Madge and Jem Return to the Tyrol
The CBB -> Starting again at Sarres...
#1: Madge and Jem Return to the Tyrol Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 1:06 pm

MADGE AND JEM RETURN TO THE TYROL

'In some ways, this is just as it was in the very beginning,' mused Madge Russell as she watched the outskirts of Innsbruck flash past.

As she began to gather her things together in preparation for disembarking from the train, she felt her heart lift with the joy of returning to Austria. Perhaps this really was the fresh start that she and Jem needed. She looked at him quickly and her heart lifted. She knew just how lucky she was, and had been.

'Come on, Madge, look sharp. We're almost there.'

She could hear the excitement in his voice. He was clearly feeling the way that she did. Then he was opening the window of their compartment and looking out. Well, he certainly seemed enthusiastic enough. Then he turned to her, and she caught a mischievous glint in his eyes. It would seem that he had a surprise for her.

The train came to a halt, and Jem opened the carriage door, swung down their suitcases onto the platform and jumped down after them. Madge followed him more sedately, wondering just what was making him so excited. She followed him towards the station exit. The plan, as far as she knew it, was to get a taxi in the Hauptbahnhof and stay in a hotel for a few nights whilst they looked around Innsbruck to see the inevitable changes that had occurred, and to take the train to Spartz, then up the mountain railway to her beloved Tiernsee.

She was longing to walk along its shores again, to breathe in the clean, fresh air, to revel in its beauty, and if they were very lucky, to renew old acquaintances and friendships. She was sure that good old Herr Braun was no longer with them, but his family probably still owned the Kronprinz Karl, and might welcome them.

She knew that there could be no return to the simplicity of the old days, too much had happened for that, but it might be possible for them to recapture some of it at least.

She saw Jem come to a stop just ahead of her. Then he was vigorously shaking someone's hand, and then turning to look at her.

'Madge, come on, Madge. Just see who this is!'

There was no mistaking the joy in his voice, and good heavens, it couldn't be. It was, there was no mistaking that face.

'Good Heavens,' gasped Madge. 'It's Anton, little Anton. I ought to call you Herr Braun now, oughtn't I? But you were a very young boy when we left, and I've always thought of you as Anton.'

'Please, Lady Russell, still call me Anton. I get too much of the Herr Braun every day.'

He was smiling at her in a way that showed that he meant every word of what she had said.

'Madge,' said Jem in a voice filled with suppressed excitement. 'We're going straight up to the Tiernsee, now. We've got a suite at the Kronprinz Karl, and there's an even better surprise waiting for you there. Come on, I can't wait.'

Anton smiled at his enthusiasm, then told the astonished Madge that he had his car awaiting them in the Hauptbahnhof and would be driving them up the mountain roads to his beloved lake.

Madge was almost unable to take it in. Things were moving very fast for her, perhaps a little faster than she wanted them to. Then she shook herself mentally and remembered what had come of her efforts to hold back the tide. She had been as effective as King Canute, she thought, with a little wry smile. She followed the two men to the car and was soon seated comfortably in the back of the Mercedes estate, and looking excitedly out of the window at the once-familiar sights of the city that she had loved so much. Some things had changed, others had not, but it all seemed new to her, as though she were looking at it with fresh eyes. Then after a while, the car began to climb up the mountain roads.

She realised that Anton was speaking to her, and turned her attention to him.

'This is a new road, Lady Russell, built to let the tourists come to see our beautiful Tiernsee. You will find some changes, but not too much new development. We have been very careful to limit new buildings so we can keep our peace and lovely surroundings. We like to make haste slowly and be sure that everyone can find what they come to seek. Most people come for our lovely mountains and valleys, and we do not want them to be spoiled. So you will be able to walk, swim and row on the lake, just as you used to.'

Madge smiled at him and said that she was glad to hear it, she was looking forward to resting and relaxing for a few days. Then something about the back of Jem's head told her that she might be wishing for a holiday that would hold more surprises than she had bargained for.

When the car finally pulled up outside the hotel, Madge was quick to get out and stand there, just breathing in the pure, clear air. She was definitely reluctant to go inside, but realised that Anton was waiting to usher them up to their suite.

He proudly showed them the tastefully arranged sitting room and the bedroom with its wide, comfortable bed covered with a a big puffy quilt in a beautifully embroidered cover. He was also immensely proud of the immaculate bathroom, and Madge was quick to tell him how wonderfully comfortable and inviting it looked.

He finally left them alone, promising to have tea sent up as soon as possible. As soon as the door had closed behind him, Jem pulled Madge into his arms and kissed her soundly.

'Now I've got you to myself.' he said in a satisfied tone of voice. 'I wanted to come back here, where it all began, so we can make a fresh start of our lives together. This time, there's going to be nothing that can come between us. Promise me this, Madge. Never again let me go on thinking that you're happy when you're not. Let's be honest with each other in future. That's the only way for us to be, I'm sure of that.'

Then he changed the subject.

'I have a plan to put to you, but if you don't want to do it, then we'll find something else. No, I'm not going to tell you what it is until we've had something to eat and drink and then unpacked. I'm not hiding it from you, I just want you to relax and enjoy your first meal in the Tyrol before we do anything else.'

By now, Madge was definitely beginning to think that Jem had been making plans, and she was beginning to wonder whether she would like them when she heard what they were. Still, she could see that he was holding in his excitement, so she decided to let him have his way over this.

After getting settled in to their suite and having consumed a large tea that had Madge inwardly wincing at the amount she had eaten, they settled down to talk.

'Now, Jem, I'd like to know what your schemes are. You look just like a schoolboy who's trying to hide a trick from a teacher.'


Jem had the grace to blush a little at this. Then he began to explain his ideas.

'Well, you know we were planning to stay in Innsbruck for a few days before coming here? I changed those plans because Anton Braun cabled me with the news that something wonderful has happened.

'You remember that I worked part-time in a free clinic in a poor suburb in Melbourne whilst you were in hospital? I think that job saved my reason, Madge. I know you don't like to talk about that time, but, I think we have to face it, it happened. Part, in fact most, of what went wrong between us was that we both swept too much under the carpet, and neither of us ever mentioned what we were really thinking and feeling. I suppose we were too afraid of upsetting the apple-cart to be honest with each other.'

Madge nodded her agreement with this, then replied,

'Yes, I suppose we did. I understood that you were dedicated to your job, but gradually we drew apart. I felt that I was a glorified housekeeper and hostess, not really a wife any more. I was proud of the work you were doing, but I never felt a part of it.'

'I understand that now, and I'm ashamed of it, but I suppose it was a hangover from the way I was brought up. But, enough of that now. I've always wanted to come back to the Tyrol, not necessarily to live, but for a long visit. But Anton Braun has discovered that there's a house for sale in Seespitz. Well, it's not in the centre of the village, on the outskirts rather, and it sounds as if it would be ideal for us. If you agree, and only if you agree, I'd like to buy it for us.'

Madge looked at him, open-mouthed, completely unable to utter a single word.

Jem smiled at her reaction, then continued,

'There's a little annexe at one side, three small rooms and a bathroom, where an elderly relative used to live, in her own quarters, but still near the family. That would be ideal.'

'Ideal for what, Jem? Madge asked, though she had a strong suspicion of what his next words would be.

'Ideal for a small surgery. We don't have any money worries, I can afford to retire and go globe-trotting, if that's what you would prefer, but what I would really like to do is to give something back to this area of the Tyrol. It's where I really started out, and it's where I'd like to end my days. I'd like to be the General Practitioner for these people. They still don't have a doctor up here, so I think I'd be welcome. I think you would be as well. Apparently, a lot of people still remember Fraulein Bettany with affection, especially because you gave employment tp people from poor families and that was appreciated. What I want to do is give something back, run a free clinic for the people who can't afford medical treatment. I don't want to specialise, or start a San again, just be here so that if some little boy falls and cuts his arm badly, he can have it cleaned and stitched, and not have to leave it until he's seriously ill with it before his parents can take him to a free hospital in Innsbruck.'

Madge could see that his face was animated by his enthusiasm for the plan he had concocted. She was not sure what she felt, but it certainly opened up a whole new series of possibilities for both of them.

Madge found her thoughts whirling round in her head as she sought for the right response to make. She hated to disappoint Jem, but could not put what she felt into any sort of coherent order.

She could see his face growing more and more tense as the silence lengthened. Finally, she managed to say,'

'It might be a good idea, Jem, but I'm making no decisions until we've seen the house. That's the first thing. If we don't like the house and we don't like the way it's laid out, then I'm going to say no. I'm not pouring cold water on your idea, that's good, but we must have the right house for this. And there's something else we have to discuss before anything else. What part am I going to play in this new life of ours?'

'Well, I know that we can't go back to me working at all hours of the day and night and you staying at home to manage the domestic side, so of course you'll have to be a partner in this endeavour. I know you're not a trained nurse, but you could help me out in the surgery as a receptionist and by passing me things if they're needed.'

'I see,' was Madge's response. 'Well, as I've said, I'm making no decisions until we've seen the house. And it might be as well to find out if there are any more houses going in the area. We might find something we liked more in another village. '

Then seeing his crestfallen attitude, she added,

'What I don't want us to do is to make a quick decision and regret it later, that's all. What I do want us to do is to spend some time here around the Tiernsee, looking round, having a holiday, and seeing how any plans we make might develop. Let's make haste slowly, Jem. Look what happened in the past when I made quick decisions. I don't think I could bear to see everything go wrong again because I'd been too hasty.'

Then Jem, remembering how Madge had suffered after her discharge from the clinic in Melbourne, had to agree with her that it might be better to take things at a steady pace, and not rush into things without considering them carefully enough. He was no longer the Great White Chief, just a partner in a marriage that was being rebuilt from the ground upwards.

Jem could see that Madge had said her final word on the topic for that day, so he suggested that they had a walk along the lake to work off the effects of the tea they had just eaten. Madge was quick to agree with that, so after changing her shoes, she set off with her husband.

As they walked along, Jem took her hand rather shyly, as if he were expecting her to reject his gesture, but to his happiness, she did not. He was feeling better for being up in the mountains, and, judging by the look on Madge's face, so was she. He decided that the best thing that he could do was to let the air and the once familiar surroundings work their old enchantment on her.

Eventually she spoke.

'It is good to be back, Jem. You don't know how much I've missed being here. For a long time, I thought I'd never want to come back, what with all the misery and uncertainty that we went through at the end. But now we are back, I realise just how much I've missed it. We had such happy times here, with the school, all the girls, especially when they came to us for the weekend and half-terms.'

'I know Madge, I miss those times too. We were all much younger then, I know, but it seemed that life was full of possibilities, and yet that nothing would ever change.'

Hearing the sadness in his voice, Madge held his hand tighter, hoping that it would comfort him.

Then she began to tell him what she thought he ought to hear from her, now, whilst they were alone.

'I need to say this to you, Jem. Once I'd got over my longing for a drink, and stopped using it as a crutch, and once I really started in on the therapy, and began to look closely at my own motives, I began to realise just how much I'd hurt you. That was the worst thing of all, thinking that I'd not just lost everything, but that I'd thrown it away.'

'Madge, you don't have to say that. But, I'll be honest, I thought that that was what I had done, too.'

'We know better now, don't we?'

Something in her voice, just a little note of uncertainty, caught Jem's attention. hearing it, he was alarmed for a moment, then decided that some reassurance was needed for both of them. As they were alone, he had no hesitation about gathering her into his arms, and kissing her soundly.

Madge was awake early the next morning, though she had slept well after taking in the fresh mountain air and eating the delicious dinner served by the hotel. She slipped out of bed without awakening Jem, then went into their sitting room. She felt that she needed some time to think over Jem's proposal for their future before she came to any real decision.

Involuntarily, her mind went back to the time they had spent in Australia. She still felt a deep sense of shame at her behaviour with the two girls, and over her gradual sinking into alcoholism, but she was quite well aware that she had paid for it in many different ways.

Though Sybil wrote to her father regularly, she, Madge, had still to receive a single letter from her oldest daughter, and her relationship with Josette was very tentative, though she knew from things that Jem told her that Josette wrote him regular, long letters. She had so many fences to mend with her daughters, she could only hope that one day she would be able to make it up to them.

Her course of therapy had been hard, long and hard. She had been made to chronicle her descent into the clutches of the gin bottle, and to examine her own motivations. She had not enjoyed the process, finding it exhausting and stressful, often reducing her to helpless tears. But she felt that she now understood herself better, realised why she had done as she did. She had also managed to cut the umbilical cord that bound her to Jo, and had realised that Jo had had a destructive effect on her family. Without Jo's constant criticism, and without Jo making Madge feel that her needs were paramount, Sybil might have grown up to feel that she was a valued member of the family.

Still, and here Madge broke into a little smile, Jo was having quite a hard time of it now, poor thing. She and Jack were no longer able to do as they pleased, as Jo was having to be a full-time mother for the first time. Madge felt responsible for this in many ways. She had been one of the first to make Jo feel that she didn't have to cope alone, and that had been bad for Jo when she was suddenly bereft of her household help. Madge was going to see Anna, if she could. She knew that she was living in the family home, an invalid who needed every penny of the pension that Jack was paying her every month. The plight of these girls who lived in Tyrol was still not much better than it had been when she first started the Chalet School. They were still needed at home to help with the work and to look after the tourists in the summer months, so they had very little chance of escape.

She shook herself. It was no good going off onto side paths when she needed to think about her future.

Then there had been the David problem. She hadn't been told for quite some time what David had done, how he had reshaped his life. At first, she had refused to believe it. Her son, the heir to the baronetcy, a deviant. It was impossible, and she had said so, frequently and loudly. Then, because everyone had assured her it was true, had shown her the letters he had written, she had been forced to take it in.

She had decided there and then, that she would have nothing more to do with him, and would certainly not countenence receiving him or his partner over her threshold. Then she had sunk back into her silent state for a couple of weeks, and suffered the torments of a renewed craving for alcohol. She still didn't like it, but now she had accepted it. She supposed that was something she had to do, but nothing on earth would make her agree to meet Tim, even now.

It had been hard to come back from that, harder than the realisation of what she had done to her daughters, Ailie included. She hadn't seen Ailie for over three years, and it seemed that her youngest daughter was getting on with her life, and making plans for her future. Ailie hadn't wanted to take 'A' Levels, not until Hugh had intervened and told her that she needed them. She had also been reluctant to let Rosalie Dene give her typing lessons. Well, Ailie had done well in her 'O' levels, was taking three 'A' Levels and was well on track to be admitted to a Personal Assistant's course in London. Then it seemed that she would be working for Hugh.

Madge had found that very hard to swallow, that Hugh could have more influence than she had, but then had been forced to admit that Hugh and Sybil had seen more of Ailie than she had in the past three years. Ailie wrote to her mother every week, but it was a polite, formal letter, not the screeds that she sent to her father, which made him roar with laughter.

It was very hard, miserably hard, to realise that a mother can't just leave her children for years, and expect to have any influence over them when it was time to pick up the relationship again. The only influence they might have was financial, but that was no problem. Jem seemed determined to let his children go their own ways, have the money they needed to follow their own inclinations in their adult lives. It was a far cry from needing to work to support a younger sister, and from staying at home and helping out until meeting a nice young man and marrying him. The hardest thing of all was trying to come to terms with the fact that they were all individuals, not just the six children of Sir James and Lady Russell, little pieces to move round the world as their parents dictated.

Then there were the twins. She would be seeing them soon, after a long gap, and from what Dick and Mollie were telling her in their letters, they were two devil-may-care young men who stuck to each other through thick and thin, enjoyed their lives to the full, and seemed set fair to go on to university. What they would do after that was still a mystery. But it didn't seem as though they were intending to follow Madge's plans for them, one into the Army and one into the Navy.

The hardest thing to realise was that she no longer had any parental authority over them. She had been an absent mother, absent for three years. How could she expect everything to fall back into place, as though she could wipe out three years? She couldn't. She'd left them to their schools and to her brother and sister-in-law, and she knew that any attempt on her part to play either the doting mother or the stern parent would be met with hoots of laughter if not a downright rejection. Ailie would do the same.

Boarding school was one thing, going off to the other side of the world was another. She was beginning to realise that a parent was lucky if she retained some of her children's love once they were grown up.

And the most urgent problem of all. What was she going to do about Jem?
It wasn't that she didn't want him to become the GP around here, Lord knows, the people needed someone. No, it was the peripheral nature of her involvement that was bothering her. She didn't want to be a receptionist or a passer of things, she wanted to make a positive contribution too. But what could her contribution be?

She rose from the sofa, and went to make herself a cup of tea. She knew Jem would be waking soon, and would be wanting her to go and look at the house, and she desperately needed to have a plan of her own to put forward before she was swept up in his enthusiasm. At least here she wouldn't be a social outcast.

That had been the worst of it. Not the time in the clinic, though that had been terrible, but the time they had had to live in Melbourne after her discharge. There had been no invitations, and people who had been pleased to call themselves her friends before her admission for treatment had cut her dead afterwards. Her alcoholism had made her pay a heavy price in every aspect of her life.

She desperately wanted a fresh start, knew she would love to live by the Tiernsee again, but knew that too much free time would be dangerous for her.

Although they could have had breakfast in their suite, Madge chose to eat in the hotel dining - room. She felt that she wanted to see what sort of clientele the hotel had, and hear more about the area if she could.

The waitress who served them spoke only limited English, so Madge was delighted that her own command of German was still with her. She thoroughly enjoyed her delicious breakfast of muesli with creamy local milk, followed by crisp bread rolls, butter and jam, all washed down with good strong coffee. She was pleased to see that Jem made a good meal too.

As she had brought her hat and gloves down with her, as well as a light jacket, Madge was able to spend some time in talking to the receptionist, ostensibly choosing from the selection of free brochures on the desk in the hall. The pleasant young woman who was working behind the desk was quite willing to chat to Madge, and she spoke good English, or fairly good. It was not long before Madge discovered that the girl was not a local, but a Hotel Management student doing a work placement.

'We students are needed here, Frau Russell, because we speak decent English. There is a local school, but it is not very good. You see, there is only a part-time teacher, it is for the mornings only, so the children do not have the chance to learn to speak other languages as we do in schools in the cities. It is a pity for them, but until the government will pay for a full-time teacher, it is better than nothing.'

Madge felt quite concerned about this, but the girl did not notice her expression, continuing her speech.

'That means that even if the local girls and boys can get a job working in hotels and guest - houses for the summer, they cannot do the jobs that mean that they come into contact with the tourists, because they cannot understand enough. It is difficult for them. And in the winter, the school is sometimes closed because of the weather.'

Madge grew more and more thoughtful at these revelations, but just then Jem came along the hall, telling her that Anton Braun was going to drive them to Seespitze and show them the house, as he had a key. She followed them out to the car, then looked out of the window, occasionally pointing out some well-remembered and well-loved sight to Jem.

The journey was very short, but a multitude of memories came flooding back to her. This was where her life's first real adventure had begun, this was where she had spent the first few years of her marriage; some of the happiest years of her life.

Jem's voice broke into her thoughts.

'It's bringing it all back for me. Is it doing the same for you? I can see from your face that it is. Isn't it wonderful?'

The first sight of the Chalet was promising. It had a welcoming appearance with window boxes ready for planting on the broad window-sills, and the outside was painted in a pleasant shade of cream. The deep-blue front door was approached by a small verandah, so Madge was fairly favourably impressed. The whole house was set in a fairly large garden, but Jem did not seem at all worried by this. Madge supposed that he thought that they would be able to find someone local who would do the hard work for them.

The hall, when the front door was finally opened, proved to be panelled in the pine-wood so beloved of the Tyroleans. Anton Braun then began to show them round the house, almost as anxiously as if it were his own property that he was longing to offload. Madge decided to be generous about his motives. It wouldn't do his business any harm if there were a resident doctor living in Seespitze, but he also seemed concerned that the local people had some medical care.

The house had a large salon, a good dining room, and another large room at the back. There was also a smaller room where Jem could have his study. The kitchen was good, if somewhat old-fashioned. Madge hadn't liked much that was Australian, but she had appreciated the modern cookers and the large fridges with which their kitchens were equipped. Not that she would want to get rid of the wood-burning range, but a new one was definitely required. An electric cooker for the hot summer months and the wood-burner for the winter would be ideal. She would make this perfectly clear to Jem, though she had to admit that he was quite capable of cooking a decent meal himself, and even experimented at times.

The annexe proved to be as Jem had said. There were two decent rooms, another smaller one, and a separate entrance. So far, so good. Upstairs held four good bedrooms, two modern bathrooms and a box-room. Madge felt that she couldn't in all honesty, find fault with the house or its layout. And Jem was looking at her so anxiously, she hesitated to pour cold water on his schemes.

Madge could see that Jem was disappointed that she didn't immediately declare that she loved the house, wanted to buy it and fall in with his plans. However, she managed to ignore it, then told Anton that she would not make an instant decision, but wanted to talk it over with her husband first.

Smiling brightly at both of them, she told them.

'It's such a fine day, I feel as though I'd like to take a picnic lunch, walk along the side of the lake, eat in the open air, then come back. My husband and I can discuss it as we walk and eat our lunch. Will that be all right, Anton? Will it be any trouble to provide us with a packed lunch?'

Anton quickly agreed to provide them with a picnic, though it was clear that he had been hoping for a quicker decision than he was going to get.

They drove back to the hotel in almost silence, then Madge and Jem went upstairs to change their clothes into something more suitable for walking. Coming downstairs again, they found a couple of small rucksacks awaiting them. Thanking the Receptionist, they strolled out of the hotel and through the village of Briesau, still little more than a hamlet.

They walked in silence for some time, then Jem asked her, very tentatively,

'Well, did you like the house Madge? I thought it would be ideal for us, but if you don't like it, we'll have to look elsewhere.'

Madge thought for a moment before replying.

'It's not that I don't like the house, Jem, it's how I spend the rest of my life that bothers me. We have to talk about that, and very soon. That's why I wanted us to come out, away from everyone, so we can talk in peace, without anyone else's hopes and expectations to influence us.'

'You see, Jem,' she continued earnestly. 'I do realise how much these people need a doctor around here. I can see that, and I can understand completely how much you want to help them. I agree with that, and I won't stand in your way, not if that's what you really want to do.'

Seeing his face begin to break into a smile, she hurried on.

'It's my part in it that's the problem. I don't want to be a receptionist and passer of things. I want something that will involve me in what I do best. Being an unqualified nurse isn't my idea of how to spend my time.

'You were the one who said we had to be honest with each other, so I'm being honest. I won't find it fulfilling, and it won't be enough, not for me. I know you'll make a difference to their lives, but I need to do that as well. The Chalet School doesn't need me, except when they can't find anyone else to present the prizes. Jo doesn't need me, and she hasn't got the time for me, not with the way her life has turned out. And, and I've got to face this, the children don't need me. Sybil's married to Hugh. I made a real hash of that, didn't I? Josette's all set for a career in Economics; David's living his own life as he wants to; Ailie has planned her own future and the twins seem to have their own ideas about what they intend to do. We don't figure much in their plans, do we?'

Jem listened to this, his heart filled with pity as well as love for her. He still didn't feel that he had been wrong to want to come back here, but he ought to have made better plans for the future. He told himself off. He should have discussed it properly before they arrived in Austria. He was too afraid of losing Madge to press on as he had done before, making all the decisions and expecting her to agree to them. He would listen, he would learn. he'd done that with the children, hadn't he? He could learn to do it with his wife. After all, Sybil had relented and written to him, and even if they still hadn't managed to meet, they were getting on better in their letters. And Josette, well, they were still keeping up a lively correspondence. Ailie, well, her letters were a hoot. If he could manage to change his relationship with his children, he could manage to be a better husband and he could do that by listening to what Madge actually wanted to do with her time.

Taking a deep breath, Jem asked the all-important question.

'So, what do want to do, Madge? If you can tell me that, I'll make sure that I do everything to help you to get what you want. I can't say fairer than that, can I?'

Madge was touched by his words and by the slight tremor in his voice. She knew that she had a lot to make up for, but she was also very aware that they had both been responsible for the partial failure of their marriage. She had not fought her own corner when she had the chance to. She supposed that she had been a coward by not going out to Switzerland when the opportunity to go out to the Gornetz Platz had arisen. The truth was that she had been afraid that she would compare very badly with the expert guidance offered to the pupils and staff by such a leader as Hilda Annersley.

She could also have taken over the running of Glendower House, built it up into something really special, but she had let her own fears dominate her. Not her fears alone, but also her unwillingness to flout what she saw as convention. So she had condemned herself to a lonely life at home, with the sherry bottle as her most cherished companion. So many wasted opportunities! They were weighing heavily on her now.

She was aware that Jem was waiting for next words. Finally, she managed to get the words out.

'I want to make a difference, Jem. The first time we came out here, I needed a way of keeping Jo and myself, and starting a school was the only solution that I could see. I chose Austria, and the Tiernsee because it was cheap to live here. You did the same when you started the San. I thought I was being generous when I employed Marie and Eigen to work for me. Yet when I think back, poor little Eigen was only eleven years' old. Jem, that's too young to have to work.'

She fell silent, lost for a few moments in her memories.

'Then when we married, we employed more people, and thought we were doing well by them. I was so eager to get the right sort of girls for my school, I never thought that the local children were suffering. Yes, I fed and housed Zita during the hard winters, but you know, it wasn't enough. My girls had five meals a day, some of these families were lucky to eat once a day.'

Jem looked at her closely. The first thing that he noticed was that the old pioneering sparkle was back in her eyes. Then the import of her words really hit him.

'I can see that something has sparked you off, Madge. What is it, exactly? I can't understand the problems until I know what they are, or see how to help you.'

'I was talking to the receptionist at the hotel after breakfast. It was whilst you were getting your jacket. Jem, that girl is here on a work-placement. She lives in Graz. She has the placement because she can speak English. The local school is only part-time, so the children don't get a proper education. Nowadays you need to be able to speak English to get a decent job in a hotel. I don't know why the Government won't let them have full-time education, but it keeps them in poverty. Oh, I'm not explaining this very well, am I?'

And here she stopped.

Jem looked at her curiously, then began to speak slowly.

'If you are thinking what I think you are, you want to do something about all this, don't you?'

She looked at him gratefully.

'Yes, yes, I do. The very least we can do is to find out why the children can't have a full-time school. Then, when we've discovered the reason for that .... well, it might mean that if we were to pay something towards the salary and the heating...'

Her voice trailed off, uncertainty growing within her.

Jem put his hand on her shoulder, then gently turned her to face him.

'Madge, that's a wonderful idea. But we can't do anything until we find out why. We must do that first. But,' he paused to take a deep breath. 'There's no-one better to teach these children English than you could possibly be, my love.'

She smiled at him tremulously. Perhaps she would find a purpose here, in the midst of these well-loved mountains, and perhaps her marriage would be able to grow and develop into an equal partnership. At the very least, he had listened to her, and that was always a good beginning.

Whilst they were sitting to eat the lavish picnic that the hotel had given them, they tentatively worked out the foundations of their new future. Jem would be contacting the Ministry of Health so that he could work as a doctor for the local communities, then he would try to find a part-time nurse to help him with his patients. It was only when Madge prompted him that he began to realise that he might also need the services of a midwife to help him with the many confinements.

Then, he and Madge together would explore the possibilities of Madge giving the children something more than elementary education. English classes, yes. But there was much more that they needed. If all went well with the preliminary enquiries, they would buy the house, and spend some time travelling whilst the house purchase went through.

Then Madge had an idea. Why not get the von und zu Wertheimers interested? They might have some influence, and Marie would surely remember her schooldays with affection.

As she was voicing this idea, clouds began to cover the sun, reminding them that it was still only late April, that summer had not yet arrived and they would do well to start their return journey to the hotel.

They set off to hurry back, and this time they were walking hand in hand. Though there was no particular reason to, they laughed from time to time, even when a few drops of rain fell, making them hurry even more. The rain grew steadier, and they were both glad of their warm waterproof jackets by the time they reached their destination. But inside themselves, they needed no waterproofs, they were warm with the consciousness that they were going to be a team.

The next few months flew by. Not that they were easy months to live through, not with officialdom apparently putting as many obstacles in the way as possible.

The Ministry of Health were quite happy to have Jem working for them, but clearly felt that he ought not to be working as a GP up in the mountains. He should be working in a hospital, treating severe thoracic cases. Jem's protestations were ignored for weeks.

Then there had been the problem of education for the children living living around the Tiernsee. The Ministry of Education had been dismissive of Madge's concerns about the part-time education offered to the children, clearly thinking that she did not appreciate the difficulties of recruiting and keeping staff for such a small school in a remote location. Finally, one official was unwise enough to remark that these remote village schools provided a pool of unskilled labour that was necessary for the economic well-being of the area.

Madge was outraged, and as Jem was later to remark whilst telling some friends about the incident, Madge in a state of outrage was not a pretty sight, nor one that could be ignored. His tone as he said it was full of admiration for his wife, so Madge was pleased to smile at him, and look triumphant.

Madge's solution to the problem was to enlist the help of Marie von und zu Wertheim and her husband. They not only had influence in government cirlcles, they also knew the publishers of the most influential newspapers. As soon as a few reporters had visited the Tiernsee, had interviewed Madge and the parents of several families living in Briesau and Seespitze, beginning a campaign for better schooling in this rural area, the ministerial opposition began to crumble.

Madge and Jem had not concentrated solely on their professional lives. They had walked extensively, staying at small guest-houses, and had got to know the Tyrol again.

One memorable visit had been to see Anna. Madge had telephoned first, to find out if they might visit, and having been given the go-ahead, they packed themselves and a basket of gifts and set off in the Land Rover that was Jem's new pride and joy. Madge didn't particularly like it, finding it difficult to relax in, but Jem was like a little boy with his first train set about it, so Madge gritted her teeth and put up with it.

As they set off, Madge felt rather apprehensive. She had heard of the reception that Jo's phone call had received from one of the older members of the Pfeiffen family, but knew that she would never forgive herself if she did not make the attempt to see Anna.

In the event, the visit passed off very well. The family and Anna were welcoming, though Madge was secretly shocked to see how old and worn Anna looked, far different from the placid, strong woman who had managed Jo's domestic affairs for so many years. The gifts that they took were also well-received. Madge had thought of many things for Anna's comfort and had been on a shopping spree in Innsbruck, looking for just the right warm clothes and toiletries, as well as fruit and other good things to eat.

Anna's gratitude showed itself in a few tears, but they were quickly wiped away. The sister that Anna was living with also looked very pleased with the groceries that Madge had brought, so pleased that Madge made a resolution to visit again, bringing things that would last them over the winter months. She had some time left before winter set in, and she had decided that Anna was not going to starve or go without, even if it meant that she had to learn to drive Jem's Land Rover. She was no more reconciled to the thing, but she did appreciate that the four-wheel drive would make it easier for Jem to get to outlying cases in the heavy snow.

They spent a couple of hours with Anna, talking and laughing, but left almost immediately after lunch as Anna was looking tired and needed to rest. As they left, Anna's sister, Gretel, followed them to the car, and began to thank them for what they had done for Anna, and for the things they were going to be doing for the families who lived round the Tiernsee. They tried to brush aside her words, but she would not be stopped. Then she asked them, quite shyly, if they had a job for her widowed cousin. She, Lisl, was childless, and needed a job. She was a good housekeeper and cook, and baked wonderful bread. But she was talking of going down to Innsbruck, or another city to find work, though she wanted to stay where she had been born and brought up.

Jem was the first to answer.

'My wife and I won't need much looking after, but send her to see us anyway.'

Then, seeing the expression on his wife's face, he hastened to explain.

'If she's good at making bread, then she might be the solution to the problem of school lunches. If they can have fresh bread, cheese and some fruit, it will help them to learn in the afternoons.'

Madge's face cleared at this explanation, and she seconded his invitation warmly. Finally saying goodbye to Gretel, they got into the car and drove off. Madge was silent for a while, then said thoughtfully,

'You know, Jem, there's going to be more to this than I thought. Have we taken too much on?'

His grin told her that he didn't agree, and his words were reassuring in the extreme.

'Madge, I feel rejuvenated, and as for your part in this, I don't think that there's anything in the world that you can't do if you put your mind to it.'

With that, his wife had to be content.
Things were beginning to come together. Madge had decided that the children of the area needed to learn proper German as well as English. Their patois was all very well for everyday use, but if they were to get on in the world, they would need to be able to speak their own language fluently and correctly.

Their house was in the final stages of redecoration and refurbishment, with new stoves for cooking and heating, so Madge was able to get down to the real business of planning lessons and ordering books and teaching supplies. She knew that they would be very much needed, but she was determined that she was not going to subsidise the work of the present schoolmaster by providing him with books.

She had met the man and was unimpressed by his attitude. He seemed to think that the minimal education that he offered was quite enough for the local children, and often did not bother to re-order stationery or text-books. Some of the books that the pupils were using were very much out of date, battered and torn, offering no incentive for the children to learn.

They had interviewed Lisl, who seemed to have quite a bit of spirit, and decided that she would be a very satisfactory housekeeper. She seemed to be very keen to bake bread for the children to have at lunch-times, telling Madge and Jem that the children would be glad to have plain, wholesome food then, as they often did not have enough to eat. Madge felt herself growing angry at this, in this day and age, that children should go without the food they needed to grow strong.

One evening, she and Jem were talking about it, and she confessed her anger at the situation. Jem agreed with her, thinking that this cause that she had taken up was giving her a new appearance of life and vitality.

'If we can make a difference in this small area, we'll have done well. And I'm sure that we will make this difference. It will be good to spend our retirement here.'

Madge was thinking this, but she still had one abiding sadness in her life. She had tried to communicate with her children, but their responses had been courteous at best, lukewarm at worst. She could only hope that things would improve on that front in the future. She tried not to compare the letters she received with those that Jem got from them, but it was hard, very hard. However, she also knew that her self-pitying moods were a danger time for her, so she tried to fill her hours with useful activities.

Finally, the plans for the school that Madge would run were completed. All sorts of contingencies had been thought of, and difficulties overcome. The government, in the persons of the Ministryof Education, had agreed to build an extra fuel store, and had done so.

Madge had ordered and paid for coal and wood, and she had the keys to the store. Her new textbooks and exercise books had arrived, along with pens and ink, though she was also going to be giving out pencils, crayons and biros for rough work. She had been given a new, locking cupboard for the classrooms, and she had every intention of seeing that it was kept locked unless she was using its contents.

She didn't want to be thought of as mean, but she was very well aware that her supplies would vanish as if by magic if the schoolmaster had access to them. Still, her intervention had called attention to the plight of the children, and they now had new textbooks to learn from, and the Schoolmaster had received a stern warning.

The parents of the school-age children had been very eager for their children to get more education, seeing it as a way out of poverty for themselves as well as the children. So, some of the men, who were employed during the summer months and laid off for the winter, had told Madge that they would bring the children into school as often as possible during the winter, using large sledges. If there happened to bea blizzard, then the children could not come.

Madge was all too aware that the onset of winter often meant not only poverty but also the necessity of staying housebound, so she was grateful that the men had offered so much. She would have loved to be able to offer accommodation, but she was realistic enough to realise that she couldn't. What she had arranged was that children would be able to take books and exercise books home, and revise and keep up with their work during the times when coming to school was an impossibility.

Jem's plans were also coming to fruition. He had had the waiting room done out with comfortable chairs and a table, equipped his surgery with everything he might need, and was beginning to train his part-time nurse in his ways.

Lisl, their housekeeper was proving to be a joy. She was efficient and unobtrusive, and the food she prepared was always well cooked and tasty. Her bread was everything that good bread should be, and she seemed to have no problems with producing large amounts of it. As she said when she phoned Gretel, she was very happy where she was. The Russells were good employers, polite, friendly and appreciative of her work. She couldn't ask for much more.

All in all, both Madge and Jem were pleased with the progress they had made in their plans. Madge found herself revelling in the work she had to do, and Jem was quick to notice that she got out of bed each morning as though she were looking forward to the challenges of the day. She noticed that he was walking around with a spring in his step, and whistling as he worked.

Their evenings were quiet and pleasant, both of them feeling agreeably tired by the time bed-time came around, but both aware that they were still feeling their way into rebuilding their relationship. In fact, Madge, sitting out in the garden one day, found herself reflecting that though she was happier now than she had been for years, there was still something missing from their lives.

The one thing that was missing from her life was a proper relationship with the children.

Sybil was, of course, out of touch, with Madge, anyway. She wrote to her father, but there was no sign that she intended to thaw in her attitude to her mother. The nature and quality of her relationship with her oldest daughter had been one of the most painful parts of Madge's therapy, and she had had her eyes opened to the pitfalls in the way that she had treated her; it was true, Madge had sailed along, making assumptions, and making them in error. She had thought that she had been a good mother, and Jo, Jo who actually disliked Sybil, had encouraged her to believe this. Yet, when had she ever really given Sybil the time and attention that she deserved? Never.

By the time Sybil was born, Madge had David and the three Bettany children to look after as well. It had been easier to leave Sybil to Rosa, especially after the advent of Daisy and Primula. Then when Sybil had discovered that she was her parents' daughter, what had they done, labelled her selfish, jealous Sybil, when all the poor child had wanted was some love and reassurance.

When she and Jem had written to invite the other children to spend the summer with them in Tyrol, they had all refused. They all had other plans. It was clear that Jem was bitterly disappointed, but he had refrained from playing the heavy father, and let them have the money to do as they pleased. Josette had gone back to Guernsey to work for the Lucy clan, the twins had gone on a climbing expedition with their school, then on to the Quadrant, where they had been honing their walking and orienteering skills, and Ailie had managed to get herself invited to London, and talked Hugh into giving her a holiday job with his company. Apparently, she loved being a temporary office junior.

Then she came to herself with a start. She was sinking into the pit of introspection, and from there it was a short journey into self-pity, and she knew where that could lead to. This would never do. She still had plans to make, shopping to do, and she was certainly going to make time to see Anna again before her school opened.

She was already making up a shopping list of things that she wanted Anna to have before the winter set in, and that included some knitting wool and needles. Anna might not be able to do much, but if she could spend a little time each day in some sort of handicraft, it might be good for her. Then a thought struck Madge, like a lightning stroke.

In all the letters they had exchanged, Jo had never once mentioned Anna, not even to wonder how she was getting on.

Jem was pleased with the way that things were going for them. He was sure that their lives would not always run quite so smoothly as they were now, for that was life for you. The one thing that he was worried about was how they would stand the winter months. It had been a long time since they had had to face the challenges of heavy snow and freezing conditions, but it seemed that Madge was stocking up well on the basics, filling her store-room and larders with Lisl's enthusiastic help.

He was not actually worried about whether he would get fed or not, for he was sure that unless there were extremely heavy snowfalls, he would be able to crawl down to Spartz to fetch foodstuffs and other necessities in his Land Rover.

He smiled at Madge's attempts to hide her dislike of this new vehicle. She had made valiant efforts at concealment, but Jem knew what she really thought of it. So it wasn't the most comfortable thing to ride in, but the four-wheel drive would help him to reach patients in outlying districts in an emergency.

His relationship with Madge was going well, far better than he had ever thought possible during the long dark days of her treatment when the only beacons had been thoughts of his children and the hopes of another letter from them. He had been disappointed that none of them had wanted to join them in Tyrol, but was beginning to think that their absence might have been a good thing. As it had turned out, he and Madge had been able to focus on their own futures, rather than Madge spending too much time on attempting to tell the children how to live their lives, and planning for their futures instead of letting them do it for themselves. He could have told them that they were to come out to visit, but that would have meant playing the heavy, know-best father, and he didn't want to go down that route again.

There was another thing that was niggling him. He knew that Madge and Jo wrote to each other regularly, though Madge never pined for Jo's letters as she had done in the past, but she never mentioned that Jo had asked after Anna, even though she had written to tell Jo about the visit they had paid, and had probably told Jo all about the provisions and things she was collecting to make sure that Anna had a good winter ahead of her. He had surprised Madge by telling her that he had ordered and paid for a couple of loads of logs to be delivered to the Pfeiffers, just to make sure that they had some stocks for the winter.

This was why Jem was out for a short walk by himself: he really needed to consider what he Jack had told him. He and Jack corresponded regularly, and Jack had unloaded some of his worries onto Jem, both medical and personal. Jack was paying Anna a small pension every month, about a third of what she had earned when working for them. Jack thought that it was little enough to do for the woman who had been such a support to them, running their home for them, always ready to help in any situation. It seemed that every time Jack mentioned Anna to Jo, she quickly changed the subject and, as far as Jack knew, had never written to Anna, not sent her anything to make her life easier for her, not even a card on her birthday.

And now, it seemed, Jo was all for selling their home in the Tyrol, saying that they could just as easily bring the whole family to stay with Jem and Madge for the summer holidays as have the bother and expense of maintaining their own home. Jem was determined that he wouldn't let that happen, never again.

What really angered Jem about the whole situation was that Jo had clearly not bothered to listen to him when he had told her that she would not be welcome in his house again, the last time that he had seen her in Australia. He also knew that Jack and Jo were not wanting for money, Jem had increased Jack's salary by a considerable amount once he realised that Jack was going to find it hard to pay Anna a decent pension, and had other major expenses as well.

He didn't feel in the least bit sorry for Jo, believing that she had brought most of her troubles on herself. He thought that he knew what had brought on this latest idea of hers. Bring all the family over the border, then sit back in their house and expect Lisl to provide all the services that Anna had once so willingly given. Well, it wasn't going to happen to Lisl, and he definitely didn't want her to give in her notice. He and Madge were very comfortable with her: the house was well run, the food was good, and she got plenty of time off.

That might sound selfish, but both Madge and Jem were careful to make sure she took all her days off. Jem often drove her to her home , so she could visit relatives, and they both helped with the washing-up after dinner. And as long as the house was well run, Lisl was free to organise her time as she chose. They had turned the long room at the back of the house into a very comfortable bedsit for her, and made sure that she had plenty of comfort and warmth and knew that she was free to invite her own friends to join her in the evenings.

Then Jem smiled. He doubted whether Jo would have an easy time of it trying to impose on Lisl, she certainly wasn't as placid and willing to be burdened as Anna had been, she was far more spirited. Madge had had a bit of a problem getting used to that, but now she and Lisl got on very well.

And, the real problem - Jem was just not willing to have Madge going back to work and making herself tired out and then have her run around after Jo and her family. Eleven children, and probably an au pair, plus two adults were too many for their house to cope with, especially with all the meals that Jo seemed to think that her children needed.

Then Jem admitted it to himself. The deepest real problem was that he had Madge to himself now, and he didn't want to share her with her younger sister, didn't want Jo strolling in and demanding Madge's attention, didn't want her at the dinner table every evening. He knew that Madge was grieving inside at the poor relationship between herself and her own children, so having Jo there with all her brood would make it more difficult for their own to visit them, and he was certainly not going to tell his own that they couldn't visit because there were no beds for them.

Jem mentally castigated himself for being selfish, but then his mind turned to another aspect of their situation. This breathing space was definitely what he and Madge needed to rebuild their marriage, to become the couple that they should have been from the start. And there were other things to consider. His practice, Madge's school - they weren't getting any younger, either of them, and they would need their holidays to recuperate. He had made plans to ensure that they had a decent holiday every summer, and he was not going to have Madge turned into a supernumary housekeeper because Jo wanted an easy time of it.

Jem was realistic enough to know that illnesses and accidents would not confine themselves to his surgery hours, so he would have to get used to broken nights again, and to leaving his dinner uneaten at times. But that was part of a doctor's life and he accepted it.

He also realised what a massive undertaking it was for Madge to start teaching again. He was still feeling a lot of admiration for her: the way she had been honest with him about her role in their lives; the battles she had fought to be allowed to teach again; the way she had organised everything, and was preparing her lessons for the coming year - all these things had been hard, but she had done them, and done them well.

He decided that the first thing he would do would be to write to Jack and make it clear that the house would not accomodate the Maynard family, it wasn't big enough. Then he would ask Jack some probing questions about why the Maynards were proposing to sell their house in Tyrol. Now he thought about it, Jack was sounding tired, there was definitely some sort of strain there, yet some of the small children had now started nursery school, so Jo couldn't be so tied down to housework and cooking. She had an au pair to help her, and the heavy laundry was done for her, as was all the major cleaning. No, there had to be something behind all this, and he was going to find out what it was.

He turned for home, and walked back along the path, thinking things through. Madge would be starting to teach in a couple of weeks' time, and there was a lot to be done before then.

As Jem walked back into the house, he hallooed to let Madge and Lisl know that he was home, then went into his study. He had just seated himself behind his desk so that he could do some paperwork, when the phone rang. He answered it, it was Jack on the other end of the line.

At first, Jem could hardly hear him, so he thought the line was bad, but it soon improved. Jack seemed to be suffering from a mixture of tiredness and embarrassment.

Last edited by Jennie on Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:02 pm; edited 10 times in total

 

#2:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 1:13 pm

Jem listened to what Jack was saying with a growing mixture of anger and alarm. After over a year of managing the house, Jo had grown tired of it, and hearing from Madge that Lisl was working for them, had set her heart on finding a replacement for Anna.

'...........so you see, Jem, she's absolutely set on coming to Austria to stay with you so she can have a few days of being pampered by Lisl. She hopes to come home with a new housekeeper in the bag. I don't know what's wrong with her, but just lately it's all sulks and sighs. She's almost as bad as she was when she came back from Australia.'

'Well, the first thing that you can tell her is that she's not staying under my roof, and the second is that she's not having Lisl waiting on her hand and foot.'

'But Jem, she's always going on about how tired she is, and how much she has to do. She spends so much time moaning about it, the au pair is threatening to leave us to go home.'

Jem considered this for a few moments, then asked, 'Is her new book not doing well?'

'It's hardly doing at all,' came the reply. 'She's heard from her publisher, telling her to update her style, or they might not renew her contract. I don't know how we'll manage if we don't get an income from her books.'

Jem decided to be firm. 'Jack, I'm not having her here. Madge will be starting to teach again in a fortnight, and she needs to be able to concentrate on that in the next weeks. That's the first thing. You had a whacking pay rise when I heard that you were going to have to pay Anna a pension. That's the second. And the third is that Jo seems to have forgotten Anna's existence. After all the years of faithful service that seems monstrous to me. So Jo can forget about dropping her problems into our laps, and set about sorting herself out.'

'I've tried to tell her that, but she refuses to discuss it. The last time I mentioned Anna to her, she muttered something about disloyalty and stormed off. Jem, I'm at my wits' end.'

Jem decided that now was the time to ensure that Jo finally grew up.

'For someone who's spent so much time boasting that she was the first Chalet School pupil, and someone who'll always be a good Chalet School girl, she's not living up to her own standards, is she? And what about all those problem girls she's supposed to have sorted out? She needs to have a good think about how she tackles her own life.

And another thing. If you want to keep having holidays in the Tyrol, that's fine by me, but you won't be doing it at our expense, or in our house. Where on earth did you get the idea that we could fit your whole family into our house? It's just not on, there's not enough room, and as for Lisl cooking, cleaning and washing for all of you, she wouldn't do it. She has far more spirit than Anna ever had, and furthermore, we value what she does for us, far too much to overload her with work.'

There was an uncomfortable silence at the other end of the line, then Jack replied in a weary voice, 'I'll tell her all that, but you know what she's like once she gets an idea into her head.'

Jem offered no response to that, and Jack, understanding that he would get no more from Jem, soon said goodbye and disconnected.

Jem decided that the only way to tackle this problem was to talk it over with Madge, openly and honestly. That meant that he had to tell her several things that he had kept from her, so it would probably be an awkward conversation, and might even set them back in their attempts to rebuild their marriage.

With this in mind, Jem asked Lisl to take their coffee outside, which she did, then he popped his head into the drawing room where Madge was sitting with her head bent over her lesson plans. She admitted that she was ready for her coffee, and was glad that he had suggested having it outside, as some fresh air wouldn't come amiss.

After their coffee had been poured out and both had helped themselves to biscuits, Jem plucked up the courage to begin what he felt could be a very fateful conversation.

'I've just had a phone call from Jack. He was sounding very tired and downcast.'

Madge looked at him enquiringly, so he continued.

'It seems that Jo has been rather unhappy with the state of her domestic affairs just recently, and she's planning to come here with the aim of finding a replacement for Anna.'

He looked up to see that Madge didn't appear to be particularly interested or sympathetic, so he carried on.

'She also wants to be pampered by Lisl, looked after, you know, she says she's tired of doing everything in the house.'

'Poor Jo,' Madge replied, but her voice was rather dry. Then she went on, 'She'll be lucky to get pampering from Lisl. Oh, yes, she looks after us very well, but then, we're paying her salary, and we're going to be looking after the needs of the people round here, so it's not surprising she does her job well.'

Jem felt quite astonished at this accurate summary of the position, but wisely remained silent as Madge continued.

'Jo will just have to grow up and accept responsibility. I'll not hide it from you, Jem, it's mostly my fault. I never let Jo grow up properly because I always put her first, even before you and the children. And I accepted what she said about the children, especially Sybil, and that's what did the harm. I've had a long time to think about it, and I can see where I went wrong. In fact, I can see where we both went wrong, but now I'm trying to put something right, in a small way. I know you get letters from the children, and they're different from the letters that I get. Mine are duty letters, yours aren't. It hurts, Jem, but I'm having to learn to live with it.'

Jem felt very small at hearing this. Madge was quite clearly suffering more than he had imagined, and she had been doing it alone.

'You make me feel very humble.' was his only reply.

She smiled at him, but there was sadness underlying it. Then she replied, 'I hope not. I've come to see that they were honest mistakes, based on the way we had been brought up, and the way we grew up. The really pitiful thing about it is that we thought we knew all the answers, so we didn't change with the times.'

He agreed with that, but stayed silent. Madge continued,

'I've already written to Jo to tell her that we can't possibly have her here with all her family. She'll be welcome for an informal lunch, or for tea, but not to stay. Jem, where does she think we'd be able to find room for all of them? She has eleven of her own, not to mention the three Richardsons and her adoptees. In a house this size. We've only recently got it the way I want it, and I'm not having it turned upside down by doing up the attics.
Besides, I've been talking to Lisl.

'When we first came out here, it was easy to dismiss the local people as uneducated, but since Lisl came to us, and I've been talking to her about our plans, I've realised what a store of wisdom she has inside her head, not just about the weather, but about people too. I've come to value her, far too much to risk losing her, and I'm not having her overworked.'

'As for Jo, I've had some idea of what she did out in Australia, so I'm not really that keen to have her interfering again.'

For a while she was silent, then it came bursting out.

'What's really got my goat is the way she's behaving towards Anna. She doesn't write to her, or send her anything. I've had one or two hints in her letters that she believes that Anna deliberately had a heart attack so that she could spend the rest of her days living off the Maynards.'

Jem allowed a few moments to pass, then slowly said, 'You've given me a lot to think about. What I will do is write to Jack and stress that Jo can't come here and expect to be waited on. No, I'll be absolutely honest with you, I don't want Jo under my roof again.'

Madge smiled understandingly, but said nothing more, and soon turned the conversation to her new venture. Jem understood from that that Madge had said as much as she was going to at that time, and he was wise enough and cautious enough not to press her for more on the topic.

The next few days were busy for both of them, giving Madge and Jem no time for heart-to-heart talks, so it was not until they were once more in the Land Rover making for Anna's home that they resumed their earlier conversation.

Jem, if he were to be honest with himself, would not have re-opened the topic, but it was Madge who brought it up.

'By the way, Jem, I've written to Jo. I've told her she can't come to stay, not after the way she behaved in Australia. And I've told her again, as I've told her several times before, I'm starting to teach again. She knows all about it, she doesn't want to take it in, that's all. And I've informed her that Lisl is definitely not another Anna, she has a lot of spirit, and wouldn't pamper Jo if she were to come here. And I've told her again, as I've told her before, Lisl is going to be baking a lot of bread every day so the children can have a lunch at school before working for the afternoon.'

Jem was taken aback by this, not least by the tranquillity of his wife's tone of voice. Before he could reply, Madge went on,

'And I've told her that she can't bring the whole lot of them to stay for the holidays, there isn't room.'

Jem continued to give his attention to his driving whilst he thought things over. He had to admit it, he was quite surprised that Madge had been so decisive with her younger sister. Madge continued,

'Well I saw it as a choice between you and her, and I chose you.'

That was all she said, but the warmth that flooded through him was a wonderful sensation.

He managed to reply.

'Thank you, Madge; I mean that with all my heart.'

After they had been driving for a few more minutes, Madge spoke again.

'I was wondering if you'd like to invite the children to come here for Christmas. I know we, or you, could order them to come, but I don't want it to be like that, not the way it was before. If they come over, they'd better fly, the ones who are coming from England, anyway. Ailie could come by train and we could meet her at the station. They might like to come here now there's skiing to be had, and if they spend their time on the slopes, they'll be out for most of the day. I want them to have some fun if they do come out here, so I suppose skiing and sledging will be fine for all of them. I suppose Josette and Ailie will be able to help the twins with finding their feet, so that would be good. There's just one thing that I don't want them to have, and that's a luge. I don't know how anyone could bear to hurl himself down a mountain feet first. I wouldn't be able to stop worrying about them.'

Whilst Jem was taking all this in, he was feeling a soaring happiness that filled his whole being. Seeing that they were approaching Anna's village, he stopped the car, turned to Madge, grabbed her and kissed her with more passion than he had felt for a long time.

The days before the start of term and the opening of the new surgery flew by. The date for the surgery was just the official one; Jem had been patching up and prescribing almost since he had arrived in Tyrol, telling himself that it was his duty to his Hippocratic oath to give help wherever he could.

Madge had had a quiet few days, being uncommunicative with everyone around her, though she had discussed practical arrangements with her usual thoroughness. The, one evening, she had gone up to their room and brought down a letter which she had invited Jem to read. He knew at once from the writing that the letter was from Jo. He looked closely at Madge's face, the asked quietly,

'Are you sure you want me to read this?'

'Yes, I'm positive. Just read it, then we can talk about it if you want to.'

It was nothing more or less than a rant. Jo was hurt that her own sister on whom she depended, was unwilling to let her have a few days' holiday, being looked after. It went on and on, so Jem contented himself with reading only the first four pages.

He thought back to their visit to Anna's home, the way that they had been welcomed, the gratitude for the gifts they had taken with them, the way the women's eyes had lit up when they saw all the useful things that would make their lives easier. As they had done before, Madge and Jem had left once they saw that Anna was getting tired, and again Gretel accompanied them to the car.

She had much to say, including messages for Lisl, and they stood talking for a time. Then it burst out.

'What is making Anna feel bad is that she has heard nothing from Frau Maynard. She visited her a couple of times in hospital, but we have heard nothing since Anna returned home to live. It makes her depressed, Frau Russell. She longs for news of the children, she loved them as if they were her own, but to hear nothing after all those long years of hard work is upsetting for her.'

Jem and Madge made what excuses they could, but were both aware that they sounded feeble and inadequate. Finally they left, and drove off, waving to Gretel.

Their journey back was almost silent, neither wanted to discuss Jo again, but both knew that they would have to at some time or another, if only to present a united front, however much they might disagree.

Once they had reached home, Jem walked into his study, and found that Madge had followed him. She seated herself in the armchair and told him,

'As it's Lisl's day off, I've got to start cooking soon, but before I get involved in that, I want to hear what you think.'

'Do you really want me to be honest with you?'

'Yes, I do. I want your opinion about what we've heard today. A large part of the problem is that I blame myself. I was the person who brought her up, so I must have failed somewhere.'

'I think we're all to blame, not just you, Madge. It's you, me and Jack, and the school. We've just given in to her too much, made her think she's too important. Remember, we've always given in to her, especially if she looked tired. I think she's played on our worries about her feeling any sort of stress, so she automatically expects to be rescued once she gets tired of whatever role she feels she has to play.'

Madge considered this for a few moments, then sighed deeply.

'I think you're right. Of course, she was never strong as a child, and it just seemed to carry on from there. It's daft, isn't it? I was far more worried about her when she was expecting her babies than I ever was about myself.'

Then Jem said bleakly, 'We ought to remember that if she's strong enough to have eleven children, she ought to be able to cope. It's Jack I'm really worried about.'

Madge pondered this for a little while, then said,

'I don't want this hanging over us, but I want to think about the problem again. perhaps a solution will come to me when I'm cooking. It's just that I feel that I've found a purpose in life again, and I don't want anything to put a stop to that. And I know Jo of old, once she makes up her mind to something, she doesn't stop until she's got it.'

With that, she got out of her chair and wandered off into the kitchen. After thinking for a few minutes, Jem got up and followed her, to find her standing in the kitchen looking into space.

Jem felt that he ought not to disturb whatever was going on in Madge's head, so he contented himself with washing up the things that had been left next to the sink. He was surprised to hear a soft giggle from behind him, and turning he saw that Madge was clearly amused at the sight.

'I never thought that I'd see the great Sir James Russell doing the washing up.' she managed to say.

Jem replied with mock pomposity.

'I'll have you know that I was trained in the Miss Russell School of Dishwashing. I graduated with a First Class Certificate, the only pupil to do so.'

After that, the atmosphere became easier between them and they ended up by cooking the food together, and eating it at the kitchen table to save themselves the bother of setting the dining table. After this, they made themselves a pot of coffee and carried it through to the drawing room, where Jem decided to light the fire to continue with the cosy mood.

All at once, Madge burst out with

'I've decided to write a very strong letter to Jo, telling her she can't come here. And I'm going to tell her what I think of her, behaving as she has to poor old Anna. I'm also going to write to her older children and tell them that Anna is longing for letters from them with all their news. There has to be a reason for their not writing, they know how much Anna did for them. Apart from Jo, Charles was the one who depended on her more than anyone, so I can't see why he hasn't written to her, unless he's been told that she doesn't want to hear from him.'

Jem thought about this for a few minutes, then slowly replied,

'Perhaps they don't have her address. If you were to write to the triplets, I'm sure they write to all their brothers and sisters, and if you gave them the address to contact Anna, they'd probably let the others know.'

'That's a good idea. I'm sure they would. I wonder why they don't know the address, I'm sure Jack knows it, he was the one who gave it to us, after all.'

Madge looked sadly at Jem. Neither of them wished to contemplate the conclusions they were being forced to come to.

In an attempt to cheer her up, Jem tried to change the conversation.

'I'm going to be writing to the children soon, to ask them here for Christmas. I think we ought to be making a few decisions as to what rooms they're going to be sleeping in, and what sort of celebrations we'll be putting on if they decide to come.'

Madge looked thoughtful at that, and then said, 'Yes, I suppose we ought to be thinking ahead, and consulting Lisl, after all, she'll be doing most of the work.'

'If they come, I was thinking that we'd get them their winter-sporting gear for their main presents, and other little things as well.'

'Yes, Jem, if they come.'

With only two days to go before the start of term, Madge was beginning to feel very nervous, in spite of all the reassurance that Jem kept giving to her.

In her heart, Madge knew that part of it was caused by the letter she had finally written to Jo, telling her that she was not to come to their house in search of rest and pampering, neither did Madge want her there during the first few days, or even weeks of her new venture into teaching. Madge was perfectly well aware that if Jo did come to stay, she would attempt to monopolise her time, and Madge needed that for correcting the children's work and assessing how much needed to be gone over again.

Still, she was heartened to discover that Lisl intended to walk to the school with her to help her to carry the heavy baskets of food. It was quite clear that Lisl was taking this venture to heart, and had even made some sweet cakes for the children to eat on the first day of term.

Jem was busy, not only seeing patients in his surgery, but also visiting some of those in outlying districts, often along with the nurse. He had discovered that the oldest people of the area had often not seen a doctor for years, and some were almost unable to walk for various reasons such as arthritis. He was able to help them with better painkillers or other treatments for their conditions, and he found that his visits were often rewarded with a small gift, such as a pat of fresh butter or some cheese, though he had been careful to make the people understand that their treatment was free.

Madge, without telling Jem, and she was a little ashamed of this, had telephoned Jack at the San and managed to get Len's address in Oxford. She had then written to her oldest niece, telling her of Anna's plight, and how much she was longing to hear some news of the children she had cared for for so long. She was apprehensive about the reply she would get, and whether Jo would interfere, but she had made up her mind to do it.

The first day of term had arrived. Madge and Lisl walked along to the school, burdened by their heavy baskets to find a crowd of eager-faced young people awaiting them. Also awaiting them was a small churn of fresh milk, delivered with a smiling face by Anton Braun, who had contributed cups as well.

After greeting Madge and Lisl, he announced,

'This is my share towards the new school, Frau Russell. It is a great thing you are doing, and I want to help as well.'

Madge was a little bemused, but pleased, to see that Lisl took charge of distributing the food and drink to the eager children, and supervised the clearing up afterwards.

Then Madge began her first day as a teacher by making up her register.

Her first afternoon's teaching had gone well, but Madge had found it tiring to go back to the work. She had decided to teach them accurate German first, then give a brief lesson in English, and this had gone down very well. When her classes were over, she was quite relieved to find Jem waiting for her with the car. She'd never imagined that she would be so relieved to see that Land Rover, but she was.

There were letters waiting for her at home. One of them was from Jo, so Madge decided to open it first. Whatever bad news the others contained would seem mild in comparison. It wasn't a rant this time, just full of injured feelings and hurt. Jo had evidently decided that being a martyr was the way forward. Smiling a little at her own thoughts, Madge opened the letter from Len.

Len sounded hurt and confused. She and the rest of the family who were old enough to write letters would certainly have written to Anna if their letters had been wanted. But they had been told that Anna had felt that a complete severance of communication was required. They had also been given to understand that Anna had said this because she felt guilty about letting the family down by having a heart attack and being unable to work any longer. Madge's face grew grimmer as she read this epistle. She had no doubt that Len was telling the truth. She also had no doubt where that erroneous information had come from.

Then she read the final paragraphs. Len and Con were both well and working hard for their finals. They were looking forward very much to visiting Jem and Madge next summer for the whole of their vacation, along with the rest of their family. It would be nice to be able to spend so long in the Tyrol, especially as they thought they would never have the chance to go back there now that her parents had had to sell their own house because of the money situation.

'What money situation?' thought Madge grimly. She realised that she couldn't cope with this by herself, and decided that it was time that Jem was involved in this whole messy, sorry business. She knew that he was with a patient who had turned up unexpectedly, so her business would have to wait.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the entry of Lisl with the tea-tray, and it was obvious that she was full of her own news, so Madge asked her to sit down and mentally prepared herself for whatever it was that her housekeeper was going to tell her.

Lisl was absolutely bursting with the news. She had had several phone calls from friends and relatives who lived nearby. The new school was a success! The children who had arrived home had been full of how good the lunch had been, and how nicely the Gnadige Frau had treated them. They were all happy to have more lessons, in such a warm room, too. They wanted to know if Frau Russell would like them to sweep the floor after Mittagessen, so it was better for her teach in.

Madge was intensely relieved by this. Her new venture was going to go from strength to strength. She told Lisl that she was very glad to hear all this, and to hear about how much Lisl's good food was appreciated. Lisl then excused herself, telling Madge that she was preparing a special dinner to celebrate.

Madge sat and sipped her tea thoughtfully, wondering how she and Jem were going to cope with the Jo problem. It seemed that Jo was determined to have everything her way, and would listen to no-one in her headlong pursuit of what she wanted.

Jem found her there, sitting quietly, and though he was ready for his tea, he sensibly decided that Madge was more important.

'Tell me about it, Madge. I can see that there's something on your mind. is it the school, or is it the family problem?'

She looked at him gratefully; they really did seem to be more in tune these days.

'Here's a couple of letters I've just received. Read them while I'm pouring your tea, I think they'll be an eye-opener. Though I don't know why I've just said that. I don't think you'll be at all surprised.'

Her voice trembled on the last few words, so Jem took the letters with a sinking feeling in his stomach.

Madge was interested to see that Jem's face got tighter and tighter as he read both letters. Finally he finished his reading and put them onto the table as though he didn't want to touch them any longer.

She handed him his tea and offered him the plate of cakes. He took the offered cup and saucer, but shook his head at the cakes, still in silence. He sipped thoughtfully for a few minutes before he spoke.

'The most important thing I have to say at the moment is to ask you how it went today. That matters more than anything I've read. So, how was school?'

Madge's face lit up. This was so much better than worrying about Jo.

'It went really well. The children were interested, they worked hard and they thanked me when they left. Lisl has already told me that she's had several phone calls from the people here in the village, and they say that their children liked it. Oh Jem, it's such a relief to know that. I feel that I am doing the right thing.'

'I've never doubted that you are, Madge. I know I'm doing good work, helping people here, and so are you.'

They continued to talk about their day's work for a little while, and Madge noticed with relief that Jem helped himself to a cake almost without realising it.

Then he seemed to pull himself together. She knew what their next topic of conversation was going to be - the dreadful news that they had received.

'Well, it's easy to understand now why those children have not contacted Anna, but as for the rest of Len's news, well, I can only say that I'm dismayed that no-one seems to be taking a bit of notice of what we've told them about next summer. Understand this, I'm not having the lot of them here, running you ragged, or running Lisl ragged for that matter. We're older now, and I'm selfish enough to admit that I want you to myself. If our own children want to come out here, that's fine, they're more than welcome. In fact, Josette is perfectly capable of managing the rest of them if we decide to go away for a holiday. After all, if she could teach me to cook and look after myself, she won't find Ailie and the twins any bother to organise.'

Madge smiled at this, then her smile dwindled as she heard Jem continue,

'The first thing I'm going to do is to telephone Jack. I'm going to get to the bottom of all this, whatever it is. He may be decisive and strict enough as a doctor and Head of the San, but he's being woefully weak towards Jo, giving in to her demands. I think she believes that if she does it for long enough and persistently enough, we'll all give in so we get some peace. Well, I'm not having my home disrupted for two months and more, just so Madam Jo can have a relaxing holiday.'

Madge was a little taken aback by the vehemence of his words, but then she realised how little she actually wanted her younger sister to bring her whole brood of children to stay with her, necessitating all the extra cooking, cleaning, washing, ironing that it would entail.

She ventured a suggestion.

'Actually Jem, given the date of the end of the summer term here, I was wondering if we might actually go over to England for a few weeks. Dick and Mollie keep inviting us to stay, and I'd like to see them again, stay at the Quadrant. The twins could go there from school, and we could meet Ailie at the station, then fly home.'

'Yes, why not?' he replied. 'I'll put it to them, and see what they'd like to do. If we were away for two or three weeks, we could give Lisl a good long paid holiday. She'll deserve it by then.'

Madge decided that his idea was a good one, so she agreed at once. Really, Jem was being most inventive. Then a change in his voice caught his attention.

'And this time, I'll write to Jo, and knock her silly ideas on the head.'

In the event, it was the weekend before the Russells were able to make their phone calls and write their important letters.

Madge had found teaching more tiring than she had expected, then told herself that she ought to have realised that she was nearly thirty years older than when she had started her first school, but she was certainly feeling energised by the enthusiasm that her pupils were showing.

Jem had been making visits to some of the outlying hamlets to ensure that his patients there had enough medication to last for a couple of months, and that they were taking it. He also held brief clinics at the Gasthaus in each village, to ensure that no emergency cases were overlooked. His nurse came with him on some of the visits, and she was able to deal with many of the routine problems. Satisfying though he found the work, he was still ready for his dinner and for his bed when eleven o'clock came round. And he wanted to be well rested before he had to cope with Jack and with Jo.

He still found himself feeling very hard-hearted towards that lady, especially from what he had read between the lines of Len's letter. he knew perfectly well that Len would never have neglected Anna if she hadn't been misinformed.

So, it was on Saturday, when Madge and Lisl had driven into Innsbruck to do some shopping that he picked up the phone and dialled Jack's number at the San. he knew that Jack had recently taken to going into the San on Saturday mornings to get his paperwork done, so he was sure of finding him there. And in any case, Jem recalled grimly, he was still Jack's boss and the owner of the San, so he was entitled to find out why this state of affairs had come about.

'Jack, this is Jem,' he said into the phone when Jack answered. 'Madge has had a very interesting letter from Len this week. First, what's all this about you having to sell the house in the Tyrol because of your financial situation? I gave you a large pay-rise last year to help out, so where's the problem?'

'I was hoping that things would sort themselves out,' came the weary reply. '

'They don't, not unless you take some positive action, Jem riposted smartly. 'So, come on, what is it?'

'Our financial situation is getting worse. Jo's income from writing is dwindling every year, she can't seem to change with the times. And I've just taken a huge loss on some of our investments. Companies that have been producing a steady income for us seem to have nothing but losses or falling profits nowadays. The house doesn't get any cheaper to run, and we've still got all the children being educated. I don't know where to turn, to be quite honest.'

'I see,' was Jem's reply. 'I'll have think about what you've just said, and let you know if I can help out, but don't bank on it. And as for the house, why does it not get any cheaper when most of your children are away at school? Surely that means the household bills are less than they were?'

'I don't know how it happens, we just seem to be leaking more money every week.'

'Well, it's time to take some control, Jack. Find out why and start to plug the gaps. Now. My second reason for calling. Who exactly told your children that Anna didn't want to hear from them? The fact is that she loved your children and practically brought them up. she certainly did more of the hard work of looking after them than Jo ever did. And Anna is pining for news of them. You must realise that it's hard on her to have devoted so much of her life to running your household and then to feel that she's been thrown on the scrap-heap.'

All that Jem could feel from the other end of the phone line was an embarrassed silence. That confirmed his suspicions. So he ploughed on.

'Madge is writing to Len to let her know Anna's address, so she can write to her, and pass the address on to the others. You'll be glad to know that Madge and I have taken Anna some little luxuries as well as necessities to see her through the winter.'

The sense of embarrassment deepened.

'By the way, I'm going to be writing to Jo. This idea of hers that you can all descend on us for the entire summer holiday just isn't on. We have a four-bedroomed house, not a mansion. Where do you think we could manage to put you all?'

Jack managed to reply to that.

'Er, well, we thought, Jo thought, that is, you could have the attics done up as bedrooms.'

'Not likely,' Jem almost snorted. 'Madge has got the house the way she wants it, and that's it. No more conversions, no more mess. And who did you think was going to do all the work whilst you stayed?'

'Er, well, you've got Lisl.'

'Jack, Lisl is not, repeat not, going to be running round after you, your wife and your family. She's not a slave to be overworked. She keeps our house running perfectly, and she makes all the bread for the local children to eat at Mittagessen before Madge takes over teaching them in the afternoon. She'll be needing a good holiday by the time the summer arrives, and we're going to see she gets it.'

As there was still silence from the other end of the line, Jem carried on.

'We'll be going England as soon as the summer term finishes, and Lisl will be having a holiday too. Then, we'll be bringing some of our own children back here to finish off their holiday. Were you expecting us to refuse to accommodate our own children, just so you and Jo could have somewhere to stay? It's not on, Jack, and so I shall be telling Jo when I write. It's not that I don't feel sorry for you, but I'm not sorry enough to allow you to run roughshod over us and our family.'

He waited until he had had some lunch before settling down to write to Jo. Lisl had left him some soup and filled rolls, so there was very little for him to do apart from making himself some coffee. He would have liked a glass of wine, but they had no alcohol in the house, apart from the medicinal brandy which was kept locked away in his surgical store. He had kept his word: if Madge couldn't drink, then neither would he. Now he had his wife back, he wasn't going to lose her again, and certainly not by putting tempation in her way by drinking wine and spirits in front of her.

Then he settled down to write. He had problems with how to begin the letter, certainly not wishing to address her as Dear Jo. In the end, he settled for merely writing her name.

Jo,

As you may recall, when you made your disastrous visit to Australia, I informed you that you would never again be welcome under my roof. That declaration still stands.

I cannot understand why you are making plans to bring your entire family to stay with us for the whole summer holidays next year. I can assume that you may be deaf, but I think that the likeliest reason is that you are being wilfully obtuse.

You have recently made several unwelcome suggestions that you come to stay here with the object of being pampered by Lisl, our housekeeper. We have refused to have you to stay, and that holds good for next summer too.

Firstly, we have no room to accommodate all of you, and you must surely be able to understand that, even with your notoriously poor grasp of Mathematics.

Secondly, neither Madge nor Lisl was put on this earth to wait on you and your family. I will never agree to their being burdened by the addition of sixteen people to our household.

Thirdly, we shall be away for a good part of the summer, and Lisl will be enjoying a well-deserved paid holiday during that time.

Our own children will be coming to visit us, so there will certainly not be room for yours.

In addition to all these points, I want you know how shamefully you have behaved towards Anna. That alone would mean that you are never again welcome under our roof. That you should have told your children that Anna had no wish to hear from them is indefensible behaviour. I can understand that you feel that Anna has let you down by having a heart attack, but that you should have abandoned a woman who gave you faithful, whole-hearted service for so many years is a disgrace. And to ensure that she receives no letters or cards from your children is the blackest ingratitude of all.

Jack informs me that your financial situation is deteriorating. I suggest that you devote your energies to making economies in your household expenses, rather than expecting us to help you save money by feeding you and your family for over two months.

James Russell.

Well, that was a harsh letter, he thought, but he suspected that nothing else would do the trick. Jo had always had the capacity to ignore anything she didn't want to see, and he wondered how she would receive his letter. She certainly wouldn't be jumping for joy, and probably was making a vow never to contact him again.

Jem made a snap decision. Jack ought to find out where the money was going to, then Jem and Madge would see what help they could give, but not before. That might sound harsh, but Jem honestly felt that with four of his own children still in full-time education, he could not keep on paying out for the Maynards without knowing where the money was going.

It wasn't that he and Madge didn't have plenty of money, but with the school and his medical practice being expenses rather than income, he was husbanding his resources carefully to ensure that both could continue without straining their bank balances.

Then his thoughts turned to Jack. Jem felt sorry for him, but he had been a willing party in the creation of a long family, and now he had to suffer the consequences. Still, the triplets' birthdays were coming up in November. It wouldn't hurt to send them a decent cheque each so that they could have what they wanted. Poor Len, she was in for a shock when Madge wrote to her, the por girl was going to lose some of her illusions very quickly.

He put the letter into an envelope and sealed and stamped it before he could change his mind.

Then he went into the drawing room to make sure that there was plenty of fuel in the stove. It might only be September, but the evenings were getting chilly once the sun had gone down and he didn't want the pair of them coming home to a cold house.

He smiled; at one time, Madge would never have dreamed of going shopping with her housekeeper, and now she was treating Lisl to lunch today. Oh well, modern times, and at least they were starting to catch up with them.

The relief of having written his letter combined with the warmth of the room had Jem nodding off over his book, so he was slow to rouse when he heard the car pulling up outside.

Two sets of female footsteps tip-tapped across the hall, and some muffled giggles let him know that his wife and housekeeper were home from their shopping expedition.

He went out into the hall in time to see Madge dumping several parcels at the bottom of the staircase, and Lisl disappearing into her own room burdened by shopping bags. Madge turned to smile at him, and said,

'We've had a lovely time shopping and a wonderful lunch, but we're both quite tired. Is there any chance of a cup of tea?'

'Tea coming up, your wish is my pleasure, Madame. I hope you and Lisl haven't been spending all the Russell family fortune down in Innsbruck today.'

Madge looked at him, then grinned.

'No, not quite. We've left you a couple of Schillings to spend on anything you choose.'

He looked at her, feeling enormously relieved that the imp of mischief was back in her eyes. She walked into the kitchen with him and sank into a chair by the table whilst he busied himself with preparations for making a pot of tea.

She looked up at him and came out with the information that she and Lisl had found a shop that was selling English foodstuffs, so they had ordered several large jars of mincemeat and two big Christmas puddings, as well as other goodies that they hadn't been able to get whilst they were abroad. Jem felt good about that, he had missed some of those things whilst they were in Australia.

Then she told him, quite casually,

'I'm going to be writing to Len tomorrow after church. I don't feel like doing it today, but I do want to get the letter off in Monday's post.'

'I wrote to Jo today.' He said no more than that.

Madge looked at him thoughtfully, but made no reply. Then she said,

'I think we'll talk about it before dinner, I don't want to spoil teatime with it all.'

Jem left the topic at that, as Lisl came into the kitchen just then and shooed him into a chair whilst she bustled round getting the tea things ready.

It was when they were sitting in the drawing room after tea that Madge brought up the Maynards and their situation. She listened carefully to Jem's account of his conversation with Jack, then gave her opinion.

'I can't understand why their household expenses are so high. I don't mean that I begrudge them decent food to eat, of course not, but she has only one small child at home all day. The youngest twins are at St. Catherine's now, and they get free places there, and free meals during the school day, so they need food for only four people, if that. So I can't see why the house is leaking money, unless they're wasting a lot of stuff.'

'Possibly,' replied Jem. 'My letter told Jo in no uncertain terms what I thought of her plans, and I've been very plain about the way she's treated Anna.'

'I'm not going to argue with you over that, Jem. I think it's shameful. And another thing. I don't really want to rescue them. I won't see the children go without, but it's more than time that the pair of them took full responsibility for themselves. In some ways, we've always treated them as though they were children needing our support. And with Jo being a shareholder in the school, she gets a decent income from that, as well as free education for her girls. The only thing she doesn't get is their uniforms. I know that's expensive, but it's hard-wearing and it can always be passed down.'

Madge's voice faltered off into silence for a moment before she continued, 'I suppose it's because I've been responsible for her since she was a baby and I was twelve. A long habit like that is hard to break.'

Jem looked at her thoughtfully, then spoke slowly,

'I don't think you ought to blame yourself so much, Madge. You did what you had to, and you never once complained about having to work hard to support her. What I really don't want is for you to carry on thinking that your responsibility towards her is never-ending. We're building a new life here, and I want us to concentrate on that.'

Madge looked at him, then smiled.

'You know, Jem, you're right.'

The next few weeks passed tranquilly enough in the Russell household. Jem held regular surgeries and went out in the afternoons on his rounds in the outlying villages which kept him fully occupied. Madge found herself settling into the swing of teaching in the afternoons, and she felt more than happy with the progress that her pupils were making. She found she had a room full of eager minds and, not surprisingly, some of the younger children were finding it easier to learn than the older ones.

So, the silence from the Maynard household went almost unnoticed. Jem had no further phone calls from Jack, and Madge assumed that Jo was sulking about their refusal to let her come to stay.

By the time that the dark days of November were upon them, Madge and Jem had heard from the children, apart from Sybil. Four of them were coming to stay for three weeks over Christmas to their parents' great happiness.

Madge put her head together with Lisl, and they planned great baking sessions to prepare for the influx. Lisl was adamant that they should all have plenty of Stollen and other Austrian delicacies as well as the rich Christmas cake, mince pies and Christmas pudding.

The Russells went down to Innsbruck to do some Christmas shopping, enjoying lengthy lunches and revelling in the sense of being together in a way that they had never really experienced before. They had been making travel arrangements for their children, and had come to the conclusion that it would be best for Ailie to travel with the Austrian girls, so they would meet her off the train. Josette was to stay in England until the twins finished their term at school, then the three would fly out together.

So, their lives seemed to have achieved a peacefulness that they had never really know before. Both were happy doing the jobs that they loved, and they were happy in their long evenings spent together in the warmth and comfort of their pleasant drawing room.

The only thing that disturbed the peace was an anxious letter from Len, assuring them that she had written to Anna, giving her all the news, and she had also written to her brothers and sisters, and they had confirmed that they would write to Anna too. Jem was a little alarmed to discover that Len had not mentioned the summer holiday, but he put his feelings on one side, thinking that perhaps Len had been too embarrassed to mention it. As Madge hadn't brought up the subject, he decided not to, feeling that he wanted nothing to mar his sense of contentment.

One thing that had pleased him a great deal was that all the children who were coming out for Christmas were writing nicer letters to their mother, and Jem could see Madge visibly relaxing over this.

Plans were going on apace for the Christmas holiday, and Lisl was beginning her preparations, baking cakes and stowing them in the freezer. She was also making lots of rich breads, and the smell of them as he came back into the house from his surgery was mouth-watering, leading him into going into the kitchen to beg a slice. Often he discovered that Lisl had baked an extra small loaf for him, and she would make him some coffee, so he could sit there in the warm, spicy-smelling kitchen and wolf down his unofficial snack.

However, one day he realised that the monthly accounts from the San had not arrived for his signature. He had made allowances for the slowness of the mail delivery now that they were on the winter schedule, but these accounts were a fortnight late.

He decided to give it until the weekend, but if they had not arrived by Saturday, he was going to telephone to find out where they were.

Saturday morning dawned, and as Madge was busy in the kitchen conferring with Lisl about yet more delicacies for consumption over the Christmas holidays, Jem decided to telephone Jack about the missing accounts.

Jack answered the phone on the third ring, but his voice sounded wary once Jem had announced himself. Jem plunged straight into the matter.

'I'm calling because the accounts for last month haven't arrived yet, Jack. Where are they? Why haven't they been sent for my approval and signature?'

Jack began to stutter, 'It's , well, it's a bit difficult, Jem. I haven't done them yet, you know, checked them and signed them.'

'Why not, may I ask?'

'Er, I've not had the time to do them, not yet.'

'Are you so busy? Do you have so many patients?'

'Not exactly, Jem.' Then his voice took on some strength. 'I don't like your tone of voice, Jem. I am the head of this place, you know. I don't have to put up with being bullied over a little administrative oversight.'

'It's not a little oversight Jack, it's a vital part of the process, as you very well know. Remember this, until I've signed the accounts and returned them the staff don't get paid. I don't think you're going to be very popular when the pay cheques aren't handed out.'

Silence.

'I'm warning you, Jack, I'm very unhappy with the entire situation. If you don't sort yourself out, I'll be getting a locum and coming over there to find out for myself. Just remember this, Jack. The San is a private enterprise, and I can still hire and fire, so your job is on the line. Frankly, both Madge and I have reached the limits of our patience with you. I thought you'd got yourselves sorted out a couple of summers ago. What you do at home, how you live your private lives is up to you, but professionally, it's an entirely different matter.'

Jack responded sulkily, 'Well, if you think it's so important, I'll try to get them done some time this week.'

Jem was exasperated. Did Jack really not understand the urgency of the matter? Jem could foresee himself fielding a lot of anxious and perhaps abusive phone calls from the other doctors, and certainly one from Matron on behalf of her nurses.

Then Jack burst into speech again.

'Well, the triplets are coming home for a while once their term ends, I could send the accounts with them when they come to you for Christmas.'

'What on earth are you talking about? The triplets aren't coming here for Christmas, there's no question of that. And from what you've told me, they'll be needed at home to cook the Christmas dinner and do all the work beforehand.'

'Well, Jo thought they could do all the baking and stuff and then get on the train to you. After all, you've got the room for them.''

'No. we haven't Jack. Our own children are coming home to spend the holiday with us. We don't have room for your children, and frankly, they'll be in the way. And Jack, whilst we're on the subject, there is absolutely no chance of the lot of you spending next summer with us. Madge and I are going to England for a month, Lisl will be away for the whole of that time, and the house will be shut up.'

Jem thought he heard a sob before the phone was put down. This was a pretty pickle to be in. He could see that he was going to have to go to the Platz to sort things out before he was much older, and how he was going to broach this to Madge was anyone's guess.

Jem managed to contain his impatience to consult Madge, but it was difficult for him. Still, he did realise that she was doing everything she could to make sure that the house and the food were ready for the advent of the children. Mind you, he didn't know how they were going to eat it all, not without putting on a couple of stones each. He could see that they'd all have to spend from daybreak to dusk skiing and sledging just to work off the effects of all the baking. He'd soon realised that he'd better let the pair of them get on with it, and not interfere with any dire health warnings. He knew that Madge and Lisl would be hurt if he said anything, either that or ignore him completely.

So it wasn't until after lunch that he was able to confide in Madge. She listened carefully and asked one or two searching questions, then fell silent as she was clearly thinking it over very deeply.

Then she smiled at him and gave him her response.

'There's obviously something amiss, and we'll have to go and sort it out. There's nothing else for it. I can't think what's happened to cause this, but it is our business to find out. You own the San, Jack doesn't. He might be the Head of the San on the Platz, but I often wonder if he would have been your choice if he hadn't been married to my sister. As it is, we have a responsibility, not just to find out why, but to the doctors and nurses there. They will need to be paid, and with Christmas coming, they'll need the money more than ever. I've had a letter from the Ministry of Education. The school will be closing at the end of the first week in December, so I shan't be needed to teach for a couple of weeks before Christmas. By the way, I'm giving the children a party on the last afternoon, just a little gift each and some cake and stuff. Lisl and I have it all planned out, so don't worry about it.'

Then she continued with a worried look on her face, 'That means we can go to the Platz for a week or so. That should give us enough time to sort everything out. You can deal with the San, I'm going to be tackling Jo about it. In fact, I'm going to be tackling Jo about everything. Will you have the time to make the bookings? I think we'll stay at the Caramie. I don't want to stay at Freudesheim, not if I'm sorting Jo out. It would be too embarrassing to be guests under their roof.'

Jem was astonished at the calmness with which Madge spoke, given the look on her face. He realised that she must be going through a lot of torment inside herself, making him ask himself the dreaded question. Did Madge feel that it was all her fault?

The last few weeks of term sped by, with Madge trying to get enough work set so that the children would be able to do some at home, and Jem stepping up his visits to the outlying villages and hamlets to ensure that his patients had enough medication to last them until well after Christmas.

The term finished well. The party on the last afternoon had been a great success, the children wide-eyed at the luxurious food they found set out in front of them, and overwhelmed by the thoughtful gifts that Santa Klaus gave them out of his large sack.

At the end of the afternoon, Madge was touched by the small gifts and cards that the children had made for her and shyly presented to her. She went back to the house feeling relieved that she had begun to make a difference to their lives, but sad that she would not be seeing them for over a month. She had grown fond of them, and looked forward to seeing their eager faces when she opened the schoolroom door.

She and Jem were to set off the next morning. They had been keeping a close watch on the weather forecasts, so they knew that there would not be any heavy snowfalls. They had decided to drive, even though Madge was not looking forward to a long drive in the Land Rover. But she had been forced to agree with Jem that it might be better to have their own transport, bearing in mind the situations they were likely to be faced with. Lisl had been told that she could have the week off, but had decided to remain in her cosy bedsit. They made sure that she had enough money to manage on before they left.

She had looked at Madge with tears of gratitude in her eyes, then, surprisingly for someone who was usually fairly reticent about herself and her family, though she was lively and spirited in her daily life and the way she approached her work, she told her,

'I shall miss you whilst you are gone. Never did I think to have such a good job as I have here, nor to work for people who are so kind and generous to everyone. So I shall stay here and make sure the house is warm for your return, and have a good rest too, before the young ones arrive. I hope you will find that everything goes well in Switzerland.'

Madge was touched by the concern in Lisl's voice, and kissed her warmly before they left. Jem had started the engine to warm up the car, so when climbed in beside him, he was surprised to see a few tears in Madge's eyes. He was astonished when the first thing she said to him were the words,

'Lisl is such a dear. You know, if you'd told me a few years ago that I'd have a housekeeper who is as much of a friend as an employee, I'd have laughed in your face. Now I don't know what I'd do without her.'

Jem reached out and squeezed her hand in sympathy. He knew just what his wife meant. Lisl was part of the family. Then he squared his shoulders, put the car in gear, and drove off towards Innsbruck on the first stage of their journey.

They spent two days on the journey, deciding that they didn't want to drive through the night, only to arrive exhausted, so they stopped at a very nice small hotel, and got on their way in good time the next morning.

On arriving at the Platz, they went straight to the Pension Caramie where they checked in and bathed and changed before going down to dinner. Over dinner they talked about the children's visit at Christmas, and various other domestic matters. By mutual consent they avoided the topic of their reasons for visiting the Platz.

But once they had gone upstairs to their room, they sat to talk about their plans for the morning. Jem had decided that he would head straight for the San once he had dropped Madge off at the School. Madge had made up her mind to begin her enquiries there in the guise of a casual visit to see how things were going. She had no doubt that she would find out a lot about the problems that were besetting them, knowing full well that the staffroom was a regular gossip-shop, and knowing, too, that Jo was highly unlikely to have kept her problems to herself.

Jem was well aware that he would probably have to face some angry members of staff at the San. Some of the doctors had private incomes, but a lot of the junior doctors and most of the nurses were dependent on their salaries, and to have delayed paying them was an injustice to their hard work and dedication.

Madge confessed that she was certainly not looking forward to confronting Jo. She knew just how awkward and obstructive her younger sister could be, and also how manipulatively she could behave. But one thing was certain. The Russells were determined to get the mess, whatever it was, sorted out and in short order too. They were certainly not going to waste any more of their time than they had to. As far as the San was concerned, Jem was its sole owner, and could do as he pleased within the confines of the law, and Madge, as majority shareholder in the school was in an equally strong position there.

However, as they talked, it became clear that neither of them wanted to have to throw their weight about, they wanted to get the mess cleared up and life back on its usual course. Madge felt pleased that she and Jem were on the same wavelength, and he felt the same.

However, both were apprehensive about what the morning would bring.

 

#3:  Author: Rosy, Location: Gloucestershire-London-Aberystwyth PostPosted: Fri Apr 07, 2006 3:20 pm

It's a really good read Jennie. Am looking forward to more!

 

#4:  Author: Steph, Location: Buried under a pile of books PostPosted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 6:20 pm

Have just read this all in one go and am loving it Jennie! It's really good and can't wait for more Very Happy

 

#5:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 12:36 pm

Brilliant news. Feeone has PM'd me and she has seventy pages of this, so as soon as it's been e-mailed to me, I'll start posting more of it.

 

#6:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 1:15 pm

Yippee!

Really pleased for you Jennie. Laughing

 

#7:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 1:23 pm

The relief, oh the relief!

 

#8:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 1:25 pm

Laughing Just make sure you save it to word or similar in future! Wink

 

#9:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sun Apr 09, 2006 1:48 pm

I shall, no doubt about it.

 

#10:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:28 am

After a reasonably early breakfast, Madge and Jem got into the Land Rover so that Jem could drive her to the School before going on to the San. They were both quiet on the journey, but they realised that they were comforting each other without any need for words. Before Madge could get out of the car, Jem took her face between his hands and kissed her, then smiled. He didn't need to say anything, she knew he would support her in whatever decisions she made.

She made her way to the office, looking around as she did so. Rosalie's reception of her was lacking something, in fact she tried to put Madge off, saying that it was the last week of term, and they were all very busy with the Nativity Play and end-of term activities.

'Too busy to see the chief shareholder, Rosalie?' queried Madge with a smile. 'I don't think so. Just let Hilda know that I'm here and wanting to see her, will you.'

Though Madge's voice was pleasant, there was enough steel behind it that Rosalie flushed a little and immediately used the intercom. After that, Madge was very quickly announced, with Rosalie opening the study door for her to go in.

'I'm delighted to see you, Lady Russell, but this is unexpected. Is there a particular reason for this visit, or have you decided to come on the spur of the moment?'

'Do I need a reason, Miss Annersley?' Then she decided to be gracious about it. 'Other business to do with the San has brought us here, so I decided that I'd call in to see how the School was getting on.'

Hilda looked distinctly perturbed at this, but said nothing.

Madge smiled at her then said that after she had been for a tour of the school, she'd like to have coffee in the Staffroom, then she hoped that Hilda would be able to give her an hour to discuss various matters. Hilda was quick to agree with this, asking if Madge would like a prefect to show her round. Madge refused an escort, saying that she remembered the layout perfectly well, and would be quite all right by herself.

She was positive that a look of relief passed quickly over Hilda's face at this.

------------------------------------------------------

Jem drove himself to the San and went in through Reception, and asked the very pleasant young woman who was sitting behind the desk to show him to Dr. Maynard's room. The girl demurred over this, saying that she could not just show visitors to a doctor's room.

'Quite right,' replied Jem. 'I'm Sir James Russell, the owner of this Sanatarium. I've come to see Dr Maynard on a matter of urgency.'

'Oh, I'm sorry, Sir James, I didn't realise who you were. Dr Maynard's room is this way.'

She ushered him along a corridor to the door of a room. She knocked on the door, but her tapping remained unheard, drowned out by the angry voices which Jem had heard from half-way down the corridor. He dismissed the girl with his thanks, then opened the door and walked in.

'Now then, Jack. What's all this mess and muddle, and why aren't you doing something about it? I'm here now, and we're going to get this whole thing sorted out in pretty short order.'

He could hardly fail to notice that Jack's face had gone an unbecoming shade of grey on realising who had walked into his room as though he owned it.



Madge looked thoughtful as she made a tour of the buildings. It would seem that the girls were rather excited over something, but she was gracious enough to put that down as excitement about the play and the end of term. Still, it was enough to make her resolve, very firmly, that she was going to ask Hilda some extremely penetrating questions.

She made sure that she was in the Staffroom well before the beginning of break, which gave her the opportunity to have a good look round. She saw the coffee machines, and out of idle curiosity she flipped up the lids, only to look in amazement to see that the filters were absolutely full of a mixture of coffee and sugar. That made her smile, with all the sugar and cream that the mistresses put into their coffee, no wonder they thought it was nectar.

She seated herself in a chair that was near to the door, so that any mistress entering the room would have a difficult time of realizing that she was there. People often said things when they came into a room that were revelatory of their real feelings. She had to smile to herself when she saw that one of the maids was bringing in a plate of hastily-made cakes. Obviously, the news of her arrival had filtered through to the kitchen, even if it hadn't reached the classrooms.

 

#11:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:30 am

Jem, having arrived in Jack's office unannounced, was not pleased to see the reaction that he got from that gentleman. Neither was he pleased to see or hear what the other man was saying.

'I don't know why you've barged in here as if you owned the place, just get out and let me finish what I came here for!'

Jem smiled, then said, 'I'm James Russell, and I do own the place. And as for why I'm here, in this office, I've come to sort out the mess that this place has got itself into. For one thing, I haven't yet had the accounts for my signature, so no-one here has been paid, and I'm unhappy about that.'

The doctor, for Jem could see his name-badge said Doctor Bannister, looked mollified at Jem's words.

'It's about time someone did something. Our pay-cheques were six days late last month, and it's the tenth now, this month, and we still haven't seen a sign of them. I'm here on behalf of the staff. I can manage, but some of the younger ones can't. They need their money, and so do the nurses. I'm surprised they haven't all walked out, the way this place is going to rack and ruin.'

Jem looked at him, not surprised to see that the young man was clearly very unhappy with the state of things.

He took a deep breath then said, 'Well, you can calm down now. As I said, I'm here to do something about this situation. You can all expect your pay-cheques to be with you by the end of the day. Leave it with me, and let me get on with it.'

The young man began to murmur an embarrassed apology, but Jem cut him short.

'No need for that, you're quite right to want to do something about this messy business. So, if you'll be good enough to leave me to it, I'll start right away.'

Dr Bannister thanked him and then left the office. Once the door had closed, Jem turned to Jack and said in his grimmest voice,

'Now, Jack, let's have some explanations, and they'd better be good ones.'



So Madge was well-screened from view when the first pair of Mistresses entered the Staffroom like a whirlwind.

'I'm going to strangle that woman the first chance I get, ' proclaimed Nancy Wilmot loudly.

'I'll join you, just don't start without me,' was Kathie Ferrars' rejoinder. 'I'm supposed to be directing and producing the Nativity Play, not her. And if she changes just one more thing!'

Madge realised that of course, Jo was now in charge of writing that School's famous Nativity plays, so Jo had to be the 'She' referred to.

Sharlie Andrews erupted into the room. 'I've had enough of this. I had that child of hers dumped on me again this morning, ''You don't mind, do you, my lamb?'' in a fair imitation of Jo's voice and diction. ''But I've just thought of a change I simply must make to the Play. If it's not done today, the play won't be as good as it should be.'' If she wants to adopt stray children, that's up to her, but don't ask me to keep looking after them, that's all I ask.'

Madge was beginning to see that the School staff were in a ferment about it. No wonder the girls weren't as settled as they should be, not if the Mistresses were being upset on a regular basis.

She sighed. Well, she'd decided to come here to sort Jo out, and it looked as though she'd have plenty to do. But first, smooth down the ruffled feathers in the Staffroom, then see Hilda, then on to Jo.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jack looked ready to have a heart-attack, but Jem was far from inclined to be merciful. Clearly, the staff at the San had had enough, and if the San's reputation was was to be maintained, some vigorous, far-reaching sorting out was overdue.

He stood in silence, the glare on his face enough to make Jack start to stutter his excuses.

It took a lot of questioning, but finally a picture emerged.

Jo had managed the house perfectly well for over a year, and everything had gone smoothly. She had a cleaning firm, a laundry service and an au pair to help her. But she had missed the school, and what she saw as her right to direct things there. The fact that the school had managed perfectly well without her interference for over a year meant nothing to her. She had started to go over to the school every day, sometimes leaving the au pair girl to cope with all the children for hours on end.

At the same time, some of their investments had started to do badly, the recession had bitten into their private income. Added to this was the fact that there were fewer TB cases coming to the San for treatment. The advent of anti-biotics specifically for use in TB cases had meant that people no longer needed to spend so long in the mountain air. So the income from the San was getting smaller, in spite of the doctors trying to attract different sorts of cases. As one doctor in Interlaken had told them,

'Why should I send Orthopoedic cases to you, when you don't have any Orthopoedically trained doctors working for you?'

Jem understood this, but still found it no excuse for the situation the San was now in. Why did Jack continue to recruit TB specialists when they weren't needed?

Then the tale of woe continued. Jo had never managed to suit her expenditure to their income, so the household bills never went down, only up. Then there were the boys at their schools and the triplets at university. All had to be paid for, and out of a smaller income. Finally, in an effort to recoup their fortunes, Jack had invested most of their remaining money in a gold-mining venture in Australia. This had proved to be a fraud, so their chances of getting their money back were negligible. They had sold the house in the Tyrol, as a stop-gap, but that money would soon be exhausted, especially as Jack was paying a pension to Anna. The real problem was that Jo still resented the fact that Anna was no longer able to work, so running the house was a far more expensive proposition.

Jack felt overwhelmed by all these problems, he was unable to concentrate, so the accounts were still unfinished, still unready for Jem's signature.

The main problem was that Jo had bitterly resented the fact that Madge and Jem had gone back to the Tyrol on their return from Australia, and had both found a wayof using their abilities that satisfied them. What really annoyed Jo was the fact that they had a housekeeper, and she did not. She felt entitled to return to Madge's roof for a few weeks so that she could be looked after, and above all, she wanted Madge's attention to be focussed on herself. Hence her demands to come to stay, and her plans to bring the whole family to Tyrol next summer, on the grounds that Madge and Jem owed her a holiday.


Jem was thunderstruck by the presumption of this, but wisely decided that this was no time to be giving Jack a little bit of backbone. Getting the accounts sorted out and issuing pay-cheques was the top priority.



Jem was astute enough to realise that sweeping changes would have to wait, but immediate solutions could be found to the lesser problems.

He gathered up all the accounts, took them off to the Accounts department, sorted them out with the help of their chief money man, and by the early afternoon had signed all the relevant paycheques. He also found someone who would take them all down to the banks in Interlaken and pay them in for everyone.

Then he went back to the Pension Caramie to think, and to await Madge's telephone call. He could see that bringing the San back into full operation was going to be a long job, and he very much doubted that Jack was the man to do it, not in the present circumstances. With that in mind, he made some calls and told the senior doctors to meet him for a an urgent stff meeting the next morning. To Neil Shephard he entrusted the business of convening the meeting and organising the necessary room and catering. Neil was quite willing to do this, and made some comments olong the lines of 'about time too'. This left Jem with very few illusions that he was in for an easy time of it the next day. Still, it was his business, and he was going to reorganise it along different, more efficient lines.

 

#12:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:32 am

Once the mistresses had realised that Madge was in the Staffroom, they had said very little more than commonplace remarks, though they had been pleased to see her and welcomed her heartily.

Hilda had been uneasy at the start of their interview, but Madge had very quickly informed her that she wanted a plain tale of what was happening, not something fudged up to please her.

Thus motivated, Hilda had been very plain with Madge. Jo was visiting the School too regularly, expecting members of staff with free periods to look after the small children, and had been undermining Kathie Ferrars' role as director of the Nativity play, and furthermore, had made so many changes that it would be almost impossible to stage the event.

Hilda had some further trenchant comments to make about Jo. She seemed to be going back to her late teens, when she was definitely reluctant to take on any responsibility, but still expecting the girls to follow her. This was causing unrest in the school as the mistresses were definitely being unsettled. What Hilda really wanted was for Jo to leave the place alone. They had managed very well without her for a year, and were quite capable of doing so again. School life had changed; there was far more emphasis now on girls being prepared for higher education and for careers. Most families could not see the point of their girls coming home to help with the Red Cross and the WI. They wanted their girls to know something about the working world and to have satisfying jobs. This meant more emphasis on examination results, and the staff were hard put to get the girls settled down to work after one of Jo's interruptions.

Madge listened to this with careful attention. This was her company. Oh, Dick and Jo might be shareholders, but it was Madge's hard work that had made the school what it was, and she still held the largest number of shares.

She smiled sweetly at Hilda, then told her that she was here on the Platz for the purpose of sorting Jo out. She was hoping to have lunch at the School, then she was going to Freudesheim to begin the process of trying to get through to her sister.



Madge had enjoyed her lunch, it was good to be sitting at the Staff Table again, eating Karen's delicious food and listening to the Staff gossiping. When she went back to the staffroom after lunch, she sought out Kathie Ferrars and told her that she was to stand no further interference from Jo, saying,

'Since I shall be here for the play, I expect you to ignore Jo's alterations and cut it down so we have a watchable play that will inspire the audience to give generously to the collection. I'm going to see Jo this afternoon, so don't expect to see her at all in the coming week.'

Madge couldn't miss the look of gratitude that Kathie gave her, but decided to say no more at the time. She smiled at the younger woman, then moved away for a few words with Hilda. These were short and to the point.

'If Jo comes over , Hilda, tell her that the staff and girls are not here to look after her children. The Mistresses have a job to do, and the girls are here to learn, and we don't do Childcare as a subject.'

Seeing Hilda's dubious look, she carried on,

'Yes, I know it's difficult, but you'll just have to be firm.'

Shortly afterwards, Madge bade pleasant farewells to everyone, then went on her way to Freudesheim. She took the long way round by the road, for one of the instructions she had given before she left the School premises was that the gate in the hedge was to be closed, and stay closed, by whatever means necessary.

As she strode along the road, she was busy considering the best means of tackling Jo and the problems she had created. Madge was under no illusions, this was going to be one of the hardest jobs she had ever done.



Madge took a deep breath and rang the doorbell. She heard quick footsteps approaching, and her sister flung the door open. Jo was quite obviously astonished to see Madge, but recovered quickly.

Then Jo attempted to fling her arms around her. Madge resisted this, but Jo put on one of her hurt looks and said,

'Oh Madge, I'm so glad you've come. That wretched au pair girl has gone off for a walk, and I need someone to listen out for Marie -Claire while I pop over to the school. There are some more changes to the play, and such a short time to get them done. You wouldn't believe the problems I've had with it this year.'

'No, I am not going to babysit for you, and you are not going to go over to the school. I've been there all morning, and I've heard one complaint after another about you. You've driven poor Kathie Ferrars almost mad about the play, and the rest of the staff. What we're going to do is sit down, and I'm going to tell you a few home truths.'

The colour drained from Jo's face, but she made a gallant attempt to recover.

'Don't be so silly, Madge. You know the school can't cope without me, and this is really urgent.'

'No. It isn't. It's one more attempt to get out of your responsibilities. Stop deluding yourself. Those mistresses are not employed there to look after your children, Jo. They're employed to teach the pupils. Now, do you want to hear this in your salon, or shall we go into your study? But hear me out you will. Jem and I have had enough.'

'I can't think what you mean, Madge. You know you're my older sister, and if I can't rely on you, who can I rely on?'

'Try a little self-reliance.' was the dry retort.

Jo slowly and unwillingly led the way into her salon, then almost threw herself into her big armchair. Madge disposed herself gracefully on the sofa, but the look on her face was implacable.

Madge, inside herself, was feeling nervous, but she knew she had to do this and do it now.

'First things first, Jo. I want an explanation for your disgraceful treatment of Anna. And before you say anything, anything at all, I'll inform you that we've been to see her twice, we've taken her things to make her life easier. And what's more, we discovered that you'd told your children that Anna didn't want to hear from them at all. She did, and now she has. But now the time has come for you to explain yourself.'

Jo looked at her sister, but seemed unable to speak.



'That's unusual for you, Jo,' remarked Madge in an unusually sarcastic voice. 'You've always got plenty to say for yourself in the usual run of things. But since you've clearly been rendered incapable of speech, I'll finish what I have to say.'

She proceeded to enumerate the list of Jo's transgressions, and was not surprised to find that Jo had begun to weep. But Madge was not fooled, she was sure that they were crocodile tears, intended to soften her heart so she would give in to her younger sister.

She continued to sit there in silence, not having the slightest intention of helping Jo out in any way at all. Though Jo continued to cry, Madge was quick to notice that her sister was glancing at her surreptitiously over her handkerchief, no doubt in an attempt to discover whether Madge was softening in her attitude.

Madge realised that this was make or break time. If she gave in now, and relented, she and her family would never be free of Jo's demands on her time and attention. So she remained silent. She had to admit that it was hurtful, she had spent so many years of her life putting Jo first, but it had to stop. Jo was not as important as her own children. She had made a mess of things with them, but there was still a chance to put things right, but that was not the case with Jo.

Madge saw, with a terrible clarity, that she was mostly responsible for this, but Jack, and Jem had to take some of the blame. Jo had never really been allowed to grow up, had always been encouraged to think of herself as the centre of attention, and to boast about her own achievements, for it was a subtle form of boasting, no doubt about it. But now was the time for her to become an adult, once and for all.

But that terrible clarity also revealed that this was Jo's last chance. If Madge failed, Jo would always be her spoiled little sister, always depend on her, always come between her and Jem and the children. Madge was not enjoying this, it was as if someone had taken a brilliant spot-light and shone it into the depths of her soul. She had thought that she had done this when she was enduring those terrible long months of therapy out in Melbourne, but that seemed easy in retrospect, compared with what she was enduring now.

She felt herself weakening slightly, but from somewhere, her memory brought up the vision of Sybil on her wedding day, standing there in the drawing room, beautiful and defiant, challenging her parents to tell her that they loved her and valued her as an individual. That memory told her that she had no choice at all.



As Madge was tell Jem as he was driving her back to the Caramie,

'She didn't say a word, just sat and cried. She kept looking at me over her hankie, to see whether I was softening. Well, I didn't. That's why I phoned you so early. As it's only the middle of the afternoon, do we have time to go for a quick walk? I feel as if I need one.'

'If it is a very quick one. The situation at the San is far, far worse than I thought it was, and I've got to do some work on it this afternoon and evening, but a walk would be good.'

'Tell me about it as we're walking. I feel that I can think better in the open air. Did you bring any paper with you to work on? All I've got with me is writing paper and I'm going to write to Hilda on some of that.'

'I've got plenty, I thought I might need it and I do.'

A certain grimness in Jem's voice told Madge that what she was going to hear wouldn't be very pleasant, so she fell silent for the rest of the journey. It was only when they had left the Caramie, well wrapped in boots, trousers and thick jackets that they resumed their conversation.

Jem told Madge what he had learned from Jack, and Madge responded by narrating the story of her morning, not omitting Nancy Wilmot's impetuous speech and Kathie Ferrars' response to it. She also informed him that she had made it plain that Jo was not to be allowed to interfere in the school, or expect the teachers to look after the youngest Maynard offspring.

Jem was quite thoughtful when he heard this, and walked along in silence for a few minutes. Then he told her,

'The thing is, I've called a meeting of all the senior staff at the San for eleven o'clock tomorrow morning. Until I've been to that meeting and heard what they all have to say, I won't know how to set about putting things right. What never seems to have occurred to Jack is that the San is my company, and it needs to turn a profit. Yes, we have a lot of investments and a lot of savings, but I still want something to pass on to my children. So I'm not going to let this situation carry on. '

Then he turned to her with a grin,

'You write to Hilda, tell her what you want to, that's your business and I'm not going to interfere in it. But we do have to remember that you have most of the shares in it, it's a limited company and if it gets a bad reputation because of Jo's interference, you'll lose your money. And what's more, so will Dick and Jo. I don't think she's realised that. And I know that Dick and Mollie are none too well off; the Quadrant makes them their living, but there's precious little left over. I've been sending them money for keeping the twins and the girls, telling them it was for treats for all the young folks or Dick wouldn't have accepted it, you know what he's like. But the real point that I'm trying to make is that we cannot afford to have Jack and Jo making ducks and drakes of our family's security, not when we look at this in the long term, and that's what I'm doing.'


Seeing the alarmed look on his wife's face, he smiled at her and, giving her a hug that nearly swept her off her feet, said, 'We've got plenty to be going on with, you know, the children will all be able to have whatever education and training they want, and there's no way my practice will suffer, or your school, but I'm still looking to the future, and I don't want us to be scrimping and saving in our old age, or dependant on our children. And I honestly think we've a responsibility to Jack and Jo to make sure they are on the right path as well. Even if it means sacking Jack and sending them back to England to live. I don't mind helping their children, I won't see them suffer for the parents' follies, but I'm drawing some lines, and that's what I'd advise you to do as well. Put it in writing, make it official, then there can be no arguments.'

Madge looked at him then began to nod thoughtfully.

'You're right, Jem, absolutely right.'

Then she smiled as if a heavy burden had been lifted from her. Taking his hand, she walked along with him, though they were silent until they had reached the pension.

 

#13:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:34 am

The sitting room at the pension was empty when Madge and Jem returned, though the big porcelain stove was sending out plenty of heat, so after removing their outdoor clothes, they went to sit in there to write their respective missives in reasonable comfort.

Madge settled herself down to write two letters, both to Hilda Annersley. The first was very short, merely a request to have Ailie prepared and ready to leave the school on the Thursday afternoon. She and Jem had decided to take her home with them, instead of having her take the train the next day.

The second letter was by far more formal, as Madge was writing as the chief shareholder in the company. It was a firm request that the Management and staff of the Chalet School were to do everything within their power to ensure that the School ran smoothly, with as few interruptions as possible. The letter also stressed that the school staff were employed to teach the paying pupils of the school, not to act as childminders for under-age children.

Madge also gave formal orders that the gate between Freudesheim and the school was to be permanently closed. It was her understanding that the gate had been constructed by one of the residents of Freudesheim without the express agreement or consent of the combined shareholders.

As she finished writing the letters, Madge decided that she would hand them over personally and ensure that she received a receipt for both of them.

That unpleasant task done, Madge sat back and looked at Jem who was absorbed in his work. She realised with a shock that he was still an attractive man, in fact, he was still the most attractive man she had ever met. He stopped his work for a moment, looking up abstractedly, then as he realised that she was staring at him, he smiled at her and said,

'Finished, are you? I wish my job was as easily completed. I'm just jotting down a few notes, but I can't do much more until after the meeting tomorrow. I wish the days of autocrats were still with us, it would be much easier. But they aren't so I'm going to sit and listen to my staff. From the impression I got today, Jack has lost the respect of a lot of the staff, and it's going to be a long hard job to put things right.'

'Is there anything I can do to help? I would if I could.'

'I think you're doing enough already, my darling. I suppose you're going to have another go at Jo tomorrow?'

'Yes. I am. I wish I weren't, but I have to do it.'

Jem's response to this was a sympathetic smile, but Madge could see that he needed to get on with what he was doing, so she offered to go to see if she could find someone to make some tea. Jem seemed pleased with that idea, so she went off on her errand. As she left the room, determination in every line of her, Jem felt that he could almost feel sorry for Jo on the morrow.



Madge and Jem ate a leisurely breakfast, then set off. Jem was to drop her at the school again so she could deliver the letters and get a receipt for them.

However, on making her way to the office, she discovered Hilda Annersley standing in Rosalie's room, talking to her secretary.

Madge smiled, greeted both women, then handed the letters over to Rosalie, and asked for a receipt.

Rosalie looked a little alarmed at this, and glanced at Hilda who held out her hand for the letters. Once Hilda had opened them both and quickly glanced through the contents, she looked up, smiled at Madge, then asked if she might have a short conversation with her. Madge was quick to agree, so Hilda rang for coffee then led Madge into the study.

The first letter was discussed whilst they were waiting for the maid to bring the coffee, Hilda seeing the sense of Ailie going home with her parents. Hilda asked only one question. 'Will you be wanting to take her trunk with you? If so, I'll let Matron know and have her supervise the packing.'

'Yes,' Madge replied. 'I'll be wanting to see what she has and what she needs, so it would be a good idea to take it all home.'

It was only when coffee had been served by one of the maids that Hilda was able to broach the subject of Jo.

'You do realise how hurtful this is going to be for her, don't you? After all, she's been coming here for years as your representative, and to take it all away from her is going to be very hard on her.'

'She hasn't been my representative at all, and if Jo gave you that impression, she was wrong to do so. From things that I've discovered that she's done in the past, she's hurt a good many people, so perhaps this is long overdue. To be precise about it, my sister has obviously been disrupting the work of this school, and it cannot go on. I hold fifty-one percent of the shares and derive a sizeable portion of my income from it, and I'm not prepared to let anyone deprive me, or my children of our future income. As you well know, Hilda, once a school starts to get a bad reputation, it might as well close down. What Jo has to see and understand is that she gets an income from it, too. If the school goes, so does her income and the free education she gets for her girls. But I think she doesn't want to to understand this.'

Here Madge looked at Hilda, who sighed and responded,

'Yes, but we have tried. Do you know that half the mistresses have threatened to resign, just over the the matter of the play. One even said she wasn't going to return after Christmas, if Jo wasn't stopped. Don't forget how many of them give up their free time to help put the play on, sewing, painting, and all the tasks that have to be done before it can go on stage.'


'I know that, Hilda. That's why I have to stop her, and stop her now.'

Both women looked uncomfortable at the prospect that opened up before them.

=============================

The meeting at the San was also uncomfortable, but it was Jack Maynard who was suffering the most. All the senior doctors were there, but a member of the junior staff had entered the room, telling Jem that he had been voted for as their representative. Jem had asked him to sit down, smiling at the young man in welcome. Then Matron had sailed in, accompanied by a Senior Sister, and had both had taken their places at the table. Jem had welcomed them too.

Then the meeting had opened. Neil Shepherd had opened the discussion, and it was clear that there was long list of grievances. It was not only their pay that worried them, there were urgent matters of patient care and staff morale that needed to be sorted, and quickly too.

Here, young Doctor Bennett asked to be heard.

'I've only been out of my training for two years, but we had to use the most modern drugs, but here I'm expected to use the old-fashioned stuff, and it goes against the grain. If I were, and I'm speaking for the rest of the younger doctors too, allowed to use the more modern drugs, we could cure patients far more quickly, but every time we try to order them, we're told we can't have them.'

Jem felt himself groaning inside. What on earth was the point of employing up-to-date staff, if they weren't allowed to use the new methods?

He realised that this was going to take far longer than he had expected.

 

#14:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:36 am

Jem's meeting carried on, with the grievances being brought out. The problem was that they were all perfectly valid. What it boiled down to was that Jack was insisting on using the old methods, and wasn't treating the younger doctors properly as professioanl colleagues. Instead, he was behaving as though they were still in training.

He could see that changes had to be made and very soon. Jack had to realise that the San wasn't his personal fiefdom, to order as he chose, but a business that needed expert guidance from professionals who were keeping up to date in their areas of expertise.

He made some swift decisions.

'The first thing to do is to delegate someof the responsibilities. Neil, I want you to to be the person who verifies the accounts and sends them to me for signature. I also want you to institute a small panel to read up on the new drugs, evaluate them, and if necessary, get them here and dispensed to the patients immediately.

'Phil,' This to Dr Graves. 'I want you to make an assessment of what new staff we need in the various areas of medicine. The aim will be to turn this into a good general hospital, but with some areas of special expertise so we can attract patients from all over the Continent.

Then he turned to his brother-in-law. 'Jack, I'll be talking to you in your office about handing over the various responsibilities.'

A knock on the door interrupted him. One of the catering assistants popped her head in and asked if they were ready for the lunch that had been ordered. On hearing Jem's agreement, she wheeled in a trolley laden with plates of sandwiches and cakes and coffee pots. Jem realised that this would be a good opportunity to speak informally to the staff, so he prepared to make the most of it. However, he could see from the look on Jack's face that their coming interview was not going to be easy.


===============================================

Madge walked in through the open front door of Freudesheim. She was a little alarmed at this, and at the sounds that were issuing from the Saal. On going in, she discovered Jo sitting in her favourite armchair, once more crying her eyes out.

Madge decided to leave her for a while, so she went into the kitchen to make some coffee. As she stood there she realised that the place needed a good clean-up. Jo certainly didn't believe in keeping order in her kitchen, but she resisted the temptation to tidy it up.

Once she had made the coffee, she walked briskly back into the Saal, and put it down on the table in front of her sister. Pouring out two cups, she turned to Jo and said,

'Here's your coffee, Jo. Stop crying now and drink it. All these tears are no good for you, you know. They won't solve anything, in fact they're just making your situation worse. What you need to do is to start thinking about what you're going to do, not crying over the past. By the way, where's Marie -Clare?'


'She's upstairs in the Nursery.' was the sullen reply.

'Now Jo. It's time we had a serious talk about things, all the things I mentioned yesterday. Crying won't make me change my mind about that, so don't start again. Now then, why are you sitting in here crying when you have other things to do?'



The meeting between Jem and Jack was as stormy as Jem had predicted.
He sat down in the most comfortable visitors' chair and almost switched off as he heard Jack ranting about 'undermining my authority', 'years of faithful service' 'international reputation' and 'lack of respect'.

Once Jack had had five minutes to rant, Jem stood up and silenced him with a sharp,

'That's quite enough. You're beginning to repeat yourself and it was quite tedious enough the first time. Now, we'll get down to business.'

Jack looked immensely shocked at being cut short, but subsided when he saw the look on Jem's face. He had managed to stop his junior colleagues protesting by being overbearing or a bully, but he saw that those tactics would not work on the man who was, when all was said and done, the owner of the San. Part of the problem was that though Jack drew a good salary from the business, because of all the expenses of their large family, he and Jo had never managed to become shareholders in it. Jo got a decent income from the school, but he had never been able to look forward to a share of the profits from his hard work. And, he had to admit this, whilst he had kept up with medical advances in the TB field, he had dismissed the majority of them, preferring his own tried and tested methods.

Then Jem began to speak, and Jack, as he listened to him, grew more and more aware that unless he changed his ways, he was going to be looking for another job very soon.

=====================================================

Madge sat on the sofa in the Saal in Freudesheim, regarding her weeping sister with a mixture of annoyance and amusement. She was quite aware that Jo was attempting to manipulate her, as she had done so many times before, but Madge had prepared herself for this eventuality, and was ready to wait it out. So she sipped her coffee thoughtfully, then decided to pour herself another cup. That might let Jo know that she was aware of her tricks. Finally Jo stopped sobbing into her handkerchief, which, Madge noted with amusement, was far from being the saturated piece of cloth it ought to have been had Jo's tears been real, and looked at her older sister.

Then the words came tumbling out of her.

'Oh Madge, you've no idea how awful it's been for me. I've been longing for you to come and take me away from all this. I thought you could have no idea how much I've been suffering just lately, but now you've come, I know that you do care, and you will help me.'

Madge couldn't resist heaving a deep sigh. Jo and her emotional and moral blackmail. Well, it wasn't going to work this time, so perhaps the best thing to do would be to disabuse her at once.

She spoke in her driest tone of voice,

'The only help you'll get from me is to tell you to get on with your life and stop interfering. I've given Hilda Annersley strict instructions that you're not to be allowed to wander round the school as and when you choose, interrupting lessons, and that the school staff are there to teach, not act as nannies for your children. The next thing is that we're not going to have the triplets for the whole of the Christmas vacation. There won't be room for them, our own youngest four will be with us. Neither are we going to give you a good long relaxing holiday next summer, being pampered by Lisl. We don't have room for all of you, and frankly, we don't want you. Jem and I are going away and Lisl will have her holiday then.'

'But, Madge, how can you say such things to me? You know I've always looked up to you and respected you. I thought that you would be sure to sort things out for me, once you arrived here. How can you do this to me?'

'Quite easily, Jo.' came the reply, uttered in Madge's coolest voice.



'Jo,' Madge continued in the same cool voice, 'You've spent years boasting about the size of your family, criticising other people and poking fun at them. You've also prided yourself on being the first lady of the Gornetz Platz. Yet you fell to pieces as soon as you realised that you'd lost the people who actually did the work for you. How well did your famous 'coping' work then? It didn't. And when I come to think of it, whenever you have stepped in to help out, it was always in a house with plenty of help from maids and cooks and nannies.

You've also seen yourself as the fount of all wisdom at the school, but now it's just seen as interfering, and a way of getting out of looking after your own children and shoving your responsibilities onto someone else. I've found out, too, that your excuse for going over there so often was that you were acting as my representative. I cannot remember ever asking you to do that, so why you should have claimed to be doing so is beyond me. As I've just told you, it has to come to an end. I've given orders that the gate between the gardens is to be closed. I had no idea that it was made on Jack's orders, I had thought that it had been there from the start.

And now, Jo. I want an explanation for your treatment of Anna. You have been callous, utterly callous towards her, someone who spent her youth and middle age in serving you and your family, willingly and without complaint. As if that were not enough, you prevented your children from contacting her; and that, as you very well know, is a source of great distress to her.'

She saw that Jo was looking at her with an expression of disbelief on her face, as if she could not comprehend why the older sister who was supposed to look after her was treating her so cruelly.



Having put Jack straight, Jem proceeded to begin his actual sorting-out by commandeering a room, a secretary to type up the notes he had made, and beginning a round of individual interviews.

He began with Neil Shepherd, who was wise enough not to go over the same ground again, but who asked several very pertinent questions about his new responsibilities. Through his conversation with Neil, Jem became aware that he had found a perfect Second-in-command for the San, and a possible Chief Medical Officer should Jack decide to take his wounded feelings back to England. With this in mind, Jem quickly gave him the responsibility for the recruitment of new staff who would turn the San into a centre of excellence for the treatment of Orthopoedic cases, as well as a general hospital for the area.

The next was Phil Graves. Jem had not been overly impressed by his attitude at the meeting, and was determined to get to the bottom of it. It seemed that Phil was more inclined to let things slip, let them go on in the old way. Jem mentally marked him down as another one for repatriation unless he changed his attitude. He began by discussing the need for continuing training, for doctors and nurses, but Phil seemed quite contemptuous of this, which made Jem fairly concerned. It was quite clear that Phil believed that his initial medical training was enough was not the man to put in charge of the Continuing Education Department that was to be a feature of the new San. In the end, Jem felt that he was justified in being quite sharp with the man, and went as far as asking him if he would be happier working elsewhere. Seeing Phil begin to splutter over this, Jem told him, quite calmly, to make up his mind. The San had to be brought back onto the right path; if Phil did not wish to be a part of this, he was welcome to a handsome redundancy package.

Phil turned pale at this. The thought of beginning again somewhere else was decidedly unattractive, especially as Hilary was thoroughly enjoying her part-time work at the school and they were both more than happy with the extra money that her work brought in. He simply didn't know how he would be able to tell her that she'd have to give it up.

He realised that he was going to have to bite the bullet and accede to Jem's orders. Remembering his work as a GP in Wales, Phil offered to oversee the restructuring of the departments to bring them into line with the new plans.

Jem thanked him for this then informed him that the interview was over.

Eugen Courvoisier was next. He had been happy in his work, but was eager to extend his knowledge and skills to cover all chest illnesses, not just administer antibiotics to TB cases. He pointed out that the Platz was in an ideal location for for the treatment of chest diseases, so with the addition of a heart specialist or two, the San could quite easily diversify into that area. He was honest with Jem. He liked working on the Platz, his wife was working part-time at the school and enjoying it, and he didn't want to move, not if he had the opportunity to stay and extend his area of responsibility.

Jem took to the man. He had met him before, but briefly, and had not then had the chance to get his measure, but did so now. Here was someone who was not only ready, but eager for change. He decided that he was going to promote him to a department head's position as soon as possible. When Eugen excused himself, saying that he had to see several patients before he could even think about going home, Jem sat back thoughtfully to consider his next moves.

He was so absorbed in this that he almost forgot that he had arranged to pick Madge up from Jo's. Then his heart sank. Poor Madge, he hoped she hadn't had a terrible time of it. He simply didn't want to have to see Jo again, but knew that he had to support Madge in her decisons, and if that meant tackling his sister-in-law, that's what he'd do. Still, he'd had a long day, but he felt satisfied with what he had done, and though he could see that the morrow was going to be difficult, he had at least made a beginning.

 

#15:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:38 am

Jem drove slowly along the road to Freudesheim, hoping that Madge was all right. The problem was that he had so little time here in Switzerland, as they were going home on Friday morning, taking Ailie with them.

He arrived at the gate to his sister-in-law's house to discover that Madge was just walking out of the front door. She looked to be in no very good mood, so he contented himself with getting out of the Land Rover, nipping round it and opening the door for her, seeing her settled into the front seat. Then he drove off towards the Caramie.

Madge sat silently, inwardly seething, and utterly determined that she would never lift a finger again to help her younger sister. During their unpleasant interview, Jo had resorted to tears, to emotional blackmail, and sulky silences. However, Madge had been determined to make sure that Jo realised that her older sister had reached her limit.

Finally, she had managed to get to the bottom of the business about Anna. Jo had convinced herself that Anna had deliberately had a heart-attack, was equally convinced tht Jack should not have given her the treatment that he did, and that now that Anna could no longer work for them, she ought not to be getting a penny from the Maynards. That was why she had told her children that Anna didn't want to hear from any of them. Because Anna couldn't work any longer, Rosli had handed in her notice, so Jo had to do everything. And now everyone seemed to be begrudging her a little time off domestic tasks and childcare, and that included the school staff. And now her sister had betrayed her in this horrible and unexpected way. Jo felt utterly alone and bereft, when she ought to be able to expect some care and support from her family.

Madge knew that she was going to have to tell all this to Jem, there was no way she was going to be able to keep it to herself, not now they were being honest with each other. What was really upsetting her was the idea that she had helped to create this monster.

The worst thing was that it had all given her a strong desire for a drink. But she was determined not to go down that road again. It would be better to make a cup of tea and retreat with Jem, tell him everything, and she was sure he would help her, because here, on the Platz, there was no-one else she could really trust. And, she realised, there was no-one else she wanted to help her. Jem's arms around her would keep her safe.



Once they had got back to the Caramie, Jem lost no time in organising some tea for Madge, though he would not allow her to talk about her day until she had drunk it and was looking more settled and calmer. As he saw the colour coming back into her cheeks, he was glad to see that his treatment was working.

Once the tea had been drunk, he suggested that they go upstairs to change before supper. Madge agreed with this, knowing that he really meant that she was to tell him what had happened. To be quite frank, she had realised that she would be glad of his advice and support. They had only two days to go before returning to the Tyrol, and she wanted to get Jo's awfulness off her chest and then try to enjoy her remaining time.

Once they were in the comfort and privacy of their room, Jem sat her down in a comfortable chair and then prepared to listen. Madge spared him very little, telling him how stressful she had found it, though she asdmitted that she had known beforehand that she was going to have to listen to some very unpleasant things. She told him about the moral and emotional blackmail and how she had dealt with it. Jem listened in silence, realising that she needed to express all her anger and distress. Then she finished by telling him that she had felt her body screaming for a drink.

At this, he pulled her up out of the chair, then wrapped his arms round her, holding her close.

After a few minutes, he managed to speak.

'I'm sorry I left you to go through all that alone, but you don't realise how proud I am of you. You coped with that, and you managed not to have a drink. That's wonderful. I think you're the bravest woman I've ever met.'

This was balm to Madge, who had been feeling guilty and ashamed that she had had a part in rearing someone as selfish and thoughtless as Jo had proved to be. She relaxed in Jem's arms, and felt the relief of knowing that she wasn't alone.

Eventually, they had to stop hugging each other, but Madge felt better able to cope. They hastily washed and changed, and went down to supper.

As they were sitting at the supper table, Jem suggested that Madge spend another day at the school, phoning Hilda Annersley before she did so, and spend some time in the Library, seeing what new books were needed, and discussing curriculum changes with the senior staff. Madge had been coming to the conclusion that she needed to be more involved with the school, and therefore would have to increase the time she spent on dealing with the school's affairs. It would no longer be enough to write letters saying that she was happy to go along with things. Still, she was very much aware that Jem had had a trying day too, and resolved to ask him about things at the San as soon as they were alone once more.

Still, she hadn't bargained for the shock she felt when Jem told her quite bluntly,

'It may come to the situation where I have to give Jack the push. He's not keeping up with the times, and the younger ones are angry about it. If it comes to that, I'll give him a decent severance package, but he won't be working for me in any capacity unless he pulls his socks up and starts to run the place properly with modern methods.'

She really had no answer to that.



Fortunately, both Madge and Jem were able to eat a good dinner and get a night's sleep. Madge had thought she'd be lying awake worrying about the situation with Jo, but found herself slipping off into sleep without any effort on her part. The next morning she realised that when she'd been sleepless in the past, it hadn't helped her at all that she and Jem had not been on the same wavelength, so that had added to her worries.

After breakfast, she phoned the school and told them that she would be calling in and hoped that Hilda would be able to give her some time. Finding out from Rosalie that Hilda would be free for over two hours, she asked the school's tireless secretary to book that time for her. So an hour later, Jem was once again driving her up the School's main drive to leave her at the door. Before she got out of the car, she put her hand on Jem's arm and told him,

'Jem, do what you have to. Don't think about how I'm going to feel, that doesn't matter. What does matter is us, us and our children. I've come to realise that. But I don't mean that the San isn't important, what I'm trying to say is that you are the owner, so arrange things so you don't have to worry so much again.'

Jem turned and kissed her on the lips, which made Madge giggle a little at the thought of what sort of example it was setting the pupils, but really, she didn't care.

She spent the rest of her morning very pleasantly, discussing school business and how to update various things which would enable the school to remain a viable paying proposition for now and in the future. Amongst other things, they made a decision to create a management team, and to update the curriculum. What remained unspoken was the impression that these were long overdue because Jo had vetoed them on the grounds that Madge would not agree. There seemed to be so many things that Jo had influenced, quite without Madge's volition, but now she had made sure that Hilda and everyone else understood that there was to be no further interference from that quarter. It had to be said, Hilda looked far happier for that decision, so Madge felt pleased with her morning's work, and ate her lunch with a good appetite.

Jem's morning was not quite as happy. He was pleased with the way Neil Shepherd was tackling his new responsibilities, and even Phil Graves seemed to be coming round a little. The problem was Jack.

After listening to Jack ranting yet again, Jem had had enough. it was not only that, Jack had decided to play the family card, bringing up that Jo was Jem's sister-in-law, and he hadn't expected to be treated in this way, not by a family member. Finally, Jem cut him short.

'If you're not happy with this, Jack, I'll give you a good severance package, so you can either return to England or stay out here and try to get another job. But whatever you decide, understand this, I own this San and it has to be a paying proposition. It's time you developed a backbone and put Jo in her place. The San is leaking money, your home is doing the same thing, well, take control, and do it soon.'

Unfortunately, this had the effect of making Jack's face turn an unpleasant shade of grey, leading Jem to think he was having a heart attack, but Jack rallied and said, 'If only you knew how much I want to do that, but I can't make Jo understand.'

Jem decided not to give in. 'You'll have to keep on trying. She's not the Queen of the Platz, you know. She's a housewife and mother and it's high time she started to put her own house in order. Madge and I are no longer prepared to be your safety-net. You've got six months, and if the San isn't on a better footing by the end of June, you're finished here.'

Jack blanched again, then put his head in his hands.

'How on earth do you expect us to be able to manage? We won't be able to sell that house, who would want fourteen bedrooms?'

Jem could see that Jack was facing the destruction of everything that he had banked on, but offered no comfort or consolation. He was in no mood to do it, and also felt that a good shock was what Jack needed.

He left Jack's office and walked off down the corridor to see what had to be done next.



When Madge had had another delicious lunch at the school, she decided that she would walk back to the Caramie to save Jem the bother of fetching her. It was a fine day and she was well wrapped up, so there was little risk of her getting a cold. She walked along pensively. It was good, no, she corrected herself, it was great, that she and Jem were getting on so well and rebuilding their marriage, but there were times when a woman needed to to be alone to think things out. As she walked along briskly, she made up her mind. She'd tried listening to Jo, and the result had been that she'd had to put up with attempts to manipulate her, make her feel sorry for her younger sister. It hadn't worked, not her attempts, not Jo's. She decided that she would make a final attempt to write to Jo, telling her to stop feeling sorry for herself and get on with managing her house and her life. She realised that it was hard for Jo, for never in her life had Jo had to do anything strenuous in the way of housework, apart from a few months at the very beginning of her marriage. Even when they had been short-staffed at the original Chalet School, Jo had not been asked to lift a finger to help, apart from the once after the flood, and that had seemed more in the nature of a game than anything else.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear the Land Rover until Jem pulled up beside her and leaned over to open the door for her.

She smiled at him as she got in, then leaned over to kiss him.

'All finished?' she asked with a smile.

'No, just begun, but I think we'll all be on the right track soon. I've decided to ask you if we ought to book into the Caramie again after Christmas, bring Ailie back, and see how things are going. What do you say to that?'

'It might be an idea, but just for a couple of days, weather permitting, of course. The problem is that I don't really want to leave the Tiernsee, I love it there so much. And the trains are so good, it's not a difficult journey for her. Not that I want to be rid of her, I don't. I think we'll have to wait and see.'

'I agree, the weather will be the deciding factor, not what we want to do. Now, since I've got things in hand at the San, and you seem to be finished at the school for the moment, how about spending tomorrow morning just relaxing and going for a walk? We have to be at the hall for the play well before two o'clock, so we don't want to go far. And when we've picked Ailie up from School, we'll be staying the night in Interlaken. That's as far as I want to drive tomorrow, and a night in a good hotel won't do us any harm.'

'Yes,' Madge replied thoughtfully. 'It's just far enough away for us to be well away from the Platz, and not close enough for us to be bothered by anyone. That sounds wonderful.'

'Then that's what we'll do. To be honest, I don't want all this fuss and bother. I do want to have our family around us, see if we can manage to rebuild our family life, and be a GP in the Austrian Tyrol. I once wanted to be the man who cured TB, now I hope that the villagers I treat will remember me kindly as the doctor who helped them when they were ill. Fame's one thing, Madge, but being remembered and regretted is far, far better. Now, I've said enough. And tonight, I don't want to talk about the San, I've had enough of it for the moment. Have you finished your work with the School?'

On hearing Madge's confirmation that she had, he smiled and said, 'Well, as the family doctor for the Tiernsee area, I prescribe a long lazy evening in front of a warm stove, with a good book and your husband to talk to.'

Madge had to laugh at his mock-pompous tones when he said that, but agreed demurely that it sounded just what the doctor ordered.

 

#16:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:40 am

I apologise for the spreeing, but Feeone has sent me what she had, saving me an enormous rewrite, so I've put it all on the board.

A thousand blessings to her.

 

#17:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:42 am

Thanks Jennie, and thanks Feeone.

 

#18:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:04 pm

Well done Feeone!

Thanks, Jennie Very Happy

 

#19:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:23 pm

Wonderful - well done Feeone!!!

Now Jennie - about that new bit...... Wink

 

#20:  Author: Mrs Redboots, Location: London, UK PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:53 pm

Excellent! Glad it's caught up (thanks, Jennie and Feeone!), and looking forward to some more.

 

#21:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:35 pm

This won't be identical to the previously posted, now deleted bit, but I think it stays faithful to the idea.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Russells had decided not to be too energetic for their last morning in Switzerland, but to content themselves with a short walk and packing before going to the Nativity Play.

The afternoon found them seated in the big hall, anxiously awaiting the production. The girls performed with their usual reverence, though it was easy for someone in the know to see where pieces had been cut out of it to make it a more manageable whole. Curiously enough, there were no calls for the author, who was conspicuous by her absence. But it seemed that the occupants of the Platz were still disposed to be generous, for the collection plates soon filled to overflowing.

Madge and Jem said their farewells to everyone and got into the Land Rover to drive back to school. They waited for Ailie to show herself, which she did with some reluctance, seeming to want to stay with her friends. Jem was having none of that, and got out of the car to call her over. He went into the hall to find her trunk, and with his daughter's help, and a hand from a couple of her friends, they managed to get her trunk safely stowed alongside their cases.

Jem lost no time in driving off, leaving it to Madge to tell Ailie what was happening.

'We're driving down to Interlaken tonight. We'll be staying in a hotel there and doing most of the journey home tomorrow. We wanted to get off early because we want to get down the mountain and into the city whilst the shops are still open. Some of them stay open until late at this time of the year. You've only got your school uniform with you, and it won't be warm enough for the jpurney, so we need to get you some more clothes. If we get you some smart trousers and a sweater, with some shoes for tonight and warm boots for the journey, you ought to be all right. The rest can wait until we go down to Innsbruck for the day.'

Ailie hardly knew what to reply, this was so unlike the mother that she remembered, but it seemed that smocked velvet dresses with lace collars were no longer to form part of the Russell family's accepted way of dressing.

In the event, Ailie had another massive shock awaiting her when she accompanied her parents into the large department store. It seemed that her mother had discovered the delights of shopping, so Ailie benefitted from this with new trousers, new sweaters, shoes, boots, a new smart ski-jacket and warm gloves. This was a change from wearing Josette's outgrown clothes! Laden down with shopping bags, they drove to the hotel, a small family-run place where they were welcomed and fed, before going into the lounge to have coffee.

In all, she was quite surprised to find that she had actually enjoyed her parents' company, and even more surprised to discover that her mother neither ignored her opinions, nor tried to play the doting parent. When she went off to bed, she lay for a time, pondering this new developement before sleep took her.

 

#22:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 7:39 pm

How nice to see Madge and Ailie getting on better Smile .

 

#23:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:03 pm

Thanks, Jennie. I'm glad that Ailie was pleased with her new clothes. I'm glad you were able to retrieve the rest of the document.

Who is Feeone, please?

 

#24:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 8:12 pm

Oh that's nice. Very realistic to see how reluctant Ailie was at first - but so nice to see the relationship growing and deepening.

Love the lack of calls for the author of the Play. Laughing

Thanks Jennie.

 

#25:  Author: Rosy, Location: Gloucestershire-London-Aberystwyth PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 9:21 pm

It's nice to see Ailie and Madge getting on better. Thankyou!

 

#26:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Mon Apr 10, 2006 11:30 pm

Oh, Madge and Ailie are getting along better- that's encouraging! And I loved the lack of acclaim for the playwright!
Thanks Jennie.

 

#27:  Author: Cryst,  PostPosted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 4:59 am

Thank Jennie, it was good to catch up with this, and I hadn't read the last bit.

 

#28:  Author: Chris, Location: Nottingham PostPosted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 12:38 pm

Hoorah - so pleased to see this back!
Hope all the 'children' - should say 'younger generation' really - accept the new attitudes of their parents at face value and respond in kind.

 

#29:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 4:40 pm

It's nice to see Ailie and Madge getting closer in their relationship.

Thanks Jennie.

Star Wars

 

#30:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 12:21 pm

Just a mini postette.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rest of the journey passed relatively uneventfully, though Jem seemed concerned about the weather, with snow flurries chasing them along the road. Still, though Ailie found the Land Rover uncomfortable for such a long drive, she made no complaints as the scenery they went through was new to her.

She fell silent as they drove through Innsbruck, though her mother turned to her to tell her that they would be having a shopping expedition as soon as they could, as she had to look through Ailie's clothes first before they went down to the city. Then both her parents fell silent as Jem turned the car onto a road that began to wind up the side of a mountain.

Then Jem spke to Ailie over his shoulder.

'We're on the last leg now. We'll soon be coming into Spartz, so we'll stop there to phone Lisl to tell her we're on our way. Then we'll be at the Tiernsee not long after that. It'll be your first sight of it, so we hope you'll like it. We've got lots of things planned for you to do. There's just one word of warning, Lisl has done a mountain of baking, so make sure you have a good appetite. We don't want to lose our housekeeper because you haven't eaten enough to please her.'

Ailie couldn't stifle her giggles at that, her parents worrying about whether the housekeeper would take offence.

Then her mother turned to her and smiled,

'We couldn't manage without Lisl, she's a dear. She keeps the house running really well, and bakes all the bread for the schoolchildren during term-time. She's great fun, you'll like her a lot.'

Ailie was beginning to wonder if she'd gone mad, was having delusions, with her mother describing the housekeeper as great fun. This was so unlike the person she remembered, then decided that she wasn't. After all, she was wearing the new trousers and jacket that her mother had bought for her, so something had happened to make her change her attitudes.

 

#31:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 12:52 pm

Oh good, nice to see them getting on so well. Hope that in time Madge will be able to make things up with her older children as well.

 

#32:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 5:09 pm

Thanks, Jennie. It's nice to see that Ailie is happy with everything so far.

 

#33:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 5:38 pm

Pleased for Aile and Madge - echoes the others in hoping that she can repair the relationships with Josette and, in particular, Sybil, at some time in the future.

 

#34:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 1:14 am

Oh that is nice Jennie...lovely to see Ailie accepting the changes in Madge, even if she is puzzled by them!

 

#35:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 2:52 pm

Ailie spent the next couple of days settling into her new bedroom and walking around the village of Briesau, getting to know the area. She was in a state of deja vu, after all, she'd heard so much about the place from all those tea-parties at dear Aunt Jo's, but an awful lot had changed, including new buildings and several shops.

She had unpacked her trunk and her mother had gone through her clothes, making noises that sounded highly critical, until she was beginning to wonder if the journey back had been a figment of her imagination.

Then her mother had looked up up at her and said,

'Well, it's clear that you're still growing, all this stuff is getting far too short for you. I can see that we'll be lucky to manage with one day's shopping. And we'll have to look sharp, it's almost Christmas and the shops will be getting very busy. I'm beginning to wonder if we ought to go down by train and stay overnight. And then there'll be all the things to get for Josette, Kevin and Kester. We'll just have to consult your father about the timing because of his surgeries. Perhaps we could go down on Friday morning , and come back on the Saturday evening.

By the way, your father is going out on his rounds to some of the outlying villages tomorrow. He wants to know if you'd like to go with him to see something more than Briesau. Some of the villages are very pretty and it might be best if you saw them before there's too much heavy snow, otherwise it will be Easter before you have the chance again. And you can help him, make sure the patients are in the right order, that sort of thing, get their notes out. Nurse will be going as well, so you'll have someone to talk to as well as your father.

Now, the next thing, we need to make a list of the clothes you need before we go down to Innsbruck. Don't forget, Josette and the boys are arriving on Wednesday, so I need to get your things organised before I deal with theirs. Make a list of the colours and styles you want, that will help us to get everything.'

The next morning found Lisl waking Ailie with a cup of tea at six o'clock, telling her to dress warmly, and hurry because her father wanted to get off by seven.

She found her mother downstairs too, organising a large bag of foodstuffs and gifts, and telling her father,

'I don't suppose you'll stay very long, but I think Anna might like to see Ailie again, just for a short chat. Be careful not to tire her out, Anna I mean, not Ailie. I'm sure they'll understand that you're on your rounds, so they won't expect you to stay for long.'

Lisl came rushing out of her own room, bringing brightly-wrapped parcels which she said were for Anna and her cousins, and Jem rolled his eyes to heaven, and muttered, 'Women, I ask you.'

To this his wife replied,

'That's quite enough Jem. You know you were going to call there, anyway, so it won't hurt you to be a porter for a short time.'

Lisl smothered a laugh and hurried into the kitchen to get the breakfasts on the table and to finish making flasks of coffee and preparing a large packed lunch.

Jem brought the car round and they set off only a few minutes after seven o'clock, with Ailie eagerly looking out of the window.

 

#36:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 2:58 pm

Madge is being so thoughtful towards Anna - what a contrast to Jo.

 

#37:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 4:13 pm

Oh that's wonderful - Ailie must think she's dreaming - both Jem and Madge are so human and normal here.

Thanks Jennie.

 

#38:  Author: BethC, Location: Worcester, UK PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 9:28 pm

Such a change in Madge from the mother Ailie was used to! Thank you, Jennie.

 

#39:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 9:29 pm

Thanks Jennie, glad you managed to get so much of this back

 

#40:  Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 9:46 pm

Had a mega mega catch up session. This is excellent, and what a contrast between the way Madge and Jem have pulled their life and marriage together and the way Jack and Joey are letting theirs crumble.

 

#41:  Author: Becky, Location: Newport, South Wales, UK PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 10:12 pm

Just read this all in one go - it's great, thanks Jennie Smile

 

#42:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 7:19 am

Just lovely - they are all trying so hard, and it's delightful to see Madge and Jem so thoughtful.

 

#43:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 11:46 am

How nice to see Madge doing so well with Ailie. No wonder she's shocked by the change in her mother. Now I can't wait until the other children come and see her; here's hoping she does as well with them.

Thanks, Jennie.

 

#44:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 11:52 am

Thanks, Jennie. I'm glad that Ailie is being the chance to go with Jem.

 

#45:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 3:08 pm

Ailie was exhausted by the time the Land Rover drew up outside their house, and she felt sore and battered from being jolted around over the rough tracks in that remarkably uncomfortable vehicle, but she got out of it with renewed respect for her father. That he had volunteered for such journeys, and made them regularly, and still managed to keep cheerful for his patients was something that showed her that he was a dedicated doctor. And his popularity was another eye-opener. The smiles on the faces of the people he visited were wonderful, showing how welcome he was.

She had felt shy when she first stepped into Anna's family home, but this had soon worn off, and she had welcomed the hot coffee and delicious bread and butter that they had been offered, and soon she had been chatting away to Anna, giving her a lot of news about the school and her friends, some of whom Anna remembered. Aunt Jo was not among the people whom Ailie chattered about, and Anna seemed relieved by this omission.

Her father, who was speaking the local patois, seemed happier once he had spoken to Anna's sister, though she never did find out what they had been talking about. But the gifts that her mother and Lisl had sent were exclaimed over and the parcels prodded to help them make a guess at the contents. The visit was soon over, but Ailie felt happier for having seen a familiar face amongst so many strange ones.

Even better was the praise her father had heaped on her over dinner, telling her mother how well she had managed the records and helped with some immunisations. But by the end of the meal, she was definitely ready for bed, and Josette was due to arrive the next day. She was looking forward to that, and going to bed early would make the next morning arrive sooner.

Josette, who was having dinner with Sybil and Hugh, along with her twin brothers, was not in such a sanguine state of mind. She was dreading seeing her mother again, there was no doubt about it. After all, her final Australian memory of her mother was of a dictatorial person who had ordered her to stay in Australia and marry John. She seemed to be spending her whole time in a state of low-level anxiety which refused to let her enjoy herself or the delicious food that was being served. She wondered whether she would be able to sleep that night, and had visions of herself getting onto the plane as a hollow-eyed wreck, desperately trying to manage her two young brothers. Still, they seemed to be growing up a little now, and were being amusingly vocal over their latest exploits in orienteering and climbing. They weren't worried about seeing their parents again, that was obvious. Perhaps there was something to be said for not seeing one's parents for a few years, it must make one very independent, as the boys were. And of course, they had each other for support. With an effort, she brought her attention back to the dinner table, to find Hugh smiling at her understandingly, and Sybil reaching out to squeeze her hand in a supportive gesture. They must have realised what was worrying her.

 

#46:  Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 3:11 pm

I hope things go as well with Josette as they are with Ailie. Thanks Jennie.

 

#47:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 3:37 pm

I hope Josette soon finds out that she has worried unnecessarily.
Thanks, Jennie.

 

#48:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 3:41 pm

Thanks, Jennie. I hope that Josette will be able to get on with her parents.

 

#49:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:29 pm

Hope things go well with Josette, and glad that they had a nice time with Anna. Thanks Jennie Very Happy .

 

#50:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 6:44 pm

Hope Josette's fears are soon put to rest.

Thanks Jennie.

 

#51:  Author: Rosy, Location: Gloucestershire-London-Aberystwyth PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 8:09 pm

Poor Josette. I hope things work out with her and Madge. And it's nice to see Ailie being appreciated.

 

#52:  Author: ibarhis, Location: London PostPosted: Sun Apr 16, 2006 8:18 pm

Just caught up with the new bits. I'm really enjoying them. Thanks a lot.

a

 

#53:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 11:57 am

In the event, the flight went without a hitch, and Josette was relieved to discover that only her father had driven to the airport to meet them.

He was quick to give her a hug as she came out of the Arrivals door, and as he hugged her, he murmured,

'She's different now, it'll be better, just wait and see.'

The journey through Innsbruck was short but interesting, and Josette was heartened to see that it had a wide variety of shops and a huge library. Well, there was a bolt-hole if she needed one.

She didn't much enjoy the journey up to Briesau, apart from the scenery, finding her father's Land Rover uncomfortable, but when he began to talk about it, she soon realised that he was very, very proud of owning it, so she kept quiet, realising that he needed it to get round the outlying villages to see his patients.

Ailie had obviously been keeping a lookout for their arrival, as the front door was flung open and she emerged like a bullet from a gun, and hopped from foot to foot as she waited for Josette to get out of the car. Once her sister had her feet on the ground, Ailie launched herself at her, and hugged her vigorously, then drew back and began to do a little dance in her excitement.

Jem had to calm her down, telling her to let Josette get into the warmth of the house, as he was ready for some coffee and perhaps one or two of Lisl's cakes.

The five of them took the luggage out of the boot and began to lug it into the house, where they dumped it in the hall. Then the kitchen door opened, and Madge emerged. It was clear from the look of surprise on her face that she hadn't realised that Kevin and Kester were now almost six feet tall, for she looked up at them and said,

'These can't be my twins, they're far too tall.'

Then she moved towards them, gave them a hug, then told them to go into the drawing room.

'The coffee's almost ready, and Lisl has just baked some really nice cakes. There's a rich bread as well, as we thought you might be hungry after the flight. Take your coats off first, then you'll get properly warm. We've had the fire going since six o'clock to make sure ithe room's warm for you.'

It was only when they were all sitting round the blazing fire eating the warm, fruit-studded bread and drinking coffee that Jem gave them the news of what they could expect over their holiday.

'We're all going down to Innsbruck on Friday morning, staying overnight in a hotel, then going shopping. Your mother wants to look over your clothes first to see what you need, then we'll buy the things you want. And...., we'll be taking you to a winter sports shop to buy you your Christmas presents. We want to get you all ski clothes, skis and sledges for your main presents. I hope you'll all agree with that.'

His four children sat around looking amazed, so he laughed at them.

'By the way, you'll need the exercise to cope with the way Lisl cooks. You'll be meeting her in a few minutes, then we'll get your things upstairs and you can unpack and sort yourselves out.'

Josette hardly knew what to say or think, but Ailie filled the silence with her news.

'I went out yesterday with Daddy, on his rounds, and we saw Anna, and went round all the villages and hamlets. I helped out, too. It was good. I was tired by the time we got home, but I wanted to be up early to get ready for you arriving. The best thing is, we're probably going to have a heavy fall of snow on Saturday, and with any luck, we'll be able to get some skiing in before Christmas.'

Then Kester cleared his throat.

'Erm, we can't ski, who's going to teach us, or help us?'

Madge answered him.

'Your sisters will, who else? They've done enough to be able to help you, and there's a nice little slope just by the house that would be suitable for beginners. I don't think it will take you long before you've found your feet, so you should get a fortnight or three weeks in before you have to leave us. And don't forget, it's an early Easter this year, so if you come out again, you'll probably find that you can get in a few more weeks.'

The twins smiled at the prospect, then began to apply themselves to the plate of cakes that was standing on the table.

 

#54:  Author: ibarhis, Location: London PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 12:08 pm

Seize the momentum... Don't let it go!!

 

#55:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 12:45 pm

Fingers crossed that it keeps going well.

 

#56:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 1:20 pm

Now just need a little scene between Madge and Josette to make it perfect.

Thanks Jennie.

 

#57:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 1:22 pm

That's a nice beginning. I hope it all stays as good through the holidays.

 

#58:  Author: Changnoi, Location: New Mexico, USA PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 1:28 pm

I do enjoy these series of drabbles--I keep going back to the old ones for a re-read.

I do find one contrast kind of worrying/puzzling, and that is the emphasis on buying people things as a method of showing that you are a changed character. When Jem changes for Josette, he "proves" it in part by buying her a bunch of clothing that she wants and hosting a party for her. Madge shows she has changed for Ailie by "not making her wear Sybil's hand-me-downs" and going shopping and buying her things. Both parents please Josette and the twins by buying them skis and other clothing that they want.

I understand that in one way, Jem and Madge have never been responsive to the children's desires before, and now they are showing that they are in tune with what their children want. But part of me thinks back to a child screaming to her parents, "I want a pony! And if you don't buy me a pony, then you don't love me!" Jem and Madge seem to continually be proving their love through acquisition. So far, it's all been reasonable stuff--clothes, presents here and there, etc. So I think: 1) What if Madge and Jem couldn't afford all this stuff? (New clothes and skis for four children costs a lot). Would they then, in their children's minds, be reverted back to Bad Uncaring Parents? Also, 2) what if one of the children wanted something extravagent? (A convertible, a villa, diamonds...) Would Madge and Jem be able to refuse? If they did, would they be considered Bad Uncaring Parents? It just really seems like a lot of the affection they've gotten back from their children has come at a price.


I do really like this series, though. I read it obsessively. I hope I wasn't too harsh.

Chang

 

#59:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 6:24 pm

Thanks, Jennie. I look forward to hearing Josette's thoughts on the changes in her mother.

 

#60:  Author: Rosy, Location: Gloucestershire-London-Aberystwyth PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 7:08 pm

Thankyou Jennie.

 

#61:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 7:44 pm

I'm sorry you think that, Chang. In fact, the going shopping, allowing their children to have money to spend as they chose, to buy the things that they'd chosen for themselves, was meant to show that Madge and Jem have at last accepted that their children have, and are entitled to, opinions of their own and to make their own choices, for good or ill. That's why Jem is allowing Josette and Ailie to have their own way over higher education and job training. He's accepted that they are themselves, and that he can't and ought not to dictate to them what they do with their lives. So Josette is at LSE, and if Ailie still wants to do a PA course, she'll be allowed to.

It's not a 'give the children anything and everything they want' situation, but a way of telling the children that they are growing up and have the right to choose things for themselves.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The shopping expedition was a wild success, the whole family enjoyed themselves choosing their new clothes, especially the ski clothes, though Kevin had to be restrained from a pair of bright orange salopettes. As his mother said,

'I do want you to be visible, especially if we have to dig you out of a snowdrift, but I don't want you to light up the entire Tiernsee.'

Even Josette was able to laugh at that. She had had a very brief talk with her mother on the day of her arrival. Her mother had come to her room, ostensibly to see what new clothes she needed, in reality to apologise to her and ask her if they could make a fresh start in their relationship.

'I realise now that I was making your life a misery. I'm sorry about it. I hope we can begin again this holiday, have a proper mother and daughter life together. Perhaps we can be close again. Now I'm teaching again, I don't have the time to manage my childrens' lives for them, so don't worry about that.'

Seeing the look on her mother's face, Josette felt her resentment and apprehension melting away, so she was able to reply that a fresh start sounded like a good idea.

Things did not always run smoothly, the twins were apt to be careless with their things and their bedroom floor soon looked like a municipal rubbish dump, until Lisl sent them both back upstairs again to tidy up before she would let them have any breakfast.

When they finally arrived at the table, looking sheepish, they got no sympathy from their parents, just a few comments that they'd be wiser not to annoy Lisl again, she was far too good a cook to lose.

 

#62:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 8:06 pm

*Agrees with Jennie's comments.* That's how I looked on it - previously they had never been given any sort of choice, never allowed to think for themselves.


Thanks Jennie - love that the twins were made to tidy up before being allowed breakfast! Laughing

 

#63:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 8:07 pm

They sound like most lads of that age I know Laughing !

Thanks Jennie.

 

#64:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 9:19 pm

It's good to see them more as a family, and brilliant that Madge is making her sons be considerate of Lisl!

Thanks Jennie

 

#65:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 11:41 pm

Oh, I've got one of those....althoug he's been a bit better since the dog trotted out of his room proudly clasping a very elderly ham sandwich in her jaws....

I was interested in your comments Chang; they made me think about the whole issue. I believe that here the shopping isn't really about getting things per se, but is more about a way of saying, "I/We recognise that your views and ideas are valuable and therefore in listening to them, we accept your worth as a person in your own right. It also offers a way to express that wordlessly, but does allow for comment that can be explored later.

Thank you Jennie.

 

#66:  Author: Rosy, Location: Gloucestershire-London-Aberystwyth PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:28 am

Cath V-P wrote:
Oh, I've got one of those....although he's been a bit better since the dog trotted out of his room proudly clasping a very elderly ham sandwich in her jaws....


*chokes* That's fantastic. Bless the dog.


Thankyou Jennie. I was pleased to see Lisl ruling the roost over the twins, and that Josette and Madge are going to make a fresh start.

 

#67:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 10:26 am

Thanks, Jennie. I'm glad that Josette has agreed to make a fresh start and things are still going well.

 

#68:  Author: ibarhis, Location: London PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:08 am

Josette must have wanted a new start though... otherwise one brief conversation would never have done it!

 

#69:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:57 am

This is almost finished, and then it's positively the end of the Russell saga.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The holiday sped by, with the twins learning to ski, and giving everyone a great deal of enjoyment as they watched their first faltering attempts to keep their balance. Christmas had been an orgy of over-eating, with all the children exclaiming over the small presents they found waiting for them on the morning, and the funs and spills of Boxing Day when the family looked after themselves as Lisl was beginning a well-deserved few days off at her family home.

Josette had been more than willing to let bygones be bygones with her mother, as she knew how much the estrangement had bothered her father, even if he had said nothing about it to her. Her mother had changed, was less likely to try to organise the life out of everyone, though she was firm with Kevin and Kester when they were too rowdy, or untidy. And her mother obviously found her teaching absorbing, for though she spent some time skiing, she still put aside part of most days for preparing and marking work.

The day that Josette was due to return to England saw them getting up early as their plane left at midday. Josette had done most of her packing the day before, so it gave her the opportunity to spend a little time alone with Ailie.

The conversation was illuminating. Ailie told her about her hopes for the future, and Josette in turn confided about the career openings that she was considering. But when the talk turned to the family, it was more serious. As Ailie said,

'It's difficult with Mother. It's been so long since I saw her, and she has changed a lot, in fact she's even fun at times, but I still get the feeling that I can't be sure about whether it will last.'

Josette admitted that she felt the same; sometimes she wondered just how lasting the change would be, but she felt that she had to keep hoping for her father's sake. He had changed, and she appreciated it. And she and Ailie had had fun together this holiday, and would be meeting again at Easter, and could talk then. Then it was almost time for the three to leave as Jem wanted to leave plenty of time for the trip to the airport.

So, Josette and the twins left, with Ailie waving from the front door as the Land Rover pulled away. She turned to go back into the house and up to her room, only to be met by her mother.

'Why don't we have some coffee, it will cheer us up?'

Then her mother broke the news that only her father would be driving her back to school.

'I'm not going. I've done as much reorganisation there as I need to, and to be honest, there's nothing more I'm prepared to do for your Aunt Jo, so there's little point in my going. You'll be staying the night in a hotel in Interlaken, and you can get your new uniform the next day before you drive up the mountain to the Platz.'

Ailie was stunned by these confidences, especially the one about Aunt Jo, but said nothing, just sipped her coffee.

Then her mother continued in a brisker tone, 'I'm considering whether you girls ought to have more experience of life outside school, some experience of work, perhaps, and a better social life. After all, big girls of eighteen ought to get to know more about the world than the school offers at the moment. Think about it and let me know what you think we should do.'

Ailie was stunned, and merely agreed that she would. Then she went upstairs to start her packing, ready for the off the next day. This time, she intended to take a cushion with her to alleviate the discomfort of the Land Rover.

 

#70:  Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:04 pm

Jennie wrote:
This is almost finished, and then it's positively the end of the Russell saga.


*thinks Jennie has said that before*

Thanks for the update.

 

#71:  Author: Rosy, Location: Gloucestershire-London-Aberystwyth PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:35 pm

But Jennie, you have to tell us what happens to Ailie. *nods*

 

#72:  Author: Ruth B, Location: Oxford, UK PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:39 pm

Rosy wrote:
But Jennie, you have to tell us what happens to Ailie. *nods*


And the new improved CS!

 

#73:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:43 pm

Thanks, Jennie.

It's good to see the improved relationships and understandable that the girls will have doubts - only time will prove to them that Madge really has changed for good.

 

#74:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 12:53 pm

Hope everyone makes up before the end.

Thanks Jennie Very Happy .

 

#75:  Author: JustJen, Location: sitting on the steps PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 1:46 pm

And what about David?

 

#76:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 2:00 pm

Jennie wrote:
Seeing the look on her mother's face, Josette felt her resentment and apprehension melting away, so she was able to reply that a fresh start sounded like a good idea.


I was so glad to read that, and hope that further contact with Madge will help Josette to realize that the changes in Madge are going to last.

I hope the Russells will keep on calling to you, as it would be nice to see if Madge manages to get David back on side again, not to mention hearing more about Ailie, of course! And we do need to see how Jo and Jack sort out their problems, please!

Thanks Jennie, fabulous as ever.

 

#77:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 3:14 pm

Thanks, Jennie. I hope that Madge won't change back to her old ways.

 

#78:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:08 pm

I'm sure there are lots more baby plot bunnies just waiting for thier day, Jennie! Laughing

Thanks for the latest - I think it's realistic for Josette to have doubts, but like how Madge is slowly easing her fears - also like Ailie's responsesand that Madge doesn't want to visit the Platz as she would have to visit Joey! Laughing

 

#79:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:09 pm

The Russell universe will never let you go and you know it Jennie!

It's lovely to see everything coming together for the family though I'm still wondering about David.

 

#80:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 10:29 pm

Thank you Jennie.

*Just wondering if you are going to kill Jo and Jack off to get them out of the way?*

 

#81:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 3:44 am

Now that's a thought.... Very Happy

Thanks Jennie - good to see the Russells starting to rebuild their relationships.

 

#82:  Author: Identity Hunt, Location: UK PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 7:06 am

Thanks, Jennie!
I am so very glad to see things improving on most fronts.
When do we see David ?

 

#83:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:26 am

Let's put it this way. I'm getting a bit tired of the Russell universe, and need a break from it. Saying that there won't be any more of it is my little declaration of independence. I'd like to sit back and watch the other drabbles from the comfort of a sofa, with a mug of tea in my hand, and the biscuit tin next to me.

 

#84:  Author: Chris, Location: Nottingham PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 12:07 pm

Yep - we understand all that!

But - don't forget to finish this one, will you - pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease.

 

#85:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:01 pm

The Final Episode.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Madge stood at the front door, waving until the vehicle was out of sight. She knew that Jem was going to be away for over a week, what with the travelling and getting things underway in the re-organisation of the San, but she was going to miss him very much. And she had to be honest with herself, she was going to miss the children more than she had thought. The house seemed big and empty without their voices and footsteps, even though they had added considerably to the workload. Still Lisl had made no complaints, and she had certainly managed the twins well.

Then she felt a hand being placed gently on her arm.

'It's time to come in now, they're out of sight.'

It was Lisl, with a sympathetic smile on her face.

Madge was told that there was fresh coffee waiting for her in the drawing room. She went in, closing the door behind her, and walked into her favourite room, with Lisl following her.

She asked Lisl to sit down and have some coffee, then the two women began to chat. Lisl admitted that she would miss the twins,

'They are so full of life, so is Ailie, it was good to have them here. I am looking forward to seeing them again at Easter. It will be good to have them back.'

'I was worrying that they might be too much work for you, Lisl.'

'Oh no, remember, we have large families here in the Tyrol. I helped to bring up my younger brothers, so I am not afraid to be strict with boys. They will do well, once they have learned what they want to do with their lives.' She smiled as she said this, making Madge warm to her even more.

The Lisl added,

'I shall not be taking my days off while Sir James is away. The weather will not be good and I don't want to be caught by it, and not be able to get back.'

'Oh, but, surely you need a rest after all the work you've done?'

'No, it wasn't so bad, remember how much of the cooking I had done before they came. That made it much easier. This week, I shall get the house back to normal and bake bread for the first few days back It school. It can go into the freezer, and and we shall have it in hand. But when Sir James comes back, perhaps then I shall have a weekend away. I should like to go down to Innsbruck and be a tourist. I've never had the chance to do that before, so it will be good to do it now.'

Madge looked at her, her housekeeper, who had become more than that, a friend, and knew beyond a doubt, that she and Jem had done the right thing in returning to the Tyrol.

Jem was driving along, Ailie chattering away at his side, clearly looking forward to going back to school and telling all her friends about her holiday, and though he was happy to be with her in this relaxed way, and glad that he was getting to know his third daughter much better, he was beginning to long to be back by the Tiernsee, with Madge. He was also beginning to think something that would once have been unthinkable. He was considering selling the San. Get it going on a sound footing again, make sure it had some new specialities to offer, then sell it. Neil Shepherd and Grizel were not poor, between them they could probably manage the deposit, and several of the other doctors were from moneyed families. And selling a stake in the place to them, well, it would mean that the San would be at the forefront again, perhaps regain it's reputation. That would solve one problem, how to manage it in the years to come. It wasn't as if he needed the capital sum, but he knew, deep inside himself, that he was no longer really interested in it. What he wanted to do was to finish bringing the children up, seeing them embarked on good careers, with financial help behind them, then spend his last years by the Tiernsee with his wife. In fact, if he died in harness, he would die happy.

Ailie was blithely unaware of the thoughts going through her father's mind. Under her chatter she was aware of a massive feeling of relief. Her parents had changed, she was taking her 'A' Levels, and it seemed as though there would be little to stand between her and her chosen career. She had had a brilliant holiday, had lots to talk about and best of all, she had spent time with Josette and got to know her twin brothers really well. And she had to admit that the change in her parents was the best thing of all.

Josette, back in London, was shivering at the cold. She hadn't been in her flat for a whole month, so she switched on the kettle to make herself a hot drink, turned on the heating, and lit the gas fire in her tiny sitting-room.

It hadn't been too bad, in fact it had been better than that, it had been great. All that skiing and sledging had left her feeling fit and well, ready for the new term. She felt she could tackle anything now. Even Sybil. It would be a hard job, but she felt that Sybil ought to know how much they had changed. She sat down with her tea, and began to wonder how she could bring up the subject.

As for Kevin and Kester, they tore in through the door of Bramstone's.
'You chaps will never guess what we've been doing all holidays.'

==================================================

 

#86:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:06 pm

Was that really the final episode Crying or Very sad ?

Oh well - thanks for a brilliant story and a brilliant "series"! I love the idea of Grizel taking over Joey's role as "First Lady" of the Gornetz Platz, and I'm glad that Madge and Jem are happy.

 

#87:  Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:08 pm

Glad everybody's happy. That was a lovely ending.

Thanks Jennie.

 

#88:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:15 pm

A lovely round up Very Happy

Thanks Jennie

*plumps up cushions and makes sure there's plenty of tea and biscuits*

Enjoy!

 

#89:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:19 pm

That was absolutely wonderful, thanks, Jennie. I shall really miss it all now you are finished. But won't you be bored, just reading everyone else's drabbles?! Very Happy

 

#90:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:22 pm

No, I shall make loud cries for more of them and start a lot of chants.

 

#91:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:24 pm

That was fab Jennie, and the whole series has been excellent and very thought-provoking. Glad everyone's happy! Thank you for all your hard work Very Happy

*sends tea, biscuits and 1000s of drabbles for you to enjoy*

 

#92:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:31 pm

What a lovely end Jennie, thank you Very Happy

 

#93:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:46 pm

I've really enjoyed the whole series, Jennie. Thank you lots, you've earned a break to enjoy other drabbles.

I hope the bunny will nibble again after a while and that we will return here to find out what happens with Sybil and David.

 

#94:  Author: JustJen, Location: sitting on the steps PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 1:47 pm

That was a lovely ending. Take a break becuase you deserve it Smile

 

#95:  Author: keren, Location: Israel PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 2:41 pm

Thanks very much for the thought provoking drabbles

 

#96:  Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 4:52 pm

Thanks for the wonderful drabbles that you've written Jennie. I really enjoyed all of them. Enjoy your rest Very Happy

Star Wars

 

#97:  Author: Rosy, Location: Gloucestershire-London-Aberystwyth PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 5:43 pm

Thankyou Jennie!

 

#98:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 6:06 pm

That was lovely Jennie - a wonderful ending to a really wonderful set of drabbles - thank you so much for all your hard work. Of course you deserve a break - no problem, I'll just wait till the bunnies come back again so you can show us Sybil and David's stories! Wink

 

#99:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 6:17 pm

Thank you Jennie - it was a fantastic series of drabbles and lovely to see everything resolved.

You deserve a cup of tea and a rest.

 

#100:  Author: Mrs Redboots, Location: London, UK PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 7:07 pm

I'm going to miss this! Thanks, Jennie.

 

#101:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:03 pm

Thanks, Jennie. I'm glad that the rest of the holidays went well. I will misss reading this - I have really enjoyed reading the Russell Universe. You definitely deserve a rest. Thank you for all these wonderful drabbles.

 

#102:  Author: ibarhis, Location: London PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 8:43 pm

I've enjoyed this hugely; thank you very much.

 

#103:  Author: BethC, Location: Worcester, UK PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 9:33 pm

Thank you, Jennie - the whole Russell universe series has been great, and we've seen a real redemption for Madge and Jem. Smile

I hope the bunnies do return at some point in the future, but meanwhile enjoy everyone else's drabbles!

 

#104:  Author: KathrynW, Location: London PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 10:58 pm

Thanks so much Jennie, the whole Russell universe is fantastic and I've really enjoyed the happier ending that has come out of this part of it Very Happy

Thank you Very Happy

*idly wonders if she could swap her mother for the new improved Madge*

 

#105:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:43 pm

Thank you Jennie - it was lovely seeing just much the Russell children enjoyed themselves and appreciated the change in their parents. The idea of Jem selling the San is fascinating, and he's very wise; now that their priorities have changed, it's time that the San passed into other hands.

Enjoy your sofa, coffee and the other drabbles!

 

#106:  Author: RroseSelavy, Location: Oxford, UK PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:40 pm

Thanks Jennie Very Happy

*sends large box of Jaffa Cakes to aid post-drabble sofa-a-thon*

 

#107:  Author: Karry,  PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 1:26 pm

But ....................................











What actually happens to joey and jack - can they be redeemed too?????

(Ducks to hide from thrown bunnies!)

 

#108:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 3:22 pm

Have finally caught up with this - was great to read it from beginning to end, thanks Jennie.

*also wondering if Joey and Jack will be redeemed*

 

#109:  Author: Cryst,  PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 9:20 pm

Just caught up with this - really enjoyed it, thank you - it gives a very evocative picture of Jem and Madge's new life. But like others, I'm left wondering what'll happen to this Jack and Joey.

 

#110:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 3:33 pm

Just to let you know, a PB bit me on the ankle this morning, said,

'Sybil sighed as she looked into the fire.'

and dashed off again.

With the board closing down for a week from the 24th, I certainly shan't be be starting anything new before we have the lustrous new board to paly with.

BTW: are those dates confirmed?

 

#111:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 3:39 pm

Yippee!!!!!

Think the dates are right, board being rebuilt over Bank Holiday weekend.

Thanks Jennie. Laughing

 

#112:  Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 3:57 pm

Hooray for pushy bunnies! Sending lots of super duper bunny food your way, Jennie!

 

#113:  Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 4:26 pm

Also sending bunny food!

 

#114:  Author: Lyanne, Location: Ipswich, England PostPosted: Sat Apr 22, 2006 9:24 pm

Thank you, Jennie (and your bunny...).

 

#115:  Author: Alice, Location: London, England PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 10:31 am

Thank you Jennie, I really enjoyed that. Glad the bunny's bit!

 

The CBB -> Starting again at Sarres...


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