Alright on the night
The CBB -> St Agnes's House
#1: Alright on the night Author: CBB Secret Santa,  PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 4:26 pm

Kathie Ferrars’ fingers twitched nervously at the curtain whilst she waited for the orchestra to finish the overture. Somebody, she wasn’t quite sure who, hit a wrong note and Kathie felt a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, crossing her fingers and hoping that it wasn’t an omen. “Only the dress rehearsal,” Nancy Wilmot mouthed from beside her where she was holding on to the other curtain. Kathie managed a weak smile but remained unconvinced. The wrong note had been an omen and everything that could have gone wrong during the rehearsal did go wrong. Kathie had watched with an increasing horror as people who had been word perfect only the day before forgot their lines and their cues, the wrong scenery was brought out at the wrong moments and all manner of props were dropped as the rehearsal descended into farce.

“I tried explaining to her that our dress rehearsals are always chaos,” said Nancy with a sigh to her select coterie later that evening as she cast a glance over to where Kathie sat glumly in the corner making furious notes on her script. “She ought to know; she did co-produce last year after all.”
“She didn’t say a word at Abendessen,” remarked Rosalind Moore. “It’s most unlike her even when something’s worrying her.”
“There must be something we can do to cheer her up tonight since she won’t listen to our reassurances that everything will be fine tomorrow,” put in Sharlie Andrews.
“Yes, but what?” mused Nancy.
Ruth Derwent, who had been curled up in one of the armchairs, stretched out her cramped limbs with a slow smile spreading over her face. “I do believe I have a germ of an idea.”

Kathie had opted for an early night and so the others were able to exact their plan without drawing too much attention to themselves. Sniggering wildly and bundled up in their outdoor things, they made their way along the corridor of the staff quarters to Kathie’s room.

“Who’s starting?” asked Nancy in a low voice.
“Ruth,” came from Rosalind at the back of the group. “She’s got the nicest voice.”

Ruth blushed wildly at the praise but nodded in agreement.


Kathie had struggled to get to sleep as her worries had completely overtaken her. She had tossed and turned until she had fallen out of bed, entangled in her sheets and plumeau, with a resounding thump. In despair she had switched the light back on and was attempting to make some sense of her book when she caught the unmistakable sound of someone sniggering outside her room. She frowned but let it pass her by.

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Alles schläft, einsam wacht

Kathie and looked wildly around her room deciding that she must have finally gone mad.

Nur das traute, hochheilige Paar,
Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar

Curious, she climbed out from underneath her covers and padded over to the door.

Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh'!
Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh'!

Cautiously she pushed open the door to be greeted by her friends, bundled up in their outdoor clothes and singing for all they were worth. She opened her mouth to speak but was silenced as they began on the second verse of the carol she loved so much.

“What are you…” she began as the last notes of the carol died away.
“Trying to cheer you up, you ungrateful wretch!” giggled Nancy. “What do you think?”
Kathie’s face broke into its first real smile that day. “I… I love it!” she exclaimed. “You really shouldn’t have.”
“We thought about serenading you from under your window,” grinned Ruth. “But it’s a bit too cold to be outdoors in this weather. Besides, we didn’t think Matey would appreciate it if we all came down with colds tomorrow. And neither would you since we wouldn’t be able to help with the play.”
Kathie felt the tears pricking at the back of her eyes. “Thank you,” she replied in a voice barely a whisper.
“It’ll be alright on the night,” said Nancy consolingly. “One last quick chorus and we’d better all go to bed,” she paused. “Kathie Ferrars! Where are your slippers and dressing gown?”
Kathie suddenly looked sheepish. “They’re… I… Oh, I didn’t think!”
“Never mind, I daresay it won’t kill you for another five minutes,” remarked Nancy dryly.

They all fell silent as Ruth began the next carol, joined by the others.

Adeste, fideles, laeti triumphantes;
Venite, venite in Bethlehem.
Natum videte Regem angelorum.

The carol over, they all slipped silently back down the corridor to return their outdoor things before Matron noticed that they were missing and Kathie back into her own room with Nancy’s words “it’ll be alright on the night” ringing in her ears. She fell into bed smiling to herself. It didn’t matter how the play went the following day, what mattered was that she had found friends who cared that much about her.

And it was alright on the night after all.

 

#2:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 4:31 pm

Awwwww....!

Thanks Santa.

One of the things that really makes the CS stand out from other fictional schools (can't believe I've just called it a "fictional school" - it is real, isn't it?) is the friendship between the staff.

 

#3:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 5:34 pm

That was lovely.

Thanks Santa

Star Wars

 

#4:  Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 5:40 pm

What a sweet thing for them to do.

Thank you.

 

#5:  Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 6:03 pm

What a lovely thing for them to do!

thanks for writing this Secret Santa!

 

#6:  Author: Michelle, Location: Near London PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 8:11 pm

That was lovely. Nice to have another story about the staff. Thank you, Santa.

Michelle

 

#7:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 8:54 pm

What fictional school, Alison? Shocked


That was lovely - thanks Santa.

 

#8:  Author: Michelle, Location: Near London PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 8:58 pm

That's just a nasty rumour. Of course the Chalet School's real. After all, some people say Santa's not real, and that's just crazy. Isn't it, Santa?

I actually do know of a Chalet School - another Chalet School, I mean.

Michelle

 

#9:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 9:27 pm

Thanks, Secret Santa. Ruth is very lucky. I'm glad they were able to cheer Kathie up.

The CS is definitely real!

 

#10:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 9:58 pm

Lovely; aren't they kind to think of this?

 

#11:  Author: flitterwit, Location: london PostPosted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 12:19 am

That was really nice. It is indeed very rare to have friends like that. Almost unreal - as fictional as the Chalet School.

 

#12:  Author: Liss, Location: Harrow, London PostPosted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 5:33 am

That's unnecessarily cynical, don't you think? I'd like to think my friends are so fine (as indeed they are generally) - possibly not to the extent of doing that sort of thing in the middle of the night!!

That was bon indeed, Santa!

 

#13:  Author: flitterwit, Location: london PostPosted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 10:32 am

I'd be very worried - no, concerned- if my friends started trespassing-creeping around my house in the middle of the night. Shocked

Quote:
possibly not to the extent of doing that sort of thing in the middle of the night!!


you've hit the nail on the head. A friendly hello and christmas greetings, a nice conversation, a very good laugh - during normal working hours would suffice. We all value our privacy, don't you??

Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate the Christmas spirit of this drabble.

 

#14:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 1:12 pm

Thanks, Secret Santa.

 

#15:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Sat Dec 10, 2005 6:56 pm

Thanks Santa.

Lucky Ruth!

 

#16:  Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2005 7:02 am

What a cheering thing to do. Very Happy

Thank you, Santa.

 

#17:  Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2005 2:01 pm

flitterwit wrote:
I'd be very worried - no, concerned- if my friends started trespassing-creeping around my house in the middle of the night. Shocked

Quote:
possibly not to the extent of doing that sort of thing in the middle of the night!!



But they weren't tresspassing - they all live in the same building. They'd have walked past Kathie's door anyway. They just happened to sing whilst doing so. And Kathie had had an early night - it likely wasn't the middle of the night (the others were worried that Matey would find their stuff missing, not that they'd wake her up, so it likely wasn't that late).

I thought it was lovely!

 

#18:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Sun Dec 11, 2005 4:23 pm

I think this is really lovely, and shows a true friendship between them all.

 

#19:  Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 12:02 am

Thank you Santa. I think this shows part of the true spirit of Christmas.

 

#20:  Author: Sugarplum, Location: second star to the right! PostPosted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 12:20 am

Awwww how lovely!

 

#21:  Author: Ruth B, Location: Oxford, UK PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 4:28 pm

Just found this - haven't been on the board much!

Thank you very much Santa for a lovely shiny Kathy drabble Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy

 

#22:  Author: BethC, Location: Worcester, UK PostPosted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 7:45 pm

Thank you, Ruth's Santa, for sharing! Very Happy

 

The CBB -> St Agnes's House


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