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Margot's Boys
http://www.the-cbb.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=3323
Author:  KatS [ Sat Sep 08, 2007 11:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Margot's Boys
I've read a lot of wonderful drabbles about the Maynard boys, and it inspired me to write this one. I hope it's OK.

He heard his mother calling. “Twins! Twins!” Come here quickly, please.” He turned to go, ignoring the hostile looks from his brothers. As he hurried into the Saal, he saw that Felicity was there already. “Come and say how do you do, Felix,” Mamma said, smiling, and his heart leapt at the pride shining out of her eyes. He smiled politely, basking in the glory of Mamma’s pride and love. His spirits sank quickly again as Mamma announced to whoever the latest visitor was that Felicity was at the Chalet School.

“Stupid!” he chided himself. He knew how these afternoons went. The triplets were always in full force – Margot sometimes smiled at him – and he and Felicity would be brought in, and then just as soon as talk moved to the Chalet School he would be forgotten again. It wasn’t that he cared, he told himself fiercely, he didn’t want to talk about stupid girly stuff anyway, but the boys would keep thinking he was getting to spend time with Mamma. They didn’t mean to be nasty, or at least Steve and Chas didn’t, but he knew they couldn’t help being a little jealous. After all, they were only home for a couple of weeks, and Mamma was so very busy.

He knew she loved them, hadn’t Margot said so the other day? He did like Margot. She really knew what it felt like to be the worst twin. Of course, for her it was triplet, but it was the same sort of thing. He didn’t really understand why he was the worst – he wasn’t naughty, like Mike, or at least not most of the time, but then, he didn’t understand why Margot was the worst triplet. Anyway, she had said that Mamma and Papa did love him really, just that they had so many important things to do that they didn’t have a lot of time to spend with him.

“But they spend time with you!” he had cried, puzzled. She sighed.
“Well, we’re the oldest. And, well, we go to the Chalet School, which is very important to Mamma, just like your school is important to Papa.”
“No it isn’t. Papa hasn’t even been to my school. Rosli always takes me there.”
“You know how busy Papa is, Felix. He has to be at the San all the time. If he could, he would go to your school all the time.”
“Anyway, you’re not the oldest, Len is,” said Felix triumphantly, wanting to move away from these confusing thoughts.
“We’re triplets, Felix. You’re not older than Felicity, are you?”
“No…”
“Well then, Len isn’t older than Con or I are.”
“That’s not what Mamma says,” he replied, hesitantly. Margot sighed again.
“It’s difficult to explain, Felix. In a family as big as this, someone needs to be responsible – the eldest. And because Len is responsible, she takes on the role of the eldest, even though really, she’s no older than Con or I.”
“What’s wrong with Con?” he was feeling his way carefully here, wanting to get to the most important question of all.
“Nothing’s wrong with Con. You know that, Felix. She writes wonderful stories.”
“I know. Well then, why is Len better than her?” Here Margot paused for a while, a strange expression on her face.
“Len isn’t better. She just more responsible, and helps Mamma more, and…” here Margot broke off.
“Well, why are you the worst, then?” Margot stared at her younger brother. She was very tempted to snap at him, and walk away from this awful, awful, conversation. If it wasn’t for the deep understanding of what Felix was feeling, and her inner vow to conquer her temper, she would have done it there and then. But really, she hesitated. Did she want to get into these feelings again?
“I, I, well, I have a temper. And sometimes I can’t control it. And, umm, sometimes, well, sometimes I do bad things.”
“When?”
“Look, Felix, it’s not important.” He looked up at her, almost crying.
“When do I do bad things?” he whispered, scared of the answer, but desperate to know.
“You don’t. Really and truly, I promise you, you don’t. You’re not the bad twin. That’s me,” she managed a shaky laugh, “and Mike.”
“So why do Mamma and Papa like Felicity more?”
“They don’t!” she said forcefully, and then more quietly, “they don’t.” Felix stared at her, hopefully. “Mamma is just more interested in Felicity because she’s a girl. And goes to the Chalet School. You know how much Mamma loves the Chalet School.” Felix nodded. He did indeed know how much Mamma loved the Chalet School. “It doesn’t mean she loves you less. Papa is more interested in you.”
“He is?”
“Yes. Yes. He just had to be at the San all the time. If he could be here, he would spend the afternoons with you and the boys. I promise you.”
Author:  Rosalin [ Sat Sep 08, 2007 11:52 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oh poor Felix :cry:

But well done Margot for answering his questions even though it was difficult for her.

Definitely OK Kat, thank-you.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Sun Sep 09, 2007 6:38 am ]
Post subject: 
I really like this Margot. Thanks
Author:  Frogize [ Sun Sep 09, 2007 7:51 am ]
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Wonderful Kat! I love hearing more about the boys. It must have been very hard to be a Maynard/Russell/Bettany boy!
Author:  bethany [ Sun Sep 09, 2007 9:13 am ]
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Poor Felix, but Margot is being great here, using her experience as the "bad triplet" to help him.

Thanks KatS!
Author:  Elbee [ Sun Sep 09, 2007 9:19 am ]
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This looks great, KatS. I'm looking forward to hearing more about the Maynard boys for a change, rather than the girls.
Author:  Lesley [ Sun Sep 09, 2007 9:25 am ]
Post subject: 
Poor little boy - and well done Margot for answering those questions so truthfully.

Thanks Kat
Author:  KatS [ Sun Sep 09, 2007 11:46 am ]
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Felix realized that now was the time to slip out. Mamma and Felicity were still describing the Chalet School to the visitor, and they had obviously forgotten about him. As Len went to the kitchen to bring fresh tea, he followed her out, cheered by Margot’s smile. He ran out into the garden, to where his brothers were sitting. Chas didn’t look up and Steve barely glanced at him, but Mike could not suppress himself so easily. “Couldn’t be bothered to stay with Mamma, could you? Getting bored of her, are you?” Felix felt like crying, but firmly suppressed it. He longed to explain that it didn’t feel like he was with Mamma, but he knew that his brothers wouldn’t understand, and anyway, it felt too much like betrayal. He ran off and hid in a little place underneath the hedge, to be alone with his thoughts.
“Honestly, Mike, you shouldn’t say things like that,” said Steve, but only half-heartedly. He’s only a kid. Soon Geoff will be old enough, and then she’ll forget about him. Let him enjoy it while he can.” Mike scowled rebelliously.
“She was never like that with me. I’ve always been bad.”

Jack Maynard was hurrying up the path to Freudesheim, when he spied his small son crouching in a bush by himself. Must be playing hide and seek or something. He was about to turn his attention back to the problem of understaffing at the San, when, for some reason, he glanced back at Felix, and something told him the boy was not playing some game. Why on earth was he there alone? All his brothers were off playing properly somewhere. He really ought to grow up. How old was the boy? Almost nine? Jack made a mental note to sort out something about schooling for him, obviously all this hanging around Joey and the girls was no good for him. He would grow up soon enough in England.

“Felix! Felix!” She found her way soon enough to the hedge, after all, she knew her twin’s hidey holes better than anybody. “Why did you leave me with Mamma and that awful lady earlier? I do think you might have kept me company.”
“What?” Felix was astonished by the unfairness of this. “You…You were talking about the Chalet School again! You weren’t paying any attention to me.”
“Not really! Not after the first ten minutes, anyway. When Mamma starts talking about the old days, I can’t join in either.”
“Well, at least it’s your school. And you do talk, I see you.”
“No, I don’t, not when they talk about the Tyrol. You stop paying attention way before then, so you don’t even know. And even if it is my school, it doesn’t feel like it when Mamma talks about when she was there!” This last rush of passion was followed by a shocked silence. Both the twins were conscious of an awful feeling of disloyalty. Felicity, now bright red, stood up and ran away hastily.

“Jack, do you think Felix is all right?” asked Joey, pensively. “He seemed very quiet this afternoon, and he was certainly subdued at dinner.”
“Mmm, yes, I was thinking about him. It’s the age. He really needs to be with other boys. We shall to be thinking of sending him to school next year. I’ll look into it.” It wasn’t that Jack was uninterested in Felix, but he wanted to move to conversation on to the slightly more important matter that had come up at the San, and he honestly believed all Felix needed was school. When Joey persisted, therefore, he was inclined to be brusque.
“Look here, Jo, I think I know how to deal with boys. Felix is just a little too pampered at home, and a term of school will soon rub the corners off him.” Jack mentally resolved to have a little chat with Felix.
Author:  Lesley [ Sun Sep 09, 2007 12:21 pm ]
Post subject: 
Slightly more important things at the san??? Sorry Jack, but nothing is more important than your children - and sending them hundreds of miles away to a strange school is not the way to deal with an unhappy child. :x

Both Jack and Joey need to thinking of their children rather than themselves.


Thanks Kat
Author:  Alison H [ Sun Sep 09, 2007 1:29 pm ]
Post subject: 
This is great, Kat :D .
Author:  Fatima [ Sun Sep 09, 2007 3:27 pm ]
Post subject: 
Poor Felix, it's so difficult for him with so many siblings and so much going on. Thanks Kat.
Author:  KatS [ Sun Sep 09, 2007 5:17 pm ]
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“Felix! Felix, darling, Mamma wants you.” Joey’s musical voice rang out through the garden. Mike, who for once had agreed to play the most marvelous game of pirates, rolled over in disgust. For all his bravado, he couldn’t understand why Mamma loved Felix so much. It was because he was a twin, he supposed. Somehow, people seemed to like twins more. Felix got up to go, half scared and half delighted by the thought of Mamma wanting just him, but a little anxious at the thought of what Mike would say later. “Oh, there you are, darling. Why don’t we go for a little walk?” Felix nodded mutely, not daring to say anything. The thought of his conversation with Papa last night was still running through his head. “Felix,” Joey said gently, “Is everything all right?” He didn’t know what to do. Maybe… Maybe he could tell her? But maybe it would be naughty? Papa had said his behavior was worrying Mamma. He didn’t know what he had done. He didn’t think he had been naughty. That was the trouble; he seemed to do so many naughty things without realizing.
“Mamma” he couldn’t get any more out. There was no way he could say anything important, and he was too scared to say anything at all. “Mamma”
“Yes, Felix?” He couldn’t bear it, she was being so nice to him, and he didn’t deserve it. What was he going to do?
“Mike has told you all about school, hasn’t he?” asked Joey. Maybe Jack was right, and he really did want to go to school. Felix nodded. “Would you, I mean, are you excited about going to school too?” Her heart was in her throat, she didn’t know if she would be able to bear her son saying he wanted to be away from her, he wanted to travel away to England and barely see her.
“Yes” whispered Felix. He knew he should be excited, Papa had told him how lucky he was, and how much he would learn. And Steve and Mike seemed to like it all right, even if Chas tended to keep pretty quiet about it. Stories of beatings and evil prefects swam into his head, and he tried desperately to banish them. “Will, will there be prefects?”
“Of course there will” said Joey, trying to sound cheerful. It was only natural, she told herself firmly, of course he’d heard his brothers talk about school, and of course Felicity must have talked about the Chalet School, and it would have been a lot more trouble if he didn’t want to go, but still, it was painful. “I’m sure there’ll be lots of prefects.” Felix shivered.
“Does, does Papa want me to go to school?” he asked. Did they really want to get rid of him, too?
“Yes, darling, Papa will be very happy for you to go to school.” Poor little boy, did he really think that she and Jack didn’t want him to be happy? “I’ll be happy too, Felix,” she added heroically.

“She, she said she wanted to send me away to England!” he cried.
“Sshhh, Felix, don’t cry. It’ll be all right. You knew you had to go to school in England, didn’t you? That’s where Steve and Chas and Mike are, and where Geoff will be.”
“But she wanted to send me away! And Papa too!” Margot stared at her brother in dismay; she had never seen him this openly distressed.
“No, darling, you don’t understand. Mamma and Papa want you to go to a good school, and to have fun, just like Mamma did at the Chalet School, and they think the best schools are in England. So, you have to go to England. It’s not that they want to send you away, it’s just that they think it would be best for you.”
“But she said she would be happy when I was at school.”
“Just because she thinks you’ll be happy.”
“And I won’t ever see you again.” A fresh wave of tears followed this new thought.
“Yes, you will, you’ll be here in the holidays. And I’m at school during term time anyway.”
“But you come home a lot, and anyway, the holidays are really short. It’ll only be for a few weeks.”
Just at that moment, Len came in. She stared, shocked and unhappy at the scene in front of her. Margot was towering over her brother, red in the face, and poor little Felix was crying. How could she handle this?
“Felix, you’d better go wash your face. You don’t want Papa or Mamma to see you like that, do you? You’re getting too old for crying now.” When Felix had trotted off, she turned to her sister. “Honestly, Margot, you can't keep doing this sort of thing. This... devil of yours has to be kept in check. He’s your little brother, for heaven’s sake; can’t you lay off him for a while?” Margot opened her mouth, about to say something, and then appeared to think better of it.
Author:  Fatima [ Sun Sep 09, 2007 6:05 pm ]
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Margot is being so nice that I feel really annoyed with Len for jumping to conclusions. And poor Felix, feeling that everyone would be happier if he was sent away.
Author:  Alison H [ Sun Sep 09, 2007 6:05 pm ]
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Oh well done Len - she could at least have asked before she assumed, stupid girl!

It must've been very strange for the boys, being sent so far away when the girls were only going next door to school.
Author:  Lesley [ Sun Sep 09, 2007 6:50 pm ]
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Please let Margot have a quiet word with her sister and put her straight on a few things?

Thanks Kat.
Author:  brie [ Sun Sep 09, 2007 9:29 pm ]
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Thanks Kat, just found this, and it is so sad :(
Author:  Rosalin [ Sun Sep 09, 2007 11:03 pm ]
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:poke: Len. Margot and Felix seem to be good for each other.

I'm currently feeling sorry for all the boys and Felicity. It sounds like the girls haven't really got it much better.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Mon Sep 10, 2007 9:50 am ]
Post subject: 
Margot is so lovely with Felix. I wish Joey and Jack could be a little more sensitive. What child would want to leave home at nine unless it was so terrible
Author:  KatS [ Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:20 pm ]
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“By the way, Jack, you were right. Felix does want to go to school. I had a talk with him yesterday, and it seemed he was worrying that we wouldn’t let him!”
“What? Strange kid. But Jo, I already talked to him. I don’t want you to be worried just at present, especially not by this kind of thing.”
“He’s my son, Jack! How can I not be worried?” Jack said no more, but he did think Joey was looking rather peaky, and if it were one of his sons who was putting her into this condition, he had better do something about it. Also, this problem at the San was becoming ever more pressing, and he needed Joey at her best to deal with it.

“Oh, Jo, here you are. Good. I have something to tell you. I’ve arranged for a couple of the kids to go off on a little holiday. I want you to have a real break.”
“What? Without asking me?”
“Don’t be silly, Jo, it’s not that important. We’ll just ship them off for a bit until you get your strength back up.”
“I feel fine, Jack.”
“Look, Joey, I’m worried about you. I just want the best for you.”
“Well, what are these plans you’ve made?”
“I’m going to send the boys and Felicity over to England, to stay at the Quadrant. They’ll have a great time, and be fighting fit for school.”
“For school? How long are you planning on sending them?”
“Well, there’s only a month left in the holidays, so it doesn’t make sense for Steve, Chas, and Mike to go all the way over there and come back…”
“What about the twins?”
“I thought Felix might like to be with his brothers, after all, he does miss male company.”
“And Felicity? Do you think she’ll be thrilled to be left with the boys at the Quadrant for the whole summer?”
“It’s only a month, Jo, don’t exaggerate. You can keep Felicity if you’d like. She’s unlikely to be any trouble, at least. It’s not as if she were that demon Mike. Maybe the triplets can take her off somewhere,” he mused.
“Oh, no, I need Len here to keep an eye on Cecil and the babies. But anyway, Jack, I barely see the boys as it is. Do they have to go right away? It’ll be months before I see them again.”
“Don’t make a fuss, Jo. You have to let them go sometimes. Don’t you want them to have a great summer?”

Margot wandered through the garden, thinking a strange mixture of things. Her devil – Mamma – school – Felix – Mamma – the worst triplet? Her thoughts were interrupted by a small boy scowling at her. “Are you looking for Felix?” he asked, angrily. “Everyone is always looking for Felix. Twins!” he exclaimed in disgust.
“Mike, don’t be like that. Felix is very unhappy.”
“Felix? Felix? Unhappy? When Mamma is always talking to him, and having him for tea, and going on special private walks with him, and keeping him in Switzerland? Felix? Unhappy?”
“Oh, Mikey.” Margot sighed. She felt like she was turning into Len, always interfering in the little ones’ lives, and she didn’t like the feeling.

She went into the house, and heard Papa and Mamma talking in their study.

“Don’t you want them to have a great summer?”
“Of course I do. All right, all right. The boys shall go to the Quadrant. I’m sure Mollie can kit them out for school, and we shall have to arrange someone to escort Felix back here.”
“Umm, yes. I was thinking about our conversations, Jo. It really would be ideal, for Felix to start school this fall. I’ll see what I can do. But anyway,” he hurried on, seeing from Joey’s face that this idea needed tine to sink in; “We can send the triplets off on a little trip with Felicity, that’ll leave you nice and free.”
“Jack! I already explained this; I need Len to help with the babies.”
“What are Anna and Rosli for, then?”
“They’re just too busy, Jack. I couldn’t do without Len.”
“Well, send Con and Margot off with Felicity then. It wouldn’t be for very long, and they should be old enough now to do a couple of trips.”
“Talk sense! Con is as dreamy as they come; I would never dare trust her with Felicity, and as for Margot, who knows what she might get up to! She hasn’t outgrown that devil of hers, not by a long chalk, and I wouldn’t think of letting her loose – there’s no way I can trust her not to lose that temper, or to go and do something stupid.”

Margot fled, fighting to control the anger and hurt in the pit of her stomach. Mamma didn’t trust her! Mamma couldn’t do without Len, but thought that she, Margot, would do something stupid when out alone with Felicity! In her anger, she remembered that the boys were being sent off as well – that would be a wrench for them – especially Felix. And Mike, she reminded herself, after their conversation of a few minutes ago. Well, if Mamma thought she was going to be stupid, she would be stupid! She would lose her temper! How dare Mamma talk like that about her! Len didn’t understand the first thing about the way the boys were feeling, but she did! She could take care of Felicity very well. Mamma didn’t love her! She couldn’t bear it. She ran, sobbing, into the garden.
Author:  Alison H [ Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:26 pm ]
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I don't know whom I feel more sorry for - Margot who feels unwanted, Len who isn't to be allowed to have a holiday so that she can help with the babies, or the boys who're to be packed off to stay with the Bettanys without anyone even being asked if they'd like to or not!
Author:  Rosalin [ Mon Sep 10, 2007 12:52 pm ]
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:shock: at the off-hand way that Jack decides to send some of his children away so that he can have Joey at her best to help in the San.

And poor Margot overhearing that when she's doing her best with her temper, and being a thoughtful elder sister as well.

I hope she doesn't do anything too awful.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  JustJen [ Mon Sep 10, 2007 2:50 pm ]
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Oh those poor poor kids.
Author:  Lesley [ Mon Sep 10, 2007 6:54 pm ]
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I just want to bang Joey and Jack's heads together - Len is twenty minutes older than Con - how can Joey not see that? And those poor boys.


Thanks Kat - your story is making me very angry with Jack and Joey - I really hope someone tells them some home truths soon. :evil:
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Sep 10, 2007 8:23 pm ]
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Echoes Lesley. I just want to shoot the lot of them, including Len. Joey the perceptive and Jack the dedicated doctor and family man?

I'm beginning to see why Margot had such a temper.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Tue Sep 11, 2007 3:21 am ]
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Why on earth did Joey have so many kids if he and Joey can't cope with them I'll never know. Hope Margot doesn't lose her temper unless its to tell her parents just how much they're hurting their kids
Author:  clair [ Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:41 am ]
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Poor Margot, just when she's doing so well at the older sister bit. Feel a little sorry for Len too though as she seems to have been brought up to do exactly as she is doing, if that makes sense. Maybe it's time for the triplets to get together and show Jo and Jack they are real people not from Jo's books or imagination!
Author:  KatS [ Tue Sep 11, 2007 12:22 pm ]
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Felix and Mike were very surprised to see Margot come stumbling out of the house, obviously crying. They looked at each other doubtfully. Felix, while all his love for Margot compelled him to act, felt shy and unsure. Margot was supposed to comfort him when he was crying! She wasn’t supposed to cry. Mike was less shy, but didn’t have the same feelings for Margot. Still, he told himself, something terrible had clearly happened. The two boys went over nervously.
“Margot? Are you okay?” asked Felix hesitantly. She was too upset to think about what she was saying.
“Mamma and Papa don’t love us! They only love Len and Felicity and the babies. They’re sending all you boys away. You’re not coming back. And they don’t trust me and Con.” The boys stared at her aghast.
“They’re sending us away forever?” The very real fear and hurt in their tones brought Margot back to her senses.
“No, no, no. I’m so sorry, Felix, I’m so sorry, Mike. I didn’t mean what I said. You’ll come home, I promise. I really do. Mamma and Papa love you all really. You’re just going to the Quadrant for the rest of the summer. You’ll go to school from there. But truly, boys, they do love you and they do want you. I promise, I promise. I wasn’t thinking properly.” Margot was despairing. Through her own stupid fault, her own awful temper, she had ruined everything for the boys. She had to help them, they were only young, and she knew they were hurting, and she had gone and made everything a hundred times worse. Margot Maynard hated herself at that moment. “Look Felix, I was just upset about something Mamma said about me. It was stupid, I overreacted, and I was wrong, but it made me upset, and so I said something awful to you, that wasn’t true at all. Mamma and Papa do love you. You have to believe that. In the bottom of their hearts, they do. They want you to have an amazing summer, which you will, and they want you to have fun at school. We’ve talked about this before. All they want is the best for you. They love you, and you will come home again, and Mamma and Papa will be so pleased to see you.”
“Just like they’re so pleased to see me when I come home,” said Mike, with painful irony. Margot ignored him; she would talk to him later. Right now, she needed to concentrate on Felix.
“Felix, listen to me. You are going to have a wonderful summer at the Quadrant. I’ll write to you every week, if you want. And Mamma will probably write too. And then Auntie Mollie, who you know is lovely, will get you ready for school, just like she will for Steve and Chas and Mike, and you’ll go off for your first term at school, and meet lots of new boys to be friends with, and you’ll play sports, and be on teams, and it’ll be great fun. And I’ll still write to you, and so will Mamma, sometimes. And Uncle Jem and Auntie Madge will come and see you, and take you out on your exeats, and maybe Peggy and Rix too. And then it’ll be the Christmas holidays, and you’ll come back to Freudesheim, and Mamma and Papa and I will all be here, and we’ll be so thrilled to see you we won’t know what to do. OK?”
“OK,” sniffed Felix, somewhat soothed.
“Well, why don’t you run along and find Felicity now, while I talk to Mike. And Felix, if you want to talk some more, come and find me, all right?” Felix nodded, and trotted off.
“Margot,” said Mike, “you were right about Felix. He’s just like Steve and Chas and Con and Felicity. Mamma and Papa do love them, really. It’s like you said, they’re just busy. It’s like everyone says. And probably Felix will like school.”
“Yes,” she replied guardedly, worried about where this was leading. Her own hurt had by no means disappeared, and she was struggling to remain positive for Mike.
“It’s just us, isn’t it? It’s just us Mamma and Papa don’t love. Because we’re bad.” Margot started to say something reassuring, but Mike’s words had come so close to her own feelings that she choked up. Instead, she sat down and pulled Mike onto her lap. The two of them cuddled each other, not saying anything, for several minutes, tears running down their cheeks. Then Margot spoke.
“We love each other, Mike. And…and God loves us.”
Author:  Alison H [ Tue Sep 11, 2007 12:26 pm ]
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Oh poor Margot and Mike :cry: . I always felt sorry for Mike - he seemed kind of isolated between Stephen & Charles and Felix & Felicity, and then he got packed off to have lessons with the Embury boys when he was only about 6.
Author:  JustJen [ Tue Sep 11, 2007 1:01 pm ]
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Poor Mike and Margot.. At least they have each other and God
Author:  Fatima [ Tue Sep 11, 2007 2:54 pm ]
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It's not really surprising that they feel like this; it does seem that Jack and Jo don't love Margot and Mike in the way they love the others.
Author:  Rosalin [ Tue Sep 11, 2007 3:55 pm ]
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Poor Mike, he and Margot are both kind of overlooked by Joey and Jack except for when they are bad, and he doesn't even have triplets like Margot does.

Full marks to Margot, although was too unguarded in what she said initially to Mike and Felix she was very upset. And she does a wonderful job of cheering Felix up and reassuring him even though she is upset herself. I'm really liking her here, which isn't something that happens very often.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Lesley [ Tue Sep 11, 2007 6:19 pm ]
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Margot has just proved that, if anything, she is far more responsible than Len - at least she didn't just jump to conclusions.

(((Margot and Mike)))


Thanks Kat
Author:  Liz K [ Tue Sep 11, 2007 7:00 pm ]
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((((((((((Margot & Mike))))))))))

Oh dear oh dear.

Kat, you make this sound so real!
Author:  linda [ Tue Sep 11, 2007 7:47 pm ]
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Poor Margot and Mike!!!

:poke: Jo and Jack. Why on earth did they have so many children if they don't want to look after them. It seems that maybe Joey just likes having lots of babies and loses interest when they grow out of babyhood. Of course, Jack is Catholic and large families were the norm then - and he never seemed to be very involved with the children anyway - unless they were very bad.

Thanks Kat
Author:  Lyanne [ Tue Sep 11, 2007 11:19 pm ]
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But he had his dressing room to sleep in and as a doctor, should have been able to work out when the best times to stay in that dressing room were.
Author:  Frogize [ Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:40 am ]
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Joey and Jack are appallingly bad parents here, Kat. I loathe them!

(((((Margot and Mike))))) Never really liked Margot, but she's wonderful here!
Author:  brie [ Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:06 am ]
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:cry:

Thats so sad
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:32 am ]
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Margot is amazing here with Felix and Mike is so lovely to Margot. There is such a solidarity between them all. Thanks. I really hope someone knocks some sense into Jack and Joey or they'll lose their kids forever
Author:  KatS [ Wed Sep 12, 2007 4:31 pm ]
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Soon, all too soon for some people, the great day came. The Maynard boys were off to England, the Quadrant, and in Felix’s case, a new school. Joey had planned to go down to Geneva with them to see them off, but she had a slight headache the night before, and Jack had given her a little something to make her sleep, so by the time she woke up, and Len came in with a breakfast tray, Jack and the boys were already gone.
“Len! My darling girl, surely you don’t need to be up so early?”
“It’s already nine o’clock, Mamma. You weren’t feeling very well last night, and Papa said that you needed to sleep.”
“But the boys? I haven’t said goodbye! And Felix is just starting school!” Len looked alarmed. Papa had drilled it firmly into her head that her mother was on no account to be disturbed, and had reminded her of the awful time they had had after Mike’s accident. The memory of her mother’s strained face flashed into her head, and she desperately tried to think of something to calm her down.
“Don’t worry, Mamma, Papa explained you were ill. And Felix will be fine at school. He would have hated it if you’d made a fuss. You know what boys are.” She was babbling, unsure what to say. Felix would be all right, wouldn’t he? And Papa was with him? And anyway, look at her Bettany cousins. Their parents had been stuck in India – Mamma was stuck in bed. It was the same sort of thing.
“I’m not ill! Look, Len, darling, I know it’s not your fault. I’ll talk to Papa when he gets back. And now I must write to Felix and the rest, to apologize for not saying goodbye.”

Len nodded, and left. She couldn’t banish the thoughts that had been flying through her head. Oh, how she hoped Mamma wouldn’t be too sick! Or – but no, it couldn’t be another baby, could it? She felt guilty for thinking this, because she knew it was something one just had to accept, but sometimes there were just too many children to look after. “Honestly, Len Maynard, how selfish can you get?” she asked herself severely. “They’re your little brothers and sisters, and you’re doing it to help Mamma.” Firmly banishing these thoughts, she tried to turn her mind to something different. The scene she had walked in on between Margot and Felix came back to her. What had Margot been doing to make Felix cry? Ought she to tell Mamma? No, certainly not. She didn’t want to worry her, and that would definitely make her worried. Papa then? Len shivered. Papa was the best father in the world, but he would be very, very angry with Margot, and she thought that might just break her. No. She couldn’t do that to her triplet sister. She would just have to talk to Margot herself. It suddenly occurred to her that Margot had probably been hanging around Felix and the boys so much lately in an effort to make up to them. Len smiled – she knew Margot had a good heart when it came down to it.

“Margot! Margot! Promise you’ll write to me!”
“And me! Write every week, Margot, promise!”
“Please, Margot! I won’t forget what you said.”
“All right, boys, lets be off. Margot, what are you still doing here? Where’s Len? Oh well, make sure your mother doesn’t overtire herself, all right,” Jack paused, and turned his attention to the howling wolf pack that was his sons. “Boys! Be quiet this second!” The four boys became almost painfully silent. “All right, let’s be off. Behave yourself, Margot. Don’t do anything to worry your mother. See if you can keep control of yourself for once.”

And they were gone. Margot, like a girl in a dream, turned around and walked back into the house. See if you can keep control of yourself for once. All right. She would keep control of herself. Instead of breaking down into sobs, as she would have done the day before, or even flying into a rage, as she would have done the year before, she walked mechanically up the path, each painful step seeming to last an eternity. She arrived at the door, went inside, up to her room, and sat down. She calmly and deliberately shut down her thoughts about her family. There was no way she would be able to think about her parents comments and maintain control. She picked up her rosary, and began to pray. This kind of focused prayer had never come easily to Margot, but now, she prayed fiercely, concentrating entirely on the words, and not at all on her own feelings. It was a far cry from the wandering prayers for herself and her family that she was used to. She continued to sit there.
Author:  Alison H [ Wed Sep 12, 2007 4:34 pm ]
Post subject: 
Poor Margot - and I'm not surprised Len was in two minds about how she'd react if Joey were to be "busy" again!
Author:  Fatima [ Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:18 pm ]
Post subject: 
Jack just doesn't have a clue about how they feel, does he. :roll:
Author:  Liz K [ Wed Sep 12, 2007 5:43 pm ]
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Fatima wrote:
Jack just doesn't have a clue about how they feel, does he. :roll:


Neither he nor Joey do, do they?

And as for poor Margot, sitting in her room alone, focusing on prayer to kep control of herself....................................... words fail me!
Author:  Lesley [ Wed Sep 12, 2007 6:01 pm ]
Post subject: 
(((((Margot)))))

Jack is very nasty here - and the worst of it is that it's not even being done deliberately.


Wonder if they will notice that Margot receives all the letters from the boys?

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Rosalin [ Wed Sep 12, 2007 8:47 pm ]
Post subject: 
Fiona Mc wrote:
I really hope someone knocks some sense into Jack and Joey or they'll lose their kids forever


*bounces up and down waving a hand in the air*

"Me, me, please pick me!"

Good to see Len's doubts and worries here. You've made them all 3 dimensional, Jack and Joey have motivations which we can see, even if we strongly disagree.

Margot's still doing well, she's having a harsh lesson in self-control but she's not going under. I really like and admire her here.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  JustJen [ Wed Sep 12, 2007 10:14 pm ]
Post subject: 
I liked Len's reaction about Joey being "busy".

How does Con feeling about all of this?

Poor Margot.
Author:  Jennie [ Thu Sep 13, 2007 8:55 am ]
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Well, words fail me. What dreadful parents.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Thu Sep 13, 2007 12:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
JustJen wrote:
How does Con feeling about all of this?


I'm wondering that too.
Author:  KatS [ Thu Sep 13, 2007 12:23 pm ]
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That last month of the summer passed like a dream in the Maynard household. Jack was busy at the San, and Joey was deep into her new book, emerging in the afternoons for tea, where she would force herself to laugh gaily, and tear her thoughts away from her boys, away in England. Tea times rolled around, and visitors from the San would be charmed by Len, who, as Joey explained, was so good with the babies, and they would coo over Phil and Geoff. Con and Margot were usually in attendance at these gatherings, but they seemed to fade into the background somehow. Even Margot’s extraordinary looks seemed to have paled in the face of her extreme withdrawal. She spent many, many hours praying in her room and in the chapel, and even at these tea parties she contributed little to conversation, answering direct questions briefly, and appearing to be worlds away. Felicity found herself left in the nursery with Cecil – a grave insult to a young lady of almost nine, for Mamma didn’t seem to want her at tea anymore.

“Margot! Margot!”
“I’m praying,” replied Margot stiffly. “Why don’t we talk later?”
“Margot, you’ve been praying all morning. You never used to be like this. We need to talk now.” For a moment it seemed like Margot would refuse, but she sighed, and put down the rosary. “So, why don’t you tell me what’s happened.” And more tentatively: “Are you still upset about Ted? Because, you know, that was a terrible thing to do, but we don’t want you to shrivel away over it all. You’re a good person, Margot. We love you – and we’ve forgiven you.” Margot said nothing. “Come on Margot, talk to me! I’m your sister, don’t you trust me?”
“Of course I trust you, Con. I’m just…” her voice faded away, and she shivered momentarily. See if you can keep control of yourself for once. “I’m fine,” she said, with as much firmness as she could muster.

Con left the room, and returned with an expostulating Len. “Con, I can’t just leave the babies by themselves!”
“Margot needs you. She needs us. We’re triplets, Len. Anyway, the babies will be fine with Rösli.”
“But they’ve been just with Rösli all day while we were packing. They need to see some of their real family sometimes. And Mamma trusted me to look after them. It’s almost like breaking a promise, going off like this.”
“No, it’s not. Margot needs you. We’re going back to school in a few days, Len, and she can’t go back like this. We need to get her to snap out of it.” The two girls entered Margot’s room, and sat down on either side of her. Margot eyed them warily.
“OK, well, I’ll start, I suppose,” said Con, a little nervous now that she had got her way. She wasn’t used to being in charge, and obviously there was something seriously wrong with Margot. “Umm, we’re triplets. And we need to remember that. We trust each other, right?” The other two nodded. “OK then. We need to talk about why Margot is behaving so… differently.” She had only narrowly avoided saying “weirdly” but had been teased so constantly about her lack of tact that she managed to change words at the last second. A little flustered, she stopped talking, and looked expectantly at Margot. That young lady said precisely nothing, so Len stepped into the breach.
“We’re worried about you, Margot. It’s not normal, what you’re doing. And – and please don’t think I’m trying to be interfering or anything, but we want to know. And maybe, if we can, help?” she ended her speech nervously, Mary-Lou’s face swimming into her mind’s eye warning her against butting in too much. Margot still said nothing, and Len thought anxiously of the Phil and Geoff, all alone upstairs in the nursery. “Can we go upstairs? I’m a little worried about the twins.”
“Yes, you’re just so brilliant about looking after them aren’t you?” said Margot spitefully. “Dear Len – the oldest, the most responsible, the one Mamma couldn’t do without. Con and I are pretty much make-weights, aren’t we? Just here to boost the numbers.”
“Mary Margaret Maynard, you know that’s not true!” said Len, in her best elder sister voice. Mamma and Papa love us all really.” Margot recognized words she had spoken to Felix many times, and also, with a wrench of guilt, the way Len must be ignoring her own feelings to help her sisters.
“Len,” she said brokenly. “Len, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. You’re a wonderful sister, and a wonderful triplet. I'm just... I'm sorry.”

In the face of this, Len's self control, which she had only managed to maintain to comfort Margot, broke down, and she marched out of the room. She had been deeply hurt by Margot's comments - did they think she wanted to spend all her time in the nursery while they were off having fun? Did they think it was fun to always be the one to help Mamma? Did they think... she broke off, alarmed at where her train of thoughts was leading her. These were things she never, ever let herself think about. She gritted her teeth, and forced herself to turn her mind to new ways to amuse Phil and Geoff.
Author:  Alison H [ Thu Sep 13, 2007 12:36 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oh dear. Treating one child so differently from the others, unless there's a good reason e.g. medical problems, is bound to cause trouble.
Author:  brie [ Thu Sep 13, 2007 2:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
:cry:

Thanks but this is soo soo sad
Author:  Fatima [ Thu Sep 13, 2007 3:00 pm ]
Post subject: 
It all seems so unfair when it's put like this. Thanks Kat.
Author:  Rosalin [ Thu Sep 13, 2007 5:31 pm ]
Post subject: 
Interesting that Joey is really missing the boys.

I hope the triplets will manage to have good talk and find some understanding of each others situations now that Con has brought things into the open.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Lesley [ Thu Sep 13, 2007 6:37 pm ]
Post subject: 
I think Len needs to think those very thoughts that she is repressing - because only then will she start to have an inkling as to what is wrong with Margot.


Thanks Kat.
Author:  PaulineS [ Thu Sep 13, 2007 8:02 pm ]
Post subject: 
O dear, they are all suffering because Jack gets stupid ideas into his head. Someone needs to make him wake up. His good intentions are useless and harming the whole family. :poke:


:megaphone: Jack wake up before you lose all the children.



Joey :poke: tell Jack what you are feeling or it will get worse and it may be too late.
Author:  JustJen [ Fri Sep 14, 2007 1:03 am ]
Post subject: 
Shakes fingers at Jo and Jack. So much for being model parents.
I do feel a sorry for Len, Joey seems to dump the kids on her, not realizing that her children need their mother, not a daughter.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:26 am ]
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I feel sorry for all three of them there but I do want to shake them for all the assumptions the family seem to make about each other
Author:  Jennie [ Fri Sep 14, 2007 11:02 am ]
Post subject: 
The problem is that they're so busy being a model family, they rarely, if ever, look beneath the surface.
Author:  KatS [ Sat Sep 15, 2007 12:40 am ]
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Joey sat in her study, ostensibly working on another chapter of her new book. In reality, she was thinking about her children. She hadn’t written to the boys since they had left, she realized guiltily. She had been so busy, she told herself plaintively, and letters took so long that they wouldn’t get to the Quadrant before the boys were at school, so there was no point in writing now. Still, she was worried about the whole clan. Phil and Geoff were perfectly content, of course, as was little Cecil, but the rest of her family… No, she chided herself, just because you’re unhappy doesn’t mean you have to deprive them of their happiness. The boys were having a wonderful time with Mollie; she could see that from their letters. Even Felix had written enthusiastically about starting school. How could he, she wondered miserably. How could he prefer being away from home, when he was only eight? Was she really that bad of a mother? Felicity seemed lost without her twin, she spent most of her time mooning in the nursery. Joey resolved to talk to Jack about what might be done. She knew she couldn’t mention the boys – Jack would dismiss her fears, rightly pointing out that the boys were perfectly happy, and it was selfish to want to keep them with her against their will. And they were better off at school in England, she knew that. But Felicity now, Jack wouldn’t be so firm about her. He tended to leave the girls to her care, pointing out that they wouldn’t be able to relate to him in the same way. And she really was looking miserable, poor poppet. She would go with Rösli on the children’s walk, she thought, and she if she could worry out a little of what Felicity was feeling. Then she’d be better prepared for her talk to Jack. And it wasn’t as if the wretched chapter was going anywhere, anyway.

“Cecil! Cecily, darling, are you ready?” Joey called. Cecily was decidedly not ready. In fact, she was nowhere to be seen. Joey groaned, hoping this one wasn’t going to be as much of a handful as Margot – or even Mike. She was certainly strong willed enough. Well, Joey sighed, she supposed that it was something to be a strong woman in these times. She herself, supposedly a model Chalet School Girl, with a successful career and a long family, often wished she was able to stand up to Jack a little more. Her thoughts were interrupted by the entrance of Rösli, clutching a wriggling Phil, and leading a mutinous Cecil by the hand. “Ah, there you are,” she said, pleased. “And has Len got Geoff?” But it turned out that Len wasn’t feeling very well, and Con had volunteered to come instead. Geoff was missing his favourite sister – for Len was much more conscientious than her sister, and handier with babies – but submitted to being led along meekly enough. Felicity followed quietly. “Where’s Margot?” Joey mused. “It’s not like you three to go off on your own.” Con hesitated, unsure what to say.
“I think she’s busy, Mamma. We have a lot to get ready for school.” Which was, after all, true, she reasoned to herself.
“Don’t I know it!” Joey laughed, “With the number of times I’ve sent Chalet girls off. First me myself, of course, and the Robin, and then Daisy and Primula, poor little mites, and the Highland twins – weren’t they a handful, with their kilts and Gaelic and all? – and you three always, and now little Felicity. Soon it will be Cecil, and then Phil, and then where will I be? Ah well, by that time…” her voice faded away as she realized that all the small folk were present. “All right, chickabiddies, time we were off!”
Author:  Lesley [ Sat Sep 15, 2007 12:52 am ]
Post subject: 
Joey is decidedly not behaving like a real Chalet School girl, is she? And how can Jack knbow what his sons are feeling when he never listens to what they say?


Thanks Kat.
Author:  Rosalin [ Sat Sep 15, 2007 3:11 am ]
Post subject: 
Well at least she feels bad about not seeing the boys. That's something, right?

Long way to go for Joey or Jack to put things right though.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Alison H [ Sat Sep 15, 2007 4:45 am ]
Post subject: 
Thanks Kat :D .
Author:  Fatima [ Sat Sep 15, 2007 4:52 am ]
Post subject: 
Now she needs someone to encourage her to stand up to Jack. He really is dreadful here.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  JustJen [ Sat Sep 15, 2007 2:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
I think Joey's turning into a spineless jellyfish
Author:  Elbee [ Sun Sep 16, 2007 9:44 am ]
Post subject: 
Silly Joey, talk to your children instead of just assuming you know what they want :roll: !

Thanks Kat
Author:  brie [ Sun Sep 16, 2007 10:24 am ]
Post subject: 
Thanks Kat
Author:  Jennie [ Sun Sep 16, 2007 2:06 pm ]
Post subject: 
I'm beginning to think that the Maynards' attitude is nothing more than child abuse.
Author:  KatS [ Sun Sep 16, 2007 9:32 pm ]
Post subject: 
Jo, trying to get Felicity on her own for a little heart-to-heart, asked Con to run up ahead with Cecil. Con gave her mother a slightly strange look, but took Cecil by the hand, and set off as fast as that young lady could trot. Joey put an arm around Felicity, and slowed her pace until they were a little way behind Rösli and the babies. She searched for a good conversation opener. “So, Felicity, are you looking forward to the new term?” Felicity nodded eagerly.
“Oh, yes, Mamma.” Why did all her children seem to prefer school to home, she wondered? She definitely had to talk to Jack.
“Are you quite all right, Felicity, darling? Is there anything you want to talk about?” Felicity hesitated for a second.
“Oh, no, Mamma.”
“Nothing at all? You’re quite happy at home?”
“Oh, yes, Mamma.” Would the child say anything except “Yes Mamma” and “No Mamma” Joey asked herself exasperatedly?
“Are you missing Felix at all?” Her daughter seemed to consider, unsure what to say.
“No, Mamma,” she said eventually. And then, in an undertone, “ At least, yes, but…”
“But what?”
“Nothing, Mamma. I don’t miss him.” Forced out in a hard little voice, this sounded callous in the extreme.
“But he’s your twin, Felicity!” cried Joey, somewhat horrified. “How can you not miss him?” Felicity flushed deeply, and tears welled up in her eyes.
“Sorry, Mamma. I do miss him, I do,” she babbled, desperate to say what Mamma wanted to hear. Of course she missed Felix – she missed him so much it was as though a part of her heart had been ripped away – but she knew Mamma hated spineless jellyfish. But now she was crying anyway. Everything had gone horribly wrong, and Mamma would probably never speak to her again. She was upset, and Papa would be angry, and, and, and… Tears were falling in earnest now. “I miss him, I miss him,” she gasped.
“No, Flixy, there’s no use pretending,” said Joey crisply. “And please stop that babyish crying. Cecil would be ashamed to act this way.” She could not understand the attitude of her daughter. She didn’t miss her twin? Her own darling Felix, so quiet and affectionate? What on earth was wrong with the child? Her own Robin had never been this way – and Len certainly wasn’t. But they boys… her mind wandered over to England, as she imagined how they boys were doing.

“All right, Felix, dear, have you finished your breakfast? How about you, Maurice? Good. Maeve, Peggy is in charge, and I want all you girls to be good, and not get into any trouble while we’re gone. Boys – are you ready? Oh, and Charles, a letter came for you. I’ll give it to you when we get back. Maurice! Stop that! Sorry, Charles, there just isn’t time now. Maurice! Oh, for heaven’s sake, let’s just go.” As the horde of Bettany and Maynard boys tumbled out of the house, Steve smiled slightly at Chas, before heading off with Jackie, who he admired greatly.

That evening, while a worn-out Felix, Maurice, and Mike were being put to bed, Charles plucked up the courage to ask his aunt for the letter. Steve waited anxiously behind him, trying to look nonchalant, but failing miserably. He had promised to wake up Mike if it was indeed the promised letter. If Mamma had written back… Mollie Bettany smiled guiltily at the two boys as she handed over the much-desired letter, mentally chastising herself for not having written more often to her children while they were away. But, she reasoned to herself, it took so long for the mail to come, and with the war on one never really knew. And it was best not to upset them unduly, anyway. And she had them all together with her now, she reflected contentedly. As she left the room, Steve grabbed the letter from Charles, and let out a hiss of disappointment. He turned, and left the room, telling himself that he would rather have a letter at school. That would be addressed just to him.
Author:  Lesley [ Sun Sep 16, 2007 10:42 pm ]
Post subject: 
Okay, now I want to smack Joey - what is the matter with her????? :shock:


Thanks Kat.
Author:  Rosalin [ Sun Sep 16, 2007 10:55 pm ]
Post subject: 
Poor Felicity, trying so hard to do what is expected of her, and still made to feel that she's wrong. It sounds like Mollie's got her hands full at the Quadrant. It's all very well trying to give Jo a break, but it's not really fair on Mollie, the Maynard boys or the Bettany children/young adults.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  JustJen [ Mon Sep 17, 2007 3:47 am ]
Post subject: 
I feel bad for Mollie.Jack and Jo dump the boys on her without thinking about all th extra work Mollie has to do.
Poor Felicity trying to please Joey while trying to reconcile her feeling about being a spineless jellyfish
Ah for the ltters, better late than never.
Author:  Frogize [ Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:06 am ]
Post subject: 
Both Joey and Jack are making me feel so angry here, I can barely manage to read this!

Poor Mollie! (((((ALL the kids!))))

:poke: Jack and Joey *this emoticon isn't nearly bad enough!*
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Mon Sep 17, 2007 7:37 am ]
Post subject: 
Can someone please smack Joey. She is acting like a spoilt brat.
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Sep 17, 2007 12:10 pm ]
Post subject: 
Jo doesn't need a smack, a good whack with a lump hammer might do the trick.
Author:  Liz K [ Mon Sep 17, 2007 1:07 pm ]
Post subject: 
I'm getting extremely disillusioned with Joey!
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Sep 17, 2007 1:13 pm ]
Post subject: 
Aren't we all?
Author:  Fatima [ Mon Sep 17, 2007 1:32 pm ]
Post subject: 
Poor Felicity, feeling that she can only say what Mamma wants to hear. There are just so many miserable children in the family, but Jack and Jo just have no idea.
Author:  KatS [ Mon Sep 17, 2007 4:14 pm ]
Post subject: 
After dinner, Jack motioned to Joey to follow him into his study. Joey nodded slightly, and turned to Con, to ask her to look after the small fry until she herself came upstairs to preside over bedtime. Con having agreed cheerfully, she sat herself down in one of the armchairs scattered around the room, and prepared to listen to what Jack had to say.
“Joey, I’ve been meaning to have a serious talk with you.”
“That’s exactly what I’ve been thinking,” replied Jo, hoping that they would be able to sort everything out at last.
“You have?” asked Jack, very surprised. Had she managed to find out about the problem at the San? Who would have told her? And what on earth was he going to do now?
“Yes – clearly there is something very wrong with our children,” began Jo, but Jack cut her off in relief.
“Forget about them for a second, can’t you?”
“Forget about them?” exclaimed Jo.
“No, no – I didn’t mean it like that. Do be sensible for once, Jo. They’re all fine – why wouldn’t they be, all at good schools, the girls near you, and the boys with Jem and Dick to look out for them? They’re here for holidays – here and at the Tiernsee, they have opportunities most kids would give their eyes for!”
“Oh, I know, but…”
“But nothing. Now listen to me…” But by this time Joey was determined to have her say.
“No, you listen to me for a second, Jack Maynard! My sons prefer being hundreds of miles away from me at school in England, my daughter doesn’t even miss her twin when he is hundreds of miles away and when I tax her with it, she bursts into tears like a baby of five, my triplets are moping around alone, and even my babies are growing up and soon they’ll be off too! I can’t forget about them, Jack, they’re my children!”

Jack sighed. Clearly Jo had got very worked up about this, and would end up making herself ill if she continued to worry about it. There was nothing wrong with the kids – it was only natural the boys liked school, the triplets didn’t always have to be glued together, and obviously babies grew up. And as for Felicity – well, he hadn’t missed Molly too much when he had been at school, and he supposed little girls did cry sometimes. After all, over at that blasted Chalet School the girls seemed to be in floods of tears after being told off for saying “marvelous”. No, he would just have to sooth Jo, have a little word with the kids, and then distract her attention to the San problem.

“Of course they’re your children, Jo, and of course you worry about them. You’re a very caring person, and you do tend to get very involved in their lives. But I think this time, you’re reading a little too much into the situation. The boys do love school – think how you love the good old Chalet School. They’re healthy, happy boys, who love to play sports and be around their friends in a masculine environment. School is heaven for them! They love you very much – how could they not, with all you do for them, but boys are undemonstrative. As for the triplets, they’re getting older now, and starting to grow into separate people. They will always be best friends, but they are entitled to some time alone. It’s nothing to be worried about – it’s probably better this way. And little Felicity – well, when you’re young you don’t miss people as you do when you are older. Felicity doesn’t have much sense of missing Felix – she’s living in the moment. And she’s a highly strung little girl, and with all the excitement of starting school, it’s not that odd for her to become overwrought and cry sometimes. And as for the babies – well, they do grow up, Jo. That’s something we can’t help, and it’s silly to worry about it. Think of what a comfort Len is to you – think of how much more the Robin became as she grew older. You’re not losing them, Joey dear, you’re getting more of them.”

There was a moment's silence.
“Oh Jack,” Joey sniffed, “I do love you.”
“I love you too, dearest.”
Author:  Fatima [ Mon Sep 17, 2007 4:19 pm ]
Post subject: 
KatS wrote:
you do tend to get very involved in their lives
:shock: Well they are her children! And shouldn't you be involved, too, Jack?
I really don't like Jack here. He's so completely blinkered he's useless.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Rosalin [ Mon Sep 17, 2007 6:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
KatS wrote:
And little Felicity – well, when you’re young you don’t miss people as you do when you are older. Felicity doesn’t have much sense of missing Felix – she’s living in the moment.


Um, how old does he think Felicity is?

He's got it completely wrong about all his children hasn't he? I wonder if he actually believes what he is saying, or if he is just trying to make Joey feel better so they can get on to his problem.

I liked the comment about how easy it is to make Chalet girls cry though. He might just have a point there.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Lesley [ Mon Sep 17, 2007 6:56 pm ]
Post subject: 
He doesn't actually care, does he? All he's interested in is soothing Joey's fears so he can get on to his far more important problems.

And Joey - you may care about the children, but you have got them all wrong.


Thanks Kat.

(Linies up behind Jennie for use of lump hammer)
Author:  brie [ Mon Sep 17, 2007 11:14 pm ]
Post subject: 
thanks Kat.
Author:  KatS [ Mon Sep 17, 2007 11:39 pm ]
Post subject: 
Do you think Jack is too evil? I'm having a lot of trouble with him. I see him as being very detached from his kids, but not realizing that there is actually something wrong. But I think maybe I'm writing him as a totally unrealistic dad from hell...

When Joey was safely off visiting Biddy O’Ryan, Jack Maynard summoned the triplets, Felicity, and even Cecil to the study. He dealt with Cecil first.
“Cecily,” he began sternly, “I need you to listen to me very carefully.”
“OK” chirped Cecil.
“You should say “Yes, Papa” when I’m talking to you.”
“Yes, Papa”
“That’s better. Now, listen. Your Mamma is not feeling well at all, and she mustn’t be worried in any way. That means no getting into trouble, no screaming and crying, no bothering her, and no disobedience! Do you understand?”
Cecil hesitated. She was only five, after all, and she wasn’t sure she had understood everything.
“It mean being good all the time, and no talking to Mamma,” whispered Felicity, as Jack glared at her.
“Yes, Papa” said Cecil in a very small voice, quite unlike her usual lusty bellow.
“Good. Now, go up to Rösli, and remember what I’ve said.”
“Yes, Papa” she repeated, and trotted off, noticeably subdued. Jack turned his attention to Felicity.
“What’s all this I hear about crying, young lady?” Felicity gasped. Her fears were all coming true – Papa was angry with her, and she remembered how awful, awful, awful it had been when he was angry with Mike.
“Well? I’m waiting for an answer.”
“Uh…” Felicity stuttered, unsure what to say. “Sorry, Papa?”
“Sorry? Sorry? Can you kids never think of your mother? I’ve told you time and time again that you cannot go running to her at every possible opportunity worrying her with your naughtiness. How would you like to know you had made Mamma sick? What do they teach you at that school of yours – surely not to be a crybaby?”
“No – no” said Felicity, determined not to cry again. “I really am sorry, Papa, and I’ll never, never do it again. I would hate it if Mamma were sick.”
Jack looked at his little daughter properly, and realized she really had had enough. She looked so small, standing there, only eight years old, and with her silvery hair framing acute misery. He felt a sudden stab of guilt.
“All right then,” he said awkwardly. “Run along, why don’t you?” And he tried to smile at her, but she had fled immediately. He resolved to be gentler than he had intended with the triplets.
Author:  Rosalin [ Tue Sep 18, 2007 12:35 am ]
Post subject: 
KatS wrote:
Do you think Jack is too evil? I'm having a lot of trouble with him. I see him as being very detached from his kids, but not realizing that there is actually something wrong. But I think maybe I'm writing him as a totally unrealistic dad from hell...


I don't think so. He comes across to me like he doesn't have a clue, and he's got his priorities all wrong. I can see where he is coming from, although I don't agree with him.

It certainly works for me.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Tue Sep 18, 2007 3:00 am ]
Post subject: 
For goodness sake. Can I smack Jack really hard. I can understand him being detached beacause a lot of fathers were like that especially in that generation but the way he is telling them off for worrying their mother :shock: Who is the parent here????? If he and Joey couldn't cope with all the kids then why have them? I can see all the kids going off to their friends to play rather than being anywhere close to home. Sincerely hope Margot tells Jack just how devestated the boys feel about being sent away.
Author:  JustJen [ Tue Sep 18, 2007 3:11 am ]
Post subject: 
Gets into line to smack Joey and Jack with a hammer.
I hope that Magot tells her father off.
Author:  Lesley [ Tue Sep 18, 2007 6:47 am ]
Post subject: 
Jack really makes me angry here - but he is a reflection on how he was portrayed in the series - he's the one that didn't speak to his 7 year old son Mike for two weeks and caused him to have nightmares. It was also because of his continual repeating that 'Mama' wasn't to be worried, that Charles went to his sister about his pain and she took some hours before finally deciding that he was ill enough to warrant interrupting her parents' sleep.


Hope Margot tells him what for - but will it happen?

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Frogize [ Wed Sep 19, 2007 8:16 am ]
Post subject: 
For heavens sake, Jack! Telling the kids off for 'worrying Mamma' and all the time you're plotting to worry her yourself with your own problem at the San! If it's that important, just get on with it and give everyone a break!

*joining the queue to whack both of them with the lump hammer*
Author:  Jennie [ Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:05 pm ]
Post subject: 
Hands the lump hammer to Frogize. I'll find another one, then we'll have more to share out.
Author:  Lesley [ Wed Sep 19, 2007 6:23 pm ]
Post subject: 
Where's my lump hammer then?
Author:  KatS [ Wed Sep 19, 2007 9:21 pm ]
Post subject: 
“Len, Con, Margot,” he began. “I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that your Mamma and I rely on you to help keep the family going.”
“Yes, Papa” replied Len obediently, but the other two kept silent. Jack glanced at them, but decided not to push it.
“Now, this is to go no further, all right?”
“Yes, Papa” said Len again. Jack wasn’t sure quite how to begin. It was such an awkward conversation to be having with ones children.
“Your mother is a wonderful woman.” He hesitated. “She has, as you all know, a very lively and youthful spirit, and tremendous energy and drive.”
“For some things,” Margot muttered. Jack looked sharply at her, but remembering Felicity’s face, ignored her.
“It is my job, and the job of all those who love her, to protect her – to keep her healthy and happy. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Papa” This time it was Margot who spoke, and if her tone was a little drier than Len’s had been, Jack passed over it. Len and Con were the main ones, after all. Margot would always be a bit of a nuisance, but if he could count on Len…
“As I was saying to Cecil – I most particularly do not want her to be worried right now. So can I count on you girls for help with the little ones? And, erm, a little unity amongst yourselves? Your mother is alarmed that you seem to be growing apart. I would appreciate it if you could make an effort to do things together a little more.”
“Yes, Papa” said Len hurriedly. “Um, Papa? May I ask you a question?”
“Yes, of course.” What did the girl think he was? An ogre? She was certainly blushing violently enough.
“Is, well, is Mamma going… I mean, are we going to have another…” Len broke off, too embarrassed to continue.
“Len means – is Mamma going to have another baby?” said Con, helpfully.
“Yes, Constance, I am aware of what your sister means,” snapped Jack. He definitely did not want to get into the reasons why Joey wasn’t to be bothered at this point in time. “Len, these things are all down to the will of God.” That seemed to be a suitably vague answer – should put her off for a while. Len, however, did not seem reassured.
“I know Papa. But…” she stopped again, horrified at what she had been about to say. Margot decided to take a hand.
“What Len means, Papa, is that she is far too busy to take on yet another infant, especially when she has school to contend with.” Rapidly losing patience with Margot, but unwilling to provoke a scene, Jack replied, in a voice as stern and dismissive as he could possibly manage:
“You girls are far too keen on interpreting your sisters’ remarks. I’m sure that Len is happy to help out with her little brothers and sisters sometimes, as you should be too. Naturally Rösli and Anna will do most of the work.”
“Not you or Mamma?” This was a step too far for Jack Maynard.
“Helena, Constance, you may leave” he said, in a dangerously low voice. “Margaret, I am disgusted by your entirely selfish attitude, not to mention willful disrespect to the parents who have invested so much in you. I am sorry to say that so far we have not seen much return on that investment. You are a thoroughly unpleasant little girl, and I do not care to be around you. Go to your room immediately. I will consider what is to be done, and will inform you of my decision in due course.” This being said, he turned in his chair, clearly signaling that the interview was over.
Author:  brie [ Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:03 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oh dear... and Margot is only trying to help her sister.

And Jack most definitely is an ogre!
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
Jack is disgusting there. Why on earth can't he listen to his kids. They're trying to tell him and he thinks he's not an ogre :shock:
Author:  JustJen [ Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:48 pm ]
Post subject: 
Hits Jack witha hammer! What a nasty father.
Author:  Rosalin [ Thu Sep 20, 2007 12:18 am ]
Post subject: 
I don't think he's quite got the hang of the parent-child relationship. For himself or Joey.

*goes off to raid the garden shed for blunt implements*

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Frogize [ Thu Sep 20, 2007 3:02 am ]
Post subject: 
*dashing to the shop to buy 2 lump hammers for each Maynard child*

*and a few more for the rest of us, as well!*

Jack doesn't seem to have got the hang of any relationship here!
He's not exactly helping Joey, is he? Actually, he's reminding me more and more of a spoilt two-year-old I know!
Author:  KatS [ Thu Sep 20, 2007 3:55 am ]
Post subject: 
Margot stared at his back for a moment, thoughts rushing madly through her brain. Entirely selfish attitude? She had an entirely selfish attitude, and was a disappointment to her entirely selfless parents, was she? What about the boys then? What about Felix, desperately lonely and unloved? What about Mike, crying his eyes out from the knowledge that he was the “bad one” from about age two? What about Steve and Chas, who didn’t even bother trying to get any attention from their parents any more? What about Felicity, driven to despair in her attempts to please her parents? What about Len, spending her life looking after her parents’ children and not even having it acknowledged? What about Con, constantly ignored and passed over? What about Cecil, who at five years old had been told not to trouble her mother? What about the babies, who saw their mother for about half an hour a day? And what about Mary Margaret Maynard, whose food and clothing was considered a wasted investment, whose father couldn’t bear to be around her, whose mother didn’t trust her, who had now made everything so much worse?

Her train of thought changed suddenly. Why couldn’t she just have held her tongue? This would only make it worse for everyone. And what was Papa going to do to her now? Send her away? He sent the boys away when they weren’t even in trouble. He had split up Felix and Felicity without seeming to care at all. He had sent her away to Canada for a year when she was very young and delicate – he would have no compunction about sending her away now, when she was practically grown up. Did her parents want children just for the pleasure of getting rid of them as early and as painfully as possible? Would she ever be allowed to come home? She gave a dry half-sob, gasped for breath, and grabbed the arm of a chair for support. Her breathing shallow and forced, she turned and left the room, out into the hallway, where she ran straight into her mother, returning from her visit to the Courvoisiers. Margot struggled madly for control – she would not, she would not break down in front of her mother.

“Darling, what on earth is the matter?” asked Joey, full of concern.
“Nothing” choked Margot, but her impossibly white face gave her away.
“Margot, you know you can always come and chat to Mamma if something is troubling you? That’s what a mother is for, darling.” She looked anxiously into her daughter’s eyes – her baby of babies, she remembered fondly. Margot was saved from answering by Jack’s voice, cracking like whipcord out of the study.
“Margaret is in disgrace. Kindly cease speaking to her.”
“Jack! What is going on? What has Margot done?”
“She has been unspeakably rude and selfish. I have instructed her to return to her room. I will decide on some punishment when I am feeling less sickened by her behavior.”
“What? Jack – what on earth is this about? Margot - what did you do? Why does nobody ever tell me anything?” Joey wailed in alarm and frustration.
“I do not care to have this discussed further. Jo, you are becoming hysterical. I think it would be best for you to lie down for a while. I will bring you a drink.”
Author:  Lesley [ Thu Sep 20, 2007 5:42 am ]
Post subject: 
For God's sake Joey, find some backbone :roll: As for Jack - lump hammers are too good for him :evil:


Thanks Kat.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Thu Sep 20, 2007 7:42 am ]
Post subject: 
:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
Author:  brie [ Thu Sep 20, 2007 10:51 am ]
Post subject: 
Come on Joey! Stand up for yourself, and stand up for your kids!!
Author:  Jennie [ Thu Sep 20, 2007 11:23 am ]
Post subject: 
Hands out the lump hammers to everyone.

Jack is simply unspeakable here, and so is Jo for letting him be like this.
Author:  Rosalin [ Thu Sep 20, 2007 11:24 am ]
Post subject: 
Well Margot certainly isn't selfish here, she's spending a lot of time looking out for her brothers.

Joey - stick up for yourself and the children and DON'T take that drink!

Thanks Kat.
Author:  keren [ Thu Sep 20, 2007 12:23 pm ]
Post subject: 
This is difficult to read.

Possibly the family was like that, not talking about anything

Communication and learning to talk to each other, is a skill that is only emphasised in more modern times (not that people did not do it before, but if you did not know how to talk to your familiy, then you were not aware of this)


Best thing to happen is for Jack to be away for a couple of weeks, and something to happen that will cause Joey to find out the truth. (maybe discover MArgot's secret diary?)
Author:  Fatima [ Thu Sep 20, 2007 5:11 pm ]
Post subject: 
He's indescribably awful here. I hope Jo doesn't accept the drink he's going to make her.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Frogize [ Fri Sep 21, 2007 7:12 am ]
Post subject: 
I'm getting really angry with Jack now! If he has a problem at the San why on earth isn't he doing something about it? At least that'd be one less thing for him to worry about (although it seems he want Joey to worry about it instead!) and he could then try listening to his kids without being distracted! Honestly, talk about clueless!!!

*considering buying handcuffs to make him stay*
*and a gag to make him SHUT UP and listen!*

*and bricking up the door as well, just in case!*
Author:  Jennie [ Fri Sep 21, 2007 8:41 am ]
Post subject: 
Why is the San more important than his dysfunctional family? Because it is? Or because he's a man?

Such blindness!
Author:  Tan [ Fri Sep 21, 2007 12:11 pm ]
Post subject: 
Why do I suspect that the 'drink' will be a 'dose' in disguise?? How about we send him away somewhere? Siberia? Antarctica? It would suit his personality...
Author:  alicat [ Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:33 pm ]
Post subject: 
can I play devil's advocate?? :evil: :evil:

If the person you loved and you yourself went through a traumatic experience flleing the Nazi evil and then within a very short time had unexpected triplets, who you never really got to bond with as small children because of the war, a war during which you suffered a serious head injury and were in a coma for some time, and then you got a very responsible and time-consuming and emotionally-draining job and carried on having children ad nauseum because of your faith which forbade you to use contraception...well you might well en up an unbalanced personality, mightn't you???

Jack in the books has always reminded me of my mother-in-law's accounts of her relationship with her father - her parents married the day before WW2 broke out, then he was posted abroad. she was born in 1940 and her first memory of her father is him coming home when she was 5....they never really got on until he was in his 80s after her mother died, and she always said he was a terribly stern father. I only knew him as an very intolerant old man.
Author:  Lesley [ Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:46 pm ]
Post subject: 
Of course you may! :wink:

That may well give an explanation for Jack's behaviour - but it doesn't excuse it.
Author:  KatS [ Fri Sep 21, 2007 5:22 pm ]
Post subject: 
“Hilda and Nell are coming round for English Tea any time now,” said Joey blankly. “They have so much to discuss before the new term. So I’ll have to rest later.”
Jack snorted. He felt his authority was being rapidly undermined – first Margot was cheeking him left right and centre, then Joey was calmly ignoring his orders, and now, instead of having a few hours to consider what was to be done with Margot, and more crucially, the ever worsening situation at the San, he was expected to hand round lemon biscuits and pretend nothing was wrong! What was it with these blasted women always popping in for tea? Did his family exist for no purpose other than to supplement the staff of the Chalet School? Well, he wasn’t going to have anything to do with it this time. He shut the study door firmly, just as the doorbell went. Margot and Joey stared at each other in dismay. Margot was quite obviously in no state to entertain visitors, so she fled up the stairs, leaving Jo to totter to the doorway, completely thrown by the turbulent scene she had stumbled in on.

“Hilda. Nell,” she stammered weakly. “How… how nice to see you.” The two friends looked at her in astonishment. This was not at all the Joey they knew and loved.
“Is this a bad time, Joey? We wouldn’t want to intrude.”
“No, no,” said Joey. “I just had a bit of surprising news. Fairly bowled me over!” She was getting into her stride now, and had almost banished the haunting vision of Margot’s face – Felicity’s face. “Come on in, come on in. I do so want to hear all the hanes. And you’ll be glad to know Anna’s been making some of her famous lemon biscuits – I know how you all love them. I do myself, as a matter of fact! And there’s plenty of my special fruit drink to go around. Watch out for Bruno, though – but you ought to be used to him by this time. I think he’s in the Saal.”
This burst of speech surprised the two ladies – it was typical Joey, of course, bubbling with hospitality, but quite unlike the strained expression and odd greeting of a moment ago.
“Well, well, so how are the preparations going for the new term? Everything sorted out, I hope? Any new students to look forward to? I must see about planning my New Girls’ Tea. I do believe Anna has vowed to surpass herself this time – and my latest book is nearly finished, so if there are any particularly troublesome ones, I can always coax them round by promising to give them a little peek at it!”
“You always did manage girls well, Jo,” said Hilda Annersely fondly. “But what’s all this about surprising news? You didn’t look at all well when we came in.”
“Oh nothing, nothing” replied Jo airily. “I’ve been a little tired lately – Jack is always warning me about getting overexcited – worrying about the children, you know, so this piece of news caught me on the hop!”
“Why are you worrying about the children?”
“Oh, you know how a mother gets! But I’ve chatted to Jack about it, and he’s sure they’re all fine – it’s just Margot now.”
“Margot?”
“Yes, she apparently did something fairly awful this afternoon, but it’s all being kept very hush-hush” Joey laughed lightly. “I’m sure I’ll hear all about it at bedtime – I think a little confession time with Mamma does help to steer the little dears in the right direction.”
“Yes – it’s a pity more of out mothers don’t do the same. Some of them are abominably callous – one of our older new girls this term, Flavia Ansell, well, her parents don’t even seem to enter into the equation! Not a note, nothing, just the registration papers. And we do like to know a little more about new students, especially the older ones. We’ve had some tricky girls in the past, very tricky.”
“But most of them have been happily reformed – except for that ghastly Thekla. What a time we had with her!” Hilda and Nell laughed.
“Not to mention Betty Wynne-Davies – but Elizabeth Arnett, who in her day was the worst of the worst, pulled through all right.”
“Oh, most schoolgirls settle down sooner or later. It’s just the ones like poor Joan Baker and the dreadful Yseult that have a hard time,” laughed Nell.
“Well, with her mother, the poor girl never had a chance!”
“Yes, you’ve always said so much depends on home training – and I must say I agree with you, Jo,” commented Miss Annersley thoughtfully.
“Jack and I have always tried to instill obedience from an early age, but so much depends on loving care as they grow older.”
“Look at Theodora Grantley, for instance!”
“Oh, call the girl Ted, why can’t you? Theodora is too much of a mouthful for anyone, and so I told her the second I saw her! Gave the poor thing a fresh start, as well.”
“In any case, I don’t think Flavia Ansell will be like that. Her registration was all quite in order – it was just strangely impersonal. I hope an explanation will be forthcoming soon.”
“Oh, I’m sure it will,” said Jo easily. “Now, I hope you’re hungry, because if I’m not much mistaken, Anna has been in the kitchen all morning. And I was over at Biddy’s this morning, and I’ve reams to tell you!”
Author:  JustJen [ Fri Sep 21, 2007 6:10 pm ]
Post subject: 
You know I don't blame Jack for being resentful about the school. Evrytime there's a crisis, the staff turns to Joey and I would resentful if I had a hoard of school girls over every Sunday for tea.
Author:  Rosalin [ Fri Sep 21, 2007 9:23 pm ]
Post subject: 
Pity some of the ideas and good advice Joey has for the school can't be diverted to her own family.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Jennie [ Sat Sep 22, 2007 7:50 pm ]
Post subject: 
What gets me is the great cloud of delusion that Jack and Jo are living in.
Author:  KatS [ Sat Sep 22, 2007 9:41 pm ]
Post subject: 
Hmm, this bit is quite sad. I can't quite buy the Margot becoming a nun because of any temper problems, I think something deeper must have driven her to it. So this is my take on it.

Len knocked nervously on her sister’s door. She hated being the one to deliver this message – hated, hated, hated it. Anyone would have been able to see that Margot had been incredibly unhappy, and to her triplet sister, her misery and despair over the days of waiting had been painfully obvious. Pretty, laughing, vivacious Margot, face white and set, curls strained tightly back from her face, opened the door slowly. Seeing Len’s face, she knew immediately what had happened. She stepped back slightly, then shook herself, and moved out into the corridor. Con and Len surrounded her protectively as they marched down the stairs, their hearts breaking for their sister. As they approached the door, the three girls looked at each other. Len could not bear to speak, but Con forced herself to form the word “Margot”. Margot’s knock, echoing down the hallway, sounded like a death knell for the triplets. All three felt dimly that what was at stake here was their tripletship – the making or breaking of Margot.

“Enter” came Jack’s voice, and Margot, her very soul cowering at the sound, made her way over the threshold. “Well, Margaret, I am extremely disappointed in you. I have been sickened by your ingratitude for all we have done for you. We don’t ask much of you, you know, just that you be cheerful, polite, hard-working Christian girls - women. You have failed on all counts. There is some intractable streak in your character that not even we could overcome. Goodness knows, your mother and I have worked hard over the years, giving you the best possible care and attention. It broke your mother’s heart, letting you go to Canada to get well, but she made that sacrifice cheerfully."
The words washed over Margot like a dream. What would have made her miserable and guilty a year ago, outraged and angry a month ago, had no effect on her now. Her misery had gone far, far deeper.

“I have thought long and hard about what to do with you, Margot. You are clearly a bad influence on your sisters and brothers, not to mention at school. Your reports there have been consistently poor. I should have known after the blackmailing debacle that all our love and attention has been wasted. You are not fit to be around decent young people. I cannot have you in the house.”

This was the moment Margot had been dreading – total rejection from her father. A deep wave of fear and despair overwhelmed her. She had no one, no one in the world now. She would lose – had lost – her triplets, her brothers, her sisters, her friends, her mother, everyone she had ever known, her father. She was entirely alone. Her heart had been ripped to pieces. At that moment, if it had been possible, Mary Margaret Maynard would have lain down and died.

Why do you reject me, Lord? Why hide your face from me?
I am mortally afflicted since youth; lifeless, I suffer terrible blows.
Your wrath has swept over me; your terrors have reduced me to silence.
All day they surge round like a flood; from every side they close in on me.
Because of you my companions shun me; my only friend is darkness.

“Margaret! Are you listening to me?” Jack was more annoyed than he could say. Not just at Margot’s cheeky remarks during his interview with the triplets – of course not. It was a deep frustration at his inability to connect with his children. He loved Joey – loved her with his whole heart, and he would have done anything, anything to protect her. But the children were another story. If he was honest with himself, he couldn’t bring himself to care that much about them individually. And especially the enigma standing before him. He had seen her only for a few weeks at a time until she was five years old, and they had been in the nursery most of the time anyway – the war had put paid to time with the triplets when they were babies. And then he had had all his work at the San, desperately needed, and even when he was at home, the children had still mostly been in the nursery. Then, just as they were getting old enough to be around more often, Margot had gone off to Canada. And when she had come back, she had been difficult to get along with, spoilt and lazy, and there had been all the baby boys to see to when he had been home, not to mention the endless parties of school girls that made their way to the Maynards at every possible opportunity. And before he knew it, the trips were off to boarding school, he had eleven children on his hands, and more and more waifs and strays seemed to take up the little time he did have with his own children.

So here was Margot, the most extreme example of what had gone wrong with his children, who had basically hinted at the deepest, darkest secret of Jack’s existence – his inability to love his children. He literally could not bear to have her around. Joey, his darling Joey, seemed to be slipping away from him, wrapped up in the wretched children, at the time when he needed her most, the time when his career was crashing down around his ears. He wanted, needed, Joey to comfort him, to tell him he was wonderful and everything would be all right, and here she was thinking about some tiresome schoolgirl who had always been a nuisance and a worry. No, Margot would have to go. Joey was his, and would remain his.

“I shall arrange for you to go to England. There are some good, strict schools there that take girls year round. Perhaps, if you receive exemplary reports, your Aunt and Uncle will visit you next summer. If you continue in this disgraceful path, I’m afraid they will not want to.”

“Papa. Papa. Do you love me?” Only at this point, this lowest point of all, would Margot have dared ask the question. Jack stared at her in dismay, unable to articulate the easy, obvious answer, but horrified at the thought of the true one. But Margot received her answer, and, in the unutterable despair of that moment, cried out from the depths of her soul to her Father to come and take her away.

He will conceal you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge.

Margot left the study.
Author:  linda [ Sat Sep 22, 2007 10:44 pm ]
Post subject: 
Poor, poor Margot. :cry: :cry: :cry: What has she done to deserve such a disgustingly selfish and unloving father.

It seems to me that Jack is blaming everyone else for his inability to bond with his children. How could he and Joey contemplate having so many children if they can't care for them and look after them properly.

This is so sad Kat. I hope it turns out better for Margot soon. Why doesn't Joey stand up to this uncaring bully of a man? How can she believe that her children are happy to be kept away from her?
Author:  Lesley [ Sat Sep 22, 2007 10:56 pm ]
Post subject: 
Echoing all Linda has just said - no sympathy whatsoever for Jack - he didn't have to have so many children - and to say such things to his own daughter? Aagh, want to hit him and hug Margot. :cry:


Thanks Kat.
Author:  Rosalin [ Sat Sep 22, 2007 11:59 pm ]
Post subject: 
(((Margot)))

From your comment at the beginning, I hope God sends her comfort.

While I don't agree with Jack's treatment of the children, it is interesting to have his feelings as well. I can understand him, even if I'm a bit short on sympathy.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  KatS [ Sun Sep 23, 2007 12:32 am ]
Post subject: 
It had been Con’s idea, and she knew she should carry it out. She owed it to Margot, and, to her way of thinking, she had less to lose than Len did. After all, her parents did love Len. She was always in great demand at Joey’s teas, all the mistresses at school raved about her, she had always been form prefect, she had always been the most popular, the perfect child, the one Mamma and Papa would never give up. Len was risking a lot by undertaking this project – the parents did seem to respect her and consider her a good daughter. And Con, though she felt Margot’s pain very deeply, thought that she herself had perhaps more to complain about. No, she told herself firmly, no you don’t. You’re being silly, and self-pitying, and anything that Margot has that you don’t is entirely your own fault. Don’t be so selfish! But the voice inside her head kept nagging at her. Margot had always been bad – but she had always had personality, always kept her parents wondering about her. She had chummed with the boys, and found a place in the family – the black sheep, maybe, but still a place. Felix adored her, no doubt about it. Margot had gone her own way in the study, sticking up for her sister, and standing up to her father. And she had paid such a terrible price. Con had said nothing. And her father had barely noticed her – had barely ever noticed her. None of her younger brothers and sisters were especially fond of her (her own fault, she knew, whenever she had been at home, she had been writing stories) and her parents seemed to see Len as the perfect one, Margot as the terrible one, and Con as the middle one. The one that made them more interesting than twins. She wondered briefly if her parents had ever thought about her, individually. They might have done, she supposed, but she couldn’t imagine it. It seemed to her then, that even being the terrible one could not be as bad as just being the middle one. But then Margot’s total misery came back to her, the knowledge that she was being sent away – for ever – that it would be years and years until she would see Margot again, and she knew that would crush Margot. She knew with even more certainty that it would utterly crush her. Len was wonderful, of course, but without Margot… how could she bear to go back to school, with only the two of them? Everyone knowing that Margot was in disgrace – such terrible disgrace that she could not come back. It would be horrible, too awful to contemplate. And their birthday without Margot? Christmas without Margot? No, no, no, it could not be.

And so Con had had this idea, and when she had confided it to Len (she had not dared talk to Margot yet), Len had bravely volunteered to carry it out. But now that it came down to it, Con felt she had to be there. Len was doing this for her triplet – Con had to do something, anything for her too. So the two of them, greatly daring, approached their mother. Jo had been extremely anxious throughout the four days before Jack had decided his punishment. Nobody had told her exactly what had happened, school was starting in two days time, Margot, her own Margot, her baby of all, had been wrapped in a cloud of misery that almost moved Jo to tears, when she thought about it. Somehow, she seemed to have had half a hundred invitations, from the school, from Biddy, from Hilary, even from the Emburys, and she hadn’t had a second to call her own. She was not to know, of course, that her friends had banded together, worrying about her new solemnity, and were trying to give her a chance to liven up and return to her old laughing ways. When Jack had announced his decision to her – to send Margot to boarding school in England – he had omitted to mention that he was planning on leaving Margot there for a few years. That might upset Jo, he thought, and the whole point of sending Margot away was for Jo to be happy. So Jo, while raging at the thought of her daughter being miles away from her in England, and unhappy at the disgrace she must be feeling herself in, had learned to do without her boys during the year, and thought that if it would keep the peace with Jack, Margot must go.

“Mamma?” asked Len tentatively. “Can we talk to you?”
“Of course you may, my darlings.” Jo realized guiltily that she hadn’t talked to any of her children in the last few days. She’d been so preoccupied with Margot and Jack.
“Mamma, we three are triplets. And that’s a special bond. It’s my fault Margot got into trouble in the study – she was only trying to stick up for me. I… here Len crimsoned… I said things. And Margot was trying to help. And, oh Mamma, you can’t send her away!”
“Len, dear, you’ll have to talk to your Papa” began Joey, hating how weak she was sounding. Where was her legendary grit? Where was the successful authoress, always sorting out problem girls? How had she failed with her own family?
At this point, Con was compelled to speak. “No, Mamma. He won’t listen to us. You know that. But, but he’ll listen to you. She’s our triplet, Mamma, she’s your daughter. You can’t do this to us! Don’t you love us?”

Jo, like Jack before her, stared at her daughters, horrified. Not knowing the true story, she thought it was an overreaction, but it was obvious her girls were feeling this very deeply.
“Don’t you even love Len?” asked Con brokenly, in a last ditch effort to save Margot.

This question, clearly asked from the bottom of Con’s heart, was like a stake straight through Jo’s heart. “Oh, my children, my children!” cried Joey, gathering them into her arms. “I love you, of course I love you! I love you more than anything! Don’t ever, ever think that Papa and I don’t love you more than anything else in the world!” The two girls looked at her, completely shocked. Hadn’t Papa just said that he didn’t love Margot? Or at least implied it? But maybe Mamma didn’t mean Margot? But how could anyone love two of the triplets more than anything, and hate the other and try to split them up for ever? Here Len, a master at putting others before herself, and shutting off her real feelings, forced herself to speak for Margot.
“Mamma, if you loved us, you wouldn’t send Margot away. Don’t let Papa send her away. You can’t. Mamma, if you love us, if you love me, do this for us.” The possibility of being rejected as Margot had been was very real to her – indeed, it had been too real to Con for her to speak – but she bravely went on. “We need her, Mamma. And if you don’t keep Margot here, we’ll, we’ll know you don’t love us. I’ll know you don’t love me.”
Author:  Lesley [ Sun Sep 23, 2007 12:38 am ]
Post subject: 
Perhaps this will wake Joey up - she's being totally weak at the moment.


Thanks kat.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Sun Sep 23, 2007 6:35 am ]
Post subject: 
Oh Kat, that is so extraordinarily brave of the other two. To find out if there parents even love them. In some ways though if they don't they are better off going out and forging their own ways, than being around parents who continually remind them they don't love them.

If Jack doesn't love his kids why have that many and why can't he at least be civil and treat them as well as he treats his patients. And Joey is just pathetic. She is being a spineless jellyfish in the worse possible way.
Author:  Rosalin [ Sun Sep 23, 2007 10:28 am ]
Post subject: 
I hope this does get Joey standing up for herself and her children.

Len and Con were very brave there, it's good to see how much they care about Margot.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Jennie [ Sun Sep 23, 2007 1:37 pm ]
Post subject: 
Wake up, Jo. smell the coffee, get busy, tackle Jack's callous attitude.

Above all, try to behave as if you're the person you've pretended to be for so long.
Author:  JustJen [ Sun Sep 23, 2007 3:13 pm ]
Post subject: 
If you wish to kick Jack ass, form a line to the left.
If you want to shake some sense into Joey, form a line to the right.
Author:  Lesley [ Sun Sep 23, 2007 4:22 pm ]
Post subject: 
May I alternate between the two? :wink:
Author:  Fatima [ Sun Sep 23, 2007 4:33 pm ]
Post subject: 
I'd like to be in both lines as well, please! I'm glad Len and Con have decided to speak to Jo, and I really hope their words will shock her into standing up to Jack.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Jennie [ Sun Sep 23, 2007 4:53 pm ]
Post subject: 
May I bring my long-handled croppers, please? I promise to stand quietly in both lines.
Author:  brie [ Sun Sep 23, 2007 5:25 pm ]
Post subject: 
:cry:
Author:  Fatima [ Sun Sep 23, 2007 5:38 pm ]
Post subject: 
Jennie wrote:
May I bring my long-handled croppers, please? I promise to stand quietly in both lines.


May I watch Jennie in action please, so that I can learn the correct technique myself? It sounds as though it'll be an interesting procedure!
Author:  Jennie [ Sun Sep 23, 2007 5:41 pm ]
Post subject: 
Fatima, it's quite simple. Buy a pair of long-handled garden croppers, make sure they're very sharp, and when you reach your target, start snipping, well, removing unwanted pieces of whoever or whatever. Sometimes you just have to use force.
Author:  Frogize [ Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:38 am ]
Post subject: 
Well! I can't believe I'm actually feeling a little sorry for Jack now!

At least, I can understand him feeling...er, unloved? Not that he's being particularly loveable, but he does seem to have got the rough end of the stick. What's that saying? All work and no play? We all know what kind of play Jack's been indulging in over the years - and he does at least seem to care for Joey even if he has a strange way of showing it! - but it's ended in a houseful of kids he doesn't really want.

I want to know what's gone wrong at the San. Is it really so awful that he can't tell Joey? Or is he just in the habit of trying to control everything and everyone? (ulp! He's beginning to sound like Madge!)

*gets off soap-box and blushes*
Author:  Becky [ Tue Sep 25, 2007 5:32 pm ]
Post subject: 
I've just read this from the beginning and it's superb, thank you Kat. :D
Author:  KatS [ Wed Sep 26, 2007 4:45 pm ]
Post subject: 
Joey stood there, stunned. How could Len even conceive of not being loved? How could she not be aware that she was everything – everything to her mother? More even then her own Robin! Almost as much as Jack, even! What was Len thinking? What had she done to her children? The boys didn’t love her, and now Len – and Con, she remembered hastily – thought she didn’t love them. Could the girls have resented her love for the boys, she wondered wildly? It didn’t really seem plausible, though. Of course, she had missed the boys over the summer, but not as obviously as all that. And anyway, they had to share their mother with their brothers! It was ridiculous to think otherwise. So all this must just be about Margot going to England.

“But, darlings, you know…” Papa has decided was what she meant to say. But she couldn’t bring herself to say it, after her realization of a moment ago. “You know that you managed without Margot in Canada.” That hadn’t been what she wanted to say, she berated herself furiously. This was about Margot behaving badly and learning there were consequences. That was what Jack had said. And didn’t she herself believe in being firm, and insisting on unquestioning obedience? And Margot had always been something of a hopeless case, she reminded herself.

“Len – Con. Your sister has behaved badly, you know that,” she began firmly, but was stopped in her tracks by the look of heartbreak in their eyes. “Please don’t look like that, girls!” she begged. “Don’t make this any harder for me!” How, how could her daughters look at her like that? Was she really a kind of monster? What could she do? Jack would never back down, she knew that. But her daughters – her daughters!

“Harder for you?” spat Con bitterly. “We’re going to die without Margot, and you don’t even care!”
“Now you’re becoming hysterical.” Suddenly Joey realized how much she had resented this line from Jack over the years, and wished she could take it back.
“No, Connie, I didn’t mean it!” she cried, hysterical herself in tone. “But you are overreacting. Margot is only going away because it’s best for her, and for us. It is! It is!” she cried, as if trying to convince herself. “I care, of course I care. I care more than you can possible imagine! How can you say such things to me?”
“Best for Margot! Best for Margot to be sent away for ever? Best for Margot to never see us again? Best for Margot? Best for you, you mean, so you don’t have to bother to think about her ever again!” Con was in a passionate rage now, and words she would never have dreamt of thinking before came flooding out of her. She literally wanted to attack the woman in front of her, to shake her, and shake her, until she understood just a little of how the triplets were feeling.

“Never again?” said Joey, in a puzzled tone, completely ignoring the last part of Con’s tirade. “What do you mean, never again?”

Both triplets stared at her.
Author:  clair [ Wed Sep 26, 2007 4:59 pm ]
Post subject: 
This is brilliant - I always wondered whether Len was happy being so all responsible for the others, strangely although she was the one written about most I felt her actual character was left out with more depth for Con and Margot whilst Len was just sooo dutiful!
Also felt Jack was too remote and the boys just ignored - so nice to see others agreeing with me on this.
Is it too soon to ask for more?
Author:  Rosalin [ Wed Sep 26, 2007 5:48 pm ]
Post subject: 
At last we seem to be getting somewhere with Joey, although she really needs to work on how she deals with her children.

I felt very sorry for Con there, so obviously a poor second to Len in her mother's affections.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Fatima [ Wed Sep 26, 2007 6:07 pm ]
Post subject: 
I actually felt quite sorry for Jo there, wanting to reassure Len and Con, but making it worse with every word she said.
Author:  Lesley [ Wed Sep 26, 2007 6:33 pm ]
Post subject: 
Listen to them Joey - just listen to what they're saying!


Thanks Kat.
Author:  JustJen [ Wed Sep 26, 2007 7:11 pm ]
Post subject: 
Go Con! You tell you mom how you feel!
Author:  linda [ Wed Sep 26, 2007 11:51 pm ]
Post subject: 
Is Joey going to wake up at last and see how manipulating Jack has been?

He is getting rid of the children one by one so that eventually they will only have the babies left and they can be looked after by Anna and Co, so he will have Joey to himself.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Thu Sep 27, 2007 5:34 am ]
Post subject: 
:shock: In all honesty I can't see Joey really doing much so long as her beloved Len is there. Con and Margot are a poor second and third in her eyes.
Author:  Alison H [ Thu Sep 27, 2007 3:13 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks Kat :D .
Author:  brie [ Fri Sep 28, 2007 9:48 am ]
Post subject: 
Thanks Kat
Author:  KatS [ Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:50 pm ]
Post subject: 
Len, realizing that Con was in no state to convince her mother of anything, hastily tried to marshal her feelings. She had to be calm and sensible, so her parents couldn’t write her off as hysterical, she had to explain everything clearly to Mamma, so that she wouldn’t become defensive, or go to Papa before she had understood properly, and she couldn’t let Con scream too much and spoil everything.
“Mamma” she began, her voice steady. “We’re talking about the decision Papa told us of. The decision to send Margot away to school in England.”
“Yes, Len, I know that.” But Jo appreciated the way her eldest daughter was being sensible. You could always depend on Len, she thought gratefully.

“We understood from what Papa said…” Len was trying to choose her words carefully. If there was a way they could get out of this situation without Papa having to openly retract his decision, that would be all to the good. “We understood from what Papa said that Margot would not be coming back to Freudesheim for many years, if ever. We may have misunderstood” she added, trying to inject a note of innocent hopefulness. Joey seized on it.
“My dear girl, of course you have. Papa would never send any of you away for ever. You musn’t have been listening properly. It’s not like you to be dreamy, Len. Now Con is a different story.”

Len recognized her mother launching into her social babble, and interrupted, determined to keep her on track and extract the necessary promise.
“Oh good, Mamma. It would be so nice to talk to Papa so we could apologize for our misunderstanding. When he comes home, could you ask him to explain the real plan to Margot? I know she’s awfully upset.”
Joey hesitated. Although most of her rebelled against the idea of Jack making a decision to send away a child forever without even telling her, there was a tiny part of her mind that could imagine him doing it, if he was in a very tight corner. And if he was already deeply upset and worried, it would only be bad to provoke him further. He would be very angry… Joey shivered suddenly.

Len saw the change in her mother’s face, and decided she had to press her advantage while it remained with her. “Thanks awfully, Mamma! It is marvelous – I mean miraculous – of you to be so sweet. All the girls at school wish they had a mother like you!” It felt absurd, to be babbling on like a child about how wonderful and understanding her Mamma was, when less than five minutes ago she had been deadly earnest about giving up her mother’s love to save her sister. But Mamma needed her to be a child right now – it was the only way she would be maneuvered into this plan.

Joey looked thoughtfully at her little girl’s face. Not so little, she reminded herself, the eldest of eleven now! And she had told her mother – her mother – that she would know that Joey, her own Mamma, did not love her if Margot was sent away. And Con, her middle triplet, normally so quiet and dreamy, had screamed at her. Screamed at her as though she hated her. And, most importantly of all, there was the definite possibility that her husband, the person she cared for most in the world, had lied to her about her children. What on earth was she going to do?

“Len, darling, you know I love you” she began slowly. Len held her breath. “Whatever happens, I want you to know that I love you. And I know how much you love Margot, and of course I do too, so I don’t want you two to be separated if you will hate it so much. But Margot must be punished, you see that.” Continuing hastily, as Len had looked as if she were about to speak, she said “I will talk to Papa. I’ll talk to him tonight. But whatever happens, I love you. Don’t ever forget that.”

And she turned and left.
Author:  Fatima [ Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:55 pm ]
Post subject: 
I'm very much looking forward to Jo's conversation with Jack. I really hope she can manage to get him to change his mind about Margot.
Author:  linda [ Fri Sep 28, 2007 5:09 pm ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
And, most importantly of all, there was the definite possibility that her husband, the person she cared for most in the world, had lied to her about her children. What on earth was she going to do?


So, at last, Joey has some inkling that what Len is saying may be true. I do hope that she can now get her act together and sort Jack out once and for all!!!!!!!!

Joey - wake up and get your act together before you lose all your children :shock: :shock: :shock:
Author:  Rosalin [ Fri Sep 28, 2007 6:50 pm ]
Post subject: 
I'm very impressed with the way Len handled that. Less impressed with Joey though. I'm worried Jack will steamroller her objections or lie again.

Still, there is hope.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Lesley [ Fri Sep 28, 2007 7:03 pm ]
Post subject: 
So just how much will Joey press Jack about this then? She seems frightened of his temper.
Like Len cutting across Joey's 'social babble'


Thanks Kat.
Author:  leahbelle [ Fri Sep 28, 2007 7:54 pm ]
Post subject: 
Just found this after being away and am really enjoying it. Thanks, Kat. I like the fact that Len knows how to manipulate Joey.
Author:  Alison H [ Fri Sep 28, 2007 9:58 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yes, it's great to see perfect Len being so clever at manipulating her mother :D !
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Sat Sep 29, 2007 1:53 am ]
Post subject: 
I hope Joey can stand up to Jack, but it doesn't look promising. Len seems to be more mature than Joey
Author:  Sarah_G-G [ Sat Sep 29, 2007 11:51 am ]
Post subject: 
This is really interesting and well drawn. Joey does seem to be very young and sheltered in this- I'm glad the triplets are beginning to stand up for themselves.
Author:  KatS [ Sat Sep 29, 2007 7:06 pm ]
Post subject: 
“Margot! She hates me, she hates me! She only loves Len! She hates me, she hates me, she never even thinks about me. She hates me, Margot, she hates me!”
“Con” said Margot gently. “Be a little quieter, can’t you? Otherwise Mamma or Papa will be along to see what’s going on.”
“No they won’t! They don’t care about me. Anyway, I yelled at Mamma earlier, and she didn’t even pay any attention.” But she calmed down a little.
“You know Con, we’ve always known that Mamma and Papa get along better with Len. You’ve always known that. And think how much they dislike me. At least they’re neutral towards you.”
“At least they think about you and pay attention to you! I’m the one they all ignore constantly!”
“Do you know the last time Mamma wrote to the boys?”
Con stared at her sister.
“And how about Papa?”
“I – I’m not sure. Ages, I suppose.”
“They do pay attention to us, Con. They don’t…” here Margot could not suppress the catch in her voice “They don’t love us very much, but they do pay attention to us. At least we’re at home.”
“But the boys are different! They have to be in England for school.”
“Maybe. But do you think Mamma pays them a lot of attention when they’re here?”
“Not really” Con admitted. “But Margot Maynard, this isn’t fair! I came to you for sympathy and here you’re telling me to be sorry for the boys and think myself lucky that my parents keep me in the house.”
“I do sympathize, of course I do. I know how you feel. But there’s no point in thinking about how we feel, is there? It doesn’t change anything. It’s much better to think about the boys, and, well, and other things. Anyway, you do have a family that loves you, Con. I love you, and Len loves you, and Felicity loves you, and the boys would love you, given half a chance.”
“It’s so funny to hear you talk like this, Margot” Con half giggled. It sounds so much like Len at her preachiest – or even Auntie Hilda!
“I don’t mean to be preachy” began Margot in alarm, but Con cut her off.
“Oh, don’t worry, I like it for once. Keep on going!”
“Not now, I can’t! You’ve made me all self-conscious. But I will give you this. It’s a letter from Felix and Mike. I think you’ll like to read it.”
"From Felix and Mike? Why are they writing to you? And why will I want to read it?"
"Well, I expect they're writing to me because I wrote to them. It's only polite to reply, you know! And you'll want to read it because - well, because they're your little brothers, and you should know how they're feeling. It's in there, you just have to read between the lines a little - especially with Mike."
"I can't believe Mike wrote more than two lines. His usual efforts run to "Dear Mamma and Papa and everybody. I am well. I hope you are well. From Mike." But you say he actually wrote you a letter?"
"I was surprised too, actually. Not that he could write a letter, obviously he has a lot to say and needs someone to sympathize with him, or at least not make fun of him or tell him off, but that he would write to me. Felix trusts me, I know that. But Mike was only just starting when they went off. I thought it would take longer. And he's much more aware than Felix of the bad things I've done. It's a bond we share, I suppose! But anyway, you should read it, then you'll know more what I'm talking about."
Author:  Lesley [ Sat Sep 29, 2007 7:18 pm ]
Post subject: 
How could Joey just ignore her sons? :cry:


Thanks Kat
Author:  Alison H [ Sat Sep 29, 2007 8:01 pm ]
Post subject: 
I feel sorry for Con too. She just seemed to be dismissed as someone who was always in a daydream and couldn't be trusted with anything, and she was made fun of even by Joey who as a fellow author should've understood how she felt :( .
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:37 pm ]
Post subject: 
Alison H wrote:
I feel sorry for Con too. She just seemed to be dismissed as someone who was always in a daydream and couldn't be trusted with anything, and she was made fun of even by Joey who as a fellow author should've understood how she felt :( .


But even Hilda dismissed her not even wanting to make her Magazine Prefect and had to be persuaded by the other Mistresses.
Margot is being so sensible here and I'm glad she's trying to build bridges between the siblings and trying to get Con to see that although they don't have their parents at least they have each other. Wonder If Len feels the difference or left out by them?
Author:  Rosalin [ Sat Sep 29, 2007 9:44 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yes Con is rather the left out one of the triplets. The problem with this drabble is that every post has me feeling really sorry for a member of the family. Then I think of the previous post, and remember how sorry I'm feeling for another one. (((The Maynard children))).

I'm glad the boys are writing to Margot, and that she's helping Con too.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  brie [ Sat Sep 29, 2007 10:34 pm ]
Post subject: 
:cry:
Author:  leahbelle [ Mon Oct 01, 2007 5:16 pm ]
Post subject: 
I'm not sure that anyone could have as many children as Joey did and be able to give each and every one of them the love and attention that they all need.

I have enough trouble trying to find enough time to spend with my cats(two of my own and two fostered). I know I couldn't cope with four kids!
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Oct 01, 2007 7:38 pm ]
Post subject: 
Well, certainly their father gave them very little time and attention, and Jo wan't much better. She seemed very caressing tothe triplets, but then invariably gave them something to do in the way of housework and childcare.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Tue Oct 02, 2007 2:09 am ]
Post subject: 
leahbelle wrote:
I'm not sure that anyone could have as many children as Joey did and be able to give each and every one of them the love and attention that they all need.

I have enough trouble trying to find enough time to spend with my cats(two of my own and two fostered). I know I couldn't cope with four kids!


I'm one of twelve and thats one of the reasons I'll never have that many because its impossible to do just that, and older siblings do tend to bring up younger ones.

Its the whole Joey is the best mother in the world simply for having that many and for being so understanding all the time. If they weren't considered the epitomy of family life by EBD then nobody would think anything of it.

I think large families have pro's and con's and like anything it has its moments, but if Jack didn't want a large family then he shouldn't of had one and thats what I object to. If you want kids then have them and if you don't want kids don't have them. I can understand if people have one and realise its not all its cracked up to be and then stop, but to keep going, you have to wonder where his brains are let alone his heart. Its too heartbreaking for the kids to know their parents don't want them.
And while I'm on my soapbox, why didn't Joey and Jack discuss that before they got married, wouldn't that have been sensible and if one of them didn't want kids and the other did, then they would have been better off not getting married. And yes I am well aware Jack could have lied to Joey about it but she could stand up to him with it and remind him he told her he loved kids and she was holding him to that and obviously if he lied about that what else is he lying about and she can't trust him. I think that would kill Jack if Joey didn't trust him and disbelieved everything he said and stood by the kids over him and refused to do anything he wanted.
(Gets off my soapbox now)
Author:  KatS [ Thu Oct 04, 2007 8:58 pm ]
Post subject: 
“Umm, Margot? Thanks for showing me that letter.”
“You’re welcome” said Margot dryly. “Can I have it back now?”
“Oh yes,” Con flushed. “Sorry.”
“I was only joking” replied Margot hurriedly. “What did you think?”
“I don’t think I want to talk about it, if you don’t mind.”
“OK” Margot was surprised. What did she mean, she didn’t want to talk about it? Hadn’t she understood? Had she somehow… “Did you, did you think you understood it?”
“Yes” replied Con shortly, and turned to leave, making it clear the conversation was over. Margot turned back to the letter, and pulling out a pen and paper, tried to think of how she could reply.

Should she be cheerful? Encouraging, telling the boys that Mamma and Papa did love them, and that they had been so busy with all kinds of important things that they hadn’t quite finished the letters they were writing? Should she commiserate with them over rugby losses and speculate happily about the Christmas holidays, and forget about Mamma and Papa, and Felix’s pathetic appeal? It seemed like a good option – the boys would get a letter, it would show interest, it would be a good sisterly letter. But somehow it didn’t seem like enough. She had to answer Felix’s fears, and she had a choice. Either she could continue in the same old way, telling him everything was fine, or she could write something akin to the truth. But he was so young! Not quite nine years old – she couldn’t possibly tell him his parents didn’t love him. So how was she supposed to explain that she was being sent away? That she might never see him again? How would he respond to that? But there was no point writing until Mamma had confronted (how odd it sounded!) Papa, and she knew the full truth of her punishment.

It was getting on for 5 o’clock – seventeen, giggled Len nervously – and Jack was expected home any time. Joey had been in their room, and they hadn’t seen her all afternoon. “Preparing herself” said Len wisely. The tension over the last few days, the difficult conversation she had had with Joey, and the enforced wait this afternoon had told on her, and she had a great air of forced cheerfulness, and kept coming out with inane remarks. She was most unlike her usual self. But it was true, Joey was thinking long and hard to herself, and trying to stiffen her resolve for the conversation ahead and its undoubtedly difficult aftermath. As the bell went, and Anna made to answer the door, the triplets found themselves clumping together in a corner of the hall, as though they were little girls out of place at a grown-up party. They looked up, to see Jo coming down the stairs, not with her usual graceful leaps, but with a stiff, set gait. Her face was white and her eyes very big and dark in her face as she moved to face Jack.
Author:  Lesley [ Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:05 pm ]
Post subject: 
Wonder what Con thought of the letter? Was she shocked? Upset that Margot has such a good relationship with her brothers?

Hope Joey can manage to get proper answers out of Jack.


Thanks Kat.
Author:  brie [ Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:13 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks Kat. I hope Joey sticks up for her children
Author:  Rosalin [ Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
I'm also wondering what Con is thinking at the moment.

Is now a good moment to remind Joey that she isn't a spineless jellyfish :lol:

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Alison H [ Thu Oct 04, 2007 10:22 pm ]
Post subject: 
Come on Joey - get some proper answers.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:58 am ]
Post subject: 
Am also wondering if Con is jealous the boys confide in Margot and really feels like she has no place in the family.

Am on tenterhooks waiting to see the confrontation between Joey and Jack
Author:  JustJen [ Fri Oct 05, 2007 1:57 am ]
Post subject: 
This should be very interesting. Hopefully Joey grows a backbone
Author:  Fatima [ Fri Oct 05, 2007 6:50 am ]
Post subject: 
But how is Jack going to take someone challenging one of his decisions? I don't think he's going to be very willing to go back on what he's said. I hope Jo has the will to stand up to him.
Author:  Jennie [ Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:38 pm ]
Post subject: 
I hope he realises what he's doing to his family before it's too late.

Mind you, perhaps he wanted a wife more than a family, and perhaps he's fed up of finding half the school invading his home every Sunday.
Author:  Rachelj [ Mon Oct 15, 2007 2:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
Any chance of a bit more? I'm on tenterhooks!

Rachel
Author:  Frogize [ Tue Oct 16, 2007 7:38 am ]
Post subject: 
*adds plea for more*

Is there something we can send, in order to fill you with inspiration - or are you just short of time like me?
Author:  patmac [ Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:23 am ]
Post subject: 
I've just read this from the start and it's very good. Like some others, I've felt sorry for each of them in turn (even Jack :roll: )

Although it was a bit earlier, my mother was one of 13 (though 3 died young) and, when her father got a job at the other end of the country they left the three oldest children with childless relatives who brought them up from then on - not together, even, but three separate couples. My mother appeared to accept this and never criticized her parents for it - just seemed to think they had done the best for them so they could have a better upbringing - but most of her siblings had no children and the others mostly had only one. Perhaps it affected them more than I knew when I was younger.

I can't help wondering if Jack (and Jo) did actually think they wanted a big family as Jo was, to all intents and purposes an only and Jack's family wasn't big. The reality was different and they didn't know how to cope?

Thanks Kat.
Author:  keren [ Tue Oct 16, 2007 12:01 pm ]
Post subject: 
[quote="Fiona Mc...
......, but if Jack didn't want a large family then he shouldn't of had one and thats what I object to. ........, why didn't Joey and Jack discuss that before they got married, wouldn't that have been sensible and if one of them didn't want kids and the other did, then they would have been better off not getting married. .......
(Gets off my soapbox now)[/quote]

Well, imagine that conversation,
that could be a great drabble if any one wants it.

Before getting married Jack tells Joey he is from a Catholic family and therefore must have as many children as they are sent (or that he is Catholic and does not want)

she is ignorant of what goes on and does not understand what he is talking about, about options for amount of children.

etc, etc,

would like to hear this if anyone has any ideas
Author:  Alison H [ Tue Oct 16, 2007 2:09 pm ]
Post subject: 
It would be interesting to hear all 3 of the Bettanys discussing this with their future partners! Did Madge and Jem plan to have big gaps between their children or did it just happen naturally, and were Kevin and Kester an "afterthought" or an "accident"? As Madge had lost her mother at an early age and her aunts didn't even attend her wedding, who explained "things" to her? At what point did Dick and Mollie decide to leave their children with Madge and Jem, and was the big gap between "Second Twins" and Daphne to do with Mollie's illness or was Daphne an afterthought?

Er ... anyone :D ?
Author:  keren [ Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:53 pm ]
Post subject: 
Who did Madge know?
Maybe one of the Austrian mothers of her pupils Frau Mensch????
Author:  KatS [ Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:23 pm ]
Post subject: 
Sorry about the delay - I've been in hopsital for a while, and so I haven't been on the internet

Jack took one look at her, and swept her into his study, closing the door firmly. “Joey! What’s the matter? Why are you looking like that?” He sat down beside her.
“Jack, what are your plans for Margot?”
“For Margot?” asked Jack in surprise, and then realized what must have happened. Those wretched kids! Could they never do what they were told? “Joey, darling, my first plan is to send Margot to school in England for a year. I think it will be a good thing for all of us. She’ll have a fresh start at a good school, she’ll realize that being a part of this family is a privilege she has to earn, and maybe being separated from her sisters for a while will mean she won’t depend on them so much, and she’ll have more of an incentive to behave. Then, if she behaves well and gets good reports from this new school, we can reassess the situation.” He looked hopefully at Joey.
“Jack. Jack, you know that… Jack, if you lied to me, even with the best of intentions, do you know how I would feel?”
This was not at all the way Jack wanted this conversation to go. “Joey, you know I love you” he pleaded “You know I love you more than anything else.”
“Yes,” said Joey thoughtfully. “Yes, I know you love me. And I love you too, Jack, more than anything else. But you can love me and still hurt me, you know. You can love me and still not treat me properly.”
“Joey! What do you mean?”
“I’m an adult, Jack. I have eleven children, and I have to look after them, and make sure they’re happy and, and, well, they’re my responsibility. And I can cope with that responsibility! You don’t need to shield me from them, Jack! Could you love someone who couldn’t cope with her own children?”
“I’ll always love you, Jo. I just want to protect you. You know how delicate you are.”
“That’s the problem, Jack! I’m not so delicate that I can’t be told what my children have done, that I can’t decide with you on a suitable punishment! They’re my children, they’re my whole world, and I’m not even sure they love me!”
“Your whole world?”
“Of course!”
“Don’t I count for anything? Why should a pack of children take you away from me? They have everything they need – I work my fingers to the bone making sure the brats have everything they could possibly need or want – and all I want is you, Jo. And then you spend all your time mooning over them, and won’t help me when I need it!”
“Jack…”
“You married me, remember! And then you just kept on and on having kids and more kids, who I barely see, and when I do come home, I can’t even spend time with you, because you’re busy with them and with all their friends, and with just about every girl who ever went to that bloody Chalet School!”
“I kept on having kids? You weren’t involved, I suppose?”
“I do everything for you, Jo. I just want you to be happy! And then these kids keep on getting in the way.”
“They’re our children, Jack. Not knowing about their problems isn’t going to make me happier – it’s just going to make me worry more.”
“You don’t know about my problems, and you don’t worry about me!”
“What?”
“All the problems I’ve been having at the San, with revenues decreasing, and it being impossible to get decent doctors, and being so isolated from everything. You don’t care, so long as Margot, who’s been a nuisance from the day of her birth, gets everything she wants! What about me? Do you even care about me?”
Author:  clair [ Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:32 pm ]
Post subject: 
So Jack really does resent his kids then? This could be a turning point for the whole family.
Really enjoying this one as it gives so many different viewpoints - all with validity to greater or lesser extent.
Hope you're ok now KatS - and not just because I want lots more of this!
Author:  Fatima [ Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:38 pm ]
Post subject: 
I hope you're ok, Kat.

Jack's attitude really needs to be changed - he's unbelievably selfish and egocentric here.
Author:  Alison H [ Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:49 pm ]
Post subject: 
Hope you're OK now, Kat.
Author:  KathrynW [ Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:50 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks for the update Kat, hope you're okay too *hugs*

I'm really enjoying this and the depths you have given to your characters.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:59 pm ]
Post subject: 
Hope your okay and get better soon Kat.

Thanks for the update. Am glad Jack was finally honest with Joey about how he felt about everything
Author:  Rachelj [ Tue Oct 16, 2007 5:56 pm ]
Post subject: 
Wow, Jack showed his true colours pretty fast! Glad Joey stood up to him, she's more likely to do something about it now.

Thanks Kat, hope you're OK now.
Author:  Rosalin [ Tue Oct 16, 2007 7:17 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks for the update Kat, hope you're feeling better now.

It's good that Jack and Joey are finally getting things out into the open now, something which probably should have been done years ago. I'm definitely more on Joey's side than Jack's, but he does seem to have got into this situation whilst trying to do the best for Joey who he loves. It's a pity that that has involved having so many children with whom he can't connect. Still mostly feeling sorry for the children though.
Author:  Pat [ Tue Oct 16, 2007 7:27 pm ]
Post subject: 
Maybe she would have supported him if she knew he needed support! Does he expect her to read his mind, or find out by some sort of osmosis? She's quite right to point out that it takes 2 to make a family! there were ways to limit your kids back then, even if they weren't so effective.
Author:  linda [ Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:07 pm ]
Post subject: 
Pat wrote:
Maybe she would have supported him if she knew he needed support! Does he expect her to read his mind, or find out by some sort of osmosis? She's quite right to point out that it takes 2 to make a family! there were ways to limit your kids back then, even if they weren't so effective.


I quite agree Pat, how is Joey supposed to know that Jack needed support.

How selfish Jack is, but perhaps now his venom is out in the open, Joey will be able to realise just what lengths he has gone to to get rid of the children.

Thanks for the update Kat - hope you are feeling better now.
Author:  Lesley [ Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:46 pm ]
Post subject: 
At least now Joey can see Jack in his true colours. As for children - there is one sure-fire way to stop having them - even for Catholics - it's called abstinence, Jack, if you didn't practice it then you shouldn't complain!


Hope you are okay Kat?

Thank you.
Author:  Sugar [ Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:18 pm ]
Post subject: 
Stupid man! Does he not think he was responsible for the creation of those kids?
Author:  Jennie [ Fri Oct 19, 2007 1:42 pm ]
Post subject: 
He's a doctor and he doesn't know it takes two to make babies?

They need to get a lot of things clear in their marriage, don't they.

Mind you, I do hear real despair when he talks about Jo having time for every Chalet Girl, but none for him.
Author:  brie [ Fri Oct 19, 2007 2:07 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks for the update KatS. I hope there is going to be a happy ending for them.
Author:  JustJen [ Fri Oct 19, 2007 10:25 pm ]
Post subject: 
Hope you're feeling better KatS.
I can't beleive how horrible Jack is being to Joey and his children especially Margot but I do feel a bit sorry for him playing second fiddle to the school all the time.

Jenn
Author:  Joan the Dwarf [ Sat Oct 20, 2007 10:41 am ]
Post subject: 
Being part of her own family is a privilege for Margot??! She has to earn her parents' love, does she??

:poke: Jack with a very large stick, preferably over the head.
Author:  Jennie [ Sat Oct 20, 2007 1:58 pm ]
Post subject: 
Well, you can't play the masterful, domnant doc and still expect your wife to read your mind. And expecting a child to earn love is terrible.
Author:  KatS [ Thu Oct 25, 2007 10:00 pm ]
Post subject: 
“What’s all this about the San?”
“Never mind! You obviously don’t care.”
“Jack Maynard! First of all you don’t tell me anything about a serious problem in your life, then you reproach me for not knowing about it and solving that problem, and then you refuse to tell me. How old are you?”
“Don’t talk to me like that!”
“I’ll talk to you however I want!”
“Jack!”

There was a silence. A long silence. Joey, always highly strung, had worked herself up into a such a state that she couldn’t say anything, and Jack was in almost the same condition.

“I love you, Joey.”
“Listen to me, Jack Maynard…”
“No, listen to me. I love you. You have to believe that. I can’t make you believe that, but it’s true, so true, I love you, Jo. I care about you, I love you, you have to believe it. Yes, I’ve done some bad things, obviously – I thought I was doing the right thing, I’m sorry – but I love you. You have to understand that.”
“It’s not that easy, Jack. You don’t know how much you’ve hurt me.” Joey was crying in earnest now.
“Jo!” he cried in despair. How could he ever fix this situation? What could he say that wouldn’t make things worse? “Jo, what do you want me to say?”
“The truth, maybe? Just for once?”
“Jo, I’m sorry.”

Jo, who was about to retort angrily once more, had a vision of Len’s face flashing through her mind. She mustn’t make it worse for her children. She’d always been able to become hysterical, and been calmed down by Jack. She’d never worried about controlling herself before. But that was what she didn’t want, wasn’t it? She didn’t want to be dosed every time anything out of the ordinary popped up, treated like a little child who couldn’t be allowed to listen to the grown ups talking. She had to control herself now, or how could she ask Jack to change his attitude toward her?

“OK, Jack, listen. You have to tell me about the San. We’ll figure out how we should go about dealing with the problem. That’s the main thing right now. We have to talk about all of it, but not like this.”

Jack stared at her in surprise – this was a Joey he hadn’t seen in years.

“And… and about the kids? Margot?”
“Don’t, Jack. Not yet. I’m still feeling too… well, anyway, not yet. Let’s deal with the San, first. We can’t talk about the kids until we get this conversation onto a more adult level. Because things are bad there. Worse than you think. Well, obviously worse than you think, but... Never mind. We'll talk about that later. So, the San. And be honest with me, Jack."
Author:  Lesley [ Thu Oct 25, 2007 10:06 pm ]
Post subject: 
Hmmm, personally I would have thought their children were the most important thing - however at least Joey is acting like an adult here and refusing to allow Jack to browbeat her.


Thanks Kat.
Author:  Alison H [ Thu Oct 25, 2007 10:26 pm ]
Post subject: 
Glad she stood up to Jack.
Author:  Rosalin [ Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:53 pm ]
Post subject: 
Well done Joey for seeing where your problem lies and trying to deal with it. Hopefully she will have calmed down by the time they have finished discussing the san, and they will be able to concentrate on what is best for the children.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Fri Oct 26, 2007 1:01 am ]
Post subject: 
Lesley wrote:
Hmmm, personally I would have thought their children were the most important thing - however at least Joey is acting like an adult here and refusing to allow Jack to browbeat her.


Maybe she thought the San would be easier to deal with first as it doesn't hold the same emotional component and it would give her a chance to hold onto the calmess she's desperately trying to hold onto.
Author:  Fatima [ Fri Oct 26, 2007 4:09 am ]
Post subject: 
It's great to see Jo standing up to Jack. I agree that it's best to sort out the San so that Jack's not distracted by anything when they discuss the children. Maybe then he'll be able to listen.
Author:  brie [ Fri Oct 26, 2007 1:04 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks Kat. Hopefully things will become more positive from here.
Author:  Becky [ Fri Oct 26, 2007 1:28 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks very much for the updates Kat, hope you're feeling better.
Author:  KatS [ Sat Nov 03, 2007 1:32 am ]
Post subject: 
Joey sighed. It was worse than she had thought, she had to admit that, but the situation wasn’t unsolvable. The finances question wasn’t one she was prepared to handle – she was the first to admit she had never been good at Math, but at least she knew there was a problem. The underlying problem – the increasing irrelevance of a Sanatorium dedicated to TB in an expensive and isolated part of the Swiss Alps – she could, and would tackle. With Jack, she reminded herself. Having happily abdicated responsibility for at least the last twelve years, she shouldn’t try to do too much straight away.
“I think I understand what you’re trying to say. The San is not as useful anymore, because of the wonderful success of the fight against TB, so it has been losing money, and you’ve used some underhand tricks to try and tide things over, and it hasn’t been working.”
“Not underhand tricks!” protested Jack.
“Clearly whatever you did wasn’t straight.”
Jack almost groaned aloud. He knew Joey wouldn’t be any help. She was still babbling on like a schoolgirl – a Chalet School Girl, he thought with a certain grim irony – about being “straight” when this was a matter of financial ruin for their family.
“Anyway,” Jo continued, “First, we have to sort that out. If you are too busy for that, or if your Math isn’t good enough, you’ll have to hire someone. Or perhaps Rosalie…” she trailed off thoughtfully. “No, she’s been looking alarmingly tired lately. I don’t want to give her extra work. But she might know someone who’d be good for the job.”
“Jo, where do you think this money is going to come from?”
“There must be some money!”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you! There isn’t.”
“Well, what are we using to pay the school fees?”
“Some of our own money. And it’s tight, as you know.”
“We’re going to have to use some of that money to help the San. The fees for the girls aren’t a problem, naturally, and as for the boys – well, either Madge and Jem could help…”
“No!” interjected Jack.
“Or they could just… I don’t know. We won’t worry about the kids. The San is the crucial thing right now.”

After two hours or so of more or less civilized conversation, Joey had mapped out her strategy. She would ask Rosalie if she knew some kind of math prodigy who would sort out the math side of it. Jack could work with her, and with some of their money, things would be straightened out enough that they could go about getting rid of the San. The money would come from the sale of Die Blumen – Joey rather prided herself on her maturity and self denial in agreeing to let go of her home – and if necessary, they would have to cut expenditures on the boys. Felix could be brought home for a year or so, and schooling Mike seemed to be a waste of money anyway: the boy couldn’t seem to behave himself, so he could be sent somewhere strict and relatively cheap. She herself would dedicate her time to writing books to bring in extra income. Satisfied that this had been fleshed out, she determined to start right away on revising her latest book, and sailed out of the study.

Jack watched her go, half pleased that at least things were out in the open now, and half worried about what was going to happen next. Jo had no idea about money matters, and she never did manage to keep anything private for longer than about two seconds. And also, she had come in wanting to discuss the children, and although he himself honestly believed they were perfectly fine and took up far too much of her energy, she seemed to have forgotten about them, and that problem wasn’t going to go away.
Author:  Lesley [ Sat Nov 03, 2007 8:17 am ]
Post subject: 
Well right up to a certain point I was hopeful - no Joey wasn't tackling Jack's attitude toward their children but at least she was thinking straight and having some useful ideas. Then this
Quote:
Felix could be brought home for a year or so, and schooling Mike seemed to be a waste of money anyway: the boy couldn’t seem to behave himself, so he could be sent somewhere strict and relatively cheap.
shattered all my hopes. :cry:


Thanks Kat - good to see more of this.
Author:  Alison H [ Sat Nov 03, 2007 9:15 am ]
Post subject: 
Yes, I also thought it was going OK until she wanted to make Felix and Mike bear the brunt of their cost cutting!
Author:  Rachelj [ Sat Nov 03, 2007 10:10 am ]
Post subject: 
Hurrah! An update! Oh dear, though - she forgot all about Margot and the other children worryingly quickly.....nice for Felix to come home for a bit though.

Rachel
Author:  Phil [ Sat Nov 03, 2007 10:35 am ]
Post subject: 
I have just read this from the beginning. It's wonderful, but those poor Maynard children. I feel so sorry for them.

I was just starting to mellow towards Jack before I read this.
Author:  brie [ Sat Nov 03, 2007 7:21 pm ]
Post subject: 
And i wasn't just getting hopeful about Jo taking responsibility there....

Would someone please help those poor kids??

Thanks Kat
Author:  Rosalin [ Sat Nov 03, 2007 9:43 pm ]
Post subject: 
Maybe all those doses have affected her memory.

I too thought things were looking promising until Joey forgot about the children. Maybe it will be good news for Margot though - they are less likely to take her away from the (free) CS and send her elsewhere now.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  KatS [ Sun Nov 04, 2007 6:31 pm ]
Post subject: 
Little tiny bit more. I wanted Joey to reform, but I think she's going to take longer than I thought.

The triplets were still sitting on the stairs. It had been a long evening, and no one had said much. They were tired out from over excitement and nerves, and aside from indistinct sounds as Jo or Jack raised their voices from time to time, they had no idea what was going one. But they were, slowly, gradually, gaining hope. It had been such a long time! Something must be happening… They must be talking properly at least. Mamma had looked as though she meant business, and now this long, long conversation… Margot could stay! The boys would come home! Mamma and Papa would have more time for them? Listen to them? Maybe there would be no more new children? Or maybe… wary of getting their hopes too high, the triplets’ thoughts turned to more gloomy outcomes. Maybe Papa had persuaded Mamma… Maybe they were getting rid of all the triplets, not just Margot. Of course Mamma and Papa wouldn’t listen to them – they never had!

But when Joey came marching out of the study, her head held high and her eyes flashing, it seemed like their wildest dreams were about to come true. Mamma looked on top of the world! Everything must have gone well! They jumped up and ran towards her. In their excitement they could have been Felix and Felicity’s age.
“Mamma! Mamma!”
“What’s going to happen?”
“Margot’s going to stay, isn’t she?”
Joey stared at them, puzzled. Then she remembered. They were supposed to have discussed Margot, weren’t they? And all that trouble with the children feeling unloved… She suppressed the thought firmly. She had enough to deal with right now. They were going to bring Felix home, that should sort out Felicity, and Margot wouldn’t be able to go to another school anyway, so she would have to stay. Yes, everything would be fine.
“Oh, chickabiddies, Mamma is busy right now,” she trilled. “Papa and I have been talking about something important, and there are going to be lots of changes. We’ve sorted you all out though, don’t worry about that.”
“You’ve sorted us all out?” repeated Len blankly. “What do you mean; you’ve sorted us all out?”
“Felix is coming home, Mike is changing schools, Margot is staying at the Chalet, and maybe the other boys will change as well” she finished thoughtfully. Jack probably wouldn’t be too pleased, but honestly, the boys would probably be all right. It wasn’t as though they had ever particularly liked their schools anyway. “Oh and there’ll be no more half tem trips for you girls. And we’re letting go of Die Blumen. You must always be prepared to make sacrifices, girls, as I learned in those good old days at the Chalet, and I hope you have too.”
Author:  Fatima [ Sun Nov 04, 2007 6:41 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oh dear. Somehow I wonder if everything will be fine.
Author:  Alison H [ Sun Nov 04, 2007 6:47 pm ]
Post subject: 
Apart from EBD wanting to show some more adventures at the Tiernsee again :wink: , I don't know why they bought Die Blumen anyway considering that they were meant to be short of money! They only used it twice a year at most :? .
Author:  brie [ Sun Nov 04, 2007 6:49 pm ]
Post subject: 
Jo.. jo.. what are you doing?
Author:  Joan the Dwarf [ Sun Nov 04, 2007 7:32 pm ]
Post subject: 
*Fisch-slapps Jo*

Sorry, remind me again who the adults here are meant to be?
Author:  Lesley [ Sun Nov 04, 2007 7:45 pm ]
Post subject: 
What is the matter with her? Those children need to know they are loved - not that they 'must be prepared to make sacrifices'.

Really angry with Jo.
:evil:

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Pat [ Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:03 pm ]
Post subject: 
What a very reassuring speech from Jo! The girls will truly know how things stand now!
Author:  Jennie [ Sun Nov 04, 2007 9:34 pm ]
Post subject: 
Well, they now know where they stand with their parents, but at least they know the other children are in exactly the same boat.

I do love Jo's empathy here, it's shown so well in that touching scene with her anxious daughters.
Author:  Rosalin [ Mon Nov 05, 2007 12:02 am ]
Post subject: 
KatS wrote:
Then she remembered. They were supposed to have discussed Margot, weren’t they? And all that trouble with the children feeling unloved…


Nothing important then.

*Pokes Jo with something very sharp*

Thanks Kat.
Author:  JustJen [ Mon Nov 05, 2007 6:38 am ]
Post subject: 
Gets out the trout and slaps Jo again.
Author:  PaulineS [ Mon Nov 05, 2007 1:33 pm ]
Post subject: 
Hope Jo has not taken too much for granted here!

Worried about the boys now, does she real know they do not like their school or is that wistful thinking?
Author:  PaulineS [ Mon Nov 05, 2007 1:34 pm ]
Post subject: 
Hope Jo has not taken too much for granted here!

Worried about the boys now, does she real know they do not like their school or is that wistful thinking?
Author:  KatS [ Tue Nov 06, 2007 9:38 pm ]
Post subject: 
The girls stared at her. They couldn’t think what to say. What could there possibly be to say? Hadn’t their mother been intending to have it out with Papa about Margot? And about, well, about everything? Characteristically, Margot was the first to speak.
“Felix is coming home?”
“Yes” answered Joey, surprised. “And you’re staying at the Chalet. I know how much you girls wanted to be together.” She beamed round at them. They stared back in disbelief. “Everything is going to be different from now on, and I know I can count on my big girls to help Mamma out, now can’t I?”
“I… What kind of changes are you talking about?” put in Len, who felt as though her worst nightmare had burst in and cheerily offered her a nice cup of tea. How could her mother have messed things up so badly, and yet still act like she had fixed the world’s problems? Why was she being so cheerful? Had she forgotten everything? Or was this true – Margot was staying, the boys were being dealt with, there were going to be changes in the future? It was all so confused.
“Well, Len, dear, it’s between your Papa and me…”
“Sure it isn’t just between Papa and Papa?” put in Con, bitterly. She felt like she had been totally ignored. Joey looked at her in surprise - what had the girl just said? It didn't seem to make any sense.
“What was that, Connie? Are you even paying attention?”
“Oh, nothing, Mamma” screamed Con angrily. “Just ‘Daniel bit the lions’, what else would I say?” And she ran upstairs.
“Con? My poor darling, what’s wrong with her?”
“Umm, don’t, don’t worry now,” said Len, feeling guilty, but desperate to get all the information she could out of Joey.
“But she’s upset!”
“It’s just Con. You know how she is.”
“Yes, she tends to get upset when her own parents only ever acknowledge her existence to say how dreamy she is,” muttered Margot, bitterly.
“You’re not helping” hissed Len fiercely. “Mamma, can you tell us exactly what’s going to happen? We’d really like to know. Margot’s going to stay on at the Chalet School, obviously – thank you so much for… for clearing that up – and you said the boys are going to change schools?”
“Yes” broke in Margot. “What’s happening to the boys?”
“Felix is coming home for a year or two. He’s still young, after all. The other boys haven’t quite been sorted out, but Mike for one is changing schools, and I think Steve and Chas probably should as well.”
“But why?”
“Well, I know it’s not something you girls would have picked up on, but a mother gets these feelings. I don’t think they’ve ever been really happy.”
“You think they’re not happy because of their schools? Oh, for heaven’s sake!”
“Now, Margot, you must try to show a little understanding towards your brothers. I know you’ve been very happy at the Chalet – most girls have, there’ve only been one or two really bad eggs…”
“Quite, quite.” Len cut off her mother’s reminiscing. “So you’re going to change their schools? To somewhere nearby?”
“Oh, no, of course not, darling. Papa would never agree to their going to school anywhere but England. But there must be decently cheap schools around,” she mused.
“Cheap?” Joey started guiltily.
“Never mind, darling, never mind. You know that money’s always been tight around here – you can’t help it with such a long family! So if we can find a good school that’s not too expensive, that would be best all round for the boys.”
“Um, yes,” agreed Len, hesitantly.
“Um, no!” put in Margot. “The boys are miserable because they’re away in England for most of the year, the times they do come home you pay no attention to them, and now you’re changing their schools – which they actually like very much, all things considered, not to somewhere nearer home, not to somewhere local that would probably be cheaper, but just to somewhere else in England, so you can spend less money never thinking about them!"
Author:  Phil [ Tue Nov 06, 2007 10:24 pm ]
Post subject: 
Sock it to them Margot! Go Margot!

(Starts chanting for Margot)
Author:  Tan [ Tue Nov 06, 2007 10:34 pm ]
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Joins the chant.

About time someone pointed out things to Joey in a manner that she might *actually* grasp.
Author:  Alison H [ Tue Nov 06, 2007 10:50 pm ]
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Well said Margot.
Author:  linda [ Tue Nov 06, 2007 11:00 pm ]
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Phil wrote:
Sock it to them Margot! Go Margot!

(Starts chanting for Margot)


Joins in the chant. Waving banner *Joey wake up and listen to your children*!!
Author:  Lesley [ Tue Nov 06, 2007 11:48 pm ]
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Well done Margot - Joey are you listening to your children? :roll:


Thanks Kat.
Author:  JustJen [ Wed Nov 07, 2007 3:14 am ]
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Joins the chanting!
Author:  Rachelj [ Wed Nov 07, 2007 8:57 am ]
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Wow! Love Margot's last line - hope Jo listens!

Thanks for all the updates.

Rachel
Author:  Rosalin [ Wed Nov 07, 2007 11:29 am ]
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Good point Margot. Also well done Len for keeping the conversation on track and getting answers from Joey.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  brie [ Wed Nov 07, 2007 12:41 pm ]
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But will she listen?
Author:  Fatima [ Wed Nov 07, 2007 4:01 pm ]
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Yes, Len did well not to let Jo sidetrack. I really hope they can pressure her enough to make her go back to Jack and get going on the discussion about the children.
Author:  Pat [ Wed Nov 07, 2007 8:29 pm ]
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I think it's unlkely that she'll go back. She's too pleased with what she thinks she's achieved.
Author:  KatS [ Sat Nov 10, 2007 5:00 pm ]
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“Margot!” exclaimed Joey, truly horrified. “What on earth are you talking about?”
“Your children! Remember them?”
Margot was obviously deeply distressed, mused Joey. But why was she worrying about the boys like this? They were all fine – healthy, happy, and as for paying them attention, wasn’t she planning on doing just that, finding new schools and bringing Felix home? And of course, Margot didn’t understand about the money situation, so she might find it a bit strange. Yes, allowances would have to be made for the children, until they got used to the new lifestyle. You couldn’t tell them, naturally, there was no saying who they would repeat it to – especially Margot.
“Margot,” she said gently. “Mamma has to explain a few things to you. First of all, you’re obviously very upset, so why don’t you trot off and have a quick wash, and then we can sit down and have a nice chat. All right?”
“Marvelous!” said Len, hastily, before Margot could say anything, and pushed her sister in the direction of the bathroom. She turned back towards her mother.
“So, Mamma, Margot will be staying at the Chalet School?”
“Yes, sweetheart.”
“That’s definite?”
“Yes, Len,” said Joey, puzzled. What was the girl driving at?
“And Felix is coming home?”
“Yes.”
“What about his lessons?”
“Don’t worry, chickabiddy. Mamma and Papa will sort something out.” She’d forgotten all about Felix needing lessons. The boy was eight, after all, old enough that he really ought to be having some kind of education. She’d have to get in touch with Winnie – and that would be free, too. It was amazing how well things were working out! “Felix will probably share the Embury’s tutor for a year or so. That won’t hurt him.
“I see,” Len nodded. That sounded reasonable, at any rate. “And what about the other boys changing schools?”
Joey was loath to answer this one before having discussed it with Jack – she knew nothing about boys’ public schools in England.
“We haven’t quite organized that yet, darling. Papa will be looking out for some good schools presently. Perhaps Hilda might know something?” Suddenly remembering Len was listening, she broke off.
“But why are the boys moving schools?”
“Your Papa and I think it would be best for everyone, darling. A new start for Mike, perhaps a more disciplined environment would bring out the best in his character.”
“Well, maybe,” agreed Len, cautiously. “And we’re selling Die Blumen?”
Joey sighed a little, then remembered her resolve to be strong for her family. “Yes, Len, we’re selling Die Blumen. We’re not there very much, after all, and we think it would be nice for the boys to be at Freudesheim a little more often.” That was actually a very good idea of hers, she thought. It would be nice for the boys. These solutions were going to work out wonderfully.
“It’s not…” Len stammered, feeling embarrassed for the first time. “It’s not a, well, a financial…” she trailed off. It was so odd to be discussing these things with her family.
“No, no” said Joey, gaily. “Of course, we always have to be careful with money – you know how a long family is – but really it seemed the most practical thing to do.”
“Er, right, then.”
At this moment, Margot came back down the stairs, her face washed, her hair brushed, her frock smoothed, and her face, if not exactly scowling, not exactly smiling either.
Author:  Fatima [ Sat Nov 10, 2007 5:51 pm ]
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She's going to have her work cut out to pull the wool over Len's and Margot's eyes.
Author:  Alison H [ Sat Nov 10, 2007 7:29 pm ]
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I know that it can be difficult to talk about money and that she doesn't want to worry the children, but maybe it'd be better to tell the older ones the truth.
Author:  Lesley [ Sat Nov 10, 2007 8:14 pm ]
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She's not thinking anything through, is she? And she can't seem to see why her children are so upset. I want to shake her!


Thanks Kat.
Author:  Rosalin [ Sat Nov 10, 2007 9:29 pm ]
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I'm still very impressed with Len. And very unimpressed with Joey.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Jennie [ Sun Nov 11, 2007 3:46 pm ]
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This is typical Joey, isn't it?

Have she and Jack thought anything through? And do they have anything to think with?
Author:  KatS [ Fri Nov 16, 2007 7:05 pm ]
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“Oh, good, Margot, darling, let’s have a nice little chat.”
“Mamma has been explaining things to me, I can tell you about it all later, then we won’t waste any time,” interjected Len. Yet another confrontation between her parents and Margot would be disastrous. This ought to be kept as short and sweet as possible.
Joey hesitated. On the one hand, it might be an idea to allow Len to explain the situation – there would be no more unpleasantness with Margot, and she would able to continue planning things out nicely, and perhaps get cracking on her book. On the other hand, this was her daughter. Her baby of all – little Margot, frail Margot, precious Margot, Margot whom she had never thought would survive. She had to have this conversation herself. She had resolved, she remembered, to sort out the coolness between herself and her children, before all this mess at the San came up, and this was the perfect time to start doing that.
“No, Len, I will talk to Margot. Now, darling, I know you’re very upset and overwrought, and that’s not at all what we want, is it? You’ll end up making yourself ill!”
“I’m fine,” said Margot, coldly.
“Well,” said Joey, slightly put off by the harshness of her tone – didn’t the girl realize she was trying to help? – “I think the first thing to discuss is our new plans, and then maybe we can talk about how you feel about them.”
“It’s not as though you care, though, is it?” asked Margot bitterly.
“Of course I care! I care more than you could ever imagine. Margot Maynard, don’t for one moment think that I don’t care. When you three were born,” continued Joey, with a catch in her voice, “you were so small and frail, we never thought you would survive. Len and Con were fine, healthy babies – we weren’t worried about them – but you, you were different. My baby of babies, my Mary Margaret. And it was wartime, and no one knew what was going to happen, and there was that dreadful crossing when we were all terrified for you, and we had to settle in a new place, and you kept on being ill…” Joey broke off. “And Jack – Papa – was away, and there was that dreadful time when we thought… And you girls were everything I had. Everything in the world to me. And I thought, I thought I was going to lose you, too. All my friends, gone, dead, we had no idea… Jack in danger, and then the thought of losing you, too… You have to understand, you were everything in the world to me. You’re still everything in the world to me. We’re a long family, and I love each and every one of you. Your Papa is the only man on earth for me, and we love each other very much. One day, I hope, you will find someone who loves you in the same way. So all my children, my “real” children, my flesh-and-blood children, and the others that are no less mine, are unutterably dear to me. I’m often very busy – the Chalet School has always been my home, has always been the place I’ve been happy. All my friends, and all my family, have been in some way connected with the Chalet School. Of course I’m interested! Of course I want to be involved! But my family is much, much more important to me than any school – even the Chalet School – ever could be. I care about you, Margot. You’re my little girl, how could I not care about you?”
Author:  Fatima [ Fri Nov 16, 2007 7:09 pm ]
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Although I like what Jo's saying here, I'm just on tenterhooks waiting for her to put her foot in it again.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Sarah_K [ Fri Nov 16, 2007 7:24 pm ]
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So Margot's response is presumeably going to be something along the lines of "well start showing it then!"

Thank you Kat.
Author:  brie [ Fri Nov 16, 2007 7:24 pm ]
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I'm waiting for something to go wrong... or will jo suddenly realsie how true this speech is as she says it?
Author:  Rosalin [ Fri Nov 16, 2007 9:56 pm ]
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Glad to hear it Jo! But will that be enough to convince Margot?

If I was Margot I certainly wouldn't be convinced straight away. It's a start though.

Thanks Kat.
Author:  Rachelj [ Sat Nov 17, 2007 9:27 am ]
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Yay, an update!

Let's see you putting words into action then, Joey!
Author:  Lesley [ Sat Nov 17, 2007 12:02 pm ]
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She cares so much about Margot that she didn't think it important to find out why Jack was sending her away for good? And the only reason the boys are being considered is because on money problems, not because she has actually thought about them.


It's not enough to say these things Jo, you have to show you mean them.


Thanks Kat.
Author:  Phil [ Sat Nov 17, 2007 3:04 pm ]
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Thanks for the update.
Hmmm, not convinced that Joey means what she says, I think she and Jack have a lot of making up to do with their children.
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:42 pm ]
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I'm reminded of the old saying, 'Fine words butter no parsnips.'
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