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A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
http://www.the-cbb.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=3145
Author:  Ray [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 7:48 pm ]
Post subject:  A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
This is written for the plot bunny exchange. The bunny concerned: What if Jack had actually died during Highland Twins.

As you might imagine, there's a hanky warning in force...

A Woman Alone

Part 1

Jem Russell was a man very much used to getting his own way. Whether it was in treating and curing the disease he had made his life's work or whether it was in dealings with mischievous children – sometimes his own and sometimes his nephews and nieces – he was used to succeeding and attaining his each and every goal.

Which explains why he was finding his present conversation extremely frustrating.

The woman before him was placidly – placidly, for pity's sake! – darning socks and stockings and being as stubborn as a mule in her refusal to listen to him. The stubbornness was not unfamiliar; the placidity was downright frightening. It told him it was more than time he made this move – which made her refusal to listen both galling and terrifying.

How long had he let this situation slide?

He felt a pang of guilt. If he'd stepped in sooner--- But that thought just led the way to hours of self-recrimination and regret. Not what was needed here and now. He'd probably indulge in that later. Once he'd won this little battle. And he would win, because no matter what this infuriating woman thought, it was a battle Joey Maynard needed him to win.

"Look," she said, breaking across his thoughts at this juncture, "I'm settled here. The children go to good schools and I can't quite see why you would want me to uproot them."

It was an opening and Jem pounced on it. "But the girls' school is moving to Switzerland."

"Not all of it," Joey pointed out. "And neither of them is old enough for the Swiss branch." She set aside the socks and gave Jem her full attention. "I don't see why my children should be granted an exception."

"The fact that they're both in the fourths?" Jem suggested.

She just gave him a withering stare. "Besides," she continued, "even if that would do for the girls, it won't do for Steve. He begins prep school in the autumn and I won't send him all the way from Switzerland to here. Not on his own and not at age seven. That's too young."

"There's a perfectly good – excellent, in fact – boys' school in Interlaken," Jem countered. "That would be even closer to you than if he were to start at the prep school in Armiford."

"That still doesn't answer my objection to the girls' going with the school to Switzerland. They're both very clever, true, but I would like them to be treated as normally as possible. They aren't yet eleven, remember?" She picked up her darning again. "Besides, you haven't told me what it is I'm supposed to do in Switzerland that I can't do here."

Jem took a deep breath. This was going to be the hardest part of the conversation. "Teach."

Joey dropped her darning and frankly goggled at him. "I beg your pardon?" She blinked. "Did you say teach?"

Jem stuck to his guns. "I did."

Joey started to laugh and for the first time in seven years, Jem was reminded of the woman she'd once been. There was real mirth in the golden peals, which made him smile to hear them. It also made him all the more positive that this was the right course of action, regardless of her complaints.

"You've taught before," he pointed out, as her laughter subsided to giggles.

"Only once or twice, and that was only because the school needed a temporary history teacher."

"Well the school needs you now," said Jem.

"Rot," Joey retorted, gathering her darning from the floor. "What on earth could the school possibly need me for that they can't get someone with a degree and qualifications?"

"Languages," said Jem. "You're a fluent French speaker, a fluent German speaker---"

"Rusty," she pointed out. "I haven't needed it since landing here as you well know."

"You also speak Russian and Italian and Spanish. And, as I recall, you excelled at Latin, too."

"None of which I've practised in who knows how long," she retorted. "And I hold qualifications in none of them. I'm sure the school could do a great deal better than me."

"No," said Jem, "it couldn't."

Joey eyed him sceptically. "All right then; give me your reasons why the school can't do better than me for a languages teacher."

Jem smiled and thanked his stars he'd had the foresight to discuss this with Hilda Annersley first. "Point one is that you're a born communicator. It's what made you such a good writer," she winced, "and what's made you such a wonderful guardian and carer for Daisy and Primula. Point two is that someone has to be up very early to get something past you, which means you're someone who can keep order. Point three is that you love language and love learning it and when you love something it's much easier to pass that love and knowledge on. Point four---"

"Stop." She shook her head. "All right. You have some valid points."

"But you're still digging your toes in," said Jem shrewdly.

"How can I leave here, Jem?" Joey appealed. "My little girl is buried in the church yard here. You're asking me to abandon her."

Jem sighed. This was the crux of the matter. "You're not abandoning her. For one thing, you'll still come home for holidays. For another, Madge and I will take very, very good care of her during term time, but the time has come that you need to do something for you and for your other children. Staying here is morbid."

Anger turned her pale face a dull shade of red. "Are you suggesting it's morbid to mourn the loss of a child?"

"Great heavens, no," Jem retorted. "Mourn Margot by all means. But don't wallow in your grief. I know it hurts, but she's been dead nearly two years now. Jack's been gone more than six---"

"Six years, nine months and twenty-five days," she said, her anger fading into sombre solemnity.

"I dare say you could tell me the hours and minutes, too," said Jem dryly. She winced. "That's my point. You stopped living seven years ago. It's time to start again."

There was a lengthy silence, broken only by the steady ticking of the clock. Jem watched Joey's expression, trying to gauge what was going on in her thoughts; unfortunately, time had made her that much harder to read and it wasn't until a very thin, small voice said, "All right," that he had any idea.

"All right?" he echoed.

Joey swallowed; her dark eyes suddenly bright with tears. "I mean, all right; I'll go."
Author:  Jennie [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 7:51 pm ]
Post subject: 
Well, thanks, Ray. That was a bit of a surprise.
Author:  Shander [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:02 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks Ray,
I'm looking forward to more of this. It looks really good.
Author:  brie [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks Ray. This is looking good, although also like a tear-jerker.
Author:  Rob [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:43 pm ]
Post subject: 
This looks really interesting ... thanks Ray

but if Madge and Jem are staying in England, who is going to be head of the Swiss San?
Author:  Carolyn P [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:45 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oh, this is amazing. Wonderful.
Author:  Alison H [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 8:48 pm ]
Post subject: 
What a fascinating "What if?" - and Margot too :cry: .

Looking forward to more of this.
Author:  Lesley [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:16 pm ]
Post subject: 
Margot dead? How? And if it was only two years ago at age eight then it would have been at about the time when in the realtime line she went to Canada?


Intrigued....Thanks Ray.
Author:  Elbee [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:23 pm ]
Post subject: 
This looks fascinating but sad, thanks Ray.
Author:  Sugar [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:48 pm ]
Post subject: 
Poor Jo. Understand how she feels about leaving Margot though.
Author:  Sarah_K [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 9:56 pm ]
Post subject: 
Lesley wrote:
Margot dead? How? And if it was only two years ago at age eight then it would have been at about the time when in the realtime line she went to Canada?


I guess without Jack there nobody would have been able to convince Joey to part with Margot and the worst came true :(

This looks like it's going to be fascinating Ray, thank you.
Author:  Vick [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:02 pm ]
Post subject: 
Ooohh! Intriguing. Thanks Ray, looking forward to more....
Author:  Tara [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 10:17 pm ]
Post subject: 
Fascinating, Ray. I thought Margot was in Canada when Jo spoke of only two children ... :cry: And none of the other children, of course. What a strange thought. How very different her life would have been.
Author:  Cath V-P [ Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:34 pm ]
Post subject: 
Presumably Margot didn't survive that throat epidemic. And yes, how different her life would have been.

Thanks Ray.
Author:  Kathy_S [ Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:47 am ]
Post subject: 
Margot, too? :shock: :cry:

But well done, the Jem-Hilda conspiracy.

Thank you, Ray.
Author:  Fatima [ Tue Jul 31, 2007 4:34 am ]
Post subject: 
Poor Jo; first her husband and then her daughter. No wonder she wants to stay put.

Thanks Ray.
Author:  Mona [ Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:05 am ]
Post subject: 
This is an intruiging start Ray, thanks!
Author:  ibarhis [ Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:31 am ]
Post subject: 
I'm really looking forward to seeing where this goes!
Author:  Ruth B [ Tue Jul 31, 2007 8:41 am ]
Post subject: 
Thanks Ray, a great start.
Author:  Caroline [ Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:39 am ]
Post subject: 
This is lovely, Ray - beautifully written, and I really like the scenario.

It reminds me a little of Jen persauding the widowed Joy to become a Guide Captain in the Abbey books because her children need her to do things with them and share their interests as they get older - Jo needs to start living again if the triplets aren't to grow away from her. And Len and Con are grieving too, if Margot died when they were 8...
Author:  Carys [ Tue Jul 31, 2007 9:50 am ]
Post subject: 
Thanks Ray, really looking forward to seeing more of this.
Author:  Amanda M [ Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:26 pm ]
Post subject: 
This looks really interesting. Thanks Ray.
Author:  Mrs Redboots [ Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:42 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oh Ray - thank you! I shall definitely be reading this one.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Tue Jul 31, 2007 12:48 pm ]
Post subject: 
Sarah_K wrote:
Lesley wrote:
Margot dead? How? And if it was only two years ago at age eight then it would have been at about the time when in the realtime line she went to Canada?


I guess without Jack there nobody would have been able to convince Joey to part with Margot and the worst came true :(
This looks like it's going to be fascinating Ray, thank you.


It could also mean Jem and Madge didn't end up going to Canada as Madge may not have wanted to leave Joey in the state she was in. This is really intriguing
Author:  Lisa A. [ Tue Jul 31, 2007 1:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone
Ray wrote:


Joey started to laugh and for the first time in seven years, Jem was reminded of the woman she'd once been. "


That is so sad - a poignant little reminder of what war means to individuals. This is really good - thank you.
Author:  La Petite Em [ Tue Jul 31, 2007 7:37 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oh no, Margot! :( This is exactly how I would expect Joey to react, from hers and Jack's relationship in the book.
Thanks Ray!
Author:  wheelchairprincess [ Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:41 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks Ray

Is it too soon to ask for More?

This looks to be a tearjerker and a edge of the seat waiting for the next part drabble.
Author:  linda [ Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:57 pm ]
Post subject: 
How sad, :( Joey has not only lost Jack, but Margot too. How has this affected Len and Con? I wonder.

I'm looking forward to seeing this develop. :)
Author:  Ray [ Thu Aug 02, 2007 9:01 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thank you very much :) Some of the questions are answered here; some will get answered in the next part...all will be answered eventually :wink:

Possible hanky warning in force...

Part 2

"Have we got everything?" Joey asked as the train began to slacken its speed on the approach to Interlaken's Hauptbahnhof.

"Yes mama," the trio chorused dutifully.

"Good, for we shall have to bounce out quick smart." She began a final check on the whereabouts of certain important documents, like their tickets and passports, and watched the Interlaken suburbs draw by in a familiar, yet different, blur.

Everything had happened fast, once she'd agreed to Jem's plan, almost as if Jem was determined not to give her the chance for second thoughts. There had been Daisy's wedding, which had come off at the end of July. Then there had been a whirlwind of packing and practicalities. Plas Gwyn was being rented by the Howells during term time so the house didn't need to be shut up, but most personal possessions needed to be packed and Joey was eternally grateful to the help offered by Doris Carey, who looked after the children on a couple of days. She was also more grateful than she knew how to say to Anna Evans, who had taken up her old job for a couple of weeks so as Joey could focus more exclusively on the packing.

When the packing had finally been completed, Simone de Bersac had carried the whole of the Maynard family off for a week's holiday in France before seeing them into the train for Basle. There they were met by Frieda von Ahlen with whom they'd stayed for a couple of days before, this morning, commencing the last leg of their journey. As a result, the journey hadn't been as arduous as it could have been but Joey was more than willing for it to be over. It felt almost as if they'd been travelling forever.

"Are we really going to live at a girl's school?" enquired the tow-headed baby of the group, wrinkling his face in vague disgust.

Joey shelved her wool gathering and turned her attention to her son. "Not actually at the school," she answered. "We're going to have an apartment in the staff hostel. Just the four of us." She glanced out of the window and noted they were just about into the station. "All right; no more questions for a moment. Len, make sure you have the picnic basket and the rugs. Con, do you have all the books? Steve, can you manage the coats?"

There were sundry answers from all three children. Joey saw the trio exchange amused looks but there was no time to admonish them for the train had come to a halt and one of the smartly dressed porters had already flung their compartment door open wide. She shepherded Len out first, then Steve, then Con and then, after a final glance to check they truly had collected all their belongings together, she followed on carrying their collection of nightcases and such items as she didn't dare entrust to the youngsters. All three were as responsible as you could reasonably expect from young people of not-quite-eleven and just barely seven, but even so Joey was wary of trusting them too far, particularly in a country where none but her spoke any of the language.

"Where to, mama?" Len asked, her eyes wide with wonder at their new location which was so different to the quiet little station of Armiford to which all three were accustomed.

Joey took a quick survey of the station and spotted the exit. "This way," she said. "Towards the sign that says 'Ausgang'."

The trio trotted off ahead, Steve sandwiched in between his two older sisters, which made Joey smile a little. All four children had been close, knitted together thanks to the loss of their father, and Margot's death had served only to strengthen the bond. Len and Con both looked out for their brother on every occasion and made sure never to leave him out of their ploys. In his turn, he idolised them both and for that one reason, she was glad he wouldn't be attending a British prep school just yet. That devotion to his sisters was something no British boy of his age would understand. At least here, in an international school, it wouldn't be a trait that would stand out so much.

At the platform gate, Joey handed over the tickets to the guard who waved them through with a smile and heavily accented greeting. Through the gate, however, Joey was at a loss. Someone from the school was supposed to be meeting them, but of their escort she could see no sign and she had only the roughest guess of how to continue the journey from here. That might have been enough, had she been travelling alone, but with a trio of children and attendant luggage, haring off on her best guess was distinctly not appropriate.

"Where now, mama?" asked Con.

"I---" But before Joey could confess her confusion, a familiar form swooped down upon the little party.

"Joey! Liebchen!"

"Gisela!" Joey exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"Ah, then Jem has not told you?"

Joey eyed her old friend. "What should Jem have told me?"

"Gottfried has come to be the head of this new San here," Gisela explained, a wide smile on her face. "Thus, we have moved here. When I learned that you would be arriving, I volunteered to come and meet you and show you the school's new home."

"How fabulous!" Joey smiled. "You must be thrilled."

"We are. But," said Gisela eyeing Steve who was trying his hardest not to yawn, "we can discuss this later. For now, permit me to guide you to the Platz."

Joey agreed with alacrity and Gisela swept the whole group out of the Bahnhof and over to a waiting taxi.

"Under normal circumstances, we should walk to the Ost Bahnhof," Gisela explained. "But for today; a treat."

They piled into the taxi and the three children pressed their noses to the car's windows and frankly stared out at Interlaken as the taxi wove its way through the traffic. Joey was hardly less curious but better able to hide it. As they drove passed the Floral Clock, though, she was moved to wonder what Margot and Jack would have made of this all.

"Halten Sie hier bitte auf."

Gisela's sudden command brought Joey out of her thoughts. They were still on the Hoheweg and she couldn't immediately see a reason for stopping, but already Gisela was ushering the children out of the car.

"I wish you to see something," Gisela explained. "Look!" And she flung her arm out, pointing up and across the lake. There, high above them, framed by sunlight and wisps of cloud was the beauty of the Jungfrau.

For a few moments, Joey was spellbound by the vision. At once it made her deeply sad that neither Jack nor Margot were with them to see this natural loveliness. For a moment, tears threatened; then she swallowed, hard. She was not going to be a spineless jellyfish any more. This was going to be, as Jem suggested, a fresh start.
Author:  wheelchairprincess [ Thu Aug 02, 2007 9:10 pm ]
Post subject: 
Gottfried and Gisela! Yay! I always wished we had seen more of Gisela after her marriage.
Author:  Lesley [ Thu Aug 02, 2007 9:15 pm ]
Post subject: 
So similar...yet so achingly different. :cry:


Thanks Ray.
Author:  Vick [ Thu Aug 02, 2007 9:35 pm ]
Post subject: 
That was lovely, thank you Ray

Looking forward to more... :wink:
Author:  Sugar [ Thu Aug 02, 2007 9:56 pm ]
Post subject: 
Good to see more of this. Really intrigued..as Lesley said so familiar yet soo different.
Author:  Alison H [ Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:09 pm ]
Post subject: 
*Echoes Sugar and Lesley.*

Nice to see Gottfried and Gisela - and I'm so glad Anna and Tom got married.
Author:  brie [ Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:03 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks Ray. So many subtle differences.
Author:  Cath V-P [ Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:19 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thank you Ray; the differences make it so poignant.
Author:  Kathy_S [ Fri Aug 03, 2007 2:36 am ]
Post subject: 
What good answers! And I hadn't even asked about Anna yet....
Thank you, Ray.
Author:  keren [ Fri Aug 03, 2007 7:08 am ]
Post subject: 
So clever,

Giving the basic drabble idea you could have taken the story up anywhere.
It is a new take on the idea to start here (and a very good one)

And yes, keeping many details from the original, but with the obvious differences.


Maybe she will even get to meet a nice doctor, if she is a good teacher :)
Author:  Ruth B [ Fri Aug 03, 2007 8:26 am ]
Post subject: 
Glad Gisela will be there for Joey.
Author:  Carys [ Fri Aug 03, 2007 11:32 am ]
Post subject: 
This is so good, really impressed at how you've planned all this out!

Really looking forward to seeing more of Gisela!
Author:  Fatima [ Fri Aug 03, 2007 11:37 am ]
Post subject: 
The children are lovely, despite the tragedies in their lives.

Thanks Ray.
Author:  Sarah_K [ Fri Aug 03, 2007 2:17 pm ]
Post subject: 
It's good to see the three little ones have pulled together, and how odd to see Joey thinking she can't give them responsibility and that none of them speak German!

Thanks Ray.
Author:  Mrs Redboots [ Fri Aug 03, 2007 2:33 pm ]
Post subject: 
This is lovely, Ray. When do we get the next instalment?
Author:  Amanda M [ Fri Aug 03, 2007 4:52 pm ]
Post subject: 
The children are really sweet in this. Thanks Ray :D
Author:  jonty [ Fri Aug 03, 2007 5:38 pm ]
Post subject: 
This is beautiful. Thanks Ray.
Author:  Tara [ Fri Aug 03, 2007 10:24 pm ]
Post subject: 
It is indeed. Thank you.
Author:  Rob [ Sat Aug 04, 2007 7:19 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yay! Gottfried and Gisela at the San!

Nice to see that Simone and Frieda are both there for Joey!

But :shock: that none of the children speak Gernan and :shock: :shock: no Freudesheim!!
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Sun Aug 05, 2007 12:37 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks Ray. Am really enjoying how you put all this together. Different yet familiar
Author:  La Petite Em [ Sun Aug 05, 2007 2:16 pm ]
Post subject: 
VERY glad that Joey has had so much help and support :)
Thanks Ray!
Author:  JustJen [ Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:07 am ]
Post subject: 
Ray, this looks very interesting. I love "what if?" stories
Author:  leahbelle [ Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:11 pm ]
Post subject: 
Will be good to read more about Gisela and also looking forward to see how Jo and the kids settle down.

Thanks!
Author:  Bookwormsarah [ Tue Aug 07, 2007 9:46 am ]
Post subject: 
Oh, this is lovely (and hanky warnings necessary)...
Author:  Ray [ Wed Aug 08, 2007 7:14 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thank you :) Bits of this part should be very familiar and are based on passages in Joey Goes

Part 3

"And this is the Platz," said Gisela as the mountain train slid into the Gornetz station. Although, Joey reflected even as she shepherded her children out of the carriage, perhaps calling it a station was a little euphemistic.

The 'station' was little more than a corrugated iron shed that was missing three out of its four sides and with a roof that extended part of the way over the slab of concrete that served as a platform. It was even more primitive than the station at Seespitz had been. She supposed the difference was money. Although Switzerland was vastly richer than Austria had been, Seespitz's tiny Bahnhof was the first thing that most visitors saw of the Tiern See and so the locals had spruced and painted and decorated it until it looked as immaculate as could be. By comparison, few tourists came to Gornetz so no-one particularly cared how the station looked.

"It's very different to the Tiern See," said Gisela softly in German, as if guessing Joey's train of thought. "But it has its charms." That made Joey smile. In English, Gisela added, "Now we shall head to the school so that you may settle in."

"I'm hungry," said Steve plaintively. "When's lunch?"

"Soon," Joey promised.

"Indeed," said Gisela, piloting them towards a car waiting beside the station's ticket hut. "We shall be in time for Mittagessen at the school."

There might have been more said, but Gisela, with an eye to the time, ushered the trio of children into the car, most effectively stymieing the conversation. Joey followed their lead and they were soon bowling over the uneven ground.

"The road is not good just yet," Gisela explained. "They are going to correct that soon."

"It's to be hoped ambulances don't have to use this," Joey observed as the car bounced impressively in one of the potholes.

"They do not," said Gisela emphatically. "There is a good motor road at the far end of the Platz."

The trio once more had their noses pressed to the windows; staring out at all they could see. It was Con who said, "What's the white building behind us?"

"That's the new San," Gisela answered.

"And what about the big buildings in front of us?" asked Len.

"The first one is the school," Gisela answered. "The one behind that is the staff hostel."

"It looks very big," Con observed. "Are we to be the only people there?"

"Heavens, I hope not!" said Joey, a small grin on her face. "We should rattle around like four peas in a drum in that. Old pension?" she added, glancing at Gisela.

"I believe so; the Pension Wellington, I think."

Joey nodded. It practically had hotel printed in the beautifully done frescos. Four storeys with balconies attached to the lower three of them, it might have looked like a regular chalet but for the sheer number of rooms. She took a quick count of the windows on the front of the house and gasped as she realised there were twenty-two of them and that was just at the front of the house! 'I shouldn't like to be in charge of cleaning all of them,' she decided as Gisela pulled into the drive that ran between the two properties.

As they got nearer, she took in a few more details of the hostel. The balconies all had wooden railings set high enough that youngsters couldn't heedlessly tumble over them all balanced on carved wooden posts set close enough that youngsters couldn't slip between them either. The top floor was clearly made up of attics, with their windows set into the steeply pitched roof. The next floor down had lattice windows for the rooms with the odd wooden door here and there to provide access to the balcony. The floor below, however, was clearly the main bedroom floor. It was graced with French doors for each and every room so that one could take the air on the balcony. Below that, on the ground floor, were more French doors and three windows set either side of the front door, which was flung wide open, and there, standing in the doorway waiting for them was Hilda Annersley.

Joey barely waited for the car to stop before she bounced out and up the steps to wrap the stately Head Mistress in an effusive hug. "Hilda! I didn't realise you'd be here yet."

There was a dry chuckle. "And where else would I be?" Hilda retorted. "Use your sense, Joey. Now; let me look at you." And as if Joey was still a schoolgirl, Hilda gently held her at arms length and inspected her. "Yes; I think this has already done you good, Joey. I know it will be hard, but never forget there is always help at hand."

The frank comments startled Joey sufficiently that all she could do was nod. Then she was forced to step aside as Len and Con both flung themselves on their brevet aunt and Steve wasn't more than a whit behind them. Seeing that Hilda was occupied, Joey turned back to Gisela, who was now standing beside the car and watching the scene with amusement.

"Thank you," said Joey.

Gisela waved it off and smiled. "It was my pleasure and I know that you would have done as much for me. I must return home now – I live up on the next shelf in a little village called St Cecilie – for I expect my family has been up to all manner of wickedness while I've been away!"

"What a character you give them!" Joey grinned. "Surely Gisel can keep the youngsters in hand now?"

Gisela grinned in return. "She does her best, but Jacquetta and Gretchen are two people's work at the best of times and Toni matches their efforts quite effectively. I shall be thankful when he begins school in three weeks time."

And with that heartfelt exclamation, Gisela climbed back into the car and drove away.

"Well, now that the first raptures are over," said Hilda, bringing Joey back to the rest of the party on the steps, "shall I show you up to your apartment? Mittagessen is in fifteen minutes, over at the school, but I think there is just time." Calmly, she swept the whole party indoors and up the wide, shallow stairs. "There are eight apartments, plus another ten or so single bedrooms," she explained. "Herr Laubach has one apartment, the Dennys another and Matron Lloyd a third – they're on the first floor. Nell Wilson, Rosalie Dene and I also have an apartment each and you have the final one currently to be occupied."

"Which floor are Auntie Nell and Auntie Rosalie and you on?" asked Steve, drawing a slight wince from his brevet aunt.

"Auntie Nell and Auntie Rosalie are on the second floor; I'm on the third floor."

"And where are we, please?" asked Len.

"You have the apartment on the top floor," Hilda answered.

"In the attics? How super!" exclaimed Con, making Joey grin.

"Each of the apartments has a name," Hilda continued as they neared the top of the final flight of stairs. "And here is yours." And she waved her hand at the smartly painted white door that was just to the left of the stairs. Positioned at roughly eye level was a beautifully carved wooden plaque which proclaimed the apartment to be Freudesheim.

"Happy home," Joey translated.

"I hope it will be," said Hilda with a smile. "Now, let me show you around."
Author:  Jennie [ Wed Aug 08, 2007 7:25 pm ]
Post subject: 
Very neat. Thanks, Ray.
Author:  Alison H [ Wed Aug 08, 2007 7:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
This is fascinating.
Author:  MaryR [ Wed Aug 08, 2007 7:55 pm ]
Post subject: 
You've worked all that in beautifully, Ray. And how sensible for the staff to have apartments and get away from the school.

Thank you.
Author:  Elder in Ontario [ Wed Aug 08, 2007 8:07 pm ]
Post subject: 
That's lovely, Ray - in some ways the same, but in others, so very different, from EBD's story. And the poignancy is never far away, is it?

Thank you
Author:  Lesley [ Wed Aug 08, 2007 9:24 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oh, you had to wince at the name, didn't you? :cry:


Thanks Ray.
Author:  linda [ Wed Aug 08, 2007 10:47 pm ]
Post subject: 
How lovely Ray. :)

I do hope that it will be a 'happy home' for Joey and the children.
Author:  Tara [ Wed Aug 08, 2007 10:53 pm ]
Post subject: 
Oh, how clever! This is quite fascinating, and I love the staff hostel, what a brilliant idea. 'Freudesheim' does give one the shivers, though, the difference is so marked.
Author:  Cath V-P [ Thu Aug 09, 2007 12:17 am ]
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That's very clever Ray, and so poignant too.
Author:  Mona [ Thu Aug 09, 2007 7:26 am ]
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Thanks Ray!
Author:  Liz K [ Thu Aug 09, 2007 7:53 am ]
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JustJen wrote:
Ray, this looks very interesting. I love "what if?" stories


So do I - someone did an excellent story in last Saturday's Daily Mail about "what if" Princess Diana hadn't died. 2-3 years ago they also ran a story about "what if" Charles had married Camilla in the first place - thus saving a lot of heartache - it finished off with a neat paragraph about a certain Lady Diana Spencer living out in the shires with her farmer husband/Lord Lieutenant husband (can't remember his occupation) and feeling very glad she wasn't in the media spotlight.

I remember reading somewhere years ago that someone worked out that if Edward VIII hadn't abdicated, the present Duke of Gloucester would be on the throne today rather than Queen Elizabeth II (although I think there were still a lot of "what ifs" along the way).

Interesting stuff.
Author:  Caroline [ Thu Aug 09, 2007 8:19 am ]
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Lovely, Ray - thank you!

I always wondered why they didn't have a staff hostel - EBD introduced on in Tyrol (the original St Hild's, right?) for those staff not attached to a particular house, but once they left Tiernsee, it vanished, never to be heard of again. Presumably because the school became all one building, rather than a collection of chalets.
Author:  jonty [ Thu Aug 09, 2007 8:38 am ]
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I still can't get used to 'Len and Con' when it should be 'Len, Con and Margot'. Catches me every time. I'm loving this, thanks Ray.
Author:  La Petite Em [ Thu Aug 09, 2007 9:07 am ]
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Oh I hope they do make it a happy home! :(
Thanks Ray.
Author:  Carys [ Thu Aug 09, 2007 9:53 am ]
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Ohhh I didn't expect that! But if all the top staff are at the Staff Hostel in the evening, who is going to keep an eye on the girls? Without Matey there all kinds of mischief will occur!
Author:  brie [ Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:12 am ]
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Thanks Ray. That is lovely.
Author:  wheelchairprincess [ Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:45 am ]
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Happy Home... :? ... I hope it will be. So Poignant but so good. Thank you, Ray.
Author:  keren [ Thu Aug 09, 2007 12:50 pm ]
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yes poignant too

Every time you say the 3 I expect the trips...

But if Joey behaves, maybe she can meet a doctor??
Author:  Jennie [ Thu Aug 09, 2007 1:05 pm ]
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Thanks, Ray.

LizK, sorry but the present Duke of Gloucester wouldn't be on the throne now if Edward V111 hadn't abdicated. York is the senior royal dukedom, so the Duke of York, followed by his offspring would come before the Duke of Gloucester and his offspring. And the Duke of York, later George V1 was married with two children Elizabeth and Margaret, so the Gloucesters would not have a look in, anyway.
Author:  Alison H [ Thu Aug 09, 2007 2:35 pm ]
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Jennie wrote:
Thanks, Ray.

LizK, sorry but the present Duke of Gloucester wouldn't be on the throne now if Edward V111 hadn't abdicated. York is the senior royal dukedom, so the Duke of York, followed by his offspring would come before the Duke of Gloucester and his offspring. And the Duke of York, later George V1 was married with two children Elizabeth and Margaret, so the Gloucesters would not have a look in, anyway.


This seems to be a common misconception: the author's presumably working on the theory that Edward VIII (d. 1972) would have been succeeded by his eldest (and in this case only) surviving brother, the present Duke of Gloucester's father (d. 1974), but, as Jennie said, the Duke of York's children would've come before the Duke of Gloucester even though the Duke of York (George VI) predeceased his brother. I've heard people say that if Prince Charles were to predecease the Queen then Prince Andrew would be the next monarch, based on the same theory, and that's inaccurate for the same reasons.

Sorry for waffling :oops: :lol: !
Author:  Liz K [ Thu Aug 09, 2007 3:02 pm ]
Post subject: 
Alison H wrote:
Jennie wrote:
Thanks, Ray.

LizK, sorry but the present Duke of Gloucester wouldn't be on the throne now if Edward V111 hadn't abdicated. York is the senior royal dukedom, so the Duke of York, followed by his offspring would come before the Duke of Gloucester and his offspring. And the Duke of York, later George V1 was married with two children Elizabeth and Margaret, so the Gloucesters would not have a look in, anyway.


This seems to be a common misconception: the author's presumably working on the theory that Edward VIII (d. 1972) would have been succeeded by his eldest (and in this case only) surviving brother, the present Duke of Gloucester's father (d. 1974), but, as Jennie said, the Duke of York's children would've come before the Duke of Gloucester even though the Duke of York (George VI) predeceased his brother. I've heard people say that if Prince Charles were to predecease the Queen then Prince Andrew would be the next monarch, based on the same theory, and that's inaccurate for the same reasons.

Sorry for waffling :oops: :lol: !


I've started another thread for this in the "Anything Else" discussion section (don't know if that's the right section, someone will soon tell me, no doubt).
Author:  Sarah_K [ Thu Aug 09, 2007 4:51 pm ]
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I thought "Freudesheim" was a lovely echo in a way, a suggestion that even given the circumstances this home might be happy for them. I hope so anyway!

Thank you Ray.
Author:  Rob [ Thu Aug 09, 2007 8:09 pm ]
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Ooh what an interesting idea Ray!! How different this Freudesheim is - Joey won't be able to fill this appartment with children/adoptees/random hangers-on!!
Author:  Vick [ Thu Aug 09, 2007 8:32 pm ]
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Lovely. Thank you Ray
Author:  Fatima [ Fri Aug 10, 2007 5:41 am ]
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I hope they'll be happy there.

Thanks Ray.
Author:  Jennie [ Fri Aug 10, 2007 1:01 pm ]
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And with working at the CS, she won't have as much time for interfering with the school, she'll be too tired.
Author:  leahbelle [ Fri Aug 10, 2007 4:11 pm ]
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This is very clever, and really fascinating. Thanks, Ray.
Author:  Soph [ Fri Aug 10, 2007 7:03 pm ]
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This is a great story Ray, looking forward to seeing where it goes.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Sat Aug 11, 2007 12:01 am ]
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Thanks Ray. Am really enjoying this
Author:  Elbee [ Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:54 pm ]
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This is fascinating, thanks Ray.
Author:  Smile :) [ Tue Sep 04, 2007 7:49 pm ]
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Really enjoying this Ray, more perhaps?
Author:  claireM [ Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:04 pm ]
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Like this a lot.

Thanks
Author:  Billie [ Thu Sep 20, 2007 2:10 pm ]
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This makes really interesting reading - not just a "what if," but the logical consequences of a "what if" further down the line... if you get my meaning.
Author:  brie [ Thu Sep 20, 2007 5:45 pm ]
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*bump*
Author:  JustJen [ Fri Sep 21, 2007 11:31 pm ]
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Leaves a plate of cookie out for Ray as a bribe
Author:  Shander [ Sat Sep 22, 2007 2:41 am ]
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and carrots and lettuce for the bunnies
Author:  Ray [ Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:02 pm ]
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No, your eyes do NOT deceive you, this really IS an update. Honest! And the next one will be along in a couple of days (and that's the standard definition of couple, not some weirdo-ray-invented couple, either!) Promise!

Part 5

After a brief tour of the apartment and an even briefer glimpse at the rest of the hostel, Mittagessen was the order of the day. Hilda led them over to the school building and after a brief visit to the spasheries – which Steve complained about, seeing nothing wrong with eating his meal while his fingernails were still black from accumulated travel grime! – the quartet was led into the Spiessesaal.

Here, Joey received a second surprise. Already seated at the table was a selection of staff members both present – in the shape of Jeanne de Lachannais, Matron Lloyd and Nell Wilson – and past in the very unexpected form of Hilary Graves.

"Hilary what on earth are you doing here?" Joey exclaimed. "I thought you were in South Africa."

Hilary's eyes danced with amusement. "Is that any way to greet an old friend?"

For a second, Joey was tempted to walk up to the table and shake her friend by the shoulders. Then she recalled the fact that her three children were looking on with interest and she settled for simply saying, "You're an aggravating creature, Hilary."

"Never mind Hilary," said Nell severely. "Take a seat all of you; if you're not hungry, we certainly are."

Joey felt instantly guilty. "You haven't all been waiting for us to arrive?" she asked, even as she did as she'd been told.

"Heavens, no," said Matron. "The gong has only just rung."

Thus relieved, Joey turned her attention to her children, ensuring they were seated in a proper fashion and served with drinks. In Steve's case, it also meant making sure that he couldn't accidentally knock his glass with excited gesticulations.

"You had a good journey, n'est pas?" Jeanne enquired as the maids began serving the bowls of chilled soup that suited the weather perfectly.

"As good as you'd expect," Joey answered.

"You surely didn't travel all this way in one go?" said Hillary, eyeing the trio of youngsters.

"Do I look mad?" Joey retorted. "Of course we didn't."

"We visited Auntie Simone and Auntie Frieda," said Con, reaching for the bread roll basket. "We only had to travel from Basle to here this morning."

"And how was Frieda?" Matron asked.

"She seemed fit enough," said Joey cautiously. "And the new baby is the very image of Bruno."

"And Simone?" enquired Nell. "I must say, her last letter to me was quite cryptic."

Joey grinned at this. "As was the one inviting us to stay with her. I should really give her the chance of explaining."

"Auntie Simone an' Uncle Andre have a chateau!" said Steve at this juncture. "It was norfully big."

There was a clatter of cutlery as five adults dropped their spoons. The expressions on her friends' faces made Joey's grin widen.

"Is this a have?" Hilary complained. "I thought she and Andre had a small apartment in Paris."

"Not a sniff of one," Joey answered. "Steve's quite right. Andre's inherited a huge, sprawling place a few miles from Paris. I should say the plumbing dates to the last century and most of the furniture is older than that. I think it's all happened fairly suddenly," she added as the maids began clearing the soup bowls and replacing them with plates of cold meat and crisp salad. "Certainly, from Simone's description, they're still at a loss as to what they're going to do with it."

"Is it really as bad as all that?" asked Hilda.

"Stone floors in all the ground floor rooms, reception rooms everywhere and enough bedrooms that the four of them rattle around like loose change in a collecting tin," said Joey.

"The four?" Hilary again dropped her fork in surprise.

"Tessa has a brother," said Len. "He's very new."

"And very ducky," said Con.

"He's a baby," said Steve, disgust on his face. "He doesn't do anything."

That produced smothered chuckles from the assembled adults.

"You were a baby once, my lad," said Joey severely. To Hilary she merely said, "Pierre was born in the spring and you can imagine how proud Simone is of him." There was a wistful tone to Joey's voice as she felt a pang for the children she would never have. Then she dismissed it with a brief shake of her head. No use pining for what could never be. "I should imagine your letter probably passed you en route to South Africa."

Hilary nodded, mollified. "I expect I'll get it when Helen arrives next week. She stayed on in South Africa to wrap up the last few details there while Phil and I came here to get started."

"Helen's joining the San, too?"

"Jem didn't tell you?"

Joey shook her head. "He hasn't told me much about the new arrangements; I suppose he thought I shouldn't be interested."

"We can have a powwow later," Hilary suggested. "When you're settled."

Joey nodded her assent to this idea and the rest of the meal passed without further alarums or bombshells.
Author:  Amanda M [ Wed Mar 26, 2008 8:27 pm ]
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It's great to see this back. Thanks Ray :D
Author:  roversgirl [ Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:08 pm ]
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Fantastic to see this again :) thanks!
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:09 pm ]
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Am really glad to read more of this and see what could have potentially been like for the Maynards
Author:  PaulineS [ Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:25 pm ]
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Good to see this back as well Ray.
Author:  Elbee [ Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:29 pm ]
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So pleased to see more of this!

Thanks, Ray.
Author:  Vick [ Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:04 pm ]
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Glad it's back. Thanks Ray :D
Author:  Lesley [ Thu Mar 27, 2008 4:53 am ]
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It seems so strange not having all the other children - and Margot's absence is very obvious. :cry:


Thanks Ray.
Author:  Mona [ Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:01 am ]
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So good to see more of this - thanks Ray!
Author:  Smile :) [ Thu Mar 27, 2008 9:41 am ]
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Great to see this again - thank you Ray
Author:  Jennie [ Thu Mar 27, 2008 1:52 pm ]
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Thanks, Ray.
Author:  claire [ Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:05 pm ]
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thanks for this, I missed it first time round
Author:  Karoline [ Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:40 pm ]
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Great to see this back, thanks Ray
Author:  abbeybufo [ Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:38 pm ]
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Just caught up with this - fascinating

Thanks Ray
Author:  Ray [ Sat Mar 29, 2008 10:47 pm ]
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Thank you very much for your patience - glad that you're still enjoying it :)

I'm hoping to get at least one more instalment done before the Gather, but with work kicking off in half a dozen directions and the boss on holiday, that may be tricky. Failing that, it will be just after the Gather.

Part 6

After the meal, Joey shepherded the three children back to the staff hostel. Steve was yawning widely and even Len and Con looked as though they'd be better for a lie down.

"The bairns look tired," observed a soft voice as Joey entered the hostel.

Looking up, Joey spied the speaker – a woman a few years older than herself, with masses of red-gold hair, dressed in a fresh, light woollen frock and carrying an armful of household linens. Seeing she had Joey's attention, the woman smiled and added, "Mrs Maynard, my name is Anne McDougal – I'm the housekeeper for St Hild's. You should find that the beds in Freudesheim are all made and ready – I thought that with you travelling so far, you wouldn't want to be troubled by incidentals. Just let me know if you need anything more."

Joey, who had been dreading the task of finding the packed bed linen, suddenly found herself on the verge of tears at the simple kindness. "Thank you," she managed.

Anne smiled. "My pleasure. If you need me, I'll be in the office down here." And she turned and headed through the nearest of the ground floor doorways.

From the brief glimpse Joey got before the door swung shut, the room beyond was a small but airy office. It reminded her of the study she'd once used at Plas Gwyn, when she'd still felt the urge to write and for just a moment, she felt a pang for yet another thing lost.

"Mama, I'm tired," said Steve plaintively, bringing Joey back to the present with a bump.

"I think we all are," she answered, ushering the trio of youngsters towards the foot of the great staircase. "We'll have a nice, quiet afternoon and not worry too much about unpacking until tomorrow."

"Will we see Jacquette and Gretchen?" Con asked. "Will they be coming to school with us?"

"Gisel certainly will," Joey answered, prompting a groan from Len, who tended to come across Gisel rather badly. "I don't know about Jacquette and Gretchen, though. I do know," she added, "that Toni and Steve will be going to the same school, come September."

"Smashing," pronounced Steve with a yawn hitched fore and aft the statement.

"I do hope Jacquette is coming," said Con, ignoring her brother's comments. "It would be awful if she had to stay at Carnbach. Just when we'd got level, too!"

Joey smiled at that and pushed open Freudesheim's door. "Well you'll have to possess your soul in patience a little longer." And with that, Con had to be satisfied. "Now; how about you three scoot off and get changed? Your nightcases are on your beds. I'll give you ten minutes, then I'll come in and read some more 'Swallows and Amazons', but all three of you must be in bed before I do."

As all three children – even Len, who had fits of thinking herself to be quite grown up – adored having their mother read to them, they all shot off in the direction of the large bedroom which had been given over to them. That all three of them were sharing was something that would need seeing to before the future was very much closer, but for the time being, Joey was prepared to let it stay. After all, the trio was used to sharing the night nursery at Plas Gwyn when the girls were home from school.

She made use of the allotted time to investigate the small kitchenette and hunt up the fixings for a pot of coffee before fishing out the promised book from her handbag and making her way into the bedroom. All three children were lying in bed, looking expectant. Joey smiled and took up a seat on a convenient wicker chair. "All right. Where were we?"
Author:  Alison H [ Sat Mar 29, 2008 10:48 pm ]
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Nice to see Joey reading them all a story at the end of that part.
Author:  roversgirl [ Sat Mar 29, 2008 10:56 pm ]
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Nice to see their relationship :) [also to see Len as imagining herself to be a leader!]
Author:  Lisa_T [ Mon Mar 31, 2008 11:42 pm ]
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Ah, squee. Lovely Rayfic. This is scrumptious! Thanks, Ray.
Author:  Miss Di [ Tue Apr 01, 2008 2:25 am ]
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Thanks Ray, this is so sad, but so lovely. I hope you get a chance to go on with it!
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Tue Apr 01, 2008 3:15 am ]
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Thanks Ray, this is superb. Hope RL settles down so you can keep posting
Author:  MaryR [ Tue Apr 01, 2008 6:37 pm ]
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So poignant....

Thanks, Ray.
Author:  PaulineS [ Tue Apr 01, 2008 7:49 pm ]
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Thanks Ray. Glad Joey recognises the need for seperate rooms for Len and Con, from Steve.
Author:  linda [ Tue Apr 01, 2008 9:05 pm ]
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MaryR wrote:
So poignant....


I so agree, Mary! But, it might so easily of happened this way.

Thank you Ray.
Author:  Liz K [ Thu Apr 10, 2008 2:10 pm ]
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Extremely glad to see this back. I was having a look at the list again the other day; I still feel tempted to have a stab at one of the subjects, just don't know how to get started.
Author:  Ray [ Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:08 pm ]
Post subject: 
If anyone has any RL-be-gone they could spare, please send some over this way! To say things have been chaotic here is...well a redefinition of the term. I make no promises on when the next bit will go up :roll: :wink:

Life settled down surprisingly quickly in their new home. The unpacking, which Joey had feared would be difficult with all three children on hand and underfoot, proved painless as Gisela and her family bore the youngsters away on some expeditions into the local surrounds and Freudesheim soon began to feel like a real home.

The apartment's main room faced the glory of the Jungfrau and was furnished sparingly – a pair of wickerwork chairs, a light coffee table and a chaise longue comprised the sum of the furnishings to which Joey added the gaily coloured cushions that had come from the sitting room at Plas Gwyn and an ottoman cadged from the selection of assorted furniture available to the residents of St Hild's. The floor was wood burnished bright by hours of careful polish and relieved from austerity by a trio of vivid Chinese rugs, while the walls were painted a sunshiny yellow. If they were bare of pictures, the cheery mix of colours elsewhere made it less apparent.

The children's room ran the length of the house and faced out across the Platz. Begging a couple of light Chinese screens from the furniture store, Joey had contrived to give each child their own private area in the room. She also found a trio of desks and some light cane work bookcases so that part of the room could be given over to more studious pursuits. Then, to the great joy of Len and Con, she installed Maison des Poupees in one corner, together with the old and battered steamer trunk that doubled as a toy box; the only proviso for having the toys in the room was that all three should make sure to keep them tidy and, at least so far, the rosy room had been almost the model of orderly care.

Joey's own room was slip of a room, squeezed in between the salon and the bathroom and within easy reach of the children's room. Catching the sun neither in the morning nor afternoon, it was dark and could have been pokey but for the lack of furniture and the white-painted walls. It suited Joey, though, as she felt it met her needs exactly. The only personal touches she bothered with here was a series of three photographs: Her wedding day; Jack with the triplets on the last day of his last stretch of leave; the triplets with Steve just before his first day of kindergarten. All three were bittersweet; reminders of everything, and everyone, she'd lost, but not having the photographs felt somehow wrong. So up they went, where only she would see them.

There was also the kitchenette, another narrow slip of a room, which wasn't really much more than a walk-in larder with a tiny stove slotted in at one corner. Meals were available in the St Hild's Spiessesaal on the ground floor, and for the most part, the Maynard family made use of this, but for breakfast and, sometimes, supper, Joey had the facility to provide for the family herself. As far as supplies were concerned, all she needed to do was provide Anne McDougal with a list at the beginning of the week and the provisions would arrive on a Friday.

All in all, it was a situation that Joey found to be most agreeable and the children seemed to be settling down fine as well which – so far as Joey was concerned – was possibly the most important thing about the whole move.

In fact, the only thing that she felt apprehensive about was the start of term, which seemed to be rushing up with a frightening speed.

A meeting with Jeanne de Lachannais had at least told her what her role was to be.

"What I would like," the Frenchwoman had said, "is for you to be my assistant. Some of it will be one to one coaching for those girls who still struggle with French and with German; some of it will be taking small groups to help their conversational skills. We hope," and here Jeanne's eyes twinkled, "that we might eradicate at least some of the Franglais and Deutlish spoken in free time."

That had made Joey smile a little as she recalled speaking the two polyglots Jeanne had just objected to. "What age groups would I be working with?"

"Mainly it would be the middles; most of the seniors are confident enough in their knowledge that they need much less help in this way," Jeanne had answered, "but those in the sixth form who wish to continue their language studies beyond school may also come to you – that, though, we must wait for, to see what is required."

And as much sense as it all made – and Joey was beginning to see why both Jem and Hilda had proposed her for this role – it was still an intimidating prospect, particularly on top of all the usual chaos of preparing for a new school year.

But, there was no chance for her to back out and as the holiday's final days wound down in a haze of shopping trips to Interlaken for school uniforms and evenings spent planning topics of conversation and revising points of grammar unneeded since her own school days, Joey found that as intimidating as it all felt, there was also a small pang of nervous excitement.

This was a new start all right. More, it was the beginning of an adventure and for the first time since the Admiralty telegram had arrived, Joey felt a sense of hope for her future.
Author:  Alison H [ Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:13 pm ]
Post subject: 
Glad that she's feeling more hopeful - and hope that RL calms down soon!

I like this Joey ... which is upsetting given that it's all so sad without Jack and Margot ...
Author:  abbeybufo [ Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:15 pm ]
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Thanks Ray

Hope RL kinder to you soon

Liking Joey here - the sad experiences have calmed and matured her
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:19 pm ]
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Glad to see more of this and that Joey is starting to hope again
Author:  Miss Di [ Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:05 am ]
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Thanks for the lovely update Ray. And I hope RL goes away.
Author:  Lesley [ Tue Apr 15, 2008 6:22 am ]
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And of course it's not only Jack and Margot - but Charles, Mike, Felix etc - pleased Joey has something positive to look forward to.


Thanks Ray.
Author:  Mona [ Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:36 am ]
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Thanks Ray. Good to see Joey becoming more hopeful.
Author:  Jennie [ Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:22 pm ]
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Thanks for the updates, Ray. I hope RL and your various aches and pains go away soon.
Author:  Vick [ Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:16 pm ]
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Lovely, thanks Ray :D
Author:  Smile :) [ Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:03 pm ]
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Nice to see Joey feeling more hopeful.
Author:  Clare [ Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:50 pm ]
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Just read this through from the start. It's beautiful Ray, thank you.
Author:  crystaltips [ Wed Apr 16, 2008 5:36 pm ]
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I'm loving this Ray. Thank you.
Author:  Vikki [ Wed Apr 16, 2008 5:44 pm ]
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Thank you Ray.

*offers to poke RL with a very sharp stick*
Author:  di [ Sat Apr 19, 2008 8:36 am ]
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Have just read this from the beginning and have to say it's delightful, although sad that Jack and Margot are not part of it.
Thanks, Ray. :)
Author:  Ray [ Sat Apr 19, 2008 1:18 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thank you very much for the comments - and the RL poking; it does seem to have worked, at least for now!

This part owes quite a bit to The CS and Barbara, although I have taken a couple of (minor) liberties which I hope can be overlooked!

As she stood on the great sweeping front stairs of the Chalet School's new home, awaiting the arrival of the coaches, however, hope for the future was the very last thing on Joey's mind. Instead, a deep sense of panic and a strong desire to be anywhere else was uppermost and only the presence of Matron Lloyd behind her and the knowledge that she couldn't let either Hilda or Len and Con down by being so spineless were preventing her from bolting.

Glancing down, she took note of her daughters, who were gossiping hard with Jacquetta and Gretchen Mensch under the watchful gaze of their elder sister Gisel. Con had been delighted to discover that the same exception had been made for Jacquetta, her own boon companion, and one or two others who were under the age limit but had more than attained the form cut-off point. Also joining in the conversation were a handful of other girls who had already arrived. One such, Barbara Chester, looked almost comically excited. Like Margot, she'd been delicate almost from birth. Unlike Margot, however, she had been granted a recovery which time spent in the bracing atmosphere of Switzerland would shore up and improve upon.

How would Margot have benefited from such a move, Joey wondered. Then in the next breath, she dismissed the thought. Now wasn't the time to be maudlin any more than it was to panic.

"Stand by to repel boarders!" The call came from Nancy Wilmot, whose quick ears had caught the sounds of the coaches' approach.

The next few minutes were a kind of organised chaos that was both familiar and foreign to Joey. The chaos reminded her of her own school days and the opening day of term, but arrivals then had always been staggered. Groups had arrived in tens and twenties from all over, whereas this was a pure flood from just one direction. Through the open door, she could see apparent hordes of girls milling around, then being ushered into lines by prefects and the escort mistresses, then those lines were marched into the ample entry hall.

"Auntie Joey!"

"Mrs Maynard!"

The cries were set up from several segments of the girls. Some were surprised; others – notably Mary-Lou Trelawny's little coterie – were excited. All of them were attempting to babble and ask questions at the same time, an effort that made Joey smile despite her nerves. One of the fears that she'd kept deep in the darkest part of her heart was that the girls would not take kindly to her addition to the staff, but if this reception was anything to go by, that fear was positively groundless.

"Mummy didn't tell me you were going to be here!" wailed a voice, cutting across the clamour. It drew Joey's eyes to her leggy, curly-haired niece who even now was being told to pipe down by her friends. She smiled at Maeve and resolved to have a private word as soon as was convenient lest the youngest Bettany felt utterly left out.

"You were in Ireland most of the summer," another voice pointed out. "I think mummy only told Auntie Mollie on Monday."

Maeve looked only partially mollified by Josette's words and Joey's resolve firmed. Then there was no time for that kind of thought as the last of the girls had assembled and Hilda – Miss Annersley now that the school had returned – had stepped forward to welcome everyone back.

"You will hear a great deal more about the changes and our plans after prayers this evening," she concluded. "Now, you will find information on your dormitories as well as a full plan of the building pinned to the Hall notice board. Miss Wilmot and Miss Denny will show you the way. Abendessen will be in forty-five minutes, so you won't have long to dally."

The head was smiling as she pronounced this final warning, prompting smiles and some smothered laughter from certain sections of the gathered school. Then she gave a nod and Nancy stepped forwards. "This way, school," she called, and the school, headed by a conspicuously pink Julie Lucy, the new Head Girl, tailed off at her heels.
Author:  Lesley [ Sat Apr 19, 2008 1:40 pm ]
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Thanks Ray - so interesting to see the minor differences and the sad asides. :cry:
Author:  abbeybufo [ Sat Apr 19, 2008 2:47 pm ]
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Thanks Ray

*echoes Lesley*
Author:  roversgirl [ Sat Apr 19, 2008 2:52 pm ]
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Thank you :)
Author:  MaryR [ Sat Apr 19, 2008 3:39 pm ]
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Can see that Maeve's remark, and the welcome from some of the other girls, have steadied Joey and banished the sadness and fears for the moment.

Thanks, Ray.
Author:  di [ Sun Apr 20, 2008 9:36 am ]
Post subject: 
Thanks, Ray. Even in her own myriad of emotions Joey is able to empathise with Maeve, recognising she may feel left out if all her cousins knew, before the start of term, that Auntie Joey would be teaching at the school.
Author:  PaulineS [ Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:42 pm ]
Post subject: 
thanks for the update. Glad there is no german measles this time round.
Author:  Miss Di [ Mon Apr 21, 2008 3:27 am ]
Post subject: 
Nice to see Joey is still the heart of the school even while she's had such a different life.
Author:  crystaltips [ Mon Apr 21, 2008 5:33 pm ]
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What a lovely welcome for Jo. I'm sure she will gain in confidence from it.
Author:  wheelchairprincess [ Mon Apr 21, 2008 7:47 pm ]
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Love this. Hope RL improves soon! Thanks Ray
Author:  Sarah_K [ Thu May 01, 2008 9:15 pm ]
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I hope RL has improved by now, I just refound the CBB *coughs* after a slight absence and was so glad to see more of this.
Author:  Lisa_T [ Thu May 01, 2008 9:43 pm ]
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This is gorgeous Ray, as always. A very plausible and poignant (such an apt word, Mary) AU.
Author:  CeliaV [ Fri May 02, 2008 2:21 pm ]
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Wow! This is the first drabble I've read in this house and it's absolutely lovely. It all seems so real... Thanks
Author:  Ray [ Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:37 pm ]
Post subject: 
*coughs in embarrassed fashion* Um...oops? I've had this part written for the best part of two months but I, er, lost my pen drive! Now that I've found it again, progress should be a little more forth coming.

I hope.

Famous last words...

"Did you know Auntie Joey was coming to teach?" Maeve demanded of Mary-Lou as the latter young woman entered the new middles common room after having changed.

"I did," Mary-Lou confessed. "But only because Mummy and Gran helped with the packing. We do live next door to Plas Gwyn, after all."

Maeve's brows lowered. "Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"Josette did say it was probably because you were in Ireland all summer," said Verity-Anne in a soothing tone. "And didn't you say it had all been a bit of a scrum returning from Ireland and then packing to come here?"

"I'll bet Peggy and Bride knew," Maeve muttered. "I never get told anything."

"And I'm sure they don't," retorted Josette who had entered in time to hear that remark. "I told you, mummy only told Auntie Mollie on Monday. That was after Bride and Peggy left to travel here. They've already been back a week, haven't they?"

Maeve made a noise that might or might not have been an affirmative.

"Well then," said Mary-Lou, "they're going to get just as much of a surprise as you did."

Maeve grunted and might have said more to air her grievance, but at that moment Len and Con entered the room and even Maeve had the sense not to continue in their presence.

"So you two have been up here for a couple of weeks," said Mary-Lou, "what's there to see?"

"Oh heaps," said Con. "There's lots of gorgeous scenery and walks---"

"Walks?!" exclaimed someone with vague tones of horror in their voice. "I thought we'd be done with all that here!"

"You didn't think at all, Emerance," said Vi severely. "The school's always gone on walks and rambles; why should here be any different?"

"I thought we'd ski," replied the duly crushed Emerance.

"Ski? Talk sense!" snorted Mary-Lou. "There isn't any snow yet and won't be for a while, either."

"November, Mama says," put in Len. "But probably not until December."

"There you are," Mary-Lou finished. "So pipe down Emmy and let Con crack on – I'm sure the gong for dinner will be going any second and I want to know a bit more about our surroundings even if you don't!"

But just at that moment, the gong did sound, dooming them all to hear the rest of what Con had to say later.

As they lined up for the meal, however, Mary-Lou noted that Maeve's expression still looked stormy. 'Are we in for squalls again?' she wondered. 'I hope not for this term's bound to be full of fun without that kind of excitement as a top off.'



"Young Maeve didn't seem too pleased," observed Biddy as she and Joey entered the staff room.

"No," Joey agreed. "And she can be such a touchy creature too." She sighed. "What with all the hustle of packing and then travelling and then settling in, I completely forgot to speak to Mollie and Dick – and they were in Ireland for the lion's share of the summer. And---"

"And sure, tis not your fault," said Biddy soothingly. "No-one can remember everything."

"Perhaps not, but Dick is my brother and Maeve is my niece." Joey shook her head. "I must see if I can have a word with her before the term is very much older. See if I can't smooth things over before trouble really erupts."
Author:  Lesley [ Sat Jun 28, 2008 8:08 pm ]
Post subject: 
What's this? An update from Ray!!!! *Gazes around in awe! :wink: *

Okay, enough teasing - many thanks Ray - lovely to see more of this - very strange to see Len and Con and not immediately think of Margot :cry: - wonder who Emerence's friend is?
Author:  di [ Sat Jun 28, 2008 8:48 pm ]
Post subject: 
Great to see this again; trust Jo to forget to tell her nieces that she would be teaching them!
Looking forward to more, Ray and thanks.
Author:  crystaltips [ Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:03 pm ]
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Lovely to see this back Ray. Thank you.
Author:  Shander [ Sat Jun 28, 2008 10:02 pm ]
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I'm so pleased to see more of this Ray.
It's delightful.
Author:  Alison H [ Sat Jun 28, 2008 11:59 pm ]
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Thanks Ray :D .
Author:  LizzieC [ Sun Jun 29, 2008 8:50 am ]
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Ooh goody! I really like this drabble and it's back! :D

Thanks Ray :)
Author:  Karoline [ Sun Jun 29, 2008 1:11 pm ]
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Lovely to see this back Ray
Author:  Mrs Redboots [ Sun Jun 29, 2008 4:30 pm ]
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Count me in among the ones who are glad this is back! Thank you, Ray.
Author:  abbeybufo [ Sun Jun 29, 2008 7:59 pm ]
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And here's another who is pleased you've found your pen drive :D
Author:  leahbelle [ Mon Jun 30, 2008 3:33 pm ]
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Thanks, Ray :lol:
Author:  JellySheep [ Thu Jul 03, 2008 12:50 pm ]
Post subject: 
Fascinating parallel universe. Looking forward to see what other features will turn up differently. Looking forward to more!
Author:  Miss Di [ Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:21 am ]
Post subject: 
Lovely to see this back Ray

(wonders quietly what a pen drive is)
Author:  Lesley [ Tue Jul 08, 2008 6:33 am ]
Post subject: 
Miss Di wrote:
Lovely to see this back Ray

(wonders quietly what a pen drive is)


Think it's a memory stick, Di.
Author:  Miss Di [ Wed Jul 09, 2008 3:44 am ]
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Right! Silly iggy me :oops: . A USB Key! Thanks.
Author:  Vick [ Wed Jul 09, 2008 2:18 pm ]
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Lovely, thanks Ray.
Author:  Ray [ Wed Jul 16, 2008 7:23 am ]
Post subject: 
Thank you very much for your patience! I'm hoping to be a little more regular with updates now that RL seems to be settling back down into something that's got at least a vaguely passing resemblance to sanity.

And yes, a pen drive is a USB key/drive/whatever - mine just literally happens to be pen-shaped!

Joey duly managed to invite Maeve to tea the following afternoon, but neither that enormous treat nor Joey's repeated apologies did anything to thaw Maeve's annoyance at the perceived slight. And, not that anyone realised, the problem was compounded by the fact that many of her boon companions had not come out to Switzerland, either denied by their parents or by the age limit. So for her to see both the Maynards and the younger Menches present while the Dawbarn twins and Peggy Harper languished at Carnbach was galling.

As it was, she returned from tea in an even worse mood and after snapping at all and sundry, was left severely alone by her classmates. Perversely, she blamed that on the Maynards too and her grudge grew, which would lead to trouble later in the term.

Joey, having done as much as she could to make amends with the younger girl, turned her attention to more pressing concerns and was soon immersed in school affairs. A decent, if slightly erratic, tennis player and a keen hockey player in her day, she soon found herself being pressed into service to help out with the assorted games trials that filled the first Saturday of term, while the first Sunday saw her joining a party of seniors on a ramble up to St Cecilie.

Then it was Monday and her very first class.

It was with nervous steps and a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach that Joey made her way along to the little room that was to be her teaching domain just before the bell for the start of morning school rang. Not for the first time, she wondered at the sanity of this whole idea. Not for the first time, she gave herself a mental shake. No matter what she thought about her own suitability, she had to remember that Hilda would not have allowed Jem's plans to proceed if Hilda didn't think she was capable.

The bell sounded as she entered the room and she had just enough time to set down her books before her first group, from Upper IVb, arrived.

Led by Gwen Parry, the quintet looked very much as though they weren't quite sure what to expect and were even less sure on entering the room. Joey had decided that since these were to be conversational lessons, they would take place in a more conversational setting. There were no desks, beyond her own, tucked away in one corner, and all the chairs had been arranged in a circle rather than rows. Put together with the bookcases, stuffed with novels and books in various different languages, that lined the walls, it contrived to resemble a library rather than a classroom – and it was clearly not what Gwen, Ruth Barnes, Barbara Chester, Clare Kennedy and Christine Dawson were expecting!

The positively pussy-struck expressions made Joey smile even as she waved them into the room.

"Bonjour, mes enfants. S'il vous plaît s'asseoir et nous commencerons."

The five sat down, still looking uncertain.

Still speaking in French, Joey continued, "These lessons are about learning to speak with confidence. I will not be setting you prep, but there will be vocabulary sheets which will help you to broaden what you can talk about. Do you understand me so far?"

Here Joey paused and waited until all five had nodded. She smiled again.

"Bonne. Ruth, quelle classe aimez-vous le plus et pourquoi?"
Author:  Lesley [ Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:12 am ]
Post subject: 
Right well I'm all at sea :lol: - it's all very well having French conversation but suppose the person doesn't understand any French? :lol: I did think Barbara Chester was one of the ones that spoke very good French though...

Pity about Maeve - it wasn't intended and Joey has apologised and tried to make amends. Len and Con are only a year or two younger aren't they? Wonder if she'll make trouble for them or for Joey?


Thanks Ray.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Wed Jul 16, 2008 1:24 pm ]
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Thanks Ray. It was hard on Maeve having her friends so far away
Author:  di [ Wed Jul 16, 2008 5:05 pm ]
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Thanks, Ray. 'what ? are you aiming for and why?' ? My schoolgirl french has totally deserted me altho I did understand the 1st introduction :oops:
Silly Maeve, I know her friends are back in England but she does have her cousins around which is perhaps more than the others. Her problem is she was a big fish in a little pond in her immediate family until Peggy, Rix, Bride and Jackie/John returned to the bosom of their family, then she just became the youngest sister- at least until Daphne came along. She'll end up being very unhappy if she doesn't shake herself out of this mood :(
Thank you for the update, look forward to more.
Author:  clair [ Wed Jul 16, 2008 5:56 pm ]
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Thanks Ray - great to see this back and glad my French course has paid off cos I understood it!
Author:  di [ Thu Jul 17, 2008 6:18 am ]
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But, I didn't!!! :cry:
Author:  Lottie [ Thu Jul 17, 2008 9:59 am ]
Post subject: 
Coloquially, rather than literally, Joey was saying, "Good Morning, girls! Sit down, please, and then we'll begin.", when they arrived. Her last remark asked Ruth which lesson she liked best, and why.

Thanks, Ray! :D It's good to see this back again.
Author:  Vick [ Thu Jul 17, 2008 10:48 am ]
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Lovely, thanks Ray :D
Author:  Abi [ Thu Jul 17, 2008 3:37 pm ]
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I've just read all this, Ray, and it's fantastic. Thank you!
Author:  di [ Thu Jul 17, 2008 4:19 pm ]
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Thanks, Lottie. I'll have to hunt out my French dictionary.
Author:  jilianb [ Thu Jul 17, 2008 4:59 pm ]
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Thanks Ray. I've just read this straight through and look forward to the next update.
Author:  Miss Di [ Fri Jul 18, 2008 3:37 am ]
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I am enjoying this different life of Joey's.
Hope her lessons go well.
Author:  Ray [ Sun Feb 22, 2009 8:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 22/02/09)
Just to prove that I haven't died, disappeared or generally gone phut (though sometimes I feel the latter might apply!) and to show that I haven't forgotten this completely...tis an update. Only a short one, but there WILL be more and fairly soon (as it's roughly two thirds written and I know exactly what needs to happen!)

Life quickly settled down into the new routines and, somewhat to Joey's surprise, she found herself enjoying the teaching. With the older girls, she discussed current affairs and literature. With the younger girls the subjects were simpler – favourite class, pets, holidays. Both sets of classes went with a swing and it was clear that the girls enjoyed them.

Then there was the coaching for those who'd never studied English, French or German before, which Joey found to be a reward all its own. There were only a small handful of pupils in that position, which meant that it was possible to give them each three hours of intensive coaching during the week. One session was invariably vocabulary based, one covered a good grounding in the very basic grammar and one was there for the girls to bring up any specific problems they might have had.

All in all, the system seemed to be working well and under that evidence, the last of Joey's misgivings – that she would prove an utter failure as a teacher – vanished.

Lower down the school, however, things were far from settled. As Mary-Lou had suspected on the first evening, Maeve's temper was proving to be implacable. She was rude and sulky towards her classmates, sullen towards the staff and her work was of a level that had her repeatedly hauled up before the mistresses.

Matters weren't improved, in Mave's estimation, when she found herself being paired with Len Maynard for science lab work. The younger girl was – in Mave's opinion – something of a prig and entirely too keen on schoolwork. Len, meanwhile, considered Maeve to be a nuisance, so their experiments were conducted with an air of mutual antipathy where minor mistakes made by either party were seen as massive slights or attempts by one to make the other look bad.

Had either one had a special friend in whom they could have confided, things might have been smoothed over and forgotten about. Unfortunately, neither did, with the inevitable result that the matter festered between them.

Things finally came to a head as the end of October loomed and it was to provide the school with irrefutable proof that, while Margot might have been the most volatile of the triplets, Len's temper was far more frightening.
Author:  Lesley [ Sun Feb 22, 2009 8:57 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 22/02/09)
She's back! And she's left a cliff! Nice one. :wink:


Thanks Ray
Author:  di [ Sun Feb 22, 2009 9:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 22/02/09)
Great! More of this. What happens between Len and Maeve I wonder. I remember reading in one of the books, about Len's temper, lost rarely but when it does go, well, watch out those around! :lol:
Looking forward to more. :)
Author:  Alison H [ Sun Feb 22, 2009 9:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 22/02/09)
Great to see this back, but please don't leave us on this cliff for long!
Author:  Karoline [ Sun Feb 22, 2009 9:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 22/02/09)
Great to see this back :D
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Sun Feb 22, 2009 11:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 22/02/09)
Great to see this back and hope you don't leave us with this cliff for too long please
Author:  Cat C [ Sun Feb 22, 2009 12:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 22/02/09)
Oh, wonderful to see some more of this! Hope you'll give us even more soon :D
Author:  Abi [ Sun Feb 22, 2009 3:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 22/02/09)
Great to see more of this - interesting cliff!
Author:  crystaltips [ Sun Feb 22, 2009 5:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 22/02/09)
Scrummy, it's back :lol:
Wonder just what is going to happen with Len & Maeve.

Thanks, Ray
Author:  Miss Di [ Mon Feb 23, 2009 2:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 22/02/09)
Yay, Ray is back. Hope you are inspired to write more soon...
Author:  Emma A [ Mon Feb 23, 2009 9:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 22/02/09)
Glad to see this back, Ray. I do like that Joey is settling down to teaching, and that both she and her pupils are enjoying her lessons. Looking forward to seeing what happens with Len...
Author:  JellySheep [ Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 22/02/09)
Hurrah! Nice surprise to see this back. Hoping it will continue as I want to know what will happen with Len and Maeve.
Author:  Ray [ Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 23/02/09)
Sooooo. Is this better? Oh, and did someone mention a cliff around here? :halo:

It was with an air of excitement that Lower IVa trooped into the Chemistry lab. The week before they'd begun an experiment to grow copper sulphate crystals and everyone was keen to see how they'd turned out.

"I bet mine hasn't grown one little bit," said Francie Wilford as the form took their places under Miss Wilson's watchful gaze. Chemistry was something of a closed book to her and she looked forward to the day when she could safely give the subject up.

"Not even you can have made a mess of this experiment," Len offered not unkindly.

"The way Bill described it," Heather Clayton added, "copper sulphate grows no matter what. Just dangle the seed crystal in and there you are." As Francie's labwork partner, she was well acquainted with her friend's frequent failings in the subject.

"Unless you can't tie a reef knot," muttered Maeve unpleasantly.

Francie flushed at the barb, but sparing her from making any response, Miss Wilson called the class to order and the lesson got underway.

After a quick review of what results they should be expecting, Miss Wilson began calling people up to the front to collect their crystals and soon the room was being filled by the sound of "ooh" and "ahh" as people admired their results. Francie, to her general surprise, found that her crystal had positively flourished during the week, allowing her the opportunity of gaining high marks on her experiment write up for once. Maeve's crystal, too, had grown substantially, as had Heather's. Only Len's seemed to have not done much in the way of expanding.

"Are you sure ours aren't mixed up?" Francie asked, eyeing the weedy specimen Len had fished out of her jar.

"Positive," said Len with a philosophical shrug. "Oh well. My jar was on the end of the row; maybe it got caught in a draught or something. Didn't Miss Wilson say they needed a constant temperature to grow properly?"

"Or maybe Miss Perfect isn't quite so," muttered Maeve.

Len's brows lowered substantially, but a warning from Miss Wilson that all talk should cease now helped her to hold her tongue. She was aware, however, of Maeve sneering at her while ostensibly bending her head towards her chemistry book and Len resolved to finally have it out with her cousin at break.

With that much decided, she attempted to give her mind over to Miss Wilson's teachings. As annoying as Maeve was, there was little sense in calling unnecessary trouble onto yourself. Unfortunately, the sight of Len busily scribbling in her Chemistry book merely enraged Maeve even further and by the time the bell rang, signalling break, she was spoiling for a fight.

"What on earth is wrong, Maeve?" Josette enquired as Lower IVa trooped into the Spiessesaal.

"Nothing," snapped Maeve.

"Oh yes there is," said Len, who had followed her cousin closely. "You've been niggling away at me all term and I mean to know why."

"Do you?" said Maeve in a tone of voice that promised trouble.

Len ignored the warning. "I do. I want to know what it is I've done for you to hate me so. And," she added, "just why you think I'm Miss Perfect for that's the last thing I am!"

As the eldest Maynard was renowned for being forever in trouble with Matey over the state of her cubical, that sally provoked a few giggles from those gathered around.

"Oh yes you are," Maeve retorted, her voice rising perilously close to a shout. "You wouldn't be here if you weren't thought of as so perfect. Teacher's pet. That's what you are. A stuck up prig of a teacher's pet."

Len gaped. "Have you gone completely barmy?"

"Pipe down, both of you!" Mary-Lou interposed in some effort at keeping the peace.

"Mind your own business," Maeve snarled. "She is a prig and I'll call her so if I like. And she is only here because the teachers felt sorry for her mother."

Len went white. "Leave Mama out of this," she muttered.

Con put her hand on her sister's arm. "Len, come on---"

"That's right, Len, slink off. You know I'm right," Maeve jeered.

Len shook Con's hand off. "I have done nothing to you all term," she said in a low voice that some how sounded all the more terrifying for its lack of volume. "You've picked at me and picked at me and I mean to know why."

Maeve, heedless to all reason now, took a step closer to her young cousin and leaned closer still. "Because I hate you. You think that you're so perfect and special and clever and smart, but you're not. You're a spoilt prig who was so full of herself it cost her sister her life!"

Smack!

It was hard to know which shocked the gathered middles more; Maeve's accusation or the fact that Len's answer to it was to slap the older girl with enough force to leave a flaming red hand-print stark on Maeve's suddenly pale cheek.

What was more, Len was already drawing her hand back to do it again. Only Mary-Lou, who managed to retain enough powers of thought, was able to find the wherewithal to step in. She grabbed the younger girl and effectively restrained her before the second blow could be landed.

"Let go of me!" hissed Len, struggling.

"Not until you come to your senses," Mary-Lou retorted.

"You hit me!" exclaimed Maeve. She put a hand up to her flaming cheek. "You hit me!"

"And I'll do it again," Len promised. "Let go of me!"

"Len, please stop it," Con begged. "Please."

"Someone go for the Head," said Mary-Lou. "Or the pres. Or someone!"

"No need," said a cold voice. "The Head is here and I would like to know the meaning of this disgraceful scene."
Author:  Alison H [ Mon Feb 23, 2009 10:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 23/02/09)
That's an even worse cliff! What did Len have to do with Margot's death, unless I've forgotten something we've already been told?

(I remember doing that crystal experiment at school ... )
Author:  Cath V-P [ Mon Feb 23, 2009 11:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 23/02/09)
Maeve is being so unpleasant - and i wonder what she meant by that nasty comment?

Thank you Ray.
Author:  Kathy_S [ Tue Feb 24, 2009 6:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 23/02/09)
Yikes! Possibly not the best reading just before going to bed, though it's lovely to see you writing again....

(:evil: Maeve)
Author:  di [ Tue Feb 24, 2009 6:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 23/02/09)
Why on earth has Maeve 'got it in' for Len? Although, I've always thought her a rather 'odd' character. Something to do with being brought up away from her older siblings therefore getting more of Mollie and Dick's time, perhaps.
Whilst I don't condone violence, part of me couldn't help thinking,'well done, Len'. She must be at the end of her tether with Maeve sniping at her for such a long time. I only hope the Head does her normal thorough investigation so that Maeve gets her just desserts.
Looking forward to the next part, Jay, and thank you.
Author:  Emma A [ Tue Feb 24, 2009 9:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 23/02/09)
Gosh, Maeve was really unpleasant there - poor Len. Not surprised she reacted so badly (though slapping someone's face is not the best way to get your point across, perhaps!).

Looking forward to reading Maeve's explanation to the Head.

Thanks, Ray.
Author:  Cat C [ Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 23/02/09)
Oh crumbs! What a scene...

And why does Maeve think Len is 'responsible' for Margot's death? Only thing I can think is that Len thought she could look after her without having to 'worry' her mother.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 23/02/09)
Poor Len, Maeve was really nasty there and deserve that slap
Author:  Miss Di [ Wed Feb 25, 2009 3:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 23/02/09)
yes but how did Len kill Margot??!!!!
Author:  Abi [ Wed Feb 25, 2009 5:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 23/02/09)
Maeve definitely deserved that slap! But what is bugging her and what did Len do??

Thanks Ray.
Author:  Ray [ Sun Apr 19, 2009 3:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 19/04/09)
Not quite as fast as I'd hoped but not as slow as you might have feared...and the good news is, I have the rest of the story outlined and there should be regular updates from here on until the end!

It took the Head precisely thirty seconds to size up matters and dispatch the majority of those gathered to their next lessons. It says much for the state of shock the gathered middles were in that they all went without so much as a murmur. Having reduced the crowd down to just those who seemed to have been directly involved, she turned her attention to the participants.

Mary-Lou was still restraining Len whose struggles and flushed face told the tale of how angry she was even now. Maeve was in the charge of Verity-Anne and Josette, but she seemed too stunned by what had happened to really need her keepers. The last person remaining, Con, was so white that Miss Annersley wondered if perhaps the younger Maynard was about to faint. Then she saw the flash of anger in Con's eyes and judged that she was just as livid as her sister. Time to get to the bottom of this.

"Josette, Verity-Anne; would you take Maeve to Matron, please," Miss Annersley directed.

Both girls nodded and immediately led Maeve away.

"Mary-Lou, please take Len along to my study and wait with her. Con, come with me, please."

Mary-Lou nodded and started to propel her charge from the Spiesessaal. Miss Annersley waited until she was certain that Len wouldn't make a nuisance of herself and then turned to Con.

"This way," she said, and led Con off to her private sitting room.

Once there, she set about making a cup of coffee and forced it into Con's hands, then waited while Con drank it. She wanted to get to the bottom of matters, but not until Con's passions had calmed.

At last the colour began to return to Con's cheeks and she began to look more like herself. Miss Annersley nodded. "Now, Con," she said gently, "what do you know about this morning's scene?"

Con nibbled her lip. "I don't know what touched it off. Len and Maeve were already arguing when I arrived in the Spiesessaal."

"About what?"

Con worried at her lip again. "I---I'm not sure."

Miss Annersley gazed steadily down at the younger Maynard. "Con, I mean to get to the bottom of this, so you might as well tell me."

Con sighed unhappily. "Maeve's been niggling at us all term. Len especially. We don't know why."

"I see." Miss Annersley nodded. "All right. What lesson should you be in at the moment?"

"Latin."

"All right; I want you to go and do your best with what's left of that."

"Please," said Con, "what will happen to Len?"

"That rather depends on what she has to say to me," Miss Annersley answered. "No matter what the provocation is, resorting to violence is never the answer."

Con nodded. "I understand."

Miss Annersley watched as Con departed and couldn't help but think that this had been the easy part. What lay ahead was a vastly more unpleasant pair of interviews. From Con's description, Maeve clearly shared a much larger portion of the blame for what had happened than she'd previously imagined, but the accusation and Len's response to it gave her a nasty sense of foreboding.
Author:  Elle [ Sun Apr 19, 2009 4:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 19/04/09)
I have just read this all the way through. It is brilliant - although there are too many cliffs for my liking! Please can you let us know soon how Len killed Margot? :D :D :D :lol:
Author:  Alison H [ Sun Apr 19, 2009 6:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 19/04/09)
Interesting that Con genuinely seems to have no idea what's upset Maeve.
Author:  brie [ Sun Apr 19, 2009 6:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 19/04/09)
Thanks Ray... yet another cliff!
Author:  Lesley [ Sun Apr 19, 2009 10:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 19/04/09)
I missed the cliff in February! :bawling: But this is intriguing - Maeve seems very jealous for some reason - and I definitely want to know more - don't blame Len in the slightest for that smack!


Thanks Ray.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Mon Apr 20, 2009 1:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 19/04/09)
Thanks Ray, even though it was only a taster. Am looking forward to reading more
Author:  Miss Di [ Mon Apr 20, 2009 3:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 19/04/09)
Nice to see this back Ray. And I'm looking forward to the promised regular updates!
Author:  di [ Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 19/04/09)
It's good to see this again. Thanks, Ray. I'm with Lesley, well done, Len.
Author:  shazwales [ Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:45 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 19/04/09)
Thanks Ray just read this from the beginning and really enjoying it.


What does Maeve mean by Len killed Margot??

Update soon please nicely :D :?:
Author:  JB [ Mon Apr 20, 2009 7:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 19/04/09)
Great to see this back. What on earth is wrong with Maeve?
Author:  Carys [ Mon Apr 20, 2009 4:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 19/04/09)
I couldn't remember where I had got up to so I read it all again and it is gripping! I to want to know how Len killed Margot!
Author:  Sarah_K [ Tue Apr 21, 2009 9:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 19/04/09)
Really glad to see this back Ray but... well I notice we still seem to be on the edge of that cliff :P
Author:  stuffs [ Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 19/04/09)
please can I start a chant...wanted to do this since I joined!!! :D :D :D :D :D
Author:  Ray [ Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 19/04/09)
stuffs wrote:
please can I start a chant...wanted to do this since I joined!!! :D :D :D :D :D


*giggles* You certainly can. The question is may you? :wink:

Update will happen on Sunday. Where that will leave you, of course, is another matter entirely!

Ray *possibly being evil** :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: *

edited because Ray is also a moron and quoted the wrong post to start off with...
Author:  stuffs [ Sat Apr 25, 2009 11:33 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 19/04/09)
oops - asked for that one didn't I..........now sitting quietly in the corner somewhat embarrassed for fundamental error :oops:
Author:  Ray [ Sun Apr 26, 2009 7:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
Sorry Stuffs!

And here is today's update. :twisted:


Miss Annersley made her way to her study where Mary-Lou and Len were waiting. Knowing the elder girl, Mary-Lou had probably been trying to bring Len back to her right mind; it just wasn't in Mary-Lou to sit back in a situation such as this and for that one reason alone had the Head decided to start with Con rather than either of the participants. If Len came back to herself, there was every chance that this whole mess could be resolved quickly and suitable punishments given.

If not, then things would be very much worse. Len's temper was the cold sort. Slow to be provoked, she was equally slow to calm down and when really worked up, she could be as stubborn as a herd of mules. The last outbreak of this kind had been almost two years earlier, at around the same time as Margot had caught her last bout of pneumonia.

Miss Annersley paused at the door of her study, a frown creasing her forehead. At the time, she hadn't investigated too closely. Len's argument had been with Gisel Mensch and while Margot's illness had shortened Len's temper more than somewhat, there was no suggestion that the argument had anything to do with anything other than Len's perpetual untidiness and Gisel's over-conscientious approach as a dormitory prefect. She now wondered if there had been more to it.

Then she shook her head. Raking over the past was not something that would help unravel this present mess and that was where she needed to focus, at least for now.

With that thought uppermost, Miss Annersley entered the study. Mary-Lou was standing, grim-faced, in front of a mulish-looking but seated Len. It looked as though whatever efforts Mary-Lou had made, they'd had no impression on the younger girl. The Head was disappointed, but not surprised.

"Thank you, Mary-Lou; you may go now."

Mary-Lou simply nodded, dropped her regulation curtsey and departed even as Miss Annersley took up her customary seat behind her desk. Len seemed to barely notice.

"Now, Helena, I should like an explanation for that disgraceful scene, if you please."

The unaccustomed use of her full name brought Len's head up sharply but her mouth retained the mulish set and she said nothing.

"I'm waiting."

Len flinched at the command and finally she spoke: "Maeve said something. To me."

"That is no excuse for such a babyish tantrum," the Head retorted. "Even your brother would have been ashamed of himself for such a loss of control."

Len flinched again but made no response.

"Now, again: I would like an explanation."

But this time, Len was tongue-tied. It was beginning to dawn on her just how much trouble she was in and how little excuse she had – for even allowing for what Maeve had said to her, there was no excuse for resorting to violence.

This time, Miss Annersley allowed the silence to persist until the young sinner was almost wriggling with discomfort. "You realise that there is no reasonable excuse. No matter what Maeve may have said to provoke you, resorting to violence can never be excused." She stood up. "Such childish behaviour deserves to be treated accordingly. You will spend the rest of today in the san and for the next two weeks, you will keep to junior hours and will be directly supervised at all times. Further more, I would like you to write an essay on the subject of why violence is not the solution and I would like that essay to be present on my desk by the end of the week."

Then, having pronounced judgement on the matter, Miss Annersley marched the small girl off to the san, where she handed her charge over to Nurse. Then she made her way to Matron's room and the final interview in this mess.
Author:  Lesley [ Sun Apr 26, 2009 7:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
Yes but Hilda you've still not discovered the reason why, have you? A job only half done so far...


Thanks Ray :lol:
Author:  Carys [ Sun Apr 26, 2009 7:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
Thank you Ray. I hope Hilda does make sure she gets to the bottom of this mess.
Author:  di [ Sun Apr 26, 2009 9:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
Wow! The Abbess at her most severe. I'm glad I'm glad I'm not Len and I certainly wouldn't want to be Maeve as I'm sure Hilda will soon reduce her to tears and get to the bottom of the ill feeling between the girls.
Thanks, Ray.
Author:  Alison H [ Sun Apr 26, 2009 10:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
I hope Hilda finds out what's happened soon because I really want to know!
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Mon Apr 27, 2009 2:01 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
So do I. And I know violence may not be the answer but Maeve was disgustingly unfair and did provoke the situation
Author:  Bookwormsarah [ Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:39 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
Quote:
Then she shook her head. Raking over the past was not something that would help unravel this present mess and that was where she needed to focus, at least for now.


Oh Miss Annersley, for once you are very wrong... we keep getting clues, but I am itching to see the whole jigsaw puzzle. I'm thoroughly enjoying this, thank you!
Author:  Miss Di [ Wed Apr 29, 2009 3:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
Still feeling decidedly cliffish Miss A...
Author:  Maeve [ Fri May 01, 2009 6:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
Just discovered this for the very, very first time and so I had all the fun of a lovely, long read-through -- thanks, Ray, really enjoying this :)
Author:  Ray [ Fri May 01, 2009 7:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
Owing to some RL circumstances, there won't be an update this weekend and at this point, I don't know when there will be one. I am sorry to leave this hanging once more, but just at the moment, things are too chaotic and crazy.

I will come back to this, when things have calmed down and I know better where I stand.

My Live Journal has a little more info (should you wish to know) and will be the place to check for news. The link to that is in my sig.
Author:  PaulineS [ Fri May 01, 2009 9:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
Ray I have read your Live Journal and will include you and your family in my prayers.
Author:  Lesley [ Sat May 02, 2009 6:47 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
(((((((Ray)))))))
Author:  abbeybufo [ Sat May 02, 2009 10:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
((((Ray))))
Author:  di [ Sat May 02, 2009 10:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
Thinking of you in my prayers, Ray.
Author:  Cath V-P [ Mon May 04, 2009 12:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
Thinking of you and your family Ray.
Author:  Elder in Ontario [ Mon May 04, 2009 1:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
I only just saw this Ray - just wanted you to know that my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Author:  PaulineS [ Mon May 04, 2009 2:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
Ray my prayers are with you and your family. at this time of great sadness.
Author:  Elder in Ontario [ Mon May 04, 2009 2:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
Ray - I just saw this morning's LJ update - my thoughts and prayers will continue to be with you and your family during this sad time.
Author:  Lesley [ Mon May 04, 2009 3:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
So sorry to hear of your loss, Ray. My thoughts are with you and your family.
Author:  JB [ Mon May 04, 2009 4:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
I was so sorry to read about your loss. My thoughts are with you and your family.
Author:  abbeybufo [ Mon May 04, 2009 6:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
So sorry Ray

(((((((Ray and family)))))))
Author:  MHE [ Mon May 04, 2009 7:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
I was so sorry to read about your loss Ray. My thoughts are with you and your family.
Author:  Lyanne [ Sun May 17, 2009 3:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
((((Ray and family))))
Author:  Alison H [ Sun May 17, 2009 9:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
So sorry for your loss, Ray.
Author:  di [ Mon May 18, 2009 5:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 26/04/09)
So sorry to hear your sad news, Ray.
Author:  Ray [ Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 14/06/09)
Thank you all very, very much for your thoughts and prayers. It has been an interesting time, one way or another, but things do seem to be settling down now and I'm beginning to find my balance again.

In the interests of getting back to normal, then, here's an update and the promise of another couple to come next week/week after which SHOULD wrap this story up. Should... :wink:

When Miss Annersley reached Matron's room, she wasn't remotely surprised to see that redoubtable lady had dispatched Josette and Verity-Anne back to lessons. Nor was she surprised to note that Maeve, sitting in Matron's chair, still looked dazed and shocked. In fact, perhaps the only surprising thing about the view that greeted her in Matron's room was that there was no bruise darkening from where the blow had landed.

She glanced in Matron's direction who nodded briskly and departed, leaving Maeve alone.

"Well, Maeve?" Miss Annersley began. "What do you have to say for yourself about this morning's scene?"

There was a long moment of silence. Miss Annersley could see Maeve's outrage at being slapped at war with the knowledge that Maeve herself had provoked the incident. Finally, in a small voice, Maeve said, "It was my fault." With that admission out of the way, the next words came tumbling, heedless of her audience: "I've just been so mixed up this term. It was bad enough last term when I realised that Peggy and Priscilla and Prudence would be staying at Glendower House, and then I realised that Len and Con and Jaquetta were going to be here and they were under the age limit and then there was Auntie Joey being here as well and I didn't know about it and I just…" Maeve ran down at that point, knowing that however she finished the sentence, she was liable to bring justified censure down on herself.

"You decided to victimise Len and Con as easy targets," Miss Annersley completed.

Miserably, Maeve nodded.

Privately, Miss Annersley felt it was a wonder that this explosion hadn't happened much earlier in the term. "And what of what you said to Len this morning? About Margot?"

Maeve ducked her head. "Len once told me that she blamed herself for Margot's illness."

"So you used something, given to you in confidence, as a weapon," said Miss Annersley grimly. "Not an edifying admission, Maeve." Maeve said nothing. "In fact, none of your behaviour this term has been remotely acceptable. In essence, you have just admitted to bullying a girl more than three years younger than yourself." Maeve's head drooped even further. "It is behaviour that is both childish and unpleasant and for which there is no excuse."

"No, Miss Annersley," Maeve mumbled.

"Given your babyish conduct, you will be treated as one. For the next two weeks, you will keep to junior hours and you will be supervised at all times." For a moment, Miss Annersley debated whether to enforce an apology from Maeve to Len and then decided against it. It would be much better for Maeve to decide to apologise on her own; that sort of apology would actually mean something that a forced one would not. Instead, Miss Annersley continued, "And I would like to hear no further complaints about your work and your conduct in lessons. You haven't been given a Head's Report, yet, but losing another order mark for poor work will mean an automatic one."

At this, Maeve gave a gulp. "I—I'm sorry. I didn't mean any of this."

"No, I don't imagine you did," said Miss Annersley gently. "But this is what happens when you allow yourself to be ruled by your jealousy."
Author:  Chris [ Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 14/06/09)
Glad you feel you are back on a more even keel and able to post again.
Am enjoying this story.
Author:  abbeybufo [ Sun Jun 14, 2009 9:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 14/06/09)
Thanks Ray - pleased to know things are on a more even keel now. Looking forward to the next instalment :D
Author:  Alison H [ Sun Jun 14, 2009 10:20 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 14/06/09)
Good to see you back, Ray. Looking forward to reading more of this when you're ready.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Mon Jun 15, 2009 2:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 14/06/09)
Thanks Ray. Can understand why Maeve felt ot was unfair Len, Con and Jacquetta were all allowed to go to Switzerland. It was unfair, but it was pretty nasty to use what Len had told her in confidence against her like that. Do we ever find out why Len feels guilty?

BTW, glad things are settling down at home
Author:  di [ Mon Jun 15, 2009 5:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 14/06/09)
Pleased to hear that life is settling once again and for the update.
I'm not sure whether I feel sorry for Maeve or not. Yes, a shock that her cousins are at school with her but her sister and best friends are still at Glendower House but that is no excuse for bullying Len and Con who are, as Hilda pointed out, 3 years younger. I hope she decides to apologise, and if she means it, it will perhaps ease her conscience.
Author:  JB [ Mon Jun 15, 2009 7:55 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 14/06/09)
Glad to hear that things are setting down, Ray.

Thanks for the lovely update.
Author:  jmc [ Mon Jun 15, 2009 8:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 14/06/09)
I have just read this through from the beginning and have enjoyed the differences. Feel sorry for the Maynards, but why does Len feel guilty over Margot's death. Thanks Ray
Author:  JellySheep [ Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 14/06/09)
I hope RL is feeling better for you. In the meantime, thanks for updating this, it's good to see. Intrigued as to why Len blames herself for Margot's death...
Author:  Carys [ Mon Jun 15, 2009 7:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 14/06/09)
Thanks for updating Ray, it's good to have you back.

I'm glad Maeve decided to be honest with Hilda.
Author:  Sarah_K [ Tue Jun 16, 2009 9:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 14/06/09)
Very glad Maeve told Hilda the truth, silly kid, hopefully this will stop her being so horrible to Len!

Thank you Ray, I hope things continue calmer for you.
Author:  Lesley [ Wed Jun 17, 2009 4:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 14/06/09)
Glad Maeve decided to be honest - hope she does apologise.


Thanks Ray
Author:  Ray [ Sun Jun 21, 2009 12:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/06/09)
Just a short update today - there's a much longer one in the offing, though...

Thank you all again :)

Having left Maeve in Matron's care – the girl was now inclined towards weeping penitence and would be better for a quiet afternoon rather than facing the inevitable inquisition from her classmates – Miss Annersley slowly returned to her office.

Aspects of the mess were still deeply concerning her, not the least of which was that this campaign of Maeve's had somehow been missed by everyone in authority until the scene in the Spiessesaal. Granted, it had never been a policy of the Chalet School's staff to involve themselves in friendship spats and the like, but something of the order of Maeve's behaviour should have raised some notice. And yet, apart from her poor work and attitude in lessons, apparently no-one had noticed. That was something that Miss Annersley resolved to correct. She doubted that Maeve would have been silly enough to carry out her campaign in full view of the staff, but surely one of the prefects or even one of the middles' form prefects must have seen something. Why had that not been reported?

On the other side of it was the troubling information that Len felt in some way to blame for her sister's illness and eventual death. That was something that Miss Annersley felt far less able to deal with. The exact circumstances of Margot's final bout of pneumonia had always been shrouded by the holidays and by Joey's reluctance to discuss the matter and, while she doubted that actions on Len's part had directly been at fault, without knowing those exact circumstances, she couldn't reassure the girl.

"But Joey can," she murmured, reaching the ground floor.

A sense of purpose entered Miss Annersley's movements once more and she made her way briskly towards the classroom that had become Joey's domain in school.
Author:  abbeybufo [ Sun Jun 21, 2009 1:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/06/09)
Thanks Ray :D
Author:  di [ Sun Jun 21, 2009 1:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/06/09)
I do hope Joey can shed some light on this conundrum; how likely is it that a young child such as Len can be responsible for the death of her sister? Whether or not she is, she certainly seems to think she has some responsibility for it and that situation should not be allowed to continue. Fortunately, with Hilda now on to the problem, things should improve for both Len and Con - and even Maeve.
Looking forward to hearing Joey's explanation.
Thanks, Ray.
Author:  JB [ Sun Jun 21, 2009 1:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/06/09)
I don't envy Hilda this task.

Thanks, Ray.
Author:  Alison H [ Sun Jun 21, 2009 2:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/06/09)
Unfortunately Len's someone who blames herself for everything: even if she just did something that averted attention from Margot for a little while, or didn't discourage her from playing out in bad weather or something like that, she might feel responsible :( .

Thanks Ray - will be interested to find out what happened.
Author:  PaulineS [ Sun Jun 21, 2009 4:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/06/09)
Thanks Ray. Pleased that Len's concerns/guilt will be addressed.
Author:  Lesley [ Sun Jun 21, 2009 5:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/06/09)
Glad Hilda's on the case.


Thanks Ray.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Mon Jun 22, 2009 1:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/06/09)
Poor Len, hope Joey can shed some light onto it and like Hilda I am surprised no one picked up on Len being bullied so badly by Maeve
Author:  Miss Di [ Mon Jun 22, 2009 2:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/06/09)
Fiona Mc wrote:
Poor Len, hope Joey can shed some light onto it and like Hilda I am surprised no one picked up on Len being bullied so badly by Maeve


I dunno, bullies can be pretty sneaky and do their bullying where no one sees them. Especially if it is verbal rather than physical.

Hope Joey can shed some light!
Author:  Nightwing [ Mon Jun 22, 2009 2:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/06/09)
Poor Len - its a pity that the one person she confided in about how she felt used that information against her. I hope Joey can help.
Author:  jmc [ Mon Jun 22, 2009 8:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/06/09)
I hope that talking to Joey about Margot's death doesn'y upset Jo too much, especailly as she seems to have settled down at the school happily. Thanks Ray
Author:  JellySheep [ Mon Jun 22, 2009 9:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/06/09)
I too hope that whatever Len feels she may have done, Hilda and Jo will be able to address it. Glad that Maeve is repenting.
Author:  Sarah_K [ Mon Jun 22, 2009 7:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/06/09)
Glad to see Hilda investigating further, I hope someone can convince poor Len it wasn't her fault.
Author:  Ray [ Sat Jun 27, 2009 5:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 27/06/09)
Thank you :)

Posting early this week as I'm supposed to be out tomorrow and I didn't want to forget.

Joey puttered around her room. At this hour she had no official classes, but any of the seniors studying extra languages were always welcome to pop in if they had problems so as such she was here, just in case. So far, though, it had been a quiet morning and she was beginning to look forward to eleven o'clock, which would see the arrival of her first scheduled class of the morning.

She was just starting to tidy the bookshelves when her quick ear caught approaching footsteps. For a moment, she wondered who her visitor was. The next, she turned and found herself face to face with a sombre looking Head Mistress.

"What's happened?" Joey asked, immediately leaping to the conclusion that something cataclysmic had taken place.

"It seems," Miss Annersley answered, "that young Len and Maeve have been at daggers drawn so far this term. Matters came to a head at break."

Joey winced. "What did Len do?"

"Slapped Maeve." Miss Annersley hesitated a moment. "Not entirely without provocation, it must be said."

"But even so…" Joey trailed off. "There's something else, isn't there?"

Miss Annersley nodded. "It's about Margot."

And before Joey could question that remarkable statement, Miss Annersley had begun relating precisely what had happened. Joey listened with mounting horror as the story unfolded. Her own words from the beginning of term came back to her now: Maeve was a touchy creature, all right. How had she been so thoroughly nasty without anyone else noticing? But then Miss Annersley related the remark that had finally spurred Len to violence.

"She said what?" Joey exclaimed, cutting across whatever else the Head had to say.

"It seems," said Miss Annersley carefully, "that Len blames herself for Margot's death."

"But that's absurd!" Joey sank down onto a convenient chair. "If it's anyone's fault, it's mine. And no," she added, seeing Miss Annersley twitch, "I don't blame myself. Jem dinned that one into me pretty well."

There was a lengthy silence, then Miss Annersley hesitantly asked, "What, exactly, did happen?"
Author:  Lesley [ Sat Jun 27, 2009 6:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 27/06/09)
Evil Ray! :wink:
Author:  Kathy_S [ Sat Jun 27, 2009 7:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 27/06/09)
What a place to leave it!

(But thanks for posting. :) )
Author:  Pat [ Sat Jun 27, 2009 7:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 27/06/09)
Lesley wrote:
Evil Ray! :wink:


You can talk! that's a case of the pot and the kettle!!! :twisted: :roll:
Author:  MaryR [ Sat Jun 27, 2009 7:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 27/06/09)
Ray wrote:
There was a lengthy silence, then Miss Annersley hesitantly asked, "What, exactly, did happen?"

That's what we'd all like to know, Hilda. :bawling:

Thanks, Ray.
Author:  Alison H [ Sat Jun 27, 2009 7:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 27/06/09)
I'm glad that Jem told Joey not to blame herself, at least - I always felt so sorry for Lydia Maynard whose doctor apparently said that she was to blame for her child's death.
Author:  Abi [ Sat Jun 27, 2009 8:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 27/06/09)
MaryR wrote:
Ray wrote:
There was a lengthy silence, then Miss Annersley hesitantly asked, "What, exactly, did happen?"

That's what we'd all like to know, Hilda. :bawling:

Thanks, Ray.


Yup... But I am glad that Joey doesn't blame either Len or herself.

Thank you Ray!
Author:  MHE [ Sat Jun 27, 2009 10:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 27/06/09)
MaryR wrote:
Ray wrote:
There was a lengthy silence, then Miss Annersley hesitantly asked, "What, exactly, did happen?"

That's what we'd all like to know, Hilda. :bawling:

Thanks, Ray.


Quite!!! This week is going to be very long!

Thanks Ray.
Author:  jmc [ Sat Jun 27, 2009 10:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 27/06/09)
You can't leave it there.
Author:  tiffinata [ Sat Jun 27, 2009 10:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 27/06/09)
oh yes she can!
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Sun Jun 28, 2009 6:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 27/06/09)
Thanks Ray, am eagerly waiting to read more
Author:  shazwales [ Sun Jun 28, 2009 8:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 27/06/09)
Thanks Ray,more pretty please?
Author:  di [ Sun Jun 28, 2009 9:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 27/06/09)
Sitting, waiting patiently for the next part. HEALTH WARNING I don't do patience! :twisted:
Thanks, Ray.
Author:  Carys [ Sun Jun 28, 2009 11:26 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 27/06/09)
Gosh that was quite a cliff! I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Author:  JB [ Sun Jun 28, 2009 12:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 27/06/09)
Thanks, Ray (I think!).
Author:  Jennie [ Sun Jun 28, 2009 12:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 27/06/09)
Oh, my blood pressure!
Author:  janetbrown23 [ Sun Jun 28, 2009 3:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 27/06/09)
feels an anxiety attack coming on if I have to wait too long.
Author:  Cath V-P [ Thu Jul 02, 2009 1:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 27/06/09)
Well, there's a question!!

Sits down to wait patiently for the answer..... :D
Author:  Ray [ Sun Jul 05, 2009 9:14 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 05/07/09)
:devil: Sorry about that. Here's the next installment. Two chunks left to finish off.

There was another lengthy silence and Hilda wondered if perhaps Joey was going to retreat back into the silence that had characterised much of the past two years. Then all at once, Joey said,

"You know the holiday cottage in Yorkshire that Madge and Jem bought?"

At this apparent non sequitur, Hilda blinked. "Many Bushes, isn't it?"

Joey nodded. "That's right. We were staying up there for a few weeks before Jem and Rob went to Canada. Jem was trying to convince me to part with Margot so that she could get out of the English climate – he was fairly certain that a winter in Canada would do the world of good for her, just as winters in the Tyrol did for me, but I wasn't at all sure I wanted to let her go."

"Why not?" Hilda asked.

"Jem was already taking Josette and he had his conferences to go to. I know Rob was going with him as well but…" Joey trailed off and shook her head. "It might have been different if Madge had been going. In the end, though, it didn't matter what decision I made; by the time Jem sailed for Canada, Margot was in the San." She sighed. "We went out for a picnic, just the triplets and I, up onto the moors above Garnley, and we talked about Canada. The girls didn't want to be separated, but Margot liked the idea of being well. In the end, I said I'd talk to Jem and see if, perhaps, we couldn't all go. Then, because I didn't want the picnic to just be about a serious discussion, I proposed a game of hide and seek. I wish I hadn't."

There was another long pause. Hilda wondered if she should say something to prompt Joey, but before she could, the younger woman began speaking again.

"It was going well, for a start. Con was seeker first. Then Margot. It was during her turn that the first thing went wrong. She found Len and as they both raced back to 'home', Len caught her foot in a rabbit hole and twisted her ankle. Poor babe, it was a bad sprain and was already swelling when I got there. I bound it up, but even then, she could hardly put any weight on it. That was when I decided we should head for home. I knew it would take us some time to get back and I could see some clouds beginning to gather.

"It was even slower going than I feared. I ended up carrying Len on my back to try and get us home before the storm broke, but we were still a good mile away when the rain began. We all of us got soaked and even before we got back, Margot was beginning to wheeze and cough. She spent the rest of the time in Yorkshire in bed with what started as Bronchitis. She had to be brought home in an ambulance. Two days after that, Jem had her transferred to the San and the rest you know."

Hilda nodded. The rest was well known. Margot had struggled on in the San until nearly Christmas, when her heart finally gave out under the strain.

"So you see," said Joey quietly, "it isn't Len's fault at all."

Hilda nodded slowly. "No; but have you ever told her that?"
Author:  Lesley [ Sun Jul 05, 2009 9:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 05/07/09)
:cry: No-ones fault, of course - but children will pick up on things and convince themselves that it was their fault - in the same way they will think it's their fault should their parents get divorced. :cry:

So, reason Jo didn't want to send Margot was because Madge wasn't going? But Rob was? Assume this means Robin - and if so shouldn't she be doing settlement work at the moment?

Still more questions to answer - and a fairly big one from Hilda for Jo to answer too.


Many thanks Ray
Author:  Joanne [ Sun Jul 05, 2009 10:43 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 05/07/09)
Poor Len - I can understand why she thought it was her fault. She probably never said so though, so no-one thought to say otherwise to her. Hope fully it will now be cleared up.

Thanks for another installment.
Author:  JB [ Sun Jul 05, 2009 11:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 05/07/09)
Thanks, Ray.

Poor Len.

Am intrigued by why Madge wasn't going to Canada.
Author:  Fiona Mc [ Sun Jul 05, 2009 12:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 05/07/09)
Thanks for the update. Poor Joey, she must feel guilty even though it's one of those things. And I can see why Joey wouldn't have thought Len would blame herself. Hope they are able to sort things out
Author:  keren [ Sun Jul 05, 2009 2:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 05/07/09)
JB wrote:
Thanks, Ray.

Poor Len.

Am intrigued by why Madge wasn't going to Canada.


Well.....Maybe in this world she did not want to leave Sybil and David!
Author:  Alison H [ Sun Jul 05, 2009 5:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 05/07/09)
That's so sad :( .
Author:  Kathy_S [ Sun Jul 05, 2009 11:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 05/07/09)
No, hardly a thing that can be blamed. :cry:
Author:  Cath V-P [ Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 05/07/09)
That's so very sad, and no-one's fault at all - just a series of events that ended badly. Poor Len, bearing a sense of guilt and unhappiness.
Author:  Abi [ Tue Jul 07, 2009 9:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 05/07/09)
How very, very sad, and you can see why Len would blame herself.

Thanks Ray.
Author:  jmc [ Thu Jul 09, 2009 12:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 05/07/09)
No one is at fault here but both Jo and Len are probably thinking "what if...." It's a pity neither of them realised what each other was feeling and were unable to talk it through.

Thanks Ray
Author:  di [ Thu Jul 09, 2009 6:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 05/07/09)
This family really needs to talk to each other!!! You'd think Jo, with all her experience of helping others would recognise the need to talk to her own children. Or, perhaps they were all too consumed with grief to do anything about it. So sad!

thanks, Ray.
Author:  Miss Di [ Mon Jul 13, 2009 4:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 05/07/09)
Think there should have been a kleenex warning on that last post!
Author:  Carys [ Tue Jul 14, 2009 7:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 05/07/09)
Thanks Ray, poor Len and Joey.

Intrigued about Madge not going to Canada, does that mean Kevin and Kester don't exist?
Author:  roversgirl [ Sun Jul 19, 2009 5:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 05/07/09)
Just caught up on this after several months§ really enjoyed it :-)
Author:  Ray [ Thu Jan 21, 2010 9:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/01/10)
*slides quietly into thread, posts and leaves again*

When Joey looked completely blankly, Hilda shook her head. "Oh Joey! Len probably thinks that because she twisted her ankle, that's what kept you out so long and why you got caught by the rain."

"But it wasn't that at all!" Joey protested. "The storm blew up far faster than I imagined. Even if she hadn't twisted her ankle, we'd have still been caught."

"I know that," said Hilda with some severity, "but your Len is still a young girl and she was all of eight when it happened. Far too young for her to have reasoned it out."

Joey looked conscious. "Oh."

"I think," said Hilda, "that perhaps you need to speak to Len and probably Con too."



As it turned out, it was two weeks before Joey could have both her daughters home for tea. With Len in disgrace for her part in the scene in the Spiessesaal, no-one was going to give permission for such a treat and nor was Joey going to ask. As much as she wanted to resolve matters, she was not about to gain say the school authorities.

So it was that when Len's punishment ended, Joey petitioned the Head to have both Len and Con home for Sunday afternoon tea in their St Hild’s apartment. Permission was granted with alacrity and, while none of them ever disclosed exactly what was said, it was a very much happier and wiser Len who rejoined her form-mates the following morning.

Much to her surprise, the chief beneficiary of Len's improved demeanour was Maeve. The older girl had spent much of her two-week punishment brooding on what had happened and trying to work out a means of apologising to Len, though now that she was in her right mind, the enormity of what she'd done over the course of the term left her feeling as if there were no words that she could say that could even come close to making up for her actions. In the end, however, she found the words came to her far more easily than she'd imagined.

"I think," Len said frankly, over morning cocoa, "that we've both been asses so far this term."

"But if I hadn't gone off half cocked right at the start then none of this would have happened."

"And if I hadn't tried to take blame for something I had no part in, it couldn't have happened either," Len pointed out.

"Even so, I've been ghastly and I'm sorry."

Len offered a matey smile. "I'm sorry too. Friends?"

Maeve nodded. "Definitely."

And thus began a proper friendship between the two girls which would, much later on in their school careers, help both girls to resolve a case of bullying long before it reached the Head's notice.
Author:  Abi [ Thu Jan 21, 2010 9:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/01/10)
Hope there will be more quiet sliding in the near future then, Ray. :D
Author:  Lesley [ Thu Jan 21, 2010 10:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/01/10)
Wonder if that'll be Jack Lambert's bullying of Jane Carew?


Good to see a little more of this, Ray. :lol:

Thanks
Author:  shazwales [ Fri Jan 22, 2010 1:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/01/10)
Thank you nice to see more of this :)
Author:  Miss Di [ Fri Jan 22, 2010 1:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/01/10)
Thank you Ray, glad you could update us.
Author:  Kathy_S [ Fri Jan 22, 2010 2:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/01/10)
Thank you, Ray. It's good to see this back!

*hopes the foreshadowing means much, much more to come*
Author:  Alison H [ Fri Jan 22, 2010 6:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/01/10)
Thanks for the update :D .
Author:  PaulineS [ Fri Jan 22, 2010 8:56 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/01/10)
Thanks Ray. Good to see you posting on this again.
Author:  JB [ Fri Jan 22, 2010 9:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/01/10)
Thanks Ray.
Author:  ivohenry [ Fri Jan 22, 2010 1:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/01/10)
Nice to have this back, more please soo!
Author:  di [ Fri Jan 22, 2010 5:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/01/10)
Lovely. Thanks, Ray.
Author:  sealpuppy [ Fri Jan 22, 2010 6:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/01/10)
Just found this and read it in one gulp. So touching and so plausible. Hoping for more...????
Author:  MaryR [ Fri Jan 22, 2010 7:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/01/10)
Glad that was finally sorted - trust Hilda's eagle eye.

Thanks, Ray.
Author:  Mrs Redboots [ Fri Jan 22, 2010 8:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/01/10)
Glad to see this back, and I've just caught up - you last posted when I wasn't visiting the CBB for whatever reason. Hope there will be more soon.
Author:  Mia [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 6:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (updated 21/01/10)
Ray, this is fantastic! And I seem to recall you're nearly finished so there'll be more soon? Hurrah! x
Author:  Ray [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Lesley: Absolutely spot on, it is Jane and Jack I'm referring to :)

To everyone else: Thank you very much for all the feedback and support and everything else - believe it or not, when I started this, it was only supposed to be a 'short' story...! This is the final part of this story - I really, really have got here. Finally :lol:

The rest of the term seemed to fly by without too many excitements from Joey's point of view – the Gang getting lost in a snowstorm being the kind of excitement that her years of experience with both the school and that august body had taught her was more than likely to occur at least once a term. She had found her feet with her position and with the rest of the staff. Above all, she knew she'd found her place as far as the girls were concerned.

Perhaps the greatest surprise to her was that, towards the end of November, she found herself with the urge to write. As she hadn't felt able to pick up a pen since Margot's death, this was possibly the greatest sign that life was improving. She knew that another novel was an unlikely prospect just at the moment, but she did manage to pen a series of short stories for use within her lessons which was, as she said to Biddy O'Ryan, a better start than she'd previously imagined.

Term wound up with the traditional Christmas play, and almost before Joey knew it, she and the girls were rejoined by a highly excited Stephen who had very much enjoyed his first term at the boys' school in Interlaken.

"Are we going back to England for Christmas?" he asked, in between descriptions of his form placing (eighth out of twenty which, for the youngest boy in the class, Joey considered to be impressive) and the ploys Toni had in mind for the Christmas holidays.

"Do you want to?" Joey asked, and it wasn't lost on her that her son hadn't described it as 'going home'.

Stephen wrinkled his nose as he thought about the matter. "Might be nice to see Auntie Madge and Uncle Jem and the twins," he admitted. "But Toni was going to teach me how to ski!"

"It seems awfully far for just two weeks," Con observed.

"The girls at school do it," Joey pointed out.

"Yes," said Con, "but they don't have their Mamas living here."

Joey bit back a grin at that. "True." She hesitated. "So if I were to say we were staying here for Christmas?"

"Smashing!" said Len with a grin.

Joey felt pleased that this plan met with such approval, although she couldn't help but feel a pang for knowing that she wouldn't be marking the season with her other little girl. In the next moment, as a knock sounded on Freudesheim's front door, she dismissed it. Madge would, she knew, take good care of Margot, and they would all be going back to England for the longer Easter holidays. Instead, she went to answer the door, fully expecting to see Anne or one of the other St Hild's residents.

When she opened the door, however, she received a shock.

"Jem Russell – what on earth are you doing here?" she demanded.

Jem smiled back. "Is that any way to greet a perfectly respectable visitor?"

Joey shot him an exasperated look. "Perfectly respectable visitors don't show up unannounced." She opened the door wider. "Come in."

Jem chuckled and did as he was bidden. "To be honest, Joey, I wasn't sure when I would be arriving – I had to come out here to bring someone to the San and it was a particularly bad journey. Poor soul. We'd hoped to be here last week."

Joey winced at that as she closed the door. "I take it back."

He gave her a long, scrutinising look, then nodded. "Hm, yes. You're looking pounds better, Joey. The change has done you the world of good."

There was time for nothing more as at that moment, all three children came to see who their visitor was and the rest of the afternoon passed in a haze of excited chatter and Christmas plans. Joey learned that Jem would be staying, just for that night, and then would be flying back to England the following morning, taking with him Christmas gifts for all and sundry. She also learned that he had some news for her and some photographs from Madge – as well as Christmas gifts for the three youngsters and Joey herself – though of the news, he would say little until he was sure that all three children were safely fast asleep.

"So what's this news that you've been tantalising me with?" Joey asked as they sipped their coffee.

Jem looked grave. "It's about Jack."

Joey felt her heart do a little clench at the name and she took a tighter grip on her cup. "News about Jack? What sort of news?"

"You know that since the war came to an end, I've been trying to trace what happened to him?" Joey nodded slowly. "I may just have found him."

Joey simply stared. "Found him?" she echoed. "How can you have found him?"

"All the Admiralty said at the time was that he was 'lost at sea'. We all presumed that meant dead, but apparently, it didn't. I was able to talk with Jack's skipper, about eighteen months ago, who told me precisely what happened. Jack was washed overboard in a storm and they couldn't hang around long enough for a proper search – the Japs were active that night."

"So, you think he's still alive?"

"I'm not sure. There are lots of questions at the moment, and precious few solid answers."

"Then why are you telling me this?" Joey demanded.

"Because next month I'm going to be travelling to Australia to see if I can get some solid answers."

"If he's dead, it changes nothing," said Joey quietly. "So you must think that he's alive."

"I think that there's a chance, yes. Can you live with that hope?"

"The hope of knowing the truth, yes," said Joey. "I can't hope for the rest though. Not yet."

To be continued (eventually!) in A Woman With Friends
Author:  cestina [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 7:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Oh my goodness! Ray! I didn't see that coming.......

A great drabble, thank you :)
Author:  Lesley [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 8:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Ray wrote:
Joey felt pleased that this plan met with such approval, although she couldn't help but feel a pang for knowing that she wouldn't be marking the season with her other little girl. In the next moment, as a knock sounded on Freudesheim's front door, she dismissed it. Madge would, she knew, take good care of Margot, and they would all be going back to England for the longer Easter holidays.


Slight confusion here - Ray do you mean Madge will visit Margot's grave? :?

As to Jem's news - well if it is Jack he's been away from many years so has obviously lost his memory or been so seriously injured he was unable to return. What a terrible shock for Joey. :shock:


Thanks Ray - looking forward to the next part. :lol:
Author:  Ray [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 8:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Lesley wrote:
Ray wrote:
Joey felt pleased that this plan met with such approval, although she couldn't help but feel a pang for knowing that she wouldn't be marking the season with her other little girl. In the next moment, as a knock sounded on Freudesheim's front door, she dismissed it. Madge would, she knew, take good care of Margot, and they would all be going back to England for the longer Easter holidays.


Slight confusion here - Ray do you mean Madge will visit Margot's grave? :?


Yes I do. Sorry - it's kind of a reference back to the very first part...

Ray *:oops: *
Author:  Alison H [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 8:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thanks for this, and looking forward to the sequel when you've got time to write it :D .
Author:  PaulineS [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 8:35 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thank you Ray for the drabble and for the hope you have given Joey and us of a continuation.
Author:  Mia [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thank you Ray, I really enjoyed this x
Author:  Elder in Ontario [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:13 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thanks for finishing this, Ray - mind, I then had to do a quick re-read from the beginning to remember what had gone before. :lol: :lol:

Hope you'll be inspired to tell us 'what comes next' at some time, and that Joey will be able to have closure, even if it turns out to be final confirmation of Jack's death.
Author:  Abi [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 9:23 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thanks Ray, it was a great story. Hope the sequel won't be too long in coming - I do want to know Jack's story. :D
Author:  lexyjune [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 10:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thanks Ray, really enjoyed this.
Author:  Mrs Redboots [ Sat Jan 23, 2010 11:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thank you, Ray.
Author:  Lisa_T [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 1:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Oh, I love this, Ray. It's a fascinating AU, and a lovely sympathetic portrayal of Joey. I'm really looking forward to seeing the sequel, whenever it may appear!
Author:  Miss Di [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 4:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Oh come on Ray, that's not an ending! Now we have to wait and buy part two when it finally comes out...
Author:  di [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 9:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
A great piece of writing - but-oh, what a ginormous cliff hanger you've left us on, Ray. I've thoroughly enjoyed 'A Woman Alone' and am now looking forward to the arrival of 'A Woman with Friends' when you're ready and the plot bunnies are rested!
Author:  Jenefer [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 10:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thanks Ray, I have enjoyed this and look forward to the next part
Author:  jmc [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 10:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thanks Ray. Looking forward to the sequel when it comes.
Author:  JB [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 11:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
I didn't expect that, Ray. Thanks so much for this drabble.
Author:  Thursday Next [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 1:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thank you so much Ray. The sequel should be very interesting.
Author:  abbeybufo [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 1:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thanks Ray - another looking forward to A Woman with Friends :D
Author:  AnneM [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 4:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thank you, Ray. I really enjoyed that. Much looking forward to the sequel.
Author:  shesings [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 6:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
This has been just fascinating, Ray. I'm looking forward to the next instalment!
Author:  sealpuppy [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 7:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
I did have a slight sliver of a hope that there might be news of Jack but this is tremendous. And what a difficult, and potentially tragic, situation if he IS alive somewhere. So glad there's going to be more of this. :D
Author:  Nightwing [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thanks Ray! I've really enjoyed this - and it's a little mean of you to end in such a dramatic way!!! Looking forward to the next installment.
Author:  shazwales [ Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thank Ray,really enjoyed that and looking forward to the sequel :)
Author:  Kathy_S [ Mon Jan 25, 2010 3:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thank you Ray! But what a surprise ending. (Ending?)
Author:  Elbee [ Mon Jan 25, 2010 1:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Very enjoyable, thanks Ray.
Author:  Sarah_G-G [ Mon Jan 25, 2010 5:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thank you for finishing part one! I'm glad they all settled down in Switzerland and what a tantalising bit of news to leave us with! I look forward to part two... :D
Author:  Karoline [ Mon Jan 25, 2010 8:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thanks Ray, I'm really looking forward to the sequel
Author:  Cumbrian Rachel [ Tue Jan 26, 2010 3:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thank you for such a good drabble Ray. I'm joining the crowd eagerly awaiting the sequel. I hope you have time to start it soon!
Author:  Ray [ Wed Jan 27, 2010 7:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thank you all very much :)

As far as the sequel/continuation goes, I'm aiming to start posting it earlyish in March - I'm also hoping that it won't take me quite as long to write as this one did!

Thank you again :)

Ray *who's off to re-read 'Does It Again'*
Author:  Cath V-P [ Fri Jan 29, 2010 7:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Thank you for this Ray - I haven't been able to be on the Board much this past month, so missed that this had been concluded. Am looking forward to the sequel.
Author:  2nd Gen Fan [ Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
This was a really interesting version of what might have been, really looking forward to the sequel.
Author:  Merlot [ Sat Jan 30, 2010 7:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Ray that was excellent, very much looking forward to "A woman with friends" :D
Author:  Carys [ Thu Feb 04, 2010 9:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Just seen the last post and what a twist! I have visions of Jack living in Australia under the name Harold Bishop now :D
Author:  ivohenry [ Mon Nov 15, 2010 6:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Any chance of the sequel to this any time soon, Ray?
Author:  PaulineS [ Mon Nov 15, 2010 7:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Hope there is more as well.
Author:  Ray [ Tue Nov 16, 2010 8:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
I have been working on the sequel, but it's been fairly slow going for a whole variety of reasons. With a little luck, I should be in a position to start posting in the early part of the new year (and I will try to make it as early as I can!)

Hope it's worth the wait!

Ray *briefly surfacing*
Author:  Llywela [ Tue Nov 16, 2010 9:25 am ]
Post subject:  Re: A Woman Alone (completed [yes, really!] 23/01/10)
Lovely to see this completed - what a fab story. Looking forward to the sequel!
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