The CBB
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A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15
http://www.the-cbb.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=4548

Author:  JayB [ 18 May 2008, 21:20 ]
Post subject:  A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

It was late afternoon when they reached Basle and Con at least was tired of travelling. Their father was there to meet them. After the briefest of greetings he was hurrying them out of the station to the car, wanting to get out of Basle ahead of the worst of the evening traffic. Margot bagged the front seat and chattered about all she had learned that term. Whenever she paused for breath, Len jumped in with questions about Reg, about everyone at Freudesheim, and about School. Con sat back in her corner, content to listen to the others talk.

As the car drew up outside Freudesheim, the front door was flung open and their mother stood on the top step, the light streaming out around her. Len was first out of the car, running up the steps and into her mother's arms. Margot followed, Con, having to walk around from the back of the car, slightly behind.
'Welcome home, my big girls!' Joey cried. 'Len, you look tired, my poppet. Early bed tonight, I think. Margot, you look positively blooming - reminds me of that big, bonny girl who nearly strangled me when we arrived in Toronto all those years ago! No, leave your cases, Papa will bring them. Come inside and let me look at you properly. Con, come here, my pet, and let me see you.' She drew them into the hall. Con moved forward, taking off her beret and unwinding her scarf. There was a moment's silence, then,
'Your hair! What happened? Did you have some kind of accident? Why wasn't I told? Len?' Len shook her head quickly.
'No accident, Mamma. Con just decided to have her hair cut.'
‘It’s so much easier like this,’ Con said.
'Your lovely long curls,' Joey lamented. 'Well, I suppose I shall have to get used to it. But it feels as if I've seen the last of my little girl.'
'Well, I have no plans to cut my hair short,' said Len.
'I should think Reg would have something to say if you did!' Joey said. 'He isn't off duty until later, by the way, and he thought you'd like a quiet evening, so he isn't coming over. He said he'll telephone later to make sure you've arrived safely. He's coming to Abendessen tomorrow - barring emergencies of course!' Len laughed.
'After nineteen years of being a doctor's daughter, I know all about that!' she said.
'Here's Papa with your cases. Just take them upstairs now. Abendessen will be ready soon, you haven't got time to unpack. But do run up to the night nursery and peep in at Geoff and Phil. I promised they could see you if you came before they went to sleep. Don't disturb Claire - she was already asleep when I looked in just now. You'll see Cecil tomorrow. I told you in my letters, didn't I, that she's been a weekly boarder at St Nicholas since half term.'

Geoff was his usual boisterous self, bouncing on the bed in his excitement at seeing his eldest sisters again. Phil still had an air of fragility and a gravity beyond her years, but their father assured them she was making progress.

'It's a long process, and she might always have a slight weakness on that side; very strenuous games and climbing might be too much for her,' he said, when they were sitting down to plates of goulash. 'But by the time she's old enough for the school proper, you'll hardly know she was ever ill.'
'It was rotten luck for her,' Margot said. 'There are immunisations now, no kiddie need ever catch the beastly thing.'
'Rotten luck for Phil,' Joey agreed. 'But God might have taken her from us altogether. We can give thanks for that.'
'I do,' said Margot quietly.

'There are new treatments for TB now as well, aren't there?' said Con, remembering what Jon had said. 'People won't have to spend ages in hospital any more.'
'So what will happen to the San?' Len asked.
'Well, there will always be some people who can't be treated at home, for various reasons,' their father said. 'And up here we've never been just a TB hospital. We do orthopaedic work, treat head and spinal injuries. And we provide emergency medical services for this whole district. But in fact Sheppard is setting up a project to look into the long term future of both Sans, this one and the Welsh one. He's recruited a young chap to help him with it, he'll be arriving after Christmas.'
'And that's enough about that,' said Joey. 'You know I won't have medical shop at mealtimes. Anyone want more goulash? No? Then Margot, you might ring for Anna to bring dessert.'

Con found home very flat after Oxford. She took up her cello again, and arranged some lessons with Herr von Falck, the school's visiting cello master, but otherwise found little to fill her days. Ruey’s term finished later than theirs. She would come home with the boys, after visiting relatives in England. Len seemed to have no difficulty slipping back into her old position in the family, working, helping with the little ones and spending time with Reg. Margot spent much of her time at the San.
'I've asked them to give me some of the really horrible jobs,' she said. 'Emptying bed pans, clearing up messes, that sort of thing. I need to be able to do all those things, and it's no use waiting until I've absolutely got to do something and then finding I'm squeamish! Dad told Aunt Helen - Matron Graves, I mean - to make sure I get all the worst jobs going.' When Margot wasn't at the San, she was over at the School, joining in games practices. The hard work and exercise obviously suited her; she glowed with health and fitness. Con admired her energy and determination, but resisted all Margot's attempts to persuade her to play hockey.
'If it was ski-ing, I would,' she said. 'I hope there'll be some snow while we're here and we can get some ski-ing. But you know I've never liked hockey as much as you do.' ‘OK, if you wont, you won’t.’ Margot dashed off. She had always been confident, sure of herself, Con thought, but there seemed to be a new certainty about her now, and a distance between her and the rest of the family. It was as if she had already started on the path that would eventually take her away from them, and did not intend to let anything distract her from her goal.

Con wandered up to her room and sat, looking out of the window. Had life on the Platz always been this dull, she wondered. At Oxford, there was always somewhere to go, something new to do, people to talk to, conversation on every subject under the sun. At home, there were long evenings spent in the Saal with just her mother and sisters for company. Sometimes their father was there, but he often had paperwork to do, and shut himself up in his den after Abendessen. Conversation was nearly always about the family, or the School, or their neighbours on the Platz. Perhaps things would be livelier when the rest of the family came home, but at present Con saw the weeks of the vacation stretching emptily before her.

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 18 May 2008, 21:30 ]
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Con has my sympathy, it's always hard to go home after the taste of the world. Glad Joey saw she wasn't a little girl any more with her haircut, though I didn't like the comment about Reg if Len wanted to cut her own hair. No offense but that would be Len's business entirely.

Thanks for the update JayB :D

Author:  PaulineS [ 18 May 2008, 21:32 ]
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Thank you I am pleased there is a second part to this. I feel sorry for Con who has developed so much away from home and is finding just how restricted her previous life was.

Author:  RroseSelavy [ 18 May 2008, 21:34 ]
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Hurray! :popper: Absolutely smashing to see more of this, Jay. I think the 'flat' feeling Con is having is quite normal after a first term away at university - it's really interesting to see how she's growing up. I like your Margot too.

Author:  Alison H [ 18 May 2008, 21:39 ]
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Great to see this back so soon - can quite understand Con finding being back home flat, especially with both Len and Margot off doing their own things.

Author:  Lesley [ 18 May 2008, 21:44 ]
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So obvious that Con has changed - from our perspective - yet her family don't appear to have noticed. Pleased there wasn't a major issue about her hair.


Thanks JayB

Author:  abbeybufo [ 18 May 2008, 21:58 ]
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Lovely to see Part 2 so soon :D

Thanks JayB

Author:  Jennie [ 18 May 2008, 22:05 ]
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Thanks for this. I should imagine that life on the dear old Platz is extremely dull after Oxford.

Author:  ghoti [ 18 May 2008, 22:09 ]
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Fiona Mc: I totally see what you're saying, but I'd be really upset if my husband cut his hair off! I'm sure I'd get over it, though.

Author:  Elder in Ontario [ 18 May 2008, 22:15 ]
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Thanks, JB - glad to see this and will be looking forward to more.

Author:  Elbee [ 18 May 2008, 22:27 ]
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Great to have part 2, I'm looking forward to it. Poor Con, she's changed but life on the Platz hasn't!

Thanks JayB.

Author:  Elle [ 18 May 2008, 23:08 ]
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Do they have cider on the platz?!

I'm suprised Joey et al didn't make more of the new haircut, but I am also relived that they didn't. I'm not suprised Con is finding life on the platz a bit dull after Oxford, maybe she could get out and experience a bit more of 'life' in Switzerland? :lol:


Thanks for part II!

Author:  Emerence [ 19 May 2008, 01:23 ]
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Hurray, thanks for the new part! I can imagine things are dull for Con. There really isn't anything for her to do up there, is there?

Author:  Anjali [ 19 May 2008, 05:44 ]
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Glad to see part 2 of this - and it really lives up to expectations! I wonder if Con is feeling that sense of 'home having shrunk' which you get after living away for a while....

Author:  roversgirl [ 19 May 2008, 06:33 ]
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Thanks for Part 2 so soon - Hope Con is ok :)

Author:  keren [ 19 May 2008, 06:55 ]
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Great to see thisback
A shame she did not have internet and things like the CBB.

However,
what about this new doctor who is coming, either she will like him, or Joey will want her too
I wonder

Author:  di [ 20 May 2008, 06:57 ]
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Great to see more of this, Thanks JayB

Author:  JayB [ 20 May 2008, 12:00 ]
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keren wrote:
However, what about this new doctor who is coming, either she will like him, or Joey will want her too I wonder


Sort of spoiler - although the clue is in the text, but no-one so far has picked up on it. Highlight to read: The new young doctor was recruited by Neil Sheppard. (But Con definitely will not be interested in romance, whatever anyone else might want.) End spoiler.

Thanks for the comments. More soon, I hope.

Author:  Catherine [ 20 May 2008, 15:01 ]
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Glad to know Joey was all right about Con's haircut.

Is there to be a Reunion on the cards for Con?

Author:  Emma A [ 20 May 2008, 18:42 ]
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Might the young chap recruited by Neil be Con's friend Jon?

A lovely post, JayB, really showing how Con has changed, though none of her family seem to realise it. Perhaps she should make a point of getting a newspaper and commenting on world events to her family and instigating discussion.

I do see Len sliding deeper into domesticity, however *worried*

Author:  JayB [ 20 May 2008, 21:37 ]
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'So what do you all think of the triplets after a term at university?' asked Nancy Wilmot, reclining in a chair with her cup of coffee balanced precariously on the arm. It was just after Mittagessen, and the staff were taking a well-earned break, while the girls had their customary half hour rest.
'Margot seems to be thriving,' Peggy Burnett remarked. 'She’s joined in a couple of hockey practices. She said she's joined the university club, and I must say her play has improved enormously.'
'Len is working hard,' Mdlle Lachennais put in. 'She has come to me with questions about her reading for les vacances.'
'Len was always a worker,' said Miss Derwent. 'I saw her in the library yesterday morning.'
'I chased her out of there in the afternoon,' Nancy said. 'She's supposed to be on vacation.'

'What about Con?' asked Kathie Ferrars. 'I haven't seen her. Have any of you?'
‘No,’ said Matey. ‘But apparently she’s had her hair cut. I had to listen to Jo on the subject when she popped in the other day.'
'Doesn't Jo approve? How does Con look?' Nancy asked.
'Jo said she’s had it cut very short, almost as short as a boy’s. She bewailed the loss of Con's long curls, and also the fact that Con did it without consulting anyone - not even Len, I gather.’
‘Well, I think almost anything would be better than the way she used to wear it,‘ said Kathie.
'I never thought that was a suitable style for a young girl,’ said Nancy. ’What else did Jo say?’
‘She said if anything Con's dreaminess is worse. She doesn't want to join in things Jo arranges, and takes every opportunity to hide away in her room and read.'
'Maybe she's got a new story brewing,' Kathie suggested.
'That excuse was all very well when she was a little girl,' said Miss Derwent. 'Now she's nineteen, she should have grown out of it.'

'Well, Jo was no better just after she left school,' said Matey. 'The term after she left, she was stuck at school for weeks, because the Die Rosen nursery folk were indulging in a succession of infectious illnesses. She started writing her first book, and she was worse than Con ever has been - didn’t eat, didn‘t sleep, judging by the way she looked, hardly left her room, let her appearance go, tried to cancel a weekend at the Mensches'. I had to speak to her very firmly.'

'Was that when Peggy Bettany was so ill with measles?' Nancy asked. 'I remember hearing that they were quite worried about her for a while - I was still at St Scholastika's then, of course. It was before the two schools joined up. But I didn't know Cecily had such a difficult birth!'
'Oh, this wasn't Cecily,' said Matey. 'This was a juvenile effort that I imagine Jo would be embarrassed to remember now. But she did write Cecily that same term, while she was still staying at the School.'
'Well, let's hope Con's muse brings her equal success,' said Miss Derwent, rising to return her coffee cup to the table.

Nancy heaved a long sigh.
'What's wrong with you?' demanded Peggy.
'Con being nineteen. That's older than Jo was when I first knew her. It's making me feel elderly.' Kathie laughed.
'That's what happens when you come back to teach at your old school. Len always said she intended to wait until everyone she knew as a pupil had left before she'd come back here to teach - but I suppose that's all changed now. Does she intend to teach at all, does anyone know?'

Before anyone could reply, Rosalie Dene entered the room and went to pour herself a cup of coffee.
'Hi, Rosalie!' called Nancy. 'Take that look off your face and come and tell us what you think of the triplets now they're all grown up.' Rosalie sat down on the couch next to Kathie.
'Is anything really wrong?' Kathie asked.
'Yes, I'm afraid so,' Miss Dene replied. 'Miss Denny has just telephoned. Mr Denny has that heavy cold that’s been going round. He's developed a nasty cough. Jack Maynard has been to see him and said he's not to go out until it's cleared up.'
'And we certainly don't want him bringing it here,' said Matey. 'I can do without having a whole lot of girls down with heavy colds this late in the term, thank you!'
'Let me know if I can cover any of his classes,' said Nancy. 'I can think of a few people who'd benefit from extra maths!'

Kathie was gazing at Rosalie in horror.
'The Christmas Play! There's a lot of singing in it this year, and I was leaving it all to him! I can't do anything in the musical line, as you know.'
'Yes, I'd thought of that,' said Miss Dene. 'I've been racking my brains trying to think who could take over.'
'Dorothy - ' said Kathie. Miss Lawrence, who had been sitting to one side, reading a magazine, shook her head.
'I would if I could, but choral singing just isn't my area. I can't even hold a tune myself. It was understood when I came here that Mr Denny would take all the singing.'
'What about Joey?' Miss Derwent suggested.
'She hasn't touched her music for years,' Rosalie said. 'Anyway, she was always a soloist. I don't suppose she knows a lot about training a choir.'
'And I know she's snatching every moment she can before the rest of the family arrives home to finish correcting some proofs,' Matey put in. 'It wouldn't be fair to ask her to take on anything else.'
'Don't worry, Kathie,' said Nancy, seeing how troubled her friend looked. 'We'll think of something. Meanwhile,' she stood up, 'I'm due at Vb, and there are some people there who need every minute I can give them if they're to have any chance of passing GCE!' The staff began to leave for their classes, Kathie last of all, the worried look still on her face. They certainly had a dilemma!

Author:  Emma A [ 20 May 2008, 21:44 ]
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Aha! Here is a chance for Con to leap in and save the day!

I like the way that all the staff seem not to have noticed that Con is changing, and that they see her as being just as dreamy as before. I'm a little worried about Len, though - as Nancy says, she is supposed to be on holiday. I wonder why she was asking Mlle Lachenais questions about her reading.

Lovely update - thanks, JayB.

Author:  JayB [ 20 May 2008, 22:19 ]
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Well, in fairness to the staff, none of them have seen her yet, they're just going by what Matey says Jo said. (I'd be hiding in my room with a book too if Jo was around trying to arrange tea parties and paper games and looking over old photo albums.)

Author:  Lesley [ 20 May 2008, 22:21 ]
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Please let someone, anyone, notice that Con has grown!!!!


Thanks JayB.

Author:  Alison H [ 20 May 2008, 22:37 ]
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Well, it certainly sounds like a chance to alleviate the boredom - not sure that getting involved with the school is quite what Con would have wanted, but there's so little else to do on the Platz that it could be the best solution.

Author:  Anjali [ 21 May 2008, 01:20 ]
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I still escape to my room with a book when I go home on vacation!! :D

Author:  di [ 21 May 2008, 07:05 ]
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How very observant of the staff, they know the triplets better than Joey, me thinks!
Thank you JayB.

Author:  leahbelle [ 21 May 2008, 17:21 ]
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I hope the staff can appreciate the changes in Con.

Thanks!

Author:  Ruth B [ 21 May 2008, 17:24 ]
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Did Con mention to the heads that she joined her college choir?

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 22 May 2008, 14:24 ]
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Thanks JayB. Interesting they think reading equates with dreaminess. But then we have been privy to the changes in Con whereas the mistresses haven't. hope the other side of Con starts to show sooner rather than later. I would have thought the haircut would have been a big indicator on that

Author:  Elle [ 23 May 2008, 07:48 ]
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JayB wrote:
‘Well, I think almost anything would be better than the way she used to wear it,‘ said Kathie.
'I never thought that was a suitable style for a young girl,’ said Nancy. ’What else did Jo say?’



Maybe as the youngest (I think?) staff members, Nancy and Kathie could take Con out on the town...

Author:  Mona [ 23 May 2008, 08:53 ]
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Thanks JayB. I've just read through this from the beginning, and I love it. It's wonderful to see Con embracing everything University has to offer her. Now we just need Hilda or Nell to remember that Con's been in the College choir and make that suggestion...

Author:  JayB [ 25 May 2008, 22:51 ]
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Kathie was walking along the covered passage leading to the geography room when she heard someone call,
'Miss Ferrars.' She turned.
'Con! I was just saying in the Staffroom that I hadn't seen you yet! How are you? How do you like Oxford?'
'I'm very well, thank you, and I love Oxford. Miss Ferrars, I don't want to keep you from your class. But Papa was home for lunch, and he told us about Mr Denny. I joined the college choir, and we performed a concert at the end of term. I hope you don't think it's awfully cheeky of me to ask, but I was wondering if I could help with the singing for the Play.'
'Con, you are the answer to a prayer!' exclaimed Miss Ferrars. 'We were just talking it over in the Staffroom, and we couldn't think of anyone who could take it on.'
'Well, I 'm only a beginner myself,' said Con. 'But if you think I can help, I'll do my best.'
'I know you will,' said Kathie. 'Come and see me in Inter V's room after afternoon school, and we'll go over the rehearsal schedule.'

Kathie continued on her way to the geography room feeling more cheerful. There was hope now that there would be some music with the play, even if Con couldn’t do all that Mr Denny would have done. ‘It’s not to be expected that she could, after all,’ Kathie mused. ‘Mr Denny has years of experience. But I think Con might surprise us. She looks different, somehow, and I don’t think it’s just the new hairstyle. I think Con has grown up a lot this last term.’

Con left her meeting with Miss Ferrars with a timetable of rehearsals, a copy of the play, and an armful of music. Her first rehearsal was the next afternoon, and she spent that evening looking through the music. Mr Denny had a reputation for producing arrangements which demanded the best from his singers, and this time was no exception. Con could already see it was going to be a challenge to produce anything approaching the School’s usual standard in the time available.

At breakfast the next morning Con’s mind was taken off the choir for a while by the arrival of a letter.

Dear Con,
Sorry I haven't written for so long - but you've been no better! Life has been so hectic - I expect you know what it's like, after a term at Oxford. No set times for writing letters like we had at school - it has to be done whenever you can find a spare moment!

How are you and Len liking Oxford? And how does Margot like Edinburgh? Write soon and tell me all the news.

I’m writing now partly to let you know what I’m going to be doing next.

You know that after I left school I spent some time studying with Father. Then he sent me to Paris. His friend M. Mayer has a gallery, and I worked there. I did all the very junior jobs - making coffee, running errands, answering the telephone (you know, Con, we thought we learned French at school, but believe me, you don't know French until you've lived among Parisians for a while!) but I learned a lot from M. Mayer, about the business of running a gallery, as well as about ceramics.

In the New Year I'm going to London. I'm going to spend three months at the Victoria and Albert and three months at the British Museum. Father has arranged it with people he knows at the museums. I always said I wanted my own gallery, but that's a long way in the future. Father thought I'd better have some experience of museum work, just to see how I like it. And of course they've both got magnificent collections of ceramics, so I'll learn a lot, too.

I'm looking forward to working at the museums, of course, but the really exciting part about going to London is that I'll be living by myself! Well, I'll be in a kind of hostel with lots of other girls, but I'll have my own room, and outside work I'll be able to do as I please! In Paris I lived with M. and Mme Mayer. They were very kind, but of course I had to do what they wanted.

I could have lived at home and travelled up to London every day, but it would have been an awful bother. Father is away quite a lot - he spent three weeks in America earlier this year, and he's always lecturing somewhere - and Nanny isn't much company, I'm afraid. She's awfully deaf now, and she dozes off in her chair most evenings. Really she ought to retire, but she hasn't any other home, so she just oversees the housekeeping and Iris and Vera, our two daily women, do the work. Father gets most of his meals out even when he's at home, to save her having to bother. So it's better all round if I live in London and just go back for weekends every so often.

When I'm settled, and you're back in Oxford, we must arrange for you to come up for a weekend. Oxford's no distance from London.

Now the reason I wrote just to you and not all three of you. I ran into Odile Paulet the other day - she was in Paris visiting an aunt. She said that at the end of last term there were rumours flying round the school that Len was engaged. To Dr Entwistle, she said. I remember seeing him around the Platz, but I didn't really know him, so I don't know whether he's nice enough for Len! I know you Maynards don't like that sort of talk, but you might just tell me whether it's true or not, just so I don't put my foot in it. Do Ted and Rosamund know? Odile insisted it was true, even though I said I couldn't see it. Len was always so set on getting her degree and teaching. I can't imagine wanting to drop my career when I've hardly started.

Do write soon and tell me all about Oxford, and about Len. Give my love to Len and Margot and Ruey, and my best regards to your mother, and to any school people you see.

Love,
Ricki
(I haven't been called that since I left school, I'm Richenda everywhere else!)


That afternoon, Con stood in front of the choir, very conscious of all the eyes upon her, wondering why on earth she had thought she could do this. She had never had Len’s ambition to teach, or Margot’s experience in coaching teams. She had never done any teaching beyond occasionally assisting with prep or helping beginners at skiing.

A year ago, the prefects had taken over production of the play while Miss Ferrars was recovering from appendicitis, but Len and Ted had taken most of the rehearsals, and in any case the responsibility had been shared between all of them. This time, Con was on her own. But the Christmas Play was one of the main events of the school year, and there was no-one else to take the job on; she had to do her best.

She took a deep breath and tapped on the music stand in front of her with the conductor’s baton.
‘Let’s begin,’ she said, pleased that her voice sounded firm and confident. ‘We’ll start with Stille Nacht.’ It was to be sung to accompany the traditional Nativity tableau at the end of the play. Con had chosen to start with it because she knew it was familiar to them all. ‘You two,’ she said to a couple of fidgeting fourth formers, ‘Stand still and face the front.’

Looking along the rows of girls, she saw a few unfamiliar faces. New girls this term, she supposed. It was strange to see girls here at school whom she did not know. She raised her baton, waiting until the girls had settled and were all facing her, then nodded to the music prefect seated at the piano. Miss Lawrence had offered to play, but Con had thought she would manage better without a mistress present. Gabrielle played the opening notes, and Con brought her baton down. Her first rehearsal had begun.

Author:  Lesley [ 25 May 2008, 23:01 ]
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Great to see more of this - Con's made a good start - and it's nice to see that Kathie Ferrars has recognised Con has grown. Interesting info from Rikki Fry - and like her amazement about Len. She seems to be working well toward her own career.


Thanks JayB

Author:  Alison H [ 25 May 2008, 23:41 ]
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Con's doing well there, and that was an interesting letter from Ricki.

Author:  Anjali [ 26 May 2008, 01:50 ]
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Interesting that Ricki finds the news of Len's engagement as hard to believe as Grizel finds Joey's! Although for a different reason.....it shows just how sheltered they were if they didn't discuss 'these things' even on the verge of leaving school - don't the Quartette discuss their future plans, Marie's engagement etc at school? You'd think the CS would grow forwards instead of travelling 50 years back! :roll:

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 26 May 2008, 02:58 ]
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I am surprised no one wrote to Ricki about the engagement. Glad Kathie has picked up on the changes in Con

Author:  roversgirl [ 26 May 2008, 04:48 ]
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Interesting letter and pleased to see Con's going well. Thanks :)

Author:  di [ 26 May 2008, 09:07 ]
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Well done, Con! I'm sure she'll carry off the Navity Play with no hitches. Kathie is right, she has grown up.
Thanks, JayB

Author:  abbeybufo [ 26 May 2008, 10:55 ]
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Well done Con! Hope this will give her the chance to show the rest of her family how much she has matured :roll:

Thanks JayB

Author:  PaulineS [ 26 May 2008, 12:57 ]
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What a lovely opportunity for Con. It will be more than Kathy seeing how she has grown up.

:D :D :D

Author:  JayB [ 28 May 2008, 22:16 ]
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All I know about choral singing I learned in a few minutes research online; I hope I haven’t got anything too horribly wrong.

'No, no, no!' Con brought her baton down sharply and the choir stumbled to a ragged halt. 'Second sopranos, you were late coming in again! Altos, you sound as if you’re singing a dirge. You’re supposed to be joyful; you’re telling everyone that something wonderful is going to happen, and you can‘t wait! And all of you, your diction is dreadful! I can't understand half the words!'

They had had several rehearsals, and Con was pleased with their progress on the songs and carols - except this one. It was an old German poem, set to a traditional tune by Mr Denny. The archaic language and intricate arrangement were proving to be beyond many of the girls. Con had taken them through the first two verses and the refrain and thought they would pass muster with more work. The third verse, however, with its complicated descant, defeated them every time. They managed well enough when Con made them sing the different parts separately; putting them all together brought disaster. This was the fourth time they had tried it in this rehearsal, and it seemed to be worse at each attempt. Everyone was getting fractious. There were still two more verses after this one, each with the voices arranged slightly differently, and Con was beginning to despair.

‘We are trying our best,’ ventured Erica from her place among the sopranos. ‘But it’s awfully difficult.’
‘It’s all this foul German,’ said Val Pertwee. ‘It’s bad enough having to talk ordinary German, having to sing all this beastly old fashioned stuff is just ghastly.’
‘You know those are forbidden words,’ Con said. ‘Pay a fine, please.’
‘You’re not a prefect any more, and you’re not a mistress,’ said Val. ‘You can’t make me do anything.’
‘Oh, I think you’ll find that I can. I can make you report yourself for rudeness, for example, if you keep that up,’ said Con, knowing that Miss Annersley would back her up if appealed to. Val subsided, scowling. ‘All right, let’s try it again,’ Con went on. ‘From the beginning of the third verse. Thank you, Gabrielle.’ But it was no good. Everyone had been unsettled by Val’s outburst and the singing was hesitant, not bright and jubilant as it should be. Con herself was late bringing in the altos this time. The choir stopped uncertainly. Con flung down her baton. Some of the younger girls looked as if they might to break down and howl if they had to go through it again, and Con herself was ready to weep with frustration. She looked at her watch. There were still nearly ten minutes of the rehearsal period left, but it was clear nothing more was going to be achieved in this session.
‘We might as well stop there, it’s nearly time for Kaffee,’ Con said. ‘Go up to your dormitories and start getting changed - but quietly, the bell hasn’t gone yet and other people are still working. Gabrielle, will you see them upstairs, please?’ She left Gabrielle marshalling the girls into lines at the door, and went to find Miss Ferrars.

‘I’m sure Plato could get it right, but I just don’t know how,’ Con wound up her account of her difficulties, forgetting to be formal in her anxiety.
‘Well, we’ll just have to leave that one out. It comes between the first and second act, doesn’t it, so it doesn’t affect the action of the Play,’ said Miss Ferrars.
‘It’ll mean a long wait for the audience with nothing happening, though,’ said Con. ‘That’s when Jane has that big costume change, and the scene has to be changed from Lady Sophia’s drawing room to the market place.’
'Yes, that scene change does take quite a while,’ said Miss Ferrars. ‘The scene shifters have been rehearsing it, and it really can’t be done in less time. It has to be done carefully, because there are several props needed for the market scene that have to be put in place. But it can’t be helped. I'm just sorry it was one of my form who was so rude.'
'You won't take any notice of it, will you?' said Con. 'I meant all this to be off the record.'
'If that's what you want. But I shall be keeping an eye on Miss Valencia. Now she's a Senior it's time she stopped this kind of behaviour.'
'We were all frustrated. I felt like using much worse language than Val, by the end,' said Con. Miss Ferrars laughed.
'All in a day's work for a teacher. You have no idea how often someone marches into the Staffroom at Break demanding a cane and the right to use it!'
'Well, I apologize here and now for any time I made you feel like that, Miss Ferrars.'
'Oh, you never did, Con. You always tried to do your best, and you never set out to be deliberately aggravating - unlike some I could name! But about the choir - would it help if I asked the Head for more rehearsal time? I'm sure she'd agree.' Con shook her head.
'Thank you, but I don't think it would make any difference. I just don't know enough to get it right. And I think the more we try, the worse it will get. Everyone's just so sick of it.'
'Well then, I think we’ll just have to do as I suggested and drop that carol. You can use the time you have left to work on the rest.'
'I suppose so,' said Con.
'Don't feel badly about it,' said Miss Ferrars. 'No-one expects you to do more than your best, and I know you've done that. And at least we'll have some singing with the Play; if you hadn't stepped in, there might have been none at all. We’re all immensely grateful to you for that.'

It was decent of Ferry to want to make her feel better, Con thought, as she made her way back to Freudesheim. But she couldn't help feeling that she'd failed, that she'd let down the School, and Mamma, because the Play wouldn't be as good as it should be.

Author:  abbeybufo [ 28 May 2008, 22:25 ]
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Oh poor Con! And I wanted her to make a big success of this and just show her family how much she had achieved :evil:

Thanks JayB - I think

Author:  Alison H [ 28 May 2008, 22:30 ]
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Hey, it was only one bad rehearsal!

Author:  Elder in Ontario [ 28 May 2008, 23:44 ]
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Alison is right - it was indeed only one bad rehearsal, but it does sound as if that particular carol is really complicated for Con to train the choir in. Any chance of substituting something else in its place? That way there would still be music during the scene change. And Con really shouldn't worry - she is doing the best she can on very short notice and her family and the staff will be proud of her for that in any case.

Not sure what Joey is supposed to be like in this particular universe, but is there any chance could be prevailed on to sing a solo? I was going to suggest perhaps she should teach the girls that carol, but that would look like a snub to Con, which was definitely not what I was thinking of!

Author:  Lesley [ 29 May 2008, 04:46 ]
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What about Con singing solo? As for Val - she deserves all she gets, how dare she?

Hope Con can sort things out.


Thanks JayB

Author:  di [ 29 May 2008, 08:20 ]
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You beat me to it, Lesley. Iwas going to suggest the very same. Perhaps Con and Joey could sing a duet :?: I think Kathie's decision to drop the carol is the right one. I've been to so many school concerts where the students were unable to sing/play a particular piece and it's so embarrassing for them! :(
Thanks for the update JayB.

Author:  roversgirl [ 29 May 2008, 19:39 ]
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I hope they find a solution - Poor Con :( Thanks.

Author:  PaulineS [ 29 May 2008, 21:01 ]
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I am sure Con can come up with a solution. How about her and Margot singing a duet or adding Margot to the chior to teach the piece. Or has Con a poem she could set to the music in English or Modern German?
I am looking forward to learning how Con sloves the problem because i am sure she will.

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 30 May 2008, 12:44 ]
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Thanks, and like everyone else, hope Con is able to solve the problem though preferably without Joey's help. Only because I want to see her being ijndependent.

Author:  claireM [ 02 Jun 2008, 17:28 ]
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So glad to see more of this, thanks JayB

Author:  Emma A [ 02 Jun 2008, 19:18 ]
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Lovely update, JayB. A suggestion for Con - could she extract the better singers from each part and have them undertake the carol as an octet, or similarly sized choir? Lookingfoward to see how she resolves the prolem, though.

Author:  bethany [ 07 Jun 2008, 10:14 ]
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I've just had the pleasure of catching up on months of this. I'm really glad that the story didn't stop at the end of term. I'm enjoying seeing how Connie finds returning home having seen some more of the world. Its great that she has found something challenging to occupy her holidays, at least until the end of term anyway.

Thanks!

Author:  Becky [ 07 Jun 2008, 11:20 ]
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I've just found this and it's great, thanks JayB :D

Author:  JayB [ 13 Jun 2008, 13:32 ]
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Con was distracted that evening. At supper she managed to answer questions addressed directly to her, but the greater part of her mind was busy trying to find a solution to the problem of the long scene change. Was there time to train the choir in another carol? She could look through the music from previous plays, perhaps, and find a suitable arrangement. But she was not sure that the choir, or indeed she herself, had the enthusiasm to tackle a new piece, after the struggle they had already had.

Miss Ferrars had said they could just drop the carol and have a long pause between the two acts, but Con was not satisfied. The School was justly proud of its plays and concerts; she did not want this year‘s to be less good if she could possibly help it. What could be done? How could the audience be given something to listen to or look at while the market scene was set up? Con was suddenly struck by an idea; she lost track of the conversation around the table as she turned it over in her mind, trying to see how it could be made to work.
Con!’ Con looked around, startled. ‘I’ve asked you twice to pass me the butter,’ said Margot.
‘Oh - sorry.’ Con passed the butter dish along the table. She had added to the family’s ‘dreamy Con’ stories, she realised, but that did not matter if she had found a solution to the problem. She returned to considering her idea. Was there time to do it? Would Miss Ferrars agree?

Joey declared that they would have coffee in the Saal. She had a long letter from their Aunt Mollie in New Zealand that she wanted to read to all of them. Con listened with half an ear; she had only met Aunt Mollie Mackenzie briefly, nearly three years ago, and had never met any of her New Zealand cousins. As soon as she could she escaped to her room, where she curled up on her bed with notepad and pencil.

She had been scribbling furiously for a while when there was a tap at the door and Joey peeped into the room.
'I just came to say good night. We're going to bed now.' Con looked up from her writing, taking a moment to come back to reality.
'Oh - I didn't realise it was so late. I'll come and say good night to everyone.'
'Too late, my pet. Len and Margot went off a while ago. And so did Papa. He thinks he might be called back to the San during the night - he's worried about a patient - so he thought he'd better sleep while he could. Is that a new story? Or a poem?' Joey nodded towards Con's notebook. Con closed the book, her cheeks a little pink.
'It's an idea I had. I'm not sure if it's going to work.'

Joey came into the room, closing the door behind her.
'We haven't had a proper talk since you came home. Those dratted proofs!’ She sat down on the edge of the bed, saying, with an infectious grin, ‘I won’t tell Matey if you won’t!’ Con chuckled.
‘I have a desk and chair here, and in my room in College, but the bed is always so much more comfortable.’
‘You’re liking College; I could tell that from your letters.’
‘Oh, I love it. Not just the work, although that’s very interesting, especially the Anglo Saxon with Professor Harrison. I told you, didn’t I, that he gave me A minus for one of my essays? And a lot of the nineteenth century women writers' work was new to me, although we did the Brontes at school, of course. But there’s so much else to do, there just doesn’t seem to be enough time in the day!’

‘I was sorry you didn’t have time for the magazine,’ Joey said. Con felt herself going pink again.
‘I’d already joined the choir, and I hadn’t realised how much time it would take up. Perhaps I’ll try the magazine next year.’ It wasn’t exactly an untruth, Con told herself. She just did not want to talk about the whole business with Elaine. It didn’t seem to be important any more. ‘You know, Mamma,’ she went on, ‘I could be out every evening doing things like the choir and the magazine. I want to have some time just to be with my friends and do things with them.’
‘No more punting misadventures, I hope!’
‘No - but you can’t talk about misadventures, Mamma, considering all the things that have happened to you over the years! But we’ve been to listen to folk music, and Judy and I want to go for some long cycle rides when the weather is good enough, and Ruey and Ricki have both suggested that we should meet them in London one Saturday. And we still have to find time for reading and essay writing!’

‘I’d like to find more time for reading myself. Perhaps when the twins go to Kindergarten! It’s a long time since I’ve read any of the Brontes, though I loved Jane Eyre when I was at school. I enjoyed Mrs Gaskell’s biography, too. I think I first read it just about the time Madge had the idea of starting the school, so I was especially interested in their idea of setting up a school at Haworth.’
‘The Chalet School was much more successful, though! What would Auntie Madge have done if she hadn’t had a single enquiry, like the Brontes?’
‘Well, she was sure of three pupils from the beginning - myself, Grizel and Simone. But I don’t know what she’d have done if it had stayed that way! Fortunately, it took off straight away - even on that first day, there were two more than we’d been expecting - so she never had to worry.’
‘I suppose the Tiernsee is a much nicer place for a school than the Yorkshire moors,’ said Con.
‘That’s true enough. The moors are all very well in summer - I don’t suppose you remember much about our holidays there, do you? You three were only tinies at the time - but I imagine ‘bleak’ doesn’t begin to describe them in winter.’

‘Anyway, it’s just as well the Brontes’ school idea didn’t come to anything, isn’t it?’ said Con. ‘They weren’t really suited to running a school, and if they’d had to spend all their time teaching and looking after the girls, they wouldn’t have been able to write.’
‘True enough. And that would have been a great loss to the world.’ Joey caught sight of the clock on Con’s bedside table and stood up. ‘Goodness, look at the time! Just as well it’s holidays.’
‘Oh, this would be nothing at Oxford,’ Con said with a laugh. ‘Di and I once sat up until after midnight arguing about whether Cathy and Heathcliff were really brother and sister and that’s why their relationship was doomed; they could never have married because it would have been incest.’

‘Mercy on us!’ Joey dropped down onto the bed again. ‘Where on earth did you get that idea from?’
‘Dr Powell mentioned it. She was talking about some of the latest ideas about the Brontes. Di thought Emily might have had the idea of incest in her mind, but she could never have put it in the book, because people would have been too shocked. I said I didn’t think Emily cared what people thought, and if she’d meant them to be brother and sister, she’d have written it that way. What do you think?’
‘It’s not something I’ve ever thought about,’ said Joey, still rather flabbergasted. ‘Certainly not something Madge or Hilda ever suggested in any lesson I had!’
‘Nor Miss Derwent!’ said Con. ‘It‘s not really a suitable subject for school, is it? It’s different at university. We talked about George Eliot, too, and how she lived with a man she wasn’t married to. I said that could never be right. Di said, they weren’t hurting anyone by it, and if she hadn’t lived with Mr Lewes, she wouldn’t have been able to write. She’d have been unhappy, and we wouldn’t have had her novels. What would you do, Mamma, if the only way you could write was by doing something you’d been taught was wrong?’

Joey shook her head.
‘I’m thankful to say, I’ve never been so compelled to write that I’d be tempted to do something I knew was wrong. My writing is something I enjoy, but my happiness doesn’t depend on it. And neither should George Eliot’s have done. Remember, she had no faith. If she had, she would have done what was right, and been happy doing it. Remember that, Con. We have to let you girls go out into the world, where we can’t always protect you. But God always will, if you ask Him to, and He will keep you from doing wrong.’ Joey paused for a moment, then said, ’And now I really must go to bed. Good night and God bless, my pet. Don’t sit up too late.’

She went, closing the door behind her. Con was left wondering. She knew her mother considered her writing ability to be no more than a talent. But what about someone who had true genius, like Nina Rutherford? Everyone knew how unhappy she was when she couldn’t play, even for a short time. Was that how George Eliot had felt? And what about Con herself? She wasn’t a genius - at least, she didn’t think she was - but she knew that being unable to write would make her very unhappy. Oh, well. Dr Powell would probably say she wasn’t emotionally mature enough to understand, and all this cogitation wasn’t helping to solve the problem of the play. Con turned back to her notebook.

I sat down to write a couple of transitional paragraphs to link the previous section with the next one. Then Joey walked in and sat down and wouldn't budge, so that's why we don't get to hear about Con's idea just yet.

Author:  Alison H [ 13 Jun 2008, 13:43 ]
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Looking forward to hearing Con's idea, but it was good to see Con and Joey having a proper adult conversation.

The Pennine moors can be very nice in winter, although I've never been rescued by a doctor on them :( !

Author:  Lesley [ 13 Jun 2008, 14:30 ]
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Very interesting conversation there - and one that perhaps gives Joey an idea that her second daughter is maturing. Also, I think, shows Con prepared to consider that her Mother may not be correct - and not being that shocked about it.


Thanks JayB

Author:  claireM [ 13 Jun 2008, 16:37 ]
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love the way Con was talking to Joey there.

thanks JayB

Author:  PaulineS [ 13 Jun 2008, 18:13 ]
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I too loved the way Con demonstrated she had grown at Oxford and was concidering other perspectives in depth

She has certainly given Joey something to think about, I wonder if she will.

Author:  abbeybufo [ 13 Jun 2008, 19:38 ]
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Thanks JayB - like the way Con showed her new maturity to Joey almost without thinking about/realising it.

Looking forward to hearing what her idea is :D

Author:  di [ 14 Jun 2008, 08:05 ]
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Con is really maturing and hopefully Joey will allow her to talk about her time in Oxford without being or showing she is shocked. She seems to be doing so.
Thanks, JayB

Author:  leahbelle [ 14 Jun 2008, 15:46 ]
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That was a lovely conversation between Con and Jo and its great that Con can share her thoughts with her mother.

Author:  Elle [ 14 Jun 2008, 21:23 ]
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Hurrah! An update! Good conversation between Con and Joey, and Con not being treated like a dreamy little girl.

Thanks.

Author:  Billie [ 15 Jun 2008, 13:34 ]
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It was good to read a proper adult conversation between Joey and Con. I found the literature stuff very interesting. :)

Author:  Anjali [ 16 Jun 2008, 01:03 ]
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Thanks JayB - and how like Joey to sit down there just when Con was going to reveal her idea to us!

Author:  Emma A [ 16 Jun 2008, 18:37 ]
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I'm really enjoying this whole universe, JayB - so nice to see Con and Jo having a serious conversation. Do let us know soon what she has come up with, please...

Thank-you.

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 18 Jun 2008, 15:48 ]
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It's nice to see Con talking so openly to Joey about stuff and Joey being accepting of it all even if she didn't agree with it. Hope she sorts out the school play

Author:  JellySheep [ 19 Jun 2008, 14:48 ]
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Great to see this continued. Any updates in the offing? (There isn't a sit-up-and-beg emoticon!)

Author:  little_sarah [ 23 Jun 2008, 21:47 ]
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Thanks JayB, I've really enjoyed reading this. I really liked Con's conversation with Joey, she really has matured at Oxford.

Author:  Elle [ 10 Jul 2008, 10:59 ]
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Any chance of some more soon?


*looks hopeful*

We havn't had a chant for a while have we?

*Starts chanting for more*

Author:  Emma A [ 10 Jul 2008, 13:43 ]
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Elle wrote:
We haven't had a chant for a while have we?

*Starts chanting for more*


*joins in the chant for more*

*in harmony* (I'm an alto, and incapable of chanting the tune)

Author:  ibarhis [ 10 Jul 2008, 14:02 ]
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Never been part of a chant before - but a reasonable mezzo if that helps

Author:  JackieP [ 10 Jul 2008, 21:59 ]
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*starts conducting and adding a soaring descant...*

What - I'm a top sop, I can't help it... :D

But more would be lovely... please....

Jackie

Author:  Sandra [ 10 Jul 2008, 22:52 ]
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Can't sing at all but am willing to join in - you may want to post an update just to stop the noise.

Author:  Anjali [ 11 Jul 2008, 01:23 ]
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Adding another rather loud voice to the chant....

Author:  di [ 11 Jul 2008, 06:48 ]
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I can't sing either - but I will beat a rhythm on the drum to keep you all in time. :P
More, please, pretty please JayB

Author:  JayB [ 11 Jul 2008, 12:45 ]
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:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sorry for the hiatus. Partly it was RL, but also I had a chunk of the next couple of sections written out in longhand waiting to be typed - and I can't find it!!! :evil: :evil: :evil:

I've given up searching and am rewriting, hoping I haven't forgotten any particularly good bits - or major plot points!

Hope to have something ready to post in the next day or two - whereupon the missing pages will undoubtedly turn up!

Author:  Jennie [ 11 Jul 2008, 13:03 ]
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It's always the way. I now write on the PC, evenif I have to use discs to bring it over to put it on thenet.

Author:  JayB [ 11 Jul 2008, 13:28 ]
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I can't write directly onto the computer. I've tried and when I read it back it just seems stilted and choppy. Editing on the computer I can do, but first draft has to be on paper.

Author:  abbeybufo [ 11 Jul 2008, 14:12 ]
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Me too :(

Author:  JayB [ 11 Jul 2008, 22:23 ]
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Despite her late night, Con was waiting for Kathie when she came out of Fruhstuck the next morning.
'Miss Ferrars, I had an idea about the Play. Do you have some time today when I could tell you about it?'
'I can miss the walk for once. You go and wait for me in Inter V's room while I find a couple of prefects to go with them.'

Having arranged for two of the prefects to escort Inter V on their morning walk, Kathie entered the form room to find Con sitting in her old place, chin in her hands, looking around the room.
‘Does it feel strange to be back here?’ Kathie asked. ‘I remember when I went back for the carol concert at my old school, after my first term at university, it felt as if I’d been away for ages.’
‘Yes, that’s exactly how I feel,’ said Con. ‘I enjoyed school, of course, but it - it all seems so small and confined now. Compared with Oxford, it sometimes feels as if I didn’t learn anything here. Oh, I’m sorry, Miss Ferrars, I didn’t mean -' Con hastily added, suddenly realising her comments might sound like a criticism of Miss Ferrars’ teaching. Kathie laughed.
‘Don’t worry, Con. I know what you mean, and it’s quite right that you should feel like that. I’d be more worried if you didn’t notice any difference between School and Oxford! Now, we haven’t got too much time, so we’d better talk about the Play. Tell me about this idea you’ve had.’

Con paused, for once stopping to think about what she was going to say.
‘I thought - could we put the scene shifters in costume and make the scene change part of the Play?’ she said. Miss Ferrars looked interested, so Con continued, ‘The choir can manage two verses of that carol, and the refrain. That should be long enough for the drawing room scene to be taken down. Then we open the curtains and let the audience watch while the market scene is set up.’ Con paused and looked at Miss Ferrars anxiously.

‘That’s an interesting idea,’ Miss Ferrars said slowly, ‘But I’m not sure the scene shifters would be comfortable having the audience watch while they work. And if they’re nervous they might make mistakes. We can’t afford that.’
‘Oh, I thought of that,’ said Con. ’I thought that while they’re working, we could have some other business going on downstage. I thought we could have different people coming to market stopping to talk. New characters, not people who are already in the Play. If we have quite a few, no-one would have too much to learn, and if it’s all quite fast moving it will hold the audience’s attention. The scene shifters will just be working in the background - no-one will really be looking at them. What do you think, Miss Ferrars? Could we do it?’

'You know, I think that could work,' said Miss Ferrars. 'It's a really original idea, too. Well done, Con. Have you mentioned it to your mother? How soon do you think she'll be able to write the extra dialogue? We'll need it quickly, there isn't very much time to rehearse it.'
‘Well - ‘ Rather pink, Con produced her notebook. ‘I wrote something, if you think it would do.’ Kathie turned the pages, skimming quickly. ‘I know there’s more there than we’ll need,’ Con continued, ‘but I didn’t know who’d be taking the parts - how many people there are who could play men or boys, and so on - so I wrote a few, and then once I’d started - well, I just couldn’t stop. Will it do, do you think, Miss Ferrars?’
‘I think it will do perfectly,’ said Kathie, noting how Con had developed a range of characters, managing to show their personalities with just a few lines of dialogue each. ‘Gerda Nordheim is in charge of the scene shifters. Can you come back at Break? We’ll catch her then and see what she thinks.’

The big prefect thought over the idea carefully when Con and Miss Ferrars had explained it to her.
‘It is just to be in costume while we arrange the market scene? We will not have to speak?’ she said.
‘The audience will be able to see you, but none of you will have to speak unless you want to take a speaking part,’ Miss Ferrars said. Gerda nodded.
‘I think it is good. Before, when we rehearse, we try to hurry, to finish quickly, and things go wrong. Now, we can take longer, because everyone is not waiting for us.’

When Gerda had departed upon her own lawful occasions, Miss Ferrars looked down the list of characters Con had given her.
‘Ronnie Pertwee is one of the scene shifters. She's tall - she could manage the Man, perhaps. I don't think she could cope with a longer part, but all the Pertwees have nice clear voices and move well.'
'What about Val for the Boy, then? She can certainly manage the cheekiness!' Con said. Miss Ferrars laughed.
‘Well, if you’re sure! Now, what about the Old Woman?’ The other parts were quickly settled. There were several girls who were not in the Play but who were competent enough actresses to take on a small part at relatively short notice.
‘After all,’ Miss Ferrars said to Con, ‘Three years ago, you took on a leading role in the St Mildred’s panto at just a few hours’ notice. None of these girls is stupid - they should all be able to manage these very small parts with more than a week to learn them. It's not as if there are any movements to learn - they only have to walk on and walk off again.’
‘Don’t remind me of that, Miss Ferrars!’ Con said. ‘I was absolutely petrified. I wouldn’t wish that experience on anyone!’
‘But you gave a wonderful performance on the night, and so will these girls.’

Costumes, for the scene shifters and the new characters, would be simple enough, they decided. Breeches for the men, long full skirts and aprons for the women. White blouses and embroidered waistcoats for everyone.
‘The skirts are very simple, they can be run up in an afternoon on the sewing machines once we know the measurements,' said Con. 'We have all that fabric Fraulein Hamel gave us last year, there's bound to be some we can use.'
‘And the men and boys can wear climbing breeches,’ Kathie said.
‘I think Mamma still has our school blouses put away from when we wore tunics and skirts,’ said Con. ‘They’re cream, not white, of course, but that won’t matter.’
‘Most people probably have at least one white or cream blouse with long sleeves,’ said Kathie. ’I know I have. I’m sure we can beg or borrow enough for our needs.’

Miss Ferrars insisted on Con producing what she referred to as ‘her scene’.
‘I have enough to do with the rest of the Play, and you know exactly how you want it to go,’ she said. ‘Let me know when you want a full rehearsal with the scene shifters, and I’ll arrange it with the Head.’

Val's face lit up in a delighted grin when Con told her about her small part.
'But what about the choir?' she asked anxiously.
'You're out of the choir,' Con told her. 'We haven't got too much time to rehearse this. It will mean hard work. You can't do both.'
Val threw herself into her part with enthusiasm, and Con congratulated herself on her choice. At the end of the first rehearsal Val came up to her, a little shamefaced.
'I'm sorry I was such a pig at that last choir practice,' she said.
'It's all forgotten,' Con assured her. 'Just do your best with the part you have now.'
'Oh, I will,' Val said, with another beaming smile.

'I think she wanted to be in the play all along, and that's why she was so cross at choir rehearsals,' Con said later to Miss Ferrars.
'Really? She's never shown much interest in acting before, and there were several people all equally capable of taking on the smaller parts. Since Val has a nice little singing voice, we left her for the choir. But if she looks like developing into an actress, I'll certainly keep her in mind for the future.'

When Con told the choir that they would no longer have to struggle with the German carol, there were audible sighs of relief. With that worry removed, the remaining rehearsals went well, and Con began to feel that, while she might not be able to achieve Mr Denny’s standards, the choir under her direction would be able to put on a creditable performance.

The full dress rehearsal, held at St Luke’s Hall the day before the Play, was no better and no worse than such things normally are. Con was ready to tear her hair out at the succession of minor mistakes - lines fluffed, props fumbled, moves forgotten - but Miss Ferrars assured her that only someone who knew the Play well would notice most of them.
‘And now they’ve got all the mistakes out of their systems, I’m sure everything will go well tomorrow,’ she said. ‘That’s why we have dress rehearsals, after all. Go home and relax, Con. There’s nothing more you can do now.’

Author:  abbeybufo [ 11 Jul 2008, 22:40 ]
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Brilliant Con! - and JayB :lol:

Thanks, that was a great solution to the problem :D

Author:  Elder in Ontario [ 11 Jul 2008, 23:15 ]
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That was brilliant all round - and how appropriate that Con already had the speeches for that scene worked out before she even spoke to Miss Ferrars.

Thanks, JayB - I'm sure I won't be the only one looking forward to the concert itself now.

Author:  Alison H [ 11 Jul 2008, 23:37 ]
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That went really well - hope the play itself does too!

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 12 Jul 2008, 04:17 ]
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I really like the relationship developing between Kathie and Con. It felt like the two were becoming friends and less teacher and student.

Thanks JayB. Loved the update

Author:  Lesley [ 12 Jul 2008, 08:47 ]
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Well done Con - and like that Val apologised.


Thanks JayB

Author:  di [ 12 Jul 2008, 09:41 ]
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Atta girl, Con. She solved the problem in a really creative way and after all, in real life there are the folks who set up the market stalls - well at least there are where I am - so it won't look out of place at all. I'm glad Katie accepted her solution so nicely.
Thanks JayB

Author:  PaulineS [ 12 Jul 2008, 11:48 ]
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Thanks JayB that is a lovely soluntion to the problem. Con is really showing she has developed at Oxford.

Author:  keren [ 12 Jul 2008, 18:42 ]
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I like this drabble
but what will her mother say at the change?

Author:  Anjali [ 13 Jul 2008, 14:01 ]
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Lovely, JayB - it's really original!
I wonder how Joey will react when she finds out too :wink: !

Author:  leahbelle [ 13 Jul 2008, 19:35 ]
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Well done, Con!

Author:  JayB [ 14 Jul 2008, 13:02 ]
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Nobody actually wanted a blow by blow account of the Play, did they? :lol:

The next day after lunch at Freudesheim, Con went up to her room to get ready for the Play. As she would be in full view of the audience while conducting the choir, she put on her newest dress, bought on a shopping trip with Judy in Oxford. It was a dark green tartan in fine wool, with three quarter length sleeves. The dress had a circular skirt, and Con wore a stiffened petticoat underneath. She fastened the belt, combed her hair and added a touch of powder and pink lipstick. Looking at herself in the mirror, she thought that her appearance at least was satisfactory, whatever else might go wrong.

One thing at least she did not have to worry about. The guest of honour was to have been Bishop Mensch, Frieda von Ahlen’s great uncle, and an old friend of the School. He had intended to see the Play and visit the San to see the work being done there. He was keenly interested in the new treatments for TB, having seen, when he was a young priest, many poor families suffering the scourge of the disease.

However, he was a very elderly man now, and frail, and his housekeeper had telephoned Frieda to say that he had developed a slight cold and his doctor had advised him to stay at home. The visit to the San would have to be put off until a later date.

Con took a last look in the mirror, picked up a clean handkerchief and tucked it into her sleeve, and left the room.

As she stood in front of the choir, waiting to lead them in the Advent carol which opened the Play, Con felt nearly as nervous as she had done that day when she had stepped into the Millies’ panto at the last minute. Mr Denny, well muffled in scarves and rugs, had been driven to the hall by Dr Graves. He had been known to stop the choir in the middle of a public performance if he was not satisfied with their singing. Con only hoped that if he showed any sign of doing the same that day, Miss Denny and Matey, who were sitting either side of him, would be able to restrain him.

Then she saw the signal from Gerda that all was ready backstage. Reg, in charge of the lighting, turned off the main lights in the hall, leaving only the lights at the side where the choir stood. Con raised her baton. The Play had begun.

Con could tell that it was going well. No applause was permitted, of course, but the deep silence from the audience, and occasional murmurs at particularly dramatic or emotional moments, were enough to show that everyone was paying close attention. The choir gave its best ever performance of the carol that had caused so much difficulty. Con exchanged triumphant grins with the girls when it was finished. Then she sat down, turning in her seat to watch ’her scene’ performed before an audience

The curtain rose on a stage that was empty apart from a backdrop showing a mediaeval street. Then the scene shifters ran on, carrying trestles and boards, and began to set up the market stalls at each side of the stage.

Moira Carroll came on as the Old Woman, an old shawl around her shoulders, a basket over her arm. She walked to the front of the stage, put her basket at her feet, and, broadening her usual soft Irish accent into a heavy brogue, launched into a diatribe against high prices, poor quality goods, and unscrupulous stall holders who were only out to cheat their poor customers. There were ripples of laughter at some of her more outrageous remarks. From the corner of her eye, Con was aware of a rustle of movement in the audience - her mother, leaning forward to murmur urgently to Miss Annersley, sitting just in front of her.

Then Val Pertwee, as the Boy, ran on, and the Old Woman turned her attention to him, speaking of how young people were much better behaved in her day. The Boy responded with cheeky backchat.

There was one unrehearsed effect when Jack Lambert, setting up a costermonger’s stall, dropped one of her apples. It rolled away and stopped at Val’s feet. She snatched it up, polished it on her sleeve, and took a bite, all without missing a beat in her speech. Jack, quick witted, played up by standing, hands on hips, glaring at Val for a moment, before turning back to her task.

Then a Nurse entered, walking slowly and tiredly. She was greeted by the Old Woman, and stopped to tell how she had been up all night at the bedside of a sick child. Even Con, who had written the words, felt a lump coming into her throat at the emotion with which Evelyn spoke them. The Nurse described how the child had fallen asleep just as dawn was breaking, and there was hope that she would recover from her illness, and walked wearily offstage.

Ronnie Pertwee, as the Man, having finished setting up his stall, came forward to bewail the state of trade, customers who did not pay their bills and suppliers who did not deliver on time. By the time he had finished, Gerda was signalling that everything was ready and he was able to announce that the market was open and trading could begin. Those who had speaking parts in he next scene had already come on quietly and taken their places in readiness. The scene shifters, the Old Woman and the Boy left the stage, Jane Carew entered, as Lady Sophia disguised as a poor peasant woman, and the real action of the Play resumed.

Once the Play was over and most of the visitors had left the Hall, Con found herself surrounded by people wanting to congratulate her on the singing, and, once word had gone round that she was responsible for the market interlude, on her writing too. The members of the choir, once released from their places, had gone to join their forms, and everyone else responsible for the Play was still backstage, so there was no-one to divert attention away from Con.

‘A pity you didn’t come to St Mildred’s this year,’ said Primrose Trevoase. ‘We could have left the panto entirely to you, writing and music!’ The two Heads came up to offer their congratulations.
‘The Nurse’s speech was very moving. You had a few of us close to tears there. Very well done, Con,’ said Miss Annersley.
‘It was Evelyn - she performed it so well,’ Con said. Then her mother was upon them, crying,
‘Con! I’ve just been talking to Miss Wilmot - she says you wrote that new scene! Why? Why didn’t you tell me?’

Of all the triplets, Con was the least accustomed to being the centre of attention. She was pink with embarrassment by the time she was able to get away from the hall. She had travelled there in the school coaches, and returned with them. When they arrived back at the school, she refused an invitation to come in for Kaffee und Kuchen. She was beginning to feel very tired, and just wanted a little peace and quiet. She ran home to Freudesheim, and having hung up her coat and washed her hands, entered the Saal.

She was dismayed to find it crowded with people. She had forgotten that her mother had invited a number of friends for English Tea after the Play.
‘Here she is - the heroine of the hour!’ cried Hilary Graves.
‘You really are following in your mother’s footsteps,’ Grizel Sheppard commented. ‘First the magazine, now the Play.’
‘We want to hear all about it,’ said Joey. ‘And I shall want to know why nobody came to me if anything was needed for the Play, instead of putting all the burden on you. But first, would you ring for Rosli? It’s time Geoff and Phil went upstairs for their Milch und Kuchen.’
‘I’ll take them,’ said Con instantly. ‘Come along, you two.’

Geoff raced ahead up the stairs, Con and Phil following slowly.
‘What makes your skirt stick out?’ Phil asked. Con stopped on the first landing to turn back the hem of her skirt to show the dress’s own taffeta lining and the heavily starched linen petticoat.
‘It’s shiny,’ Phil commented, stroking the taffeta. She looked up at Con. ‘Can I have a skirt that sticks out?’ She looked doubtful; Con realised that Phil was so used to being told she couldn’t do things, due to her frailty, she expected the answer to every request, however reasonable, to be ‘No’.
‘Of course you can,’ she told her. Con liked sewing, and a skirt and petticoat for Phil would be a simple enough task. There was sure to be some suitable fabric either at Freudesheim or at School, and Anna could supply the starch.

Having delivered the twins to Rosli, Con returned to the Saal. To her relief, the conversation had moved on from the Play, and people were talking in groups of two or three. Everyone had been served, so she was not needed to help hand round. She took her own tea and a plate of sandwiches and looked for a place to sit. There was an empty seat next to Dr Benson, who was sitting alone on a small couch a little to one side. Con went and sat down, feeling able to relax for the first time that day.

Dr Benson had been living at Freudesheim for nearly a year now, but between school, their summer holiday at the Tiernsee and Dr Benson's absences as she had wound up her affairs in Oxford, Con did not feel she had got to know her very well. Dr Benson's own manner was partly responsible; she tended to be a little reserved, without the breezy, hail-fellow-well-met character of most of her mother's friends. Now she smiled at Con and said,
‘I enjoyed the Play. Everyone must have worked very hard.’ Then she asked a question about St Frideswide‘s, and the two of them talked Oxford for the remainder of the meal.

Later, there was supper, with her parents, Len and Margot, and Reg, who ate with them several times a week. Her mother gave her father, who had been unable to get to the Play, a minute account of the performance.
‘But I don’t understand why Miss Ferrars, or Auntie Hilda, didn’t come to me, if more dialogue was needed,’ Joey wound up.
‘We all know how busy you’ve been with those proofs. I expect they didn’t want to bother you,’ said Len.
‘But for the School, I would have made the time,’ Joey said. ‘Why didn’t you tell me, Con? You know I was happy to help you with the Chaletian last year, I would have helped with this if I’d known.’

It had actually never occurred to Con - or, she supposed, to Miss Ferrars - that they should tell her mother about the new scene in the Play. They had not, after all, altered anything Joey herself had written in any way. All Con could think to say was,
‘Actually, Mamma, I found the choir much harder work. Did Plato say anything about the singing, does anyone know?’ Margot replied, and the talk turned to music, with Joey regretting that Margot had not kept up her singing while in Edinburgh. Con was thankful that everyone’s attention had turned away from her. Her only subsequent contribution to the conversation was in reply to a question from Margot about singing at Oxford.

Con was glad to go to bed that night. For once she turned out her light and settled down to sleep at an early hour. Despite her tiredness, though, she went to bed happy to have taken a successful first step in her hoped for career.

Author:  Chris [ 14 Jul 2008, 13:13 ]
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That was great - nice to see people recognising Con's talents; but someone sounds jealous to me!

Author:  Elder in Ontario [ 14 Jul 2008, 13:37 ]
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Well done, Con - and thanks JayB - I loved the description of the scene shifting interlude! Pity Joey is so incapable of putting aside her own wish to be the be-all and end-all of all school occasions for once.

Author:  Alison H [ 14 Jul 2008, 14:04 ]
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Nice to see Con chatting to Stacie: they should have plenty in common now.

Author:  Lesley [ 14 Jul 2008, 14:34 ]
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I do hope Joey's reaction was just shock? Because she is the only one that hasn't congratulated Con for the market scene and the singing. It may be jealousy - not intentional but more a worry that the School will no longer need her - but she should be big enough to feel pleasure that her daughter has done something so well.

Pleased she had the opportunity to speak with Stacie - I expect that will be helpful for Con.


Thanks JayB

Author:  Jennie [ 14 Jul 2008, 14:38 ]
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I thought that was typically Joey - selfish and self-centred. Why could she not allow Con to have her moment in the sun without saying anything but 'Well done, Con.'?

Author:  keren [ 14 Jul 2008, 15:53 ]
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When I first saw next to Dr... I thought, a new dr, then I remembered Stacie,
it is nice she has something in common with her

Author:  ibarhis [ 14 Jul 2008, 16:04 ]
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I'm hoping that my sense of impending doom is misplaced!

Fundamentally I like Jo (I know a lot of people don't) but this Jo seems at best ambivalent about her daughters growing up and away. I hope she doesn't try to undermine Con's confidence. I could see her deciding that Con is moving away from her and finding that difficult to accept; deciding that Con's new ideas are dangerous and even that in, say, agreeing to make a more fashionable skirt for Philippa she is doing something frivolous and unneccesary etc. Maybe even that she is implicitly criticising Jo's ways of doing things.

I hope I'm wrong... I'd love to see a Jo who rejoiced in the new horizons that her children find as they leave the Platz.

Author:  Becky [ 14 Jul 2008, 16:12 ]
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Thanks, JayB, really enjoying this.

Author:  di [ 14 Jul 2008, 17:16 ]
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Well done, Con! How typical of Joey. I also hope she doesn't feel jealous of her daughter, after all Con's writing skills came frm her genes - not that Joey would admit that. I hope Phil gets her dress with a 'sticky out' skirt.
Thanks, JayB

Author:  abbeybufo [ 14 Jul 2008, 19:50 ]
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Thanks JayB that went really well - typicial Joey to expect to have been consulted, though :D

Author:  Pat [ 14 Jul 2008, 21:42 ]
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I can see Jo's point to some extent, as she wrote the play. But she should have congratulated con on the scene.

Author:  Elle [ 15 Jul 2008, 07:40 ]
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I am also suprised she didn't comment on Con's dress!

Thanks for the excellent update. I really am enjoying this, tis fab.

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 15 Jul 2008, 09:26 ]
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Part of me was wondering why she didn't compliment Con and think it more due to shock and the feeling of it was her play she wrote, to a degree I'm assuming that it would be like writing a book and having someone write an extra chapter without mentioning it to the writer themself that thats what had been done. I know some would only see it as being just the school play but to me its a courtesy to the author and Joey would give it her best not a half hearted job
Joey didn't shy away from the different point of view about Wuthering Heights but talk about it like an equal with Con so it doesn't come accross as necessarily as she's feeling slighted because her children are growing away from her

Thanks JayB, I'm really enjoying this

Author:  JayB [ 15 Jul 2008, 12:10 ]
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Thanks for the comments, everyone.

I agree that it would have been courteous to tell Joey about the added scene. But Kathie probably assumed that Con had told her, and Con was so wrapped up in the choir and the play itself, and the 'mustn't bother Mamma' thing was so ingrained, that she just didn't - which I think is in character for Con as she was portrayed in the books.

On the other hand, Jo does rather think the world revolves around her and expects to know everything that's going on. When she saw Con onstage in the Millies' panto in Triplets, her reaction was 'why wasn't I told?'

I'm not trying to make Jo a monster in this, but I am taking traits which she's displayed in the books and developing them for my own nefarious purposes.

Author:  Emma A [ 15 Jul 2008, 18:18 ]
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Yay! Two shiny updates - these were really good, and very interesting to read. I like the way you have shown Con growing up and in confidence. I expect this will stand her in good stead for next term at Oxford. I wonder if Stacie may be able to help...

Thank-you, JayB.

Author:  Elle [ 15 Jul 2008, 19:44 ]
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JayB wrote:
developing them for my own nefarious purposes.



:twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:


Hee hee hee!

Author:  JayB [ 23 Jul 2008, 17:10 ]
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The day after the Play saw the end of term at the Chalet School and the return home of Erica, Felicity and Cecil. Adrienne, who spent many of her holidays at Freudesheim, had been invited to stay with the de Bersacs and so departed from the Platz with the rest of the School.

Two days later the Maynard boys arrived from England - Steve and Charles, Mike and Felix. With them were Ruey and Roger Richardson. Roger was not coming; his Christmas break was too short for it to be worth his while to travel to Switzerland. Ruey and Roddy had seen him in England, so they were resigned to the fact that the three of them would not be together over the holiday.

Steve had been taller than Con for a while; now she saw that he was taller than Len and Margot and their mother. Chas had been growing more slowly, but he too had suddenly put on a spurt. Joey took one look at him and said,
‘Well, it’s obvious we’ll have to spend a day shopping for new clothes for you, my lad! Your trousers don’t reach your ankles, and your sleeves finish about three inches above your wrists! It’s not as if I’ve got anything of Steve’s put away that you can wear - his and Mike’s clothes are only fit for the ragbag by the time they’ve finished with them!’

‘And while you’re at it, Ma, Matron said to tell you I need new pyjamas,’ said Steve.
Don’t call me Ma! I’ve told you before I won’t have it! Felix and Geoff copy you in everything, and I don’t want them picking it up. And the same goes for any weird and wonderful language you boys have picked up at school this term,' she added, including Roddy and Mike in her admonition. ‘I don’t mind some slang, but some of the language I hear these days is very unpleasant, and I don’t want to hear it in this house.’ She surveyed all the boys again. ‘I’d better set aside a day next week to go through all your clothes. I did hope that when I sent you all off in September, that would be it for the year!’
‘At least we girls don’t cause you much trouble now as far as clothes are concerned,’ Len said. ‘We four,’ she indicated her triplet sisters and Ruey, ‘see to our own outfits now, and Felicity is still built on a miniature scale. Her clothes don't need replacing that often.’
‘Yes, and when she is a bit bigger, she’ll have all those frocks I put away when you three started shooting up so quickly and grew out of everything overnight. They’ll see her through a couple of summers, if she doesn’t grow out of them too fast.’

A few days later, Dr Benson set out for England. She was to spend Christmas with her aunt and uncle in Taverton, and also planned to spend some time reading at the Bodleian and the British Library and consulting other scholars.
‘As it’s vacation, I can easily get a room at Shrewsbury, and I can run up to London by train for the day when I want to,’ she said, explaining her plans to the Maynards when she had Kaffee with them the day before her departure. Debbie, her elderly cook-housekeeper, was going too, to stay with relatives.

With all the family home, no-one had much time to herself or himself. There were household jobs to do, the younger ones to be kept amused and taken for walks, Christmas cards and letters to be written, decorations to be made. Joey, her proofs finished and despatched to her publisher, organised shopping trips to Interlaken, tea parties at Freudesheim and visits to friends on the Platz and further afield.

Con found time to fulfil her promise to Phil that she would make her a ‘sticky out skirt’. Before all the staff departed for their holidays and the School was closed, she took Phil across to see Mdlle Lachennais. Even such a short walk was still too tiring for Phil, so Con pushed her in the big pushchair that had done duty for all the Maynard children from the triplets down.

When she explained to Mdlle what she wanted, Mdlle willingly allowed her to take Phil to the storeroom where Sophie Hamel’s generous gift of fabric was kept. Phil was fascinated by the range of colours and textures, but eventually, with help from ‘Tante Jeanne’ and Con, settled on a watered taffeta in a deep turquoise. Mdlle waved away Con’s attempt to pay for the fabric.
‘For la petite Phil, and for your help with the play, ma chere, it is a pleasure to give it as a gift from the School,’ she said. Anna supplied a couple of worn out sheets from which Con cut a pattern for the skirt and made the petticoat.

The Bishop’s delayed visit to the Platz was to take place at the end of the week following the end of term. He and his aide, Herr Wilhelm, were to tour the San, then come to Freudesheim for Kaffee, and to allow the Bishop to rest before being driven back to Basle. There he would spend the night with the von Ahlens. Joey was to be one of the party escorting the Bishop at the San. She gave instructions that everyone at Freudesheim was to be dressed in their best, waiting to be introduced to the Bishop when she brought him home.

‘See to it, will you, Len?’ she said, as she used the mirror in the hall to make final adjustments to the angle of her hat. ‘The little ones can wait in the playroom with Rosli, the rest of you in the Saal. No running around or wild games, I want everyone to be tidy, and I don’t want the younger ones getting over excited. Quiet reading, or sewing or knitting, or you can get the jigsaws out. Just be ready to clear away quickly when we get back, so we can have Kaffee promptly. Oh, and ask Anna to keep Bruno with her. He’s a bit too boisterous to be a welcome guest at this party!’ She glanced out of the window and picked up her gloves and handbag. ’Here’s Uncle Frank to pick me up. I must dash. I’ll see you all later.’

‘Frau Doktor Maynard very much in evidence,’ Len murmured as she went to round up the family and pass on her mother’s instructions. Some of the boys grumbled at having to dress up in the holidays and sit around doing nothing all afternoon.
‘And it isn’t even Sunday,’ Mike said. Len and Steve herded them all upstairs, although Steve hung back for a moment to murmur to Con,
‘The kid’s got a point - not how I’d choose to spend my time either!’

I think I've accounted for everyone who might be expected to spend the Christmas holidays at Freudesheim!

Author:  Lesley [ 23 Jul 2008, 17:56 ]
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See Joey is relying on Len again - I know it's what she has always done but couldn't she have at least included Con?


Thanks JayB

Author:  Alison H [ 23 Jul 2008, 21:41 ]
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Interesting to see Len getting narky at Joey's behaviour - not that she wasn't fully entitled to do so!

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 24 Jul 2008, 00:08 ]
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Lesley wrote:
See Joey is relying on Len again - I know it's what she has always done but couldn't she have at least included Con?


And Margot!

Thanks JayB. Am really enjoying the post and the way everyone is portrayed. It is pretty true to the books

Author:  keren [ 24 Jul 2008, 07:25 ]
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Lesley wrote:
See Joey is relying on Len again - I know it's what she has always done but couldn't she have at least included Con?


Thanks JayB


You can only have one person in charge
If there is more than one, then no one is!
(believe me, I know!)

Anyway, I am sure the others are glad not to be responsible

Author:  di [ 24 Jul 2008, 08:39 ]
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I rather think Len wishes she wasn't the oldest at times - all that responsibility and none of the priveleges as far as I can see. Couldn't the older ones have gone down to Interlaken for the afternoon so they were out of the way. [not that I want to highjack your story JayB! :oops: ]. I suppose though that Joey wants to show off her family. :roll:
I'm pleased that Phil is getting her 'sticky-out' skirt - deep turquoise is a lovely colour. Are Phil and Geoff redheads? I can't keep track of all 11 of them, not to count the various wards and adoptees. :lol:
Thanks, JayB.

Author:  JayB [ 24 Jul 2008, 13:20 ]
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Having changed into her green tartan frock, Con decided to make use of the time by running down to Anna’s domain to check on Phil’s petticoat. The skirt was finished, pressed and hanging in Con’s wardrobe. They had starched the petticoat the day before; Phil and Geoff had enjoyed mixing the cornflour paste and plunging the petticoat in with their bare hands. Anna had hung it up to dry overnight. Now she handed it to Con, freshly ironed and ready to wear.
‘Oh, Anna, you didn’t have to do that,’ Con said. ‘I would have ironed it myself.’ Anna shrugged.
‘It was nothing. I am ironing my Sunday skirt, it was only a minute to do the little skirt for Phil also.’
‘Well, thank you anyway,’ Con said. ’Phil’s been longing to see how it turns out, I’ll go and show her now.’

Con fetched the skirt from her own room and ran up to the playroom. Phil and Geoff were there; Rosli was in the nursery, getting Claire dressed. Phil was thrilled with the finished garments.
‘Can I try them on?’ she said. ‘I want to see the skirt sticking out.’ There was plenty of time before their mother was due back with the Bishop, Con thought. She found a little white blouse in Phil’s chest of drawers, helped Phil out of the pale blue smocked Viyella dress Rosli had picked out for her, and watched as Phil carefully dressed herself in blouse, petticoat and skirt.

When Phil was done, she wanted to see herself in a ‘proper mirror’. Con took her down to their parents’ room, where there was full length mirror. Geoff, of course, followed. Phil twirled in front of the mirror, delighted with the way the skirt flew out. Con was thrilled to see that for just a few moments, she was putting her weight on both feet equally, instead of favouring her lame leg, as she normally did.

‘Can I show the others?’ Phil pleaded. So Con took both of them down to the Saal. The other girls complimented Phil on her appearance, and Cecil, Felicity and Erica wanted ‘sticky-out’ skirts of their own.
‘Certainly, if you’re prepared to pay for the materials and help with the sewing,’ said Con promptly, and their faces fell.
‘Smart thinking,’ Ruey muttered in Con’s ear.
‘Well, I quite like needlework, but I don’t want to spend the whole vacation sewing!’ Con murmured back.
‘You know, if she’s going to be a rock and roll girl, she should have a pony tail,’ Ruey went on.
‘What’s rock and roll?’ Erica asked. Steve and the two Richardsons looked at her in amazement.
‘Well, how should I know?’ said Erica. ‘I’ve only lived here and in India.’
‘I’ll show you said Steve. He left the room; Con saw him taking the stairs three at time.

Ruey fetched a brush and comb from the hall stand. Con took out the ribbon holding Pil's hair back from her face and carefully brushed and combed her shoulder length red hair, drawing it back and tying it in a pony tail high on the back of her head. Phil turned her head from side to side, delighted at the feel of the pony tail swinging behind her.
‘I wish my hair was still long enough to wear like that,’ said Erica.

Steve came back, carrying a handful of black vinyl discs.
‘What’s that?’ Erica asked.
‘Rock and roll,’ he replied, going over to the gramophone and lifting the lid. Len intervened.
‘Steve, don’t do that. Mamma told us to sit quietly, and I don’t think she’d like your playing that kind of music, especially with the Bishop coming.’
‘There’s plenty of time yet,’ Steve replied easily. He put the first disc on the turntable, and dropped the needle on. After a moment, the sound of an electric guitar filled the room with a driving beat.

C’mon pretty baby let’s a-move it and a-groove it

‘Follow what I do,’ Ruey said to Erica, taking her hand. ‘To me. Now back. Now turn. Faster, and swing from the hips. That’s it.’ Erica quickly picked it up. Steve took Phil’s hands and gently showed her how to turn under his arm, then picked her up and swung her round.

The rhythm that gets into your heart and soul,
Let me tell you baby it’s called rock and roll


Soon everyone was on his or her feet, drawn in by the infectious beat. Con danced with Roddy, Chas with Cecil. Felicity was trying to fit ballet steps to the music. Felix and Geoff jumped around in their own version of dance. Even Len joined in, Margot and Mike each seizing one of her hands and pulling her out of her chair. Con had heard some of the songs before, in Oxford cafes, but had never tried dancing to rock and roll. They were all laughing, breathless and exhilarated. The first record ended and Steve put on another, and then another.
‘Where did you get these?’ Con asked in one such pause.
‘Borrowed them from a fellow in my House,’ Steve replied.

When they had heard all the songs once, Phil demanded
‘More!’ so Steve put the first one on again.

Yeah, shake it baby shake it baby please don’t lose it

Chas and Cecil executed a complicated turn, and stopped dead, guilt and consternation on their faces. Con looked where they were looking, and saw her mother standing in the doorway, next to her the Bishop on the arm of a gentleman who must be Herr Wilhelm. Behind them stood Vater Moritz, their local priest.

Anyone who doesn't know the song they were dancing to (or anyone who does and just wants a trip down memory lane) can go here

Author:  Becky [ 24 Jul 2008, 13:33 ]
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Oops! Glad they were having fun though.

This is great, thanks JayB :D

Author:  Ruth B [ 24 Jul 2008, 13:51 ]
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Oops! I'd forseen Phil wearing the sticky out skirt in front of the Bishop but nothing quite as extreme as that!

Author:  Elder in Ontario [ 24 Jul 2008, 14:01 ]
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Oops indeed - but if I remember correctly, the bishop, Frieda's uncle was possessed of a sense of humour! Joey may be embarrassed, but I think he will be highly amused, even given the furore engendered when rock 'n roll first arrived!

Thanks, JB

Author:  Alison H [ 24 Jul 2008, 14:04 ]
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Well, they're enjoying themselves!

Author:  Anjali [ 24 Jul 2008, 14:33 ]
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I'm more worried about Joey's reaction than the Bishop's! Lovely situation, JayB - I felt like I was in the room, watching them.....

Author:  abbeybufo [ 24 Jul 2008, 15:09 ]
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Ruth B wrote:
Oops! I'd forseen Phil wearing the sticky out skirt in front of the Bishop but nothing quite as extreme as that!


Me too! Oh dear - hope the Bish is understanding :shock:

Author:  JustJen [ 24 Jul 2008, 15:45 ]
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LOL!
Hopefully Joey will see the humour in this!

Author:  Jenefer [ 24 Jul 2008, 17:12 ]
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Thanks JayB - 2 lovely updates
How will Joey react I wonder

Author:  di [ 24 Jul 2008, 18:55 ]
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Ooops, someone is going to feel the wrath of Joey's tongue I suspect. Even if the Bishop does find it funny I'm betting Joey won't!!
Great writing, JayB.

Author:  Pat [ 24 Jul 2008, 20:07 ]
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I really cannot see Jo appreciating Move IT. I know my parents thought it was just a lot of noise!

It wouldn't surprise me if the Bishop thought differently, as he's probably got a lot more experience of the real world than Jo does, isolated on the Platz.

Author:  Lesley [ 24 Jul 2008, 21:03 ]
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I cannot see Joey approving either - unfortunately - but she does always come across as very conservative in the later books. The Bishop though? Yes, I can see him enjoying it.


Thanks JayB

Author:  Sandra [ 25 Jul 2008, 20:50 ]
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Why do I get the feeling that Len will be blamed for letting them do it? Given her feelings about always being in charge there could be fireworks ahead. I've always wanted to hear Len finally snap and stand up for herself.

Author:  ibarhis [ 26 Jul 2008, 11:26 ]
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What's the betting that Jo is as much if not more upset about the 'sticky out skirt' than the dancing?

Author:  JennieP [ 28 Jul 2008, 19:08 ]
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I just love this story - can't *wait* to hear what happens next!

Author:  abbeybufo [ 28 Jul 2008, 19:12 ]
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ibarhis wrote:
What's the betting that Jo is as much if not more upset about the 'sticky out skirt' than the dancing?


or the ponytail, more likely :(

Author:  Jennie [ 30 Jul 2008, 16:06 ]
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So why haven't we found out yet?

Author:  Emma A [ 01 Aug 2008, 09:20 ]
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Those last few updates were lovely - Phil is so sweet, and the scenario is all too plausible!

Yes, please may we have some more, JayB?
(though I'm one to talk...)

Author:  snowmaiden [ 01 Aug 2008, 10:19 ]
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Lovely update, thanks JayB. Very amusing, can't wait to see how Joey and the Bish react.. (hint hint....)!
:D

Author:  JayB [ 01 Aug 2008, 22:12 ]
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‘It was unfortunate, but I don’t suppose any real harm was done,’ said Hilda. ‘I’m sure the Bishop was understanding.’ She and Nell had just listened to Joey’s highly dramatic account of the scene she and the Bishop had interrupted.
‘You said yourself you were back a good hour before you expected to be because Jack and the others had to drop everything to deal with the casualties from that coach accident. What’s the latest news of them, by the way?’ Nell asked. The three of them were in her private sitting room at St Mildred‘s. The School proper being closed, Hilda was spending a few days with Nell before they departed to spend Christmas in Salzburg.

‘The only one Jack was really anxious about was the young man with the head injury who was unconscious for so long, but he’s doing well now. All the others should be home in time for Christmas,’ Jo replied, but she would not be sidetracked from her original topic. ‘But it shouldn’t have made any difference what time we got back. I told Len I wanted them all to sit quietly in the Saal.’

‘So what did you do about it?’ Nell asked.
‘I sent Cecil and Geoff and Phil up to the playroom at once. They were all wildly over-excited and I was tempted to send all of them from Mike downwards upstairs, but since it seemed that the older ones were the instigators, that wouldn’t have been fair. I spoke to the triplets and Ruey and Steve afterwards and told them how disappointed I was at their disobedience and their setting such a bad example to the younger ones. I said I’d never had reason to think they were untrustworthy before. Oh, and I confiscated the records. Steve will have them back when he goes back to school, and he’s to give them straight back to the other boy. I wanted to send the records back to the boy’s parents immediately, but Steve says he doesn’t know the address, and Jack said to leave that side of it to him.’

‘Jack knows about it, then?’
‘Oh, yes. I couldn’t keep something like this from him, especially when it involves one of the boys. I don’t know exactly what he said to Steve, but I think he’s going to make more enquiries about these records - whether they’re allowed to have them at school, and so on.’
‘And what about Phil’s outfit?’
‘I was tempted to confiscate that too, but she looked at me so pleadingly I told her she could keep it, but only for dressing up games, and only in the playroom.’

‘It was probably asking lot to expect boys like Mike and Felix to sit quietly for so long,’ Hilda commented.
‘Yes, if there’s one thing I learned from all the years I spent dealing with Middles and Juniors, it’s that the devil will find work for idle hands!’ Nell said, trying to lighten the atmosphere.
‘In this case, I really think he did,’ Jo replied.
‘Really, Jo!’ said Hilda. ’You don’t mean that!’
‘The Bishop spoke to me very seriously when we had a few minutes alone,’ Jo said. ‘He said he was very concerned about what he’d heard about this rock and roll and its influence on young people. He advised me strongly not to allow the children to listen to it.’

‘Joey, Monsignor Mensch is a very elderly man who has lived retired for a long time,’ Nell said. ‘He’s bound to have conservative ideas. People said the same about ragtime and jazz when they first appeared. Even the waltz was frowned on at first, wasn’t it? I don’t care for rock and roll myself, but it’s just a fashion, isn’t it? It can’t actually be harmful.’
Joey shook her head obstinately.
‘I think the Bishop is right. Just look at the effect it’s already had on our crowd. I told Len they were to sit quietly while they waited for me to bring the Bishop back for Kaffee. And it's not as if they didn't know that's what I wanted them to do; Steve said Len told them, and tried to stop them. It was flat-out disobedience, and you know that absolute obedience is one thing Jack and I have insisted on from when the triplets were babies. And Steve, of all of the boys! He and Len have always been the two I could rely on completely. I wouldn’t have been so surprised if it had been Mike, or even Roddy.’

There was a pause as Hilda and Nell looked at each other. Then Hilda said,
‘Joey, the triplets and Ruey are nineteen. They’re too old for you to be talking about absolute obedience. Even Steve - nearly seventeen, isn’t he? They’re growing up, Joey. You can’t keep them children forever.’

‘We gave them such careful training when they were little,’ Jo went on, ignoring Hilda’s words. ‘I believed that home ways and home ideas would be strong enough to counter any ideas they might meet anywhere else, and that they’d always come to me first. Now, I don’t know any more. Look at what’s just happened - all of them disobeying. Then there’s Steve, bringing those records home in the first place. He borrowed them, you know, and that’s something they’re forbidden to do. Con having her hair cut without telling anyone. Changing the Play behind my back. And I’m sure there are other things she’s not telling me. And I don’t at all like the sound of some of the things she’s learning at Oxford. Did you know they talk about incest? What can I do?’

‘Nothing,’ said Nell bluntly. ‘You have to let them grow up and find their own way in the world.’
‘I know it’s hard,’ Hilda said more gently. ‘I know how I feel each year, watching another group of girls grow up and leave us, wondering what they‘ll make of their lives. I can’t imagine what it must be like when it’s your own flesh and blood. But you have to let them go, Joey, and trust to your training and the School’s and their own good sense. Kathie Ferrars tells me Con has grown up enormously in just one term, you know. I’m sure you don’t have anything to worry about there.’

When she and Hilda were alone again, Nell said,
‘I did wonder a little how the triplets would cope with University - they’ve led such sheltered lives up here. I didn’t think about how Joey would cope with their going.’
‘Jo has never really been parted from the girls, except for that year when Margot was in Canada with Madge. And I think that year was harder for her than any of us knew at the time. Letting them go was bound to be difficult for her at first,’ Hilda said.
‘At first, yes,’ Nell agreed. ‘But she is going to have to accept that her children are growing up and growing away, and that they are bound to have ideas and make choices that she might not like or understand. If she doesn’t, I can foresee a lot of heartache all round.’

I know Steve is generally taken to be three years younger than the triplets. But he insisted on being nearly seventeen in this, so I took advantage of the EBDism that occasionally has him two years younger.

Author:  Alison H [ 01 Aug 2008, 22:21 ]
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Good to see that Hilda and Nell appreciate that the triplets and Ruey are a bit past the age of "do as you're told", but what a shame that Joey evidently doesn't. Poor Steve too - he's going to look a right idiot if Jack complains to the school about his mate's records :( .

Author:  LizzieC [ 01 Aug 2008, 23:47 ]
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Thanks for more of this JayB. This is an excellent drabble and I'm really enjoying following it :D .

Alison H wrote:
Poor Steve too - he's going to look a right idiot if Jack complains to the school about his mate's records :( .


I have (possibly misplaced) hopes for Jack. I've always thought he was something of a misunderstood character who was more pragmatic, more worldly and less traditional than Joey. I realise this may not be the way he turns out in this drabble, but until we know I'm quietly hoping that he turns out to be lovely and understanding ;)

Author:  Lesley [ 02 Aug 2008, 00:09 ]
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Joey is in real danger of losing all her children as soon as they can leave School - what on earth is she thinking making such a huge fuss about so minor a thing? After all they were more than an hour earlier than she said. Quite apart from anything else surely she hasn't forgotten her own childhood? Absolute obedience? I don't think so. Hilda and Nell had some very wise things to say there - but Joey is just not listening.

Very sad.


Thanks JayB :lol:

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 02 Aug 2008, 07:25 ]
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I loved that scene of the kids dancing rock and roll, it was hilarious. And Joey had better watch out or she'll lose the older ones if she's not careful as it'll be easier for them to turn around and say sorry it's too far to come home, we have to study etc etc.

I think Hilda and Nell were extremely wise in what they said and restrained by not pointing out to Joey how often she wasn't obedient and how much she resented being told what to do by Madge when she was 17

Thanks for the updates JayB

BTW I'm also feeling a little more hopeful about Jack as he does work in the real world and isn't as cloistered as Joey

Author:  abbeybufo [ 02 Aug 2008, 08:59 ]
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I do hope Jack can talk sense to Joey - and that she will listen to him :shock:

Thanks Jaybe

Author:  Mona [ 02 Aug 2008, 09:55 ]
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Thanks for the update.

Characteristic response from Joey - we're never really given any indication that she realises that times have changed and it's no longer 1936, are we?

Author:  Anjali [ 03 Aug 2008, 09:14 ]
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Honestly, Jo! How many times did she do things she had specifically been told not to by Madge? And poor Phil, only being able to wear her 'sticky-out' skirt for play- although I'm glad it wasn't confiscated. I agree that Hilda and Nell were remarkably restrained there. Unquestioning obedience, indeed!! :evil:

Author:  JayB [ 04 Aug 2008, 12:50 ]
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Thanks for all the comments, everyone.

This is just to say, don't look for any updates for a while. The next couple of sections aren't written yet. I'm not likely to get to it this week, I'm away next week and busy (no, not that kind of busy) the early part of the week after.

On the upside, I do have quite a long bit already written that goes near the end of the vacation, and I now have an outline for next term.

Author:  leahbelle [ 04 Aug 2008, 13:01 ]
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Jo's not handling this at all well. I know it must be difficult for her, but she has to let her girls grow up before they grow away from her.

Author:  snowmaiden [ 04 Aug 2008, 13:05 ]
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It's really good JayB, thanks. Looking forward to more when you have the time.

*Wishes Jo would waken up and smell the coffee*

Author:  Emma A [ 04 Aug 2008, 19:21 ]
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These updates are excellent, JayB - I'm really enjoying this continuation: it's so plausible. I quite liked Joey's over-reaction, since I think it was quite likely. I do hope, for the sake of the other characters, however, that she calms down and realises that she must let her children grow up.

Looking forward to more when you can find the time to write.

Author:  JustJen [ 04 Aug 2008, 19:37 ]
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Part of Joey's problem is that she had led a very sheltered life while the rest of the n even world moved on.
Frankly I'm amazed that her children come home for the holidays considering she expects to act like minature adults.The kids must be bored out of their skulls back on the Platz.

Author:  Jennie [ 04 Aug 2008, 20:19 ]
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Jo really needs a sense of proportion here, doesn't she?

Author:  claireM [ 05 Aug 2008, 12:56 ]
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Lovely updates, Jo really does need to listen to Hilda and Nell before she drives her kids away.

Author:  Elle [ 06 Aug 2008, 21:51 ]
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Thanks for the excellent updates. I had a feeling that the skirt would cause issues, but I am impressed at how much trouble it has caused!

Author:  Ela [ 18 Aug 2008, 14:12 ]
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Am I being too greedy and impatient in asking for more, please, JayB? I want to know what happens next!

Author:  Lydia [ 19 Aug 2008, 21:59 ]
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I'd like to ask for more as well. I just read all the first part and this and I was disappointed to come to an abrupt halt!

Author:  Abi [ 20 Aug 2008, 15:52 ]
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I just read both parts of this, JayB. Love seeing Con maturing and hope Jo will too. :D

Also hoping for more soon...

Author:  di [ 21 Aug 2008, 08:03 ]
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Couldn't you just give Joey a shake! :x Which century is she living in? I wouldn't put it past her to write to the Dean at Oxford to complain about Con's reading list!! If I was one of the older ones I would certainly restrict my visits home and give very little away in my letters to Joey and Jack.

Good for Hilda and Nell to attempt to make her see sense. I rather think Nell would have been more caustic if Hilda hadn't been there to temper her words.

I only hope Jack has a little more sense where his children are concerned although it doesn't seem that way. Fancy writing to Steve's Headmaster! :roll:

Thanks, JayB. Looking forward to more.

Author:  JayB [ 31 Aug 2008, 21:50 ]
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Con had never been in serious trouble with either of her parents, so she did not know what to expect when, after the Bishop, his aide and Father Moritz had left, their mother called the triplets and Ruey into her study. If asked beforehand, she would probably have said she would expect to feel regret, even shame, at having disappointed her mother. Instead, while their mother was speaking to them, Con found her mind wandering, thinking about Phil’s pleasure in her new skirt, and how much they had all enjoyed dancing to Steve‘s records. Guiltily, she pulled her attention back to what was happening, in time to hear her mother say,

‘… and I’m sure you’ll all do your best for the rest of the holiday to show that I can rely on you, so we’ll say no more about it.’ Then they were dismissed. Con was left wondering what exactly had been said, but with the other three looking so solemn, and so relieved that it was all over, she didn’t feel able to confess that she hadn’t been listening, and ask what she had missed.

Margot and Mike had been in bad trouble with their father in the past, even Len on one occasion, when they had been on holiday at the Tiernsee. Con knew that it wasn’t an experience any of them wanted to repeat, so she was anxious to find out what had passed between their father and Steve. It didn’t seem fair that he should be in deeper trouble than the rest of them.

‘Was Papa fearfully mad?’ she asked, as soon as she had a chance to speak to Steve privately.
‘Not especially. It’s a bit weird being hauled up in front of his desk, like being at school. He talked about disobedience and trustworthiness, wanted to know if Noggin - that’s the fellow I borrowed the records from - and I had broken any school rules. I said we hadn’t. He said we’d let Ma down and embarrassed her in front of the Bishop. I suppose we did, but it was hardly a hanging offence.’
‘You didn’t say that to Papa!’
‘No, of course not. Then he said I should be jolly sure to toe the line for the rest of the hols, and make sure the kids did too, and that was about it.’

Nothing was said to the younger members of the family - Con gathered that their mother held the older ones solely responsible for what had happened - and as Christmas drew nearer and their excitement mounted, the unfortunate events of that afternoon faded into the background.

The triplets planned a trip to Berne one day, to complete their Christmas shopping. Con was disappointed when Len announced that Reg was to accompany them. She liked him well enough, but the triplets had not spent any time together, just the three of them, since they had come home. She had hoped they might have one day just for themselves. She did not feel they had really had a chance to talk over their experiences of the past term. She saw by Margot’s quick grimace that she felt the same, but Margot had her old fault of jealousy well under control these days, and said nothing. Ruey and Roddy were to travel down to Berne with them, then go off together to do their shopping.

‘Old Rog gave us some cash to add to our own to buy presents, so we should be able to get some good ones,’ said Roddy.
‘Just remember, Christmas is about celebrating Our Saviour’s birth, not about how much money you can spend, or who gets the best presents,’ said Joey.

With such a big family, it wasn’t easy to find appropriate presents for everyone. Margot had suggested that all the Maynards club together to buy their father a new attache case.
‘That thing he carries around is awful. I should think he’s had it since he was at Med School,’ she said. ‘Not at all the thing for Herr Doktor Maynard, head of the Gornetz Sanatorium.’

For their mother, Len and Con had spent time in Blackwell’s before leaving Oxford, picking out a selection of new biographies and the latest books on her favourite periods in history. English books were hard to come by in Switzerland, and Joey rarely had time for browsing in bookshops on her occasional visits to England.

Con suggested to Margot that they join together to buy a new writing case for Len. Margot had been heard to say that she needed a bag to carry her hockey kit to and from practices and matches, so Len and Con clubbed together to buy one for her, then decided to get the same for Ruey. A good deal of subterfuge was necessary while all the various purchases were made, and Con reflected that Reg did at least prove useful at various times in distracting one triplet while the other two made purchases. When he walked her off to ask her opinion of a silk scarf he was thinking of buying for Len, she guessed that the other two were buying her gift.

At length, all their presents were bought. Reg treated them to Kaffee und Kuchen, then they met Ruey and Roddy at the station and struggled on to the train, laden with bags and parcels.

Author:  PaulineS [ 31 Aug 2008, 21:58 ]
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I love the way Con dreamed through the telling off from Joey. I wonder if the others did as well as they did not raise it in conversation with each other afterwards.
I am pleased Reg had some uses on the shopping trip and I hope the Triplets do get some time together as a trio.

Author:  Lesley [ 31 Aug 2008, 22:03 ]
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It seems Jack isn't quite as divorced from reality as Joey - absolutely love Con dreaming away Joey's reprimand! :lol:


Thanks JayB

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 31 Aug 2008, 22:06 ]
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PaulineS wrote:
I love the way Con dreamed through the telling off from Joey. I wonder if the others did as well as they did not raise it in conversation with each other afterwards.
I am pleased Reg had some uses on the shopping trip and I hope the Triplets do get some time together as a trio.


So did I :lol: Wonder what Joey would have said if she knew. I also hope the triplets get some time alone but don't know if Len will realise her sisters will want time with her without Reg. People in love don't always pick up on that one

Author:  abbeybufo [ 31 Aug 2008, 22:12 ]
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*adds voice to those wanting the triplets to have some time just for the 3 of them*

Thanks JayB :D

Author:  Alison H [ 31 Aug 2008, 23:27 ]
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Joey really doesn't seem to "get" the fact that the triplets and Ruey are past the "telling off" stage, does she :roll: ? Glad that Jack seems to have more idea.

I remember once I'd arranged to meet up with an old friend for the first time in ages, and I was so excited about the thought of the two of us having a good old catch-up ... and she turned up with her boyfriend in tow, without even telling me first that he'd be coming too or asking if I minded! Although he's a lovely guy, it kind of spoilt the evening. Len's bound to want to spend time with Reg during the holidays, but I hope that it doesn't cause problems between her and Con and Margot.

Thanks JayB - this is great.

Author:  Tara [ 31 Aug 2008, 23:45 ]
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Why haven't I found this before??? :oops:
It's great, and I loved the rock and roll episode. It really was considered 'of the devil' in my church circles when it began, and strictly forbidden, so I'm not surprised at Jo's reaction, but it does underline how ridiculous such a response was- and poor wee Phil and her skirt! . Glad Hilda and Nell were so sane about it all, and it's worrying how resistant Jo is to the idea of her nearly-adult children moving into their own lives. I hope she takes H&N's words to heart, but I'm not sure she was listening - any more than Con was to her :D .

Thanks, JayB.

Author:  keren [ 01 Sep 2008, 07:03 ]
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thanks for this.

Author:  di [ 01 Sep 2008, 07:09 ]
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I'm not surprised that no one listens to any one else in a house with so many people in it. The triplets and Steve are almost adult and far too old to be reprimanded as if they were children. For goodness sake, Joey, Len is ENGAGED TO BE MARRIED! Good for Con, 'switching off' I bet she wasn't the only one. I should imagine even Jack 'switches off' at times. :lol:
Thanks, JayB

Author:  JennieP [ 01 Sep 2008, 15:31 ]
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Honestly Joey, GET A GRIP! You don't lecture 19 year olds on how disobedient they are. What does she want, little Joey-clones without a thought in their heads other than the ones put there by her? Oh wait, yes, that's _exactly_ what she wants...

Author:  Jennie [ 01 Sep 2008, 16:01 ]
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Typical Jo! What about all the disobedient things she did?

Author:  Abi [ 01 Sep 2008, 17:03 ]
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I think Joey has forgotted what it's like to be young. Hope the triplets get some time to themselves too.

Thanks JayB!

Author:  Elle [ 01 Sep 2008, 20:50 ]
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Joey is stuck in a rut living on the Platz, she needs to get out more!


Thanks for the update.

Author:  Jennie [ 01 Sep 2008, 21:08 ]
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She needs to get a life. Full stop.

Author:  JayB [ 01 Sep 2008, 21:15 ]
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Christmas Day of course began with church. Vater Moritz came to hold a service at the School’s Catholic chapel of Our Lady of the Snows for the Maynards, the Courvoisiers, and any other Catholic residents and visitors on the Platz, before going to visit Catholic patients at the Sanatorium. Ruey and Roddy walked part of the way to the chapel with the Maynards, then, with a farewell wave, headed off to join the Rosomons, Sheppards and other friends who were making for the Platz’s Protestant church.
‘It’s a pity we can’t all be together today,’ Con remarked.

They breakfasted on their return, then adjourned to the Saal to open presents. Con found that her gift from Len and Margot was a new music case. The Russells and Bettanys had joined together to buy each of the triplets and Ruey a leather briefcase. Con, who had struggled to keep armfuls of books and notes dry on wet windy days in Oxford, was very pleased.
‘Most of the girls at College who were at day schools already had cases or satchels, but at School, of course, we hardly ever had to take our books out of our formrooms, so we never needed anything to carry them in,’ she said.

From their parents, there were small gifts of handkerchiefs, gloves, toiletries.
‘But our main present to each of you will be a new overcoat,’ Joey said. ‘I know your school coats still have some wear in them, but we thought you’d rather not go around all dressed the same, now you’ve left.’
‘I did feel rather like a school party, when we were travelling back at the end of term,’ Len acknowledged with a chuckle. ‘We can wear out our school coats when we’re at home, it won’t matter up here.’

‘We’ll have a day in Berne after Christmas, and you can each choose. And there’ll be a new twinset for each of you, when I can get them done.’ Joey showed them the wool she had chosen - deep rose pink for Con, soft green for Ruey, lavender blue for Len, a more vivid blue for Margot.
‘You’re the only one of us four who can wear pink,’ Len said to Con. ‘The rest of us have too much red in our hair.’
‘Now the book’s gone off, I can get on with knitting with a clear conscience,’ said their mother.

‘Aren’t you starting another one?’ said Con.
‘Not immediately. I’m going to start lessons for Geoff and Phil in the mornings once you people have all gone back to school and college.’
‘Why not have a nursery governess?’ Len asked.
‘We did think about it. But we’re hoping the twins will start at St Nicholas after Easter. They’ll be nearly five then. We probably would have sent them this past September if Phil had been stronger. Claire won’t be ready for lessons for a year or two yet, so we decided it wasn’t worth getting someone. Anyway, what I started to say was that teaching Geoff and Phil will cut into my writing time, so I’m not going to jump straight into a new book. But while I’m getting on with the knitting, I’ll be thinking about the new story!’

After Christmas, the Platz saw a spell of grey, wet weather.
‘If only it was colder, this would be snow, and we might get some skiing,’ said Margot, turning from the window in disgust on the fourth morning of relentlessly falling rain. They all had to amuse themselves as best they could with books, games, paintboxes, music and needlework. Mike and Felix retreated to the attic and the model railway that had once been Steve and Charles’s pride and joy. Con noticed that the older boys too were not too old to enjoy playing with trains. She herself spent a happy morning helping Cecil and Phil rearrange the furniture in the splendid dolls’ house she had won at the Sale years ago. The four older girls also spent time on their vacation reading.

One day Con took advantage of a pause in the rain to go out to the few small shops on the Platz. She wanted some postage stamps and some other small items. When she came out of the shop, she glanced up at the sky. It was still grey, but it did not seem that it was going to rain again immediately. Con decided to take a longer route home, wanting some exercise after so many days indoors.

She found herself passing by the School chapels and stopped to look at them, her mind continuing on the train of thought that had begun on Christmas Day. She was so deep in thought that she was not aware that someone approaching, until that person spoke.
'Hello, Con. Did you have a good Christmas?'
'Oh, Auntie Hilda, you startled me! I didn’t know you were back.'
'We came back yesterday evening. I’m staying at St Mildred’s again, as the School proper is still closed. I’ve just come out for a walk, as the rain seems to be holding off for now. What had you so preoccupied you didn’t hear me? Is it a poem, or a story?'
'Neither. I was just thinking about the chapels.'

'They were a wonderful way to celebrate the School's coming of age. And so many people gave so generously to make it possible. It was your form's suggestion, wasn't it?'
'Yes. It was Len who first thought of it.'
'Of course. I remember now. Miss Ferrars told us Len had the first idea, and the rest of you helped to work out the details. I suppose it’s no surprise that it was one of your mother’s daughters who had such a miraculous idea - and I do mean truly miraculous, not just in the sense that you girls use the word, as a synonym for marvellous or fabulous or any other over-used adjective.' Con laughed.
'I don't think I was ever as bad as some of the others, Auntie Hilda. And we have to be more original at Oxford, of course.' They turned and began to walk back towards the school and Freudesheim.

'So what were you thinking about so deeply?' Hilda asked.
'About Christmas. Instead of us being all together as a family, Ruey and Roddy went off to the Protestant service and the rest of us came here. We - the School, I mean - have two chapels. And two lots of Prayers at school. We all live together and work together and play together - yet we separate for one of the most important parts of the day, and for one of the most important days in the year. It doesn't seem to make sense, Auntie Hilda.'

Hilda was silent for a moment, then she said,
'Everyone has to find her own path to God, Con. What's right for one person might not be right for another.'
'I saw the Martyrs' Memorial in Oxford. How could things like that happen just because people wanted to look for different paths to God?'
'It wasn't as simple as that in the sixteenth century. You know that, Con. Or if you don't, you must have dreamed through all Miss O'Ryan's and Miss Charlesworth's lessons.' Con chuckled.
'Oh, I never went off into a dream in Auntie Biddy's lessons. She made them too interesting. And I've read up on the sixteenth century myself.'

'It's a fascinating period for a writer, of course. I'm surprised your mother has never tackled it. But Con, I'm probably not the right person to talk to about this. Your mother, or Auntie Nell, or even Vater Moritz, could advise you better if you're troubled.'
'I'm not troubled, exactly. It's just that going to Oxford has made me think about things, you know?'
'I do, and I'm glad to hear it. That's what Oxford is for. Tell me about your work. How did you get on with the Victorians? I would have thought some of them would be a little melodramatic for your tastes.’

They walked, discussing literature, until they reached the point where their ways must part. Con walked on alone, her mind busy with a new idea; the sixteenth century was indeed a fascinating time for a writer to explore.

Author:  PaulineS [ 01 Sep 2008, 22:09 ]
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Glad Con is thinking about the separate sevices. It would be very unususl st the time, although there were inter church activites. By my teens (the sixties) local Councils of Churches came together for odd service, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in particular and by the seventies in Leeds for Maundy Thursday and Assession Day. (The Week of Prayer started as an Octave of Prayer in 1908 in the USA)

Author:  Alison H [ 01 Sep 2008, 23:10 ]
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The 16th century is indeed a fascinating period :D, although some of the recent novels/films/TV dramas about it have been absolutely dire :evil: . Glad that Hilda seems so able to treat Con as an adult.

Author:  Tara [ 01 Sep 2008, 23:34 ]
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I'd have thought Hilda was a very good person for Con to talk to - her questions must be the ones perennially asked by any thinking person on whatever side of a religious divide, and at least Hilda wouldn't be horrified by the fact of Con thinking! She's growing up very quickly.
Loved the image of the poor Trips travelling in their matching coats! At least Joey was aware of it, despite continuing to force twinsets on them.

Thanks, JayB

Author:  Lesley [ 02 Sep 2008, 06:32 ]
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I think Hilda's comment about her not being the correct person to talk to was aimed solely at the fact that Con is Catholic - and Con seems to be having some deep thoughts as to whether that is her way. Love that they were able to speak as adults.

The new coats were a lovely present - will the Triplets be able to choose their own though - I doubt they'll want to have the same. Did young women in the late Fifties wear twin-sets?


Thanks JayB.

Author:  JayB [ 02 Sep 2008, 10:11 ]
Post subject: 

Quote:
I think Hilda's comment about her not being the correct person to talk to was aimed solely at the fact that Con is Catholic


Yes, that's what Hilda was thinking. And that she has no 'official' role in Con's spiritual life. Nell is at least Len's godmother, so there couldn't be any objection to her taking on a similar role for Con, since Con's own godmother isn't accessible.

Con is a long way from making any decisions about her own faith at this point. She's simply exploring.

I'm going to be trying to tread a fine line here between what might have been realistic in the Catholic Church in the late 1950s, and the more ecumenical attitudes in EBD-land.

Thanks for all the comments.

Author:  Elle [ 02 Sep 2008, 23:18 ]
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Damn! Thought that was an upadate!


Am really enjoying this.

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 03 Sep 2008, 21:47 ]
Post subject: 

JayB wrote:
Quote:
I think Hilda's comment about her not being the correct person to talk to was aimed solely at the fact that Con is Catholic


Yes, that's what Hilda was thinking. And that she has no 'official' role in Con's spiritual life. Nell is at least Len's godmother, so there couldn't be any objection to her taking on a similar role for Con, since Con's own godmother isn't accessible.


I never thought of that! It's hard lines that Con's godmother is so far away and I think Con would be better to talk to someone a little more open- minded than Joey

Author:  JayB [ 08 Sep 2008, 18:02 ]
Post subject: 

Con had forgotten about the new doctor who was to help Dr Sheppard with his research into possible future roles for the San, until their Aunt Grizel brought Dr Hamilton to Freudesheim to be introduced.
‘Or re-introduced,’ he said, as he shook hands all round. ‘I don’t know if you remember, but I have been here before. I was with Sheppard when he first came here.’
‘That was the Easter holidays that Aunt Grizel came home from New Zealand, and Mamma had her reunion party, wasn’t it?’ said Len.

‘That’s right, Miss Maynard. I’d qualified the summer before, then I took six months out to visit my oldest brother in New Zealand. I met Sheppard out there, and it turned out we were travelling home on the same boat. He was looking for company on his climbing holiday in Switzerland, and I had time to spare before starting my job, so there we were.’ Con did vaguely remember the red haired young man who’d been with Dr Sheppard then, but so much had happened that holiday that she hadn’t particularly noticed him. ‘Mrs Sheppard has been kind enough to put me up for a few days, but next week I’m moving into a room at the San,’ he was continuing.
‘Well, you’ll be welcome here at Freudesheim any time you want a bit of home comfort,’ said Joey. ’And to start with, I’m going to call you Ian. You don’t mind, do you? I expect I shall get to it in the end, so might as well begin at once.’

‘Do you ski?’ Ruey took up the conversation, since she was sitting nearest to Dr Hamilton.
‘No, Miss Richardson. I want to learn, though. Entwistle has said he’ll take me out and stand over me until I can stay on my feet.’
‘What else do you like to do?’ Joey asked. ‘I’ll warn you now, in case you don’t know it already, that sometimes we’re tied to the house for days on end up here. You’ll need something to keep you occupied then.’
‘I love to read,’ he said.
‘I remember when I first met you on the boat, Neil said that when you had your head in a book, you were no use to anyone else,’ Grizel put in.
‘Just like Con!’ Margot said, with a grin.
‘We’ll have to compare notes about our favourite authors, Miss Con!’

Anna wheeled the tea trolley in at that moment, and young Hamilton jumped up to hand round cups and plates. When he sat down again, it was next to Con.
‘I remember you from my first visit,’ he said. ‘Your hair was different then, you wore it down your back in a long pigtail.’ Con went a little pink, embarrassed that he should have remembered such a small thing abut her when she barely remembered him at all. She changed the subject, asking if he had visited any other parts of Switzerland, and they talked of impersonal things for the remainder of his visit.

‘It sounded so odd, the way he kept saying Miss Maynard - Miss Con - Miss Margot,’ said Ruey, when the visitors had departed. ‘And I don’t think I’ve ever been Miss Richardsoned so much in my life!’
‘Yes, why on earth didn’t you tell him to drop the “Miss” and use your names?’ Joey demanded. ‘You all sounded like characters in a Jane Austen novel.’
‘I wanted to, but I didn’t think I should unless Len did,’ Ruey said.
‘I gave the OK, when Len looked at me,’ Margot said.
‘I kept trying to catch your eye, Con, but you didn’t look my way,’ said Len.

Con had been aware of Len’s attempt to catch her attention, but she had guessed what she wanted, and made sure to avoid looking at her. She agreed that ‘Miss Con’ did sound silly and outdated, but she was unwilling to allow Dr Hamilton any greater intimacy. There had been nothing to object to in anything he had said to her, but there had been a particular warmth in his eyes when he looked at her. Con had seen that look in Reg’s eyes when he looked at Len. It was only in the last year or so that she had come to understand what it meant. She did not want to encourage Dr Hamilton to look at her in that way.

Eventually the rain ceased, and the Maynards awoke one morning to a bright, clear day.
‘Let’s go for a good long walk,’ Margot said to the other two at breakfast,
‘We could take Frau Gruber’s parcel,’ Len suggested.
The School helped to support a number of elderly people on the Platz and nearby shelves. It was Joey’s custom to make up Christmas parcels for these people, many of whom lived alone, with no family nearby. The packages might contain a new warm scarf, a tin of sweets or packet of chocolate, tobacco for the men, some good coffee, some fancy biscuits. Most of those for people living on or close to the Platz had been delivered before Christmas; there were just a few outstanding, for people living further away. Frau Gruber was one of the most distant, living on a long, narrow shelf higher up the mountain.

Con was happy to fall in with Len’s plan. None of the other older ones wanted to join them, and Joey vetoed it for the younger children, saying it was too long a walk for them.

Although the day was clear and sunny, it was cold. The triplets put on slacks and sweaters under their ski suits. They wore nailed boots, and carried alpenstocks. Con carried Frau Gruber’s parcel in her rucksack. Len and Margot had flasks of coffee and packets of sandwiches. There was a small Gasthaus a little further along the shelf where Frau Gruber lived, but if they carried their own lunch they could stop when and where they pleased. Joey had suggested they take Bruno, since he too needed a long walk. Len added a handful of his favourite biscuits to her rucksack.

The path wound up and around the mountainside, sometimes through pinewoods, sometimes over open ground and small meadows. It was steep at times, but not difficult. Having lived in the Alps for so many years, the triplets were well accustomed to such walks. Len set a steady pace that they knew they could keep up for some time. Even so, when they had reached the top of a particularly steep stretch, Con said,
‘Oof! My legs are aching!’
‘So are mine,’ said Margot. ’It’s because we haven’t done any climbing for so long.’
‘We could rest for a while,’ said Len. ‘We’ve made good time.’
‘Anyone want coffee?’ said Margot, swinging her rucksack off her back.
‘I’ve got chocolate,’ said Con.

They found some flat rocks a little way from the path, and sat for a while, enjoying their elevenses. Bruno found a small stream trickling through a crevice in a rock to lap at, and Len gave him a biscuit.
‘You get quite a different view from up here,’ Con said, gazing out at the snow-capped peaks.
‘That’s because we’ve come round the side of the mountain,’ said Len. ‘We’re looking east now.’
‘North-east, over there,’ said Margot, pointing. ‘And I don’t like the look of that!’ The other two looked, and Len gasped. Heavy yellow clouds were piling up on the horizon. They all knew what that portended!

Author:  LizzieC [ 08 Sep 2008, 18:08 ]
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Ooh goody - a blizzard! I wonder if Hamilton comes and rescues them all and sweeps them off to safety and Con decides she likes him after all in good EBD style :D

Thanks for more of this :)

Edit: I don't think Miss Annersley would think much of my grammar :? :lol:

Author:  Abi [ 08 Sep 2008, 18:24 ]
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Ah, an opportunity for the triplets to get some time to themselves! As well, of course, as the possibility of them being rescued by Dr. Hamilton. :D

Author:  Lesley [ 08 Sep 2008, 18:32 ]
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Can understand how Con feels - unfortunately I think if Dr Hamilton showed any interest her would immediately be earmarked by Joey. I don't think Con wants to settle back on the Platz.


Thanks JayB

Author:  Jennie [ 08 Sep 2008, 20:41 ]
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Where's the nearest barn or shepherds' hut?

Author:  Elbee [ 08 Sep 2008, 21:24 ]
Post subject: 

LizzieC wrote:
Ooh goody - a blizzard! I wonder if Hamilton comes and rescues them all and sweeps them off to safety and Con decides she likes him after all in good EBD style :D

Yes, that would be so perfectly EBD-ish :lol:

Thanks, JayB.

Author:  Alison H [ 08 Sep 2008, 21:49 ]
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Here's Dr Hamilton's big chance :lol: . Although it'd be nice to see the triplets manage without male help and give Joey a shock!

Author:  Jennie [ 08 Sep 2008, 22:06 ]
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What this shows is that Con has grown up enough to realise that she needs time to finish growing up, and time to finish her education, grow and learn. Going straight from the parental home to the marital home means that you have very little to offer in the way of life skills and experiences.

No, knowing how to shelter in a barn isn't a life skill, nad you'd look pretty silly wearing yoru skis in the height of summer.

Author:  Ela [ 09 Sep 2008, 13:08 ]
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Good for Con - just because the chap shows an interest doesn't mean that she has to reciprocate! I rather hope that the triplets get out of their potential predicament without aid from any doctors!

Thanks very much for the updates, JayB - very thought-provoking.

Author:  ibarhis [ 09 Sep 2008, 15:26 ]
Post subject: 

Ela wrote:
Good for Con - just because the chap shows an interest doesn't mean that she has to reciprocate! I rather hope that the triplets get out of their potential predicament without aid from any doctors!

Thanks very much for the updates, JayB - very thought-provoking.


Would be nice if the triplets rescued the doctor!

Author:  di [ 12 Sep 2008, 16:33 ]
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Good that Bruno is with them; I hope he's carrying the obligatory brandy to resuscitate said Doctor Hamilton. :wink:
Thanks, JayB

Author:  JayB [ 14 Sep 2008, 18:36 ]
Post subject: 

‘What shall we do?’ said Con. ‘Go on or go back?’
‘Go on,’ said Len decisively. ‘We’re already well over halfway.’
Margot was already gathering up the plastic cups they had been using, throwing away the dregs of coffee, re-packing her rucksack. Len called Bruno and clipped on his chain.
‘Sorry, old fellow, but we can’t wait around while you run off after an interesting scent,’ she said.

They set out once again, walking in single file. They kept up the same steady pace as before, but did not talk, or pause to admire the scenery or look at anything that caught their interest. They knew there was no shelter to be had until they reached the shelf where Frau Gruber lived; they could not afford to waste time. Each of them, however, kept half an eye on those ominous clouds that were moving always closer.

The first flakes of snow were falling as the triplets reached the top of the path and emerged onto the shelf. Len kept on towards the Gasthaus, where they could seek shelter, and telephone Freudesheim. However, as they passed by Frau Gruber’s house, which stood alone towards the back of the shelf, Con looked towards it, then stopped.

‘Con, come on,’ said Len.
‘Wait a minute,’ said Con. ‘Look at Frau Gruber’s house. The door is open. Do you think there’s anything wrong?’
‘She might just have gone out to get wood, or something,’ said Len.
‘But she wouldn’t have left the door open, would she?’ said Con. ‘Not on such a cold day.’
‘We ought to go and see,’ said Margot.
‘All right.’ Len led the way across the grass to the house. She knocked on the open door and ventured in, calling,
‘Frau Gruber? Frau Gruber, are you there?’

The other two walked around the outside of the house, looking for any sign of the old lady. Con peered into the open fronted woodshed. It was stacked high with logs, for the stoves that heated Frau Gruber’s house, but in one corner she caught a glimpse of what looked at first like a bundle of cloth. She ventured further, and saw that it was Frau Gruber, lying huddled on the floor. For a moment Con was frightened, then Frau Gruber moaned, and coughed harshly, and Con knew that she was alive.

‘Margot! In here!’ Margot came running, pushing past Con to kneel beside Frau Gruber.
‘Is she hurt?’ Con asked.
‘I can’t tell. But we can’t leave her here. She has a fever. We have to get her inside, out of the cold. Can you take her feet?’ Between them, they lifted Frau Gruber. She was small and slight, and they managed quite easily to carry her into the house, through the kitchen and into her bedroom, where they laid her on the bed. Len drew the plumeau over her.
‘At least it’s warm in here,’ she said, glancing towards the porcelain stove in the corner of the room.

‘What now?’ said Con. They both turned to Margot.
‘Don’t look at me,’ Margot snapped. ‘I’ve had precisely one term at med. school - I don’t know what to do any more than you do!’
‘Well, we have to do something,’ said Len. ‘We’re not going to get a doctor up here until tomorrow, at the earliest, I should think.’ They could see that the snow was falling thickly now. ‘There’s only us here, so we must do the best we can. Should we undress her and get her to bed properly, do you think?’

‘Yes - I think so,’ said Margot. ‘I don’t think she’s injured at all, she doesn’t seem to be in pain and she didn’t cry out when we moved her. I think she’s just got a nasty dose of flu or bronchitis, and it’s the high temp. that’s making her confused. She probably felt faint or dizzy when she was outside, and fell.’
‘She might not have eaten for a while. There’s no milk or bread in the kitchen, and no sign of any food having been prepared recently - I looked, while the two of you were still outside,’ said Len.

Margot bent over Frau Gruber and spoke in a clear voice, in German.
‘Frau Gruber, can you hear me? We want to try to make you more comfortable. May we help you undress?’ It may have been hearing her name spoken that did it; the old lady seemed to revive a little and began to mutter urgently, becoming increasingly distressed and trying to get up off the bed.
‘I can’t make out what she’s saying,’ said Margot. ‘Len, see if you can understand her.’ She moved aside, making room for Len to come close to the bed. All the triplets spoke and understood enough of the local Swiss-German dialect for everyday needs, but Len was the most fluent. She leaned close to the old lady, listening to her feverish muttering, interspersed with harsh coughing that shook her whole body and left her breathless.

‘She’s lost her wedding ring,’ Len said eventually. Con saw that there was a picture on the bedside table of a young couple wearing the fashions of fifty years ago. Len went on, ‘She thinks it slipped off her finger when she was outside getting wood, so she went back out to look for it - that’s why she was outside when we came.’
‘She must have been already ill, but going out in the cold like that has made her worse,’ Margot speculated.
Len spoke soothingly to Frau Gruber. Her words seemed to reassure the old lady, and she lay more quietly, her eyes closed.
‘I said we’d look for her ring.’
‘Not much chance of finding it, if she did drop it outside,’ said Margot, glancing out of the window. There was now a thick covering of snow on the ground.
‘Maybe not, but we can look in the house. She might not have dropped it outside,’ said Len.

Con looked in the big wooden chest against the wall and found a clean nightdress in soft cotton with white embroidery at the yoke. As they gently removed Frau Gruber’s clothes and slid the nightdress on, it became apparent that, despite Margot’s protests, she knew how to lift or turn her so that the task was performed as easily as possible.
‘I learned at the San this vacation,’ she said, when Len remarked on it.

Before they put the nightdress on her, Margot carefully looked at Frau Gruber’s arms and chest.
‘Well, she hasn’t got any rash,’ she said. ‘I don’t think she’s got anything infectious.‘
‘Goodness, I never thought of that,’ said Len. ‘I can just imagine what Papa would have said if we’d let ourselves in for a lengthy quarantine, and perhaps some ghastly illness! And we’d miss weeks of University!’
‘After what happened to you and Ted and Rosamund that time, I should think Dad would have had something to say,’ said Margot.
‘But we couldn’t have done anything else,’ said Con. ‘We couldn’t leave Frau Gruber lying there in the cold, could we?’

When Frau Gruber was as comfortable as they could make her for the time being, they went to the kitchen, leaving the door to the bedroom ajar. Frau Gruber’s house was very much in traditional Swiss style, with few modern conveniences. The kitchen was obviously the main room of the house. It had a stove, which heated the room and was used for cooking; Bruno had already made himself comfortable in front of it.

There was a big dresser against the wall, and a table in one corner with high backed benches on two sides. In another corner was Frau Gruber’s easy chair, with a rag rug on the floor in front of it. Two other doors led off the kitchen; Con peeped through each and found another bedroom and a toilet.

‘Someone ought to go to the Gasthaus, to telephone the San and ask if there’s anything more we can do for Frau Gruber until a doctor can come,’ said Margot.
‘And to let Mamma know we’re safe,’ said Len.
‘I’ll go,’ said Con, gathering up her hat and mitts, which she had discarded earlier.
‘One of us ought to go with you,’ said Len.
‘Well, Margot can’t, because she knows best what to do for Frau Gruber, and you can’t, because you’re the only one who can really talk to her.’
‘Con’s right,’ said Margot. ‘We can’t have her getting distressed like that again, you need to be here to reassure her.’
‘I’ll take Bruno,’ Con said. ‘I’ll be perfectly safe with him.’

Len did not look happy, but she seemed resigned to the fact that she and Margot would both have to stay.
‘See if the Gasthaus can let you have some milk and bread and - oh, anything you can think of,’ she said. ‘Frau Gruber only has a few tins, and we only brought enough sandwiches for lunch. Have you got any money with you?’
‘I brought some,’ said Con. ‘I wanted to see if Frau Gruber had any new lace.’

Frau Gruber eked out her income by producing lace and embroidery for sale in the small shops that sold handcrafts to visitors. Con had begun to learn lacemaking from her mother’s old friend Irma von Rothenfels while on holiday at the Tiernsee some years ago. Although she had kept it up in Hobbies at School, she had never become very expert. She did collect examples of handmade lace, however. Irma had told her that many of the patterns were handed down from mother to daughter over generations, and would be lost if no-one collected them. Con carefully recorded where and when she acquired each piece of lace, and the name of the maker, if she could discover it.

Margot was emptying the coffee out of their Thermoses into a pan.
‘You can carry the milk in these, in your rucksack,’ she said. ’A can would be too much bother. We can reheat the coffee when we want it.’
Con put the flasks in her rucksack and slung the rucksack over her shoulders. She called Bruno and clipped on his chain, then opened the door. The snow was swirling down in a dizzying fashion; for a moment she was quite daunted at the prospect of going outside. But someone had to go, and she was the best choice.
‘I’ll be back as soon as I can,’ she said, and stepped out into the snow.

Author:  Lesley [ 14 Sep 2008, 20:04 ]
Post subject: 

Well done all three of them for managing to cope with the emergency. Good to see all three participating and finding things that they each did best.


Thanks JayB

Author:  PaulineS [ 14 Sep 2008, 20:17 ]
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It is good to see them working as a team, and playing to their strenghts. Well done Con for spotting the open door as well.

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 14 Sep 2008, 22:58 ]
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They really worked well together. Hope Frau Gruber is okay

Author:  Alison H [ 14 Sep 2008, 23:49 ]
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They handled that very sensibly - just hope Con isn't about to fall into a snowdrift or be buried by an avalanche or anything!

Author:  di [ 15 Sep 2008, 06:50 ]
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Well done triplets and take care, Con, that you don't fall into a drift. Hold tight to Bruno's leash and he'll be able to pull you out. How far is the Gasthaus, does any one know? Hope there isn't a 'white out' or she'll not see anything!
Thanks, JayB

Author:  Ela [ 15 Sep 2008, 12:14 ]
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Fantastic long update, JayB - thank-you. I do like it that the triplets are so competent in their own ways, and work together well. Poor Frau Gruber: I hope they manage to find her wedding ring, and that she's not too ill.

Author:  claireM [ 15 Sep 2008, 21:08 ]
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Good to see the triplets all working together and being equally competant in different areas.

Author:  Tara [ 15 Sep 2008, 23:59 ]
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Well done, Trips - but I do hope Con's going to be ok. They need the food for Frau Gruber, too, sounds as if she's been starving herself. Good to see them so compassionate and capable.

Author:  carrie [ 22 Sep 2008, 11:03 ]
Post subject: 

I love this, can't wait for the next bit, I'm really liking Con in it, she always was my favourite triplet

Author:  JayB [ 26 Sep 2008, 19:24 ]
Post subject: 

It was snowing quite heavily, but not enough to make walking difficult. Con had forgotten her alpenstock; it was still lying in the woodshed, where she had dropped it in order to help Margot lift Frau Gruber. Still, the path to the Gasthaus was quite level and even; she did not really need it.

Con did not dawdle, but as she walked she looked around, enjoying the sight of the snow drifting down, the green and grey of the the landscape rapidly turning white. Her way led across a meadow and through a pinewood. Then, fifteen minutes after leaving Frau Gruber's, she came to the Gasthaus and the few other houses that made up the
hamlet.

Frau Hoffman, at the Gasthaus, spoke German and a little English, so Con had no difficulty explaining the situation. Frau Hoffman was sorry to hear that Else Gruber was ill. She could not go to her herself; there would be walkers and climbers seeking shelter from the snow, and she would be busy. But she could provide food, and medicine from her own medicine chest, and certainly das Fraulein could use her telephone. She showed Con into the tiny office where the telephone was and departed for the kitchen, taking Bruno and Con's rucksack with her.

Con was quickly connected to the San. Identifying herself, she asked to speak to her father, or, if he was not available, to any other doctor. After a pause, Dr Maynard came on the line. Con quickly described how they had found Frau Gruber, her symptoms, and what they had done for her.

'Is there anything else we can do, Papa?' Dr Maynard gave some instructions; Con listened carefully. 'I doubt if we'll be able to get anyone up to see her today,' he went on.

'We expected that,' Con said. 'The snow would make the path too difficult, and - '
He interrupted her.
'Snow? Is it snowing up there?
'Yes. Didn't I say? Isn't it snowing on the Platz?'
'No. Listen, Con, if it's snowing you are to stay where you are. Do not attempt to go back to Frau Gruber's, do you understand?'
'But Papa, I have to go back.' The others would be worried if she did not return, and they needed the food she would bring and the advice and remedies for Frau Gruber. 'I have Bruno with me, I'll be quite safe.'

She heard voices and the tramping of booted feet outside the room; a group of climbers had evidently arrived. Then Frau Hoffman appeared in the doorway; Con could not keep her waiting when she had guests needing attention.
'I'm sorry, Papa, I have to go now.'

Frau Hoffman showed Con her rucksack, and another bag, both now full. She quickly listed what she had provided; bread, milk, butter, cheese, wurst, jam, coffee. Con knew that it must all cost more money than she had with her. They were not supposed to owe money to shopkeepers but she decided that this was a situation in which the rule should be broken. Frau Hoffman was clearly anxious to go and attend to the party that had just arrived. Con quickly thanked her, took up rucksack and bag, wrapped Bruno's chain around her hand, and stepped outside.

As soon as she moved out of the shelter of the building Con realised that it was snowing much harder. She was not afraid of getting lost; Bruno would lead her back to Frau Gruber's house. But it was still unpleasant enough. The thickly falling snow prevented her from seeing clearly more than a couple of feet ahead; when they reached the pinewood she more than once collided with a tree that she saw too late to avoid.

Con remembered the time she and Len had been separated from the rest of the School on the way back from a skiing outing. Then they had had Michelle to look after; at least this time she was not responsible for a younger girl. But then they had been on skis. Now Con floundered through the snow, sometimes plunging into a drift that came above her knees. Bruno bounded forward unconcerned by the deepening snow, dragging uncomfortably at her arm and shoulder.

As Con tired, the extra bag of provisions Frau Hoffman had given her became heavy and awkward to carry. She was tempted to leave it but she knew they might have to stay at Frau Gruber's for days if the snow did not cease; they would need the things she carried.

Bruno gave an excited bark, and leaped forward, almost, it felt to Con, dragging her arm from its socket. Then she saw the dark shape of a building ahead of her. Frau Gruber's house; they had made it!

Author:  PaulineS [ 26 Sep 2008, 20:47 ]
Post subject: 

Jack was expecting the impossible in telling Con to stay where she was when she had information and food for the others!

Well done Con pleased she and Bruno got back safely.

Author:  Lesley [ 26 Sep 2008, 22:14 ]
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Well done Con - I do wonder what Jack will think though - she has disobeyed him, hasn't she?


Thanks Emma

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 26 Sep 2008, 23:09 ]
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Lesley wrote:
Well done Con - I do wonder what Jack will think though - she has disobeyed him, hasn't she?


Surely he'll understand as it was an emergency and she was upfront with him that she would be going back. I think well done Con for handling the situation as well as she did

Author:  di [ 27 Sep 2008, 09:49 ]
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Well done, Con. I was surprised that Jack couldn't spare anyone to come to the Platz to visit Frau Gruber. Rather silly to try to forbid Con from returning to the others. How old is she?!!. :roll: Let's hope Margot, with her limited knowledge is able to make Frau Gruber comfortable and that Jack gets someone up there 'toute suite' :(
Thanks, JayB.

Author:  JayB [ 27 Sep 2008, 12:20 ]
Post subject: 

Quote:
I was surprised that Jack couldn't spare anyone to come to the Platz to visit Frau Gruber.

In the first draft, I had Jack listing the reasons why no-one was available - the Graves' went to England for Christmas and weren't back yet, Eugen Courvoisier was at a conference, etc., etc. but it just seemed to go on too long and hold up the story, so I decided to cut it down to essentials.

Jack probably wouldn't waste time telling Con all the reasons why he couldn't spare anyone, anyway.

Thanks for the comments, everyone.

Author:  Liz K [ 27 Sep 2008, 16:08 ]
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Just read this through from start to finish - absolutely fantastic!

Author:  keren [ 27 Sep 2008, 17:24 ]
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thanks for this
he probably does not realize how she has grown up

First Joey has problems coping with Con growing up, now Jack will have.

Author:  Abi [ 27 Sep 2008, 19:23 ]
Post subject: 

Hope Con doesn't get into trouble, but glad she got there ok.

Thanks JayB!

Author:  JustJen [ 28 Sep 2008, 01:45 ]
Post subject: 

Well done Con for doing the right thing

Author:  Karoline [ 28 Sep 2008, 08:25 ]
Post subject: 

Thanks JayB

Author:  Ela [ 29 Sep 2008, 12:33 ]
Post subject: 

That was great, JayB - really good update showing Con in her best light. Odd to think of the weather being completely different on the Platz, but Con was right to disobey her father's instructions - Len and Margot would be worried sick if she didn't turn up, and they all have a further responsibility to Frau Gruber. Hope they can all help, now.

Thanks for the update!

Author:  Emma A [ 21 Oct 2008, 12:25 ]
Post subject: 

JayB - it's been ages since the last update. Can you post any more?

Author:  JayB [ 21 Oct 2008, 13:44 ]
Post subject: 

Sorry for the hiatus. It's half term next week, so I should be able to post then - and, I hope, get the Christmas vacation wrapped up before too long.

Author:  Mia [ 26 Oct 2008, 12:16 ]
Post subject: 

This is a nice drabble, it's v good to see something about Con. Thanks JayB

Author:  JayB [ 14 Dec 2008, 18:40 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Fri 26/9 p10

Sorry for the long wait for an update.

Her boots and ski suit removed, Con leaned back in Frau Gruber's easy chair, sipping reheated coffee and nibbling biscuits. Margot had opened the packet they had brought for Frau Gruber.
'We can always bring more when she's well again,’ she said.
Con repeated their father's instructions.
'Give her plenty of fluids - keep her propped up with lots of pillows, that will help with the cough - give her small, light meals - soup, bread and milk, that sort of thing.’

Margot nodded.
‘We've given her all the pillows we could find, it did seem to help. Len heated some of that tinned stew she's got, but she didn't want it.’
‘We can try her with some bread and milk now,’ Len said, unpacking the provisions Con had brought.

‘Frau Hoffman gave me some things from her own medicine chest,’ said Con. She stood up and went to search through the items Len had unpacked. ‘Some aspirin - and this - ‘ She handed a jar to Margot. ‘She said it was her grandmother’s special remedy. We should rub some on Frau Gruber's chest.’
Margot unscrewed the lid and sniffed cautiously at the contents of the jar.
‘Phew! I should think that would scare off any germs within five miles! I wonder what's in it? Well, we might as well try it, it can't hurt. And Len, if you'll heat some milk, I'll see if I can get her to take some aspirin.’

Frau Gruber took some bread and milk and swallowed two aspirin. Margot also rubbed some of Frau Hoffman's grease on her chest. She slipped into a natural sleep, and Margot said she seemed cooler; her temperature had fallen.

The triplets ate a nondescript meal of their sandwiches and some of Frau Hoffman's provisions. Bruno enjoyed some of Frau Gruber' s tinned stew and his own biscuits.

They spent the afternoon doing some of the household jobs that Frau Gruber, in her illness, had obviously not been able to keep up with. They checked frequently on the old lady, and even Con could see that she was improving, the bright red flush fading from her cheeks. When they had finished the housework, there was little else to do. Frau Gruber had nothing to read beyond her Bible and Prayer Book and a couple of old illustrated papers.

Con was tired after her exertions. Halfway through the evening she found herself yawning and was not sorry when Len suggested bed at an early hour.
‘There's room for two of us to lie down on the bed in the other room,’ she said. ‘We can take turns.’
‘No,’ said Margot. ‘I'm going to sit up here in the kitchen so I can keep an eye on Frau Gruber. You two take the bed.’ She wrapped herself in two of Frau Gruber’s thick shawls and made herself comfortable in the easy chair.

Con found the spare bed uncomfortable, the mattress hard and sagging in the middle. The plumeau was musty from not having been used or aired in too long and not quite big enough to cover both of them. She and Len kept waking each other as they tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable spot. They slept in their clothes and in the morning Con felt unpleasantly stale and crumpled. They splashed their hands and faces in water but could not brush their teeth or comb their hair. Con and Margot ran their fingers through their short crops; there was nothing Len could do about her long plait.

It had stopped snowing, although the sky was still overcast. Margot reported that Frau Gruber had passed a good night, waking occasionally to take more aspirin with hot milk. When she woke again, as the triplets were finishing breakfast, she was more alert and was able to sit up and wash her face and hands in a bowl of warn water, and brush her hair.

Reg and Dr Hamilton arrived when the girls were enjoying a mid morning cup of coffee. As she poured cups for them, Len asked,
‘How did you get here? You couldn't have come by the path we used.’
‘No, we drove along the motor road.’ Reg named a village a few miles from the Platz. ‘Left the car there and hiked up. Its a much shorter and easier path.’ There had been some snow on the Platz, Reg said, but not so much as at this higher level.

Reg went with Len and Margot to see Frau Gruber, leaving Con with Dr Hamilton. He was looking at her with that same warm gaze that had disconcerted her before. She became all the more aware of her unkempt appearance.
‘Entwistle told me how you went to get help from the Gasthaus. Jolly plucky of you to go out into the snow like that,’ Dr Hamilton said.
‘It wasn’t snowing so hard when I set out,’ Con replied. ‘And I had Bruno - I was perfectly safe as long as he was with me.’ Wanting to get away from that intense gaze, she stood up and moved around the table, collecting the cups they had been using and taking them to the sink to wash.
‘Does the weather forecast say the snow is likely to last? Perhaps you’ll get a chance to try ski-ing soon,’ she said. Good manners required Hamilton to follow her lead, and Con kept the conversation on winter sports until the others emerged from Frau Gruber’s bedroom.

‘It’s that flu that’s been going round,’ Reg was saying. ‘But you three did all the right things, and she’s doing well now. Her temp. is nearly normal. Plenty of sleep, and regular, nourishing meals, and she should be fine in a few days. I’ll leave something for the cough. Is there a neighbour who could come in and see to her? She should stay in bed for a couple more days at least, but she doesn’t really need a trained nurse.’

The triplets looked at each other.
‘We’ll stay,’ said Len.

Author:  Alison H [ 14 Dec 2008, 18:42 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 14/12 p11

Lovely to see this back! The girls are great. And I always thought Dr Hamilton had his eye on Con :D .

Author:  Elle [ 14 Dec 2008, 18:47 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 14/12 p11

Same here! I hope he doesn't get her!

Thanks JayB, I have been looking forwards to this returning.

Author:  PaulineS [ 14 Dec 2008, 19:58 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 14/12 p11

Thanks JayB nice to see more of this drabble.

Author:  Lesley [ 14 Dec 2008, 19:59 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 14/12 p11

Yes, Con's not very comfortable with his attention is she? Pleased she was able to divert the attention - though I bet she wanted to punch him for the patronising comment 'jolly plucky' - she's nineteen and a university student, not twelve! :roll:


Thanks JayB, pleased to see more of this.

Author:  di [ 15 Dec 2008, 07:41 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 14/12 p11

Great to see this update; the triplets did well in caring for Frau Gruber - School has trained them well. Are we looking at the prospects of a double wedding for Len and Con! :lol:
Thanks, JayB.

Author:  Emma A [ 15 Dec 2008, 10:40 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 14/12 p11

Great to see more of this, JayB - I do like your triplets in this, so calm and competent. Dr Hamilton sounds a bit slimy, and I hope Con continues to find him objectionable!

Author:  Jennie [ 15 Dec 2008, 14:14 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 14/12 p11

Thanks, JayB. Please don't let Jo get a whiff of Hamilton's interest in Con, or the poor girl will never get to do her postgrad work.

Author:  JayB [ 16 Dec 2008, 00:49 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 14/12 p11

Thanks for the comments. Here's another bit:

The rest of the day passed quietly. Frau Gruber slept much of the time but seemed stronger each time she woke. She was able to eat a little of the tinned stew when Len had simmered it until the chunks of meat had broken down into tender mouthfuls.

In the afternoon Margot 's yawns became uncontrollable and she went to take a nap in the second bedroom. Frau Gruber had not fallen asleep again after lunch, so Len went to sit with her for a while. Con looked around for something to do. Frau Gruber's lace pillow lay on the dresser, covered with a piece of old linen. Con took the pillow and sat down with it to study the pattern Frau Gruber had been working on. She noticed a mistake, and corrected it, then attempted to continue the pattern for a little, trying to work out how to move the bobbins. Eventually she gave up, undid what she had done and replaced the pillow on the dresser.

Con took Bruno outside for a short time. Remembering their promise to look for Frau Gruber‘s ring, she hunted around the woodshed, but the snow had blown in and it was impossible to see if anything was lying on the ground. Eventually she gave up and went indoors, taking more wood with her. When she had taken off her boots and ski suit she peeped in on Frau Gruber and Len to see if they wanted anything. Len was reading from some old letters; Con saw spidery writing on thin paper. Len looked up at her entrance.

‘These are the letters Herr Gruber wrote her when they were courting,’ she said, speaking in English. ‘Frau Gruber’s eyesight has got very bad, she can’t read them herself any more.’
That explained the abandoned lace, Con thought.
‘We must tell Papa,’ she said. ’He can arrange for her to see a specialist. It might be something that can be put right quite easily.’

Neither Len nor Frau Gruber wanted anything, so Con returned to the kitchen. For want of anything else to do, she looked through the couple of illustrated papers lying on the dresser, then picked up Frau Gruber's Prayer Book. After she had been struggling with it for a while, Len emerged from Frau Gruber’s room, closing the door quietly behind her.

‘She’s dozed off again,’ Len said. ‘Do you want Kaffee? It must be about time.’ She went over to the stove and put on a pan of water to heat, then came and sat down at the table opposite Con.
‘What did you find to read?’
‘Frau Gruber’s Prayer Book.’
‘A Protestant prayer book?’
‘Yes.’ Con closed the book and put it down on the table. ‘Auntie Hilda said the sixteenth century would be a very interesting time to write about. If I decide to write a novel set then, I’ll need to read up all about the Reformation, and understand both sides.’

‘You are making progress towards fulfilling your ambitions,’ said Len. ‘When we talked last summer, you didn’t really have any firm ideas about a setting for your first novel.’
Con laughed.
‘It’s hardly a firm idea. Just a thought. I think it’s Margot who’s made the most progress since we’ve left school.’

‘What’s that about me?’ said Margot herself, emerging from the spare room. ‘And is that coffee? Good.’
‘I was just saying how far you’ve come since we left school. Look how you knew exactly what to do for Frau Gruber,’ Con said. Margot laughed.
‘That’s not how I felt last term. I know my anatomy, biology and so on well enough - Auntie Nell and Miss Armitage saw to that. But otherwise - there are some students who have done National Service in the Army or Air Force. Some of them have actually given first aid for bullet wounds and other really serious injuries. They know so much more than I do. I felt like the most junior Junior Middle next to some of them. And I’ve really had to work to keep up on the hockey field. Well, there are one or two women in the University Club who've played for Scotland. And students who have been playing at University level for a few years.’
‘I know what you mean,’ said Con, thinking of her friends Jon and Peter.

‘But what about you, Len?’ said Margot. ‘Your languages have really been useful. I’m sure Frau Gruber wouldn’t have recovered so well if you hadn’t been able to talk to her.’
‘And read her letters,’ said Con. ‘That must have meant a lot to her.’
‘Yes,’ said Len. ’But I couldn’t do that because of anything I learned at Oxford - quite the opposite! I don’t think Dr Thorne would approve of Schweizerdeutsch at all. She has no time for anything but the purest Hochdeutsch!’

Con wrinkled her brow thoughtfully.
‘Professor Harrison told me we shouldn’t accept everything our tutors tell us. He said we go to University to learn to think for ourselves. He said no-one would ever have anything new to say if we never question or disagree with what we’re told.
‘Yes,’ Margot agreed. ‘If doctors never looked for new treatments, or new explanations for diseases, medicine would still be in the Middle Ages!’

Len looked thoughtful.
‘Dr Thorne did say, right at the beginning of term, that we can’t study languages in isolation. It’s important to understand the people, too - what they think, how they live. She asked me about the people here in the Oberland.’
‘Well, next term you can tell her about Frau Gruber,’ said Margot. ’Is that coffee ready? I feel I could drink a pint!’

Len poured the coffee and handed the cups round. Con settled back in her chair. She was longing for a bath and some clean clothes, and they had the prospect of another uncomfortable night, with one bed between the three of them, but they had a lot to talk about. They did not need to go to bed at all; they could sit up all night if they wanted to.

Author:  di [ 16 Dec 2008, 07:25 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd (Again!) Mon 15/12 p11

A lovely little interlude with the girls. How interesting to be able to eavesdrop into their conversation about their lives at University. Pleased that Frau Gruber is making a slow but sure recovery.
Thanks, JayB for the update.

Author:  Lesley [ 16 Dec 2008, 07:58 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd (Again!) Mon 15/12 p11

That was really interesting - like Con being able to tell Len that she shouldn't just accept everything her tutors tell her. And Margot's comments about not being best at everything and that, if Doctors didn't question we'd still be in the Middle Ages.


Thanks JayB.

Author:  Alison H [ 16 Dec 2008, 08:44 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd (Again!) Mon 15/12 p11

It's great to see that they all still get on so well even though they're moving on.

Author:  Elbee [ 16 Dec 2008, 09:34 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd (Again!) Mon 15/12 p11

It's lovely to see them all together, without anyone else interfering, and they are able to discuss life beyond the CS.

Thanks, JayB.

Author:  Emma A [ 16 Dec 2008, 10:32 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd (Again!) Mon 15/12 p11

This is just what they all want, really - some free time away from the demands of home and university to talk and discuss things, and to properly be themselves. I can see Len taking a lot from the comments Con has made, and perhaps altering her outlook at college as a result.

Thanks, JayB - I'm really enjoying this drabble.

Author:  leahbelle [ 16 Dec 2008, 14:14 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd (Again!) Mon 15/12 p11

Lovely to see the girls thinking for themselves.

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 16 Dec 2008, 14:20 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd (Again!) Mon 15/12 p11

Thanks JayB. Loved the conversation between the triplets. I'm glad Con got her wish of a private time with her triplets sisters

Author:  abbeybufo [ 16 Dec 2008, 17:53 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd (Again!) Mon 15/12 p11

Lovely JayB - good to see Len beginning to think for herself here :D

Author:  Chris [ 17 Dec 2008, 14:16 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd (Again!) Mon 15/12 p11

It's great to see the 3 girls interracting like this.

Author:  DramaPrefect [ 01 Jan 2009, 21:55 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd (Again!) Mon 15/12 p11

Just read all of this and part 1 in one go. Thoroughly enjoying it. It's really interesting to see the triplets after school, particularly the differences between Len and Con :)

Author:  JayB [ 04 Jan 2009, 23:49 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd (Again!) Mon 15/12 p11

The next morning the triplets awoke to warmer temperatures and the sound of water dripping from the eaves of the chalet. A thaw was underway. By the time they had eaten breakfast, and taken care of Frau Gruber, there were patches of earth and grass showing around the house. Frau Gruber was much stronger; it was clear that she would have recovered completely within a couple more days.

They had finished tidying the kitchen and were discussing how they might fill the day, when Frau Hoffman from the Gasthaus arrived, a big basket of provisions over her arm. Now a thaw had begun, her guests were leaving and she was able to come and check on her neighbour.

The triplets had hardly finished greeting Frau Hoffman when their father arrived. He and Margot went in to see Frau Gruber, with Len to help in case of any language difficulties. Frau Hoffmann began to unpack her basket, declining any help from Con in putting things away. Con began to feel decidedly superfluous, as Frau Hoffman made it clear that she knew exactly how Frau Gruber liked her cupboards arranged. She decided to take Bruno outside.

As she walked around the house, she noticed her alpenstock lying where she had dropped it that first day. Until now it had been covered with snow. Bending to retrieve it, she saw something gleaming in the snow. She took off her mitt and picked it up. A gold ring! Frau Gruber had been right - she had lost her wedding ring out here! Con hurried indoors to return it to her.

Frau Gruber shed tears of gratitude and thanked Con repeatedly. Con was beginning to feel embarrassed, and was pleased when Dr Maynard interrupted the scene.
‘Well, you three, it’s time to get your things together. Frau Gruber doesn’t need you here any more. Frau Hoffman can do all that’s necessary now.’
They were soon ready, and with farewells to Frau Gruber, and promises to visit in the Easter vacation, the girls left the chalet.

Dr Maynard had come by the same route that Reg and Dr Hamilton had used the day before. The walk was not very interesting, but it was an easy path, and before too long they had reached the village where he had left the car. They all piled in and were soon pulling up outside Freudesheim.

Jo came out into the hall as they trooped in through the front door. She surveyed her eldest daughters.
‘I must say you look marginally better than we all did after spending the night in a hut on the Mondscheinspitz our first term at the Tiernsee,’ she said. ‘At least you haven't got any bits of straw in your hair or stuck to your clothes. But you could all do with a bath and a change of clothes, I'm sure. Lunch will be ready when you are. Scoot!’

As a former pension, Freudesheim was well supplied with bathrooms, so no one had to wait for her tum. Half an hour later the three were sitting down at the table with their parents.
'The rest of the tribe ate at the normal time, but I waited for you,' Jo said.

They made a good meal. Jo did not allow them to be distracted by conversation while they ate, saying she would hear about their adventures later. As they were moving to the Saal, where Jo had decreed they would have coffee, Dr Maynard held Con back.

‘I’d like a word with you in the Den, please,’ he said. Con followed him, wondering. When she was sitting in front of his desk, and he was settled behind it, he said,
‘You disobeyed me, Con.’
Con looked at her father in surprise.
‘Disobeyed you? When, Papa?’
‘I told you to stay at the Gasthaus and not attempt to go back to Frau Gruber’s.’

Con had forgotten all about it. Even if she had remembered, she would not have thought it merited a formal interview - as Steve had said, like being hauled up in front of the Head.

‘But I had to get back to the others, Papa. We needed the things for Frau Gruber, and Len and Margot would have worried if I hadn’t gone back.’
‘Con, you know that when I, or your mother, tells you to do something, we expect you to obey. I’ve said this to Len in the past - if the younger ones see you disobeying, they will follow suit. If they get into trouble for it, part of the blame is yours. You older ones have had to be spoken to about disobedience once already these holidays. I’m very disappointed to have to do it again.’

‘But - ’ Con began, then for once managed not to blurt out the first thought that came into her head. Instead she said, ‘I’m sorry, Papa. I didn’t think of it like that.’
‘Then we’ll say no more about it,’ said Dr Maynard, pushing his chair away from the desk and standing up. ‘But Con, do, please, try to think before you act, and remember that what you do affects other people!’

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 05 Jan 2009, 00:21 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 4/1 p12

What? For goodness sake, Con was right in the sense neither Margot nor Len would have known Con made it back safely and it could have put them in danger if they had come looking for her. However, Jack is right in the younger ones do copy the older ones but if he accepts that as their excuse, then thats pretty weak. Right up there with 'I didn't think,' and 'everyone else is doing it.' And no parent should accept that. And its not like the younger ones would know aboiut it unless Jack tells them. I can see the triplets-or Con at least will eventually stop coming home if they're pulled up for the smallest things. Jack and Joey need to stop treating them as children but more like the adults they're becoming. It seems they need to grow up as much as the triplets are needing to.

Thanks JayB

Author:  Lesley [ 05 Jan 2009, 07:58 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 4/1 p12

I'm quite impressed that Con didn't tell her Father what she thought of him. She's nineteen years old, she made a decision based on the conditions of the time and Jack knew nothing of them. Had she not returned it's quite possible that Len or Margot would have tried to find her and got caught in the storm as they didn't have Bruno with them. And Frau Gruber would have been far worse.

Agree with Fiona - Jack and Jo need to start treating their children as adults rather than babies - and I also see a time when they will no longer go back home. :banghead:


Thanks JayB

Author:  di [ 05 Jan 2009, 08:14 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 4/1 p12

What a pompous idiot Jack has turned in to. :roll: Surely, at 19 Con is old enough to weigh up options and consequences perfectly well. As for the rubbish that the younger children will copy their older siblings I think that's just a 'red herring' as far as Jack is concerned. His biggest problem appears to be that he can't cope with the fact that the triplets are growing up and having been away at Uni are used to making decisions for themselves. I also can forsee a time when they choose not to go home during their holidays - and the sad part is that neither Jack nor Joey will understand why!!

thanks, JayB for the update.

Author:  Alison H [ 05 Jan 2009, 08:51 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 4/1 p12

A lot of parents seem to find it hard to accept that their children are now adults, but Jack's got no business speaking to a 19-year-old about "disobedience" - his attitude's really going to cause problems.

Thanks JayB :D .

Author:  keren [ 05 Jan 2009, 09:38 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 4/1 p12

Alison H wrote:
A lot of parents seem to find it hard to accept that their children are now adults, but Jack's got no business speaking to a 19-year-old about "disobedience" - his attitude's really going to cause problems.

Thanks JayB :D .


We've got this issue too. It was much better that she just said yes, than argued.

Author:  Emma A [ 05 Jan 2009, 10:23 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd (Again!) Mon 15/12 p11

JayB wrote:
‘Then we’ll say no more about it,’ said Dr Maynard, pushing his chair away from the desk and standing up. ‘But Con, do, please, try to think before you act, and remember that what you do affects other people!’

He isn't thinking straight, here. Con was thinking of other people (her sisters and Frau Gruber) when she disobeyed Jack's instructions. This just shows that he, too, still thinks of Con as the impulsive, tactless, thoughtless child she was, rather than the thoughtful, considerate young woman she is now. He needs to stop treating his eldest children like children, and more like adults.

Perhaps Con could get an adult friend to intercede - since Joey is likely to take Jack's side in any disagreement. Otherwise I see a full-scale row erupting - does Con have a temper? She might be roused if her parents continue to treat her and her triplets like kids.

Thanks for the update, JayB - this is getting more and more interesting!

ETA So glad Con was able to find Frau Gruber's wedding ring - she must have been very relieved.

Author:  PaulineS [ 05 Jan 2009, 12:47 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 4/1 p12

If Con tells her sisters what Jack said he might find himself with a response he does not expect!!!
Con did well not to respond there.

Author:  Cath V-P [ 05 Jan 2009, 13:00 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 4/1 p12

It's Jack who isn't thinking here, not Con! And that line about being responsible for the younger ones if they choose to disobey is just ridiculous - part of growing up is learning to make judgements based on the needs of a situation rather than obeying blindly - but that doesn't and shouldn't affect the younger siblings who are still children and therefore are still bound by the conventions/rules of childhood.

Author:  Elle [ 05 Jan 2009, 13:11 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 4/1 p12

I was kind of expecting that from Jack, but it was a bit of a shock all the same.

Author:  leahbelle [ 05 Jan 2009, 14:02 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 4/1 p12

I think that was most unfair of Jack.

Author:  Jennie [ 05 Jan 2009, 15:20 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 4/1 p12

I think it's Jack who needs to grow up, not Con. He ought to be proud of the triplets, not critical of con.

As my children, both boys, did not grow up in EBDland, whenever there was a problem, such as things getting broken, it was always 'I dunno' who was responsible. That person also ate the last biscuits in the tin, and the last pieces of cake.

Author:  Alex [ 05 Jan 2009, 20:25 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 4/1 p12

It's not so much that Jack is telling her off...but that he thinks he should be telling her what to do and what not to do in the first place.

Author:  jennifer [ 06 Jan 2009, 04:05 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 4/1 p12

I wonder how long Jack expects the triplets to be instantly obedient, and accept their parents' decrees without independent thought of their own? Will he dress them down for disobedience after they are married? Or simply expect their husband to do their thinking for them.

I don't think that Jack and Joey have really thought about how their kids are going to transition from the sheltered young women they were at home to competent, independent adults.

Author:  JayB [ 06 Jan 2009, 18:48 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Sun 4/1 p12

Con submitted to her father’s reproof, but inwardly she was not convinced that she had been wrong. There was no point in arguing about it, though. It was well known that when Jack Maynard’s foot was down, it was down, and he could not be persuaded to alter a decision regarding his children. Con thought about talking it over with her sisters, but decided against it. She knew Len agreed with her father that the elder ones had a responsibility to set an example to the younger ones, and given the struggles Margot had had in the past with her ‘devil’, and the serious trouble she had been in with her father as a result, Con felt some delicacy about talking to her.

The holiday continued without major excitement for a while. The snow returned and the Maynards and Richardsons were able to enjoy some winter sports. The triplets, Ruey and Erica ski-ed. Ruey had never become so expert as the triplets, but she was determined to persevere. As she said, being able to offer skiing as well as the more traditional games would give her an advantage when it came to applying for jobs.

The boys were not interested in skiing. The Christmas holidays were not long enough for them to acquire any skill, and they had no other opportunity to ski. Instead, they took the toboggans out to the slopes that the school used. Felicity opted to join them, saying she would have chances to ski during the term, but once Felix went back to school she would not see him again until Easter. Since Joey said it would be too tiring for the younger children, the older girls were able to enjoy their sport with no responsibilities.

The trip to Berne to buy new winter coats for the four eldest girls was fitted in between their other activities. Len and Margot found coats they liked, Con and Ruey didn’t.
‘We’ll give you each a cheque, and you can choose something back in England,’ Jo said, when they were enjoying a well earned Kaffee und Kuchen before heading back to the Platz.
‘We can meet in London and go shopping in Oxford Street,’ Ruey said. ‘We said last term we might all meet up in London and go to a show or something.’
‘Yes, and Ricki will be in London next term, she suggested that I go and see her there,’ Con said.

Dr Benson came back from her trip to England, and the staff began to return to the School next door, to prepare for the new term, and old friends dropped in to see Joey. In between the tea and coffee parties everyone was busy getting the boys ready for their new term. Ruey was to travel back to England with them. Her term started earlier than the triplets’, and she would also take the opportunity to see Roger. When they had gone, it seemed very quiet at Freudesheim after the bustle of the last few weeks. Con began to look forward to returning to Oxford and study and friends.

‘What are you all planning for the day?’ Jo asked on the morning after the boys and Ruey had departed.
‘I’m going to read,’ said Erica. ‘We’re doing Oliver Twist next term, and we’re supposed to have read it over the holidays.’
‘I thought you liked reading?’ Jo said. ‘I’d have thought you’d have finished it by now.’
‘I started it,’ Erica said. ‘But I couldn’t get into it. Dickens takes such ages to say anything, you feel like you‘ve been reading forever, and nothing’s happened.’
Jo chuckled.
‘Well, I agree you need to get down to it, if you’re going to have any hope of finishing it in time. But don’t sit reading all day, will you? What about the rest of you?’
‘I’m going to practice my ballet,’ said Felicity. ‘I haven’t been practising properly over the holidays, so I need to work hard.’
‘I’m going over to the San,’ said Margot. ‘It’ll probably be the last chance I have, and I want to thank everyone who’s been so helpful.’

Len came into the room just then. The telephone had rung as they had all been going in to breakfast, and she had stopped to answer it.
‘That was Reg,’ she said. ‘He’s managed to get the day off - swapped with someone, I think. He asked if I’d like to go for a run in the car and have lunch somewhere. May I go, Mamma? Do you need me for anything else today?’
'Yes, I don't see why not - pass this cup to Len, please, Felicity, my poppet. When I was your age, in Tyrol, young couples were chaperoned everywhere, but I think we're past that stage now! Do you need to call him back?’
‘No, I said I‘d only call if I couldn‘t go. He said he’d be along just after ten. That will give me time to run over to School and take those library books back.’

After breakfast was finished they separated to make beds and carry out their other morning tasks. Then Margot headed out on skis to the San. Con, having no particular plans for the day herself, put on boots and coat and walked with Len across the gardens to the School, helping her carrying her pile of books. She left Len at the door, however, feeling restless and wanting a longer walk and a change of scene.

As she approached Freudesheim again, trying to decide which way she wanted to go, Con saw Dr Benson walking around the corner of the house.
'Good morning, Aunt Stacie,' Con called as soon as Dr Benson was near enough.
'Stacie or Dr Benson, please,' she replied briskly. 'You girls are too old to address every adult you meet as Aunt or Uncle.'
'All right, S-Stacie.' Con stumbled slightly over the name. Dr Benson was always so dignified, it seemed hard to address her as an equal. But going back to ‘Dr Benson’ after ‘Aunt Stacie’ would seem rude, Con thought.

She now saw that under her big coat, Stacie was wearing a grey suit. She wore boots, but carried a bag which Con could see contained, among other things, a pair of black court shoes.
'You look very smart,' Con said. 'Are you going out for the day?'
'Thank you. Yes, I'm going to Berne. Nancy and - er, Miss Wilmot and Miss Ferrars - are giving me a lift in their car. I have an appointment at the university and they are going shopping.'

Con must have looked envious, for Stacie added suddenly,
'Would you like to come with us?'
Con's face lit up.
'Oh, may I? I'd love too, if Miss Wilmot and Miss Ferrars won't mind.'
'I'm sure they won't. Why don't you go and get ready, while I go and tell them you're coming. We'll wait for you at the school garage.'

Stacie continued on her way round to the school garage where Nancy Wilmot and her great friend Kathie Ferrars were waiting by the small car they owned jointly with a couple of other mistresses.
'Here she is!' cried Nancy. 'We're all set. Gaudenz has given the car a thorough check up, and made sure Jack Lambert put her back together properly at the end of last term!'
'I should hope so!' Stacie retorted. 'I'd have second and third thoughts about riding in that vehicle if I wasn't sure that someone had checked up on Miss Jack's handiwork!'
'Shall we be off?' said Kathie. 'Would you like to sit in the front, Stacie? You're taller than I am.'

'I'm afraid we can't go yet,' Stacie replied. 'I hope you two don't mind, but I asked Con to go with us. She seemed to be at rather a loose end. I think she finds the Platz a bit dull after Oxford. She hasn't got interests up here in the way that Len and Margot have.'
‘Not at all,’ said Kathie. ‘She really came to the rescue over the Play, so I’m glad if we can do something for her in return.’

‘I gather from things Matey and others have let slip, about things Jo has said, that some of the older ones are beginning to find life up here a bit restricted, and that there’s been some friction at Freudesheim these holidays,’ Nancy said.
‘I can’t blame them, if that’s the case,’ said Kathie. ‘I love teaching at the School, and there’s always plenty to do in termtime. But we have the car and we can get away on our free days and weekends. It must be quite dull up here for teenagers in the holidays when they’ve got used to having coffee bars and cinemas and so on, on their doorsteps.'

Author:  Clare [ 06 Jan 2009, 19:07 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Tue 6/1 p13

Hopefully Con will have a lovely day out with Nancy, Kathie and Stacie; they seem so understanding of her 'loose end' feelings and haven't protested about her joining them. Jack really needs to get a grip or he's going to lose Con forever. And I don't recall Joey and Jack ever being chaperoned?

Author:  Emma A [ 06 Jan 2009, 19:19 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Tue 6/1 p13

A lovely update, JayB - you're really showing well how Con is growing up and away from her parents and siblings. It makes sense that she wouldn't want to discuss her thoughts with Len or Margot. Stacie was very perceptive there with her invitation - I do hope that she can give Con some advice. Kathie and Nancy also seem to realise Con's sense of detachment.

Jack and Joey never really courted in Austria - since they were engaged and married very quickly after that. No chaperonage required! Besides, there were very few occasions when Jack and Joey were alone together: they were usually surrounded by Joey's fellow-pupils, or family.

Author:  Lesley [ 06 Jan 2009, 19:53 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Tue 6/1 p13

Hope Stacie, Nancy and Kathie can help Con with the way she is feeling at the moment. Can understand why Con wouldn't want to discuss with Len - who seems far too firmly under her parents thumbs at the moment - asking Joey if she could go out with her fiance?


Thanks JayB

Author:  RroseSelavy [ 06 Jan 2009, 21:10 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Tue 6/1 p13

Oh, good for Stacie! It's also nice to see her in contact with people at the University, rather than just being holed up writing alone in Freudesheim (which is how I always imagined her, somehow).

Thanks, JayB. I really like the way you're showing Con gradually change and grow up, one small influence and thought at a time.

Author:  KJX [ 06 Jan 2009, 23:49 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Tue 6/1 p13

Ooooh. Couldn't you just poke Jack in the eye!

Hope Con has fun on her trip out.

Author:  Alison H [ 06 Jan 2009, 23:51 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Tue 6/1 p13

A day out with three independent women who treat her like an adult sounds like it's just what Con needs!

Author:  Cath V-P [ 07 Jan 2009, 01:29 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Tue 6/1 p13

That was an interesting comment from Jo about chaperonage; she clearly sees that some things have changed, but not necessarily others. And it's good to see that Con keeps to her own opinion in the face of Jack's rather unreasonable attitude and her awareness that she can't necessarily discuss this with the others.

Now, I hope she has a splendid day out with three adult independent and intelligent women! :D

Author:  di [ 07 Jan 2009, 07:53 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Tue 6/1 p13

Go for it, Con. She does deserve a day out away from the family. I can't believe Len asked for permission to go out with Reg - and as for being chaperoned- WELL!!!! :shock:
Thanks, JayB for the update.

Author:  Elle [ 07 Jan 2009, 08:25 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Tue 6/1 p13

I'm feeling very anti-Jack at the moment, so part of me is expecting him to pop up and prevent this trip somehow!

Author:  JustJen [ 07 Jan 2009, 15:59 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Tue 6/1 p13

Jack is coming across as such a idiot!

Hope Con has a great day out with Nancy, Kathie and Stacie

Author:  Fatima [ 07 Jan 2009, 17:11 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Tue 6/1 p13

Elle wrote:
I'm feeling very anti-Jack at the moment, so part of me is expecting him to pop up and prevent this trip somehow!

Yes, I was thinking that, too...something along the lines of Jo needing her at home as the others would be out. He'd better not, though!

Thanks JayB.

Author:  JB [ 07 Jan 2009, 17:26 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Tue 6/1 p13

Quote:
Jack is coming across as such a idiot!


Agree.

This is so sad - and so believable.

Author:  Jenefer [ 07 Jan 2009, 18:31 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Tue 6/1 p13

Thanks JayB for the update

Hope Con has a good day out. Her home life must seem very restricted after Oxford.

Author:  JayB [ 08 Jan 2009, 20:04 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Tue 6/1 p13

Thanks for the comments, everyone.

I realised as I was writing this section that these events happened exactly fifty years ago this week - early January 1959!


When Con re-entered the house she paused for a moment in the hall, wondering where her mother was, then heard her voice coming from her study. She was evidently talking on the telephone, using the extension there, since Con could not hear anyone else speaking. She ran upstairs to change into smarter clothes and fetch her handbag, thinking that she would catch her mother when she came down again.

However, when she came downstairs Jo was still speaking. From the little Con could hear, it seemed to be a business call. She did not want to interrupt. There was no sign of Anna, and she did not want to keep everyone waiting while she hunted up Erica or Rosli or waited for Joey to end the call. She turned to the hall table, and wrote a note on the pad that was kept by the telephone there. Messages for her father were always left there; someone would be sure to see it.

She hurried around to the School garage and found the other three waiting by the car.
‘Here she is,’ said Nancy Wilmot, as she came into sight, and Miss Ferrars gave her a welcoming smile.
‘Thank you for letting me come with you,’ said Con. ‘I hope I haven‘t kept you waiting too long.’
‘We’re glad to have you,’ said Miss Ferrars. ‘We want to hear all about your adventures at Oxford. There wasn’t time at the end of last term.’
'Anything you haven't told your mother about?' asked Nancy, her eyes twinkling. Con felt herself going pink.

Nancy laughed.
'I see. All right, we won't ask. But Con, if there ever is anything you don't feel you can talk to your mother about, I - or any of us three - will be glad to help. We've all been to university, we know the kind of problems you can come up against.' Stacie and Kathie nodded in agreement.

Stacie, Nancy and Kathie had arranged to lunch together before going their separate ways in Berne. When they had parked the car, Nancy led the way to a restaurant in the centre of the city. Over the meal, with a bottle of their favourite wine, Nancy and Kathie regaled Con with stories of misadventures in their student days and Nancy’s time in the WRNS.
‘What about you, Stacie?’ Nancy said eventually. ‘I don’t suppose you ever got into trouble at Oxford, did you? I remember you as very law abiding at school.’
‘Oh, I was gated once,’ said Stacie demurely.
‘You were? How did that happen?’

‘I’d been to a meeting of the University Classics Society and got talking to a man about Aeschylus. We disagreed violently about the interpretation of various passages. We ended up going back to his room - Merton, I think it was - so we could continue the discussion with the text to hand. And a bottle of sherry, I might add. We lost track of time and I ended up having to try to sneak into College after midnight. I was caught, of course, and had to go before the Dean and explain myself.’

Kathie chuckled.
‘I remember when I was in the Sixth Form, trying to creep into the house at midnight one Saturday when I should have been in at eleven. I’d been to the local dance hall with friends. One of them lived near me. We walked home together, and she invited me in for a quick cup of coffee. Like you, Stacie, we lost track of time. I crept into the house, hoping my uncle and aunt were in bed asleep and wouldn’t know what time I had come in.’

‘Did you get away with it?’ Con asked.
‘Of course not! They were waiting up for me. They did understand when I explained what had happened, but I had to be in by ten for the next few Saturdays. I realised afterwards they’d probably been worried, but one doesn’t think of that at seventeen or eighteen.’

After lunch they went their separate ways. Con decided to visit the Cathedral.
‘We’ve been to Berne so many times, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen it properly,’ she said. Then she strolled through the old town, with its medieval buildings and shopping arcades. She bought some magazines, for the train journey back to England, and one or two other items she needed.

They had arranged to meet for Kaffee at a small, family run hotel often used by the School and San folk on trips to Berne, before starting on the return journey. Con arrived to find a scene of high drama in the lounge-cum-reception area.

Author:  Lesley [ 08 Jan 2009, 20:19 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Thur 8/1 p13

I have a horrible feeling that Con leaving without actually speaking to anyone at Freudisham will be looked on as evidence of her still being a thoughtless, tactless child. I think Jack and Joey will feel she should have asked permission before going - rather than just leaving a note.

Wonder what the high drama is?

Good for Con to hear that her ex-teachers were not saints and can understand.

Thanks JayB

Author:  Clare [ 08 Jan 2009, 20:24 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Thur 8/1 p13

*Agrees with Lesley*

Intrigued by the high drama, but feel there may be high drama awaiting Con at home... Hopefully Stacie/Kathy/Nancy will help Con if things come to a head!

Author:  Elder in Ontario [ 08 Jan 2009, 21:38 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Thur 8/1 p13

Two interesting instalments here - it's good to see Con 'growing up', but I too fear that her departure on this trip leaving only a note, rather than speaking to either of her parents, will be seen as irresponsible behaviour!! :oops: :(

Thanks, JayB. Please come back soon and tell us what the 'high drama' is! :)

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 08 Jan 2009, 23:26 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Thur 8/1 p13

Hope Con doesn't get into too much trouble about just leaving a note but think she will be, even though her mother was busy and she meant it with the best of intentions. I also wonder if Con will keep quiet if she is talked to again by Jack or Joey as she has been.

Thanks for the updates

Author:  Pat [ 08 Jan 2009, 23:36 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Thur 8/1 p13

I don't think she'll speak out. Just accept and avoid coming home again if she can. I know it's sometimes hard to accept that your kids are adult - for some people anyway - but J & J really don't want to learn the hard way that they have to change their attitude to the trips.

Author:  Alison H [ 09 Jan 2009, 00:34 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Thur 8/1 p13

I've got a horrible feeling there'll be trouble about the note too - but how lovely to see the four of them having such a good time together.

I bet Jack got up to plenty when he was a student, but no doubt he thinks it's different for girls :roll: !

Author:  Emma A [ 09 Jan 2009, 10:07 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Thur 8/1 p13

Lovely update, JayB - I really look forward to each episode. Like the others have said, I fear Con will be taken to task for not asking permission, and hope that she can talk to her parents about it, rather than not saying anything and them thinking that she's becoming underhand or deceitful.

I like Stacie's and Kathie's confession of their student sins - pointing out to Con that her own misdeeds aren't unusual or to be severely reprimanded.

Looking forward to the "scene of high drama"!

Author:  di [ 09 Jan 2009, 10:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Thur 8/1 p13

I also expect there to be ructions when Con returns home - and I wouldn't be surprised if the impending 'high drama' is about the 'missing' Con. What a shame mobile 'phones hadn't been invented at this time - then she could have 'phone[d] home'!! However, she did try to inform the parents where she was going; I wonder what happened to her note. I'm sure that if I was Con I wouldn't be stepping over Freudeishem's [? not sure of the spelling and can't be bothered to look it up!] doorstep for a very long time. Certainly not until Jack and Joey started to treat me as an adult.
How different is the relationship she has with Kathie, Nancy and Stacie. I love the way they advised her and offered to be 'sounding ears' if she needed them.
Thanks, JayB for the update; looking forward to hearing Con's fate!

Author:  JB [ 09 Jan 2009, 13:30 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Thur 8/1 p13

Agrees with Di about the high drama.

:banghead:

Author:  JustJen [ 10 Jan 2009, 05:29 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Thur 8/1 p13

Oh dear! Hope it's Con who doesn't get into trouble.
but I think she will

Author:  Elle [ 10 Jan 2009, 23:21 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Thur 8/1 p13

Oh dear me!

Author:  LucyP [ 10 Jan 2009, 23:37 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Thur 8/1 p13

I've just found this thread and taken it in one huge gulp. It's horribly plausible that Jo and Jack would treat the Trips that way! Con was always my favourite Maynard character, I can't wait for further updates. Thank you so much!

Author:  JayB [ 16 Jan 2009, 23:00 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Thur 8/1 p13

A gentleman, obviously English, was berating a girl of about Con's age, who was sobbing and wailing in French. The receptionist, a young man, was trying to calm them in German and broken English. Con looked around. There was no sign of Stacie or Miss Wilmot or Miss Ferrars; she was evidently the first to arrive. She stepped forward, addressing the Englishman.

'Excuse me.'
He appeared not to hear her. She spoke again, touching his arm. He swung round.
'What is it?'
'Can I help at all? I speak French and German.'
'Thank God! I can't get any sense out of her. See what you can do.'

He explained briefly. He had arrived in Berne the evening before with his wife and two young sons, and Annette, the mother's help, on a combined holiday and business trip. That morning, he and his wife had taken the boys out, but had to return after a short time because his wife had developed a bad headache.

‘She gets them sometimes after travelling,‘ he said. She had taken some aspirin and gone to lie down. He had had lunch with his sons, then gone out for a business meeting, leaving them with Annette. He had returned ten minutes ago, to find the boys missing. Annette's English, never very fluent, had deserted her, and he had been unable to find out what had happened.

Con turned to Annette and addressed her sternly in French, summoning up all her prefect‘s authority.
'Stop that noise at once! At once, I say! Now tell me what has happened.'

Annette pulled herself together enough to give Con an account of the afternoon. She had brought the boys to sit in the lounge because their room was next to their parents' - indeed, there was a connecting door - and she did not wish them to disturb their Maman with their play. Her own room was too small for all three of them to sit in. They wanted to go out, but she said they must wait for Papa. She had left them for a moment - only a moment! - to run up to her room, and when she came back, the bad boys had gone! She had looked all round the ground floor of the hotel, and had been about to seek them upstairs, when their father had returned.

Con relayed this to the worried father.
‘Perhaps they're with their mother,’ she added.
He shook his head.
‘That was the first thing l thought of when I saw they weren't with Annette. I went to see. But she's asleep and there's no sign of them up there. I hope to God we can find them before she wakes up!’

‘Could they have gone out?’
Con turned to the receptionist and spoke in German, explaining what had happened. Had he seen the boys leave the hotel? He shrugged. He had been some of the time in the office behind the reception desk. He would have seen if any adult had gone past the desk but he would probably not have noticed two small boys.

‘What about their outdoor things?’ Con said. She repeated the question in French. Annette shook her head.
‘….sais pas,’ she said, between sniffs and gulps. The father ran upstairs, taking them three at a time. He was back a couple of minutes later. Their coats, caps and scarves were missing.
‘She must have left them much longer than a minute or two,’ he said grimly ‘But what were they thinking, to go out on their own? Where could they have gone? I suppose we must call the police. Can you ask that young fellow - ‘

Con, seeing the book lying on the couch, and the teddy bear Annette was clutching, had an idea.
‘Do they know about the bears? Could they have gone to try to see them?’
‘Yes!’ he said. ‘I told them about the bears, and said we would go to see them today!’
Con put the question to Annette in French. Yes, she said. The boys had asked her to take them to the bears. She had told them she did not know the way and they must wait for Papa.
‘Nicholas said he knows the way. But I said no, we must wait for Papa,’ she concluded.

Con repeated this to the father.
‘Would Nicholas really know the way?’ she asked.
‘He’d know which way to go when they left the hotel,‘ he said. ‘He asked me this morning which way the bears were.’
‘Then we can go and look for them,’ said Con. ‘We know which way they’ve gone.’

‘And surely they can‘t have got far,’ he said, sounding calmer. ‘Nicholas is only seven, and Bobby is five. Two boys that young out on their own would be noticed. Someone would stop them and ask who was in charge of them.’
Con paused to tell to the young receptionist what they were doing, and asked him to explain to her friends if they arrived before she returned, then accompanied the man out of the hotel.

The hotel was in a quiet neighbourhood; there were few people about. Con asked each one they met if he or she had seen two small boys, repeating the descriptions their father had given her - grey coats - one in a red cap and scarf, the other in green. They crossed a couple of roads with very little traffic, but as they approached a busier area, with cars and trams passing continuously, the father began to look anxious again.
‘Surely they wouldn’t try to cross a road like this!‘ he said.

Con stepped forward to speak to a lady approaching from the opposite direction.
‘Ja, ja!’ said the lady instantly when Con had asked her question. She had seen the two boys in the next street, she said, with a gesture towards the junction a hundred yards or so away. They were looking in the window of a shop. She had thought it was odd to see two such young children alone, but thought their mother must be inside the shop.

‘Thank you, thank you!’ said Con, before turning to repeat the information to the father. He took off running and had soon disappeared around the corner. Con followed at a more sedate pace. Before she had reached the corner, he was returning, each hand tightly holding the hand of a small boy.

Back at the hotel, Miss Wilmot and Miss Ferrars were sitting in the lounge with a pale, anxious looking lady. On seeing the boys, the lady jumped up with a little cry of relief.
‘Yes, they’re quite safe,’ said the man. ’We’ll go upstairs, and they can explain what they thought they were doing.’

As his wife ushered the boys away, he turned to Con and took her hand in a firm grip.
'Thank you so much, Miss - good heavens, I don't even know your name!'
'Con Maynard.'
'Well, Miss Maynard, here is my card, and if there's ever anything I can do for you, anything at all, don't hesitate to ask.'
‘I don't have a card - I‘m in my first year at Oxford - St Frideswide’s. And I was glad to help, but I don‘t think I did very much.’

‘Well, we’ll have to agree to differ on that. But I mustn’t keep you from your friends any longer,’ he said, with a nod towards Nancy and Kathie, who were clearly waiting for Con. ‘And I must go and deal with my bad boys.’ With a final shake of Con’s hand, he turned and headed for the stairs.

Nancy and Katie came forward. The receptionist had told them where Con was, and they had been able to explain the situation to the boys' mother when, waking from her sleep and feeling better, she had come downstairs looking for her sons. Nancy looked at the card the man had given Con.
‘Alan Harding - Athena Publishing. Oh, I know them. They publish magazines and story papers for girls and women.’

Stacie arrived just then, full of apologies for her lateness. Con tucked the card away in the inside pocket of her bag as they moved into the restaurant for Kaffee, her latest adventure already fading to the back of her mind as she listened to Stacie’s account of her afternoon at the University.

Author:  Alison H [ 16 Jan 2009, 23:04 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Fri 16/1 p14

That was even better than a chance meeting with a doctor!

Thanks JayB :D .

Author:  Lesley [ 16 Jan 2009, 23:08 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Fri 16/1 p14

Very well done Con - and I think the 'mother's help' Annette might be getting her marching orders, And as for this bit

Quote:
‘Alan Harding - Athena Publishing. Oh, I know them. They publish magazines and story papers for girls and women.’


Very opportune for a young woman hoping to be a writer. :lol:


Thanks JayB

Author:  Sarah J [ 16 Jan 2009, 23:20 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Fri 16/1 p14

A publisher!! Just what Con needs.

Author:  PaulineS [ 16 Jan 2009, 23:23 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Fri 16/1 p14

Hope it strikes Con soon the value of the contact. It would be a turn up for the student magazine if Con is published professionally when they turned her down!

Thanks for the update.

Author:  shazwales [ 17 Jan 2009, 02:16 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Fri 16/1 p14

Thank you for the update i'm really enjoying this.

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 17 Jan 2009, 07:54 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Fri 16/1 p14

Lesley wrote:
Quote:
‘Alan Harding - Athena Publishing. Oh, I know them. They publish magazines and story papers for girls and women.’


Very opportune for a young woman hoping to be a writer. :lol:


Thanks JayB


My thoughts exactly, though wonder if Con will get in touch with him or feel too shy to take advantage of what she had done.

Thanks JayB. I was dying for the next update

Author:  di [ 17 Jan 2009, 10:19 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Fri 16/1 p14

What a coincidence. I'm sure Alan Harding will remember Con and be only to pleased to help her start her career in the future.
On a different note - I hope Jack doesn't give her a hard time for going off with a stranger. He needs to remember that Joey would have done exactly the same thing and she probably wouldn't have remembered to leave a mesage for the others!!
Well done Con, another sign of your growing maturity.
Thanks, JayB.

Author:  Elbee [ 17 Jan 2009, 11:13 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Fri 16/1 p14

What a perfect publishing company for Con, I hope she is able to make the most out of her new contact.

Thanks JayB, I'm loving the way Con is growing up.

Author:  JB [ 17 Jan 2009, 12:06 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Fri 16/1 p14

A great contact for Con. And we came down from that cliff safely.

Author:  keren [ 17 Jan 2009, 23:33 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Fri 16/1 p14

di wrote:
What a coincidence. I'm sure Alan Harding will remember Con and be only to pleased to help her start her career in the future.
On a different note - I hope Jack doesn't give her a hard time for going off with a stranger. He needs to remember that Joey would have done exactly the same thing and she probably wouldn't have remembered to leave a mesage for the others!!
Well done Con, another sign of your growing maturity.
Thanks, JayB.

What do you mean for going off with a stranger, she is probably going to get a hard time for going off with Miss Ferrars and Stacie!

Author:  Becky [ 18 Jan 2009, 13:49 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Fri 16/1 p14

Thanks, JayB, still really enjoying this :D

Author:  Emma A [ 19 Jan 2009, 10:56 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Fri 16/1 p14

Yay! Thanks for the update, JayB - really enjoying this. Good that Con was able to help (and agree that Annette may not be long in her current job!), and I hope she remembers the contact.

Author:  Clare [ 19 Jan 2009, 12:31 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Fri 16/1 p14

keren wrote:
di wrote:
On a different note - I hope Jack doesn't give her a hard time for going off with a stranger. He needs to remember that Joey would have done exactly the same thing and she probably wouldn't have remembered to leave a mesage for the others!!
Well done Con, another sign of your growing maturity.
Thanks, JayB.

What do you mean for going off with a stranger, she is probably going to get a hard time for going off with Miss Ferrars and Stacie!


Joey did go off with a stranger - Margot Venables! If Jack does start on Con, I hope Joey remembers how she took Margot to a hotel, listened to her story before ringing Jem, and told other people about it all efore Jem had even met the woman.

Author:  leahbelle [ 19 Jan 2009, 14:09 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Fri 16/1 p14

I hope Con does contact him. It's too good an opportunity for her to miss, surely?

Thanks!

Author:  crystaltips [ 08 Feb 2009, 20:38 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Fri 16/1 p14

Just read Part 2 from the beginning. It's fab, thanks JayB. :D

*hopes for more soon*

Author:  JayB [ 15 Feb 2009, 23:20 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Upd Fri 16/1 p14

Nancy stopped the car at the gates of Freudesheim to drop Con and Stacie, before driving on to the school.
‘Thank you very much for letting me come with you,’ Con said, as she gathered up her possessions.
‘You’re welcome. We’ve enjoyed having you,’ said Nancy. ‘I’ll wish you a good term, in case we don’t see you again before you go back to Oxford.’ She drove away with a final wave. Stacie continued round to the side door that gave access to her own wing of the house and Con ran up the steps to the front door.

As Con entered the house, her mother came out of her study.
‘Come and see me when you’ve taken your things off, will you?’
‘All right, Mamma.’ Con continued on up the stairs, her mind still on the day. Ferry and Willy had always been perfect poppets out of school, of course, but they had been even more fun today, with their stories of their schoolgirl and student days. And Stacie was a very interesting and witty person, too. Con hoped she’d be able to get to know all of them better.

When Con had taken off her coat and changed her shoes, she went to the study.

‘Ian Hamilton came with Reg this morning. He wanted to ask you to go to Montreux with him and Reg and Len, and you were nowhere to be found,’ her mother said.
Con could only be glad she had not been there - she would certainly not have wanted to go, and it would have been almost impossible to refuse.

‘They were kept waiting while we hunted for you,’ Joey was continuing. ‘Len didn’t want to leave without knowing where you were. We only found your note because she had the idea of ringing up the School to see if you were there, and saw it when she went to the telephone.
‘Oh, so you did find it.’ Con had begun to think the note had somehow been lost and the family had gone all day not knowing where she was.

‘Eventually. Suppose there had been some emergency and we had needed to find you quickly? Running off and leaving a note is the sort of thing I did when I was a Middle. It’s really not good enough for someone your age. And you didn’t stop to think that I might have wanted you today, especially with Len out for the day. You know what a busy time this is. There are all the girls’ things to be got ready for school, and even Erica isn’t really old enough to be responsible for her own packing. And you know how Papa feels about any of you going off somewhere without telling anyone where you’re going, or asking permission.

‘I haven’t wanted to spoil the holidays by making a fuss, and I won’t do it now, so near the end, but you have been quite thoughtless at times, Con. You really are far too old for this kind of behaviour. I’ve always been thankful that we haven’t had the sort of teenage problems with any of you that other families seem to get. I hope we’re not going to start them now. Anyway, that’s all I’m going to say now. Just try to remember next holidays.’

Then, in a different tone, Joey said,
‘Ian said he’d like to write to you at Oxford.’
‘I hope he won’t!’ Con said. Joey’s eyebrows rose in surprise. ‘I - I mean,’ Con added hastily, ‘I write to you once a week, and to Margot and Ruey, and to Ricki, and to Auntie Madge and Auntie Hilda and Auntie Rob sometimes, and I try to write to the boys once or twice each term - I really don’t have time for any more!’

‘Well, I think you might make time for him. He’s a nice young man. And if he does write, it would be rude not to reply.’

Con thought over what her mother had said. It seemed to her that there was a big difference between a girl of fourteen going off somewhere leaving only a note - and often at night, if her mother’s stories were to be believed - and someone of nineteen doing the same thing. It had not occurred to her that, having left school and had a term at Oxford, she was still supposed to ask permission to go somewhere or do something, especially with such old friends as Stacie Benson and Nancy Wilmot.

She and her Oxford friends had not compared notes about their homes in detail, but Di and Judy talked about casual trips to the cinema, to cafes and dancehalls, of going to the shops or the swimming baths after school, all without, it seemed, needing permission, or even to tell anyone where they were going, unless they expected to be out late in the evening.

She wished Steve was still at home, so she could talk the whole subject over with him. It would be useless to expect more than the briefest reply to a letter, now he was back at school. In the end, Con wrote to Ruey, a letter which Ruey would get when she returned to college.

Soon it was time to bring out the suitcases, to try to cram in everything they had brought home in December, and anything else they wanted to take back with them.
‘I’m sure my case has shrunk over the vac,’ said Con, coming to see how Len was getting on with her packing.
‘I’m going to have to take one of those smaller cases as well as my big one,’ said Len, looking at the pile of things still lying on her bed.
‘With our night cases for the things we’ll need on the train, we’ll need two pairs of hands each to carry everything,’ Con remarked.
‘Not if we use these.’ Margot bounced into the room, hands full of rucksacks. She threw one down on Len’s bed, and tossed another to Con.
‘Oh, good idea. It’ll be useful for bike rides and rambles when spring comes, too.’ Con disappeared back to her own room.

Then all the packing was done and it was time to leave. The luggage was loaded into the car. Goodbyes were said all round and their father drove them to Basle and saw them onto the train and waited to wave them off as it pulled out of the station.

When she could no longer see her father standing on the platform, Con settled back into her seat with a feeling of anticipation. What would the new term bring?

ETA: Thanks to everyone who has read and/or commented so far. This part will be going up on the Sally Denny Library in due course. Part III will start as soon as I have a couple of opening chapters written - I have quite a bit done already, but it's all from the middle!

Author:  Pat [ 15 Feb 2009, 23:26 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Jo really must see how the trips are growing up and give them adult freedoms. If she doesn't they'll find excuses for not coming home inthe vacations.

Looking forward to the next part.

Author:  Lesley [ 15 Feb 2009, 23:43 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Joey and Jack really don't appreciate that their eldest children have now left school and as such are entitled to a little more lee-way, do they? As Pat said, they, Con in particular, will find reasons not to return to Freudisham.

Love Con's immediate response to Ian wanting to write to her - and why doesn't Joey, with her supposed empathy, see that Con might not want to correspond with him, instead of blithly over-riding her and saying 'he's a nice young man'


Thanks JayB

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 16 Feb 2009, 00:23 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Can understand why Joey would have beeen worried to where she was especially when they couldn't find a note, but at nineteen, it shouldn't have been to ask for permission but simply as a courtesy in case anything should happen. (How else would anyone know where to look if there was a car accident etc?) However, if Joey really needed all that help why on earth didn't she ask for it first thing in the morning when they were discussing plans for the day instead of expecting Con to be on tap.

As to Ian Hamilton writing, if he does, all Con needs to write is she doesn't want to have any kind of relationship with him, but will remain courteous etc as her father's employee and nothing more.

Thanks JayB, Can't wait for Part III to begin

Author:  Alison H [ 16 Feb 2009, 00:45 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

I'm sure Con can't wait to get back to Oxford! As for Ian, he seems to've been taking romantic tips from his mate Reg :roll: - if he wants to write to Con, let him ask her if it's OK or not, not her mother!

Really enjoyed this, and looking forward to part III already.

Author:  Emma A [ 16 Feb 2009, 10:56 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Thanks, JayB - I was expecting something like Joey's ticking-off, but sad that it did happen. Con was very placid not to have lost her temper (I would have done!). I think Joey is concerned that she might be "losing" Con, and so is encouraging the interest of Dr Hamilton as a means of keeping her close by. I do hope both of them will be happy and fulfilled in this drabble (and that Len allows herself to let go of home a little).

Looking forward to the next part with great anticipation.

Author:  Catherine [ 16 Feb 2009, 11:00 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

I can only admire Con for keeping her temper and not answering back -although perhaps if she had, Joey might have had to open her eyes and realise that the triplets aren't little girls anymore!

Why did Joey not say she needed help when Len asked her if she would need her for anything? She could have said that she was sure Con would help out instead. But if Erica's not capable of seeing to her own packing by now, she ought to be!! She must be about fifteen by now and Joey was relying on the triplets to help her when they were that age!

Looking forward to the next part.

Author:  Elbee [ 16 Feb 2009, 11:01 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Poor Con, I thought Joey was too demanding there - Con had left a note to explain where she was, and I thought she'd put the note in a sensible place too. I hope Con is able to make it clear to Ian Hamilton that she's not interested.

Thanks, JayB, looking forward to part III :D

Author:  di [ 16 Feb 2009, 11:23 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Joey is IMPOSSIBLE! :banghead: Con is 19 now and a young adult, not a child who has to ask permission to go out. She did, after all, leave a note so that Joey knew where she was. -And why Joey expects her to help the others pack when they have Rosli and Anna to help is beyond me. If I was Con I certainly would think twice before coming home at Easter; I think I'd plead too much work or an invite elsewhere.

Poor Con, having being put into a position where she doesn't really have much choice but to reply to any missal Ian might send her since Joey seems to have given him permission to write. She really doesn't have any insight into her girls, does she? She seems to think they'll be like her; marrying the 1st Doctor who comes along!!

Thank, JayB, looking forward to the next part.

Author:  Sarah_G-G [ 16 Feb 2009, 12:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

I do feel for Con there and agree that Joey went a bit over the top in terms of saying that she needed to *ask* for permisson, should have been around to help etc. but I don't actually think she's acting all that badly, considering. Con did her best with leaving a note, but for a family that's used to knowing at all times where everyone is, it must have been worrying when they couldn't find any trace of her for some time. I don't think Con was in the wrong in going as she did, just I can see Joey's point in a way, that it was maybe slightly thoughtless not to make sure the note would be found. I'm just thinking of times when I've been spoken to in that fashion for the same kind of thing (usually when I was staying with my grandparents, admittedly, as Grandma would worry if she didn't know exactly where I was and when I'd be getting back). I certainly don't think Con needed to ask permission, but I can sort of see why Joey was concerned. And with Ian Hamilton, ok she shouldn't throw Con at him, but to be fair (at this stage at least) what has she said? Only that she didn't tell him not to write and it would be rude of Con not to write back. Fair point. It would be pretty rude not to at least acknowledge the letter. What Con says when she writes is her own affair. Joey is treating Con as if she's far younger than she is, but at least it is from the best of intentions. Ian Hamilton is apparently "a nice young man." Why wouldn't she want that for Con?

I really do feel for Con here, though. In a way for her it makes it harder that Joey is trying to do her best for all concerned, just coming across as overprotective and interfering. It means she can't just dismiss her point of view completely. I don't blame her for feeling slightly smothered. After all, what difference does it make if Len, Reg and Ian did want her to go with them? She had made other plans that suited her far better. The triplets are Joey's first girls to be growing up though, so it must be hard for her to know where to re-draw lines.

ETA I seem to have gone on a bit here! Anyway, just wanted to add that I find it odd that Len seems to have been just as concerned as Joey at not being able to find Con! That worries me more than Joey's overprotectiveness, in some ways, as I find it less understandable that a girl of 19 should be making a fuss that her triplet sister has made her own plans.

Author:  Abi [ 16 Feb 2009, 22:25 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Poor Con - it must be totally frustrating for her. She's been living away from home for ages - how can Joey expect her to be exactly the same as when she left?

As for Ian Hamilton, I suspect she is quite capable of dealing with him!

Thanks JayB - can't wait for the next bit!

Author:  SMG [ 16 Feb 2009, 23:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

What a brilliant story -have just found it and was hooked. I like the way that university changing thetriplets is subtly introduced and we see that Joey and Jack are still the same. and failing to realise that their daughters have grown up ...v realistic.

Author:  Karoline [ 17 Feb 2009, 10:23 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Thanks JayB

Author:  Jenefer [ 17 Feb 2009, 16:30 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Thanks JayB, looking forward to Part III

Author:  Elle [ 17 Feb 2009, 17:56 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Thanks JayB, this has been fab, and I am really looking forwards to part III!

Author:  Cath V-P [ 18 Feb 2009, 04:18 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

I can see Joey's pov about being concerned about Con's whereabouts - at least until she found the note - but I really don't think she has understood that at Oxford Con makes her own decisions, and that neither she nor her sisters can - or should - be treated in exactly the same way that they were when they were at school.

And as for Ian Hamilton, yes well!

Author:  JustJen [ 18 Feb 2009, 18:08 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

I feel sorry for Con. At Oxford she is an adult and at home she's still treated like a child.

Ian Hamilton...I wonder if Jack is pressuring him to write to Con.

I'm looking forward to part 3.

Author:  LizzieC [ 18 Feb 2009, 22:02 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

JustJen wrote:
Ian Hamilton...I wonder if Jack is pressuring him to write to Con.


I hope not :( That would put him almost beyond redeption in my view as far as this drabble goes.

It's got to be confusing for Con, with the differences on restrictions between University life and home life. I hope she can find a happy medium.

Thanks for more of this JayB. Waiting for more with baited breath :)

Author:  claireM [ 18 Feb 2009, 23:32 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

I think Con showed great restraint and maturity in not shouting at Joey. As for encouraging Ian Hamilton, can you imagine Joey's reaction if Madge had done something similiar to her, surely she can understand Con not being ready yet.
Thanks JayB looking foreward to the next one.

Author:  JB [ 19 Feb 2009, 00:36 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Aaargh, Joey :hammer:

Con is quite right. Joey ran off in the middle of the night when she was much younger.

Although Joey has had such a protected life, I don't suppose she has the faintest idea of how Con might be growing up and away from home.

Looking forward to part 3.

Author:  crystaltips [ 22 Feb 2009, 16:45 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Thanks JayB, this has been great.

*Echoes everyone elso in looking forward to Part 3*

Author:  Becky [ 22 Feb 2009, 23:29 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Another one looking forward to part 3. Thanks, JayB.

Author:  Mia [ 25 Mar 2009, 21:46 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

I've just read all of this and Part I in the Sally Denny and really enjoyed it. I loved the tutor who told Len she had the accent of an Austrian provincial; I speak French with a Belgian accent apparently after living in Liege. :roll:

Anyway, love this, off to hunt for Part III if you've started it already :D

Author:  JayB [ 25 Mar 2009, 21:54 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Thanks for the comment. I haven't started posting Part III yet. I've got quite a bit written, but am not satisfied with the opening sections.

Author:  keren [ 26 Mar 2009, 08:31 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Well I too am looking forward to this whenver it is convenient to you

Author:  Elle [ 26 Mar 2009, 08:57 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Me too!

Author:  abbeybufo [ 26 Mar 2009, 09:30 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Yep, we're all waiting in hope/expectation of the next section :D

Author:  JB [ 26 Mar 2009, 10:45 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

I'd like to join the chorus for Part III.

Author:  stuffs [ 28 Mar 2009, 19:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

me too or should that be I also..........

Author:  Abi [ 28 Mar 2009, 20:27 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

*joining the chorus for more please* (how refined of us not to chant - hope you appreciate our good manners JayB :wink: ).

Author:  Elle [ 20 Apr 2009, 15:09 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

*decides to stop being refined and begins chanting in a very loud and noticable way*


:D :lol: :D :lol: :D :lol: :wink:

Author:  di [ 20 Apr 2009, 16:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

'chant, chant, chant, chant' [very loud] :lol:

Author:  JayB [ 26 Apr 2009, 12:01 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

I did hear the chanting :D :D :D

I do plan to continue this, but I need to do some research on the topic I want Con to study next term, and at the moment I don't have the time to get into it.

Maybe if it rains over the Bank Holiday next weekend...

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 27 Apr 2009, 23:47 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Here's to the rain then :lol:

Author:  JS [ 26 May 2009, 13:44 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Putting in a plea for NO part 3 at the moment, thank you! I've just spent far too long this morning reading parts one and two.

(only kidding - am joining the chant :) )

Author:  brie [ 26 May 2009, 22:29 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

This is great! I've just gulped down both parts in one sitting! Brilliant thanks.

*Begging for more*

Author:  Elle [ 27 Jun 2009, 23:55 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

More soon please?????

Author:  Fiona Mc [ 28 Jun 2009, 07:04 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Can we start a chant for more please????

:oops: sorry I mean May! :wink:

Author:  di [ 28 Jun 2009, 10:17 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

I'm chanting......

Author:  janetbrown23 [ 28 Jun 2009, 10:33 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Also chanting

Author:  abbeybufo [ 30 Jun 2009, 11:18 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Adding voice to the chant...

Author:  JennieP [ 30 Jun 2009, 19:20 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

Joining in!

Author:  JayB [ 02 Jul 2009, 18:22 ]
Post subject:  Re: A Grey-Walled Paradise II Concluded Sun 15/2 p.15

The first part of Part III is now up! :D

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