The CBB :: View topic - Turning the stars around, part 3, completed 22/08/07, p.14

Turning the stars around, part 3, completed 22/08/07, p.14

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The CBB -> Ste Therese's House

#1: Turning the stars around, part 3, completed 22/08/07, p.14 Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:51 am
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David wasn’t exactly sure how, insofar as he’d ever thought about it, he’d particularly envisaged spending the evening of the day on which he announced his engagement. However, he did know that it hadn’t involved skulking outside the Maynards’ holiday home, like a prisoner on the run, whilst Ailie distracted their parents and his brothers sneaked into his room and then back outside with a change of clothing and his overnight things; and then travelling to a place he’d only ever visited once before in his life to spend the night as a guest of people whom he hardly knew.

There was something rather surreal about it all; and he was glad to be distracted from his thoughts by the chatter of the Braun children, who’d brightened up after being fed and fussed over at the Kron Prinz Karl and, despite what had happened earlier, were very excited both about him and Gretchen coming to “visit”. He had to laugh at the bemused expression on his fiancée’s face when Alexander solemnly asked her how she was going to like being called “Frau Doktor Russell”. “I hadn’t really thought of that until now!” she said. Then she started to laugh too; and David leaned over and kissed her cheek, extremely relieved to see her more cheerful than she’d been when they’d left Briesau. Maybe getting well away from their families for the time being would do them both good.

He was extremely grateful to Karen and Rudi for putting the two of them up for the night: he was touched by their kindness to him, whom they didn’t even know that well, and even more touched by their obvious affection and concern for Gretchen. She saw a lot of them and of their children, he knew. Since moving back to Austria.

The roads were quiet, and before long they were all sitting in the private wing of the hotel in Mayrhofen, Rudi having excused himself briefly to check that all was well in the hotel and returned on being assured that it was; and Karen was providing them with mugs of delicious hot chocolate. “I’m just trying to work out where we’re going to put everyone,” she said, drumming on the table with her fingers. “We’re fully booked at the moment so all the guest rooms are taken, and all the live-in staff are here this week so none of their rooms are free either.” She frowned. “Let me think: what’s the best way of doing this?”

“You don’t have to put us in different parts of the hotel,” Gretchen muttered, blushing furiously. “Whatever David’s dad might have been getting at, we wouldn’t … er… I mean …” She stopped, realising that the twins were listening to the conversation, and blushed even more.

“I didn’t imagine that you would,” Karen assured her with a smile. “It’s just a matter of space. We’ve only got the one spare room in here, remember.”

Gretchen blushed even more. “Sorry,” she muttered. Then she laughed as well. “Just feeling a bit touchy after all that, I suppose. Oh dear!”

“I don’t mind sleeping on the settee, really,” David said hastily. “It’s very, very kind of you to put both of us up for the night: please don’t go to any more trouble than you’re doing already.”

“Gretchen could sleep in my room with me,” Anneliese suggested, walking round to Gretchen’s chair and seating herself on Gretchen’s knee. “Then David wouldn’t have to sleep on the settee.” She looked over at David. “It’s very comfy on the settee, but the spare room’s much nicer,” she informed him.

David insisted that he didn’t mind the settee and Gretchen insisted that they didn’t want to cause anyone any inconvenience, but Anneliese insisted far more fervently that she didn’t mind Gretchen sharing her room for the night. “I want you to,” she said, looking at Gretchen with big blue eyes. “We can talk about your wedding dress and my bridesmaid’s dress,” she added happily. So eventually it was agreed that Gretchen should share Anneliese’s room for the night – “And don’t let her drive you mad about bridesmaid’s dresses,” Rudi said, laughing – and that David should have the spare room, which was pretty in a rather feminine sort of way, decorated in peach with sprays of flowers on the curtains and the bedspread.

“Sorry that it’s a rather girly kind of room,” Karen laughed as she showed him where it was. “Actually, the last person who stayed in here was our American business partner and I’m not sure what he made of the flowery curtains and so on; but the person who stays here the most often is my friend Anna, Gretchen’s cousin. Do you know Anna?”

Then she shook her head and smiled ruefully. “That was a daft question, wasn’t it? Of course you know Anna: you’re the Maynards’ nephew.”

“I am indeed. No-one can say that my family and Gretchen’s don’t know each other, at least,” he said wryly. He smiled. “Anyway. Thanks, Karen. I really do appreciate everything you’ve done for Gretchen and me.”

She smiled and bade him good night, and after she’d gone David tried to imagine just how his aunt and her “faithful handmaiden” – how that expression did annoy him! – would react to the news of his and Gretchen’s engagement, and wasn’t sure which of them would be the most shocked. Anna would probably be stunned and uncomprehending, he decided, whilst his aunt would probably tell his mother that she wasn’t to blame herself for the fact that her son hadn’t turned out as she’d hoped. He started to laugh: it wasn’t funny, but sometimes if you didn’t laugh you’d cry. What an evening! Oh well; with any luck things would seem better in the morning. And then he and Gretchen would go back to Briesau, and then they’d find out exactly what the chances of all this ever being straightened out really were.

Last edited by Alison H on Wed Aug 22, 2007 7:49 am; edited 17 times in total

#2: Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 9:52 am
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Let's hope that a night's sleep calms down everyone at Die Blumen, and they can see things in a more reasonable frame of mind. I love Anneliese wanting to share her room with Gretchen so that they can talk about dresses. Very Happy

Thanks, Alison!

#3: Author: brie, Location: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 10:01 am
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Thanks Alison! I love Annelise here.

#4: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 11:19 am
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Now that's interesting - I hadn't considered what Joey's reaction would be - though as this is the same universe as the strike at the School I expect Joey will be a little more circumspect in how she refers to Gretchen - she's had to accept Anna and Rosa as employees not servants - and did so rather well as I remember - after the initial shock!

Thanks Alison.

#5: Author: wheelchairprincess, Location: Oxfordshire, UK

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 11:31 am
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Anneliese and Gretchen are having a slumber party and David's worrying about Joey and Anna. Could the day get any crazier?!

Thanks Alison

#6: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 12:44 pm
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Yes, it would be interesting to hear Jo's reaction to David's engagement!

Thanks Alison.

#7: Author: Fiona Mc, Location: Bendigo, Australia

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 1:26 pm
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I think its so sweet the way Annelise is excited about being a bridesmaid. Reminds me of my nieces and does take the pressure off a little having someone so genuinely excited they're getting married

Lesley wrote:

Now that's interesting - I hadn't considered what Joey's reaction would be - though as this is the same universe as the strike at the School I expect Joey will be a little more circumspect in how she refers to Gretchen - she's had to accept Anna and Rosa as employees not servants - and did so rather well as I remember - after the initial shock!

So did Madge and I haven't seen her react particularly well to the news here

#8: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 1:27 pm
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Thanks, Alison. Such an enormous number of things to worry about and arrange. I, too, would love to hear Jo's reaction to the news. I wonder how many times Jo will tell Madge that she was a wonderful mother.

Last edited by Jennie on Sun Aug 05, 2007 4:51 pm; edited 1 time in total

#9: Author: Ruth B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 4:10 pm
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Hope a good night's sleep will help everyone feel better.

#10: Author: Rob, Location: Currently in a rainstorm

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 5:27 pm
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Annelise is lovely!! Hope that the parents will be more accomodating to the idea of David and Gretchen's engagement in the morning.

Jennie wrote:

Thanks, Alison. Such an enormous number of things to worry about and arrange. I, too, would love to hear Jo's reaction to the news. I wonder how many times Jo will tell Madge that she was a wonderful mother.

I wonder how many times Joey will remind Madge that her eldest is engaged to such a suitable fiance!

#11: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 6:21 pm
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Well, I'd say that suitabe is in the eye of the beholder.

#12: Author: Rosalin, Location: Swansea

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 8:42 pm
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Shocked

I hadn't thought of Joey's reaction. Or Anna's.

Thanks Alison.

#13: Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire

Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2007 11:41 pm
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I just hope that David's escape doesn't make the situation worse. I can quite see Jem, at least, thinking the worst - and poor David, skulking around outside his own home.

I suspect Anna might be more perturbed than Joey. She's a lot younger than Madge, after all, despite the 'faithful handmaiden' stuff! She might well be very supportive (I hope!).

#14: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 7:48 am
—
David woke early the next morning, but remained in the Brauns’ spare room for quite some time afterwards, not wanting to risk disturbing anyone or finding himself in anyone’s way getting into or out of the bathroom. When finally, showered and dressed and as ready for the day as he was ever likely to be, he made his way through to the living area, he found Gretchen giving the twins their breakfast and he paused for a moment by the door to look at the picture she made. She was talking and laughing with the children, with the sunlight that was streaming in through the window glinting off her fair hair and her diamond engagement ring; and at that moment he wanted to ask her if she’d marry him just as soon as they could get the paperwork arranged and worry about everything else later, because he really didn’t want to wait a minute longer than he had to before they could be together every day.

She had her back to him and didn’t realise at first that he was there, but Anneliese and Alexander saw him and beamed at him. “Gruss Gott!” they chorused.

He smiled at them. “Gruss Gott!” he said cheerily. Then he walked over to Gretchen and put his hands on her shoulders. “Good morning, darling,” he said softly.

Gretchen gazed up at him and, much to her annoyance, found herself blushing. She’d seen David early in the morning hundreds, in fact thousands, of times; but it had never felt like this before, and she found herself imagining what it was going to be like seeing him every morning … the very first thing every morning, in fact; waking up in his arms … and hopefully in a few years’ time making breakfast for children of their own: and she blushed even more deeply. “Gruss Gott, sleepyhead!” she said, making her tone light because the twins were there but leaning towards him and stroking his hand. “We were just wondering what time you were going to fall out of bed!”

“I’ve been awake a while: I just didn’t want to get in anyone’s way,” David told her. He smiled at her and she smiled back, and he was extremely relieved that she seemed so much more like her usual cheerful self this morning. “Where are Karen and Rudi?”

“Rudi’s in his office and Auntie Karen’s finishing sorting out the hotel breakfasts: I said I’d keep an eye on these two. Help yourself to rolls and butter and jam: there’re loads. Knives and plates are on the table- and shall I make you a coffee?”

“Yes, please,” he said, taking a roll and buttering it. He grinned at her as she stood up; and she looked at him and laughed. “Don’t get used to this!” she warned him. “I am not going to be running round after you every morning when we’re married! Either you can make your own breakfast or we’ll have to take it in turns!”

David laughed too. “Now you tell me!” he joked. She made his coffee and brought it over to him, and the two of them sat there, enjoying their breakfast with the sunlight shining into the pleasant Tyrolean room and Anneliese and Alexander chattering away happily. Once they’d all finished eating, they tidied away the breakfast things – Gretchen washing, David drying and the children supervising – and then they all went to sit down in the Brauns’ pretty Saal, and David looked at Gretchen.

“What do you want to … what shall we do, once Karen comes back in?” he asked awkwardly. They’d have to go back to Die Blumen some time today; but he really didn’t want to go there just yet and he got the impression that Gretchen didn’t either.

“I don’t know.” She bit her lip and shook her head. “I really don’t know what to suggest.”

David reached out and squeezed her hand. “It’ll be all right,” he said. “Somehow. We’ll make it all right.” He spoke quietly, not wanting to remind the twins about yesterday’s events at Die Blumen. He hoped that Kevin and Kester and Ailie were all right: he dreaded to imagine what the atmosphere over there must have been like last night.

“You don’t have to whisper: you can just talk in English if you don’t want us to understand what you’re saying,” Anneliese informed him. “Mummy and Daddy do that when they don’t want us to know what they’re talking about. We understand bits of it, though and we’ll be learning it in school soon, but we don’t understand it properly yet so we won’t know what you’re saying.”

David caught Gretchen’s eye but they both managed not to laugh; and he smiled at the little girl and her brother. “When I was a little boy, one of my aunties used to live with us, and she and my mum used to talk in Italian when they didn’t want us to know what they were saying,” he told them. “I always used to say that I’d learn Italian when I got older, but I’ve never got round to it, somehow! Tell you what – shall I teach you some English words? You two tell me what you’d like to know the word for in English, and I’ll say it, and then you can repeat it after me? How about that? But only very important words, mind you!”

The twins thought that that was a wonderful idea, and when Karen came in about ten minutes later she found them sitting one on either side of David, looking up at him and solemnly repeating “Mummy, Daddy, Grandma, Grandpa, chocolate, cake, park, toys, football, bridesmaid,” and various other words after him; and exchanged smiles with her goddaughter. David Russell really was a very nice young man, she thought, and she didn’t doubt for a minute that he and Gretchen could make each other happy. Turning briefly to the picture of St Scholastika on the wall, she offered up a silent prayer that things between the young couple and their parents could be put right and that they’d be able to enjoy their engagement and their wedding every bit as much as they deserved to.

Last edited by Alison H on Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:46 pm; edited 1 time in total

#15: Author: keren, Location: Israel

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:04 am
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So what language do David and Gretchen talk to each other in?

#16: Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:41 am
—

keren wrote:

So what language do David and Gretchen talk to each other in?

I imagine they would speak either English or German, but would have been using the latter on that occasion because of the twins' presence.

I love David teaching the twins important English words like chocolate, football and bridesmaid!

Thanks, Alison! Very Happy

#17: Author: Rosalin, Location: Swansea

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 9:08 am
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Laughing

Like the twins' priorities when it comes to languages. Hopefully Ailie, Kevin and Kester didn't have too bad a night.

Thanks Alison

#18: Author: Ruth B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:06 am
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I think that is just what they needed - a nice domestic scene to remind them why they are going through all this. And the twins are, as ever, fantastic.

#19: Author: brie, Location: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:14 am
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Thaks Alison! I love the twins in this they are great.

#20: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 12:19 pm
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Yes, I like the twins, too! Thanks Alison.

#21: Author: Fiona Mc, Location: Bendigo, Australia

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 12:33 pm
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The twins are so cute

#22: Author: Lizzie, Location: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 12:34 pm
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Loving this as always Alison!

#23: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:41 pm
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I love the twins' choice of words. Laughing

Nice start to the day. Let's hope it's a better one! (Though yesterday's sojourn in Salzburg was very nice -- just seems so long ago.)

#24: Author: leahbelle, Location: Kilmarnock

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:06 pm
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The twins are great!

#25: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 5:21 pm
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Thanks, Alison. I have just caught up on the last few updates. David did very well with the twins.

#26: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 6:48 pm
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Lovely scene - and good to see Gretchen so relaxed.

Thanks Alison.

#27: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 8:10 pm
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It's nice to see Karen's pleased with David teaching the Twins english. It occured to me if they learn too fast she and Rudi could be in for difficulties trying to keep things from them Laughing

Thanks Alison.

#28: Author: Vick, Location: Leeds, Yorkshire

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:32 pm
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Lovely breakfast scene. Hope things get improve today.

Thanks Alison

#29: Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire

Posted: Mon Aug 06, 2007 11:26 pm
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Nice to see them together in a new way, much more aware of each other than previously. And yes, the twins are delightful!
Thank you, Alison.

#30: Author: Rob, Location: Currently in a rainstorm

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 12:01 am
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Thanks Alison! Definately wondering about what is happening at Die Blumen.

Sarah_K wrote:

It occured to me if they learn too fast she and Rudi could be in for difficulties trying to keep things from them Laughing

They could always try French I suppose - assuming Rudi speaks French of course - Karen will definately speak French after hearing nothing but French for two days a week for the past 20 years at the CS!! Laughing

#31: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:44 am
—
“When are you two planning on going back to the Tiernsee?” Karen asked, once she’d thanked David and Gretchen for looking after the twins. “Not that I’m trying to get rid of you! I was just thinking about it from the point of view of the trains not running as often on a Saturday as they do on weekdays: there’s one from here to Spartz in about quarter of an hour. Or would you rather wait until later on? You’re very welcome to sit in here … or feel free to leave your stuff here and collect it later if you want to go out and get some fresh air. It’s lovely out today.”

“I don’t know … what do you think?” Gretchen turned to David. “Personally, I’d rather not rush back just yet. We’re going to have to go and face them all some time today, but I think that later might be better than sooner - give everyone a bit more time to calm down.” She didn’t add that after the upset of yesterday evening she wanted to make this interlude in Mayrhofen, the two of them being here together surrounded only by people who were happy for the two of them, last a little bit longer before they went back to Buchau to face all the problems awaiting them there; but she knew from the look on David’s face that he understood, and that he felt that way too.

David nodded. “I agree. I don’t think that we should go back just yet either.” He was about to suggest that the two of them go out for a walk so that they wouldn’t be in the Brauns’ way, but Alexander spoke before he had chance to do so. “Oh good – does that mean that you’re staying here for the rest of the morning?” the little boy asked happily.

Karen hastily pointed out that David and Gretchen would probably want to be on their own; but Gretchen, after casting a look at David to which he nodded in reply, assured her that they’d be very happy to keep Anneliese and Alexander with them until they were ready to leave for the station. She was very fond of the twins and they were happy, cheerful company; and, anyway, looking after for them for the morning was the least that she and David could do after the Brauns had been so kind to them. And having two children with them might help to keep their minds off all their worries for a little while, insofar as anything could.

It would be a great shame to stay in whilst the weather was so nice, David remarked to Anneliese and Alexander; but he had absolutely no idea what there was to see and do in Mayrhofen so he was relying on them to tell him, seeing as they were the experts on the local area. They both started clamouring about the “cable car”, and he quite genuinely had no idea what they were referring to and looked at Gretchen in bemusement.

Laughing, she explained that they meant the cable car built largely for the purpose of taking skiers up the nearby Penken mountain in the winter, which was also open during the summer months for locals and visitors who wanted to travel up the mountain to admire the scenery and the views. “It’s lovely up there, as it so happens,” she added. “The views are gorgeous, and at this time of year there are flowers everywhere. There’s a lake up there as well: it’s really very, very pretty. Oh – and there are some very nice cafés there too!”

“Sounds good to me!” David said. She was so at home here in Tyrol, he thought, looking at his fiancée’s smiling face. He smiled back at her. “Right, you three had better show me the way, then! Lead on!”

They had to queue for a little while but not too long, and David certainly wasn’t disappointed with the views from the top of the Penken. “It’s absolutely amazing up here,” he pronounced, as he stood and looked first to one side and then the other. “Not even just the views … everything. The air up here – it’s so clean, and … it’s amazing. It’s just gorgeous. It’s absolutely beautiful.” He put his arm round Gretchen and kissed her cheek. “Like you,” he said. She blushed, and the twins giggled. “I mean it!” he insisted sentimentally. “It’s nearly but not quite as beautiful as the Tiernsee … and even that isn’t as beautiful as you are!”

“You soft thing!” She smiled up at him lovingly and put her arm through his, and they all walked around for a while. Once they’d admired the view from every angle, David and Gretchen sat down on the grass, holding hands, whilst the children ran about happily nearby. Then David treated them all to lunch at one of the nearby cafés, and inevitably they all ended up eating rather a lot. “I’ve probably put on half a stone this week, despite all the walking I’ve done going backwards and forwards between Briesau and Buchau!” he said ruefully as they headed back towards the cable car station. “The food here’s just so nice!”

“You’re just a pig, you mean!” Gretchen teased him. “Ooh – come on! The cable car’s coming and there’s not much of a queue at the moment. Run, everyone!” They reached the cable car just in time, breathless and laughing, happy and relaxed amongst the Tyrolean lakes and mountains and well away from the harsh remarks of the people back at Die Blumen.

#32: Author: Mona, Location: Hertfordshire

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:54 am
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What a lovely interlude. I hope everyone's calmed down and is at least prepared to be civil when David and Gretchen do go back to Die Blumen.
Thanks Alison!

#33: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 9:12 am
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Hmmm, is it just me, but does the combination of David Gretchen, the two children and a cable car seem a mite worrying?

That was a lovely peaceful interlude Alison.

#34: Author: Rosalin, Location: Swansea

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:22 am
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*puts fingers in ears and hums loudly to drown out Cath*

It was a lovely morning for them and nothing bad is going to happen!

Thanks Alison.

#35: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 10:53 am
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Thanks, Alison. It's good they are enjoying their day.

#36: Author: Joan the Dwarf, Location: Er, where am I?

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 11:23 am
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Cath V-P wrote:

Hmmm, is it just me, but does the combination of David Gretchen, the two children and a cable car seem a mite worrying?

But on the other hand if David/Gretchen end up "still grey and to all appearance dead" then that would be useful for making their parents feel like complete and utter heels, whilst bringing them round sharp.

Provided a swift, complete and very Chalet recovery was effected by the party concered... Smile

#37: Author: brie, Location: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 11:49 am
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Thanks Alison

*hoping certain readers morbid thoughts are not going to be true*

Wink

#38: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:05 pm
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I just hope Jem doesn't get the wrong idea about how they spent the night. It's the sort of thing he would do in this present mood.

#39: Author: JustJen, Location: at a baseball game

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 3:16 pm
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Thanks for the update Alison

#40: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 4:06 pm
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Lovely scene. Very Happy

*wants to visit*

Thank you, Alison.

#41: Author: leahbelle, Location: Kilmarnock

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 5:20 pm
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My thoughts are heading in the same direction as Cath's...

#42: Author: Rob, Location: Currently in a rainstorm

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:03 pm
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*Hopes Cath and Leahbelle are both wrong, wrong, wrong!!*

Looking forward to more of this Alison, thanks!

#43: Author: Lizzie, Location: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 7:32 pm
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Joan the Dwarf wrote:

Ooh, YES! One of them should save the other's life. Or Gretche could save Madge's life somehow, that might sweeten the deal with Jem... Laughing

#44: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 8:19 pm
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If I were Gretchen, I'd feel a very strong temptation to hold Madge's head under water/push her under a bus/ lock the doors of a burning building etc. etc..

#45: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 8:57 pm
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Norty Jennie! Laughing

Thant was lovely Alison - thank you.

#46: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 9:10 pm
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Well, Lesley, I enjoyed being norty in the context of Madge's behaviour in this drabble.

#47: Author: Vick, Location: Leeds, Yorkshire

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 11:04 pm
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Lovely interlude. Hope nothing bad will happen when they finally get back to Tiernsee..... Shocked

Thanks as always Alison

#48: Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire

Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2007 11:07 pm
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Or, indeed, before ... Also hope the interval of time has calmed ruffled feelings, not inflamed them!

#49: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 7:49 am
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Rest assured that I haven't got any mishaps planned for any of them ... although it would serve Jem and Madge right if they both fell in the lake ...

“You’ve gone very quiet all of a sudden,” Gretchen said to David as they were being carried back down the mountain. “You’re not feeling sick being in the cable car so soon after scoffing that enormous lunch, are you?” There was a teasing note in her voice, but she was looking at him anxiously. “Are you all right?”

“Me? I’m absolutely fine,” he assured her. “Sorry: I didn’t mean to worry you. I’m just … thinking, that’s all. Honestly, my love: I’m fine!” He smiled at her. “How could I not be fine, being here in a lovely place like this, with you?” He didn’t add “Well away from my parents and your parents,” but he certainly thought it. What was it his father had said yesterday? I won’t let him do this. He was twenty-eight years old, with a home and a medical practice of his own, and yet - despite everything they’d said last year- his parents still thought that they could tell him what to do. Or, at the very least, still thought that they were entitled to expect that he’d only ever lead his life according to their rules. And this time they really had gone too far. Much too far.

It had been easier when he’d lived in London. At least then they hadn’t been near enough to interfere in his day-to-day life all the time. He knew that they cared about him, and that they thought they were only doing what was best for him; and it wasn’t that he didn’t care about them, but …well, maybe it was no wonder that both Sybil and Josette had ended up settling on the other side of the world. Where, ironically, they’d only gone in the first place because their parents had made them. He didn’t regret leaving London, but he was very much beginning to regret moving so close to Llan-y-Penllan.

And maybe his parents were right in one respect: there probably would be a fair bit of gossip amongst certain elements in the area, people who knew his parents well, about the fact that the son of the well-known Sir James and Lady Russell – how many times had he had had people asking him “Russell, you say? Are you by any chance related to …?” - had married their domestic staff’s daughter. Today’s news was tomorrow’s fish and chip wrapping and all that, he kept reminding himself; but there’d be some people who’d always think of his marriage to Gretchen as a mésalliance and, however much the two of them might try not to let it bother them and however little they might see of those concerned, it wouldn’t be pleasant and he didn’t want to put Gretchen through that.

And, if they settled in Armishire, it’d be inevitable that they would encounter such people sometimes. If only at his parents’ house … with her parents serving the food and drinks. And that was another thing, of course. Living so close to Llan-y-Penllan, they’d be near not only to his parents but also to hers and, whilst she was closer to Marie and Andreas than he’d ever been to his own mother and father, that would present difficulties as well. Maybe once he was their son-in-law they’d at least stop calling him “Dr David,” he thought wryly. And maybe his own parents would at least manage not to condescend to Gretchen the way they undoubtedly did to her mother and father.

But maybe, in fact probably, things would be a lot easier for all of them if they didn’t end up living quite so close to one another. It was hardly as if not living close to someone meant that you’d never get to see them, after all. Certainly not these days. Travel was getting easier all the time, as both he and Gretchen had remarked more than once this week. And there was always the telephone – how many times a week did his Auntie Joey speak to his mother from Switzerland, after all?

His thoughts were interrupted at that point because the cable car had reached its destination; but, a short time later, when he and Gretchen were on their way to the Mayrhofen Bahnhof, having warmly thanked Karen and Rudi for all their help and kindness and hugged the children goodbye, he told his fiancée everything that had just been going through his mind.

“David … are you saying what I think you’re saying?” she asked quietly, when he eventually fell silent.

“That it’d be better for me to move to Briesau than for you to move to Armiford?” He took both her hands in his and nodded.

“Obviously I’d have to speak to Daisy before I can do anything at all about moving, and I’d have to sort out about my share of the practice. It’s not just about the money: I’d need to know for Daisy’s sake and for my patients’ sake that it was being taken over by someone they’re happy with. And I’d have to find somewhere to work over here, and we’d have to decide where exactly we were going to live, but … well, there are going to be some problems to overcome either way - whether I move to Tyrol or you move to Armishire, I mean. And you’d rather stay out here, we both know that; and the more I think about everything the more I think that Tyrol’d be the better option of the two.

“It did briefly occur to me that we could maybe look at other places, make a whole new start; but it’d seem silly for both of us to uproot ourselves. Well, I say uproot, but I’ve never really had any roots anywhere, not like you have. I’ve never had the chance to. But the Tiernsee is very special to me – and I can’t think of many nicer places to live than there.”

“There aren’t any nicer places than there,” she whispered. “Not for me, but it’s different for you … David, it would be wonderful, but are you sure? Please don’t feel that you have to agree to what I want; please don’t say this unless you’re sure.”

“I am sure,” he assured her. “It’s what I want too. Really it is.” She flung her arms round him, and he kissed her. Belatedly he realised that several people in the busy street were giving them funny looks; but he didn’t care. He was happy. Gretchen was happy. And he was damned if he was going to let their families ruin things for them, he thought, as they walked into the Mayrhofen Bahnhof together and bought their tickets for the journey back to the Tiernsee where two hostile sets of parents awaited them. One way or another, they were going to resolve matters. Starting this afternoon.

#50: Author: Fiona Mc, Location: Bendigo, Australia

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 8:13 am
—
I truly hope it does get sorted out and I think moving to Tyrol would be better for David especially with all the potential problems back in the UK

#51: Author: Mona, Location: Hertfordshire

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 8:20 am
—
Thanks Alison! David moving to Tiernsee does seem like the better option for them. I hope the parents have all calmed down.

#52: Author: keren, Location: Israel

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 8:36 am
—
You know that it was their money he used to start the practice (well his share of the sale of the San wasn't it)

#53: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 9:07 am
—

keren wrote:

You know that it was their money he used to start the practice (well his share of the sale of the San wasn't it)

Daisy's share of the practice was bought with money from the sale of the San Very Happy

. David's (I can't remember if I wrote this or just thought it Laughing

) was bought with money from a trust fund - so, yes, that was family money too Laughing

. And Jem must've used family money to set up the San in the first place!

#54: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 9:24 am
—
Thank goodness my suspicions were unfounded..... and I think that settling in Austria would be the best thing they could do.

#55: Author: Rosalin, Location: Swansea

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 10:04 am
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Glad they've sorted that out, it does sound like the best decision. I hope it doesn't make things worse with their parents.

Thanks Alison.

#56: Author: brie, Location: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 12:45 pm
—
Thanks Alison. They are so nice together, if only their parents can be made to see that too.

#57: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 1:59 pm
—
Wow. Go, David, go!!

That's the most sensible thing to do. Karen and Rudi are within easy distance, Gretchen's grandparents are well-respected property owners locally, and theparents are in another country. It sounds ideal, especially as David is bound to get a job fairly easily. And I honestly don't think that the San authorities at the Sonnalpe are going to care two hoots about the great Sir James Russell.

#58: Author: leahbelle, Location: Kilmarnock

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 5:00 pm
—
They are such a great couple together. I think moving to the Tiernsee would be the best option for them. It's a shame their parents can't be happy for them, but maybe they'll come round.

#59: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 5:17 pm
—
I can see that it would be awkward, having Grechen to dinner and having her parents serve them. David's right that the Tiernsee would be the best place for them to live. I hope Jem and Madge have come to their senses a little by the time they arrive.

#60: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 6:16 pm
—
Well figured out, David - I'm sure you and Gretchen will be very happy - now hope the parents have had time to think about what they said - and are ready to apologise.

Thanks Alison.

#61: Author: Rob, Location: Currently in a rainstorm

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 7:48 pm
—
I suppose the only other option would have been for them to move to Australia near Sybil (and Josette), but Austria does make more sense.

Looking forward to finding out whats happening at Die Blumen!

#62: Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2007 11:48 pm
—
And hoping it's good!

Thanks, Alison.

#63: Author: JustJen, Location: at a baseball game

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 1:57 am
—
The visit to Die Blumen should be very interesting. Hopefully cooler heds will previel.

#64: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 7:46 am
—
“Well, here we are.” David smiled wryly. “Sorry, darling – that was rather stating the obvious, wasn’t it?” They were standing just outside the small station at Seespitz, the Tiernsee shimmering clear and blue in front of them and the mountains looming into the cloudless sky in the background. “Shall we bite the bullet and go straight round to Die Blumen, or …?”

“D’you mind if we go back to Briesau first? I know it means a longer walk, but I could do with just nipping into the house first and leaving this bag: I don’t really want to be lugging it around with me. Anyway,” – she blushed - “the way your dad was carrying on yesterday, if I turn up at Die Blumen carrying anything more than my handbag then he’s bound to get the wrong idea.” Rudi had, at David’s apologetic request, when dropping the younger Russells off at Die Blumen yesterday evening mentioned that David had been enquiring about a room at the Kron Prinz Karl and, on being told that there wasn’t one vacant, had gone to another hotel. It was true enough, after all. But they certainly didn’t want to give anyone any reason to conclude mistakenly that she’d spent the night at this nameless hotel with him.

David nodded. “That’s a point. Come on, let’s go to yours first, then. Are you sure you don’t want me to carry your bag for you? I can’t believe you took something that size just for one night!” He grinned. “It’s a complete mystery to me why women have to take so much stuff with them every time they go anywhere! The case Ailie brought here weighed twice as much as mine did.”

“I didn’t take anything that I wasn’t going to need!” she retorted. “And I’m quite capable of carrying my own bag, but thank you anyway.” She smiled up at him, and they set off together back to Briesau, where she duly deposited her large overnight bag back in the house whilst he waited outside in the warm sunshine.

“All right?” he asked when she’d emerged and was locking the front door. She was looking thoughtful, he noticed; and he put his arm round her shoulders. “Gretchen, we don’t have to go round and see them all now this minute, not if you’re not ready. If you want to wait, just say so.”

“Oh, it’s not that.” She shook her head fervently. “It’s just that … I was just thinking that I can’t believe we’ve been engaged for a whole day and we haven’t told anyone who wasn’t at Die Blumen yesterday yet. I mean, we haven’t even spoken to Jakob and Josefa and Andy, nor Sybil and Josette. I didn’t really feel like speaking to anyone else yesterday, after the reaction we got from Mum and Dad and your mum and dad, but now it just feels really weird that none of the others know. I really do wish I had a phone, sometimes.” She paused. “David … whilst we’re in Briesau … David, would you mind if we went to Wald Villa? I didn’t see Grandma and Grandpa all day yesterday and I should have gone round to see how Grandma was, and … and I want to tell them, even if we don’t start making any public announcements just yet. David, will you come with me? Please? So that we can tell them together that we’re engaged?”

“Well, of course I will – if … well, so long as you’re sure that it won’t upset them. If they’re likely to take it badly then maybe we should wait until your grandma’s had a bit more time to get over that bad turn she had … what do you think?”

Gretchen shook her head. “They’ll be all right about it: I wouldn’t have suggested it for a moment if I’d thought it’d upset them. I suppose I might be wrong, but somehow I think they’ll take it much better than Mum and Dad did. They don’t live with your parents, apart from anything else, and they ... well, I sometimes feel that they live much more in the real world than Mum and Dad do.” She smiled wryly. “They might even be pleased!”

David certainly hoped so. Gretchen had been very upset by her parents’ reaction and the last thing he wanted was for her to have to face the disapproval of her grandparents as well. He held her hand tightly as they walked to Wald Villa, and, as they stood on the doorstep, uttered a silent prayer that this wasn’t going to be yet another distressing ordeal. He was rather taken aback when Frau Pfeifen, who opened the door to them, not only didn’t look at all surprised to see the two of them together but had evidently actually been expecting them both.

“Ah, I was wondering when you pair were going to turn up,” she said drily. “Well, come on in then: don’t just stand on the step!” She turned to David. “So, Herr Doktor Russell – or should I just be calling you “David”? I understand that you want to marry my granddaughter?”

#65: Author: keren, Location: Israel

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 7:54 am
—
She sounds a great character (and generally that is what the father says)

#66: Author: Mona, Location: Hertfordshire

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 8:20 am
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Hopefully Grandma will be a useful ally (sp?).

#67: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 8:45 am
—
That sounds as if it might be promising.... and Gretchen believes that they might be more welcoming.

#68: Author: Lottie, Location: Humphrey's Corner

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 9:33 am
—
What a lovely reaction from Frau Pfeifen - let's hope she can talk some sense into Marie and Andreas.

Thanks, Alison.

#69: Author: PaulineS, Location: West Midlands

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 11:02 am
—
Good for Frau Pfeifen. If Marie has told her and she is supportive of David and Gretchen she may have helped calm the situation already. Very Happy

#70: Author: brie, Location: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 11:08 am
—
Oh thats nice. Gratchen deserves a bit of support from her own family.

#71: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 11:39 am
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Thanks, Alison. That was a lovely reaction.

#72: Author: wheelchairprincess, Location: Oxfordshire, UK

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 11:59 am
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I knew there was a reason why I liked Gretchen's Grandmother!

#73: Author: Rosalin, Location: Swansea

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 12:28 pm
—
That sounds more promising. Hopefully Frau Pfeiffen will be firmly on their side and able to influence her daughter as well.

Thanks Alison.

#74: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 1:56 pm
—
Excellent reaction from Frau Pfeiffen. She'll make Andreas and Marie see sense.

#75: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 5:47 pm
—
*grins*

I wonder who told Frau Pfeiffen? And if it was Marie and Andreas I hope she gave them a good talking to!

Thank you Alison.

#76: Author: Tan, Location: London via Newcastle Australia

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 6:13 pm
—
Ah! That is much better Laughing

#77: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 6:22 pm
—
Gretchen's grandmother is lovely! Laughing

Thanks Alison.

#78: Author: Alex, Location: Cambs, UK

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 7:42 pm
—
If she's anything like my grandmothers she knew exactly what was going on the whole time. And is a lot more fine about it that you might expect.

#79: Author: Vick, Location: Leeds, Yorkshire

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 9:19 pm
—
Good old Frau Pfeiffen! Very Happy

Let's hope she can talk some sense into the others...

Thanks Alison.

#80: Author: Rob, Location: Currently in a rainstorm

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 9:21 pm
—
Glad that Frau Pfeiffen is being supportive ... perhaps theres hope for Marie and Andreas yet?!

#81: Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 2007 11:53 pm
—
Perhaps the older you get, the more you've seen and the more you can accept? Good for Grandma, anyway!

#82: Author: linda, Location: Leeds

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:23 am
—
Grannies are always lovely like that. They usually know more of what is going on than parents do.

Thanks Alison

#83: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 4:31 am
—
One good thing -- I don't think either of them has any doubts that Austria's the right place for them now. Before, it might only have been obvious from the outside...

*likes the sound of Grandma* Very Happy

Thank you, Alison. Very Happy

#84: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 6:48 am
—
I hope Frau Pfeiffen manages to get the rest of Grechen's family in line and maybe she'd be able to sort Madge out, too.

Thanks Alison.

#85: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 7:45 am
—
We don't see much of Frau Pfeifen in the books, but we know that she managed to run a guesthouse (presumably a very good one given how much the Bettanys enjoyed their stay there) and bring up a large family at the same time, without any nannies et al, so she was obviously an awful lot more capable than any of the CS people were Wink

!

“What – Mum and Dad’ve been round here and told you, without us even being here?” Gretchen asked crossly. They could have let her and David tell her grandparents their news themselves, she thought resentfully. And she could well imagine the way they’d put it. “Look, whatever they’ve been saying, David and I love each other, and we’ve thought about everything very carefully and we’re definitely getting married,” she began.

“Don’t start getting agitated, Gretchen,” Frau Pfeifen said imperturbably. “And will you give your young man here a chance to answer me?”

Gretchen was silenced by that, much to David’s secret amusement. He was trying to convince himself that Marie and Andreas’s having discussed matters with the Pfeifen elders was a positive sign: at least they weren’t holed up at Die Blumen hoping that this was going to go away and not wanting anyone else to find out about it in the meantime. He smiled at Frau Pfeifen, hoping that he didn’t look too nervous. “I hope you’re feeling better, Frau Pfeifen,” he said. “And I do want to marry Gretchen, yes. That is, I’ve asked her to marry me, and she’s done me the very great honour of accepting.”

“So Marie and Andreas have been telling me,” Frau Pfeifen commented. “And I’m feeling much better, thank you: but I think it’s the two of you whom we need to be talking about, not me.” She lifted Gretchen’s left hand to admire the ring. “Absolutely beautiful,” she pronounced. “You have good taste, Herr Doktor. Well, you must have, if you’re after wanting to marry our Gretchen here. As for your mother and father, Gretchen, not only have they been round here but they’re still round here. They’re in the kitchen with your grandfather.”

“Oh.” Gretchen looked at David. They hadn’t bargained for this, and she didn’t want any unpleasantness in front of her grandparents. “Er – should we go, in that case?”

“You’re going nowhere!” Frau Pfeifen said firmly. “Except into the kitchen, to sit yourselves down. Your grandfather and I have a few things we’d like to ask your intended. Oh, don’t look so worried! We won’t eat him. And we’ve got a few things we’d like to ask you as well. In you come then, the two of you. Go on through.”

David hadn’t exactly anticipated having to answer to an inquisition but, bearing in mind Karen’s comments about the Moniers not being convinced that he did genuinely intend to go ahead with the marriage, he was quite prepared to answer any questions that Gretchen’s family might have for him if doing so might help to ease their misgivings about the situation. He also had the distinct feeling that Gretchen’s grandmother wasn’t nearly as surprised about any of this as her daughter and son-in-law and indeed his own parents had been. Had she realised something when he and Gretchen had been here together earlier in the week, he wondered. He looked at her thoughtfully, and could’ve sworn that she winked at him. Then he walked into the kitchen by Gretchen’s side and there, sitting with Herr Pfeifen, just as Frau Pfeifen had said, were Marie and Andreas.

“Oh Gretchen.” Marie leapt to her feet, and for a moment looked as if she might run over to her daughter but then stopped awkwardly. “Oh, thank goodness you’re back. We’ve been round to your house three times today and you weren’t there, and none of your neighbours had seen you all day and we didn’t know where you might have gone.”

“We’ve been in Mayrhofen since last night. We stayed at Auntie Karen’s: she and Rudi and the twins have been wonderful,” Gretchen told her. “Anneliese let me share her room, and David had the spare room,” she added. Everyone present knew very well that there was no way that Karen would have allowed any impropriety under her roof, but she wanted to make the point anyway.

“We’ve been worried: you were so angry last night that we didn’t know what you might have done,” Andreas said anxiously. “We kept thinking about when you left Armiford and trekked halfway across Europe on your own without telling anyone where you were going.”

“That was years ago,” Gretchen said exasperatedly. “Anyway, I was coming home then: I am home now. And if you thought that David and I were going to run away to get married like two characters in a romantic novel then you were wrong. We’re getting married in front of all those of our friends and family who can actually manage to be pleased for us. As for being angry last night, I think I was entitled to be. I’m sorry I was rude to you both, though. I did go a bit too far.”

“It sounds as if a lot of things were said that should not have been said.” Herr Pfeifen looked round the room. “And it seems that, as Marie and Andreas did not do so, it’s been left to my wife and me to say the things that should have been said. No – don’t interrupt me, please, any of you! This is my house, not the Russells’ house nor the Maynards' house nor anyone else’s house. Gretchen, let’s start with you. You’re absolutely certain that you want to marry young Herr Doktor Russell here? You love him? You think that the two of you will be happy together?”

Gretchen nodded. “I do, yes, Grandpa. I do want to marry him. And he wants to marry me. We love each other. And we will be happy together. We just want everyone else to be happy too. We want this to be a happy time. For all of us. What I said about having our family and friends at the wedding … we want all of you there. And not under sufferance either: we want you to be happy for us. Can’t you do that? Can’t you be happy for us? So, yes, Grandpa – yes, I’m absolutely, definitely sure that I want to marry David, and that we’ll be happy together. I’m as sure as anyone can be sure about anything. I couldn’t be any surer.”

#86: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 8:29 am
—
Well said Gretchen. And Herr and Frau Pfeiffen sound as if they have a far more reasoned grasp on events than either set of parents.

Quote:

This is my house, not the Russells’ house nor the Maynards' house nor anyone else’s house.

Just so!

#87: Author: brie, Location: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 10:32 am
—
Thanks Alison. I do like the Pffeiffens

#88: Author: wheelchairprincess, Location: Oxfordshire, UK

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 10:59 am
—
*echoes everyone else*

Thank you Alison

#89: Author: Lizzie, Location: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 11:28 am
—
Yaaaay!

Thanks Alison!

#90: Author: Ruth B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:33 pm
—
*applauds the Pfeiffens!*

#91: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 1:12 pm
—
As far as they can see, this has been very sudden and they're right to want to make sure that Grechen knows what she's doing. I think they're going to be satisfied, though.

#92: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 1:59 pm
—
Thank goodness for the grandparents. They are right in wanting to question David and Gretchen to make sure that they do want to marry, and as they so rightly say, it is their house and they can do as they wish, including making sure that their beloved granddaughter is going to be happy.

The big difference in this case, is that they want to be sure that David does love their granddaughter, and she loves him, not assuming that they won't be able to get on together because of the difference in their social standing.

I think the Pfeiffens have seen that Gretchen has worked to get her qualifications and is now entitled to be considered a professional person of standing in the community, and will quite rightly be angered that their granddaughter is considered to be lower than her intended husband.

That said, I don't think they'll show their anger unless one of the parentals makes an ugly scene in their presence.

#93: Author: Mrs Redboots, Location: London, UK

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 4:26 pm
—
Good for Herr and Frau Pfeifen!

But be fair, Alison - the CS people didn't have to be capable, so they probably never, for instance, learnt to cook as they didn't have to. I know it was a shock to the system for many people to have to learn to cook when the War meant you simply couldn't get help in the house - my grandmothers both had to learn then, and did a very good job of it, too! Well, one of them did, it's arguable whether the other's cooking was much good (and she made a terrible scene when the cats' home she lived in for the last 20 years of her life announced they couldn't polish residents' shoes any more - she said she had never polished a shoe in her life, and wasn't about to start!).

I am enjoying this, did I forget to say that?!

#94: Author: leahbelle, Location: Kilmarnock

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 5:06 pm
—
Thank goodness for the Pffeifens - even if I can't spell their name!

#95: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 6:53 pm
—
Thanks Alison - liking both Gretchen's grandparents.

#96: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 7:23 pm
—
Marie and Andreas sound... well not quite calmer but at least more willing to listen I think. Can't wait to hear what Frau and Herr Pffeiffen have to ask David Very Happy

#97: Author: Rob, Location: Currently in a rainstorm

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 8:31 pm
—
Also eagerly awaiting David being grilled by the Pfeiffens. Am I the only one concerned by the mention of the Maynards? What has it got to do with them - in fact how do they even know about it yet??

Thank Alison!

#98: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:23 pm
—

Rob wrote:

Also eagerly awaiting David being grilled by the Pfeiffens. Am I the only one concerned by the mention of the Maynards? What has it got to do with them - in fact how do they even know about it yet??

Thank Alison!

I only mentioned them because they own Die Blumen Very Happy

. Joey will not be making a sudden appearance to stick her oar in!

#99: Author: Rosalin, Location: Swansea

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 12:10 am
—
The Pfeiffens sound promising. Hopefully Marie and Andreas will hear enough to at least give David and Gretchen a chance.

Thanks Alison.

#100: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 7:39 am
—
Apologies in advance for soppiness Laughing

!

Herr Pfeifen nodded. “Very well. And you, Herr Doktor Russell? We know that you’re a decent young man - I can’t thank you enough for the way you looked after my wife earlier this week – and we know that you come from a good family, and also that you’ll be well able to support a family of your own. But I want your assurance that you genuinely care for my granddaughter, and that you’ll look after her.”

David would normally have expected Gretchen to hit the roof at her grandfather’s remarks about being looked after and so forth, but she wasn’t saying a word and he very much got the feeling that she, like he, was remembering what Karen had said about trying to understand how members of her family might feel.

“I do, and I will,” he said steadily. “I care very much about Gretchen, Herr Pfeifen, and I promise you that I’ll always look after her – and after anyone else who might, we hope, come along in due course. I love her. I truly love her.”

“I’m glad to hear it!” It was Frau Pfeifen speaking now. “She’s very special, you know.” She smiled at him again, and this time she definitely winked. “Can’t be letting her go to just anyone! We need to know that you’ll appreciate her.”

“Grandma!” Gretchen was blushing furiously. “You can’t say things like that!”

“Yes she can.” David might generally have been a fairly reticent person, but for once he was ready to throw caution to the winds and say exactly what he felt – even at the risk of making a complete fool of himself in the process! He took a deep breath. “Frau Pfeifen, I can give you as many assurances as you want that I appreciate Gretchen and I always will do. I love Gretchen because she’s kind, and she’s loving – I know how much she cares about all of you - and she’s intelligent, and she’s hard-working, and she makes me laugh, and we never run out of things to say to each other, and she’s beautiful, and she makes me happy – and she makes very nice biscuits as well!- and when I’m with her I feel as if I’ve come home.

“I know that I’m not what you might have wanted for her, Frau Pfeifen. I’m not Catholic, and I’m not Austrian, and maybe you even think that I’m a spoilt public schoolboy. And there’ll be times when I’ll be coming home late or even having to be out all night because I’m attending to a seriously ill patient, instead of being at home with my family. But I love her, and I will never, ever let her down. I promise you that.”

“And I love David,” Gretchen said, tears in her eyes. “You will too, when you get to know him better. You couldn’t not do: he’s wonderful: he’s so caring – you should see him with his little brothers – and he’s intelligent and he works so hard, and he makes me laugh, and he always knows what to say to me, and … oh say that you’re pleased for us, Grandma, Grandpa? Please say that you’re happy for us? Please don’t try to tell us that we’re wrong for each other. I know that this probably isn’t what you expected, but …”

“Oh, Gretchen!” Frau Pfeifen was shaking her head. “When people have lived as long as your grandfather and I have done, they learn not to worry too much about “expecting” things. When I was your age, we didn’t know what to expect from day to day sometimes - all of us struggling to feed our families if the winter came early, the men out on the hillsides for months on end. You be grateful that you live in more prosperous times, and hope that this “boom” that the politicians keep talking about keeps on going.

“Do you think that when I got married I expected that someone would decide to assassinate the Emperor’s nephew a few years later, and that because of that your grandfather would have to go off and fight in places with names that neither of us could even pronounce? That the Empire would collapse and the Habsburgs be sent packing? That that madman Hitler would take over country and do things more terrible than any of us could ever have imagined, and that I’d have to watch my sons go off to war like I’d watched my husband do twenty-five years earlier? That my eldest daughter and her husband would end up living in Britain and that I’d have grown-up grandchildren whom I’d never even have seen?

“Believe me, after all that I’ve seen in my life, I’m just glad that we’re all alive and well and here to tell the tale! And if you think that you and this young man here can make each other happy, and from what you’ve both just said it sounds as if you’ve a pretty good chance, then good luck to the pair of you. And you’ll marry her properly, Herr Doktor? In church?”

“In the church here in Briesau, after the civil ceremony: we’ve decided that already,” David said.

Herr Pfeifen nodded in approval, and Frau Pfeifen beamed. “Now that will be lovely!” she proclaimed. “We haven’t had a family wedding here in far too long. I must start looking for a nice new hat!”

#101: Author: Mona, Location: Hertfordshire

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 7:54 am
—
Thank goodness for the grandparents! Let's hope their reaction helps convince Marie and Andreas, although I suspect there will still be a few hurdles to get over with them. And we still have to get back to Die Blumen to Madge and Jem.

#102: Author: Fiona Mc, Location: Bendigo, Australia

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 9:43 am
—
I love that last line that Frau Pfefein must be looking for a new hat. Thanks Alison

#103: Author: brie, Location: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 10:26 am
—
*giggling over the hat line*

Thanks Alison that was lovely, and at least they are just concerned about their happiness. Hopefully this will rub off on gretchen's own parents.

#104: Author: PaulineS, Location: West Midlands

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 11:29 am
—
Wondering about the new hat. Very Happy

Hope Joey or Sybil can calm Madge down. Joey was always on about how it the individual not where they came from which was important.

#105: Author: Rosalin, Location: Swansea

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 11:30 am
—
The hat and Gretchen's biscuits both made me laugh Laughing

I'd never really thought about Austria having just been on the losing side of WWI before. Herr and Frau Pfeiffen have lived through a lot, but I'm glad that it means they can be supportive of David and Gretchen.

Come on Marie and Andreas be influenced by them!

Thanks Alison.

#106: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 2:07 pm
—
Well done everyone there, Gretchen and David for being able to articulate their feelings and Herr and Frau Pfeiffen for their acceptance.

Thanks Alison

#107: Author: Lizzie, Location: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 2:51 pm
—
Lovely, thanks Alison!

#108: Author: Ruth B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 3:50 pm
—
Offers to take Frau Pfeiffen hat shopping!

#109: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 4:57 pm
—
May we all buy hats and come to the wedding?

I'm so glad that they're pleased for Grechen and David. But what have Madge and Jem been saying?

#110: Author: wheelchairprincess, Location: Oxfordshire, UK

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 5:52 pm
—
My first thought was to think "good luck finding a decent one then" in a sarcastic annoyed tone when I read the hat line. Then I laughed lots. I spent most of today trying to find an outfit for a cousin's wedding. Not fun.

But this was.

Thanks, Alison.

#111: Author: keren, Location: Israel

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 6:24 pm
—
I like the "soppiness"/

Only problem is that I am on holiday for a week so will miss all those episodes (although probably maybe I will be able to read tommorow's before we leave the house).

Would be interesting to hear Anna and Joey discuss this

#112: Author: linda, Location: Leeds

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 10:57 pm
—
Wonderful, sensible grandparents. Of course, all they want is for Gretchen to be happy. They have lived long enough to realise that in the end it is only love that counts.

Hope Frau Pfeiffen finds the right at - not lime green pretty please!!

Love the thought of Gretchen's biscuits - well they say the way to a man's heart............!!

#113: Author: Tara, Location: Malvern, Worcestershire

Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 11:20 pm
—
After all they've been through, it's not surprising that the grandparents have got life into perspective and know what's important. Surely everyone else can be convinced as well.

#114: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 8:25 am
—
I'll get to the end of this eventually ... it wasn't meant to get so long!

“I’ll just be sorry from a selfish point of view to see you go back to England, liebchen,” Frau Pfeifen added, reaching out and taking Gretchen’s hand. “Your grandpa and I and the rest of the family here have got used to having you nearby. But you'll come back and visit us, won’t you? And you’ll write to us, let us know how you’re getting on?”

“Oh, no, Grandma, you’ve got that wrong. We’re not going to live in England!” Gretchen exclaimed. “Er … whoops!” She looked at David guiltily. “I possibly shouldn’t have said that just yet!”

“It’s all right,” David laughed. “I’d just appreciate it if no-one mentioned it to any of my relations until I’ve had chance to tell them myself, that’s all. Er - as you’ve probably all just gathered, Gretchen and I are going to be living here at the Tiernsee. It’ll take me a while to sort out my business affairs, and we’ll have to start looking for a house to buy which could take a while as well, but we have definitely decided that we’re going to settle over here.”

“So you’ll still be seeing plenty of me, Grandma!” Gretchen said, smiling. “You'll be seeing plenty of both of us, in fact!”

“But we won’t,” Marie said sadly. “Although after everything that was said yesterday afternoon I’d understand if you didn’t want to see us at all. We didn’t deal with things very well, did we? It was just such a shock. And then everything just got completely out of hand.”

For a few minutes Gretchen had almost forgotten that her parents were there. Now she turned to them at once. “Oh Mum, of course you and Dad’ll see plenty of us!” she said eagerly. “Well, if you want to, that is. And when I say “us” I do mean “us” - me and David, together. I can see now that we gave you a shock yesterday, and I suppose I can understand why you might have thought that we were rushing things and that we might not have thought it all through properly, but surely you can see now that we really are serious about each other and about getting married?” She paused for breath. “We just want you to be pleased for us,” she said, more quietly. “Or, if you can’t manage that, can’t you at least not be against us?

“Auntie Karen said you thought you were losing me, but you’re not. You won’t even have to accept a stranger into the family: you’ve known David longer than I have, after all!” She laughed shakily. “And he and I’re going to be here in the midst of all our relations: it’s a good job David knows the von und zu Wertheims and the Mensches over here, so he won’t be feeling totally overwhelmed … oh don’t look like that! I went to the Schloss Wertheim with David last year, and I promise you faithfully that no-one tried to order me out of the room or anything! And I know the Mensches pretty well myself, after all the time I’ve been working at the San. And we’re not going to be living the sort of life that Sir James and Lady Russell do anyway. David’ll be going to work and I’ll be going to work and we’ll just be … well, we’ll just be happy, because we’ll be together.”

Andreas looked at Marie. Then, slowly, he stood up, reached across the kitchen table and shook David’s hand. “You make sure that you make my daughter happy,” he said, his voice trembling slightly. “Because this may well turn out not to be easy for any of us. But my mother-in-law’s right: we’ve all been through too much to allow there to be a split in the family over this or anything else. And … well, you’re a good lad, a good man; that much I’ve always known; and my daughter obviously loves you and I accept that you’re sincere when you say that you love her too, and that you’ll take good care of her. So the two of you have my permission, for what it’s worth. And you have my blessing.”

“And mine,” Marie said, her voice trembling. “I still can’t quite take all this in, Gretchen. We didn’t even know that the two of you were in touch, and it’s the last thing that we ever expected; but we just want you to be happy, and we are beginning to see that if we look at things from a different angle then maybe this is what’s right for you after all. And Dr David … David … I’ve known you since you were a tiny baby … and you make sure that you and my Gretchen take good care of each other.”

She blew her nose loudly, trying to keep the tears at bay. “I don’t know how long it's going to take your mother and father to accept all this,” she said shakily. “And it’s going to take me a long time to get used to the idea myself. But things don’t always turn out as we expect. I know that, after everything that’s happened in my life. And I think I’m beginning to realise that maybe you and my girl just might be right for each other after all.

“And so you’ll walk down the aisle together at the church here in Briesau, where – on the day you were born, David - I married her father, and Andreas and I and all the rest of our family will be there to celebrate with you. I promise you that. And if you’re happy, then we’ll be happy as well. It’s all we want, Gretchen. For you to be happy.”

#115: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 8:34 am
—
That was lovely Alison - so good to see that Marie and Andreas can at least accept the idea and will try to come to terms with it.

Quote:

if you’re happy, then we’ll be happy as well. It’s all we want, Gretchen. For you to be happy.

And sometimes that means accepting that your children's ideas differ form yours.

#116: Author: Rosalin, Location: Swansea

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 9:28 am
—
Well done Marie and Andreas. The idea's still going to take some thinking about, but they're definitely on the right track.

Is it too much to hope for that Madge and Jem come to a similar point?

Thanks Alison.

#117: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 9:47 am
—
Yes, well done Marie and Andreas - and very telling that Marie was able to make the adjustment from Dr David to just David. I do hope David's parents can come to the same decision - but am rather less hopeful of Jem - he seemed so entrenched in his ideas...

Thanks Alison.

#118: Author: brie, Location: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 10:55 am
—
Thanks Alison. Now for Madge and Jem, somehow I don't think it's going to be as easy for them.

#119: Author: wheelchairprincess, Location: Oxfordshire, UK

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 10:59 am
—
(((Marie and Andreas))) Well done to them, that can't have been easy.

(((David and Gretchen)))

(((Gretchen's Grandparents)))

#120: Author: Joan the Dwarf, Location: Er, where am I?

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:29 am
—
*wipes away tears*

Awww Very Happy

#121: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 1:32 pm
—
Wow, I'm pleased that Gretchen's grandparents are so sensible, kind and loving.

And it's good to see that Marie and Andreas are now on their side, and will welcome the marriage.

#122: Author: Rob, Location: Currently in a rainstorm

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 4:33 pm
—
So glad that Marie and Andreas are beginning to accept David and Gretchen as a couple. Gretchen's grandparents are lovely!!

Now for Madge and Jem ... *fingers crossed*

#123: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 5:35 pm
—
I guess it's going to be harder for Madge and Jem because David will be moving away from them and not really to any of the rest of the family, plus he's rejecting their lifestyle again which is of course what children do but will be hard for Madge and jem to accept I guess.

Hopefully they'll be as sensible as Marie and Andreas though, after all I imagine they really just want David to be ahppy too they just don't understand how this might make him happy.

#124: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 7:43 pm
—
Hooray!

#125: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 10:34 pm
—
Thanks, Alison. I'm really happy that Gretchen's family has come round to the idea.

#126: Author: JustJen, Location: at a baseball game

Posted: Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:52 pm
—
I'm glad that Gretchen family as come around.

Thanks Alison

#127: Author: Sal, Location: Walsall / Aberystwyth

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 1:14 am
—
I've just caught up on a whole chunk of this, its been lovely I'm so glad Gretchen's grandparents were there for her and David and that Marie and Andreas have come round to the idea. Very Happy

Thanks Alison

#128: Author: Fiona Mc, Location: Bendigo, Australia

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 7:26 am
—
Very glad Marie and Anderas are beginning to accept it and it was such a total shock for them so can understand why they did react so badly initially. Am glad they are apologising for it and being honest with how they feel. That goes along way to making up for it all

#129: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 7:46 am
—
“David!” Kevin and Kester both usually insisted that hugging was only for girls and sissies, but when, strolling along the lakeside path with Ailie, they saw their eldest brother walking in the opposite direction with his fiancée, they both hurled themselves at him with such force that they very nearly knocked him over.

“You’re back!” Kester yelled joyfully. “We thought we might never see you again!”

“Hey, come on: I’ve only been gone for one night.” David hugged Kester, then Kevin, then Ailie. “I could hardly have got very far, could I? You only gave me one pair of clean socks to take with me!”

The boys both giggled. “That’s better!” David said. “Now, no more of this talk about anyone never seeing each other again, all right? I might have had a few cross words with Mum and Dad but nothing is going to come between me and you lot – is that clear? Although I’d appreciate it if you didn’t jump on me like that again: you nearly had all three of us in the lake and I’d just as soon not go swimming fully dressed and carrying my overnight bag! Are you two okay? I shouldn’t have said anything when Mum told you to leave the room yesterday: I’m sorry that you ended up hearing all that nasty row.”

“We wouldn’t have gone anywhere even if you hadn’t told us that we could stay,” Kevin said stoutly. “And we’re both really sorry that Dad was so horrible to you, Gretchen. He’s not normally rude. Especially not to girls: he’s always telling us that we should show respect when we’re talking to girls because that’s what gentlemen do. We were talking about it last night, when Mum and Dad thought we were asleep; and we're both definitely sure that anyone David wants to marry is all right by us. And we’ve both always thought you were all right anyway, you know. But please will you try to stop him leaving his shoes lying about? Every time we go to his house one of us ends up tripping over them.”

Gretchen laughed. “I’ll do my best,” she promised. “And thank you both very much for what you’ve just said. It means a lot to me – to both of us.”

“Oh, that’s all right,” Kester said solemnly. “Er – you don’t want to hug us as well, do you? You can if you want to, but neither of us hugs people usually. David just sort of surprised us just then.”

“It’s all right: I think I can manage without a hug if you don’t like hugging people,” Gretchen assured him. She tried very hard not to catch David’s eye in case either of them started to laugh. “Ah – is there anyone in at Die Blumen?” They’d stayed at her grandparents’ house for a celebratory glass of wine and – at the insistence of Frau Pfeifen, who never let anyone stay in her home for more than a few minutes without trying to feed them – and some cake, but they’d known that they were going to have to go and face Jem and Madge sooner or later and that there was nothing to be gained by putting it off, so they’d excused themselves to Gretchen’s family and begun walking slowly but purposefully in the direction of Buchau.

“Just Mum and Dad,” Ailie said. “Marie and Andreas have gone over to Wald Villa, and we’re just out for a walk: we were getting fed up of being in the house.” She smiled. “It’s good to see you both back.”

“It’s good to see you too,” Gretchen said warmly. “And we’ve just been to Wald Villa. I’m pleased to be able to say that Mum and Dad seem happier about things than they were yesterday. A lot happier, in fact: they’ve just had a glass of wine with us, and … and they said that they’ll be coming to the wedding, and that we’ve got their blessing, and that they just want us to be happy!” Her voice tailed off towards the end of the sentence, and David hastily produced his handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her.

“Oh Gretchen, that is good news!” Ailie put her hand on her future sister-in-law’s shoulder. “I’m so pleased: I really am. Listen - ah, we won’t be back for a while. We’ll walk round to the other side of the lake and stop there for ice-creams, shall we, boys? Then we’ll walk back instead of being lazy and getting the steamer? It’ll do us good!”

“If you want to keep us out of the house so that David and Gretchen can talk to Mum and Dad in private then you can just say so: we’re not stupid,” Kevin said scornfully. “Er – did you mean that about the ice-creams, by the way?”

Ailie laughed and assured him that she had done, and the three of them carried on along their way, whilst David and Gretchen walked the other way towards Die Blumen. David opened the front door and put his bag down. “Mum, Dad?” he called. “It’s me. I’m back. We’re back.”

#130: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 7:52 am
—
Kevin and Kester are so very loyal to their brother aren't they? As is Ailie. I loved the line about Gretchen getting David to move his shoes . and checking that ice-cream is still available.

Now, I wonder whether Madge and Jem have done any thinking.

#131: Author: Lizzie, Location: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 9:10 am
—

Alison H wrote:

They’d stayed at her grandparents’ house for a celebratory glass of wine and – at the insistence of Frau Pfeifen, who never let anyone stay in her home for more than a few minutes without trying to feed them – and some cake

My Gran does that!

Thanks Alison! I hope Jem's in a sunnier mood today...

#132: Author: Rosalin, Location: Swansea

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:20 am
—
Those twins are wonderful. And very loyal to their brother. Since he's so much older, and was never a child at home with them David must have worked quite hard to build that relationship, and it's definitely paying off. Ailie's nicely mature as well. Madge and Jem's kids have turned out rather well. Now if the parents could just do the same.

Thanks Alison.

#133: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:48 am
—
Quite. I wonder what sort of emotional blackmail Madge will try now.

#134: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 4:41 pm
—

Lizzie wrote:

Alison H wrote:

My Gran does that!

I was wondering if they had any Egyptian blood in them, as that's what the Egyptians do, too!

#135: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 5:00 pm
—

Fatima wrote:

I was wondering if they had any Egyptian blood in them, as that's what the Egyptians do, too!

Don't tell me that!! I'm going to Egypt in September and I'm fat enough already Laughing

#136: Author: MaryR, Location: Cheshire

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 5:24 pm
—

Fatima wrote:

Lizzie wrote:

Alison H wrote:

My Gran does that!

I was wondering if they had any Egyptian blood in them, as that's what the Egyptians do, too!

No, it's the Irish in them, Fatima! Laughing

My mother always did that! Not just cake, either, she killed the fatted calf just for afternoon tea.

#137: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 5:46 pm
—
We English must seem very inhospitable beside all these other nationalities! A cup of tea and biscuits always seemed reasonable until being given impromptu meals at any time of the day or night!

#138: Author: Elder in Ontario, Location: Ontario, Canada

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 6:09 pm
—
Mary R. said:

Quote:

No, it's the Irish in them, Fatima! Laughing

My mother always did that! Not just cake, either, she killed the fatted calf just for afternoon tea.

Actually, I wonder if this was a generational thing - my mother did that too!!! The only problem was when afternoon tea came too close to the supper/dinner time and we were all still too full from tea to want another meal!! And in term time there was the ubiquitous and even more substantial High Tea, which I think was very much a Northern English and Scottish phenomenon.

#139: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 6:42 pm
—
Thanks Alison - nice to see the younger Russells so supportive. Now for the older Russells...

#140: Author: Rob, Location: Currently in a rainstorm

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 7:26 pm
—
Thanks Alison!

You write David and Gretchen so well (in fact everyone is really believable! Very Happy

) Now if only you can make Madge and Jem say the right things ...

#141: Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:51 pm
—
My aunt does the same thing with food - Canadian but background is Polish. Also, I always come home with bags of food when I go over for dinner.

I love the interaction between the Russell children and Gretchen. Let's hope that the Russell parents have also calmed down.

#142: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:58 pm
—
Well, if Madge and Jem don't go to the wedding and generally behave badly, that's their problem, not David's and Gretchen's.

#143: Author: Vick, Location: Leeds, Yorkshire

Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2007 11:18 pm
—
Just caught up on this(where did the weekend go??? Rolling Eyes

)

Nice that Gretchen's family have come round to the fact that she is marrying David. Now if only Madge & Jem do the same thing.....

Thanks Alison Very Happy

#144: Author: Fiona Mc, Location: Bendigo, Australia

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 12:21 am
—
Really love Kevin and Kester in that especially telly Gretchen all the things David did wrong. I can see why they idolised him so much.

#145: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 7:51 am
—
“David?” Madge’s voice came, somewhat shakily, from the direction of the Saal. “David, we’re in here. Come on in. Both of you.”

David took Gretchen’s hand, and the two of them made their way into the Saal, where they found Sir James and Lady Russell drinking tea and eating slices of thinly-cut bread and butter, a quintessentially English ritual that somehow seemed rather out of place in the setting of a Tyrolean chalet. Once upon a time they’d have been sitting enjoying themselves at one of the cafés by the lakeside, David thought with a pang of something akin to sadness. Still, people changed; and they were the way they were. “Hello, Mum, Dad,” he said steadily. “We’re back.”

“Er – so we can see.” Madge looked at the young woman who was holding her son’s hand and wearing the ring that he’d put on her finger. “Gretchen … Marie and Andreas are worried about you. They’ve been looking for you but they haven’t been able to find you all day.”

“We’ve just seen them,” David told her. Well, at least no-one was shouting today, he thought, hoping that that was a positive sign. “At Wald Villa. And the reason they couldn’t find Gretchen earlier was that she and I only got back from Mayrhofen an hour or so ago. Karen and Rudi were kind enough to put us both up overnight – and, before you start inferring anything from that, Dad, Gretchen shared their daughter’s room and I stayed in the spare room.” He looked his father straight in the eye. “We would not even have dreamt of making an any less appropriate arrangement,” he said, slowly and deliberately.

“Ah, yes,” Jem said awkwardly. “I … Gretchen, I believe that I may owe you something of an apology. You too, David. I didn’t conduct myself very well yesterday, I’m afraid. I should not have allowed myself to become so aggressive; and I most certainly should not have made those remarks about … ah, well, I should never even have suggested that I thought that … er … that anything … ah, untoward may have been taking place. I really didn’t mean it in quite the way that I realise it sounded, and I – well, I would ask you both to accept my apologies.

“Nor should I made those remarks about you wanting David to support you in comfort, Gretchen. You’re a hard-working girl, and I know that. Well, I wouldn’t expect you not to be: you’re Marie and Andreas’s daughter, after all, and no-one could have worked harder than they’ve done for us all these years.” He paused. “Ahem,” he said, looking rather embarrassed. “Maybe I could have put that a little better.”

Despite the gravity of the situation, David by this time was having to try very hard not to laugh. The look on his father’s face, and the tone of his voice! He tried not to catch Gretchen’s eye, because he could tell that she was amused too. She, however, was evidently managing to conceal it far better than he was, because she spoke out without a trace of mirth in her voice. “Apology accepted, Sir James,” he heard her say gravely. “I apologise for the way that I spoke to you too. I think that perhaps we all allowed our emotions to run away with us yesterday.”

“Exactly!” Jem seized on her comment gratefully. “Well, let’s agree to put that behind us, shall we? We all said things that we shouldn’t have done. But you and David must understand that what you came here to say really was a huge shock to all of us. None of had the faintest idea that there was any sort of … relationship between the two of you. When both Josette and Sybil became engaged we’d known for some time about the young men in question, and we would certainly have expected to know if there was any likelihood of David becoming engaged in the near future. And I’m sure that your parents would say the same in regard to you. And the fact that neither of you had even mentioned that you’d met up when David was in Tyrol last year does rather suggest that you knew how we’d react to idea of the two of you … seeing one another.”

“We’re sorry about what happened last night, David,” Madge put in. “We really are sorry about the way that it went. But what your father’s saying is that we were shocked and that we had reason to be; and that we just don’t want to see you make a mistake that the two of you are going to end up regretting for the rest of your lives. A marriage between the two of you would certainly give rise to some degree of gossip but I would hope that we’re all big enough to rise above that; but our real concern is what you two are going to do if two or three years down the line you realise that you aren’t right for each other after all, and that you’d each have been better marrying someone you were better suited to. Someone from your own world.”

“We are from our own world! I mean, we’re from the same world,” David said angrily. He tried to curb his tone: he didn’t want another row. “I accept your apology, Dad. And I hear what you’re both saying, but can’t you accept that being from different backgrounds doesn’t make any difference to us? And we are not making a mistake. Even if we were, it wouldn’t be because Gretchen’s parents just happen to work for you or anything like that. I’m sure we can all think of plenty of people who’ve married people from exactly the same backgrounds as they were and ended up regretting it, so don’t try to make out that that’s all that matters. And, regardless of any of this, it’s for us to decide what we do. What you two were saying last night, about not allowing me to marry Gretchen – what on earth did you think you were talking about? I’m twenty-eight years old, for crying out loud!”

“I shouldn’t have said that,” Jem muttered. “But we are your parents, after all, David, and we want what’s best for you. And Marie and Andreas want what’s best for Gretchen. If your Auntie Margot had only listened to what my parents said …” He stopped suddenly, unable to continue. Every time he thought of his sister and everything she’d gone through … he wouldn’t have wished her not to have married Stephen Venables if only because then Daisy and Primula would never have been born, but when he thought of the life that that man had given her …

“Oh Dad!” David exclaimed. “Stephen Venables was a drunken brute: that was a completely different situation and well you know it!” He looked at his distressed father and sighed. “Oh Dad!” he said, shaking his head sadly. “Come on now! Don’t go upsetting yourself.”

He waited for a few moments until Jem had composed himself, and when he spoke again it was in a much gentler tone than he’d been using earlier. “Dad … I wouldn’t have brought Auntie Margot’s memory into this, but seeing as you’ve just done so … she married Stephen Venables despite everything your parents said – and if he hadn’t died, and that friend of hers hadn’t died, you’d probably never have seen her again. And your parents never did see her again. Is that what you and Mum want, another split in the family? Because you’re going the right way about it if you do, even though it’s the last thing that we want. Gretchen and I are getting married whether you two like it or not. Can you not accept that? Can you not accept us? Please. I’m asking you: won’t you at least try?”

#146: Author: Mona, Location: Hertfordshire

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:01 am
—
He believes he may owe Gretchen something of an apology? Jem's a master of understatement, isn't he? It's good that both Jem and Madge are calmer and willing to talk now. I think I may see the faintest gleam of light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks Alison!

#147: Author: Fiona Mc, Location: Bendigo, Australia

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 8:34 am
—
I don't know what to say. Am glad to see this. I wish Jem could have been more gracious about it all and I would have thought after Margot's elopement Jem would have been a little better so as not to have the same situation happen again

#148: Author: wheelchairprincess, Location: Oxfordshire, UK

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 11:15 am
—
Not sure what to say or think about this post. To start with reading it I wondered if Madge and Jem were being "real" as they seemed to be coming along and around too quickly to be IC given their original reaction. But as it goes on we see more of their true colours so to speak and we also see the strength David and Gretchen have. So overall, I think I like it.

#149: Author: brie, Location: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 11:25 am
—
Thanks Alison! I found that very realistic, even if it wasn't quite the happy reconcilation of Gretchen's parents.

#150: Author: Lizzie, Location: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 1:20 pm
—
Thanks Alison!

#151: Author: Rosalin, Location: Swansea

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 1:53 pm
—
Well, that could have been a lot worse.

Madge and Jem have calmed down overnight, but they've still got reservations.

I hope they come around more completely, but at least everyone's talking now.

Thanks Alison, really enjoying this.

#152: Author: Vick, Location: Leeds, Yorkshire

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 2:16 pm
—
lovely thanks alison.

glad that jem & madge are at least speaking to david & gretchen now.

apologies for poor typing, bouncing charlotte at same time Rolling Eyes

#153: Author: Rob, Location: Currently in a rainstorm

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 4:41 pm
—
Thanks Alison.

Very realistic that all Madge and Jem's reservations wouldn't have vanished in the night (although I sort of hoped they would have done! Very Happy

)

I just hope that after all this David and Gretchen don't discover that they are incompatible ... I don't see Madge and Jem - or Marie and Andreas for that matter - being able to resist saying 'I told you so'.

#154: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 5:20 pm
—
I'm glad Jem apologised, even if he didn't do it as well as we'd have liked. I just hope that after spending time with Grechen and David that they see how well suited they are and grow to appreciate how lucky David is to have found someone like Grechen.

#155: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 6:52 pm
—
Jem and Madge do seem to be having a few problems finding the right words to explain their concerns don't they! They're real concerns too, considering nobody knew Gretchen and David had been seeing anything of each other and therefore can't know how carefully they've thought about it.

Perhaps Jem should try saying things inside his head before he lets them out and causes more trouble!

(mind you David's not doing so well at keeping his temper either is he!)

Thanks Alison

#156: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2007 9:13 pm
—
Hmmm, Madge and Jem's feelings haven't changed that much, have they? And if Jem was so upset about Margot then why did he risk losing his son in the same way - glad David pointed this out.

Thanks Alison.

#157: Author: jennifer, Location: Taiwan

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 3:57 am
—
I think Madge and Jem need to *listen* to David and Gretchen. Let them tell how they met, how they've kept in touch, what their plans are. It's a shock to them, but the kids have thought out a lot of the big issues - where they will live, children, religion, balancing their careers.

Mind you, none of these were issues that the older generation had to think of when they got married. - they didn't have to move, kids were unavoidable, religion wasn''t an issue, and Madge automatically gave up her work.

#158: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 7:49 am
—
“No-one wants there to be a split in the family, David,” Jem said heavily. “And Ailie and the boys made it quite clear during the course of last night and this morning that they … did not view your news as we did; and I would imagine that Sybil and Josette, Sybil certainly, will feel the same as they do. It’s just …”

“It’s just hard for us to accept all this, that’s all,” Madge finished for him. “It’s nothing personal, Gretchen, and I daresay that you think that we’re terrible snobs and that we think we’re different from other people when in actual fact we’re all just God’s creatures; but you must see that this seems strange to us.”

“Oh, I do,” Gretchen said drily. “How could I not? Who could possibly understand it better than I do? I lived in your household long enough, after all. Watching my parents defer to you both. But I don’t think like they do. And David doesn’t think like you do.” She paused. “You might be interested to know that my parents have just told us that we have their blessing, because, whilst this isn’t what they expected either, their main concern is for their children to be happy - and they accept that my best chance of happiness will be to be married to David. As, I very much hope, his will be to be married to me. We love each other. We understand each other. We get on together. We’re right together.”

There was silence for a few moments. Then Jem spoke again. “I went up to the San earlier this week,” he said - apparently more to himself than to anyone else, but then he looked at Gretchen. “Gottfried Mensch speaks very highly of you,” he added abruptly.

Madge nodded. “Gisela – Frau Doktor Mensch – does too,” she said. “When she was here for lunch – the day you went on that picnic, David – she was asking after Marie and Andreas, and she mentioned you. You’ve done well for yourself, especially since you’ve been back in Tyrol.”

David was reluctant to interrupt just as some genuine progress seemed to be being made – even if wanting to avoid a split in the family and having heard his fiancée praised by old family friends weren’t quite the reasons he’d have chosen for his parents coming round to accepting the idea of his marriage, if that were indeed what they were doing – but there was something that had to be said. “We’ve got something else to tell you,” he said. “We’ve decided that we’re going to live here. At the Tiernsee. Obviously I’ll need to sort things out in Armishire – I wouldn’t do anything to cause Daisy any problems, and I’ll have to sell my house – and we’ll be looking for a house here, but once all that’s dealt with I’ll be coming to live over here.”

“You’re moving to Austria?” Madge sat up in her chair, holding on to its arms for support. “David, are you sure about this? You’re not just saying it because you’re upset or angry?”

“Oh, I’m quite sure about it.” He smiled. “It’s actually just what each of you did once upon a time, remember. And Gretchen and I both feel that it’ll be better for us over here.”

“Away from us, you mean,” Madge said sadly.

David sighed. “When will the two of you understand that what I do isn’t about you? This is about us. Gretchen and me: what’s best for us. We love each other – even you must accept that, at least.” He saw, with a burgeoning glimmer of hope, his mother nod, and then his father nod as well. Encouraged, he pressed on.

“Gretchen’s got her job here which, as you’ve just said, she’s very good at, and there’s no reason I shouldn’t be able to work here: Dad and Uncle Jack both did, after all, and I speak the language and I do know the area. And we’ll be coming over to Llan-y-Penllan often enough, to see Ailie and the boys, and Marie and Andreas and Jakob and Josefa and Andy … and, we hope, to see you as well.”

He looked at both his parents. “It’s up to you. Gretchen and I are getting married. Are you going to be there on our wedding day, with everyone else, and are you going to see us when we come over to visit, and are you going to visit us when you come to Die Blumen, and are you going to see the children that we hope we’ll be having at some point in the future – or are you going to cut us off the way Dad’s parents cut Auntie Margot off, all because of a way of thinking that just isn’t relevant? You claim that you want what’s best for me – well; marrying Gretchen will be the best thing that’ll ever have happened to me. Are you ever going to be able to accept that, accept us, welcome us and be happy for us? Well?”

There was a long pause. Then, eventually, Jem looked at Madge, Madge nodded, and Jem spoke. “We’ll be at your wedding,” he said. “And of course you’ll always be welcome at Llan-y-Penllan. You’re our son. Gretchen … you will be our daughter-in-law. And your children will be our grandchildren. Of course you’ll be welcome. As we hope we will be with you, despite everything. I won’t lie: I won’t say that we understand, fully, but we’ll listen to you, and we’ll talk to you, and we’ll try to understand. And we will do. It’ll just take us a bit of time, that’s all.” He looked at David and then at Gretchen. “Can you accept that?”

David squeezed Gretchen’s hand, and she smiled up at him. “I think we can!” he said. “I think we can.”

Hope that was OK: I had to bring things with Madge and Jem to some sort of conclusion or I'd've been writing this for ever!

#159: Author: Fiona Mc, Location: Bendigo, Australia

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:03 am
—
Thanks Alison. I'm glad there is some sort of reconciliation. You often leave me speechless not because I don't think its realistic cos I do but simply because I think its so good I just literally don't know what to say about it
I think its fairly accurate that they won't be completely reconciled straight away and it doesn't come accross that they are but will given time (hopefully)
Thanks again

#160: Author: Mona, Location: Hertfordshire

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:13 am
—
Thanks Alison! It's so good that Madge and Jem are at least willing to try, even if they're not completely reconciled to the idea yet.

#161: Author: Lizzie, Location: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:17 am
—
I agree with Fiona, this really is excellent.

I'm glad everyone has come round eventually, I should think David and Gretchen would get sick of standing in various living rooms describing their relationship to various family members!

#162: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:45 am
—
Glad Madge and Jem have at least tried to meet them halfway.

Thanks Alison.

#163: Author: brie, Location: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:46 am
—
Thanks Alison, even though it isn't as nice as a cheesy happy reunion, its so much more realistic like this, and it shows how good a writer you are.

#164: Author: janem, Location: Ash, Surrey

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:33 am
—
Phew!

Alison, I'm so glad you are updating this every day as I don't think I could wait any longer between episodes. I hope they are heading for a happy ending...

#165: Author: jacey, Location: Ireland

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:33 am
—
Thanks Alison. I think the way you've handled this is very realistic. Madge and Jem have had time to think and have seen how Ailie and the twins feel. They won't want to lose David entirely, so whatever doubts they still have they will probably keep to themselves.
Thank you too for being such a punctual updater on this Very Happy

I know that if I zip on in the morning for a quick peek before starting work there will be an update waiting. great way to start the day.
I hope you're not considering ending this yet though....... Shocked

#166: Author: Joan the Dwarf, Location: Er, where am I?

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:53 am
—
Yay! *cheers*

#167: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 12:02 pm
—
Thanks, Alison. At least there's some progress on the parental front, even if it isn't full-blown acceptance yet.

Mind you, I can see Madge and Jem trying to interfere about the house and furniture, etc. in the not so distant future.

#168: Author: leahbelle, Location: Kilmarnock

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 1:17 pm
—
Thanks, Alison. This seems much more promising.

#169: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 3:55 pm
—
And hopefully, as the years pass and Madge and Jem see how Grechen and David's relationship lasts and how they weather rough patches, they'll realise how right they were to get married.

This is excellent Alison, thanks!

#170: Author: Rosalin, Location: Swansea

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 6:13 pm
—
Definitely realistic.

Complete and instant acceptance from Madge and Jem would have been very unlikely, but I'm glad they've got something to build on and they can all go forward without an estrangement.

Thanks Alison.

#171: Author: Rob, Location: Currently in a rainstorm

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:05 pm
—
Glad that Madge and Jem have become more accepting, even if they aren't fully supportive of David and Gretchen. David's decision to move to Austria must make them feel they are being regected, despite David's reassurance to the contrary, especially as Marie and Andreas live in Britain too. I hope that that won't make it more difficult for them to understand their decision.

Thanks Alison.

#172: Author: Vick, Location: Leeds, Yorkshire

Posted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:31 pm
—
Glad that Madge & Jem are starting to come around to the thought of David & Gretchen marrying & that they said they will be at the wedding. Let's hope things continue to improve now Very Happy

Thanks Alison

#173: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 7:47 am
—
Thanks for the comments.

In the end, Madge and Jem had until the following spring, to get used to the idea of their son’s marriage to Andreas and Marie’s daughter. With there being so much to arrange it wasn’t feasible to arrange the wedding for before the end of the year, and anyway bothDavid and Gretchen felt that it would be unfair to hold their own wedding before Len and Reg’s which was to take place at the end of December. They didn’t want to risk having to wade through acres of post-thaw mud by holding the wedding in the later part of the winter, nor did it seem reasonable to expect all David’s British and Australian-based relatives to travel to Central Europe twice within the space of too short a time; and so eventually the happy couple set the date for just after Easter.

In the meantime, the day after David and Gretchen’s return from Mayrhofen was Sunday, and in the morning Marie and Andreas walked round to Briesau to attend church with Gretchen and those of their other relatives who lived locally. The Russells accompanied them. Kevin and Kester had hoped that the lack of a Protestant church close to the Tiernsee – the Anglican chapel built during Jem’s time as Head of the Sonnalpe San had fallen into disuse when the British residents had left in 1938 – would mean that they’d be able to spend the morning in bed; but Madge and Jem had said firmly that they would all attend one of the Catholic services around the lakeside and that, as they knew no-one in Buchau, they would go to the church in Briesau as Madge in particular had done so many times in the past. And so the two families attended the service there together.

David and Gretchen had offered to keep the news of their engagement within the immediate family for a little while if that was what either or both sets of parents preferred; but Jem, Madge, Andreas and Marie all conceded that there was no need for that. So David found himself being introduced to the many members of the extended Pfeifen family, both on that Sunday morning in church and in various other parts of Tyrol over the course of the following week, and having to concentrate very hard even to try to remember which name went with which face. “Have you even tried to count up how many close relations we’ve got between us?” he asked his fiancée, laughing. “I can see it being standing room only in the church on the day of the wedding, and that’s before we even start with friends!”

The younger members of the family, Gretchen’s cousins, didn’t remember the days when the Russells had lived in Tyrol and so, although they knew that Jem and Madge were Andreas and Marie’s employers, were really only surprised by the fact that Gretchen was getting engaged when they hadn’t even known that she’d had a boyfriend, rather than by whom David and his parents were. One of them joked that ever since Gretchen had started working at the San they’d been waiting for her to bag herself a doctor and asked what had taken her so long, which Gretchen initially took slight offence at but soon saw the funny side of. However, even people like Hansi, Eigen, Luise and Gitterl, Gretchen’s uncles and aunts who’d all worked at the Chalet School before the War, agreed that David was easy to get on with; and it was hardly as if they could say that they didn’t know his family.

Gretchen broke the news by telephone to her brothers Jakob and Andy, her sister Josefa, her aunt Rosa and her mother’s cousin Anna. Jakob, Andy and Josefa, once they’d got over the initial shock, all declared that they were pleased by the news although they were sorry that it wouldn’t mean her coming back to live in Britain; and Jakob also said to David when he next saw him that he hoped he knew that he was taking on with Gretchen but that he’d better look after her. He was sure that David would, he added.

Both Rosa and Anna initially thought that it was some sort of joke, and even after being assured that it wasn’t Anna still didn’t quite believe it until she’d spoken to Karen who convinced her that it was actually true. Once she’d got used to the idea, she said that she didn’t know if the thought if being related by marriage to Joey and Jack was more amusing or horrifying; whilst Rosa, once she’d got over her shock at the announcement, cried buckets of sentimental tears and told everyone what a lovely baby David had been until they were all sick of hearing it.

#174: Author: Mona, Location: Hertfordshire

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:02 am
—
Lovely, thanks Alison!

#175: Author: Lizzie, Location: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:12 am
—

Alison H wrote:

Once she’d got used to the idea, she said that she didn’t know if the thought if being related by marriage to Joey and Jack was more amusing or horrifying

Loved this, Alison!

#176: Author: Fiona Mc, Location: Bendigo, Australia

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:49 am
—
I love Anna's reaction, not knowing whether to be horrified or amused. Thanks Alison

#177: Author: jennifer, Location: Taiwan

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 8:49 am
—
So if Joey's sister's son marries Anna's cousin's daughter, what does that make Anna and Joey?

#178: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:19 am
—
Thanks Alison, that was great - love the twins hoping, in vain, for a Sunday morning in bed!

#179: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 11:38 am
—
Thanks, Alison. Hm, I don'tknow if I'd want to be related to Jo, so I think Anna is very wise to be wary.

#180: Author: Rosalin, Location: Swansea

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 11:58 am
—
Gretchen's right about the size of their families Laughing

But has she fully thought through the fact that she's going to be related to Jo?

Thanks Alison.

#181: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 12:00 pm
—
Well, Jo has her own house there, so it's quite likely she'll be on their doorstep quite often. And pop over to stay with them, on te grounds that she hasn't any staff at her own house, so she needs them to look after her.

#182: Author: Lizzie, Location: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 12:48 pm
—

jennifer wrote:

So if Joey's sister's son marries Anna's cousin's daughter, what does that make Anna and Joey?

Confused?

#183: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 1:08 pm
—
I liked them all going to church together.

Thanks Alison.

#184: Author: Katherine, Location: London, UK

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 1:32 pm
—

jennifer wrote:

So if Joey's sister's son marries Anna's cousin's daughter, what does that make Anna and Joey?

Oh help! It's another horribly complicted CS relationship.

#185: Author: JustJen, Location: at a baseball game

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:05 pm
—
Thanks for the update Alison.

#186: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:33 pm
—
I do wish you hadn't all started talking about the relationships between Anna and Joey, my head hurts now!

Very Happy

Thank you Alison, it certainly would be a rather crowded wedding!

#187: Author: brie, Location: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 2:38 pm
—
Thanks Alison. Its certainly looking a lot more positive now Smile

#188: Author: leahbelle, Location: Kilmarnock

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 3:07 pm
—
I love Anna's reaction. She's definitely wise to be wary of being related to Jo!

#189: Author: Joan the Dwarf, Location: Er, where am I?

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 4:51 pm
—
I prefer the Tudor practice of just calling anyone who's not a close relation "cousin". I used this to good effect when I met my extended family for the first time (they all live in another country).

Actually, looking at the family tree, cousin by marriage seems the outcome...
ETA so that could be cousin-in-law Smile

#190: Author: Vick, Location: Leeds, Yorkshire

Posted: Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:32 pm
—
Glad they could all go to church together, at least things aren't tense between Madge & Jem and Marie & Andreas.

Thanks Alison.

#191: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 7:40 am
—
During the second week of the Russells’ holiday, as well as visiting Gretchen’s relatives and paying another visit to Karen and Rudi and the children in Mayrhofen, David also tried to spend as much time as possible with his brothers, who’d been very upset by the news that he was intending to move to Austria. Madge and Jem had been saddened by the news too, but put a brave face on it, joking that with Sybil and Josette and their families in Australia, the Maynards in Switzerland and soon David with Gretchen in Austria they had as many reasons as they could possibly need for getting away from the British weather as often as possible now that Jem had retired.

Gretchen joined David and his brothers for a day out in Spartz one of the days: Kevin and Kester had only been very young when she’d moved out of the Russells’ house and both she and they wanted to get to know each other better. Eventually the two boys did start to come round to the idea of David living abroad: as he pointed out, they’d be away at Winchester for much of the time from next September anyway, and they’d be able to come and stay with him and Gretchen during their holidays sometimes.

David and Gretchen found time to spend alone together as well, sometimes walking round the lake hand-in-hand, sometimes snuggled up together in Gretchen’s living room whilst they made their plans for the future, and sometimes having Kaffee und Kuchen in one of the many little villages within walking distance of Briesau. David declared that he was going to have to go on a diet as soon as he got back to Armishire after all the eating that he’d done in Austria, and Gretchen said that she wasn’t even going to think about her wedding dress until she’d had a few weeks of sticking to salad after all the cakes that she’d eaten during his stay.

On the Sunday of that second week the Russells and the Moniers again attended church in Briesau together, where Gretchen, having briefly explained the circumstances to the priest who served the church, introduced David to him. The priest had half been expecting to find that the Englishman didn’t understand much German and was extremely relieved to find that he spoke the language fluently and even with a Tyrolean accent, and the two of them got on well.

After that, the five Russells and the three Moniers all joined Herr and Frau Pfeifen for Mittagessen at Wald Villa, once the guests had all been fed. The atmosphere at the table was a little strained, but everyone found plenty to talk about all the same. They’d all known each other long enough, after all. Jem and Andreas had known each other since long before either of them had been married, and it had been over thirty-five years since Madge had first met Marie and the elder Pfeifens.

On the Monday morning the Russells and Marie and Andreas left to catch their plane back to Britain, with Gretchen accompanying them as far as Spartz and bidding them a tearful farewell as they boarded the train which would take them on to Munich. From then on, letters flew backwards and forwards between Armishire and the Tiernsee even more often than they’d done before, if that was possible. And the receptionist at the Sonnalpe San, who remembered the English doctor who’d come to visit Gretchen there the year before and put a sparkle in her eye even then, said nothing to anyone about the long-distance calls that sometimes came through for Fraulein Monier early in the morning before the working day had officially started.

#192: Author: Rosy-Jess, Location: Gloucestershire-London-Aberystwyth

Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:11 am
—
I do like a bit of romance first thing in the morning. Thankyou!

#193: Author: Fiona Mc, Location: Bendigo, Australia

Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:31 am
—
I can't wait for the wedding. Thanks Alison

#194: Author: brie, Location: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom

Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 9:23 am
—
Thanks Alison I'm so glad its all looking up. There aren't going to be any surprise pitfalls now are there????

#195: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 11:45 am
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I'm already looking for a hat for the wedding, so no nasty surprises, please, Alison.

#196: Author: Rosalin, Location: Swansea

Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 4:03 pm
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A hat, there's a good idea. Maybe Frau Pfeiffen could recommend somewhere to get one Laughing

Glad it's working out, but sorry it sounds like everything is being wound up.

Thanks Alison.

#197: Author: leahbelle, Location: Kilmarnock

Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 4:13 pm
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So glad that things seem to be going smoothly for them now. Thanks, Alison.

#198: Author: Vick, Location: Leeds, Yorkshire

Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 4:15 pm
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Lovely, thanks Alison

#199: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 5:25 pm
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Thanks Alison.

Will be sad to see this one finish.

#200: Author: Rob, Location: Currently in a rainstorm

Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 11:04 pm