The CBB :: View topic - Grace's Goddaughter

#1: Grace's Goddaughter Author: CBB Secret Santa as guest,

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 3:28 pm

I've always thought that Grace Nalder is one of EBD's neglected characters. She is one of the foundation stones, she's Margot's godmother, and she lives on the Platz. I've always thought that she and Margot must know each other much better than we are told...

(Incidentally, I am having trouble logging in as myself - which is why this is posted as Guest! It looks as though other Santas are managing perfectly well, so obviously it's just me!)

Grace looked up. The tap on the door was so soft, she wouldn’t have heard it if she hadn’t been waiting for it.

“Come in, Margot,” she said, holding out her hand to her errant god-daughter. Margot obeyed, dragging her heels reluctantly. She sank down onto the pouffe at Grace’s feet and looked up at her through red-rimmed eyes.

“Margot, this isn’t like you,” said Grace gently.

Margot looked at her in astonishment.

“But everyone hates me!” she croaked. “I didn’t think you’d want to see me.”

“Everyone hates you?” said Grace thoughtfully. “Is that really how you have been brought up, Margot? To condemn someone wholeheartedly because of a single mistake, and without walking for a mile in their shoes?”

“Len and Con have been brought up the same as me, and they didn’t do what I did,” muttered Margot, staring at the floor.”

“Have they now?” said Grace tartly. Margot stared at her.

“Of course they have!” she exclaimed. “We’re triplets!”

“So no-one has ever told Len that she is the eldest, or Con that she is dreamy, or you that you are the bad Maynard?” asked Grace.

“Wh- you– I mean –" said poor Margot.

“What I mean is that with the best will in the world – and your parents do have the best will in the world where their children are concerned – it is impossible to treat all your children exactly the same. No parent could do it. And nor would you want it, Margot – you are all different people.”

“I know they think they’ve failed with me,” said Margot, looking at the floor.

“Do you want them to have failed with you? Or do you want to be the fine person, and the credit to your family and schooling, that I know you can be?”

“I don’t know I can be, though,” said Margot, scrubbing at her eyes with a handkerchief that had seen better days. “I’m the bad Maynard.”

Grace sent up a swift prayer for wisdom. She had always felt that being Margot’s godmother was a heavy responsibility. Then she smiled, and looked Margot musingly.

“I wonder why?” she said.

Margot – who had never been quite so much astonished as she was by this conversation with Aunty Grace – gaped at her again.

“What do you mean – why?” she asked.

“Why are you the bad Maynard? What makes you so special?”

Margot opened her mouth to reply, then closed it and looked thoughtful instead.

There was a long silence. Margot looked into the fire, and Grace listened to the coals falling and waited. When Margot spoke, for a moment – but only for a moment - Grace thought she had changed the subject completely.

“Aunty Grace, what do you know about vocations?” she asked.

Grace reflected that Margot had always been the surprising Maynard!

“Have you asked your Aunty Rob?” she asked.

“I – don’t know,” said Margot slowly. Then she realised how silly that must sound, and smiled waterily. “I mean, I’ve asked her generally, what it feels like to be a nun, but nothing specific. And I think she thinks I’m just a kid, but she must have known when she was my age.”

“Must she?” said Grace gently. “How can you be so sure?”

Margot jumped up and paced around the room. Her schoolmates and even her family wouldn’t have recognised confident, self-assured, even arrogant Margot Maynard in this doubtful, nervous, uncertain child. Even as she prayed again, Grace felt sure that what Margot needed most at the moment was the time and space to say what was on her mind, and someone to listen who was not sure they already knew all she had to say.

Margot fiddled with an ornament on the windowsill. She looked out over the Platz with unseeing eyes.

“Everyone says I’m spoilt,” she said slowly. “But if I am, that’s not my fault. I didn’t ask to be spoilt.” She took a deep breath. “The thing is – I’m so lucky. I have so much. I’m pretty – I can’t help knowing that – and clever, and I come from a very privileged family. None of that is anything to do with me - as me, I mean. I’m not that arrogant! But – but – " She swallowed hard. “It may not be anything to do with me, but I still don’t want to give it up.”

“Who spoke of giving anything up, Margot?” asked Grace gently.

Margot appeared to deflate as she put the ornament she had been fiddling with down on the windowsill.

“No, my dear – listen to me,” said Grace. “If this is what is being asked of you, then God is not asking to give anything up – he is offering you a wonderful opportunity. You love your family, and God is asking you to make the whole world your family. You love the nice things that are yours because of the privilege of money: God’s offering you the opportunity to bring nice things to people who might not otherwise have them.”

“But – I don’t want to,” said Margot. “Maybe I am selfish, maybe I’m spoilt, but I don’t want to share.”

“Don’t you want what is best for Margot?” asked Grace.

Margot turned round slowly and looked at her godmother, almost as though she were seeing her for the first time.

“Yes,” she said. “That’s what I want – what is best for me.”

“Well then,” said Grace practically, “I suggest you think long and hard about what is best for you.”

Margot left the window and came back to sit by the fire. Grace jumped up and busied herself in heating up the milky coffee – they had been so busy talking that neither had touched their Kaffee und Kuchen yet. When it was good and hot, she poured a cupful and sweetened it liberally. Margot took it and drank it gratefully, but she shook her head at the cakes, and Grace didn’t press her.

At last, Margot put her cup down determinedly, dabbed her eyes one last time and turned to Grace with a beaming smile.

“Thank you, Godmamma,” she said. “There’s one thing that I know is not good enough for me, and that’s the way I've treated Ted. I know it’ll take a long time, but if I can make it up to her, I will.”

“That’s my girl,” said Grace. “And what about the rest?”

“There’s more that I can do about it than I thought there was,” said Margot. “I can ask Aunty Rob properly. I can read about it. I can talk to you – can’t I?” Grace nodded. “And I can pray about it. That’s the best thing to do.”

“Then go forth, Mary Margaret Maynard, and begin,” said Grace.

“I will,” said Margot.

#2: Author: Róisín, Location: Vancouver for now

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 3:46 pm

Aw that was so sweet and thoughtful.

#3: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 3:50 pm

That was lovely, Santa.

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

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 4:35 pm

Thank you for a wonderful story.

#5: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 4:52 pm

Thanks, Secret Santa. Mary is very lucky. I'm glad Margot was able to talk to her Godmother and I hope the talk will have helped her to make a decision. I always thought it was a pity that Margot and Con didn't see more of their Godmothers.

#6: Re: Grace's Goddaughter Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 5:00 pm

Oh Santa, that was so beautiful - and so right. Wink

You have really brought Grace Nalder to life for me and shown why she was chosen as godmother. There is so much I could highlight.

CBB Secret Santa as guest wrote:

“Who spoke of giving anything up, Margot?” asked Grace gently.
“If this is what is being asked of you, then God is not asking to give anything up – he is offering you a wonderful opportunity. You love your family, and God is asking you to make the whole world your family. You love the nice things that are yours because of the privilege of money: God’s offering you the opportunity to bring nice things to people who might not otherwise have them.”

What a lovely evocation of a vocation - how appealing you make it sound.

CBB Secret Santa as guest wrote:

“Then go forth, Mary Margaret Maynard, and begin,” said Grace.

I adored that line - wonderful. And Margot does, of course, doesn't she?

I shall treasure my story, thank you, Santa

#7: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 5:16 pm

Lovely. I echo Mary in that you really brought Grace Nalder alive for me too.

#8: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 8:36 pm

That was VERY moving Santa.

#9: Author: Sugarplum, Location: second star to the right!

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 9:56 pm

That was lovely Santa - thanks

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

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 10:21 pm

What a lovely thoughtful story! Very Happy

#11: Author: Rosy, Location: Gloucestershire-London-Aberystwyth

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 10:41 pm

That was wonderful. We don't see enough of Grace!

#12: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Wed Dec 14, 2005 11:52 pm

That was lovely - thank you Mary's Santa

Liz

#13: Author: Michelle, Location: Near London

Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2005 12:47 am

That was lovely, Santa. Thank you. I'm glad Grace is such a good godmother, and I agree that she's been sadly neglected.

Michelle

#14: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2005 5:53 pm

that was great really nice and interesting a character who as you say we hear little about. Thanks santa

#15: Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 1:51 am

Thanks Santa, that was a very insightful story - and nice to see more of Margot's Godma too!

#16: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 10:37 pm

A beautiful scene. Grace is very wise.

Thank you Santa

The CBB -> St Agnes's House

output generated using printer-friendly topic mod, All times are GMT

Page 1 of 1