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The School by the River - Part II (Updated 19.03.08, pg 10)
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Author:  Gem [ Mon Jul 31, 2006 4:35 pm ]
Post subject:  The School by the River - Part II (Updated 19.03.08, pg 10)

This is the second part of River - sorry for making it a pain with archiving, mods, by starting it in another thread, but it just seemed simpler to keep it separate. I'm only posting what I've written already at the moment, but there will be an update later on this evening. :shock:


It was two days before the first term at the new Chalet School began; and the first light was dawning. Though the three buildings stood in relative peace, with only one solitary figure stood on the terrace, laughter and the exchanging of holiday news could be heard from the staff sitting room. Most of the mistresses had arrived late the previous night, and the prefects would arrive later that day. The school proper would arrive the evening before term officially began; and that, Miss Annersley decided with a smile, would end the peace and quiet of the Italian Chalet School.

“Hilda, are you ready?” Nell Wilson pushed open the door to the terrace, making her way over to where her friend stood enjoying the brilliant April sunshine. Problems with the construction changes to the school had caused continual problems, and by the time the school was ready to open, Dr Jack Maynard had firmly decreed that all concerned needed a holiday. Now it was the beginning of the Easter term, and the enthusiasm in the air was palpable.

Turning to face her friend, Hilda gave her co-Head a quick smile. “Ready and willing!” she said lightly, tucking an arm through Nell’s and leading her back into the school for their first ever staff meeting in Italy.

They found the staff members, both old and new, avidly discussing the holidays and their plans for the new term. The separate desks belonging to each mistress had been pushed together to form one long table, and the majority of the staff were now seating themselves around the table, leaving the three seats at the head for Hilda, Nell and Rosalie.

Hilda looked around at the eager faces, all looking as enthusiastic as she imagined the girls would look when they arrived; recognising both old friends and a few new mistresses, whom either she or Nell had interviewed. “Welcome to the new Chalet School, ladies,” she said with a quick smile. “There’s a lot that we have to get through today, and I’m sure you’re all eager to get to your own business, so we’ll begin.” Seeing nods of support around the table, Hilda continued, “Several members of staff are not here with us – Frau Mieders has chosen to retire, and Miss Charlesworth and Miss Moore have left for schools in England, with Miss Charlesworth taking up a Senior Mistress position and Miss Moore as Headmistress. I’m sure we all wish them well. Len Entwistle is also changing to part-time work from now onwards for various reasons,” and she flung a quick smile at her unofficial niece. “As a result, we now have Miss Smith, who specialises in Ancient History, and Miss Melluish, who will be working with the languages department. Miss Ferrars will be taking over as Head of the Geography department, and we also have a new Head of History who will be joining us later – she’s detained by transport problems at the moment.” She paused a moment to allow for the ensuing chatter, but soon rapped on the desk sharply. “You can all welcome our new staff later – for the meantime, please, I’d rather get through this!” She flung a teasing smile at Sharlie Andrews, who had been leaning over to eagerly welcome the new mistresses, having only recently arrived. The young mistress flushed and sat back in her seat, nodding her apologies to the Head with a smile.

The rest of the arrangements were settled with a degree of friendly chatter, with occasional half-serious pleas from the Heads for quiet, and eventually escort duties had been decided, the new girls discussed and the new curriculum widely debated but eventually agreed upon. As the mistresses rose to leave, the younger members pushing the tables back to their original positions, they were interrupted by the door opening.

“Hello, everyone! Sorry I’m so late – trains! I’m here now, though,” the young woman greeted the room at large cheerfully. “Oh, have I missed the staff meeting?” she asked in disappointment.

“I’m afraid so,” Hilda apologised, moving over to greet the new arrival. “I’ll fill you in later, but for now just introduce you to our new staff members. This is Helen Melluish, our new languages mistress, and your own co-worker, Alison Smith. Miss Melluish, Miss Smith, meet our new Head of History – Mary-Lou Emerson.”


***

There was a stunned surprise for a minute; the staff had not known who their new Head of History was to be, and this, Nell recognised with consternation as she saw the popular reaction from her mistresses, had evidently been unwise. Mary-Lou Trelawney had been a popular Head Girl and prefect in her time, but both Heads were aware that their former pupil’s friendliness and enthusiasm could sometimes be misread. Though Hilda had raised the question of how Mary-Lou and her former mistresses would find the change from student to mistress, she herself had foreseen no such problem. Mary-Lou certainly wasn’t the first Old Girl amongst the staff; but it seemed that Hilda’s concerns could be justified.

After a moment, Kathie Ferrars moved forward, grasping Mary-Lou’s hand and greeting her warmly. “Welcome to the staff, Mary-Lou,” she said with a smile. “It’s wonderful to have you back at the school again.”

Her comment seemed to break the uneasy spell that had settled across the staffroom, and soon the staff had returned to their cheerful discussions, several of them moving over to greet the new Head of History. Mary-Lou, who was looking slightly shy for once in her life, gave the elder woman – by six years - a quick smile. “Thanks,” she murmured.

Kathie, who was still stood beside her, returned the smile. “It is good to have you back, Mary-Lou. And don’t worry,” she added with a chuckle, “it may seem strange to go from pupil to mistress, but I promise we’re no worse in here than we are in the classrooms! Just hunt me out if you need a chat – I’m being summoned, it appears,” she laughed, making her way over to Nancy who was demanding that she make up a six in rummy.

Sharlie Andrews, who had been chatting to the other new mistresses, knowing how daunting the large staff body - there were nearly 40 teaching in the school proper now - might appear, caught the look on her former pupil's face. Deborah Smith marched past her with no word of greeting for the new mistresses, and, flinging a look of annoyance at her colleague, Sharlie resolved to take things in hand.

“Well, you've an advantage on us three, anyway, Mary-Lou,” she said with a laugh. “Oh, did you not know?” as both Helen and Alison looked confused. “Mary-Lou's an Old Girl of the School, so she knows most of the pupils anyway. However,” she added, eyes twinkling wickedly, “that also means that the majority of the staff know of all her wicked misdeeds - of which there were many! I'm not sure which I'd prefer,” she added thoughtfully.

Mary-Lou bit back her instinctive reponse, which was to argue that it would naturally benefit her to be an Old Girl, as she caught the warning look in the elder woman's eyes. “Oh, I'm not sure you can say that there were many misdeeds,” she protested. “I was no worse than some, and a great deal better than others! And I'd be willing to bet money that you were no angel yourself,” Mary-Lou added wickedly, causing wild protests to arise from that young lady. Less than a half hour later saw Mary-Lou, Sharlie Andrews and the two new mistresses, all thoughts of shyness gone, avidly discussing their own schooldays.

Hilda moved over to sit beside Nell, who had been abandoned temporarily by Julie Berne in favour of the coffee pot. “Still certain that there’ll be no adjustment problems?” she asked lightly, sipping at her own coffee and grimacing slightly as she tasted it.

“Oh, absolutely,” Nell said breezily, reaching over to pick up a deck of cards. “We wouldn’t interfere with the girls if we could avoid it, and we certainly wouldn’t be thanked if we intervened with the staff at this late date! They’re all old enough and ugly enough to fight their own battles.”

For a minute, Hilda was temporarily robbed of speech. “Where on earth did you pick up that particular epithet?” she demanded.

“Joey,” Nell returned calmly, beginning to deal the cards. “She used it the other day and I rather liked it.”

“Well, I don’t!” Hilda retorted. “Nor, I’m sure, would our staff! If you have to use it, Nell, please don’t when I’m in hearing – nor around the girls. Where Joey gets her expressions from, I don’t know.”

Nell simply chuckled at her friend’s indignation, pleased that her diversion had worked. She knew that on occasion her friend was apt to worry about difficulties in the staffroom as well as amongst the girls, though she would never interfere in either if it was avoidable. For now, though, Hilda settled down to a cup of coffee and a game of cards, all concerns left for the time being – and to her relief, the staff followed her example.

***

The rest of the day passed with relative ease, or so it seemed to Sharlie Andrews. She wasn’t unaware of the all-pervasive grief in the room; but that was to be expected. Jeanne’s and Ruth’s absence was evident, and though they were all coming to terms with their loss, it was the first staff meeting that had been held without them. Nancy was in high spirits, cheerful enough for her friends to recognise that it could have been so much worse, but solemn enough for it to be acknowledged as an act.

“It was strange today,” Sharlie said suddenly in the peace of Peggy Burnett’s bedroom that evening.

Davida Armitage glanced at her from her seat on Peggy’s bed, hugging her knees. “How?” she questioned. “We weren’t in as high spirits as we usually are, but surely you didn’t expect it to be the same as always?”

Sharlie shook her head, reaching out to take her mug of hot chocolate from Peggy, and curling her legs underneath her. “Thanks, Peg.” She sipped the drink thoughtfully, then looked up. “No, of course, I didn’t expect it to be the same. It couldn’t possibly be. Still, I didn’t expect it to be quite so bad. Nance was…” her voice trailed off.

Sitting down beside her friend, Peggy squeezed her arm sympathetically. “She’s putting a brave front on, certainly. I’m not sure I like it. But today was bound to be hard, and she’s getting better – physically and mentally – every day. Give her time, Sharlie.”

Seeing the tears glistening in Sharlie’s eyes, Davida hastily turned the subject to a more pleasant one. “So, how do you think Mary-Lou will manage?” she asked brightly. “She seemed a lot better than I thought she’d be today, considering the greeting she received! I’ve never been ashamed of our staff before, but I was today!”

Sharlie had to fight back the retort which came to her lips; that Davida had spent little time with the new Head of History herself, though she’d spent much of the evening chatting to Alison Smith. Mary-Lou had found herself alone on a few occasions, and while Kathie, Sharlie and the two Heads took pains to make sure that she felt included, at times the former student had evidently felt ill-at-ease. “I think she’ll do well,” Sharlie decided after a moment’s thought. “She certainly has the characteristics of a natural teacher, and whatever else you say about Mary-Lou she’s always well-intentioned.”

Peggy nodded in agreement. She got on well with her former pupil herself, but easily recognised why several of her colleagues had felt otherwise. Still, the general consensus was that Mary-Lou Trelawney, though a ‘prize-butter-in’ as Joey Maynard would phrase it, and in need of a quiet discussion regarding her manner, was an intelligent, enthusiastic girl who helped others with all the energy that she could spare. As a pupil, she was a wonderful addition to the school; as a mistress, it might be an entirely different matter. Only time would tell.

Author:  Gem [ Mon Jul 31, 2006 4:38 pm ]
Post subject: 

The new head girl of the Chalet School paused by the open window in the room which she owned by virtue of her position, leaning against the windowsill and vowing to appreciate these last moments alone. In ten minutes the coaches would arrive with the rest of the pupils – and then, she thought wryly, she’d be Head Girl. She’d have to be proper, and dignified, and scold Middles for pranks that she longed to play herself. In short, she’d have to be grown up, and she gave a snort of disgust as she leant further out the window, standing on her tiptoes to try and see the coaches and paying no attention to the fact that her position was precarious at best. Inhaling the chilly air, for the breeze was coming off th lake strongly today, she withdrew reluctantly, knowing that Matey would have something to say if she found her there – head girl or not.

“Sam!” Samaris Davies turned away from the window at the shout of her great friend, Robina McQueen. “Stop dreaming – we’ve got to be downstairs to meet the coaches in five minutes!” Matter-of-fact Robina knew perfectly well which insecurities were preying on the new Head Girl’s mind – the same ones that had worried each head girl before Sam, had she but known it - and the smile that she gave her friend was supportive.

Giving her friend a quick nod, Sam closed the window firmly. “I’ll be there in just a second, Rob,” she promised. “Go ahead without me.” Watching her friend leave, Samaris touched a hand to the wreath of plaits around her head rather self-consciously, for it was the first time that she’d attempted such a style. She checked her appearance in the mirror one last time, and, satisfied that all was well, left the room quietly.

Descending the steep stairs hurriedly, Samaris made her way over to the group of prefects standing by the door. Miss Annersley had asked the senior members of the school if they might be able to come back a day earlier to help with the new arrangements, and so for this one occasion the prefects were together before the school proper arrived.

“Nervous, Sam?” Erica Standish, the editor of the school magazine The Chaletian, drifted away from the group to stand beside her friend, who was still a little way apart. “I wouldn’t blame you if you were – I’m quaking in my shoes, and I haven’t half the responsibility that you have!”

Samaris grimaced at her. “You’re a regular Job’s Comforter, Erica! Why should I be nervous – or any more anxious than any Head Girl before me? It’s the staff who’ll have the pressure. I wouldn’t be in their shoes for any amount of money!” she laughed.

Erica, gazing at her with serious blue eyes, didn’t join in. “It’s a huge responsibility that you’re facing, Sam, and you know it as well as I,” she said quietly. “Oh, you know that we, as Prefects and as your friends, will back to you to the limit. You’re hardly alone – but people will look to you for leadership. The staff will have enough, and more, on their plates. This will be harder on them than most of us…” Erica’s voice trailed off, and Samaris saw the sudden flash of pain in the bright eyes eyes. As a rule, the two weren’t given to sentiments, but she touched her friend’s arm briefly.

“It’ll be fine, Erica,” Samaris predicted with a sudden confidence. “We’ll have the full backing of the school, you can be sure of that.” Her voice was firm as she slipped an arm through her friend’s, at the sound of the arriving coaches. “The Chalet School has a wonderful ability to find the best in the worst situation. Who’s to say this will be any different?”

***

Len Entwhistle closed the door behind her mother, and dropped, with a sigh of relief, into the nearest chair. “Thank goodness!”

Her cousin, seated opposite her in a cream loveseat in Len’s new home, laughed. “That bad, Len?” Sybil chuckled.

“Worse!” Len retorted. “It’s all right for you – Auntie Madge went back to Australia last week, and even she isn’t as interfering as Mother! But Mama…” she heaved another self-pitying sigh and pushed herself further up on her cushions. Len, who was over six months pregnant, and preparing for the re-opening of the school in addition to organising her new household, had very little patience for her mother at present.

“Oh, I agree,” Sybil smiled sympathetically. “Auntie Joey is well-meaning, but she can be a little… over-enthusiastic,” she finished diplomatically.

Chuckling, Len nodded. “I shouldn’t complain, I suppose. All the same, I’ll be grateful for some peace. She and Papa will be in England for nearly two months, you know. And then they’ll have to hop over to Austria before coming back here. There’s a great deal to sort out.” For a moment, she wondered at her sudden openness. There was just something about her elder cousin that emanated sympathy and understanding - and, to the wearied Len, it was welcome. “I don’t exactly foresee a quiet few months ahead – for any of us,” she admitted tiredly, pushing a stray strand of hair out of the way.

“No-o,” Sybil agreed cautiously. “All the same, Len, please be careful. You can’t possible deal with everything alone, and especially not in your current state!”

“For heaven’s sake, Sybs!” her cousin interrupted good-naturedly. “I’ve no intention of spending the next three months in bed, no matter what you and Reg say! I know my limits, and I’ll be careful. I promise,” she added, more quietly, as she saw the genuine concern in the violet eyes.

Nodding in satisfaction, but resolving to keep an eye on her younger relation all the same, Sybil rose from her seat. “Well, I’ll take you at your word. Now, I must go and do a spot of packing if I’m to fly out tomorrow afternoon!”

“Oh, that can wait,” Len argued. “The coaches will be arriving at the school now, Sybs – walk along with me, do! I feel like some fresh air, and it’s good for neither of us to be cooped up on a day like this,” she coaxed, knowing that the elder woman would take little convincing. She knew well enough from their childhoods that Sybil loathed packing, and would do anything to avoid the chore.

As Len had expected, Sybil agreed readily. “Fine. We’ll walk along to the school, say ‘how-d’ye-do’ and stroll back again, just in time for Mitagessen.”

“Lunchtime,” Len corrected. “Honestly, Sybs! You argued as hard as anyone else to drop the German names for meals.”

“Yes, and I think it’s a good idea,” her companion said firmly as they left the small house – by Swiss standards, anyway. Len’s and Reg’s home boasted a fair-sized salon, a kitchen, two rooms which could easily be turned into studies, and several bedrooms and bathrooms. It was, though, as Joey had said sadly, a far cry from Freudisheim. “It’ll be hard to remember though. All the same, I expect I’ll get used to it in time.”

“You won’t need to,” Len said wistfully. “You’re going home tomorrow, and then we sha’n’t see you for quite some time, I’d have thought.” She slipped an arm through her cousin’s as they strolled up the path towards the school, passing by the larger house just to the left of Len’s. Aberto and his family were living there for the present, though his granddaughters were at the school.

Sybil gave her a quick glance, knowing how much Len missed her triplets and school friends. Con was in Austria with Roger, Margot was far away now, and most of Len’s closest school contemporaries were working in England. “I won’t be a stranger, Len,” she said gently. “You can be sure of that. In fact,” she added wickedly, “I’m fairly certain you’ll be sick of me in time!”

Len laughed. “That’s hardly likely, Sybs. You’ll always be welcome here – you and Matthew both,” she added.

“In that case,” Sybil smiled, “expect us in the very near future.” As they approached the school, she waved at Samaris Davies, who was standing at her window. Samaris didn’t respond, however, seemingly deep in thought. Not for the first time, Sybil felt a deep sympathy for the new Head Girl, wondering how she would cope. She’d never been Head Girl herself – but she had heard Josette’s and Len’s worries on the subject enough to have decided that it was a responsibility she was glad she’d never had.

Author:  Gem [ Mon Jul 31, 2006 4:40 pm ]
Post subject: 

Just as Sybil and Len approached the Chalet School, the last coach drew up outside the large set of steps. A group of laughing Middles disembarked, dropping umbrellas and bags on the floor and paying little attention to Althea Glenyon, who was calling at them to be quiet.

“Girls.” Miss Annersley’s voice was quiet, but her expression was stern. “I’d appreciate it if you could listen to me, please.”

There was instant silence, and Len, standing to the back of the group of mistresses, bit back a giggle. She was near enough her own schooldays to remember hearing that tone from her headmistress, and couldn’t help but smile at the ashamed expressions on the faces of her pupils. Catching the amused grins of Helen Melluish and Alison Smith, Len shared a friendly chuckle, before Sharlie Andrews elbowed her gently whilst maintaining an expression of perfect dignity. Properly rebuked, Len gave her attention to the Head once more, noting with surprise that her brevet aunt’s hands were shaking as she spoke.

“Welcome to the new Chalet School,” Miss Annersley said, smiling down at her pupils, most of whom looked ready to burst with excitement. “I won’t say much now, as I’m sure you’re all tired and want your dinner. However, there are a few things that I must mention. This first building,” waving her hand to the largest building, which was immediately behind her, “is the school proper. To your right is St. Nicholas’s, and to your left is St. Mildreds. I know they seem large and daunting at a first glance, but I can promise that you will adjust to the new arrangements in time. As with the old Chalet School, there is to be no talking in the corridors in any of the main buildings. The front stairs in the school proper are not to be used by anyone but Prefects and Staff, although there are no back stairs in St. Mildreds and St. Nicholas’s. New girls should have been taken care of by someone in their form throughout the journey here - girls, please assume that your charge is in your form until told otherwise. Follow Samaris Davies and Robina McQueen – they will show you where your splasheries are. St. Nicholas’s, your form mistresses will come and find you now,” as she nodded at Kathie Robertson, “and St. Mildreds pupils, please follow Miss Wilson. I’d just like to say I am so happy to see so many of you here, both old and new pupils, for the Chalet School’s first term in Italy. I hope that you all come to love Lake Garda, and the new Chalet School, as much as we – and by that I mean all the staff – already do. Now, that is all for the present. Lead on!”

And, exchanging thrilled glances, the pupils of the new Chalet School did just that.


**

Felicity Maynard gave an excited squeak as she made her way into the hall of the new Chalet School. It was firmly suppressed as she received a glare from Miss Smith, but she was unable to hide the skip in her step as she led her form towards their Splashery. She, along with Noemi D’Amico and Lucy Peters, had explored the School to their heart’s delight over the holiday. Noemi, of course, knew it well – but the old family home had undergone many changes to turn it into the modern school that it now was.

“Felicity, you ape!” Marjorie Graves laughed as they entered the large room. “You’re lucky Miss Smith didn’t eat you for dinner! I wouldn’t put it past her,” she added darkly.

“It’s the first day,” Felicity pointed out, not noticeably squashed. “If she decided to tick me off this early in the term, the rest of it wouldn’t be worth living! I was safe enough – and anyway, I wasn’t doing anything awfully bad! Never mind that! What d’you think of our Splashery?” She gazed around the room, which boasted sky blue shutters across the windows, attractively decorated tiles and distinctly larger lockers, alongside the pegs. It was certainly an attractive room – and Felicity looked almost as proud as if she’d built and decorated it herself.

“Nothing to shout about,” Win Everett said unthinkingly. “It’s a bit smaller, isn’t it? With the extra lockers, it’ll be a fearful scrum at times! Besides, it’s not as if the Splashery matters – I’m more interested in our dormies and form rooms!”

Seeing the sudden flush to Noemi’s cheeks, Felicity shot her a glare. “You can be beastly at times, Win Everett! It’s a jolly nice room, Noemi – even if it is just a Splashery.”

Win might have been tactless, but she was a genuinely nice girl at heart, and she turned as pink as the other girl. “I say, Noemi, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it to sound like that. As Felicity says, it is nice.” The beam she received in reply cemented a friendship between quiet Noemi and lively Win; and Felicity, seeing it, frowned. She had fully expected Noemi to form a quartet with herself, Jean and Lucy, and this turn of events was unexpected.

Jean Morrison saw her friend’s expression, and exchanged surprised glances with Lucy Peters. They were both used to sudden fits of jealousy from their third, but for it to be extended to someone else was unusual.

There was a sudden tap at the door, and Althea Glenyon poked her head into the room. “Haven’t you folk even begun yet?” she demanded, looking at the group. “You can gawp at everything later! For now, I want my dinner, so hurry up, please!”

“Sorry, Althea,” Lucy, as Form Prefect, apologised as the rest made a dash for the basins. “Felicity, Noemi and I know the way – we can go alone, if you like.”

Althea, leaning against the wall, shook her head. “Thanks, Lucy, but I’ll wait all the same. Hurry up though! I’m hungry, and I expect those of you who’ve travelled today are as well!”

“I’m famished!” Marjorie informed her, giving her hands a perfunctory wash, drying them hastily and going to line up at the door.

Althea chuckled at the earnest expression. “Famished you may be, Marjorie, but you won’t be served with hands like that! Wash them again, and properly this time, please. You’re old enough not to need to be told that.”

Marjorie grimaced at the friendly prefect before going to do as she was asked. “That better?” she demanded as she returned, holding her hands out for inspection.

“Much,” Althea nodded, privately deciding that Marjorie Graves had gained a double dose in cheekiness over the holidays, but recognising that there was little point in scolding her this early in the term. “Felicity, you know the way, I presume? Yes? Then lead on, please.” She had noticed Felicity’s sulky expression as she passed, but made no comment.

After several requests for silence in the corridors, Althea delivered IVa to its table, before returning to her own to inform Erica in no uncertain terms that the School might be new, but Middles were and always would be Middles!

Author:  Gem [ Mon Jul 31, 2006 4:40 pm ]
Post subject: 

Once dinner was finished, all eyes were turned expectantly to Hilda Annersley. She rose, uncomfortable under their stares for the first time – not that she showed it.

“Will you all please stand,” Hilda requested. “The prefects at the head of your table will lead you to Hall – quietly, if you please!” she added sharply, as a few murmurs arose.

Nancy and Kathie exchanged concerned glances. Though any mistress would have squashed the noise immediately, Hilda’s curtness was unlike her. Kathie had noticed Hilda’s shaking as she stood, and she moved past her partner to stand beside the Head.

The girls, just as surprised by their Headmistress’s sharp comment, assembled silently in Hall. Standing before the school, Hilda felt a sudden pang; this was the last time that she would give the beginning of term address. Oh, she was sure she’d return to the Chalet School – it was all the family she had – but it wouldn’t be the same. Nothing was going to be the same, and she was just going to have to accept that. More to the point, her pupils, the girls she had always tried to protect, were going to have to accept the changes as well.

“I wish I could say I’m thrilled to be here in Italy,” she began abruptly, and Rosalie Dene’s eyes widened. This was not the speech that she and Hilda had discussed earlier that morning. “New girls, please bear with me. This is a rather unusual welcome to the Chalet School; but this is an admittedly unusual and altogether astonishing school. I promise that I will address all your questions and concerns in time.”

“Girls, as I’m sure you know, the Chalet School was struck by tragedy over the holiday. Miss Derwent and Mdlle de Lachenais were involved in a terrible accident – disastrously, they were both killed instantly.”

Hilda paused for a minute, flinging an apologetic glance at Nancy, who was tearful. “I’m sorry so few of you got to know them as more than your mistresses,” she continued quietly. “Ruth Derwent and Jeanne de Lachenais were both astonishing women, and I am honoured to call myself their friend. In their memory, we plan to erect two chapels here in Italy, similar to those we had in Switzerland – Catholic for Mdlle, and Protestant for Miss Derwent. I feel that this is one of the best ways in which we can honour their memory. Remember this, girls – those who are no longer with us are only lost to us if we let them be so. I won’t ask you to pray now; but please remember Miss Derwent and Mdlle in your prayers tonight.”

After several minutes of silence, Hilda continued gravely, “I have a great deal more to say to you; but I think, perhaps, that it is better left until tomorrow.”

“Miss Annersley!” Felicity Maynard had leapt to her feet, and Hilda looked at her in astonishment, a sharp rebuke on the tip of her tongue.

Gulping, and cursing herself for the moment’s spontaneity, Felicity said, in almost a whisper, “I think that Auntie Ruth and Auntie Jeanne,” stressing the names that she had given them out of school, “would like us to try and continue as we would have done, on the first night of school. Please, can we hear the rest of the news tonight?” She stared directly at her brevet aunt, willing her to continue.

The school held its collective breath as Felicity, very embarrassed, dropped into her seat. Marjorie Graves aimed a sharp kick in her direction, and Len Entwhistle glared at her younger sister, but Felicity sat up defiantly.

For a moment, Hilda thought she might cry, and out of the corner of her eye she saw Rosalie Dene rising. Then she saw the look in Felicity’s eye, the slightly cheeky smile which she had inherited from Joey, and realised that her unofficial niece had unwittingly – or perhaps intentionally – given her a way to try and lighten the atmosphere.

“Yes, Felicity,” she said, gratitude in her tone, “you most certainly can. The question is whether you may.”

A chuckle, albeit a weak one, went around the Hall, and Hilda thought she might be able to continue. “I must first tell you that we bring several new mistresses to our number. Miss Melluish,” nodding in that young lady’s direction, “comes to join our Languages department, whilst Miss Smith and Mrs Emerson are now heading our History department. Miss Jackson and Miss Peterson are running the English department between them. I’m sure you will all bid them a warm welcome. Furthermore, I must inform you that Miss Ferrars is our new Senior Mistress.”

The school gasped as one. This, they had not expected. Kathie Ferrars was an excellent teacher, and had been with the school for ten years now – but she acted so young on occasion that most of the girls had forgotten she was no longer the ‘staff baby’. Seeing her colleague’s flushed face, Hilda gave them little opportunity to discuss the matter at the time, and she pressed on with other matters quickly.

However, that was only the first in a series of shocks that the pupils of the Chalet School were to receive.

***

“Well,” Len commented, dropping into a nearby seat in the staffroom, “that went as well as could be expected.”

She received a snort of agreement from Peggy Burnett as she joined her. “Could’ve been worse,” she nodded. “I felt like throttling your young Felicity to start with, though!”

“Oh, so did I!” Len said, with such vehemence that Peggy choked into her coffee. “Fel simply doesn’t know when to shut up at times! She did more good than harm this time, though, so I’ll say nothing. If Auntie Hilda wants to haul her over the coals, that’s her affair.”

“She won’t,” Peggy said decidedly, then changed the subject as Kathie Ferrars approached. “Hello, we’re being granted a visit from on high,” she chuckled, but there was a bite to her tone. “What d’you make of this then, my dear?”

“Don’t be an ape, Peg,” Kathie returned. “The Head and I talked it over days ago – d’you really think she’d not have asked me first?”

Peggy’s lips tightened. “Hilda’s sanity is so much in question these days now that I’m not quite sure what she’d do,” she returned, with a curtness to her voice that caught Rosalie Dene’s attention.

Kathie sat upright. “And just what is that supposed to mean?” she demanded, her naturally quick temper heightened.

Jumping to her feet, Rosalie called the three friends over, in hesitant Italian – and promptly demanded that Len switch to the same language. Thanks to her quick wits, the three were soon laughing at Rosalie’s intentionally bad Italian, and Len’s gentle exasperation with her efforts. Kathie couldn’t help but shoot a glare at the PT mistress, and Peggy was distinctly cool with her friend; but fireworks had been avoided, at least for the present.

***

Felicity Maynard slumped down into her chair with a scowl and a sigh of exasperation. She glanced around her common room, beautifully decorated in yellow with a blue border. It had generous vases of flowers, two bookcases and several chairs and sofas, similar to most of the common rooms, though each had different colour schemes to give them that touch of individuality. Sprawled across those seats were her closest friends – neither of whom had noticed her entrance. Felicity drummed her fingers on the arm of her chair, then sighed again, rather more loudly.

Lucy Peters glanced up from her book. “Something wrong, Fel?” she asked mildly.

“Ferry’s in a foul mood,” Felicity informed her. “I couldn’t do a thing right in my extra maths today,” she grimaced. Maths was a particular bugbear of hers, though, so perhaps the fault did not lay entirely with the mistress.

“Never mind,” Lucy said comfortingly, folding over the corner of the page of her book with complete disregard for the rules. “You’re free of maths for another three days now. Hurrah for weekends!”

It was the first weekend of the term, and Felicity’s face brightened considerably. “That’s true – I’d forgotten that. Noemi!” She turned to call to the young Italian girl, who was deep in conversation with Win Everett. “Any idea where we might go for a ramble tomorrow?”

Noemi shrugged. “Don’t know. I’d quite like to go and see my sister and brothers, though. I’ve seen Di a few times, but Guiliana, Federico and Ernesto must be a bit lonely over there.”

“Oh, they’ll be fine,” Felicity said carelessly, remembering guiltily that she had promised to keep an eye on Phil and Geoff. Still, there was always Len to look after them, and she didn’t exactly relish the idea of spending her Saturday with her kid brother and sister. She’d had enough of that in Switzerland. “Partner me on the ramble, if we have one?”

Lucy and Win frowned in unison, but Noemi gave the young Maynard a quick smile. “Sure, if you’d like. Shall we go and see if we can find out where we’re going from someone?” Noemi’s shyness from the beginning of the week seemed to have disappeared entirely, and soon she and Felicity were wandering around the corridors - ignoring the fact that they were making a complete nuisance of themselves - in search of a mistress who might be able to tell them.

They soon stumbled across Miss Smith, who, in her own words, knew no more about the ramble than either of them, but what she did know was that strolling around the corridors for no real reason was forbidden. “If you have nothing to do, girls,” Deb Smith said brightly, “I’m sure I can find some extra work for you.” Working at the Chalet School during the weekend and free time was frowned upon, but it wasn’t exactly forbidden, and neither Noemi nor Felicity were minded to risk receiving some extra prep. They made their apologies and fled, Felicity wondering half-resentfully and rather unfairly exactly why every mistress in the Chalet School seemed to be in the worst mood possible.

Author:  Gem [ Mon Jul 31, 2006 4:44 pm ]
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Much to the delight of Inter V in its entirety, Miss Annersley announced the following morning at breakfast that not only would the traditional ramble take place, but the senior forms would be allowed to ramble alone. What she said next, however, rather put a damper on things

“Since Inter V is such a large form this year,” she said, “we have come to the difficult decision to change it to a Middle School form. I’m sorry, girls, that we’ve had to do this – but the move has changed the school situation dramatically. The Senior School houses over one hundred girls in the top four forms, whilst the Middle School, also with four forms, has less than eighty. The Intermediate Fifth has thirteen girls, and adding that to the Middle School would even things up considerably. I know it may mean some changes, girls, but I know I can trust you to be mature enough to accept them sensibly. We will do our best to allow you to keep your Senior privileges as far as possible.”

Win Everett was on the verge of jumping to her feet, but, thanks to a swift kick from Jean Morrison, retained her temper long enough to file out calmly with the rest of them and make her way to the common room.

“What was that for?” she demanded, turning on her friend angrily.

“For being an ass!” Jean retorted. “She was testing us, Win.”

“Rot! The Head wouldn’t do something like that! She’s not mean!”

“No, of course not,” Jean paused. “I didn’t mean it quite like that. Look, they’ve shoved us in with the kid Middles. I’m as annoyed about it as you are – but if the school grows, then the chances are they’ll stick us back in as soon as they’ve got enough Middles – if we prove ourselves. She said they can trust us to be mature and accept this sensibly – well, if we want to be Seniors again, we’re going to have to.”

Win thought this over, shaking her blond curls in annoyance. “Ye-es, I s’pose you’re right,” she said reluctantly. “All the same, it’s the limit! We’ll have to be escorted on our ramble like a bunch of kids! Who is on escort duty, by the way?” she demanded suddenly in parenthesis, startling her friend by the sudden change of tack.

“Beats me!” Felicity said, ignoring the fact that that expression was strictly forbidden. “Lucy’s run off to check.”

“Not literally, I hope – Matey was wandering around,” Jean said ominously, and the expression on Lucy’s face as she returned suggested that she had indeed been caught.

“Matey’s the limit,” she grumbled. “One order mark already, and it’s only the first week of term!”

“S’cause you’re form pree, I expect,” Win said wisely. “She thinks you ought to set a good example and all such things. Never mind that! Who’s on escort duty? Len?”

Felicity nudged her friend. “You’re not supposed to call her that in school,” she said. “Even Cecil and Phil and I don’t, and she’s our sister! ‘Sides, she’s not here during the weekends, even if she is our form mistress.”

“We’ve got two of the new mistresses,” Lucy interrupted, with a view to keeping the peace. “Miss Smith…”

“Which one?” Felicity demanded.

“History. I said we had the new mistresses! Miss Peterson’s the other one.”

Felicity heaved a sigh of relief. “Well, thank goodness for that! Those two are decent enough – but I’d rather avoid the other Miss Smith at the moment!”

Noemi nodded in agreement. “D’you think they’ll know where we’re going?” she asked curiously.

“No chance!” Felicity said promptly. “They can’t have been here much before we were, and we’ve not had proper rambles yet. They’ll be expecting you to lead us.”

Noemi’s eyes glinted. “Well,” she said wickedly, showing exactly how far she’d come from the shy schoolgirl of a few weeks ago, “this should be fun!”


***

Inter V strolled out of the school, looking abnormally innocent, to find Eleanor Peterson and Alison Smith waiting for them patiently. Both mistresses, well aware of how the form might have taken the morning’s news, were ready for fireworks – however, neither was quite experienced enough to recognise their expressions.

“Ready to go, girls?” Eleanor asked cheerfully, and was somewhat surprised at the outbreak of giggles which erupted. “We thought we might head towards the river, as the Juniors are going to Torbole, and I believe that the Seniors are either going to Nago or Riva.”

“We’re ready, Miss Peterson,” Noemi responded with a smile. “Do you and Miss Smith know where you’re going, or would you like me to lead?”

Recognition dawned on Alison Smith’s face, “Oh, I think we can just about manage, we took a walk down to the river yesterday,” she said with a smile. “You’ll shout in our direction if we’re leading you wrong, won’t you?”

Noemi’s face dropped recognisably, and the young mistress bit back a giggle. “Of course, Miss Smith,” the girl recovered. “Partner me, Fel?”

Forming a ‘croc’, the girls followed the two young mistresses as they headed away from the school, moving towards the river which shone in the distance. It was a bright day, and, seeing no harm in it, Matey had given permission for blazers to be removed if the girls wished.

“It’s certainly different to Switzerland,” Felicity remarked mildly into the silence – the girls, unaccustomed to rambles after the long break, were concentrating on the walk.

“Really?” Noemi asked curiously. “I’ve never been to Switzerland, or at least, not to your Platz. How are they different?”

“Well, this is unusual,” Felicity said, waving a hand at the small village in front of them. They had left the grounds of the school by now – wide expanses of grass, which Peggy Burnett was determined to have turned into extra pitches as soon as possible – and the area surrounding the lake boasted a very small village, which they were just entering. “On the Platz, there’s the school, the San, and a few chalets – and that’s it. It’s a bit more of a walk to the nearest shop! Here, there’s this village…”

“It’s hardly a village!” Noemi protested. “There’s a few shops and a few houses.”

“Yes, but it’s more than the Platz has. And Riva and Torbole and Naga aren’t far away, either.”

“I guess,” Noemi shrugged, and flushed as Miss Smith frowned at her. “I mean, I suppose so. I always thought the hotel was a bit isolated, though. Dad was always saying to Grandpa that he’d get more in the hotel if he provided a bus to go to and from the towns.” Felicity laughed. Having met Alberto D’Amico, she could well imagine his response to that. “Grandpa wasn’t impressed! He said that if people wanted to be chauffeured here there and everywhere, they could go back home again! He doesn’t want the towns getting too big, you see.”

“I s’pose I can see why – it’s so lovely like this, Noemi, surely you don’t want it to get any bigger? It’s far larger than the Platz as it is, although they’re totally different places altogether.”

“People here make their living on tourism, Felicity,” Noemi explained, having had the trade drilled into her from a very young age. “Grandpa managed to hold back from expanding because the hotel was only ever really a hobby for him, he didn’t need the money. But it’s not like that in the towns. Oh, it’s not huge now, I know. But in ten, twenty years time, Riva and Torbole are going to expand. Grandpa, or my father, could have made a really decent living from the hotel.”

Felicity glanced at her new friend sharply. “D’you think we oughtn’t have bought it, then?” she asked.

“Course not!” Noemi sounded shocked. “This way, I don’t have to bother getting on the bus to go into town for school every day! Anyway, I’m not sure I’d like to work in a hotel. Since Di and Serena refused to carry it on, I would’ve had to, prob’ly. I can’t see that kid Katina taking over a business!”

Win, behind them, laughed. “Well, she’s only twelve, Noemi! Give her a chance!”

“She’s the same age as Fel’s Cecil,” Noemi pointed. “Those two are completely different – Cecil, I can see running a hotel.”

“That’s ‘cause she’s good with numbers,” Felicity said. “The only person in our family – well, apart from Margot and Steve, but they were good at everything – who ever was! Mama’s useless at it, but Dad’s good. He always used to help me with my weekend prep when they lived near us…” Felicity’s voice trailed off, and Win hastened to change the subject.

“If you don’t want to run a hotel, Noemi, what do you want to do? D’you know yet?”

“Give me a chance!” that young lady retorted. “I’m only fourteen!”

“So’m I, and I’m going to be a ballet dancer,” Felicity retorted, returning to her usual cheerful self. “So’s Lucy. We used to have a ballet teacher in twice a week, but I don’t know what we’re going to do here. I’ve been practising though – have you, Luce?”

“Of course!” Lucy sounded shocked. “Although, I might be a PT teacher instead, Fel. I’m not sure yet.”

Noemi shuddered. “You Chalet School girls are horribly active!” she exclaimed.

“Not me!” Win interrupted. “I loathe and detest PT! But it does help that Burnie makes it fun, Noemi. You’ll get used to it.”

“Maybe,” Noemi sounded distinctly sceptical. “Oh, look – there’s the lake!”


And that's all that's written for now! Update later on this evening

Author:  nikkie [ Mon Jul 31, 2006 6:34 pm ]
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Thanks Gem I'm enjoying this.
Its bringing back memories Lake Garda :)

Author:  Gem [ Mon Jul 31, 2006 8:51 pm ]
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Sorry - I was hoping this update would be longer, but I'm finding it harder than I expected to get back into writing it. There should be an update tomorrow or the day after, though, so hopefully that'll be a bit longer!

At Noemi’s exclamation, the girls turned with one accord to the Lake Garda. They had seen the lake briefly during small walks, and Felicity of course had seen it during the holidays, but for the most part, this was the first time they’d seen the famous lake.

“Definitely equals Thun,” quiet Carlotta von Ahlen said, after a moment. “It’s beautiful, Noemi.”

Noemi beamed as broadly as if she alone was responsible for the lake, reaching down to pick up a stone. “Look, let’s have a skimming contest! Miss Smith, do we have time?”

The young mistress glanced at her watch. “Yes, you have time for one, if you like. Be careful though – we don’t want to get ourselves a reputation for knocking people out with stones!” she laughed.

Noemi nodded solemnly. “Of course not,” she agreed, discarding her original pebble and searching for another. They spent a cheerful ten minutes tossing stones into the lake, arguing good-naturedly over whose had gone furthest, until the mistresses, mindful of the time, called them to group together and head back to the school.

Giving the lake one last reluctant glance, Felicity turned towards the school, slipping an arm chummily through Lucy’s. “Let’s come down here this weekend if we’re allowed, just me, you and Jean,” she murmured. “I want to talk to you two.”

“Noemi not good enough this time?” Lucy asked as off-handedly as she could manage, and glancing around to see if the Italian girl was anywhere in earshot.

Felicity withdrew, indignantly. “Well, if you’re going to be like that!” she said sharply, turning on her heel and marching towards Noemi and Win.

Jean came up behind Lucy. “What’s got her goat now?” she demanded, and then frowned as her friend flushed shamefacedly. “Oh, Luce! You promised you wouldn’t get at her about Noemi! And don’t glare at me,” she added hastily. “It’s not my fault, anyway. She’ll get over it soon enough.” Slipping an arm through Lucy’s, she gave her friend a quick smile. Both were apt to fly into rages with each other at any given moment, though they were steady enough in any other respect. Still, their arguments were generally settled as swiftly as they had begun, and they could only hope that the same applied to their third.

Author:  Tara [ Mon Jul 31, 2006 10:56 pm ]
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I stayed up horrendously late last night reading this from the beginning - I'm enjoying it enormously. Far too much to comment on in detail, but I'm really glad I've found it.

Thanks, Gem.

Author:  pim [ Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:33 am ]
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*keels over* An update? :shock: Are you feeling okay, Gembles?

But huzzah for it is back! *dances*

Author:  Mia [ Tue Aug 01, 2006 11:02 am ]
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Oh HOORAY, this is back!!

Thanks Gem, hopes the bunnies keep biting! :D :D

Author:  Rosy-Jess [ Tue Aug 01, 2006 1:43 pm ]
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Golly. Much posting. Huzzah.

Author:  Vikki [ Tue Aug 01, 2006 6:35 pm ]
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Yay!!!!!
Lovely to have this back Gemmie! :D

Author:  Gem [ Tue Aug 01, 2006 10:17 pm ]
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The next few days continued much as the previous few had; difficulties in Inter V, tensions within the staffroom and the general sense of uncertainty and awkwardness that pervaded the entire school. It was with these problems in mind that Samaris called a prefects meeting for the following Monday, unsure of what, if anything, they could do, but unwilling to leave it as it was.

“The problem is that the school’s so divided,” Erica commented, wrapping her fingers around her mug of hot chocolate and frowning into the liquid with such intensity that Samaris couldn’t help but laugh. “I don’t see what we can do, though, Sam. Except do what we’re already doing, I mean. We can’t very well barge in on Inter V’s little difficulties – after all, they were Seniors last term and are so in everything but name this term. Nor can we get up in front of the school and demand to know why everything’s changed and can we go back to being a happy united Chalet School please. It doesn’t work that way.”

Robina McQueen frowned. “Don’t be so – so – so…” her voice trailed off as she searched for the word, and gave up. “Oh you know what I mean! Pessimistic, I suppose. There has to be something more. We mayn’t be able to squash Inter V as thoroughly as we might like, but we can at least point them in the right direction.” Robina, an imp in her own Middle days, placed a surprising (and not altogether undeserved) amount of faith in the ability of the prefects to squash their juniors. Still, as Erica had surmised, their influence over girls in some cases only two years younger, or even less, was limited.

“True,” Althea said thoughtfully, putting her feet up on the chair opposite with strict disregard for the rules, and putting them back down again as Samaris frowned at her. “There’s nothing to stop us sitting them down and asking them to sort it out, is there? If we – or just one of us – speak to the right one, it might be an entirely different matter.”

“And by that,” Erica groaned, “you mean I’m to talk to Felicity.”

Lysbet Alsen nodded cheerfully. “Well, it makes sense, Eric,” – ignoring her friend’s indignant “Don’t call me that!” – “she’s the one starting all the fuss, anyway. Which, as you very well know, is totally unlike her, and she must be expecting the elder sister – all right, adopted elder sister! You’re still the only one actually at school – conversation anyway. Don’t come all prefect-y over her, though.”

“Now is it likely?” Erica demanded. “I’ll give it a shot if you think it’ll help – but you may very well be over-estimating my influence over young Felicity! If it doesn’t work, they’ll jus have to settle it in their own time and way. Leave them for now! Was there any other reason why you called this meeting, Sam? Because if not, I’m going to crack on with this beastly French essay.” And with this, she gathered up her papers (dropping a few as she went, as she was wont to do) and left the prefects room, distinctly irritated and not quite sure why.

Author:  Josie [ Tue Aug 01, 2006 10:36 pm ]
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:D Great to see River back, Gem!

Thanks, m'lovely.

Author:  Cath V-P [ Wed Aug 02, 2006 12:06 am ]
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Have just found anc caugt up with this....it is very hard for them all isn't it? It's the same, but different...

Author:  Kathy_S [ Wed Aug 02, 2006 12:36 am ]
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I'd forgotten part of this! :shock: -- hadn't remembered the school had actually gotten to Italy.

And now there're new parts. :D

Thanks, Gem.

Author:  Fatima [ Wed Aug 02, 2006 4:58 am ]
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Phew, there's been a lot of catching up to do with this! It's brilliant, though, Gem, thanks.

Author:  janem [ Wed Aug 02, 2006 6:22 am ]
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I'm really enjoying this and have read the earlier bits too. What a lovely idea to settle in yet another country. Looking forward to seeing where the story goes.

Author:  Gem [ Wed Aug 02, 2006 11:58 am ]
Post subject: 

I'm working a late shift tonight so thought I'd post this while I had a chance. Next bit either late this evening or tomorrow.

Dropping into the nearest seat available in the staff sitting room, Len Entwhistle gave an audible sigh of relief. She'd been teaching all day - the only day in which she had no free periods - mainly to the Fourths and Fifths, and, sensing the attitude within the school, the Fourths had done their best to take advantage of their mistress's slight distraction. Inter V (with the exception of Felicity, who refused point-blank to play her sister up) had been much the same, though luckily Va considered themselves far above such things. Briefly, Len wondered where the unquestioning obedience of the Chalet School had disappeared to, and then decided it was a question better addressed later.

“Tired?” Mary-Lou asked sympathetically, handing her friend her coffee. “I’m not surprised – the Fourths are exhausting enough at the best of times! Your own Cecil and Katina D’Amica seem to have the lion’s share of mischief at the moment, as well. I’ve confiscated five of those wind-up toys this week already!”

“Ah well, Fourths will be Fourths – and at least it’s nice naughtiness,” Len said mildly, being far more accustomed to their ways than her friend. “It livens up the lessons, anyway! I’d rather have a lesson with them than the Thirds at the moment – they’re so colourless this year!”

“Who’s colourless?” Deborah Smith demanded, making her way over to join the two. “I’ve never heard that adjective used to describe any of our little beauties before!”

Len sipped at her coffee before replying lightly, “The Thirds. But then they’re lacking any sort of real leadership this year – Jacylyn Evans is probably the closest thing they have to a leader. You can’t really tell with ten and eleven year olds, not at this stage. They’re all perfectly nice girls, though – just lacking in mischief.”

“I’m certain they’ll make up for that later on in the year,” Deb said decidedly. “And if they don’t, well, it’s all the better for us!”

Rosalind Yolland, catching the end of their conversation, swung around in her chair to face them all. “Are you folk talking shop?” she demanded. “Don’t we get enough of that in our working hours? Come over here and have a natter about something else, for pity’s sake! I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m fed up of school.” She heaved such a sigh that Mary-Lou couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“Poor you! You do sound fed up – and us only two weeks into the term! Anyway, I’m going to take my leave now, before my husband begins to wonder if I’ve taken to sleeping here. Len, I drove up this morning. I’ll run you home if you like?” Taking her friend’s arm, Mary-Lou pulled the younger woman up with perhaps more energy than care and ignoring Len’s protests that she was still perfectly capable of standing upright on her own. “See you tomorrow, everyone!”

“No, you won’t, unless you’re planning on heading home straight away,” the new languages mistress, Helen, interrupted. “You’re off tomorrow, remember? Unless you’ve decided you’re not and you don’t want me to cover your lesson with Inter V?” she asked hopefully, having seen rather too much of that form over the past few days for her liking.

Mary-Lou shook her head violently. “I’d forgotten I’d asked you to do that! If you don’t mind, Helen, it would be much appreciated. Peter’s leaving on Thursday for a dig, and I’d like to have one full day with him before he goes, since I’ve no idea when he’ll get back. Are you all right to cover them? It’s only what I told you the other day.”

The younger mistress nodded. “I can mange that all right – after all, I do have some experience with studying the history of France! Anyway, I expect much of the lesson will involve me translating what I’m saying, being that it’s German day and that appears to be Inter V’s collective bugbear,” she laughed. “Have a good day with Peter tomorrow, then. Goodbye!”

Author:  Mrs Redboots [ Wed Aug 02, 2006 12:22 pm ]
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I've just discovered this, and have wasted far too long on catching up on it right from the very beginning!

Excellent. Many thanks.

Author:  Josie [ Wed Aug 02, 2006 1:16 pm ]
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They sound knackeed already!

Thanks Gem. :D

Author:  LizB [ Wed Aug 02, 2006 4:09 pm ]
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I'm glad Felicity didn't play Len up!

Thanks Gem :D

Author:  Gem [ Thu Aug 03, 2006 4:25 pm ]
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Today's update! Will be more tomorrow, hopefully.

“Felicity! I want you!”

Felicity Maynard, in the process of slipping out the side door to the gardens, groaned audibly. “Maybe she’ll think you haven’t heard, if we go now,” Noemi suggested hopefully.

“Or maybe,” Erica said pointedly, as she stood behind the two, “she will. Felicity will join you in a minute, Noemi. Go on outside, please.”

At her friend’s nod, the little Italian obeyed reluctantly and Felicity turned to face her adopted sister. “Well?” she demanded. “What is it? And,” she added warily, “are you talking to me as a pree, or as Erica? Because I won’t be preached at,” she said defiantly.

Erica frowned at the younger girl. “I’m talking to you as your sister, but nor will I stand for rudeness,” she said bluntly. “Come off it, Felicity! It’s me – d’you really think I’d preach to you? I want your help.”

“With what?” Felicity demanded, looking confused.

“With your form. You’re a leader in that form, Fel, and it’s high time you started acting like it. What’s more, the younger girls take their lead from you. When they see your form divided by petty jealousies, not paying any attention, and playing up the mistresses…”

“I never did!” Felicity cried defiantly. “The other two, maybe, but I’ve left the staff well alone! It’s only Laura and Heather who tried to play Len up, and they’ve been in Coventry ever since!”

“Really? Well, I’m glad to hear that, at least,” Erica continued ruthlessly, feeling that if she didn’t have her say now then she never would. “I didn’t think you’d do that. Still, Felicity, you’re by no means blameless. What are you going to do about it?”

Scowling, Felicity protested, “Why is it my job? Just ‘cause I’m a Maynard? I’m not Mama, or Len, or Steve.”

“No, you’re not,” Erica agreed, “but you are the oldest Maynard, Bettany or Russell here at this school, Felicity. And whether you like it or not, that means something. That and your own character means that people look up to you, and that comes with responsibilities, especially now. It’s a tough row to hoe, but there it is. I agree, it’s not entirely your fault that you, Lucy, Win and Noemi are at odds,” and here Felicity gasped, having had no idea exactly how much her sister knew, “but someone has to act like a Chalet girl and end it. Why shouldn’t it be you?” she pressed.

Felicity stayed silent for several minutes, and then her head snapped up suddenly. “We should go,” she said calmly. “We’ve been talking in the corridors for the past ten minutes – in English, as well!” she added, hastily switching to German, “and that’s forbidden.”

“Gosh,” Erica said blankly, drawing Felicity into a nearby empty classroom. “So it is!” She sighed, sitting down on a desk and swinging her legs with little regard for the rules or her own balance. “I’m sorry, Felicity. I didn’t mean to preach, although I suppose I did rather! It’s not your responsibility to act as the conscience of Inter V.”

“Len did, when she was in Inter V – why shouldn’t I?” Felicity asked. “Oh, I’m not saying I’m going to take up her mantle – for one, it’s just not in me, and for another, Len was horribly angelic as a kid – still is, for that mattter! But I probably deserved you preaching.” She pulled a face. “I’m not saying I’m going to try and turn my entire form around, ‘cause a lot of them will just laugh at me and a lot of good that’ll do! I’ll do my best though – and from now on you can count on at least one Inter V to set a good example – usually,” she added prudently, feeling that promising good behaviour for the rest of her school career was a bit too optimistic. Looking stubborn, and reminding Erica suddenly of Margot, she nodded firmly. “I promise you that. I can’t do any less, now you’ve said all that. But Erica…”

“Yes?”

“Leave Cecil and Phil out of this. They’re just kids. They’ll have time to worry about the good of the school later on, if I have to set a Good Example.” Felicity grimaced, clutching at her plaits. “Why did I have to be a Maynard?”

Shaking her head, Erica objected, “It’s your character that makes people look up to you, Felicity, not your surname. And it’s the type of character that makes people Head Girl.”

A slow flush covered the younger girl’s cheeks, but she simply shrugged. “I’ve a good two years before I ever need to worry about that, if it does come to that. For now, I’ve got French prep. See you later!” She flung her adoptive sister a matey grin and disappeared in short order. And Erica was left with the sudden sense of loss at the realisation that the last of the child was leaving her younger sister.

Author:  MaryR [ Thu Aug 03, 2006 6:45 pm ]
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A rather moving little piece, Gem, with Felicity feeling how unfair life is and then realising that maybe Erica has a point - followed by that last poignant sentence. Yes, the child has to leave us all sooner or later.

Thank you.

Author:  Josie [ Thu Aug 03, 2006 8:25 pm ]
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Lovely insight into Felicity, Gem. Poor thing, inheriting the mantle.

Thanks :)

Author:  Cath V-P [ Fri Aug 04, 2006 3:56 am ]
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Interesting to see how Felicity took the realisation that she does have to try to do something, and her awareness of Erica's understanding that it isn't easy.

Author:  Kathy_S [ Fri Aug 04, 2006 4:01 am ]
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Thanks, Gem.
This makes the sisterly relationship between Erica & Felicity far more real.

Author:  pim [ Fri Aug 04, 2006 8:06 am ]
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Thanks, Gemmy. Poor Felicity...

Author:  LizB [ Fri Aug 04, 2006 10:27 am ]
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Well done Erica :D

Thanks, Gem

Author:  Ally [ Sun Aug 06, 2006 9:32 am ]
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Poor Felicity but good for Erica. Thanks Gemmy its wonderous to see more of this :D

Author:  Mia [ Mon Aug 07, 2006 11:02 am ]
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Thanks Gem, I'm loving this :)

Author:  little_sarah [ Mon Aug 07, 2006 4:38 pm ]
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Thanks Gem! Just spent far too much time reading the whole of this, it's great. I'm glad you decided to continue it :D

Author:  Lesley [ Mon Aug 07, 2006 4:51 pm ]
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Another just caught up - pleased that you've continued this Gem. :lol:

Author:  Nell [ Tue Aug 08, 2006 10:50 am ]
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Also just caught up and great to see new stuff too! Thak you Gemmy!

Well done Erica and poor Fel!

Author:  Gem [ Wed Aug 09, 2006 4:50 pm ]
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Gosh! Haven't checked this thread in nearly a week - sorry for not having written an update, but the bunnies have run away temporarily. They will be back, however, and there will be an update on Monday. Not before, though, sorry :( I will be away this weekend and the next few days appear to have been stolen as well... :?

Author:  Gem [ Tue Sep 26, 2006 5:56 pm ]
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Well, I said there'd be an update on Monday, so I'm only a day late :wink: I didn't specify which Monday... now that I'm back at uni and things are a bit more organised and scheduled, this will be restarted. Sorry for having left it so long! And please feel free to nag for updates, otherwise I'll never get around to it :oops:

Thanks to Felicity Maynard’s newfound wisdom – which, Samaris remarked gloomily and with little truth, they had no idea how long they could rely upon – the prefects were able to face the new week with a cheery face. Felicity was able to convince her own select group to leave their own arguments for the time being; and since the failing health of Phoebe Peters concerned all these days, Inter V rallied around Lucy with little concern for their own affairs. In particular, Win, fatherless for several years now, stood beside Felicity with a maturity that was beginning to surprise all concerned.

“I suppose it’s not entirely unexpected,” Nell Wilson remarked to Madge, who had returned to Italy for a flying visit. “After all, they’re fourteen and fifteen now. But goodness, doesn’t it make you feel elderly?”

“I’d have thought your goddaughter starting a family would make you feel more elderly than Inter V growing up – not before time, either,” Madge said mildly. “What’s the matter with you? You’ve never been given to waxing lyrical about our distant and faded youth before now.”

Nell pulled a violent face at her friend. “Nothing! It did make me think about some things, though.”

“What did?” Hilda entered the Head’s salon, bearing steaming mugs of milky coffee which she distributed amongst her friends before remarking, “Rosalie’s on her way with the cakes. She got caught up in the staffroom – Kathie wanted her for something or other. Speaking of Kathie, does anyone know what’s happening about the play this year? Are we still having one?”

“If we are, we’re not here for it,” Nell pointed out. “The play is in the Christmas term, Hilda, and we’re leaving at the end of this term.”

Hilda paused. “Oh yes. I’d almost forgotten.” She sounded downcast, though, and Nell raised her eyebrows.

“What was the agreement?”

“Hm?”

“The agreement, Hilda,” Nell said patiently.

“The agreement was that we tell the other one as soon as we start having doubts. I don’t have any, Nell. I’d just forgotten, that’s all.” Her eyes forbade any further discussion and Madge, who knew well enough that the two would wait until they were alone to discuss matters, changed the subject.

“Anything interesting been happening in the school?” she demanded laughingly. “Nell says that Inter V have suddenly gone from one extreme to the other and become very grown up and sure of themselves, but the rest of the school can’t have followed their example. Any wild and interesting exploits to regale?”

Hilda, grateful for her friend’s tact, laughed. “Nothing truly astonishing. Mary-Lou was treated to a snake in the desk drawer the other day by Katina D’Amico, who is an imp of the first order, I believe. I haven’t had much to do with her, but Deb Smith took the skin off of her the other day and she seems to be lying low now. Oh, and someone tried the old sherbert in the sinks trick the other day. Did you ever find out who that was, Nell?”

“I didn’t,” Nell said mildly. “Kathie may have dealt with it – in fact, I think she did. If not, well it’s harmless enough mischief. If we dropped on them for every single offence, life wouldn’t be worth living for them or us!”

Madge’s eyes widened. “I remember the days when you two used to be into everything and know if someone coughed without permission – you and Matey,” she added as an afterthought. “That’s not the case any more?”

Nell shook her head. “No, it’s not,” she said, ignoring Hilda’s glare. “Don’t look like that Hilda, you know it’s true. We’re leaving soon, Madge, and this term is primarily about handing over power. It’s Kathie’s job to know what’s happening – Kathie’s, and Nancy’s, and Peggy’s, and Sharlie’s. And Ros, and…”

She was interrupted, mercifully, by Rosalie kicking the door lightly. “Open the door, for heaven’s sakes, someone! I’m about to land this tray on the floor!” Hilda, being nearest, sprang to open the door while Nell rescued the aforementioned tray. “Thanks,” Rosalie said, clearing a space on the cluttered table. For all her neatness and tidiness when it came to her work, Hilda seemed incapable of applying the same organisation to her own books and papers, hampered no doubt by Nell’s tendency to leave her own things in the Head’s Salon and then have to hunt teaching notes out at the last possible moment. The thought of not needing to search for Nell’s generally illegible physics notes first thing on a Monday morning caused a sharp pang that she chose not to indulge right then; time enough for that later.

Author:  Lesley [ Tue Sep 26, 2006 6:32 pm ]
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Seems like they are both having second thoughts there.


Good to see this back Gem, thank you.

Author:  LizB [ Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:18 pm ]
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Yay! *bounces*

Thanks, Gem :D

Author:  Pat [ Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:39 pm ]
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Nice to see this back Gem.

Author:  MaryR [ Tue Sep 26, 2006 8:26 pm ]
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They're both sad and trying to hide it, aren't they? That was a very poignant last sentence, Gem. Poor Hilda. :cry:

Thanks, Gem

Author:  Ally [ Tue Sep 26, 2006 8:27 pm ]
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Hurrah an update on my b'day, what a fab pressie! :wink: Ta Gemmy :D

Author:  Vikki [ Tue Sep 26, 2006 9:24 pm ]
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Lovely post Gems, and happy birthday Allykins!

Author:  janetbrown23 [ Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:06 pm ]
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Sends you to kaffee und kuchen at the Mecca for starting this again. You are so lucky to be at Aber Uni

jan

Author:  Josie [ Tue Sep 26, 2006 10:33 pm ]
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:D Hurrah for more River.

Thanks Gem.

Author:  Cath V-P [ Tue Sep 26, 2006 11:04 pm ]
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it's not surprising that they are both feeling somewhat saddened - so much has happened in such a short time, and they've both been so busy thatit bwas inevitable that doubts would start to creep in once they'd had time to think.
Thanks Gem

Author:  Kathy_S [ Wed Sep 27, 2006 2:52 am ]
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Poor Hilda & Nell :(

But -- amused that Hilda's papers aren't always in perfect order. :mrgreen:

Author:  pim [ Wed Sep 27, 2006 8:05 am ]
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*keels over in le shock*

Thanks Gembert :D

Author:  Nell [ Wed Sep 27, 2006 9:08 am ]
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pim wrote:
*keels over in le shock*

Thanks Gembert :D


Ditto! Ta Gempie!

Author:  Mia [ Wed Sep 27, 2006 9:10 am ]
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Gosh what am I seeing? :wink:

Thanks Gem x

Author:  Mrs Redboots [ Wed Sep 27, 2006 12:22 pm ]
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A Nupdate! A lovely, lovely Nupdate!

Thank you. I only found this story a few weeks ago, and am very glad I did, it's really good.

Author:  Gem [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 5:16 pm ]
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The term passed far too quickly for anyone’s comfort. The girls, thrilled with their new surroundings but tempered by the atmosphere which still settled over the school, indulged in the usual pranks and arguments, but remembered themselves enough to behave remarkably well. So well, in fact, that Matron was walking around with an air of constant suspicion, wondering exactly what would happen and when and suggesting to her colleagues half-seriously that a pre-emptive strike against the Middles might be necessary. Needless to say, the suggestion was ignored and Matron told to stop tempting Fate – or, rather, Katina D’Amico, who led her form alongside Daphne Bettany with a mischief that befitted Senior Middles. Cecil Maynard provided a calming influence over her cousin and friend, but was rather too quiet to have much impact on the wilder members of IVb.

“Half term next week!” Samaris sighed, slamming her French book closed with relish. “I intend to lock my books away and do nothing. I’ve earned it – Mrs Entwhistle’s slogged us like anything this half term!”

“You’ll never manage it,” Robina said critically, surveying her English essay for the final time and noticing yet another spelling mistake. Deciding eventually that if it had taken her four read-throughs to see it, Miss Annersley was unlikely to notice it, she followed her friend’s example and put her books away.

Samaris shrugged. “I’ll have to. No work rule, remember?” She pulled a face. “How they expect us to revise to exams without working over half term, I don’t know, but they’re refusing to revoke it.”

Marcia Watson, who was entering the Prefect’s Room at that point, frowned. “Are you two talking about work again?” she demanded. “Give it a rest, for pity’s sake! You’ve both earned your half term. Now come in here and be sociable with the rest of us,” she suggested, opening the adjoining door to their own select common room invitingly.

“It’s all right for you, you’re artistic,” Samaris said darkly. “No-one will mutter if you do badly in anything else, because Yollie will rave over whatever you produce in Art. Oh, all right, I’m leaving it!” she sighed as Robina and Marcia both glared at her. “No more work talk for a week. I promise.”

“Here’s something else for you, then,” Emmy Friedrich suggested. “Where d’you think we’ll go for half term? Reckon they’ll let us go off alone?”

“Not likely!” Robina retorted. “Don’t be an idiot, Em! For one, we don’t know the area, and for another – oh, I don’t need another reason!”

Emmy raised an eyebrow. “It wasn’t exactly a serious question, Rob,” she said mildly. “What’s going on with us? You’d almost think the Föhn had come to Italy!”

Samaris threw herself down in the nearest chair. “We just need a break, that’s all,” she responded. “Everyone does. Don’t start, you two, please.” Emmy and Robina, who had been gearing up for a full-scale argument, chose to heed her words, much to Sam’s relief. “Anyway, Em had a point,” she remembered. “Where d’you think we’ll go? I’d quite like a day trip in Riva – we’ve never really seen the churches there. And they do water sporting on the lake. With that much supervision, they’re sure to let us try speedboating again.” This, as she had hoped, successfully diverted attention from Emmy’s and Robina’s quick tempers; and as her friends discussed the matter cheerfully, Sam reflected that perhaps the Powers That Be had a point in banning all work over the half term.

Author:  Lesley [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 5:48 pm ]
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Gem wrote:
Deciding eventually that if it had taken her four read-throughs to see it, Miss Annersley was unlikely to notice it,


Do you think she'll be disappointed? :lol:


Lovely, thanks Gem

Author:  Dawn [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 7:33 pm ]
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Woohooo - updates

Likes Gem being back in Aber :lol:

Author:  LizB [ Fri Sep 29, 2006 8:13 pm ]
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They're all a little on edge, aren't they - hope they have a good break and relax as well as anybody with exams looming can!

Thanks, Gem

Author:  Gem [ Sat Sep 30, 2006 4:45 pm ]
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Might be a little bit more tomorrow. Sorry these are short updates, but I figure short is better than none at all :wink:


Noemi D’Amico danced gleefully around one of the large fountains standing in the centre of Riva del Garda. “Goody, goody, goody!” she announced. “Speedboating! At last! Miss Smith, how long may we have out there?”

Deborah Smith looked up from the guidebook which she had been perusing. “I’m not the speedboater, Noemi,” she said with a laugh. “Better ask Miss Burnett, or Miss Ferrars. I’m going to keep my feet solidly on the ground, thank you!”

Her pupil’s eyes widened. “Do you not like speedboating, Miss Smith?” she asked curiously. “It’s gorgeous fun!” She frowned, then asked in parenthesis, “Is that even a proper sentence?”

Her form mistress shook her head. “Not really, no, but so many of the sentences that I hear from you girls aren’t strictly correct, either.”

“In that case, I won’t say it again,” Noemi agreed hastily, instantly realising the rashness of questioning her grammar in front of an English mistress. She looked around for a mistress who might be able to advise her better and caught sight of her own form mistress, Miss Jackson. That lady was as keen on boating as Peggy Burnett, and had agreed to take the Senior Middles down to the lake that afternoon with Miss Burnett, Miss Ferrars and Miss Smith. Sending a quick smile in the latter lady’s direction, Noemi headed off in search of the rest of her form and wondered why it had been left to her to entertain the young mistress. The Chalet School prided itself on its friendly relationship between the staff and the pupils; but there were some times, Noemi reflected sadly, when you simply couldn’t. Putting that thought to the back of her mind as she noticed Felicity’s long plaits, she dashed towards the group.

“Where’ve you been?” Felicity demanded as soon as she approached. “We’ve been waiting ages! Come on, Jack’s taking us out next. I mean, Miss Jackson,” she corrected herself hastily as she caught Lysbet Alsen’s frown.

“Splashery,” Noemi said succinctly. “And then talking to Miss Smith. How long d’we get out there?”

Felicity was saved from having to reply as the speedboat, piloted by their form mistress, drew in gently. “In you get, girls! No more than five at time, and be careful how you go, please – this isn’t a large boat, and I’d rather we didn’t end up in the water.”

“We can all swim,” Win Everett pointed out helpfully. “Wouldn’t matter a great deal if we did overturn – except we’d have to go and change, I suppose.”

“And that would be the end of today’s expedition – and probably tomorrow’s, as well,” her form mistress informed her. “Matron’s not likely to let you go and see the Dolomites if you’ve landed yourself in the river today. If you girls don’t want to go and see them, I do! Anyway, it should be enough that I’ve told you to be careful, Win.”

Receiving a sharp elbow in her side from Lucy, Win nodded obediently and settled herself down in the boat. They were all keen boaters, since she, Felicity, Jean and Lucy had convinced Jack Maynard to take them out on Thun on several occasions. Win herself, with an eye for adventure, was particularly thrilled and tended to laugh at Lucy’s nerves on the water. She was soon too distracted by the speed to even notice the boat jerking as the mistress attempted to control it.

Author:  Lesley [ Sat Sep 30, 2006 10:46 pm ]
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Thanks Gem - and short is good! :lol:

Author:  Jennie [ Sun Oct 01, 2006 1:01 pm ]
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Thanks, Gem. Short is fine, as long as it's often.

Author:  pim [ Mon Oct 02, 2006 8:02 am ]
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Gem wrote:
Might be a little bit more tomorrow. Sorry these are short updates, but I figure short is better than none at all


And now it's the day after tomorrow... *le hint* :wink:

Thank you for the two updates to catch up on this morning though, mon chou.

Author:  Gem [ Mon Oct 02, 2006 10:03 am ]
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Well, there would have been more, but I was waiting to see if anyone was going to notice that I left you on a mini cliff :wink: *le sigh* Clearly I'm out of practise... Nice long-un today though!


Settling back into her pillows, Felicity gave a pathetic cough, which she hastily muffled as Matron glanced in her direction.

“For heaven’s sakes, Felicity,” that lady said in exasperation, “go to sleep! You’re as bad as your mother ever was!”

Shaking her head, Felicity protested. “Matron, it’s three o’clock in the afternoon! I can’t sleep now – I’m not made like it!” She glanced at Win, fast asleep in the bed next to her; but Win Everett always could fall asleep at any time and in any place. “Please mayn’t I read for a while? Mama sent me one of the forward copies of her new book.” She grimaced slightly, unnoticed by Matron – proud as she was of her mother’s obvious literary achievements, Felicity didn’t always find the school stories to her taste, though she was fond enough of her historical works. Still, she read each one faithfully, and still felt a little tinge of pride every time she saw the dedication to Felix and herself in Claire goes Camping.

Matron finally agreed, handing over the promised book and, with an order to “stay where you are and don’t make any trouble!” she went to check on her other patients.

The events of that afternoon, during which a faulty gearbox had caused the speedboat to lurch and land Felicity, Win and Noemi in the water, had terrified all concerned. Luckily, Sophie Jackson had kept her head and kept the speedboat far away from those in the water before cutting the engine; and all three were strong swimmers and had been told what to do in that kind of situation. Still, it had been a close shave, one which, in Peggy Burnett’s words, would have been better avoided – and could have been, had the boat been kept in proper condition.

Felicity pondered over the situation as she read, hardly taking in the words. The Chalet School tended to attract adventures and excitements, though almost all had turned out fine in the long run. But now… Her mind firmly made up on a matter over which she had been lingering for some time, Felicity returned to her mother’s book with renewed determination.

***

Mary-Lou Emerson strolled around the staff gardens, her hands thrust into her pockets and her lips pursed in a whistle. Strictly speaking, she ha no need to be at the school; by virtue of their positions as day staff, she and Len were exempt from half-term trips if they wished. Peter was away – again – though, and finding their little home too solitary for her liking, Mary-Lou had chosen to come into school. The staff sitting room, however, had been deserted, with the exception of Peggy Burnett, Deb Smith and a few mistresses whom she barely knew. Deciding against polite chatter, especially since Peggy and Deb’s attitude left much to be desired at the moment, in her opinion, she’d come out to the small staff garden.

“Mary-Lou? Is that you?”

She turned as she heard her name called, grateful for the prospect of company. “I’m in the garden!” she hollered back, then jumped as Kathie Ferrars appeared next to her. “Goodness! You creeped up suddenly!”

Her friend shook her head, “No, you were just making a racket,” she corrected irritably. “You’re worse than the Junior Middles, sometimes.”

“And you,” Mary-Lou retorted, “are worse than a bear with a sore head.” She kept her tone light, though, and was rewarded with first a glare and then the beginnings of a smile.

“What are you doing here?” Kathie asked, slipping a companionable arm through her former pupil’s and pulling her towards the semi-circle of benches. “I saw your car outside.”

“Peter’s on a dig, the house is spotless, my marking’s done, I’ve read far too much this week already, and my fingers hurt from knitting and writing letters.” Mary-Lou exhaled, frowning, and as Kathie raised an eyebrow she shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about it – not yet, anyway. Never mind me! What’s got you all riled up?” She knew her friend’s temper of old, and though it was generally just the product of a typically cheerful outlook, this was something more. “Peggy?”

Mary-Lou saw the elder woman’s expression change, and felt a slight twinge of annoyance at Peggy Burnett. “I don’t know what’s got into her!” Kathie said crossly, sitting down in the garden seat with an irritated bang. “As far as I can tell, she’s got a bee in her bonnet about something or other, she refuses to tell me what it is, and she’s spent most of the half-term either ignoring me or glaring daggers! If looks could kill, Mary-Lou, I’d be a dead woman!”

Mary-Lou chuckled as she took a seat beside her friend, slipping a comforting arm around the slim shoulders. “Can’t you tell?”

“If I could, would I be asking you?” Kathie retorted tiredly, and instantly regretted it. “I’m sorry, Mary-Lou. I’m just tired.”

“It’s all right,” the younger woman said quickly. “As for Burnie – all right, Peggy – I may be wrong, but I think she’s probably a little irked over you becoming Senior Mistress. After all, she has been teaching here longer.”

“Well, if that’s her problem, then she’s welcome to the job! I don’t want it any more than she does!” Kathie said crossly. As Mary-Lou raised an eyebrow, she relented. “Perhaps I do want it, a little. But I’d still not mind much if Peggy had been given the role instead. I don’t know why she chose me instead of Nance, anyway.”

“Don’t you?”

By now, Mary-Lou was immune to the glare that Kathie had perfected over ten years of teaching, and she simply shook her head. “Sorry, Kathie. I’m keeping my thoughts on that to myself – after all, I may be completely wrong. But if that’s not the reason why Peggy’s being short with you, then I’ll eat my Sunday hat! She’ll get over it in time.”

“Perhaps.” Kathie was in no mood to be conciliated. “Anyhow,” she changed the subject abruptly, “that’s enough about me. How are you getting on?

Mary-Lou pulled a face. “Oh, no – not that,” she said quickly, as she saw her friend’s concern. “The teaching’s fine, I’m really enjoying it. But I do wish I knew what I’d done to Miss Smith.”

“Oh, Deb’s always got her goat up about something or other,” Kathie said airily. “Best just to leave her to it, Mary-Lou. It’ll pass in a few days – all the same,” she added warningly, “be careful how you talk to her, won’t you? She must be used to you by now, but there’s no harm in being cautious.”

Nodding, Mary-Lou commented, “Well, I certainly wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of worrying about it too much! I’m sure you’re right – after all, I can’t have done anything too terrible so far, can I?”

“Such self-assurance in one so young,” Kathie teased lightly, knowing that the younger woman would take it as read and wishing that she might perhaps take it in. Mary-Lou was in many ways much improved, and she was an excellent addition to the teaching staff; even Kathie, with her limited experience of managing other staff, could tell that. However, her attitude was more or less unchanged from how it had been as a pupil, and it tended to irk some members of staff. Deborah Smith and Davida Armitage were two such people, though Kathie reminded herself that Davida seemed to be trying, at any rate. Expecting Mary-Lou to change her entire manner at this late date was impossible, and besides, Kathie reflected, it was nice to have a mistress who was so refreshingly honest, if something of a shock at first. Still, she certainly led her own department with a strength that was reflected in her own staff, and she was on friendly terms with most of the mistresses. The rest, Kathie decided, would come in time.

Author:  pim [ Mon Oct 02, 2006 10:25 am ]
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*goes hmm* Gem, I know you're a nice person really so make it better between Kathie and Peggy, please?

Thanks for another update though.

Author:  Nell [ Mon Oct 02, 2006 11:31 am ]
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Gem wrote:
Well, there would have been more, but I was waiting to see if anyone was going to notice that I left you on a mini cliff :wink: *le sigh* Clearly I'm out of practise... Nice long-un today though!


I'd noticed but I was only reading it now which was a little late - had wndered at everyone eslse ignoring of it though!!

Thank you muchly for lovely new updates!

Author:  Josie [ Mon Oct 02, 2006 2:14 pm ]
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Thanks Gem. I do love this, it's so 'Chalet'!

Why do I get the feeling there's going to be fireworks before the Miss Smith/Mary-Lou thing's sorted?

Author:  Lesley [ Mon Oct 02, 2006 5:30 pm ]
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Hmmm, so why wasn't Nancy chosen then?

As for Peggy - don't know, a Games Mistress as Senior Mistress? Is that allowed?



Thanks Gem - love Felicity not really caring about her mother's school stories but religiously reading them anyway! :lol:

Author:  Jennie [ Mon Oct 02, 2006 6:17 pm ]
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Thanks, Gem. I think Peggy Burnett thinks that seniority ought to count.

Author:  Cath V-P [ Mon Oct 02, 2006 11:07 pm ]
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Interesting - and of course they are still all rather sore and upset over what happened in Switzerland.

Author:  Gem [ Tue Oct 03, 2006 10:08 am ]
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Erica Standish flopped into her seat with a sigh of relief. “Just made it!” she exclaimed.

“And not a moment too soon,” Nancy Wilmot said pointedly as she entered the room, making that young lady jump. The mistress laughed at Erica’s guilty expression, commenting, “Never mind. You’re here before me – just. Will you give these out, please?” She placed a pile of exercise books on Erica’s desk, and then took her place at the head of the classroom.

It was the first day back after half term – and far too soon, Nancy decided. Half term had dashed by with barely a how-d’ye-do, though with few excursions, much to her relief. With the exception of Felicity, Win and Neomi’s sudden dunking in Lake Garda, as well as the usual multitude of scraped knees that came with half-term expeditions, the week had been remarkably uneventful. However, they’d all had time to explore the surroundings of the school, and with the familiarity came a sense of ease. The Italian Chalet School was certainly settling into place. Sharlie Andrews and Kathie Ferrars, of her own particular friends, were both bemoaning in private that it would never quite match up to Switzerland; but Nancy and Peggy Burnett both remembered the days when only Austria could seem like the Chalet School’s real home. After that, there had been Guernsey, then Wales and finally Switzerland. Now, Italy; and here Nancy spared a thought to wonder where the Chalet School would end up next.

“Miss Wilmot?”

Jumping suddenly, Nancy recalled where she was now; namely, in a maths session with Erica, Robina, Lysbet and a few more mathematically-minded Seniors. “Sorry, girls – I got caught up wool-gathering there,” she said heartily, wishing they didn’t look quite so concerned. “First, look through your corrections, please. Then we’ll begin the lesson.” Shaking her head slightly, Nancy set her mind firmly to the matter at hand, which happened to be the rather impressive mull that Erica had made of her algebra.

***

“Why on earth were you so late, Erica?” Robina asked quietly as the mistress left and they waited for Miss Melluish to come to them for Italian. “You’re lucky Willy was detained as well.”

Erica shook her head. “I couldn’t help it. Auntie Joey phoned about some things, and you know what she’s like when she gets going! I practically had to hang up on her in the end.”

Robina frowned. “It’s a bit remiss of her to phone now, isn’t it? She knows the timetable. Unless it was something important, in which case, tell me to keep my nose out if you’d like,” she added hastily.

Raising her shoulders in a shrug, Erica was saved from having to respond as the mistress entered the room. “Tell you later,” she muttered, before giving the lesson her full attention.

Robina only nodded, since Helen Melluish had already earned herself a reputation for taking no nonsense in lessons, though she was certainly jolly enough outside of them. The lesson passed quickly, for they were all keen workers and enjoyed the new challenge that Italian posed. Still, Erica decided privately, she’d certainly oppose any suggestion that the language be added to the traditional three that were used within the school. Madge Russell, according to Joey Maynard, wanted to have German and French spoken only one day a week and replace the other two days with Italian. Sparing a though to wonder if her guardian should really be telling her such things, Erica put the suggestion to the back of her mind. It was hardly likely; the Chalet School certainly had a well-deserved reputation for over-achieving, but speaking four languages was taking it to extremes in her opinion.

“Erica, are you coming for elevenses, or not?” Lysbet finally demanded, having asked the same question four times already.

Looking up in surprise, and realising the lesson had long since ended, Erica gathered up her books hastily and followed her companions out. “D’we have prep?” she hissed to Robina, having paid no attention at all to the last ten minutes of the lesson.

“Make a list of twenty words of vocab used in the lesson, and use them each in two separate sentences – we’ve got two weeks,” Robina groaned. “That’s your fault. She knew that you weren’t paying attention.”

“Oh, lor,” Erica said in dismay. “Sorry, Rob.”

Her friend shrugged. “I’m just reminding myself that it’ll help my vocab. Daresay when I get down to it I’ll be less impressed with you, though. What on earth’s the matter with you?”

Erica hesitated, then drew her friend away from the rest of the crowd, as they collected their lemonade and biscuits. “I can’t tell you exactly, ‘cos it’s not really my business – at least, not totally. But I might have to stay on an extra year at school.”

Robina stared. “But you’ve already stayed on an extra year!” she said incredulously. “You’re nineteen at the end of August.”

“I know, but…” Erica shrugged. “You know I want to teach English and Geog, but I can’t go to Oxford this coming year.” Robina said nothing; she was aware of the Maynard’s financial situation, having surmised a few things for herself. It was no business of hers, though. “Anyway,” Erica continued, “I spoke to Auntie Joey, and the Heads, and – oh, everyone! They think I should stay on next year as a sort of teaching assistant. I’d get a small wage, and board – a room of my own, not a dormy,” she added hastily. “And in return for the teaching, I’d have one-on-one tutoring sessions in English and Geog. They’re getting another Geog mistress, so Ferry says she’ll take me on. And either Andy or Jack will take me for English.” Erica stopped, and looked at her friend anxiously. “What d’you think?”

Robina was silent for a long while. She and Erica had developed a deeper friendship than either of them had expected, since Samaris Davies was a solitary soul by nature and in any case had a bosom friend in Althea Glenyon; the rest of the prefects, though they all got on well, were summarily divided into small friendship groups. Both she and Erica had expected to go to Oxford, she to read Maths and Erica to read Geography. To hear their carefully laid plans thwarted like this was rather a blow. “Does it matter what I think?” she asked, finally.

“It does to me.” Her friend’s voice was sincere. “Rob, I know it’s not exactly what we planned, but I’m sure it’ll all work out as we thought.”

Nodding, Robina commented, “You might be able to get to Oxford year after next. I’ll only be in my second year then.”

Erica shook her head. “Mike, Chas and Felix all want to go to university – Charles for Theology, Felix for Medicine and Mike for Engineering. And then there’s Fel’s dance school fees besides; and then, after that, there’s Cecil – although she might not go – and Phil and Geoff. I know we don’t talk about things like this, Rob – but you see I can’t ask it of Auntie Joey and Uncle Jack, don’t you?”

“But your parents – they didn’t…?” Robina felt desperately uncomfortable.

“I want to save that for other things,” Erica said quietly; and her friend suddenly understood the blush that covered the elder girl’s cheeks.

Giving herself a mental shake, Robina grinned. “I’m being a ninny! It’s a great opportunity, Erica,” she added yearningly. “I’d love to teach here. Think they’ll take me on after I’ve got my BA?”

“You’d have a hard time convincing them not to!” Erica retorted. “No point in counting your chickens, though. What say we get you to university first? I’m going to have to live the life of Oxford through you, so I expect something better by way of correspondence!” she added cheekily.

Hearing the bell ring, Robina’s eyes widened as she choked down the last of her biscuit with more haste than decorum. “I think, before we do anything else, we’d better get to English before Miss Annersley fries us!” she gasped, and made for the door with a lack of care that said little for her status as Second Prefect.

Author:  Josie [ Tue Oct 03, 2006 10:10 am ]
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Thanks Gem. I do love your Erica, she's fab. :D

Author:  Nell [ Tue Oct 03, 2006 11:26 am ]
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Thank you Gempie! Erica and Robina are great!

Author:  pim [ Tue Oct 03, 2006 11:43 am ]
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Gem wrote:
and they waited for Miss Melluish to come to them for Italian


*le ulp* :roll: :roll: :roll: :roll: *g* :P

Cheers m'dear.

Author:  Gem [ Tue Oct 03, 2006 11:57 am ]
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*shrugs* I made you fluent in Italian - see how nice I am? :wink:

Author:  pim [ Tue Oct 03, 2006 12:44 pm ]
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Gem wrote:
*shrugs* I made you fluent in Italian - see how nice I am? :wink:


See you suceed where the university mod langs dept failed miserably... :wink:

Author:  macyrose [ Tue Oct 03, 2006 4:32 pm ]
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Quote:
“I want to save that for other things,” Erica said quietly; and her friend suddenly understood the blush that covered the elder girl’s cheeks.


What other things would Erica want to save for? Did I miss something?

Author:  Gem [ Tue Oct 03, 2006 4:34 pm ]
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Nope, you didn't miss anything...

*innocent smiley* :wink: :twisted:

Author:  Lesley [ Tue Oct 03, 2006 5:27 pm ]
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A little unfair to single out Erica as the one that won't go to uni - Joey and Jack should, surely, have considered that?


Thanks Gem

Author:  Gem [ Wed Oct 04, 2006 7:26 am ]
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“Cecil!”

Cecil Maynard, dashing towards the Splashery with little heed for rules, called over her shoulder, “I’ll be right out, Fel!”

Rolling her eyes, Felicity settled herself to wait outside the door. She’d come to hunt out her younger sister earlier that morning, but found her in detention – something to do with the wind-up toys that she vaguely remembered using herself when in IV. Cecil had inherited Con’s general attitude, but tended to be influenced by Daphne Bettany and Katina D’Amico, much to Felicity’s alarm. Still, she could comfort herself with the thought that little Phil was a law-abiding soul as a rule. Marie-Claire, in St Nicholas’s, was, according to Joey, a complete replica of her own adopted younger sister Robin and thus adored by Adrienne Desimones, the second adopted Maynard. Adrienne, currently living in England with Joey and Jack, was ‘swithering’ about her future, to quote herself, but fairly certain it would involve children in some way. Felicity had never been close to Adrienne, getting on far better with Erica – but she suddenly felt a sense of longing for the gentle French girl.

Cecil came rushing out of the Splashery. “Can it wait – whatever ‘it’ is – Felicity? Kat and Daph want me for something this break.”

“Is it something you shouldn’t be doing?” Felicity asked warily, then rolled her eyes. “I sound like Len – or a pree! Fine – come and find me later, Cecil. It’s nothing too bad, is it?”

Her younger sister rolled her eyes. “Never mind, it’ll wait. What d’you want?”

Felicity shrugged lightly. “Nothing. I just thought I’d come and see how you’re getting on – I haven’t spoken to you properly in weeks!”

Cecil turned, giving her sister an odd look. “How am I getting on? The same as I did last half term, and last year, and the year before…”

“Fine,” Felicity said in exasperation. “Never mind! I was just trying…”

“Trying to what?” Cecil demanded, looking utterly confused and wondering how, even with four of them – and three wards besides – older sisters could still be a total mystery.

“I just wanted to make sure you weren’t missing Switzerland, and Mama and Dad too much, that’s all,” Felicity said brusquely. “Anyway, I’ve seen you now, so I’ll go. Say hello to Phil for me, when you see her next.”

The black eyes of her younger sister suddenly widened. “You’re homesick!” Cecil sounded shocked; as well she should be, Felicity admitted guilty. She’d never really been sympathetic towards those proclaiming homesickness before.

She shrugged, ignoring the sudden lump in her throat at the gentleness of her sister’s eyes, so much like their mother’s. “Not really. I mean, I don’t miss Freudesheim, or Switzerland, just…”

“Mama and Dad,” Cecil finished. “Me too. And Phil. I’m not sure about Claire, but I’d presume her as well. We should really go and see her more,” she added guilty. “Len’s been looking after her, though.”

Felicity was caught up in the first part of her sentence. “You’ve spoken to Phil about it?”

“Of course I’ve spoken to Phil, she’s our sister!” Cecil said in exasperation. “Besides, Fel, she’s just a kid – and before you say it, I’m not a kid. If anyone was going to be homesick, it was her.”

Looking down at her sister, Felicity wondered aloud, “When did you and Phil get to be so close? You’ve never really been close to…” her voice trailed off.

“Anyone in the family?” Cecil finished. “Well, I’m not a multiple, what d’you expect? Phil misses Geoff, so I’ve been spending more time with her. Don’t you miss Felix?”

“We write weekly,” Felicity explained. “Cecil, I’m sorry. I’ll try and spend more time with you and Phil and Claire.”

Her sister eyed her warily. “You’re not too bad at this big sister stuff, Fel. Just stay the way you are, okay? Len’s still here, anyway. Besides, you have Erica, and I have Phil and Claire. We’re fine. Don’t worry about us – there’s always enough sisters to go around,” she added cheekily.

Felicity pulled a face at her. “Cheeky brat. I tell you what, you speak to Phil, I’ll speak to Erica, and we’ll see if we can’t get all of us together one day,” she proposed. “I’ll get Len to bag Claire and all of us for next Sunday – she’ll agree, I’m sure.” Cecil nodded brightly. “Wait – Cecil, before you go,” Felicity added hesitantly. “Did you get a letter from Mama?”

Her younger sister turned to regard her thoughtfully. “When she suggested we transfer to the English branch, you mean?”

“What d’you think?”

“I think,” Cecil said slowly, “that I miss Mama, and Dad – and so does Phil, and you know she’s still not strong. And any amount of Len’s mothering is not going to make up for them not being next door any more.”

Author:  Lesley [ Wed Oct 04, 2006 7:52 am ]
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Thanks Gem - interesting to see the dynamics, both within the Maynard family - and that the girls are all missing having home next door.

Author:  Nell [ Wed Oct 04, 2006 9:42 am ]
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Thanks Gem. ntersting - so are the Maynards all going to transfer?

Author:  Josie [ Wed Oct 04, 2006 9:54 am ]
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*also wonders if they're going to transfer*

Thanks, Gem.

Author:  pim [ Wed Oct 04, 2006 9:57 am ]
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*also wondering*

Hmmmm. Cheers m'dear.

Author:  Cath V-P [ Wed Oct 04, 2006 11:53 am ]
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Interesting - of course the Maynards have always been next door, so this would be difficult for them - and for Joey as well.

Author:  Gem [ Thu Oct 05, 2006 9:05 am ]
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Rosalie Dene thumped her typewriter one last time, glaring at the offending object, before giving up entirely. She pushed her chair back from the desk – rolling over a pile of wayward correspondence in the process – and stood up. Everything had gone wrong that day; Mary-Lou and Deborah Smith had begun a shouting match in the staffroom, prompting Sharlie Andrews and the four new mistresses to hide out in Rosalie’s office for fifteen minutes. Eventually, Rosalie had stopped the argument with the comment that as they seemed determined to act like Juniors, perhaps they’d like to report themselves to the Head when she returned. She’d found some urgent correspondence that she’d forgotten about, and would have to work late to make it up. And now, her typewriter had jammed so thoroughly that doing any sort of work was now out of the question.

Grabbing her cardigan from the back of her chair, Rosalie marched from the office, her black mood obvious to all who encountered her. Consequently, she was given a wide berth as she stalked across the grasses towards the lake. She’d found a small bench in a generally quiet spot, and hoped it would be deserted now. Finding it so, she dropped onto the bench and wrapped her arms around herself, noticing absently that she was shaking. The anger that she’d been fighting all year escalated, and she clasped her hands together to try and stop the trembling. Her nails cut into her palms, five perfect little indentations of pain.

“Rosalie?”

The school secretary leapt violently as her cousin, Peggy Burnett, approached her. “Sorry,” Peggy said apologetically as she laid a hand on the elder woman’s shoulder. Her eyes widened suddenly, and she shrugged out of her coat, placing it around Rosalie’s shoulders. “Ros, you’re shaking.”

Rosalie shrugged, hardly caring, but she took the time to pull the coat on properly. “What are you doing out here?” she asked. “The truth, Peg.”

Peggy studied the ground. “Thinking,” she said briefly.

“Good. You’ve done precious little of that lately,” Rosalie said flatly. “You’re an ape, Peggy.”

The fair eyebrows rose. “I see we’re not into niceties today.” She hadn’t expected mindless sympathy though; Rosalie had taken over her elder sister Mary’s role at school, and generally only she could calm Peggy’s rather volatile temper.

Shaking her head, “No, I’m not. I love my job, Peggy, I care deeply about most of the people that I work with, and generally I don’t want to be anywhere but here. But today…”

“Today doesn’t count,” Peggy said calmly. “It’s the first day back after half term. We’re still on holiday time.” She leant back against the bench, studying her cousin out of the corner of her eye. “You know, Rosalie, Hilda and Nell are both at retirement age, more or less. It was going to happen sooner or later.”

Rosalie’s shoulders stiffened. “I know that,” she responded. “Peggy, if you don’t mind, I’d rather have some time to think this through alone.”

“No.”

“No?” Her tone almost angry, Rosalie turned to glare at her cousin. “Peggy, don’t.”

“Don’t what?” Peggy demanded. “You know, Ros, just because you’re the elder doesn’t automatically make you the protector. Talk to me. You’ve already thought all this through, and decided how you feel, and analysed everything, because that’s what you do. And now, whether you like it or not, you’re going to tell me how you feel, which is pretty damn angry.”

Rosalie’s eyes shot open at the unaccustomed language; but whether she liked Peggy’s terminology or not, it was an apt description. “Things got hard,” she said finally. “Things aren’t as easy as they used to be, and they’ve decided now is the time to leave? Losing Jeanne and Ruth, almost losing Nancy – I can only think of a few things that were harder.” Her voice shook suddenly, and Peggy thought of the war and the man that her cousin had never had the chance to love. “And, out of the blue, without even discussing it, they’re gone. Thirty years, and they’re just walking away.” She gave a choked sob, for reasons unknown, except she was tired of trying not to cry.

Peggy slipped an arm around her friend’s shoulders. “You know that’s not true,” she said softly. “You know why they’re leaving, why they have to. And you know it’s harder for them than it is for us.”

“No, I don’t, Peg,” Rosalie corrected. “I really don’t. I wish I did.”

“They’re leaving,” Peggy responded, “because, as wonderful and amazing as this place is, they both deserve a chance to get out there and do something else. They’re both talented teachers, and that’s an incredible thing, but it’s…” she stopped, frustrated. “There’s more out there. There’s travelling for longer than quick visits in the holidays, they’ve both got friends to see. Did you really expect them to stay until the day that they die?” She regretted her words the instant Rosalie flinched, but stared steadily into the blue eyes so like her own. “It’s time, Ros. And it’s easier for all of us if they leave now.”

Seeing the truth of her words on her cousin’s face, Peggy rose. “I’ll see you at dinnertime,” she said gently. “Keep the coat, you’re still shaking.”

“Peggy!” Rosalie turned to look at the younger woman. “You know, you’d make a good Head.”

Peggy shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. Besides, that was hard work. If I have to do that every day, then maybe I’ll stick to PT,” she said with a grin.

Author:  Nell [ Thu Oct 05, 2006 11:46 am ]
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Peggy's a wise woman even if it was hard work. Hope it's helped Rosalie.

Ta Gempie.

Author:  MaryR [ Thu Oct 05, 2006 12:02 pm ]
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Peggy is very wise, but has anyone told Hilda and Nell how they all feel? The two of them are already having doubts. Would this change things, make them re-think? Or has it all gone too far down the road, with a new Head chosen?

Thanks, Gem

Author:  Cath V-P [ Thu Oct 05, 2006 12:24 pm ]
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I suppose it was inevitable that there would be a reaction once the school had reopened, and there was time for reflection and consideration.
Peggy handled that well - so often Rosalie stands alone.

Author:  Josie [ Thu Oct 05, 2006 1:09 pm ]
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Poor Rosalie. Wonder if this'll make Peggy think about taking things out on Kathie too?

Thanks Gem. :D

Author:  Lesley [ Thu Oct 05, 2006 5:33 pm ]
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Well done Peggy - makes sense that she could be the one to speak to Rosalie - they are cousins after all.


Thanks Gem

Author:  Gem [ Fri Oct 06, 2006 1:49 pm ]
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Just to let you all know, there will be no updates at the weekend. I'm going to try and post daily during the week, though (and have managed it for an entire five days so far *le shock*) :wink: (Oh, and apologies to Ally in this one - sorry hon :oops: T'was for the good of the plot...)


That weekend, Len, Felicity, Cecil and the two babies of the family (at nine and seven, Phil and Claire would no doubt object to being called ‘babies’ by their elder sisters) spent a happy Sunday together at Len and Reg’s pretty home. Thankfully, it went some way to alleviating the sudden pangs of homesickness, and the issue of moving schools was temporarily shelved. Felicity in any case was hesitant, since a long conversation with Lucy Peters had opened her eyes to the precarious health of that young lady’s mother. Lucy, always at the top of the form lists in any case, had chosen to take her schoolwork home with her for the rest of the term. At fourteen, she was well aware of the limitations that modern medicine posed, and her form-mates were similarly informed, thanks to a long discussion with their form mistress. Thus, Inter V was remarkably subdued for the present, since Lucy was a favourite with all.

It was not quite so in the staffroom; Peggy Burnett had abruptly dropped the discussion of Senior Mistress, much to her cousin’s relief, but both she and Kathie Ferrars were worried at the turn that their formerly close friendship had taken. Both were remarkably stubborn women, however, and short of Nancy carrying out her threat to bang their heads together in the hope of knocking some sense into either one of them, there was little anyone could do. Nell Wilson was beginning to entertain hesitant doubts as to the suitability of either woman for a senior position in the school, but as Hilda remained irritatingly determined as to the appropriateness of her choice, Nell had no option but to agree. The matter was complicated, however, by Mary-Lou Emerson’s and Deb Smith’s shortness with one another. Alison Smith had gone down with a sudden bout of ‘flu (prompting her closest friends on the staff, Eleanor Peterson and Helen Melluish, to demand to know how anyone could catch ‘flu in mid May), which meant that Deb, as the only other mistress qualified to teach History, was required to work closely with Mary-Lou. Kathie Ferrars had stipulated that the two stay away from each other whenever possible, but it was an uneasy truce.

It was this situation, which they were thankfully able to keep from the school and pupils themselves, that prompted Peggy Burnett to hunt out Kathie one afternoon in the staffroom. She eventually found her curled up in one of the big armchairs gracing the staff sitting room. Kathie sat with her hands clasped around her legs, resting her chin on her knees and, as Peggy approached, she heaved a sigh.

“Well, that’s never a good sign,” Peggy remarked as she stood over her colleague. Alarmed by the taller woman’s proximity, Kathie glanced up only to notice the cup of coffee that Peggy was holding out to her.

“Thanks,” Kathie took the coffee, moving up as Peggy perched on the arm of the chair with complete disregard for the pile of essays that had been set precariously at the end.

Sipping her own coffee, Peggy heaved a sigh. “I’ve been a complete louse to you lately, Kathie,” she said ruefully, looking steadily at her friend.

Kathie hesitated. “I’ve not been much better,” she admitted, after a minute. “I probably could have been more understanding. After all, you had a legitimate complaint. You’ve been here longer.”

“Initially it was my fault, though,” Peggy protested. “I should have supported you.” She stopped suddenly, starting to laugh. “Kathie, are we arguing over whose fault it is that we’re arguing?”

Her friend started to giggle, suddenly finding the whole thing highly amusing. “I suppose so,” she choked out, trying not to spill her coffee as her shoulders shook with mirth.

Chuckling, Peggy slipped further down in the seat so that she was squashed in next to the smaller woman. “What? You don’t exactly take up much space,” she pointed out as her friend protested. “All joking aside, though,” she said once Kathie’s giggles had ceased. “I’m sorry. I let myself get caught up in petty jealousies, and,” here, she hesitated before continuing firmly, “I forgot what’s most important, and that’s what’s best for the school. That, my dear, is you.” Her voice was firm and her blue eyes, as she stared into the deep brown ones opposite, were intense.

“I wouldn’t say that, Peg.” Kathie’s voice was very quiet as she studied the wall opposite her with unwarranted concentration.

“Really? When I’m not being an ass, I would,” Peggy assured her, feeling a sharp pang of guilt. Had the situation been reversed, she knew well enough that the support she could count on unequivocally would come from Kathie, Nancy and Sharlie. Rosalind Yolland and Davida Armitage were also close friends, but there was a friendship between the four that she had come to rely upon over the past years. She’d thought nothing would ever come between that. What had happened, then? “Kathie, you’re doing fabulously, and you’ll continue to do so. Hilda made the right choice.”

“Did she really, though?” Kathie demanded. “Nancy’s the obvious choice.”

Peggy shrugged. “I don’t think so, but we’ll not get into it now. Nancy turned the job down, anyway.” She clapped a hand over her mouth as Kathie’s eyes widened abruptly. “You didn’t know.”

“No.” Kathie’s voice shook. “No, I had no idea.”

Author:  Lesley [ Fri Oct 06, 2006 6:17 pm ]
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:shock: :shock: :shock:

Why???????


Lovely post Gem - glad Peggy and Kathie have made up.

Author:  Cath V-P [ Fri Oct 06, 2006 11:15 pm ]
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Oh. Yes. Um. That's food for thought....

Interesting to see all the staff dynamics like this.

Thanks Gem

Author:  Kathy_S [ Fri Oct 06, 2006 11:55 pm ]
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Very interesting about Nancy. :shock:
Nice Kathie & Peggy are speaking again, though.

(The staff dynamics sound a bit like work at the moment.)

Author:  Josie [ Sun Oct 08, 2006 11:21 pm ]
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Ooops, Peggy!

Glad they've made up, but what on earth's up with Nancy?

Thanks Gem. Loving this as ever.

Author:  Nell [ Mon Oct 09, 2006 8:16 am ]
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Oh dear - glad Peggy and Kathie have made up but I foresee fireworks...

Thank you Gempie!

Author:  Gem [ Mon Oct 09, 2006 12:53 pm ]
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“Nancy!”

Nancy Wilmot, curled up on her bed, glanced up from her book as her partner entered the room. “Hello you,” she said with a smile, tossing the book down and looking up at Kathie. She hesitated as she caught the look in her companion’s deep brown eyes, looking uncertain. “Uh oh.”

Kathie nodded. “Indeed.” Exhaling violently, she calmly appropriated one of Nancy’s pillows and curled up next to her partner, her back to the wall. “You weren’t going to tell me?” she asked finally, her voice a mixture of confusion, anger and hurt.

Shaking her head, Nancy responded, “No, I wasn’t. Who do I need to yell at, by the way? Peggy?”

“Peggy told me, but don’t yell at her. She didn’t know that you hadn’t told me,” Kathie said accusingly. “Besides,” she added, her tone lighter, “I think we’ll see if we can go the rest of the term without one of us being at odds with her.”

Nancy smiled. “I’d like that.” She hesitated again, then reached to take the smaller hand next to hers. “Are you angry?”

“I’d like to be. You didn’t give me the chance to support you.”

“I know.”

“I would have wanted to help you.”

“I know,” Nancy repeated. “Are you angry?”

Kathie exhaled, then glared at her partner. “No, I’m not angry. It’s your choice to make, and it’s your choice to tell me or not to tell me. But Nance…”

“Next time, I will,” her companion replied softly. “I’m sorry. I’ve hated keeping it from you.”

Snuggling up against the taller woman, Kathie smiled. “Nancy?” she murmured, after a minute. “Why didn’t you want this? To be Senior Mistress, I mean, even if it’s just for this term?”

“What, the paperwork and the correspondence and the dealing with bickering staff and pupils?” Nancy chuckled. “I’d love to do it, Kath. But I’ve had my experience. I’ve proved to myself – and the Heads – that I can do it.” She dropped a gentle kiss on her partner’s forehead. “I wanted you to have the same experience. And,” she added steadily, “I wanted the Heads to see what you’re capable of. As did they. And don’t ask me why I didn’t tell you, because you know you wouldn’t have let me turn it down.”

“I would have respected your choice,” Kathie argued half-heartedly.

Nancy shook her head, “No, you would have wanted to know why I was turning it down, and then you would have told me not to be an ape.”

“I would not!” Kathie assented as her partner raised an eyebrow. “Maybe I would. But I still don’t like the idea of me taking your job.”

Chuckling, Nancy pulled her friend up from the bed as the dinner bell rang. “It may not be my job. Or it may be.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Kathie demanded. “Nancy! What do you know?”

“Wait and see!”

Author:  Nell [ Mon Oct 09, 2006 1:57 pm ]
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I was expecting more fireworks than that - Kathie's obviously grown-up with recent events - but very pleased there weren't. Intrigued by Nancy's comment...

Thank you hon!

Author:  Lesley [ Mon Oct 09, 2006 4:35 pm ]
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Hmmmm, Nancy knows something....


Thanks Gem.

Author:  Jennie [ Mon Oct 09, 2006 8:13 pm ]
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Was that a cliff, there, Gem?

Thanks.

Author:  Cath V-P [ Mon Oct 09, 2006 11:22 pm ]
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They both handled that so well - lovely to see them together so strong and loving.

Author:  Gem [ Tue Oct 10, 2006 12:50 pm ]
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Samaris knocked loudly on the table in the prefects’ room, attempting to call her contemporaries to order. “Listen up, please!” she announced. “Lys – hush, will you? A few of us have prep with the Middles in an hour.” Lysbet Alsen stopped talking, sending an apologetic smile to her friend. “The Sale’s in just over three weeks time, so this is the first of the ‘We have absolutely nothing and it’s time to panic’ meetings,” Samaris continued with a grin. “Anyone in that state? Rosemary – you and Brigit have charge of the Juniors. How is the Lucky Dip doing?”

“Almost done,” Rosemary Wilson replied promptly. “Just need to finish decorating. Marcia, when you’re done with the main scenery, may I borrow you?”

“What it is to be so in demand,” Marcia Watson said with a grin. “I’ll help all I can – just give me fair notice, that’s all I ask!”

Rosemary nodded. “You’ll get it,” she responded. “We’ve done most of it – just need someone with a modicum of talent to do the fiddly bits,” she said ruefully, sharing a grin with Brigit Ingram.

“Moving on,” Samaris interrupted hastily, with an eye on the clock. “Marcia, I’m presuming you and your crowd are on schedule if you’re promising help to Rosemary?” Marcia, who was attending to the stall decorations with a group of the more artistically minded Seniors, nodded her assent. “Lysbet? You were overseeing – who was it?”

“The Thirds,” Lysbet replied promptly. “Elizabeth’s been keeping an eye on bric-à-brac, and they’ve also got books and stationary. All’s fine, now they’ve stopped arguing over who gets to be on which stall,” she rolled her eyes in frustration. “Middles!”

“Will always be Middles,” Lizette Thome agreed. “The Fourths are being a bit of a pain, Sam. Any chance of begging someone to help Marie and I out?”

Val Pertwee, in charge of the Fifths who in fact needed very little supervision, instantly offered her help; and the rest of the meeting continued thus. Rather appropriately, the Sale Committee, overseen by the Prefects, had decided upon a theme of Italian history, with each stall taking one particular period and representing it. This had in turn led to the Seniors, who had the Paintings stall, attempting to recreate miniature Renaissance works. Once it was completed, the effect would be magnificent; but up until then, they were constantly thinking and dreaming of the Sale, as Susan Barnett had complained. The realisation that it was only three weeks away brought relief and alarm in waves. Still, the girls had insisted that the term would be a record one, and it certainly seemed to be heading that way. Considering that they’d lost an entire term’s worth of preparation, the first Italian Sale seemed to be well on the way to making the Chalet School proud.

***

Con Maynard, sat at her desk in her parents’ home in England, frowned violently at the piece of paper upon which she had been scribbling. She’d had a wealth of ideas for her first novel, but writer’s block had struck upon her move back to England. Though she’d been able to get articles published regularly in her usual magazines, Con was determined to turn her into career into that of a full-time novelist.

Pushing her chair back from her desk, Con glanced around her room with a slight feeling of dissatisfaction. She’d been in Austria with Roger until two weeks ago, but, knowing how Joey was missing her daughters, had chosen to spend a month or so at home with her parents. Madge and Jem were in Australia with Josette, who was expecting her second child. When term ended, their three younger children, Kevin, Kester and Ailie, who was training to become a PT mistress at Bedford, would return to Die Blumen. Ailie would graduate in July, however, so Madge and Jem intended to be in England for that. Then, they intended to spend some time with Sybil. The eldest Russell daughter and her husband were, however, intending to emigrate back to England, much to Con’s delight – she and her elder cousin had developed a close friendship.

As for Con herself, she was torn between England, with her parents, and Italy, with Len. Once she had decided, she would start looking for a house whilst Roger worked out his notice in Austria. He would be able to find work in either place, and Con could work from home, so they were saved that problem. Still, their engagement was a year old now and Joey was beginning to hint that it was time they started planning.

“Con!”


Adrienne Desimones, now twenty-one and working at the local kindergarten, slammed the door open. “Phone for your mother!” she gasped breathlessly. “Come, quickly!”

Con dived to her feet and darted across the room, pushing past her adoptive sister. “Mama!” she called as she hurried down the stairs, her heart sick with dread. “What is it?”

Joey, white to the lips and trembling violently, turned to her second daughter as the phone hung from her limp hand. “Con,” she choked out unsteadily. “Oh, Con – Len!”

Author:  pim [ Tue Oct 10, 2006 12:58 pm ]
Post subject: 

BAD GEM! That's norty! :wink:

Author:  Karry [ Tue Oct 10, 2006 3:40 pm ]
Post subject: 

Pim yelled
Quote:
BAD GEM! That's norty!


Quite - I wonder from whom she is taking lessons! :lol:

Author:  Lesley [ Tue Oct 10, 2006 5:26 pm ]
Post subject: 

Nice cliff Gem! :lol:

Author:  Josie [ Tue Oct 10, 2006 10:39 pm ]
Post subject: 

:shock: Doesn't sound good!

Thanks Gem.

Author:  Nell [ Thu Oct 12, 2006 10:47 am ]
Post subject: 

Norty Gem!

Len what?

Author:  LizB [ Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:17 pm ]
Post subject: 

What about Len?

Gem wrote:
And please feel free to nag for updates


Consider me to be nagging :wink:

Author:  Nell [ Wed Nov 01, 2006 9:32 am ]
Post subject: 

nag-nag-naggity-nag...

Author:  Gem [ Wed Nov 01, 2006 10:22 am ]
Post subject: 

Erp. Yes. Erm. I have an update that is more-or-less-done, which may be posted tonight. If not, I am going HOME on Friday, which means that there is muchly more time for writing etc and I shall be more in the mood for it. So there will be one by Sunday at the very latest, probably earlier. Many apologies for having left it so long :oops:

Author:  Nell [ Wed Nov 01, 2006 1:08 pm ]
Post subject: 

Yay an update soon...have a lovelt time at home hon!

Author:  Gem [ Thu Nov 02, 2006 7:56 am ]
Post subject: 

Reg Entwhistle paced up and down the hall of the local hospital, glaring at the doctors behind the door. He’d always been surprised when the families of his patients had attempted to stay in the room whilst doctors were treating their loved ones; had said that, if it were him, he’d stay well out of it. Better to let the doctors do their jobs.

And yet he’d stood there in the room, getting in the way, insisting that it was his wife in there. His child. Only the nausea that had come with the nurse’s alarmed tone as she called out Len’s heart rate, had made him leave. Now he was stood outside, staring through the glass and praying harder than he’d ever done before, his hands fisted in his shirt as he shook with fear.

“Reg!”

He turned, suddenly, as the sound of running feet registered, of someone throwing big double doors open. Felicity Maynard came tearing down the corridor, gasping for breath and clutching at the stitch in her side.

“Felicity! What on earth are you doing here?”

“Ran – from – school,” Felicity gasped. “You – called - while everyone was in Prayers.” She bent over double, breathing heavily.

“No-one could drive you?” Reg sounded surprised, and Felicity shrugged lightly, looking a little shame-faced. She hadn’t bothered to wait for anyone to drive her, had simply turned and ran. She had the same rashness of nature that had plagued both Margot and Mike, but was certain no-one would scold her this time. “Are you sure you should be here? Who’s with the kids?”

“Erica’ll stay with them,” Felicity responded shortly. “I left a note for Auntie Rosalie. And of course I’m here. She’s my sister – and that’s my niece,” she added, staring through the glass window.

Reg smiled suddenly. “Len’s converted you, then?”

“It’s clearly a girl,” Felicity argued, grasping hold of the mindless conversation like a lifeline. “Our family is ruled by them. Granted, Auntie Madge has three of each, but Mama and Auntie Mollie each have one extra girl, and Josette’s first was a girl.” Felicity stopped talking, suddenly realising that she and Reg had both stopped paying attention some time ago. She sat down in a hard plastic chair, gesturing to the one beside her. “Sit down, Reg.” As he obeyed, she leant forward, pulling her hair out of its long plait and letting it fall in front of her face. Hidden by the curtain of bright blond hair, she squeezed her eyes tightly shut to force back the tears. “Don’t be a baby,” she muttered quietly. Suddenly, she wanted her mother with a fierceness that caught her breath in her throat and choked her.

Staring intently at the door, Reg jumped to his feet again, moving so that he could see through the window. “What’s happening in there?” he demanded, angrily. “Why the hell isn’t anyone telling me what’s going on?” Felicity didn’t bother to reply.

***

Mary-Lou Emerson shoved her front door open with rather more force than was necessary, dropping her bag as soon as she was over the threshold.

“Hey, now,” Peter Emerson protested lightly, approaching her. He greeted her with a quick kiss, taking her coat from her and picking up the abused bag before remarking, “What’s our poor door done to you now? That’s the third time you’ve slammed it this week.”

“Oh – you!” Mary-Lou said in half-serious frustration, kicking her shoes off and heading towards the kitchen. “Leave them, Peter, I’ll get them later!” she called, knowing full well that her husband was picking up after her. “Come in here and talk to me instead.”

Peter did as he was asked, following her in. “How’s Len?” he asked, removing the coffee pot from her hand. “Sit down, I’ll do it. Do you have time for dinner? You need to eat.”

“That’s why I’m home, briefly,” Mary-Lou affirmed. “Miss Wilson sent me. Len’s,” she hesitated, “it’s touch and go. She’s going to be all right, eventually,” she added hastily, “but the baby isn’t doing too well. I’m going back to the hospital shortly. Reg is running between her and Phoebe like a madman, poor thing.”

“He’s not with Len?” Peter looked startled.

Shaking her head and downing her coffee, holding out her mug for more, Mary-Lou responded, “He is, but Phoebe means a great deal to him. She always has done. And that hasn’t changed with her marriage, or his.”

“Yes, but…”

“She won’t last the night, Peter,” Mary-Lou said quietly. “If he wasn’t there…”

Peter nodded, squeezing her shoulder briefly. “Poor woman.”

“She’s suffered a lot, especially over the past few years. In a way this is a blessing, and in a way it’s anything but.” Mary-Lou cast a thought back to her own mother, and her sister-by-marriage, Verity, thinking that she should really visit the closest family that she had left.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes, before Peter remarked in a different tone, “This isn’t the time, but at some point we’re going to have to talk about what you want to do.”

Mary-Lou nodded, pulling a face. It was a conversation she’d rather avoid for the present. “Not now, though. First, I’m hungry. Feed me!” she demanded, banging her fist lightly on the table and laughing at her husband’s expression. “Do you want me to cook?” Peter looked remarkably dubious at that statement, and she smacked him on the arm. “I’m not that bad!”

“Yes, you are,” Peter responded teasingly. “I’ll cook. Go and lie down, I’ll call you when it’s ready. After we’ve eaten, I’ll drive you up to the hospital.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I know. But if you don’t mind me being there, I’d like to.”

His wife shot him a dazzling smile. “Thank you.”

Author:  Nell [ Thu Nov 02, 2006 10:38 am ]
Post subject: 

Yay an update...though it's a little bit sad Gem, glad Len is going to be ok hope the baby is too though and as for Phoebe...

Thank you hon.

Author:  LizB [ Thu Nov 02, 2006 11:23 am ]
Post subject: 

*wibbles*

Poor Reg, torn between Phoebe and Len & baby like that :cry:

Author:  Fiona Mc [ Thu Nov 02, 2006 12:34 pm ]
Post subject:  The School by the River Part II

Am really enjoying this. Poor Reg with Pheobe and Len and poor Len's sister's

Author:  Josie [ Thu Nov 02, 2006 12:46 pm ]
Post subject: 

:( Poor little Felicity - she's only young! And poor Reg too. I always forget how close he was to Pheobe.

Thanks Gem. Please make it better!

Author:  Mrs Redboots [ Thu Nov 02, 2006 5:12 pm ]
Post subject: 

Wibbling violently!

Many thanks, Gem.

Author:  Lesley [ Thu Nov 02, 2006 6:45 pm ]
Post subject: 

Poor Reg - of course he would want to be there for Phoebe - torn in too.

Is Mary Lou upset/angry because of anything else?


Thanks Gem - good to see more of this.

Author:  Jennie [ Sat Nov 04, 2006 1:57 pm ]
Post subject: 

Thanks, Gem. Poor Reg, what a dilemma, torn between wife, baby and Phoebe.

Author:  Fatima [ Sat Nov 04, 2006 2:18 pm ]
Post subject: 

I hope the baby will be ok; it might make things a little easier for Reg if he can find that one life begins as another ends.

Author:  Gem [ Sat Nov 04, 2006 6:31 pm ]
Post subject: 

Just realised I might have been being a bit confusing - the baby hasn't been born yet, it's just that Len's having some trouble. Should be sorted in - oh - maybe a few updates time? :wink:


The next few days passed in a complete blur to Felicity. She spent as many hours as she was allowed to at the hospital, waiting outside Len’s hospital room on that same hard chair. People came and went, made her eat, made her sleep, waited with her and prayed with her. She remembered Erica being there, and the Aunties. She remembered Mary-Lou, quiet and pale and clinging to her husband as though she’d never let him go. She remembered nurses and doctors, frowning and muttering that it was no place for a little girl, and she wanted to scream at them that she wasn’t little. That she was the eldest Maynard, and it was her job to be there. That she was there when Lucy came to find her, ashen and suddenly not a little girl either. Lucy, horribly calm and composed, waited with her for as long as she could, until Reg left her father and he needed her again. Then she left, without hugging her best friend, and Felicity slumped back in her seat and decided that life wasn’t fair.

Curled up in her chair, dozing slightly, Felicity stirred as she heard a sudden movement down the hall. She caught sight of short, bobbed black hair with tinges of grey – when had that happened? – and heard a golden voice calling her name. And then her mother was there, and her twin was there, and she was crying as though she’d never stop.

Joey Maynard blinked away her own tears as she watched her fourth daughter sob in her twin’s arms – Felix, a typical fourteen-year-old boy, looked distinctly uncomfortable and kept sending alarmed glances in his mother’s direction.

She and Con had taken the first available flight out to Italy, but with their meagre finances, that had been easier said than done. Luckily, Con was earning well from her magazine work, and she had paid, much to Joey’s dismay. Still, there was nothing else for it, and Len came first.

Con herself approached from further down the hallway where she had been speaking to Len’s doctor; Joey’s first concern had only been to get to her children. Joey turned, hopefully, but the shadowed expression in her second daughter’s eyes told her all she wanted to know. Slipping a firm arm around Con’s waist, she held out her other arm to Felicity, who came willingly and buried her face in her mother’s dress as though she was a small girl again. Joey held tight to them, smiling at Felix through her tears and his scowl in an attempt to hold his own back. She dropped a kiss on Felicity’s blond head, wondering suddenly where Erica and Cecil and the babies of the family were. Joey hadn’t expected them to be there, of course – in fact, if her nine and seven year old daughters had been waiting outside the hospital room, she would have been furious. She wasn’t quite sure she liked her fourteen year old daughter being there alone either; she intended to have a few pointed words with the school’s Headmistresses.

“Right,” Joey said briskly, pulling away slightly. “Don’t worry about anything, darling – I’m here now,” she told Felicity firmly. “And the first thing I want you to do is find Auntie Hilda or Auntie Nell – where are they?”

“Auntie Nell’s getting some food from the cafeteria,” Felicity replied promptly. “Matey’s been bringing food up constantly, but it’s all healthy,” she pulled a face. “I wanted some chocolate. Auntie Hilda’s with Lucy an’ Uncle Frank. They’ve been here all the time with me, Mama.”

Joey promptly forgave her friends, wondering if Felicity had known what her mother had meant. “Good for them,” she replied heartily, wincing at the false cheer. “In that case, when Auntie Nell gets back, I want you to go back to school with her, check on Cecil and Phil and Claire for me, and then go and see your friends. Will you?”

Felicity hesitated. “Can Felix come with me?” Her twin looked only slightly horrified at being left in a school filled with hundreds of teenage girls, much to his credit; girls held little interest for him at the moment. Since the alternative was waiting in the hospital with his mother and his sister, he agreed reluctantly on the condition that he wasn’t expected to spend the night at the school.

Nell Wilson was swiftly found and dispatched back to the school with the twins, a note to Erica and the youngest members of the family, and the orders to get some rest herself. Neither she nor Hilda had slept much over the past few nights, and as Nell was Len’s Godmother and namesake, she felt a particular responsibility for the eldest Maynard. Still, Joey was well aware of how both of her closest friends would be feeling, and she made a mental note to make sure that Hilda was ordered to rest.

Such responsibilities divulged and dealt with, Joey turned shakily to Len’s hospital room and her two eldest children. The thought caught in her throat – she’d never thought of the two eldest – it had always been the three. Her triplets, her first girls. Con sat at Len’s bedside, Reg the either side, and a seat was placed next to Con, waiting for her. Joey crossed to it and stood there unsteadily, placing her hand on Con’s shoulder briefly. “We should wire to Margot,” she said, finally. “She should know.”

“I’ve written. I wrote straight away, and I’ll write again today,” Con said shortly, and for the first time Joey noticed the notebook in her hand and the capless pen hanging limply from her fingers. “Why wire, Mother? She can’t come, and if she receives only a wire telling her Len’s ill, she’ll go mad worrying.”

Joey had nothing to say to that. It was true. “What about Roger?” she offered limply, wondering why on earth she hadn’t thought of all of this sooner.

“He should be here any day now,” Reg interrupted. “I contacted him straight after you two. Figured Con’d want him here.”

Con sighed in relief. “Thank you, Reg. I did wire, but I don’t know if he received it, and I can’t get him on the ‘phone.” She glanced up, at her mother still standing at her side. “Mother, will you please sit down?” If the words sounded curt, though, her tone wasn’t, and Con gave a half-smile in her mother’s direction.

Joey hesitated. “I should go and check on the babies. Phil and Claire and Cecil – I know Erica’s been looking after them, but they must be so scared.” Con opened her mouth to protest, and Joey turned quickly. “I’m sorry, Con. I’ll be back soon.” She left the room without another word.

Author:  Lesley [ Sat Nov 04, 2006 8:41 pm ]
Post subject: 

Good to see Joey doing all the right things - Felicity must have been so relieved.


Thanks Gem

Author:  Cath V-P [ Sat Nov 04, 2006 9:44 pm ]
Post subject: 

Felicity was very brave there, at just fourteen - love her comment about healthy food! And at least Joey had the sense to allow that Felicity had the right to be there, and had been cared for. And I think Felicity knew just what she was getting at.

Poor Con too....and Lucy.

Author:  Fiona Mc [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 5:08 am ]
Post subject:  The School by the River

I don't kmow what to say. This is really good. More please as I am loving reading it, but am hoping for a better outcome. More Lucy with Phoebe and Reg, between his adopted Mum (I guess that's how he sort see's Phoebe) and his wife and child, it must be heartbreaking for him.

Author:  LizB [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 11:52 am ]
Post subject: 

Please make it all better, Gem :cry:

Author:  MaryR [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 4:37 pm ]
Post subject: 

Well done, Joey - being there for them all is so important, and so is making sure Hilda and Nell get some rest, for they are not young any more. But both Phoebe and Len - poor Reg. Which way does he turn? :cry:

Thanks, Gem

Author:  leahbelle [ Sun Nov 05, 2006 4:50 pm ]
Post subject: 

Thanks, Gem. I hope everything will be ok.

Author:  Nell [ Mon Nov 06, 2006 10:28 am ]
Post subject: 

Thank you Gempie. Hope everything works out ok...poor Lucy and Frank.

Author:  francesn [ Thu Nov 09, 2006 9:17 pm ]
Post subject: 

Make it better Gemmy...please?

Author:  Kathy_S [ Fri Nov 10, 2006 2:29 am ]
Post subject: 

You don't mean to leave it here, do you?
*waves to attract Gem's attention*

Author:  Vikki [ Fri Nov 10, 2006 11:11 pm ]
Post subject: 

*wibbles*

Gemmy? Please don't leave it there for too long....

Author:  Josie [ Sun Nov 12, 2006 10:54 pm ]
Post subject: 

:shock: :( :shock: :(

Poor Reg. Want to give him a big hug. Thanks Gem.

Author:  Gem [ Tue Nov 14, 2006 7:03 pm ]
Post subject: 

Erica gave a frustrated sigh and threw her pen down, glaring at her notepad as if it had betrayed her. Robina sent her a curious look but, at her friend’s glance, returned her attention to her own letter. Still, she couldn’t help but notice the words written on the notepad, and, unnoticed by Erica, her eyes widened.

Shoving the door open, Samaris wandered into the room and sat down beside Erica. “So that’s where you are!” she exclaimed. “We were supposed to play tennis, Eric.”

“Don’t call me that,” Erica muttered, still glaring at her notepad. As Samaris leaned over to glance at it, she flipped it over quickly. At the Head Girl’s indignant glance, she hastily changed the subject. “I’m sorry Sam – I completely forgot. D’you want to go now?”

“Can’t be bothered,” Samaris responded lethargically. “I’ve got to go and hear some lines from your young Daphne in a minute, anyway.”

Erica groaned. “Drat that child! Why can’t she behave like a civilised Christian? What did she do now?”

“Cheeked me left right and center, in front of the entire Junior school, no less. Never mind – she’s thoroughly sorry. And at least Cecil and co. stayed out of it.” Samaris bounced to her feet. “I’m going to go and demand to hear that poem now, and then I’m going to come back here and we’re going to spend the evening being thoroughly lazy. We get enough of the kids during the day without spending our precious evenings talking about them. Back shortly!”

As the door shut behind her, Robina frowned over at her friend. “Erica, are you trying to get into trouble?”

“Don’t read my letters,” Erica retorted, covering up her notebook. “It’s no business of yours, Rob. Leave it be, will you?”

“Not likely! You’re still a schoolgirl, remember? What would the Heads say if they could read that?”

“Well, they’re not going to!” Erica snapped. “Don’t be an ape, Rob! D’you really think I’d post a letter like that? I’m re-writing it.”

“Why are you writing it at all?” her friend demanded. “Erica, you’re too young. He surely hasn’t asked you yet?”

“And why shouldn’t he?” Erica raised an eyebrow. “Rob, we’ve had this conversation more times than I can count. Much as the Heads and Auntie Joey and co. would like to believe it, we’re not kids. I’m nineteen. Plenty of girls are engaged by the time they’re my age.”

Robina sat up, suddenly, and grabbed her friend’s writing pad from her. “Are you engaged?” she demanded incredulously. “Really and properly? Oh, Erica! Surely not!”

“Of course I’m not, you idiot! He needs to talk to Uncle Jack first, and d’you really think they’d agree while I’m still at school? We’re waiting until the summer. After all, next year I’ll be staff, more or less.” Erica flushed. “Look, Rob. I know you don’t agree – but I want this.” For the first time, she cursed the eighteen month age gap between herself and her closest friend. “Please just be happy for me? I do want your approval, you know. We both do. And – when it happens, I want you as one of my maids.”

Robina’s mouth opened and closed twice, as she tried to formulate a reply, and Erica laughed. “Rob, you look like a stranded codfish!” She sobered again. “Promise me you won’t mention anything to Auntie Jo? Not yet, anyway? She’s got enough to worry about at the moment.”

“Yes – she does! So why on earth now? Why couldn’t you two wait to decide on this?”

Erica shrugged. “It just happened – over Easter. And while Len’s so ill… we realised that there isn’t any point in waiting for long. Oh, I’m not saying that we’re going to run off and get married next week! Don’t be an idiot! For one, I want to work for a few years before we marry, and for two, no-one would hear of it happening straight away. He’s barely started his career himself.”

Robina gave a frustrated sigh. “I won’t say anything. You know me better than that.” She shrugged. “It’s none of my business, anyway. But I think you need to talk to Auntie Jo.”

Nodding, her friend agreed. “I was going to. Well – I still am. Not now, though. It can wait until she’s not quite so horribly worried.”

“Until who’s not so horribly worried?” Samaris demanded, entering the room. “What’s happened now?”

“Nothing – or nothing as far as I know,” Erica responded with a glance at Robina. “I was talking about Auntie Joey. Never mind that. Did Daph know her poem all right?”

Samaris shook her head. “She got halfway through and forgot the rest. I’ve sent her off with her little pals – she can leave it. It was a bit of a sticky punishment, anyway, and she remembered most of it.”

“Lucky her!” Robina said with a grin. “Why didn’t we ever have prefects who were nice to us? Con Maynard was particularly good at coming up with nasty poems to remember.”

“And we deserved each and every one!” Erica retorted, firing up in defence of her adopted sister. “Speaking of Con, I’m going to take advantage of this nice, peaceful evening and head up to the hospital. Maybe if I’m lucky I can get Con to stir from her seat and actually eat something!” She suited action to the word and, standing up, she gathered her work together quickly and shoved it in an untidy pile in her locker. “See you all later.”

“Give everyone our love!” Samaris called after her.

“Will do!”

Author:  LizB [ Tue Nov 14, 2006 7:10 pm ]
Post subject: 

Good for you Erica, go for it - after all Len was younger than you when she got engaged!

Thanks, Gem - but please may we have some GOOD news from the hospital soon *pleading smiley*

Author:  Lesley [ Tue Nov 14, 2006 7:50 pm ]
Post subject: 

And she was still at School, wasn't she? And Joey was only 20 herself.


Thanks Gem

Author:  Vikki [ Tue Nov 14, 2006 8:52 pm ]
Post subject: 

Thank you Gemmy!
*ponders on Erica's young man...*

Author:  Cath V-P [ Tue Nov 14, 2006 10:47 pm ]
Post subject: 

Thank you Gem, that was fascinating.

Author:  Nell [ Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:58 pm ]
Post subject: 

Ta Gemmy!

Author:  wheelchairprincess [ Sun Dec 17, 2006 12:54 pm ]
Post subject: 

Just found this, tis brilliant. But argh cliffs!

Author:  Kat [ Mon Jan 22, 2007 10:06 pm ]
Post subject: 

Just caught up!

Gems, sweetie, do you think you could let us know how Len is getting on?

Just a couple of lines to tell us she's doing fine and so is the baby and what they're calling it! Pretty please?

Then we'll let you revise in peace!

Maybe... :wink:

Author:  Gem [ Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:01 pm ]
Post subject: 

Just a quick note to say that this fic will be restarted from the end of this week, if anyone still remembers it :wink:. The unfinished copy in my documents is driving me crazy...

Author:  Fiona Mc [ Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:22 pm ]
Post subject: 

Yay. Would love to see this back again

Author:  Kat [ Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:52 am ]
Post subject: 

Woohoo! Thank you Gems! :D

Author:  Mrs Redboots [ Tue Aug 14, 2007 2:13 pm ]
Post subject: 

Oh, please yes, Gem; I shall look forward to it.

Author:  Jennie [ Wed Aug 15, 2007 11:09 am ]
Post subject: 

Yes, please, Gem. I've been tapping my foot and wondering why we haven't had any more.

Author:  Gem [ Wed Aug 15, 2007 6:11 pm ]
Post subject: 

Well, it's back! Not the most exciting of updates to return to, I'm afraid, but it's necessary and there is some cheerful stuff coming up soon. I promise :)

***

Con curled her legs up underneath her, then unfolded them again. Then stood up and marched to the door of the waiting room, peering out impatiently, before returning to her seat, curling her legs up underneath her and then stretching them out once more.

Hilda, on the verge of sitting on the younger woman to keep her still, was desperately relieved as Erica Standish pushed open the door to the waiting room and poked her head through tentatively.

“Con?” she asked softly. “Can I borrow you for a minute?” She paused suddenly, furrowing her brow. “Sorry, Miss Annersley – “

Hilda shook her head, saying “Grammar doesn’t feature particularly highly amongst my concerns at the moment, Erica,” and was shocked at herself. Erica looked horrified.

Jumping to her feet, Con followed her younger sister out of the room. “What is it, Erica?”

“Auntie Joey ‘phoned Margot. She wants to talk to you.”

“She ‘phoned her?” Con demanded. When would her mother learn to listen to her? “Oh! How could she? Margot will go out of her mind with worry!”

“She should know what’s going on, Con! Len’s her triplet too, remember?” Tact had never been Erica’s strong point.

“She doesn’t need to know,” Con argued. “Len’s going to be fine, and there’s nothing that Margot can do from where she is.” Her expression broked no argument. “Len’s going to be fine.”

Erica very nearly stomped her foot in frustration. “But what if she’s not?” she demanded. “Con, I hate the idea more than anything. You know I want Len and the baby to be safe. But if they’re not, and Margot doesn’t know... she’ll be devastated, Con. She has a right to know.”

“No, she doesn’t,” Con snapped. “She gave up that right when she left us!”

Her eyes widened with horror, and she sat down in a conveniently placed chair with a thump. Leaning forward, pushing her hair back from her face, she sighed deeply. Her voice was muffled as she spoke. “I don’t know why I said that. She didn’t leave us. I don’t think that at all.”

Erica sat down beside her, squeezing her sister's shoulder briefly and fighting off a wave of exhaustion. For a moment she longed to be coddled and protected as they had been in Switzerland; before she remembered that she hadn't liked it very much in the first place, and she supposed she'd have to grow up eventually.

“You said it,” she said flatly, sitting down beside her sister, “because you’re tired and you’re worried about Len. But you’re going to have to talk to Margot, and then you’re going to have to talk to Auntie Joey, because you’re the oldest and the most responsible one here and everyone else thinks that Felicity and I are just kids.”

Con raised an eyebrow, looking up to meet her sister’s eye. “You and Fel are doing a better job of keeping your head high than the rest of us. We’re all Chalet girls – we’re supposed to be beyond ‘spineless jellyfish’.” She giggled, suddenly, and surprised both herself and Erica. “What kind of an expression is ‘spineless jellyfish’, anyway? I always hated that phrase. And Mama would throw it liberally into every book she wrote. Besides,” she added, apparently having decided to fixate on this one particular point, “jellyfish sting. They might not have spines, but no-one ever wants to cross a jellyfish. Don’t you think?”

Erica looked utterly confused. “I think you’ve gone mad with the strain,” she responded. “But that’s by the by. Margot’s still on the phone.”

“Oh, heavens, so she is!” Con darted down the hallway in search of her mother, pausing only to touch Erica’s arm briefly.

***

“Mama?” Con skidded to a halt before her mother, grasping at the phone and ignoring her mother’s irritated expression as she snatched it away. “Margot, is that you?”

“Yes, it’s me!” Margot sounded beyond furious, and Con flinched. Whilst the youngest triplet had more or less conquered her temper, it was still very much in evidence. And with justification this time, she supposed. “I’ve a good mind to larn you, Con! Why on earth didn’t you call?”

“I didn’t want to worry you...” her voice trailed off.

“And it never occurred to you that I’d want to know? Or that, if the worst happened, you’d need me there?”

Con set her shoulders, not caring if her irritation with her mother, with her sisters, with the whole situation, was evident in her voice. “It’ll be fine, Margot.”

Her sister’s tone was quiet and sympathetic, and everything that she didn’t need when she was trying not to fall apart. “It will?”

“You’re the nun!” Con said fiercely. “Aren’t you supposed to be optimistic and certain that God will save her? Because if we’re relying on my faith right now, Margot, then we’re in trouble.”

“We’re relying on His faith.” Margot’s words sounded hollow even to Con’s ears. “And it will be enough, Con.”

“But what if it’s not?”

Her sister’s silence told her everything she needed to know. “I – uh, I need to go, Margot. I’ll phone, or write, or wire as soon as I can. I promise.”

“All right. Take care of yourself, and Len, and everyone for me, will you? I’ll try and come home soon.”

Con nodded, then remembered that Margot couldn’t see her. “I love you.”

Forcing back the tears in her eyes, Margot nodded viciously. “You too. And Len.”

Con slammed the phone down, suddenly furious at the whole situation, and turned to face her mother. “Mother, we need to go back to Len.”

Joey turned to the phone again. “I just need to check on Phil and Cecil and Claire, Con. I sha’n’t be long.”

“No, you won’t!” Con was the most even-tempered of the triplets; Len had a temper, though it was generally well-controlled, and Margot’s ‘Devil’ was legendary. At this point, though, she was certain her sisters were standing behind her and cheering her on. “You’ve sat beside Chalet girl after Chalet girl while she’s in danger,” she said furiously, her eyes flashing with anger. “Mary-Lou, Naomi Elton, Richenda Fry. The Balbini twins.” Con paused for breath, then continued before her mother could interrupt. “Auntie Robin. Primula Venables. Margot, while she was young, and Phil, countless times. Len deserves the same from you, Mother! She needs it!” Her voice broke, and she sat down suddenly, fearing her legs wouldn’t hold her for much longer. “I know this is hard. She’s your daughter. But she’s my triplet, and she needs us here! So you are going to stop taking care of everyone else, and you’re going to go and sit with Len. I’ll look after Reg, and the twins, and Cecil and Phil and Erica and Claire. Just go, Mama.”

Joey stared at her daughter for a long while, seeing no sign of the ‘dreamy’ Con, the second sister who never led if she could help it. She saw Len’s determination, Margot’s fire; and she wondered what else she’d missed.

Turning on her heel, Joey marched down the hallway in search of her firstborn.

Author:  Pat [ Wed Aug 15, 2007 7:34 pm ]
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Good for Con. Glad to see this back Gem.

Author:  Lesley [ Thu Aug 16, 2007 12:44 am ]
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Well done Con - Joey needed someone to tell her that.


Thanks Gem :lol:

Author:  Gem [ Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:05 am ]
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Don't get excited - I sha'n't be posting this regularly for very long :lol: But I wanted to get this one up as I'll most likely be posting in the mornings rather than in the evenings. Though not at weekends. I shall attempt to at least start with regular updates...

Reg stood at Len’s side, holding her hand tightly, holding his breath at the same time and waiting for that cry. Just one cry, that’s all he needed. And then there it was – a tiny kitten mew, barely even that. A baby that his doctor’s eye thought was slightly too small, but that wasn’t his concern at that second. All he saw was his baby, beautiful and perfect and theirs. He was a father. Len was a mother, and she was more alive than he’d seen her in weeks, clearly exhausted but her face flushed, tears of joy winding a slow trail down her cheeks. She reached eagerly for their daughter, arms clasping the baby to her.

“She’s small, but she’s feisty,” the doctor confirmed, making a few notes on the clipboard. “I want to keep an eye on her, but for now, Dr and Mrs Entwhistle, she’s all yours. Congratulations.”

Reg grinned. “Thanks so much, Tom. I – we -” he corrected, glancing between Len and the small bundle in her arms – “really appreciate it.”

“Not a problem, Entwhistle. It’s all your job from now, though!” And with this cheerful edict, he left the new family.

Peering over Len’s shoulder at their daughter, Reg wondered whether it was possible to feel happier. “I think I understand why your parents had so many now,” he commented, and received a smack on the arm for his trouble.

Len glared playfully up at him. “I’ve not forgiven you just yet. If you want any more – at least in the near future – you can find a way to have them yourself, thank you very much! In the meantime, how about you sit down and take your daughter for a while?”

Perching on the edge of his wife’s bed, Reg reached out to pull the tiny bundle of blankets to him. He opened his mouth to speak, and then closed it again. Len would know whatever he wanted to say anyway – always had, even back as far as when he’d proposed to her. He’d hoped to be romantic, wanted to tell her that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, wanted to make her as happy as she’d made him. And “Like it, darling?” had been his proposal. Even now he cringed and decided that one day, when she wasn’t falling asleep in his arms and his mother-in-law wasn’t waiting outside the door, he’d propose again. Properly, this time.

There was a light tap at the door, and Joey poked her head through. “Ready for visitors, Len?” she asked cheerfully, looking alarmingly bright and awake for eight o’clock in the morning after the events of the past week.

Len pushed herself up on her pillows, wincing, reclaiming her daughter from Reg. “Ready as I’ll ever be,” she responded with a smile, and Joey and Con entered the room, the latter almost dancing with excitement.

“Mama, I want you to meet your first granddaughter,” Len said gently, passing the bundle over to Joey. “This is Zoë.”

“Hello, Zoë,” Joey whispered, cuddling the tiny little girl and feeling strangely choked. “What a precious name, Len! What does it mean?”

Len smiled up at her husband, who squeezed her shoulder gently before moving to grasp his daughter’s tiny finger. “It means life, Mama,” Len murmured. “I wanted to name her after Jeanne and Ruth, but it didn’t seem right. And then Reg came up with Zoë.”

“Zoë Phoebe Entwhistle,” Reg nodded, fighting back a lump in his throat. “Life.”

***

Felicity pushed open the door to the small room that she and Lucy had comandeered for their dance practise, ballet slippers in hand. Right now, more than anything, she wanted to dance. She wanted to dance for the reason that Con was writing furiously at her novel, Roger watching patiently; she wanted to dance for the same reason that Erica was writing to Louis von Ahlen, letting herself fall apart at last and trusting him to catch her. She wanted to dance because Len was sleeping peacefully, her daughter and her husband at her side, and Felix was waiting at the hospital with her mother because they couldn’t quite bear to leave her just yet. Not when they’d almost lost her.

She wanted to dance because Lucy was there, graceful and beautiful and sad, losing herself in her own music, tears painting a picture of loss across her cheeks.

And then she sat down at the piano and played, instead, because Lucy never felt more alive than when she was dancing to the sound of the old, dusty piano; in this small room with the temporary barre, where their dreams were all they needed and their future was all they had.

Author:  Fiona Mc [ Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:55 am ]
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Really glad to see this back. Am glad Len seems to be alright and Con told Joey to be with Len. And I like that felicity is helping Lucy the way she is. It seems awfully apt.

Author:  Lesley [ Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:16 am ]
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That's so lovely - Len and Reg's relationship sounds far better than that portrayed in the books.

Thanks Gem.

Author:  Jennie [ Thu Aug 16, 2007 10:42 am ]
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Thanks, Gem. Waht do you mean, not much more?

Author:  Mrs Redboots [ Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:07 pm ]
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Oh, that was lovely. Thank you so much.

Author:  Vikki [ Thu Aug 16, 2007 5:10 pm ]
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Thank you Gem, that was beautiful.

Author:  Nell [ Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:48 pm ]
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All choked. Beautiful, thank you hon and so glad to see this back.

Author:  Gem [ Fri Jan 25, 2008 10:16 pm ]
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Okay, so it's back. Again *g* Mainly because I was pondering restarting it and discovered a nice long post which I'd completely forgotten about! Hopefully posts will be more regular, but I can't promise anything... Thank you all for your posts to my previous updates, though, they definitely do spur me on.



“The end of term almost seems like an anti-climax after this past week,” Mary-Lou sighed deeply, dropping into her seat in the staffroom and sending a pleading glance towards Deborah Smith at the coffee pot. That young lady promptly poured her a mug, bringing it over. Much to the relief of all concerned, both women had put their difficulties aside over the past week, not wanting to cause any more worry than necessary. As Kathie had said with some satisfaction – and, it must be admitted, a little smugness – Mary-Lou could indeed suppress her usual instincts when required. It was slightly unfair, perhaps, that she had had to; but Kathie wasn’t going to complain so long as the staffroom remained peaceful.

Peggy Burnett snorted with laughter, accepting her own coffee with a smile of gratitude. “An anti-climax? Is it likely? Since when has the Chalet School ever done anything by half?”

“True,” Mary-Lou agreed, and closed her eyes as if in thought. “I wonder what it would have been like to go to a normal, peaceful, day school?”

Peggy turned to meet her gaze, pretending to ponder the question. “Dreadfully dull, I’d imagine,” she decided. “But perhaps better in the long run. This school just seems to leap into adventures headlong.”

Sharlie Andrews bounced into the seat next to Peggy, nudging that lady’s coffee precariously. “Stop it, you two,” she ordered. “We always do end up mourning the inability of the Chalet School to have even one peaceful term, and it’s not a very cheering thought. You should know what our girls – and staff, for that matter – are by now! Never mind that! Put your thinking caps on instead. We’ve a month ‘til the end of term – and, by the by, Mary-Lou, what are you doing talking as though the term’s ended already? – and it’s time to start worrying about what we’re to do for the Heads.”

“You’re a little behind,” Peggy informed her. “We’ve been thinking about it all term, and the consensus appears to be that we have no earthly clue. So if you’ve come up with anything, I’m all ears.” She leaned forward eagerly.

Sharlie shook her head. “I’m all out of inspiration, sadly,” she sighed. “Has anyone picked Joey’s brains? She generally comes up with the more unusual ideas.”

“What’s this?” Nancy Wilmot demanded as she approached, perching on the edge of the sofa that Peggy and Mary-Lou were sharing. “Squeeze up and make room for a little one, would you?”

They did so obligingly, Peggy giggling slightly at her friend’s comment. It was true that the stress of the past few months had achieved what years of attempted diets and exercise had failed to do, but at five-ten, Nancy would never be little. Still, as she had remarked cheerfully the other day, at least some good had come of the accident, and she boasted a figure as slim as she could wish, and in fact a great deal slimmer than her doctors would have preferred. Nancy’s generally cheerful attitude had returned, but she would never be quite the same. None of them would, and Peggy reflected on this bitterly for a few minutes.

“Hey!” Nancy nudged her. “Are you listening?”

“No. What did you say?”

“Mary-Lou suggested flowers, amongst other things.”

“To take home on that long journey?” Peggy asked dryly. “Or give it to them a few days early so that they’ll have something in their empty studies?”

Mary-Lou’s face dropped dramatically. “Maybe not, then. I’m not sure Bill’s the ‘flowers’ type, anyway.” Her expression lightened at the thought of presenting the stern Miss Wilson with a dozen red roses, and she went off into a fit of giggles.

“Watches?” Davida Armitage suggested – the rest of the staffroom had joined in by now, with Eleanor Peterson keeping a weather eye out for the two Headmistresses. “That’s the typical retirement present. Or maybe jewellery?”

“Nell never wears any, and Hilda only wears her signet ring. She wouldn’t wear any more,” Rosalie veto-ed. “For Hilda, though – she has a complete works of Shakespeare, but she’s had it since she graduated from university, I believe, and it’s looking a little tattered. We could consider replacing it?”

“Maybe.” Kathie sounded thoughtful. “It’s an idea, anyway. Anyone got any more? If so, trot them out, please!”

The ideas came fast and furious, and, an hour later, they were none the wiser and distinctly less enthused than beforehand. “Irritating women,” Rosalie grumbled. “What do you buy someone who has everything?”

“Haven’t the foggiest,” Nancy said frankly. “Have we achieved anything other than deciding what we definitely do not want to get them?”

“Achieved might be too strong a word,” Kathie said dryly. “Never mind. We’ve heaps of time still. Is anyone going down into one of the towns this weekend? You, Dorothy? Have a dekko in some of the shops, would you?”

Dorothy Lawrence nodded. “Will do! There’s a dear little jewellery shop. I know we said no to jewellery, but they might do other things, and it can’t harm to look.”

“Or shop,” Peggy grinned, knowing her friend’s habits of old.

“Or shop,” Dorothy agreed. “And on that note, whilst I’d like to shop, I’d also like to sleep. Do you folk realise it’s nearly eleven?”

Mary-Lou yelped and leapt to her feet. “Oh! Why on earth didn’t anyone mention anything? I must scram. Goodnight, everyone!” She disappeared in short order, the door slamming behind her. This served as a stimulus for the remainder of the staff and, shortly, only Nancy, Kathie, Sharlie, Peggy and Rosalie remained in the staffroom.

“Just us left again!” Peggy yawned. “And I’d abandon you as well, but bed is far too far away. How comfy d’you think that chair would be to sleep in?”

“Not very,” Sharlie advised, having slept in it once or twice herself. “I’d recommend fairly hefty amounts of wine beforehand, and as there’s none on hand at the moment, you’d do better to stop being so lazy and head bedwards,” she said sternly. Peggy raised an eyebrow.

“If you two are going to argue, you can go upstairs and do it there,” Kathie interrupted sleepily, shifting position in order to use Nancy’s shoulder as a pillow and curling her legs up underneath her.

Peggy pulled a face at her friends. “I’d have words with both of you two if I weren’t so tired,” she retorted, dragging herself to her feet and pulling Sharlie up, since that young lady had been attempting to stumble to her feet and providing a pathetic picture as she did so. “Bed for me, I think. Goodnight, everyone! Thank heavens it’s Saturday tomorrow and we can lie in!” Brightening at this prospect, she left the room swiftly after Sharlie, letting the door bang shut as she did so.

“I’m inclined to agree with her,” Nancy muttered, pushing herself upright with difficulty and grinning at her partner’s indignity as she found her position dislodged. “Sorry, Kath,” she apologised, scrambling to her feet and holding out a hand to Kathie.

Rosalie interrupted at that point, “Sorry, Kathie, d’you mind if I borrow you for a few minutes? It won’t be long, I just want to check a few things.”

“It’s Friday evening,” Nancy grumbled good-naturedly. “Oh, all right! So long as you both decide to head bedwards at some point, please!” Her eyes met her partner’s, seeking reassurance that she would not be alone that night – would never be alone. Kathie’s deep brown eyes told her all that she needed to know, and she turned to the door with a smile tugging at her lips. “Goodnight, both of you,” she murmured, disappearing out of the door and leaving the two women alone.

Author:  Lesley [ Fri Jan 25, 2008 11:39 pm ]
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Lovely to see this again, Gem. Thank you.


Poor Nancy. :cry:

Author:  Tara [ Sat Jan 26, 2008 12:13 am ]
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Lovely, lovely, lovely, all of it. It's too late and I'm too tired to make coherent comments, but you've got the characters and the style so right. So glad Len is all right, but loved the tension when she wasn't, and everyone's inner character being revealed.
Wonder what they'll get Hilda and Nell?
Felicity was so loving to Lucy.

Thanks, Gem, this is great.

Author:  roversgirl [ Sat Jan 26, 2008 2:09 am ]
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thank you very much! am so glad to see this back :)

Author:  Torri [ Sat Jan 26, 2008 2:59 am ]
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I am so unbelievably happy to see this back and with such an awesome part! They're all just 'aww' and 'eee' and I lack coherent thoughts and words to adequately describe it!!

Thank you, Gem!

Author:  Fiona Mc [ Sat Jan 26, 2008 6:43 am ]
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Really glad to see this back. Thanks

Author:  clair [ Sat Jan 26, 2008 11:42 am ]
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So pleased to see this one back - it's brightened up a dull morning at work! Thank you - hope it's not too long till the next update

Author:  Nell [ Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:44 pm ]
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Yay - there's more! Thank you sweetie nice to see the relationships in the staffroom have imroved - though what to buy the Heads, I'd be stumped too.

Author:  Mrs Redboots [ Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:28 pm ]
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Oh, brilliant, this is back! I very nearly said "Oh good!" out loud when I saw it in the list....

Author:  Gem [ Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:53 pm ]
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And fate has led you through it
You do what you have to do - -
And I have the sense to recognise that
I don’t know how to let you go


Kathie looked carefully at Rosalie as the door closed behind her partner. “Ros, what is it? Is everything all right?”

Rosalie shrugged, a hint of bitterness and the thickness of emotion in her voice. “I was just thinking,” she said casually, turning away from her friend, feeling the betrayal of her tears winding their way down her cheeks, “maybe it’s time for me to go as well.”

Rosalie’s words caught Kathie by surprise, and her eyes widened in shock. “Oh, Ros, no!”

“Why not? I’m not so much younger than they are. And I have things that I could have done, as well.” Anger tainted her words; the set of her jaw was more furious than Kathie had ever seen it. “I’m not a teacher, Kathie. I help in this school, run it half the time. But I can’t watch the girls go to university, or to marry, or to work, and think that it’s my doing. I have no Francie Wilford, who grew up in your form, under your guidance. I have no Ted Grantley, or Jocelyn Marvell. I can’t call them my children.”

Kathie hesitated before speaking. She didn’t know Rosalie as well as Peggy, or even Nancy – and certainly not as well as Hilda did. But for whatever reason – perhaps that was the reason – she had chosen her, and it seemed more important than ever that she get this right.

“Rosalie, do you not realise how important you are to this school?” she asked softly. “How it would fall apart if you left?”

Her laugh was even more bitter. “I’m a secretary, Kathie. A good one, I’ll admit. And they’d have trouble adjusting. But they could put someone else in my position within the month.”

“I’m not talking about your job,” Kathie objected firmly. “I’m talking about you. What you bring to the job. The girls go to you for advice – and you can’t deny it, because I’ve heard them. Do you not know how big a part you played in Margot Maynard finally growing up?”

“That wasn’t me,” Rosalie disagreed. “She talked to Hilda after the incident with Betty, and she and I just talked for a few minutes. Margot went to you after that, remember?”

“Margot’s words were – and I’m quoting here – ‘Aunt Rosalie says I’ve been a spoiled ape, and I have to say I agree with her’,” Kathie responded. “You got through to her, Rosalie. You saw her as something other than Joey’s daughter, than the third ‘naughty’ triplet. And you weren’t the only one – Hilda and I both tried – but you succeeded.”

Her friend shook her head. “Even if I had, Kathie – she’s one girl! If I’ve only helped one girl here...”

“You helped me. My first year here, you helped me. Perhaps more than even I know,” Kathie murmured. “I’m sorry I never really said thank you before. Thank you.” She continued on before Rosalie could interrupt, getting into her stride now. “And what about Peg, this term? And all the times that your unofficial nieces have come to you?”

“I’m not their mother, Kathie! Or their teacher! They might come to me, but they can do without me. This school can do without me, whether you choose to believe it or not.” Rosalie’s eyes flashed. “Placating me won’t help here, Kathie.”

“Do you really think I’d bother?” Kathie demanded. “You’d see through me in an instant. I’m telling you the truth, and it’s up to you whether you choose to believe me or not,” she threw her friend’s words back at her, recognising that Rosalie would accept hard truth over gentle sympathy any day. Perhaps that was why she’d come to her – Hilda and Nancy would both have given unconditional support and truth where necessary, the personification of the qualities needed for Headship. Kathie and Nell Wilson both had a fierceness to their characters that told of absolute loyalty, steadfast and true, and in that truth came comfort. “You’re right, you’re not their mother, or their teacher. And that’s precisely why they do come to you. You’re just – you. And that’s enough, Rosalie, so much more than enough. And we need you here.” She shrugged, feeling her own tears spring to her eyes and wanting Jeanne more than ever. “You’re our touchstone. More than ever, now. We need you.”

Rosalie reached up and wiped a tear away. “Damn you,” she said shakily, laughing slightly. “You weren’t supposed to be able to convince me.”

Kathie chucked, raising an eyebrow. “You didn’t think I’d be able to?”

“I should’ve known better,” Rosalie muttered. “I’m over a decade older than you, I thought I could hold out longer.”

Smiliing softly, Kathie shook her head. “Not a chance. You’ll stay, right?” As Rosalie hesitated, she continued on. “Not forever, obviously. And if you decide to go, I’ll support you. But – stay for a little while? Nancy and I can’t do this without you.” Her voice was very firm, and Rosalie nodded reluctantly.

“Nancy and I? They’ve definitely offered it to you, then?”

“This afternoon, after we visited Len at the hospital,” Kathie agreed softly. “Nancy as Head, with me as her Deputy. Grace Nalder is taking over St. Mildreds for a few years, but once she retires, there’s no-one of a suitable age over there to take over, and Madame has asked me.” She paused. “I’m hoping you already knew that, because I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone.”

Rosalie laughed. “I’ve known all term, ever since they offered Nancy the Senior Mistress position. They knew she’d turn it down so you could take it, but they did have to offer it, considering that she’s already acted as Head.”

“Gosh.” Kathie looked blank. “I’ve been played, haven’t I?”

“Oh, most certainly,” the older woman agreed, jumping to her feet. “Never mind! You’ll have your revenge shortly. For now, it’s late, and I’m tired. Bed for me!”

“Before you go,” Kathie said slowly, standing up, “Ros – talk to Hilda. Does she even know how angry you are at her?”

“No, because I’ve no right to be angry, realistically,” Rosalie objected. “It was always going to be this way.”

Kathie shook her head. “It should have been different. You’ve been here for over twenty years. It should have been different, and you have a right to be angry at her. I’m angry. You deserve more than this. You deserve -” she paused, struggling for words, “you deserve an explanation. And an apology for not telling you, not discussing it with you. You’ve more than earned that right. Talk to her, Rosalie.”

And with that, she slipped a hand through Rosalie’s arm and pulled her out of the staffroom in search of bed and rest at last.

Author:  Fi [ Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:16 pm ]
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Wow! What a powerful discussion. Kathie has certainly come a long way in her time at the school and is truly ready to be a deputy head.

Gem wrote:
You’re right, you’re not their mother, or their teacher. And that’s precisely why they do come to you. You’re just – you.


Rosalie should take comfort from this. When problems arise, your family or a trusted teacher are often the first port of call. It says a ton about her character that girls will choose to come and talk to her - school secretary is not an obvious source of advice and sympathy. I also felt she made a real impact on Emerence in "Shocks" when she disciplined her over using the main staircase.

Thanks Gem

Author:  PaulineS [ Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:20 pm ]
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Poor Rosalie, she is the administrator looking after so much of the none academic side, the one who runs so much, yet she is still only called the secretary.

I suppose it was a product of her time, but Rosalie's duties including timetables and having done timetabling on a much smaller scale I know the responsibity that encompasses.

She needs a new title to recognise all that she does.
She does not need an assistant so much as her own secretary.

EBD failed to recognised the importance of none teaching staff other than Matron.

Author:  Lesley [ Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:41 pm ]
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Gald that Kathie managed to get through to Rosalie. Worried about her anger toward Hilda - and hope Hilda will be able to give better answers as to why.


Thanks Gem.

Author:  Mrs Redboots [ Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:37 pm ]
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A lovely episode! You have caught them so nicely there.

Thank you so much - please, please keep it coming!

Author:  Tara [ Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:10 pm ]
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That was, indeed, powerful. Rosalie was always so much the backbone of the school and was appreciated - she clearly doesn't realise just how much. Glad Kathy could get through to her and convince her. And someone's been clever in their machinations, haven't they!
Quote:
Kathie and Nell Wilson both had a fierceness to their characters that told of absolute loyalty, steadfast and true, and in that truth came comfort.
Nice. Very nice.

Author:  roversgirl [ Mon Jan 28, 2008 8:32 am ]
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thank you very much. am very much enjoying this - nice for Rosalie to be told how much she is appreciated. :)

Author:  Fiona Mc [ Mon Jan 28, 2008 10:41 am ]
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Am very glad Kathie convinced Rosalie to stay and she was right. Rosalie is the unsung hero in the school

Author:  Jennie [ Mon Jan 28, 2008 2:23 pm ]
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Thanks, Gem. If I promise to do the happy drabble dance, will you post some more, please?

Author:  leahbelle [ Mon Jan 28, 2008 5:20 pm ]
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Nice to see Rosalie being appreciated.

Author:  Nell [ Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:37 pm ]
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Muchly thanks Gem. Lovely scene and very powerful, well done Kathie.

Author:  clair [ Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:07 pm ]
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That's so nice, poor Rosalie feeling so low though. Glad Kathie was able to put her straight as to her place in the school and the affections of those around her

Author:  Gem [ Thu Jan 31, 2008 9:16 pm ]
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Sorry this took so long - I meant to have it up earlier, but of course drabble characters decided to change their minds about what was happening.

Question for you all - I've realised that I have FAR too many characters in this drabble, and whilst I'd love to explore what each and every one of them are doing, it's not really possible. Are there any characters that anyone would particularly like to see more of? Speak up, please, cos I keep forgetting storylines I've started and then forgotten...

***

Con Maynard strolled down the short pathway leading to the local hospital, where her eldest sister and her niece were still resting. She smiled at Aberto, who was just leaving, and he tipped his hat to her as he always did. She’d seen a few other locals whom she also recognised – Diana and Katina d’Amico, amongst others, enjoying their precious free time away from school. The recognition comforted her, oddly. She’d only been in Italy for two weeks, and already she recognised the local people. It wasn’t quite the Platz; but that, too, was comforting.

She found her sister with relative ease, sprawled in a loveseat in the sunny dayroom and chatting away in Italian with a young woman of their own age or thereabouts. Con seated herself comfortably, smiling her greetings at Len and Giovanna, and attempting to focus on the conversation. Her Italian was passable, but only just, and she found herself reflecting upon how nice it was to talk about something other than school affairs. Growing up in such a secluded area, she had mainly missed out on cinema trips and other such activities until university – which she’d found left her as something of an outcast for the first few weeks. Even during the holidays, she’d been busy looking after her younger siblings and visiting patients at the San. Occasionally she wondered how different it could have been, had she gone away to school like her brothers. As a young teenager she’d seen herself taking English boarding schools by storm. She’d had Len’s intelligence, Margot’s popularity; yet the dream had always seemed hollow, somehow, as all such fantasies do.

She’d discussed it with Grizel Sheppard once, intrigued to know why she’d returned after having escaped the confines of the Chalet School. Her mother’s oldest friend fascinated her: elusive, beautiful, and so very distant sometimes. Grizel had laughed, with a ring to the sound that caught in Con’s ears for weeks afterwards. But she’d resisted the temptation to call Con ‘child’, as she had done so many times before; she’d restrained herself to pointing out that being surrounded by family and loving friends, whilst restrictive, was no real hardship; and she’d managed to keep the bitterness from her voice. Con had left with the impression that Grizel had never once found the Chalet School stifling; also that a husband and two young sons couldn’t fix everything. She hoped for her aunt’s sake that it at least went a little way towards it.

“Con,” Len cried in exasperation, having called her sister’s name three times already. “For heaven’s sakes, if you were going to start writing in your mind, you might as well have stayed at home!”

Con blinked, pulling herself out of her thoughts and noticing that she and her sister were now alone – with the exception of Zoë, who was sleeping peacefully in Len’s arms. “Sorry,” she apologised, sending her sister a self-deprecating smile. “Wool-gathering again.”

“As always,” Len said dryly, passing her daughter over to Con as that young woman reached out. “What about this time?”

“Nothing much,” Con said with a shrug, placing her little finger into Zoë’s tiny hand and feeling the strength of her grip. “Just thinking.” She paused, glancing up at Len. “Mother says she’ll be by later, by the way. She’s...” her voice trailed off. “Actually, I’ve no idea what she’s doing. Visiting Mary-Lou, perhaps. Or having English Tea in the hotel room.”

Len’s eyes widened. “She wouldn’t!”

“She already has,” Con retorted, laughing. “She went down to the hotel restaurant and asked for tea and scones for her and Felix. Felix refused to go down with her.”

Smiling, Len rolled her eyes. “I’m not sure I blame him! Never mind! I’ll see her later. Have you seen Flixy recently, by the way?”

Con shook her head, still laughing. “She’s in the middle of exams. The last time I saw her she asked me for maths help. Me! I ask you! I sent her on her merry way, I can tell you. I believe she went to Cecil in the end – and got the correct answer.”

“She’s Margot all over again when it comes to work,” Len remarked. “Except slightly steadier in her approach to it, thank goodness! She could have tried Kathie or Nancy, though.”

Con sobered slightly. “Nancy’s been out of school sick for the past two days. Fel wouldn’t have gone to either of them unless she was really stuck. I think it was more that she wanted someone to give her the answer, anyway.” Con rolled her eyes affectionately.

“Not entirely helpful when it comes to exams,” Len commented, frowning. “What’s wrong with Nancy?”

“She’s fine now,” Con reassured her quickly, seeing her mistake immediately. “I saw her this morning walking along by the lake – she looked fit enough, and it’s hardly likely that either Matey or Kathie would let her out of her bed let alone out of the school unless she was up to it.”

“Very true,” Len agreed, shifting in her seat and grimacing slightly. “We should head back to the room, Con, Zoë will be getting hungry shortly. Reg will be there as soon as he’s finished his shift, as well.”

Con stood up carefully, cradling her niece. “When do they let you out?” she queried, holding an arm out to her sister. “Mama had plans of coming to stay with you for a few weeks after you come home.”

Len’s eyes widened. “A few weeks? Oh, no. A few days, or maybe a week, yes, I’d very much appreciate it. But Papa must be needing her at home by now. And I’m sure Zoë won’t sleep through half the noise that we all did.” She paused to glance down at her daughter, who had awoken by now and was staring up at Con, blue eyes bright and curious. “And to answer your question, hopefully tomorrow or the day after. They’re just being extra cautious since she gave us so much trouble.” Len smiled. “Please do tell Mama that I’d appreciate her staying for a week,” she added, fighting off a wave of guilt for not wanting her for longer. “After all, she raised eleven of us. She must be more adept at changing nappies than Reg or I.”

Con snorted with laughter. “Len, you spent your teen years changing babies. You’ll be fine.”

“It’s different,” Len disagreed instantly. “When it’s your own, I mean. It’s different.” She smiled again, watching Zoë carefully. “I’ve been looking after babies for a long time, but this is new. She’s mine – and Reg’s,” she added hastily. “Oh, you know what I mean!”

Nodding soberly, Con touched a tuft of dark hair on her niece’s forehead. “Yes, I suppose so. But still, you’ll be fine,” she reassured her sister firmly, relinquishing Zoë reluctantly. “Now, go take care of your daughter, and for goodness’ sakes, go to sleep, woman!”

Author:  Lesley [ Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:40 pm ]
Post subject: 

I do like your Con in this Gem. :lol:


Thanks.

Author:  Jennie [ Fri Feb 01, 2008 8:05 am ]
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Definitely more of this Con, please Gem. Thanks.

Author:  roversgirl [ Fri Feb 01, 2008 8:09 am ]
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thank you. con is lovely there :)

Author:  Fiona Mc [ Fri Feb 01, 2008 11:46 am ]
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Con is lovely. I wouldn't know which storylines to follow cos i like them all! Sorry I know thats no help whatsoever

Author:  PaulineS [ Fri Feb 01, 2008 6:23 pm ]
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Thanks for the updates. I suggest you chose a story line and leave it until later and come back to it as a another drabble as you will never get us to agree on which one we do not want to know about..

Author:  Nell [ Fri Feb 01, 2008 11:07 pm ]
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Lovely to see more of this Gem. And you see there is a dilemma as to which characters cos after that post I want to see more of Con and how Len and reg settle down as parents, but I also want to see more Nancy and Kathie of course and more of Rosalie after your post about her and then there's Joey and how she's coping and the Heads and the rest of the staff and...and...and...

Anyway I'm loving it, many thanks hon xxx

Author:  clair [ Fri Feb 01, 2008 11:59 pm ]
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Loving this drabble but if I have to choose the more Nancy and Kathie and more Len and Con please! Not that I don't like the others but they're amongst my favourite characters

Author:  Torri [ Sat Feb 02, 2008 2:52 am ]
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Awww, Con is so lovely here.

And because I didn't get a chance to reply to the last post, yay!Kathie. Loved it, loved it, loved it!


Funnily enough, if you're asking me to choose, I think it'll have to be more Nancy and Kathie. Such a shocker there, I know... :wink:

Author:  Fi [ Sat Feb 02, 2008 9:55 pm ]
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Thank You Gem :D

I'm another one voting for more Kathie and Nancy please.

Author:  Rosalin [ Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:50 pm ]
Post subject: 

Thanks for the updates Gem. I'm as unhelpful as Fiona on the storylines, I'm enjoying all of them. On the positive side, I suppose that makes us easily pleased :lol:

Author:  Jennie [ Thu Feb 07, 2008 4:36 pm ]
Post subject: 

Gem, I'm not going to have to start whinging and whining for more of this, am I?

Author:  Gem [ Thu Feb 07, 2008 6:53 pm ]
Post subject: 

Apologies for the delay everyone! Things have been a bit mad re. work lately (which is also why I'm behind on my pms...) and I'm also doing a lot of history research as I'm applying for postgrad funding to go back to Aber in September. I'm also back at Aber this weekend to see friends, so if I haven't posted by tonight, don't expect anything until Sunday at least I'm afraid!

(I would like to point out that I have SIX - count 'em - updates written. It's the just the two or three updates before those six that I haven't quite finished... And Kathie and Nancy are being remarkably unco-operative!)

Author:  Torri [ Fri Feb 08, 2008 1:07 am ]
Post subject: 

Gem wrote:
(I would like to point out that I have SIX - count 'em - updates written. It's the just the two or three updates before those six that I haven't quite finished... And Kathie and Nancy are being remarkably unco-operative!)




Hey, join the club!! On, uh both of those points, I can fully sympathise!


Good luck with the funding and have fun in Aber!

Author:  di [ Thu Mar 13, 2008 7:32 am ]
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Having just read this from the beginning of the second part I have to say I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Please keep writing. :)

Author:  Jennie [ Thu Mar 13, 2008 3:34 pm ]
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Gem, I'm starting a chant!

Author:  Fi [ Thu Mar 13, 2008 4:02 pm ]
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*takes up the chant*

More please Gem :D

I hope all your applications for funding are going OK

Author:  Gem [ Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:16 pm ]
Post subject: 

Eek! Sorry - it's been ages, I've had such trouble with this post! Still, it's quite a hefty one, so hopefully you'll all be happy with it...


Kathie tapped lightly at Nancy’s door, before opening it and entering the room quietly. Nancy was curled up on her bed, a pile of neglected lesson plans at her side and one of Joey’s early novels in her hand. At her partner’s entrance, she tossed the book to one side with a smile and little regard for the text. “Hey, you,” she remarked. “Long time no see.”

Dropping on the bed beside Nancy with a sigh, Kathie smiled back. “Yes, I know – I’m sorry. But I’m here now,” she protested. She had been called away – the third time in a week – to deal with a group of particularly naughty Middles. It was becoming increasingly difficult to find Hilda when necessary, and Kathie was beginning to suspect that her employer was avoiding her.

“You are indeed,” Nancy agreed. “I do wish that Middles would refrain from unchristian deeds on a Sunday, though.”

“You and me both!” Kathie remarked. “Never mind that! Are you feeling better?” She put a hand to her partner’s forehead with a frown – Nancy had been running a temperature for the past few days – but the lines soon evened out. “You’re not as warm as you were.”

Nancy pulled a face at her. “I’m fine. It was barely a cold – I could quite easily have gone into lessons on Friday. You do fuss, you know.”

“I’m allowed to,” Kathie retorted. “It’s my job.”

Smiling wickedly, Nancy questioned, “It’s your job as Senior Mistress to worry that much about my health? Because if that’s the case, then Ruth was almost certainly shirking her duties...” Her breath caught in her throat, waiting for the inevitable sharp pain that came with speaking Ruth or Jeanne’s names, or even thinking of them.

Kathie glanced at her worriedly, slipping her hand into Nancy’s, but chose to press on with the conversation. “Idiot,” she replied affectionately, squeezing her hand. “You know what I mean.”

Nancy smiled back at her, swallowing the lump in her throat. She was tired of crying. “Yes, I do,” she agreed, yawning sleepily, and pulling Kathie closer. “Is it bedtime yet?” She pulled at Kathie’s slim wrist to check the time – her own watch was running either early or late and she hadn’t quite figured out which one – and frowned. “How is it only twenty o’clock?”

Kathie shrugged as she kicked her shoes off and pulled Nancy to lie down on the bed. “You were awake for most of the night,” she reminded her partner.

“You heard?” Nancy frowned. “I was trying not to move around too much. Sorry, love – you need your sleep as much as I do.” She curled up easily, slipping an arm around her partner’s waist and allowing her eyelids to flutter as the comfort of the bed and Kathie’s scent lulled her towards dreamland at last.

A smile pulled at Kathie’s lips as she turned over to face Nancy. “Since when have you known me to scrimp on sleep? I slept beautifully, thank you.” The lines at the corners of her eyes and the shadows underneath them betrayed her lie, but Nancy chose for the moment to accept it, too tired to argue.

“Hey,” Kathie nudged her, pulling her away from sleep once more. “Stop it. You can’t go to sleep just yet, you’re still dressed, you haven’t washed or brushed your teeth...”

Nancy groaned, flapping a hand idly in the direction of her partner, her eyes barely open. “It won’t kill me to sleep in my clothes for one night.”

“It’ll kill me when I have to smell your breath in the morning,” Kathie retorted, smiling. “Come on, love. You won’t sleep properly if you wake up halfway through the night still in your clothes and not under the covers.” She grabbed Nancy’s hands and pulled, with little effect – Nancy was a great deal slimmer than she had been, but she still stood at least six inches taller than her partner and was built on a bigger scale entirely.

Knowing that a determined Kathie was a force to be reckoned with, Nancy rolled off of the bed with little grace and a solid thump. “You’re an old fusspot,” she muttered grumpily, pulling clothes off with more haste than care and reaching for a nightdress. “Thank goodness for sinks in bedrooms, at any rate! I’m not stepping foot outside this bedroom until I absolutely have to.”

“We have to tomorrow morning,” Kathie reminded her, making her own preparations for the night.

Nancy sighed. “We could pretend we’re both ill?” she suggested, raising an eyebrow. “A contagious disease too horrendous for even Matey to brave – spend an entire week holed up in here. What bliss,” she sighed happily.

“Food?” Kathie questioned with her mouth full of toothpaste, and her partner turned to glare at her.

“You’re just determined to be sensible, aren’t you? My fantasy world does not have to involve such mundane sensibilities... there would be a cupboard filled with chocolate and wine and all the food imaginable – and somewhere to cook it,” she added hastily, anticipating Kathie’s next comment. “And a bathroom, of course, and lots of books.”

“In the bathroom?”

“Kathie!”

“Oh, all right,” Kathie sighed, clambering into bed. “Is it warm?”

“Very,” Nancy winked, and Kathie snorted with laughter.

“It sounds almost like a house,” she remarked, and raised an eyebrow as her partner paused.

“Yes, I suppose it does. But it would be nice.”

“For a week, yes,” Kathie remarked. “But you know well enough we’d both get bored with that sort of lifestyle very quickly. And – “ here her voice faltered.

“We would,” Nancy agreed. “Time enough for that when we’re Hilda and Nell’s age and retiring.” She hesitated, then propped herself up on her elbow to look at her friend. “Kathie – “

“Not now?” Kathie interrupted sleepily, opening one eye. “Please, Nance, we’ve talked this round and round in circles and we’re not coming out anywhere. We’ve decided. It’s done.”

Nancy frowned, looking down at her partner. “Are you sure?”

“I am more sure of this than I have ever been of anything,” Kathie stated firmly, pulling Nancy back down beside her, “Now, for the love of all that is holy, will you please go to sleep?”

Thus reassured, Nancy lay down and closed her eyes, determined to force herself to sleep if nothing else. Surprisingly, she was successful, drifting into an easy sleep only ten minutes later. By contrast, her partner lay awake for most of the night, tears welling slowly under closed eyelids.

Author:  Nell [ Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:04 pm ]
Post subject: 

Yay there is more. Thank you Gempie, I do love your Nancy and Kathie, but poor them life isn't easy at the moment is it.

Author:  Fi [ Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:59 pm ]
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:lol: :lol: at Kathie's opinions on Nancy's proposed bedtime routine and I thought Nancy's fantasy bedroom sounded absolutely fabulous (except the wine - not my drink).

:cry: :cry: for all the angst and worry they are dealing with. Im also worrying about this decision they have made; What is it and why should it have Kathie in tears?

Thank You Gem. It was worth waiting for. :D

Author:  di [ Thu Mar 20, 2008 6:49 am ]
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Poor Kathie, 'the longest hours are those just before dawn' [can't remember where that comes from!] and she faces them on her own. Is this grief for Ruth and Mlle or something else troubling her?. Whatever it is, I do hope Nancy is able to comfort her.

thanks Gem, this is great. :D

Author:  Lesley [ Thu Mar 20, 2008 8:10 am ]
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Is Hilda deliberately forcing Kathie to see what the job entails? Sad that Kathie cannot confide in Nancy - but lovely relationship.


Thanks Gem

Author:  Jennie [ Thu Mar 20, 2008 2:01 pm ]
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See, Gem cannot withstand my awful voice when I lift it in a chant. Thanks, Gem, I do appreciate it, and would love some more of it, very, very soon.

Author:  PaulineS [ Thu Mar 20, 2008 3:38 pm ]
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Thanks Gem

Author:  Fiona Mc [ Sat Mar 22, 2008 11:12 pm ]
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Thanks Gem. It's lovely to see more

Author:  Jennie [ Sun Mar 23, 2008 8:40 pm ]
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And some more, please Gem.

Author:  Nell [ Wed Mar 26, 2008 11:40 pm ]
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I have just reread this from the beginning (yes with the yibble) I'd not realised how long it had been since it started!!! Anyway it has now made me even keener for more...please Gemmy...

It also means I still have a house that is a mess and a headache but thats by the by...

*pokes*

Author:  roversgirl [ Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:00 am ]
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Just caught up on this - Thanks :)

Author:  Jennie [ Fri Mar 28, 2008 12:34 pm ]
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Now, if I combine whinging and whining with a chant, will Gem be able to withstand it?

Author:  shazwales [ Sun Nov 08, 2009 10:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The School by the River - Part II (Updated 19.03.08, pg 10)

Only just found this and really enjoyed reading it.Is there any more of it anywhere?if not any chance of an update please (nicely) :?:

Author:  Jennie [ Mon Nov 09, 2009 10:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: The School by the River - Part II (Updated 19.03.08, pg 10)

I've emailed Gem, but no reply as yet, and the email hasn't come bouncing back.

This was one of my favourites.

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