5' 3" tall, and plump too. He bounced as he walked, and held his head up as high as it would go, so that he looked as pompous as he actually was. Stacie grew to wish heartily that he didn't live on the same street as she did. The present trouble had flared up during Advent. Stacie had come home after dark, having been to the Carol Service held at the church she attended, finding her way with the regulation dim torch covered in red cloth. Once indoors, she went first into the room fronting onto the street, and felt her way across to the windows. Then she lifted the heavy frame into place, pushing it into place as hard as possible. Then flinging her coat and hat across one of the chairs, she went round the rest of the house, making sure everything was in place. Then she turned the lights on and went outside to check for light. There was noting showing, so she heaved a sigh of relief and went back indoors to cook her evening meal. Later, as she was washing up, there came a furious banging on her front door, and almost at the same time the air raid warning started. Turning off the hall light, Stacy opened the door a crack. There on her step stood Professor Mould, almost incoherent with rage. "Miss Benson! See what your carelessness has caused," he shouted above the noise of the siren. "You have a light showing, again! One would almost think it was deliberate." "What light?" asked Stacy patiently. "I went outside to check as I always do and there was nothing showing. Almost physically pulling her down the path, he pointed dramatically to the downstairs windows. "That!" he said triumphantly. "And this time, Miss Benson, I will report you to the authorities to deal with. It has gone beyond me!" Stacy looked and to her horror saw that the window had no sign of the blackout that she had so carefully installed earlier that night. Not only that, but the lights spilling down the hall from the kitchen was shining out into the night in a clear beacon to the bombers. Stacie gasped, and fled indoors to find that the frame had fallen backwards and come to rest draped over a chair, which was why she had heard nothing. She pushed it back into place, wondering how it had become dislodged. The fit was snug enough to make fitting tricky. Then she grabbed her valuables and headed for the Anderson Shelter in her back garden. Professor Mould bounced off down the road, with a very self-satisfied smirk on his face. This time he'd really got the spell right. Always before he had managed only a slight shift, barely enough to do the job, but this time he'd seen the frame go sailing backwards, and the light come flooding out, and he was well satisfied. And of course the dark covered anything he did. This time he'd be rid of Miss Benson from his classes once and for all. At the court entrance Stacie met her solicitor, Myrdden Rees, and shook his hand. "Don't be nervous Miss Benson," he said. "I'm pretty sure we can work something out." "What I don't understand is how that blackout frame moved," said Stacie. "It takes enough to put it into place that it shouldn't move at all once it's there. It could have been magic the way it fell away." Myrdden Rees hid his start of surprise and led the way into the court. The Professor did his best to accuse Stacie of showing her light deliberately, using her schooling abroad as evidence. Unfortunately the magistrate's niece was a current member of the Chalet School, and that argument failed. However, the failure did not stop Myrdden from casting more than one suspicious look at the dumpy Professor, until finally he nodded to himself, pretty sure that his suspicions were correct. Stacie, sitting beside him, heard him muttering quietly and waving his hand in the Professor's direction. She was about to ask him what he'd said when there was a puff of smoke, and the Professor disappeared. In his place was the ugliest thing she had ever seen, and the smell that came from it had the whole court choking. Myrdden leant towards her and murmured. "It's all right Miss Benson. The Professor seems to have been a Troll all the time. I don't think you'll have any more trouble now." |
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| Author: | ChubbyMonkey [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:09 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
.... ....You seem determined to deprive me of ten years' growth with these surprises! |
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| Author: | Pat [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:13 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
ChubbyMonkey wrote: .... ....You seem determined to deprive me of ten years' growth with these surprises! You'll get used ot them - I promise you!!
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| Author: | JB [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:16 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
That was unexpected. I was waiting for Stacie to murder him. 
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| Author: | Nightwing [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:18 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
JB wrote: That was unexpected. I was waiting for Stacie to murder him. Isn't one murder enough per drabble?! Thanks, A.D.s - this is really great 
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| Author: | sealpuppy [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:46 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
| Boggling! But more would be a good idea, please?
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| Author: | Advent Drabblers [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:16 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
Before the Chalet School Eustacia was an undemonstrative child as a rule; when her Mother had died after a short illness she had barely shed a tear, instead burying her head in her beloved books. Her withdrawal from the world was so absolute that she had missed all the signs that her Father was not coping, when she suddenly awoke to this fact it was made all the worse because her father was perfectly aware that it was happening. “You must understand, my dear,” he told his daughter one evening, the pair were sat side by side on the sofa, not for Eustacia the easier manner of many fathers, who would have cuddled their daughter to them, shared their loss, “You must understand, my dear, that your Mother and I were everything to each other. We had been together for a long time, nearly forty years, we were very old parents, “You are not old, Father.” “Yes I am, dear, old in years and even older in spirit. I've been to the doctor, my child, he tells me I have a heart condition. Now don't worry, I've contacted your Aunt Margery, your Mother's younger sister...” “But I don't have an Aunt Margery,” Eustacia said with surprise, “Mother always said she was an only child.” The Professor sighed, “Did she? Oh, well perhaps you should know – I know your Mother wanted you to know. We've done our best to ensure you look upon yourself as one of the intellectuals, Eustacia, your education is such that, when the time comes, you will easily be accepted for a degree and more here at Oxford. Now I am at the height of my profession, I have world-wide renown and respect. It wasn't always so. Forty years ago I was a struggling student and then I met a woman who fell in love with me.” “Mother?” “No child, not your mother, this was the woman who is older sister to your 'Aunt Margery'. I never loved her but she was heir to a great fortune and I was happy to go along with a marriage as I knew that, with her money, I could establish myself.” “What happened?” “The woman became ill and died, a fever, just three days before we were to be wed.” “Before? But then you wouldn't get the money,” Eustacia was quick. “Exactly,” the Professor nodded in admiration, “but I found a solution, the doctor attending was a young woman, most unusual for the time, she was a woman with whom I held many learned discussion, she was easily my intellectual equal and...” “Mother?” “Yes, your Mother. We made our plans quickly and your mother took on a different persona, we never visited with her family and only very rarely wrote, it was very easy for her to become this other woman and access her fortune. But can you see the difficulty now?” Eustacia nodded, “This house, our lives, all due to this money?” “Initially yes, oh I was able to contribute once I became a master of my profession, but that would never have happened had we not, basically, stolen, the other woman's money.” “You didn't..kill her?” “No, I swear on my honour she died of a streptococcal infection.” “And if I say nothing?” “Then you, too, will be held guilty in law – perpetuating a fraud, you see. So will you be able to do that?” Eustacia thought for a moment then nodded, “I'll see that a room is prepared for Aunt Margery.” |
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| Author: | Abi [ Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:39 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
Well, I always liked Stacie. Now I know why.
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| Author: | ChubbyMonkey [ Fri Dec 04, 2009 12:32 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
| Very cunning! Thankyou. |
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| Author: | sealpuppy [ Fri Dec 04, 2009 9:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
Excellent. Stacie is obviously descended from Scarlett O'Hara! I love tough heroines.
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| Author: | Dawn [ Sat Dec 05, 2009 5:07 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
I like Advent! Thankyou all 3 Drabblers - you're doing a fabulous job as usual |
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| Author: | Kathy_S [ Sat Dec 05, 2009 8:58 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
I especially enjoyed the Harry Potter version this round , but thanks to all the drabblers!
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| Author: | Susan [ Sun Dec 06, 2009 12:52 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
Thank you all. |
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| Author: | Smile :) [ Tue Dec 15, 2009 6:47 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Advent Three - Eustacia Benson |
Can't believe I've missed all these advent drabbles for so long this year! Nothing more than I would have suspected of Stacie. |
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