The Swiss Family Watson. Chapter III
The CBB -> Starting again at Sarres...
#1: The Swiss Family Watson. Chapter III Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:27 am

Hello all! Apologies for long absence - had a bit of work to do! Am reposting first bit of Ch 3 now - a new update will be forthcoming later in the day!

Also apologies to all those with whose drabbles I'm hideously behind. Will catch up soon - I promise!

Scrabble nuzzled his mistress’s hand as she picked up the next album, and gazed up at her with reproachful eyes. Evadne looked down at him and laughed.

“It’s not time yet, old boy. I tell you what – I’ll finish this next year and then take you out, okay? It’ll be around two o’clock by then.”

Realising that he wasn’t going to get a walk just yet, Scrabble sat himself down and curled up resignedly at her feet. Chuckling, Evadne opened the album and grinned at the first photograph. It showed Edgar and his friend Jonty Bown, standing proudly in front of the ‘Millicent’, as the Watsons’ boat had been renamed in memory of the now-departed ‘dog’.

Turning her head to gaze down at the lake, Evvy could see the boat herself, moored alongside the jetty where Thea had left her that morning. She had certainly served them well. All five children were proficient sailors, especially Henry, who spent every second he was allowed to out on the water when he was home from school. Looking back at the photo again, Evadne chuckled to herself. It was a pity the same could never be said about their father…

==

“Well you both look very smart, I’ll give you that.”

Evadne snapped the photograph and then turned to face Jonty’s wife Janice with a grin. “Let’s see how smart they look when it’s all over, shall we? Edgar may look the part, but that’s about as far as he goes!”

“Well excuse me!” An injured look appeared on Edgar’s face. “I’ll not share my winning goat with you if you carry on talking about me like that!”

Evadne’s eyes widened at his words. “Your winning what? I thought the winners got a trophy?”

“They do,” Jonty replied nonchalantly, “but it stays in a cabinet in the Palais des Nations, so they also give the winning pair a goat each that they can take home to keep.”

Janice stared at Evadne in horror, and then turned to her husband. “Where, I ask you, are we going to put a goat?”

Evadne laughed. “I wouldn’t worry about it, Jan. With Edgar in the boat, they’ll be lucky to finish, let alone win!”

“You’ll eat your words when I return with old Nana goat in an hour’s time!” Edgar chuckled, bending to kiss her on the cheek.

“Of course you will! Just don’t drown out there, that’s all I ask!”

“I won’t, I promise. Here,” he added, handing her the new cinecamera he had been given for his birthday the month before. “Guard it with your life.” Then giving her a final smile, he followed Jonty onto the boat.

Evadne slipped her hand through her friend’s arm, and the pair of them turned to make their way back to their families. “Honestly, you’d think it was his baby, the way he carries on about it!” she moaned, glancing down at the movie camera in her hands.”

Janice laughed. “Boys and their toys, I think you call that!” Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Bob Cranston, Kate’s father, as he finished rigging his boat along with his eighteen-year-old son, and a wicked grin crossed her face. “You know, I think Bob and Iain have far more chance of winning than our two bumbling fools. Do you think we should warn Alice about the goat?”

Evadne matched her friend’s grin with one of her own. “Well, we should…”

“But let’s not?”

“Exactly that! Her face’ll be a treat if they turn up with not one but two of the beasts!”

“You do realise she’ll be furious with us if she finds out we knew?”

“It’ll be worth it though!”

Janice laughed. “You’re an evil woman, Evvy Watson!” Then as some childish yells reached their ears, she hurriedly quickened her step. “Sounds like Henry’s in the wars again!”

Evadne rolled her eyes as she matched her friend’s pace. “Well I can safely say that that’s nothing new!”


It was the last Saturday in July, and today the United Nations offices in Geneva were holding their seventh annual sailing regatta for their staff. There were to be ten races in all. Nine were for the more expert sailors among the UN’s numbers, and the final one of those was currently underway. It would then be followed by the ‘open’ race, in which anyone with a boat could take part.

A fair sailor himself, Jonty had taken one look at the ‘Millicent’ when he had been visiting the Watsons one day, realised she was far superior to his own craft, and had immediately set about talking Edgar into participating in this year’s race. For his part, Edgar was only too delighted to be persuaded. To say that he was a little competitive was something of an understatement, and he hated the fact that sailing was the one sport at which he was absolutely no good. Apart from anything else, his family ribbed him mercilessly, and he saw this as his chance to show them once and for all that he really wasn’t as bad as they thought. He and Jonty had managed to practice in secret for the last few months, despite Marcia and Ann’s best efforts to see how their fathers were getting along, and now Edgar was confident that his family would be in for a bit of a shock.

Jonty had also talked Bob Cranston and his son into entering for the regatta and so that morning, all three families had piled down to the small park between the Jardin Botanique and the lake, where everyone was gathering to watch the races. They had joined together for a picnic lunch and then whilst the men went off to prepare themselves and their boats for competition, the others readied themselves to go and cheer them on.

As they approached the picnic rugs, where the girls were busy packing things away in the hampers, Evadne could see Alice Cranston sitting on one of the blankets, cuddling Henry in her lap. His face was bright red and screwed up in misery, and the Bowns’ seven-year-old daughter Emily was looking on with some concern.

“Will he be okay?”

Alice looked up at Emily and smiled. “It’s only a little bump, sweetheart, don’t look so worried. He’ll be right as rain as soon as his mummy gets back.” Glancing to her right, she saw Evadne hurrying towards her. “Look, here she comes now.”

“What a lot of noise you’re making, Henry Watson!” Evadne said cheerfully as she approached them. Then, after pausing a moment to get her breath back, she held her arms out to take hold of her son. “Come along, come to Mommy.” Heaving him into her arms, she noticed a rapidly forming bump underneath a tiny red cut on his forehead. “What do we have here, then?” she asked, feeling the tender area gently with her fingertips to make sure the wound was merely superficial. “How did you do that?”

“He was chasing me and tripped and banged his head on a stick,” Emily answered nervously, and Evadne gave her a smile.

“Did he now? Well that’ll teach you to think you can keep up with someone seven times your age, won’t it young man?”

“It’s just a little graze, Evvy,” Alice put in, as she packed away the first aid kit. “I put some iodine on the cut, and I’m pretty sure there’s no more harm done.”

“Thanks, Alice.” Evadne smoothed her hand over her son’s fine, fair curls and then dropped a kiss on his wound. “You, Mr. Henry, are the most accident-prone little boy in the world, did you know that?”

Henry sniffled and rubbed his face in his mother’s shoulder, and Alice laughed and got to her feet. “So, are they almost ready for the off, then?”

“Just about,” Janice grinned, as she came up behind them. Then, with a quick check of her watch, she looked around and clapped her hands together. “Come on you horrid lot, only twenty minutes to the start. Where are Rupert and Ned?”

“Gone to save us a spot down by the water,” Alice replied, jumping hastily out of the way as Thea and Kate whipped the blanket from under her feet. “Audrey’s with them too,” she added, referring to her elder daughter.

“Well let’s go join them, shall we?” Evadne said, lowering Henry to the ground, as he was starting to wriggle in her arms. “Thea, pass me Henry’s reins, will you? They’re in that basket just there. He’s a little too heavy for me to carry just now.”

“Do you want me to carry him for you?” Thea queried, as she did as she was asked.

Evadne smiled up at her and shook her head. “Thanks, sweetie, but it’s okay. He can go on his reins for now. I’ll let you know if I change my mind later on, though,” and attaching the harness to her son, she handed him his rabbit, heaved a small sigh and got back to her feet.

Now four months pregnant, she was finally blooming, after her initial few months of nausea. Carrying Henry around, however, was becoming something of a chore, especially as he was rapidly growing into a solid and boisterous little lad. She and Edgar had told their eldest three children about the new baby just a week ago and to Evadne’s delight, not only were they overjoyed, but they were proving to be godsends with their constant offers of help. And not just where Henry was concerned either…

“Mummy, do you want me to leave these out for you?”

Looking round, she saw Marcia giggling, as she held up a can of pork sausages. Evadne grinned. “Yes please, sweetie. Would you open them for me as well?”

Janice pulled a face, as Marcia giggled again and pulled the tin opener out of the hamper. “I don’t know how you can eat those things!”

“Don’t ask me, ask Pebble in here!” Evadne retorted, pointing to her stomach, where on close inspection, the slight outline of her pregnancy bump was just beginning to show. “I wouldn’t have touched them for love nor money a few months ago, and now I don’t want anything else!” Then, feeling Henry tugging on the reins as he tried to head for the shoreline, “Looks like someone wants to go for a paddle. I’ll see you all down there,” and with her son leading the way, she headed off across the grass.

By the time the others had joined her, she had kicked off her shoes and was paddling in the shallow water with Henry. The young boy had the legs of his dungarees rolled up almost to his bottom, and was giggling as he clung to his mother’s hands and splashed about with his feet.

“He’s a real little water baby, isn’t he?” Janice said, smiling as she and Emily came to join them.

Evadne grinned back at her. “Don't we know it! Bath-time is absolutely his favourite time of day. You know how most kids cry when you try and put them into the water? Well this one cries when you try to take him out! He threw a royal old tantrum on Edgar the other day – clung onto the side of the tub and everything. We thought we were going to have to leave him there for the night!”

As she spoke, the claxon sounded for the one minute warning, and glancing around to try and spot their husbands’ boat, Janice’s eyes fell on a sight on the grassy bank that made her laugh out loud.

“Evvy, look,” she chuckled, nudging her friend and pointing. “I think someone may have a little crush on your son!”

Looking up, Evadne saw Ned, Rupert and Audrey standing about ten metres away on the shore. The two boys were scrapping and jostling each other, and Audrey stood off to one side, gazing at an oblivious Ned with adoring eyes.

“Do you think the poor thing’s aware that he’s only interested in sport, not girls?” she asked, grimacing a little.

Janice laughed and shook her head. “Well if she isn’t, I’m sure she’ll learn soon enough. According to Alice, she’s been rather sweet on him for a while now.” Then, turning her attention back to the water, “Hey, what are you doing, you fools! You’re crossing the line too early!”

As she spoke, the claxon sounded again and the race got underway. A second blast, a moment later, proved that Janice had indeed been right. In their eagerness to get a good start, Jonty had steered the boat through the buoys a few seconds too soon, and now they had to turn and go around again. Disappointed with this handicap, Edgar could clearly be seen waving his arms around as he gesticulated rudely to his crewmate, and Jonty was quite obviously saying something equally offensive back. Amid the cheers, as their children waved homemade banners and jumped up and down, Evadne and Janice exchanged glances and rolled their eyes.

“Well, that’s their race off to a good start!”

After several slightly awkward looking tacks, they finally made it through the start line, now a good fifty metres behind the rest of the field, which was being led, unsurprisingly, by Bob Cranston and his son. Anxious to catch them up, Jonty decided to take an unusual line, out left from the rest of the field. His gamble paid off. Slowly but surely, as they neared the first marker in the triangular course, they were closing up on the rest of the fleet. By now, the spectators were cheering themselves hoarse. As they tacked round the buoy and began to head towards marker number two, they took the downwind line, gliding smoothly past three straggling boats, and were bearing down fast on two more.

Their wives stared dumbly at one another, astonished at the unexpected show of yachtsmanship that their husbands were displaying. Evadne was so surprised, she let go of Henry’s hands for a moment and had to hurry to grab hold of him again as he began to toddle further into the lake. Behind them on the bank, the children were yelling them on at the top of their voices. In their excitement, Marcia and Ann even dropped their banner into the water and just left it there, far more interested were they in jumping up and down.

By the time they reached the second buoy, they were up to sixth place in a field of fourteen and a slightly concerned Janice was starting to make mutterings about goats. And then suddenly, just when things were looking so promising, it all began to go wrong.

It started with a simple mistake. Edgar had been fairly good up to now, listening to everything that he was asked to do and doing it properly, but as they neared the front of the field, his excitement grew and he began to lose his head. Consequently, when Jonty shouted tack, Edgar readied the jib to gybe. In his eagerness to correct his friend’s error, Jonty forgot that he should be steering the boat and instead let go of the rudder and lunged forward to try and grab the rope from Edgar’s hands. The boat drifted to a halt and swayed dangerously, as Edgar backed up and pulled the sheet from him. Then, as Jonty lunged once more, Edgar moved swiftly to one side and the skipper shot right passed him and over the side of the boat.

For a split-second, there was a deafening silence amongst the spectators and then a roar of laughter began, as Janice buried her head in her hands. For his part, Edgar just sat stock still in the boat, as if nothing had happened. Then, as Jonty resurfaced and began yelling, Edgar was suddenly recalled to his senses and turned to help him. The next second there was another terrific splash, as instead of pulling his friend back into the boat, he followed him into the water, as Jonty tugged down hard on his hand. Edgar spluttered and resurfaced, then turned furiously towards Jonty and told him, in no uncertain terms, what he thought of him for pulling that stunt. Jonty began to yell back and a moment later, the two men were grappling with each other in the water, pulling at each other’s sleeves and splashing around.

By this time, the crowd on the shore had given up all pretence at watching the rest of the field and were merely howling with laughter at the sight of two grown men bobbing about in the water and fighting like a couple of five-year-olds. Evadne was laughing so hard that she choked on one of her tinned sausages and Thea had to hastily thump her on the back. Ned had purloined Edgar’s cinecamera from his stepmother so that he could tape the race, and the entire episode was being caught on film – something that was to cause much delight to the rest of the family in the years to come. That was off in the future, however. Now, as the safety boat arrived to pick the two men from the water and help bring their boat back to the jetty, the claxon sounded for the end of the race, and the spectators suddenly realised that they had no idea who had won.

Still laughing, the families made their way towards the landing stage to welcome them in. The children had run on ahead, and suddenly Audrey came tearing back again, a wide grin on her face.

“Mum, Kate, you’ll never guess! Dad and Iain won!”

Alice stared at her in disbelief. “They what?”

“They won! I just saw them getting off the boat. Hurry!”

Alice and Kate hurried off after her and Janice turned to Evadne and Henry with a grin. “Still think we shouldn’t have told her about the goats?”

“Absolutely!” Then looking up, she caught sight of a sodden Edgar and Jonty coming towards them, their children walking behind them, pointing and laughing. Evvy nudged her friend in the ribs. “Have you ever seen two sadder, soggier specimens?” she asked with a laugh.

The two men were still squabbling as they made their way across the lawn.

“I can’t believe you pulled me in like that, you prize ass!” Edgar fumed, still in a filthy temper. “We could have both drowned and then where would we be?”

“Even wetter than we are now?” came the facetious reply from an equally angry Jonty. “And it’s all your own fault, so don’t even think about blaming me! If you’d just listened to a word I said, then we’d have won instead of making idiots of ourselves in front of everybody! So I don’t think it’s me who’s the prize ass!”

“Will you both stop swearing?” Janice put in, sounding exasperated with the pair of them. “There are children around, including your own!” Then, as they both had the grace to appear shamefaced, she looked her husband up and down, a smile touching her lips. “Are you a little wet, dear?”

As Jonty glared back at her, Rupert added insult to injury by saying, “Nice one Dad! Ned got it all on film too!”

“He did what?” Edgar turned to glare at his son, who was still clutching the cinecamera in his hand. “Well that’s being deleted as soon as we get home. I could do without everyone in Geneva seeing that!”

“I think you’ll find most people have already seen it first hand, Edgar,” his wife put in, a trace of amusement in her voice. “Nice example you set for your staff!” Then seeing his grumpy face, she grinned up at him. “Are you sulking there, baby?”

Refusing to dignify her with an answer, Edgar turned to his youngest son and as Henry smiled up at him and said ‘Dada’, Edgar bent to pick him up.

“You’ll get him all wet!” his wife admonished.

“He doesn’t mind, do you little man? You’re just pleased to see me, unlike those who are mocking me!” and he grimaced down at Marcia, who was trying to wring out his sleeve.

As Edgar cuddled his son to him and the little boy fingered his father’s face, Evadne stood back, glancing from one to the other with a smile on her lips. “Hey, look at that! You two have matching bumps on your heads!”

The others all turned to look, laughing, and sure enough they did. Grabbing the camera, Thea took a picture of the two of them, both staring blankly into the lens and looking uncannily similar, save for their size. Before Edgar could think of a retort, the announcement sounded for the presentations and giving an indignant snort, he turned his back on the lot of them.

“Come on, Henry. Let’s go and cheer on the winners, shall we?” Then with a sudden thought, he stopped and asked his wife, “Who won our race, anyway?”

“Bob and Iain,” she replied with a grin.

“Really?” The two men looked at each other and burst out laughing, their row forgotten. “Did you tell Alice?”

“Nope.”

“Oh, she’s just going to love this!” Confused, the children all clamoured to know what he was talking about, but shaking his head, he simply replied, “You’ll see. Come along, let’s get over there before it’s all over,” and with that, he led the way across the grass.

They pushed their way to the front of the crowd, where the Cranstons were standing, waiting to cheer on Bob and Iain as they went up to collect their trophy. Standing to one side of the podium was a man holding two goats by some leads and as she approached them, Evadne heard Kate ask her mother, “Mummy, why’s that man got goats?”

“I’ve no idea, darling,” her mother replied with a smile. “Maybe they’re just for show,” and she turned to cheer her husband and son as their names were read out.

Making their way up to the podium, they were handed the trophy, which they held aloft to a huge round of applause. Then Bob put it back on the table again, and turned to the farmer, shaking his hand as that man handed over the two goats. Alice watched on, open-mouthed.

“That’s odd!” Hearing the sound of sniggering from behind her, she turned and glared at her friends. “What’s so funny?”

“Noth…nothing,” Janice replied, almost choking as she spoke.

“Yes there is, what is it?” Then as Bob and Iain appeared next to her, still clutching the goats, she stared at them with alarm. “Why do you have those?”

“Because they’re ours, Mum,” Iain replied, confused. “Why d’you think?”

“They’re what?”

“They belong to us,” her husband replied, as the Watsons and Bowns burst out laughing again. “We won them. We are now the proud owner of one billy and one nanny goat!”

“But I don’t want any goats!” Alice replied, sounding somewhat distressed. “Where will we keep them?”

“No idea, my love,” Bob replied with a grin. “How about the spare stable?"

Alice stared at him, too shocked to speak, and then turned suddenly to glare at Evadne and Janice. “Did you two know about this?”

“Maybe.”

“Perhaps.”

“Urgh! And you call yourselves my friends!” Then swinging back to her face her husband, “I suppose you know they eat everything?” she snapped, the truth of which was being born out, as one of the goats nibbled on the end of Kate’s hair ribbon, whilst she shrieked and tried to get away.

Thoroughly excited at the sight of the animals, Henry started squealing and crying “Mama”, as he tried to reach down and touch them.

“Oh no you don’t!” Evadne cried, darting forward to stop him. “Edgar, hold him properly will you before they eat him too!”

“Daddy, can we have a goat?”

Hitching his son up in his arms, Edgar glanced down at Marcia with a smile. “No, poppet, I don’t think so.”

“You can have one of ours, if you like?” Iain offered, grinning.

“No she cannot!” Evadne put in quickly. “We already have a dog, a cat, an iguana, a horse, two goldfish and a penguin! We are not getting a goat as well!”

Marcia continued pleading, Ned joining in, but their parents simply ignored them. Instead, as Alice and Bob continued arguing and the goats caused mayhem around them, Edgar bent down and whispered in his wife’s ear, “Bet you wish I’d won now?”

Evadne looked up at him and laughed. “Oh no – today you can lose for all you’re worth!”

Last edited by Josie on Thu Apr 20, 2006 5:50 pm; edited 3 times in total

 

#2:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:29 am

Three days later, the Watson family were all gathered together on the porch for afternoon tea – or juice, cakes and ices, to be more precise, as the temperature in the shade was an uncommonly warm eighty degrees. Edgar was chatting with Anton, their next-door neighbour, who had heard the word ‘tea’ from his side of the fence and five minutes later had just-so-happened to pop round to see how they all were. On Edgar’s other side, Ned was busy throwing bits of biscotti in the air for Scrabble to leap up and catch in his mouth. Thea and Marcia were lying on two sunloungers in their swimsuits, juice in one hand and ice cream blocks in the other, soaking up the sun, and in front of them sat Evadne, who was studying a packing list on a pad in front of her, and occasionally glancing up to check that Henry was alright. The little boy was safely ensconced in his highchair, thoroughly enjoying his bowl of strawberry ice cream. Lifting his s***n towards him, he gave a squeal of delight as he smeared some on his cheek, and Edgar looked round and burst out laughing.

“Well, somebody’s enjoying their tea, aren’t you little man?”

At the sound of his father’s voice, Henry babbled something unintelligible, giggled to himself and waved his s***n around, sending a large blob of ice cream sailing through the air. It landed squarely on Thea’s bare shoulder and that young lady sat up abruptly and yelled.

“What did you do that for?” she asked crossly, glaring at her sister.

“What did I do?” Marcia snapped back, understandably indignant. Then seeing the ice cream on Thea’s shoulder, “Wasn’t me!”

“Well who was it then?”

“It’s strawberry,” Marcia answered, examining the pink blob. Reaching out her hand, she scooped some up with her finger and put it in her mouth. “Thought so. It was Henry.”

Hearing his name, the young boy giggled and squealed again, sending another blob of ice-cream arcing through the air to land by Thea’s bed. “Fe,” he giggled, pointing to his eldest sister and kicking his legs so that his chair began to rock dangerously.

Evadne’s hand shot out to steady it. “That’s quite enough, you little tyke!” Noticing that he only had a tiny amount left in his bowl, she prised the s***n from his hand, scooped up the remaining ice cream and fed it to him herself, ignoring his protests and skilfully dodging his flailing arms. “Time to get you cleaned up, I think,” and lifting him from the chair, she picked up her napkin and began to wipe his mouth.

Edgar drained the last of his juice and put his glass down firmly on the table. “Right then, how much has everyone got left to pack? Marcia?”

“’Bout half left,” came the mumbled reply, as Marcia stuffed the rest of her ice cream block into her mouth.

“Thea?”

“Almost finished.”

“Jolly good. Ned, how about you?” Ned stared down at his empty glass and muttered something. “What was that? I didn’t quite catch it?”

“Haven’t started yet,” Ned repeated reluctantly.

“Then what have you been doing since lunchtime?”

“Reading boring aeroplane books, I bet!” Marcia interjected, pulling a face at her brother.

“Shut up, you brat!” Ned snapped back.

Before Marcia could reply, Edgar got quickly to his feet. “That’s enough, thank you. I want all three of you upstairs now and your cases are to be packed by dinner, or you’ll go hungry until they are. Come on, chop chop.”

“Race you!” Marcia cried to Thea, and the two of them tore through the patio doors at breakneck speed.

“If you break anything, it’ll come out of your pocket money!” their father called after them, as Ned sauntered through the doors in his sisters’ wake. Then, shaking his head, Edgar walked across to his wife. “How much more do you have to do?” he asked her, as he ruffled his son’s fair curls.

Evadne looked up with a smile. “Not much – just a few more things of Henry’s to find space for, and Scrabble’s bits and pieces to put in a bag. I’ll go finish it off as soon as Sonny Jim here’s all cleaned up. What are you up to now?”

“I’m just going to run Anton into town so he can collect something and I need to top the car up with petrol, and then I’ll get the map out again, make sure we’ve picked the best route. The sooner we can get to Cap Ferrat, the more things we can get sorted out before Cassie and co arrive.”

“Sounds like an idea.”

“Right, well, I’ll see you in about an hour.” He dropped a kiss on the top of her head and then turned back to his guest. “Shall we make a move, Anton?” and the two of them disappeared inside.



Forty-five minutes later, Thea finished her packing, made a final check around the room, and then went to make her way downstairs. As she passed Ned’s bedroom, she heard strangled noises emanating from within. Peering around the door frame, she caught sight of Ned, pushing down with all his might on the lid of an extremely over-full suitcase. His belongings were spilling out of the sides and he was doing his best to push them back in with one hand, whilst leaning heavily on the lid with the other as he tried to get the clasps to meet. Chuckling to herself, Thea watched him struggling for a minute or so, before deciding to put him out of his misery.

“Want some help?”

Ned jumped at the sound of her voice and turned to look at her, relief on his face. “Yes please! I’m never going to get this blasted thing to shut on my own!”

Thea crossed the room and examined the offending item of luggage critically. “You’ve just shoved everything in, that’s why it won’t close. You should’ve…”

“I’ll sit on it,” Ned interrupted loudly, not interested in a lecture on his packing technique, “and you shut the clasps. That should do it.”

Good as his word, he clambered up onto the bed and sat down heavily on the lid of the suitcase. As he did so, two loud popping noises came from inside.

“What was that?” Thea asked, looking at him with alarm.

There was a pause for a moment and then Ned shrugged. “Not a clue – and I’m not about to find out either ‘cause that’ll mean opening this thing up again!”

“But…”

“Thea, just do the clasps up, will you, before it bursts open and sends me flying across the room!”

“Don’t, Thea! Then we can see him fly!”

Ned’s head snapped round to face the door and he glared at his youngest sister, who was surveying the scene with a wide grin on her face.

“’Spose you think you’re funny?”

Marcia simply smiled benignly back at him, and laughing, Thea fastened the clasps with a loud click. “Okay, they’re shut. Get off slowly, Ned, in case they break!”

“They’re not going to break!” came Ned’s scornful retort as he jumped down to the floor. “See? Told you so.”

“Why are you sitting on the case anyway?” Marcia queried, her head to one side as she regarded the pair of them with interest.

“’Cause he’s hopeless and can’t pack,” Thea replied, grinning.

Marcia nodded wisely. “That’s ‘cause he’s a boy.”

Ned’s face was a picture, but before he could reply, the sound of excited squealing and padding, babyish footsteps came from the hallway and Evadne’s voice called out urgently, “Someone stop him before he gets to the stairs!”

Darting back out of the room, Marcia grabbed her baby brother as he toddled past the door, dressed only in a nappy, his little legs moving as fast as they could go. The young boy squealed and giggled as she swung him up off the ground, and Marcia laughed and said “Got you!” before blowing a raspberry on his bare stomach.

A harassed-looking Evadne appeared at the nursery door, her arms full of toys. “Thanks, sweetie, you’re a saviour! And as for you, you rotten little troublemaker, when I say stay here, I mean stay here!” she added sternly, as Marcia brought the still-squealing toddler back down the landing towards his mother. “You know I can’t catch you when my arms are full!” Henry looked back at her and smiled his charming, gappy smile, and Evadne rolled her eyes in a resigned fashion. “Why am I even bothering? Marcia, are you finished packing?”

“Yes, all done.”

“Then would you mind taking Henry downstairs ‘til Daddy gets back? I’ve only one set of hands and I need at least three if I’m to pack and keep him in one place all at once! I promise I won’t be long, sweetie, it’s just quicker that way.”

“’S’okay, I don’t mind. We’ll have fun, won’t we Henry?”

In answer, Henry let out a loud squeal and wriggled to get down. Lowering him to the floor, Marcia took hold of his hand and walked him towards the stairs, and heaving a sigh of relief, Evadne turned back to the nursery to finish her task.



By the time Edgar returned from the city an hour later, he found them all sitting out in the garden, enjoying the afternoon sun without a care in the world.

“Did you get everything done?” Evadne asked, looking up with a smile as he walked towards them, a folded map tucked underneath his arm.

“Yes, finally,” he replied with a grin, placing his hand on her head as he stood beside her. “Word of warning - never go shopping with Anton when you’re in a hurry! Honestly, the man’s a menace!” Evvy chuckled and he ran his hand across her fair curls. “Are you all packed?”

“As much as we’ll ever be!”

“Really? And there was me expecting to come back and find you all rushing around!”

“Ye of little faith!”

Edgar chuckled. “Right, well, in that case, what say we bring everything down and pack it all in the car now? We may as well get it out of the way before dinner, and then we can relax and have an early night. We do have to leave at four in the morning, after all!”

“Four o’clock?”

They all stared up at him, aghast, except for Henry, who said “Le-la,” and clapped his hands gleefully.

Edgar laughed. “Not sure what that means, little man, but I’m sure you’re right! And yes, we’re leaving at four o’clock. If we want to get to Cap Ferrat in time for tea, then we have to leave in plenty of time. Now, come on, upstairs and get those cases, and then you can all do what you want for the rest of the evening, okay? Ned, can you bring the bags down from our room, please? I’ll be waiting out the front.”

The three children did as they were told, and Evadne got to her feet, taking her small son by the hand, and followed her husband through to the hallway to supervise the whole operation.

Before long, Ned and Thea had brought all of their bags down to the entrance hall, and Edgar was busy packing them into the car.

“What on earth have you got in here?” Edgar asked Thea, as he tried to heave her big suitcase out of the front door.

“Books,” came the insouciant reply.

“How many?”

“Only nine.”

“Nine? Are you planning on spending all holiday reading?” Ned asked incredulously. “How boring can you get?”

“I’m a fast reader,” Thea retorted giving her brother a withering look. “And anyway, you’re bringing a rugby ball.”

“That’s not the same thing!”

“If you can take your hobby, I can take mine!” and with that, Thea deemed the subject closed.

Taking the hint, Ned glanced up and caught sight of Marcia coming down the stairs, a bag in each hand. “What are they?” he asked, as she reached the bottom and dragged them across the floor. Then looking at two holdalls in front of him, “I thought those two were yours?”

Marcia dropped the bags next to him, and looked up with a grin. “They are.” Then turning on her heel, she ran back up the stairs before her brother could say anything else.

Ned stared after her incredulously, and Thea began to giggle. A moment later, Marcia reappeared at the top of the stairs, three hats perched on top of each other on her head, dragging an enormous suitcase behind her, which she proceeded to bump down the stairs. Just then, Evadne and Henry, who had been outside supervising, appeared in the doorway.

“Ned, where’s the…” Evvy broke off as she noticed Marcia descending the stairs. “What on earth…?”

Marcia looked up, surprised at the reaction her appearance had caused. “It was the easiest way to carry them,” she returned, utterly unperturbed, as she dragged the case across the polished floor.

Evadne stared at her for a moment in astonishment, and then shook her head. “Whatever you say. Right, where are your bags?”

“Here and here.”

She indicated the case in front of her and the four bags that stood next to Ned, and Evvy did a double-take as she counted them. “What the deuce is all this?”

“All what?” They looked up as Edgar came back into the hall, and he looked around him, taking in Marcia’s abundant luggage. “Are they all yours?” he asked in amazement. Marcia nodded proudly. “What the devil have you got in them?”

“Everything.”

“What do you mean, everything?”

“What I say.”

“You’ve packed everything you own?” came the startled reply.

Marcia nodded again, wondering quite what it was that her father didn’t understand. Thea and Ned exchanged glances and both burst into fits of giggles and Evadne emitted a strange snort, as she placed her free hand over her mouth, trying desperately not to laugh.

Edgar ignored them. “Why have you packed everything?” he asked, trying his best to remain patient.

“’Cause I might need it.”

“Marcia, we’re only going for four weeks!”

“I know, that’s a really long time.”

“Well I’m not having it.” Edgar replied firmly. “For one thing there’s not enough room in the car, and for another it’s just plain stupidity. You’re to take them back upstairs and repack what you really need into two bags, no more.”

“But Daddy…”

“I mean it. Now.”

Marcia glared at him, and then realising he was serious, she hung her head and dragged her feet as she pulled her case back towards the stairs.

“Henry’s got more than two bags,” she muttered under her breath as she went.

“Yes, and one of them is full of nappies and changing things. Do you want to wear nappies again?”

“No!”

“Then you don’t need an extra case, do you? Now stop whinging and do as you’re told.” As Marcia heaved the case up the first three stairs, and then paused for breath, Thea made a move to help her. Edgar reached out a hand and grabbed her arm. “No, Thea. She can do it herself. You and Ned can take Pickle and Charlie round to Anton, and then go outside and amuse yourselves until dinner,” and leaving them to do as they were told, he picked up Scrabble’s bowls and bed, and returned outside to pack them into the car.


An hour later, just as Ned sounded the gong for dinner, Marcia reappeared, a case in one hand and a holdall in the other, and made her way down the stairs. Edgar came out of the salon at the same time and gave her an approving nod.

“That’s better,” he said, as she pulled the case towards him and dropped her bag sulkily at his feet. “Now go and wash for dinner and take that sullen look off your face. You’re far prettier when you smile.”

He watched her go, chuckling to himself as she trudged towards the cloakroom, and then picking up the bags, he turned and made his way outside once more.



At quarter to four the following morning, the household was a hive of frenzied activity, as they all hurried to get ready to leave. Thea, who had been up and dressed since three o’clock, was sitting on the floor in the hallway, cuddling Scrabble, when Marcia suddenly appeared, a bag slung over her shoulder. She was looking extremely sprightly, considering her hatred of early mornings, and Thea gave her a suspicious glance.

“What are you doing?”

“Where’s Daddy?” came the hissed reply.

“In the salon. Why?”

Marcia merely shook her head and disappeared out of the front door. She returned a moment later, a satisfied look on her face.

“What are you up to?”

“Tell you later,” Marcia whispered, as Edgar suddenly emerged from the kitchen door.

“Oh good, you’re all here,” he said, as Ned appeared from the kitchen, a piece of bread in his mouth. “Where’s Evvy?”

“Coming!” came a disembodied voice from upstairs. “Can someone grab Henry’s pushchair? It’s by the back door?”

“Ned, get it will you? Take it round the side and lock the back door as you go,” Edgar asked, shaking his head. “You two, go and get into the car.”

A few moments later, a somewhat dishevelled and hastily made-up Evadne came racing down the stairs, a sleeping Henry cradled in her arms. As she reached the bottom, the grandfather clock chimed four.

“Made it!” she panted, grinning up at her husband. “Told you I would!” and as Edgar raised an eyebrow, she hurried out of the front door.

Chuckling, he turned off the lights and followed her outside, locking the front door behind him. Then, as his wife settled Henry in the back seat between Thea and Marcia, he climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine. Evadne slammed the rear door and climbed in beside him, and he turned to face her with a grin.

“Ready?”

“All set.”

“You forgotten anything, you three? Last chance to go back in!”

“Nothing!”

“We’re all ready, Daddy!”

There was no reply from Ned, who was already drifting off to sleep again, Scrabble lying across his feet.

“Right then, let’s get going,” and with a small toot of the horn, that startled Ned awake again, they set off up the drive, bound for the South of France.

 

#3:  Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex PostPosted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:32 am

HUZZAH and HURRAH for it is back! Mexican Wave Thank you Jo! Sorry that work has been so hectic!

 

#4:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:33 am

“Daddy?”

“Marcia?”

“Pleeeeease may we stop soon?”

Edgar frowned at the plaintive note in his daughter’s voice. “Why?”

“I need to go to the toilet.”

“Already? Why didn’t you go before we left home?”

“’Cause I didn’t need it then!” came the indignant reply.

Evadne raised an eyebrow at her husband’s words. “Be fair, Edgar, we left home over three hours ago!”

Edgar glanced at his wife and gave a sigh of resignation. “Fine. I’ll pull over at the next stopping point and you can go behind a tree.”

“Daddy!” Marcia looked and sounded horrified. “I can’t go behind a tree – I’m ten and a half!”

“And?”

“I’m a grown-up! Grown-ups don’t go behind trees!”

Evadne bit back a laugh at her stepdaughter’s words. “Surely there’s a town we can stop at?” she asked, consulting the map. “We’re not so far from Grenoble.”

“Marcia, can you hold on for twenty minutes or so?”

“’Spose.”

“Right, well, Grenoble it is, then,” Edgar said decisively. “We can grab some breakfast there and stretch our legs whilst we’re at it.”

“I don’t see why we couldn’t just fly,” Ned moaned. “We’d have been there by now!”

“No we wouldn’t, we’d have only just arrived in Paris, and would have a four hour wait for the connecting flight. And anyway, that’s beside the point. We need a car with us in France, unless you want to be confined to the villa for the entire month.”

“Could have hired one,” Ned muttered under his breath.

Ignoring him, Edgar kept his eyes on the road, and there was silence for a good five minutes before Marcia began to wriggle in her seat. Henry, who was fast asleep against her side, murmured as the movement half-woke him.

“Marcia, stop wriggling!” Thea admonished, she found herself jogged by Henry’s stirring.

“I can’t help it!” Marcia retorted, wriggling again. “I need to wee!”

Ned gave her a wicked grin. “Think about running taps – that should help you. And waterfalls, and swimming pools…”

“Stop it!”

“…and waves on the beach…”

“Ned, button it,” Evadne put in sternly from the front of the car.

“…and water wheels…”

“Stop it, you pig!”

Grabbing Thea’s book out of her hands, Marcia threw it at her brother, hitting Ned on the shoulder and scattering a couple of pages on the floor.

“Marcia! You’ve broken it!” Thea shouted, leaning across her to pick up the loose leaves.

“It’s Ned’s fault!”

“You threw the book!” Ned shot back at her.

“You both have to buy me a new one,” Thea said angrily, her eyes flashing, as she sat back up.

“Why?”

“’Cause you broke it, that’s why!”

“Marcia broke it, not me!”

“Stop it now, all of you!” Edgar’s stern voice brought all three of them temporarily to their senses. “These are narrow, windy roads and I’d rather we didn’t end up upside down at the bottom of the valley because you’re acting like babies and distracting me, if it’s all the same to you! You’ll be in a lot of trouble if that happens, let me tell you!”

“Won’t we be dead if that happens?” Ned piped up.

“He does have a point!” Evadne added, grinning at her husband.

Edgar glared at her out of the corner of his eye, but decided not to dignify the comment with an answer and turned his attention back to the road. Marcia, meanwhile, gave a violent wriggle, which finally woke Henry. The young lad started grumbling at his rude awakening, and Thea reached out and pulled him into her lap.

“Come and sit with me, Henry. We can look at the mountains and ignore Marcia,” she said pointedly, still cross with her sister for damaging her book.

Marcia pulled a face at her and then turned her attention back to the front seats. “Daddy, are we nearly there?”

“We’re five minutes nearer than last time you whinged.”

“I’m not…”

“Why don’t you try singing, Marcia,” Evadne interrupted hurriedly. “Take your mind off it a little.”

“Sing what?”

“Whatever you want.”

“Okay!” and with that she broke into the opening lines of ‘Little Donkey.”

“You can’t sing Christmas songs – it’s August!”

“She can sing whatever she likes if it stops her moaning!”

At her father’s words, Marcia ignored the obvious insult, and turned to pull a face at her sister. “See?”

Thea grimaced in reply and turned her attention back to the window, muttering something about her book, and Marcia began singing again at the top of her voice. It wasn’t exactly tuneful, but it had the desired effect, as everybody stopped arguing and joined in, and fifteen minutes later, when Edgar pulled the car up in front of a cafe in Grenoble, the family were finally friends again – at least for now.

Once Marcia had made her required bathroom stop and a hearty breakfast had been eaten by all, Edgar sat back in his chair and slapped his chest with his hands.

“I do declare that’s much better!” he announced, a satisfied grin on his face. Then, taking a glace at the clock on the wall, he added, “Right, I need to take Scrabble for a quick walk. You can either stay here with Mummy and Henry, or come with me – your choice.”

“I’ll come,” Ned replied.

Marcia nodded her head in agreement. “Me too.”

“Thea?”

Thea glanced up from the French guidebook she had taken from the car. “Can I go and see the Bastille please, Daddy?”

“No, sorry. It’s too far away, even with the cable car. And anyway, it won’t be open just yet.”

“Can I see the sundial then?”

Edgar’s brow furrowed as he considered this request. They were only around the corner from the Lycée Stendahl, where the clock was situated, and Thea was generally a responsible young girl. “Yes, okay. Just make sure you’re back here at the car in half an hour or we’ll go without you!”

“No, you wouldn’t!”

“Just you try me,” he replied, with a wink. Then as Thea took herself off, he bade farewell to his wife and marshalled the other two out of the café door.

When the three of them returned thirty minutes later, it was to find several locals crowded around their table, all being charmed by Henry who was toddling from person to person, showing them his rabbit and flashing his cheeky smile.

“What are you up to, Trouble?” Edgar asked, stooping to pick up his son, as the little boy spotted him and toddled towards him. “Are you making lots of new friends?”

“You could say that!” his wife laughed, as the locals began to disperse. “He had himself quite an audience just then! Where are the other two?”

“Settling Scrabble back in the car.” He heaved Henry into a more comfortable position in his arms, and dropped a kiss on his forehead. “No sign of Thea yet?”

Evadne shook her head. “Not yet. Let’s all go get ourselves in the car anyway. She’ll be back by the time we’re done.”

Despite her confident prediction, however, Evvy was soon proved wrong, as the minutes ticked by with no sign of Thea. When she had still not returned twenty minutes later, Edgar’s patience was beginning to wear a little thin.

“Where is the stupid girl,” he growled, checking his watch for the umpteenth time. Then, as Ned and Marcia secretly hugged themselves with glee that it was Thea in trouble for once, not them, their father opened his car door. “I’m going to go and find her. No-one’s to move from this car ‘til I get back. I don’t want to lose anyone else!”

With his dictum issued, he set off in search of his daughter, leaving his wife to frown at his retreating back as he disappeared round the corner. She could tell that he was getting himself worked up, and they still had several hours of driving to go yet. The next moment, she was startled by a knock on her door, and turned to see a red-faced Thea staring in at her. Evadne fixed her with a baleful glare.

“Sorry I'm late, Mummy,” Thea muttered, hanging her head.

“So I should hope!” Evadne retorted, opening her door and climbing out. “Your father’s gone off looking for you! Where the deuce have you been?”

“The Lycée - I walked all around the gardens and it was so pretty and I forgot the time,” came the mumbled reply. There was a pause for a moment, as Thea stared into the back at her siblings, who were listening intently. “I’ll go and get Daddy.”

“Oh no you won’t!” Evadne caught her arm as she went to head off, and used her spare hand to open the rear door. “You’ll get in the car and jolly well wait ‘til he gets back! He’s mad enough as it is, without us losing you again!”

Feeling rather subdued, Thea did as she was told and climbed into her seat beside Marcia, and an awkward silence descended on the car as they waited for Edgar’s return. Ten minutes later, they spotted him coming down the road towards them, looking thoroughly unamused.

“I can’t find her anywhere!” he fumed, catching sight of his wife still standing on the pavement.

“She’s in the car.”

“She’s what? Oh for heaven’s sake, I’ll…”

“Edgar, calm down, please!” Evadne gripped his arm firmly. “You've a long way still to drive, remember? No point in getting all het up, she’s here now.”

Seeing that his wife had a good point, Edgar took a couple of deep breaths in an effort to do as she suggested. Then climbing into the car, he twisted around in his seat to face his errant daughter.

“What is it you don’t understand about half an hour?”

Thea stared down at her lap. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry’s not really good enough, Thea. That’s the last time I let you go wandering off by yourself. I thought you were the responsible one. Clearly I was wrong.”

“Daddy…”

“There’s no point in pleading. That’s my final word on the subject,” and refusing to say anything else, he turned the key in the ignition and pulled away from the kerb.


The next few hours passed peacefully enough, as a subdued Thea returned to reading her book, and Marcia soon got bored of trying to needle her elder brother and fell asleep.

She didn’t wake again until almost one o’clock, and stretching and giving a big yawn, she looked around her to find Thea still reading and Scrabble curled up on top of her feet. Henry had moved from his position between his two sisters, and was now sitting on Ned’s lap, watching the passing scenery outside the open window. As his brother pointed out some cows on the side of mountain, Henry giggled and tried to repeat the words that Ned was saying.

Evadne looked over her shoulder at them all with a smile. “You know I think we’ll need a bigger car when Pebble arrives,” she said in an undertone to her husband. “We can barely fit everyone in as we are!”

Edgar grinned. “You know, I was thinking that just the other day! We’ll start looking once they’ve all gone back to school, if you like.”

“Sounds good.” Then recognising the sound of her son’s wicked babyish giggles, which usually signified he was doing something he shouldn’t be, she turned her head sharply to find him hanging his rabbit out of the open window. “Henry! Ned, stop him doing that will you?”

Before Ned could react, however, the force of the breeze dragged the rabbit out of Henry’s grasp. As he began to squeal and cry ‘Babi’, his mother watched it sailing down the road behind them, straight under the wheels of another car.

“Now look what you’ve done! Edgar, stop!”

Edgar slammed on the breaks, causing the car coming up behind to sound its horn loudly and swerve to avoid them. Ignoring the rude gestures of the driver as it passed by, Edgar stared at his wife.

“What’s wrong?”

“Henry dropped his rabbit out of the window,” she replied, as she opened her door to go and retrieve it. Returning a moment later, the bedraggled and squashed toy in hand, she opened the rear door and handed it back to her son. “Now you hold onto it, and no more dangling it out the window!”

Henry grabbed it from her hand, clearly not understanding a word she said.

“You know, I think it’ll be safer with the windows closed in the back,” Edgar put in, reaching behind him to wind up the one next to Thea. “Come on, Ned, you too.”

“Daddy, it’s really hot!”

“We’ll suffocate!”

“Don’t be ridiculous. There’ll be plenty of breeze from ours in the front,” and refusing to listen to any more arguments, he started the engine again and they continued on his way.

They were only five minutes down the road when Thea looked up from her book, stretched and took a deep breath.

“Eeuuwww!” she cried, screwing her nose up and putting her hand hurriedly to her mouth. “What’s that smell?”

Ned sniffed hard and then quickly followed suit. “Erugh! Marcia!”

“Wasn’t me!” came the muffled reply, as that young lady clamped her hand over her nose. “Pooh, that’s horrid!” Looking down at her feet, she noticed Scrabble, his head resting innocently on his paws, his tail wagging. “It’s Scrabble. Eeuuw! He’s done it again! Poohey!” and she flapped her hand around, as another wave of the pong hit her nostrils.

“Poohey!” came the reply, followed by a babyish giggle.

Marcia grinned at Henry as he copied both her words and gestures. “Poohey!”

“Poohey!”

“Mummy, Henry’s learnt a new word!”

“Poohey!”

Evadne turned around and grimaced. “So I can hear! Thank you for that one, Marcia,” and she rolled her eyes, as Marcia grinned benignly back at her.

“Dad, we can’t keep the windows closed now, it stinks,” Ned pleaded, and Edgar, with his hand over his nose, acquiesced.

“Fine, you can open them. Just keep the rabbit away from them, that’s all I ask,” he answered, turning back to the road. Then glancing at Evadne, who looked as if she were about to gag, he added, “Time for lunch, I think. We’re almost at Digne, we’ll stop there.”



Following a brief stop for some baguettes and tea in a local café, they were back on the road, on the last leg of the journey to Cap Ferrat. It had been a very long day for everyone, and after an hour and a half of very welcome peace and quiet, Marcia began to get restless again. She was feeling squashed sitting in the middle of the back seat, something which she complained about on a regular basis when back in Geneva, and as boredom set in on top of that, a little imp began to whisper in her ear.

Slyly, she slipped her right hand under her other arm and poked Ned in the ribs. Ned glared at her out of the corner of his eye, but decided to ignore her and went back to reading his book. Not to be put off, Marcia did it again…and again….and again. At the fifth time, Ned finally lost his rag.

“Get off me, you little pig!”

Marcia stared back at him, wide eyed and innocent. “What?”

“You know what! Just leave me alone,” and he turned back to his book again.

Sadly, Marcia’s imp refused to be silenced, and she poked him again, harder this time, causing him to cry out.

“Right, that’s it!” and twisting round to face her, he shoved her roughly into Thea, who looked up crossly.

“Hey!”

“Don’t push me!” Marcia snapped, retaliating by shoving him into the door.

“You started it!” Ned retorted, pushing her again.

“Shut up, the pair of you!” Edgar put in, his patience being tried again. “I don’t want to hear another word from either of you!”

“Edgar, we need to take the next right.”

“No we don’t, it’s quicker this way.”

“But…”

“Evvy, I studied the map last night! I know where we’re going!”

“Stop it!” Thea yelled at her siblings, as Henry, sick and tired of being pushed around, opened his lungs and began to yell. “Now look what you’ve done, idiots!”

She put her arms around her little brother and tried to calm him, but he was having none of it, and continued to scream. Evadne gave up trying to direct Edgar and twisted round in her seat.

“Shhh, come on sweetie, it’s okay. Henry, look at me. Look at Mommy.” Ignoring her, Henry rubbed his face in his sister’s shoulder and continued to scream. “Edgar, stop the car.”

“Evvy, he’ll stop crying in a minute…”

“Just stop the car, knucklehead! I’m not leaving him yelling - I have to sort him out.”

Heaving a sigh, Edgar pulled over to the side of the narrow road and turned off the engine. “Well hurry up about it then. We can’t stop here long, we’re blocking half the road.”

Pulling a face at him, Evadne climbed out and opened the rear door next to Ned. “Right you, get out and go sit in the front. Maybe that’ll stop you two behaving like babies!”

With a muttered, "Blame Marcia!", Ned did as he was asked, and his stepmother took his place, reaching across Marcia to take Henry from Thea.

“Come along, precious, stop crying, Mommy’s here,” she cooed, cuddling him tight, as he squirmed in her lap.

Edgar waited until they were settled, and then started the engine again. “Right, let’s see if we can get there without any more silliness, shall we?”

As if he hadn’t even spoken, Marcia leant forward and poked Ned in the back.

“Ow!”

Looking up as she cradled her son to her chest, Evadne caught the movement in the corner of her eye and reaching out her free hand, she grabbed hold of Marcia’s arm. “Quit that now, or I swear to goodness you’ll be walking the rest of the way.”

Whilst this was going on, Edgar was doing a double-take as they passed a kilometre sign at the side of the road. “Why are we heading towards Fossano?” he asked, frowning. “That sign should say Carros and Nice.”

Evadne rolled her eyes. “I told you we should have turned right, but no, you knew better. Ned, the map’s just in the door there, pass it here, will you please?”

Ned went to do as he was told, but Edgar snatched it from his hands before he could pass it back.

“Dad, Evvy wanted…”

“We can take the next right, and that’ll bring us back through Villars-sur-Var,” Edgar interrupted, as his eyes swept over the map, and then back up at the road ahead. “It’s not too far, we’ve just added a few more miles, that’s all.”

Evadne wasn’t so sure. “Edgar, shouldn’t we just turn round or ask someone?”

“Ask who? There’s nobody around! And anyway, we don’t need to, I know what I’m doing.”

“And I don’t want to be stuck in middle of nowhere when it gets dark!”

“We won’t be! Have some faith, woman, I’m not about to get us lost!”



Forty-five minutes later, they had indeed, as Edgar had predicted, reached the town of Villars-sur-Var. The only problem was that now they were there, they didn’t appear to be able to leave.

“I’m sure we’ve passed that car before,” Ned said, rather unhelpfully, as they drove down the same street for the fourth time.

“And that boulangerie,” Thea put in.

Pretty though the town was, Evadne was fed up with going round in circles. “Edgar, do you actually know where we are?”

“Yes, we’re in Villars-sur-Var.”

“But do you know how to get out of here?”

“Yes, of course I do!” he said, as they passed the post office yet again.

“Then will you get us out now?"

Edgar muttered something under his breath, and Ned faced him with a wicked grin. “He doesn’t know how.”

“Yes I do!”

“I’m seriously starting to doubt that!” Evadne added, sounded distinctly unamused. “Will you just stop and ask for directions, please?”

“I don’t need to!”

“Yes, you do!”

“Why don’t you just leave the driving to me?”

“Because we’ll be spending a month in Villars-sur-Var if I do!”

“Daddy, can we stop for the toilet?” Marcia piped up.

“No.”

“But I need it.”

"No, Marcia. You don’t need it, it’s all in your head.”

“I do, I’m desperate!”

“She might wet herself, Dad, imagine that?” Ned put in with a grin.

“Don’t you dare!”

“Then stop for her, for heaven’s sake!” Evadne said, sounding exasperated with her husband’s stubbornness.

“Just shut up all of you and let me concentrate!”

All the arguing had woken Henry and he began crying again, and Thea slammed down her book with a sigh. “I can’t read with all this noise!”

At that, Edgar's patience finally snapped. “Right, that’s it, I’ve had enough!” He pulled the car over opposite a small pension and turned off the engine.

“What are you doing?” Evadne asked, over the noise of her screaming son.

“I’m getting out!” and good as his word, he climbed out, slamming the door behind him, and strode across the street towards the hotel.

Hurriedly passing Henry to Marcia, Evadne jumped out and ran after him. “Edgar, what in god’s name are you doing?”

“I’ve had enough. We’re staying here tonight. I can’t listen to them all anymore!”

“Stop being an ass!”

“Why am I being an ass? I’ve spent half the day driving across France to take my family on holiday and all everyone’s done is moan and whinge! And now on top of that, we’re lost!”

“We’ll that’s your own fault!”

Edgar paused for a moment, glaring at her, and then turned on his heel to walk off. Before he could move more than a step, Evadne reached out and grabbed his arm.

“Edgar, please, stop being so stupid. If we stop here then you’ll have to get up and drive again tomorrow. At least if we keep going we’ll be there in about three hours time, and you’ll get to have a rest and relax. And on top of that, Cassie and Andrew get into Nice at seven and are expecting us to pick them up from the airport! What'll they do if we're not there?”

Edgar simply stared at her, saying nothing, but he could feel his temper calming down a little.

“Please, Edgar? For me? I’m tired and pregnant and I just want to get there and see my friends.” She felt a little bit bad for playing the pregnancy card, but it certainly seemed to work, as Edgar’s demeanour visibly softened at her words. “Why don’t you go for a walk and calm down whilst I sort them out, and then in thirty minutes we can get going again. Okay?”

“Okay, fine. I’ll see you in half an hour,” and turning on his heel, Edgar stalked off down the street.

Evadne stood where she was for a moment, watching him go, and then made her way back to the car.

“Right, Marcia, get in there and go to the bathroom, quickly,” she said, taking Henry back and pointing towards the pension. “And make sure you come right back.” Marcia did as she was told and Evvy picked up Henry’s rabbit and turned to Thea and Ned. “You two stay here whilst I go calm His Lordship down,” and leaving them to their own devices, she set off down the road towards a small park they had just passed.



When Edgar returned, twenty-five minutes later, he found that peace had descended on his family. Marcia was sitting by one window, Henry in her lap as they played with one of his wooden cars. Ned was on the other side, doing a crossword, and Thea sat between them, her head buried in her book. All three looked up as he approached the car, a chorus of apologies on their lips, and Henry said ‘Dada’ and clapped his hands.

Edgar looked from one to the other and nodded. “Apology accepted. Now, let’s see if we can have peace and quiet for the rest of the journey, shall we?”

“We will.”

“Jolly good,” and with that he shut the back door and turned to his wife.

Evadne waved a piece of paper at him. “Here, I have directions out of the town.”

“Thank you,” came the slightly sheepish reply. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re forgiven. Just don’t do it again or I won't be quite so good you! Now, how about you get driving, Mister, and we get out of this godforsaken place? We've spent more than enough time here already.”

Edgar smiled and shook his head. “Yes, Ma’am.” He watched her curiously, as she made her way around to the passenger door. “How did you shut them up, by the way?”

Evadne paused, her hand on the handle, and gave him a wicked grin. “I told them that if they didn’t behave, I’d drive the rest of the way. Seemed to do the trick!”

Edgar stared at her for a moment, and then burst out laughing. “Yes, I can see why that would do it!” and to the sound of his wife’s indignant exclamation of "You're not supposed to agree!", he opened his door and climbed, still chuckling, into the car.

 

#5:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:35 am

Evadne’s threat to drive, despite being tongue-in-cheek, appeared to have the desired effect. For the remaining three hours or so of the journey, not a peep was heard from the back seat, save for Marcia pointing out things of note to her little brother, and Henry’s intermittent refrain of ‘poohey’ – now his new favourite word. It was almost five-thirty in the evening by the time they finally descended into the foothills behind Nice. As Edgar turned the car into a particularly tight corner, heading down towards the town itself, Marcia uttered a shriek that almost caused him to lose his concentration.

“Marcia, don’t yell like that!” her father admonished, his heart racing as he clung to the steering wheel. “You almost sent us right over the edge then!”

“Sorry, Daddy,” she replied, sounding utterly unapologetic. “Look, Henry, it’s the sea!”

In answer, Henry simply stared blankly out of the window as the rest of his family exclaimed at the view – and what a view it was. Below them lay the town of Nice, whitewashed buildings with red-tiled roofs stretching out for a couple of miles, narrow streets running between them like a maze. The tops of the big hotels were just visible along the Promenade des Anglais in front of the beach, and beyond them reaching out to the horizon, lay the Mediterranean Sea, still and calm, gleaming like a sapphire in the early evening sun.

“It’s so pretty!” Thea sighed, peering over Henry’s shoulder, trying to get a better view. “Will we be really near the sea, Mummy?”

“Certainly will,” Evadne returned, laughing at her son who had suddenly picked up on the excitement in his sisters’ voices, and was now rocking back and forth in Marcia’s lap, babbling away and thrusting his rabbit in her face, “it’s right there at the end of the backyard!”

“Are we staying down there then?” Ned asked.

Evadne shook her head. “No, that’s Nice. We’re going a little further down the coast towards Italy. It’s every bit as pretty though, and not nearly so big.”

“Mummy, why do they call it Saint Jean in the book, not Cap Ferrat?” Thea queried, frowning down at the guidebook that was open in her lap.

“Cap Ferrat is the peninsula, and Saint Jean is the village that’s set on it. Henry, stop that now!” and she reached behind her to grab the rabbit out of his hands. Henry set up a noisy protest and clung on tight. “Then quit pushing it in Marcia’s face, you hear me?”

As she let go again, Henry grizzled and pulled the toy to his chest, nuzzling his head into Marcia’s shoulder. His sister laughed and tightened her arms around him.

“What’s the villa like, Mummy?”

“It’s real pretty,” Evadne returned, smiling. “It’s all hidden behind a big hedge, so it’s nice and private, and there’s a big old yard, and…”

“Does it have a pool?” Ned and Marcia asked in chorus.

“Mummy can we go to this big hotel? It says lots of famous people stay there!”

“Honestly, talk about curiosity killing the cat!” Edgar interrupted with a chuckle. “If you all wait a few more minutes you’ll see all that for yourselves!”

“We’re only asking!” came the indignant reply.

Evadne laughed. “Yes, it has a pool. And I’m sure we can head to the hotel one day, Thea.”

Despite their father’s remonstrations, the three of them continued to fire questions at their stepmother for the remainder of the short drive down the hills, through Villefranche-Sur-Mer and onto the peninsula itself.

“Are we here now?” Thea asked, as they all gaped at the impressive buildings around them, nestled behind high fences and tall Cyprus hedges.

“Almost.” Then as her husband turned the car off the main road, she pointed out a pink villa, just visible at the very end of a street opposite. “You see that pink house right down there? That’s where David Niven lives.”

Edgar raised his eyebrows. “The actor? Really?”

“Will we meet him, Mummy?”

Evadne laughed at Marcia’s question. “I don’t know, sweetie, maybe. Miss Dene and I saw him in a restaurant last time I was here, and he smiled and said hello.”

Ned, in particular, looked very impressed, having recently seen Around the World in Eighty Days. “Cool! That’d shut Lloyd-Kitchen up if we met David Niven!”

“Nice to see your generosity of spirit!” Edgar said, rolling his eyes.

“He deserves it!”

“I’m sure he does, but it’s still not very nice.”

As he spoke, Edgar pulled the car up in front of some large, wrought iron gates, flanked by tall Cyprus trees. His wife climbed out to unlock and open them, and leaving her to shut them again, he drove down the short driveway and pulled up in front of a white, Italian-style villa.

Turning off the engine, he leant back against his seat and heaved a sigh. “Phew! Here we are then – everybody out.”

There was a flurry of activity from the back seat, as all four children clambered out, stretching their legs and looking around them, and Scrabble made a dash for the nearest fence. Marcia set Henry down on the gravel driveway, and set off at a run towards the front door, followed closely by her sister.

“Get back here now, you two! If you’re going in, you can jolly well take some bags with you as you go!”

“But Daddy, I need the toilet!”

“Again?”

Evadne laughed as she walked up behind them. “It’s okay, Edgar, I’ll let her in. In fact, why don’t we all go – we can come back for the bags in a little while.”

Edgar hesitated for a moment, and then agreed with a resigned air. “Okay, fine. Let’s go and have look then, shall we?”

The three children cheered and towed their stepmother, laughing, towards the door, Scrabble barking and jumping around at their heels. Edgar paused only to pick up Henry, who was toddling off towards the gates again, before following on behind.

The villa was every bit as impressive inside as it was out. Two-storey’s high, there were terracotta floors throughout, covered here and there with scattered rugs, a stark contrast to the white stone walls. Off the hallway at the front of the house were a study, a drawing room and a downstairs cloakroom, and at the rear, were a kitchen and huge salon that faced out onto the terrace and the pool. Upstairs, two large bedrooms with ensuites stretched the width of the house, and between them, at the front, was a small box room. A long, glass-sided loggia ran along one side of the terrace, looking across the pool and the beautifully-tended gardens, and led to a smaller, one-storey building on the far side, containing two more bedrooms and a bathroom. The decor throughout was traditional rustic French style, and the place had a comfortable, lived-in air about it, from the squashy cushions adorning the well-used furniture, down to the bowl full of fresh lemons on the loggia table and the vases of purple, white and blue flowers scattered here and there on sideboards.

While the elder three children ran around, exploring and exclaiming with delight over their surroundings, Edgar made his way through the salon, Henry still in his arms, to join his wife on the terrace. Hearing his footsteps behind her, she turned to face him with a smile.

“Well they seem impressed anyway,” she said, reaching out to run her fingers through Henry’s fine, fair curls.

Edgar, who had been down a few weeks before to collect the keys and finalise a few details, grinned in return. “Can’t say I blame them. I was pretty bowled over when I saw it myself.”

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Evadne spoke with a wistful air, as she stared down the gardens at the sea. “It reminds me of Poppa. He did love the Riviera so.”

Her husband watched her for a moment, and then placing his free arm around her shoulders, he bent to kiss her on the cheek. “He was a man of very good taste!”

Evadne chuckled as she turned her head to look at him. “Yes, I guess he was.”

“Dad, this place is amazing!”

“It’s smashing!”

Turning towards the loggia, Edgar smiled as he saw Ned and Thea standing in the open doors. “Glad you like it.”

“Can you get to the sea?” Thea asked, staring down the garden in awe. “Do we have our own beach?”

Evadne turned and shook her head. “Not a beach, no. It’s all rocky cliff down there, though there’s a small place to moor a boat if you want to climb down. The beaches are across the other side from here.”

“Which bedrooms are ours?” Ned wanted to know.

“You kids are all in there.” Evvy nodded her head towards the smaller building. “Boys in one, girls in the other.”

“Speaking of which,” Edgar put in, handing Henry to his wife and heading towards the door, “how about we go and unpack all our stuff. Where’s Marcia?”

“On the toilet,” Thea replied with a grin, following her father back through the house. “She was so excited, she almost forgot she needed it and had an accident!”

“Well thank goodness she remembered in time, then! Marcia?” he called out, as he reached the front door. “Come out and collect your things once you’re finished please! No more larking around until you’re unpacked!” and ignoring the muffled response from the cloakroom, he made his way back out to the car.



Ten minutes later, he and Ned had almost finished taking all the bags out of the boot and setting them on the ground next to them, when Evadne appeared at the front door.

“Edgar, can I get Henry’s diaper bag?” she asked, squeezing past Ned as he took his parents’ large suitcase inside. “He’s living up to his new favourite word and the smell’s something else altogether!” Then seeing her husband staring down at all the luggage, a frown on his face, she asked, “What’s bitten you?”

Edgar beckoned her over, and pointed to the bags at his feet. “Notice anything strange about this lot?”

Evadne stared at them, wondering for a moment whether he had gone mad. Then, suddenly, it dawned on her what he meant. “When did she sneak those in?”

“No idea. Must have been this morning, I suppose.”

“Well you have to give her points for initiative, that’s for sure!”

Edgar raised his eyebrows. “Yes, that’s one way of putting it.”

“What are you going do?”

“Not sure yet.”

Evvy bent to pick up Henry’s changing bag and then looked back up with a grin. “Make sure I’m there to see it, won’t you?”

“I’m sure that can be arranged.” As she set off towards the house to see to Henry, Edgar called Thea over to him. “Right, you, come and get your bags, please, and take them inside.”

Thea did as she was told, double-checking the number of cases as she did so, and giggling to herself as she realised what Marcia had been up to that morning.

“You ninny!” she hissed, as she passed that young lady in the hallway. “Daddy’s found them!”

Marcia stopped and stared at her. “Found what?”

“What d’you think?” her sister replied, dragging her case through to the salon, almost overbalancing with the weight of it.

Puzzled, Marcia screwed up her brow and made her way outside. Then seeing the five bags lined up by the side of the car, she opened her eyes wide, suddenly remembering what she had done.

“Well come on then, what are you waiting for?” Edgar asked calmly, spotting her standing gawping at him. “Take them inside.”

Cautiously, Marcia picked up the first two, trying to rearrange her face into the most innocent expression possible, and turned to head back into the house. She was more than a little confused by her father’s affable tone of voice – had she really got away with it that easily?

She was just walking through the front door when Edgar called after her. “Make sure you leave them in the salon, won’t you? We need to have a little word.”

Marcia stopped dead and spun round to face him. “Daddy, I…”

“We’ll wait ‘til they’re all inside, I think,” Edgar replied pleasantly, and shoulders slumped, realising she hadn’t got away with it after all, Marcia continued on her way.

By the time she had taken all five bags inside, Edgar was ready and waiting for her in the salon, sitting in an armchair with a congenial smile on his face. Marcia placed the final case down by the fireplace and perched herself on the end of a chaise longue, eyeing her father nervously. She had been wracking her brains trying to work out what sort of punishment he could come up with, and the only thing she could think of was a telling off. As her everyday life generally included one or two of those anyway, then that in itself would not be too bad, but she had a nagging feeling that it wouldn’t be all. Edgar simply stared at her, the smile not moving from his face, and after a minute of twisting her fingers together and staring around the room, Marcia couldn’t take it anymore.

“I’m sorry, Daddy,” she burst out, thinking that if she got an apology in first it might ease matters.

Edgar simply shook his head in return. “Let’s wait ‘til Mummy gets here, shall we? In silence,” he added quickly, as she opened her mouth to speak again.

Marcia clamped her mouth shut and stared down at her feet. Another torturous few minutes passed by before Evadne appeared, and as she handed Henry over to Thea, and asked her to take him into the garden away from the pool, Edgar leant back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest.

“So then, Madam,” he began, as Evadne took a seat and tried not to grin at the bags lined up in front of the hearth, “I’m assuming these are all yours?”

Marcia stared down at the carpet and shuffled her feet.

“What was that? I didn’t quite catch it?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“So, how many bags have you bought in all?”

“Only five.”

“The same five I told you that you couldn’t bring yesterday?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“Did you repack at all, when I asked you to?”

Marcia paused for a moment and glanced up at him, then shook her head. “No, Daddy.”

“I see. So you simply went back upstairs, waited, and brought the same ones down again?”

Marcia gulped. “Yes, Daddy.”

“And when did you put the other three in the car.”

“This morning.”

“Right, well in that case, I’d like you to take the three extra bags that you added this morning and put them in mine and Mummy’s room. They can stay there until we go home.”

Marcia looked up, horrified. “But…”

“No buts, you must have plenty of things in the case and holdall.”

“But my summer things are in…”

“I don’t care where your summer things are,” he interrupted, his voice still calm and pleasant. “You should have thought about that before. If you’d done as you were asked, then everything you need would be in the right place, wouldn’t it?” He got no reply. “Wouldn’t it?” he repeated, and his daughter swallowed hard and nodded.

“Yes, Daddy.”

“Well go on then, do as you’re told, and then you can take the other two through to your room and unpack. Off you go.”

Getting slowly to her feet, Marcia stomped over to her bags, dragging the three extra cases out of the room one at a time by their handles, a sulky look on her face, as her parents watched on. As soon as she was out of earshot, Evadne turned to her husband.

“You’re a hard man, Edgar Watson.”

Edgar shrugged. “She has to learn to do as she’s told somehow. Telling her off seems to make no difference, so if this is the only way to get through to her, so be it.”

Evadne shook her head as she got to her feet. “I suppose you’re right.” Then chuckling, she added, “I wonder what she’s got in those two bags.”

Grinning, Edgar stood up, stretching his arms above his head. “I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough,” he replied, stifling a yawn.

Doing the same, Evadne put her hand over her mouth. “Stop it, that’s catching!” Then checking her watch, she said, “I should get Henry fed and changed, I guess. And you’d best head off to the airport – Cassie’s flight lands in half an hour.”

“Gosh, is it that late already? I’ll see you in a little while then.”

As he turned to head back out to the car, Evadne glanced down at the table and laughed. “You may need these,” she called after him, picking up his car keys and holding them out.

Turning red, Edgar came back to retrieve them. “I was just about to pick them up!”

“Oh course you were.” Chuckling, Evvy handed them over and he took them sheepishly and bent to kiss her on the cheek, “Go on, be off with you, I’ve things to do,” and putting her hand on his backside, she pushed him towards the salon door and headed into the garden in search of her son.



Meal and bath times were never a speedy process where Henry was concerned, and by the time Evadne finally had him washed and changed into his new summer sleepsuit, almost an hour had passed. It was now eight o’clock, well past his usual bedtime, but as he still seemed wide awake, having had several naps on the journey down, she decided to keep him up a little while longer, so that he could meet her friends. Collecting up his rabbit, a book and a couple of his wooden cars, Evvy hitched him up on her hip and carried him back downstairs.

Laying his toys on a rug by the fireplace, she set the little boy down next to them and then made her way through the archway into the kitchen, where she found a washed and changed Thea hard at work.

“Do you want a hand, sweetie?”

Thea smiled and shook her head, as she finished chopping some tomatoes and lifted up the chopping board, tipping them all into the salad bowl. “I’m all done, ‘cept for cutting the bread,” she replied, placing down the board and walking across to the fridge. “I boiled some eggs and chopped the ham and salami too, but I couldn’t find the cheese.”

Evadne grinned, surveying the food that she had picked up at a supermarché in Digne. “I decided not to buy any in the end – I wasn’t sure it would fit in the coolbox.” Picking a piece of cucumber out of the salad, she popped it into her mouth. “Where are the other two?”

“Marcia took Scrabble outside to play, ‘cause he kept coming and begging a nd we almost tripped over him, and Ned’s having a bath.” Washing the board off with the cloth, Thea pulled the bread knife from the wooden knife-block, and then took a loaf of fresh bread out of a bag. “I put his and my clothes in the wash too ‘cause we were all smelly after being in the car.”

“You’re a little angel, d’you know that?” Evadne smiled, putting her arm around her and kissing her on the cheek. “I don’t suppose Marcia had a bath too, did she?”

Thea grinned and shook her head. “She said she didn’t care if she was smelly,” she replied with a giggle. “You should see our room, Mummy. She brought all her ornaments and everything – even her bedside lamp! It looks just like her bedroom at home!”

Evadne laughed. “Why am I not surprised? I don’t suppose she actually had any clothes in those two bags, did she?”

“Some. Not the right ones though.”

“I thought as much.”

“Ma-ma. O-no!”

Evadne turned around as Henry toddled into the kitchen, holding one of his wooden cars out towards her. “O-no” was a phrase that had been acquired in the past few weeks, thanks to Ned, and it generally meant that either he had hurt himself, or something had been broken, spilled or generally put where it shouldn’t have been.

“What are you ‘o-no-ing’ for, little man?” she asked, reaching out her hand for the car.

As she took hold of it, the back wheels fell off and dropped to the floor with a clatter. Henry looked down at them and brought both his hands up to his mouth. “O-no!”

“O-no indeed!” she frowned, picking them up and examining them. “What did you do? Look, it’s all broken! Now you can’t play with it any more.” Henry stared back at her, his eyes wide, his hands still over his mouth, and Evadne couldn’t help but laugh at the expression on his face. “Come on you, let’s get you out of the kitchen shall we, away from all these sharp knives,” and standing up again, she took hold of his hand and walked him back through to the salon. “Now, what have you been up to?”

The tell-tale signs were all over the hearth. Bits of splintered wood were scattered around a point where he had clearly been throwing the toy down on the stone surface.

“Look at all this mess, you little terror! You know, if you keep on with this, you’ll have no toys left soon!”

Evadne bent down to collect up the splinters, and as she picked up the last piece of wood, she felt something sharp being thrust into her side. Turning, she found Henry, oblivious to the mess he had made, poking in her ribs with his book.

“D’you want a story, sugar-pie?” she asked, taking it from him and getting to her feet. “Come on then, let’s go sit down.”

Walking over to the dustbin, she tipped in the splinters, and then rapped on the patio doors to get Marcia’s attention. Once she had despatched that young lady to go and hunt Ned out of his room, she sat herself on the nearest sofa and reached out to pull Henry into her lap. Then, as Thea came through from the kitchen and curled herself up next to them, Evadne adjusted her son’s position to make him more comfortable, and opened the book to the first page.

“So then, who wants to hear about Babar and Celeste?”

“I do, please!”

At the sound of the new voice, Evvy gave a cry of “Cassie!”, thrust her son into Thea’s lap, causing him to protest loudly, and jumping up from her seat, she ran across the room and threw herself into her friend’s arms.

“You’re finally here!”

Laughing, Cassie returned the embrace warmly. “I know, it’s been an absolute age since we last saw each other, hasn’t it?”

“I’ll say! Not since Poppa’s burial. Oh it’s so good to see you!” Pulling back, she turned to Lauren, who had followed her mother into the room and was busy saying hello to Thea and Henry. “And how’s my little goddaughter?”

Lauren grinned and gave her brevet-aunt a hug. “Good, thanks, Aunt Evvy.”

“And not so little anymore!” Cassie put in with a grin. “Would you credit she’s thirteen and a half already and this one,” she added, ruffling Sam’s hair as he came into the room, “just turned fifteen last week!”

“Mom, get off of me!” Sam protested, ducking away from his mother’s arm, and Cassie laughed.

“Too old for that, are we?” she teased, chuckling as Sam scowled back at her. Then spotting Henry standing on the sofa, clinging to his sister’s arm and looking around with wide eyes at the strangers, she smiled and said, “Hello there, you must be Henry?”

The little boy eyed her suspiciously and backed into Thea, and Evadne laughed and leant over the back of the sofa to pick him up. “It’s okay, sweetie, come meet Aunt Cassie, she doesn’t bite!” Having none of it, Henry buried her head in his mother’s shoulder and clung onto her for dear life. “Sorry, Cass, he’s a bit shy with strangers at first.”

Cassie smiled and dismissed her friend’s apology with a wave of her hand. “Not a problem. We’ve four weeks to get to know one another, haven’t we, Henry?”

Just as she spoke, the noise level suddenly doubled, as Scrabble raced in through the patio doors, and began bounding around everyone’s feet, Marcia appeared from the loggia, and Edgar and Andrew finally made it inside with the Markhams’ luggage. Evadne handed Henry to Marcia and turned to greet Andrew, and setting two large suitcases down by the hearth, Edgar whistled loudly to get everyone’s attention.

“Can we get cases through to bedrooms before anyone gets too comfortable, please?” he asked, seeing Thea and Lauren about to head out onto the patio, Marcia chattering away to Cassie, and Sam playing with Scrabble on the floor. “Where’s Ned?”

“Here,” replied the young man himself, as he sauntered in from the loggia, looking clean and fresh after his bath. He said a nonchalant hello to Lauren, blushing slightly as he did so, and then walked over to greet his brevet-aunt.

“Pooh - you smell of perfume!” Marcia cried, covering her nose.

Ned glared at her. “It’s not perfume, it’s aftershave!” he scoffed, giving Cassie and hug, and not noticing as that lady gave a slight cough and blinked her eyes rapidly.

“Whose aftershave?” Edgar asked suspiciously.

“Yours, at a guess,” Evvy put in, copying Cassie and waving her hand in front of her face. “It’s that awful stuff Aunt Harriet gave you last Christmas!” Then turning back to Ned, “How much have you got on?”

Ned coloured furiously. “Not much.”

“Smells like half the bottle to me!” Edgar said, lifting his hand to his nose. “And who said you could take it.”

“You never use it, I didn’t think you’d mind!”

“You should still have asked first. At the very least, I could have told you how to use it – you’re only supposed to put a few dabs on, not slather yourself in it!”

“I haven’t slathered myself in it! I didn’t put any on at all!”

“Ned, we can smell it…”

“The bottle broke in my bag!” Ned snapped, turning even redder, if that was at all possible. “It’s over all my things. It’s not funny, okay?” he added angrily, as they all burst out laughing.

“Is that what went pop when you sat on it?” Thea asked, giggling.

“Yes. Stop laughing, idiots!” as another round of laughter filled the room.

Taking pity on him, Evadne disappeared into the kitchen, and returned a moment later with the laundry basket. “Here,” she said, handing it to him, “go get all your clothes, and we’ll put them in the wash tonight. You’ll have to put up with the smell this evening, but at least we can get it out of everything else.”

Muttering his thanks under his breath, Ned took the basket and headed back to his room. Then as Andrew called his children to order and instructed them to carry their suitcases through to their bedrooms, Evadne took Henry from Marcia, holding him tight as his head nodded sleepily on her shoulder.

“I’d best go get this little man down in bed, I think, otherwise he’ll be a royal horror tomorrow,” she said, dropping a kiss on Henry’s fair head, as he gave a huge yawn. “Girls, will you take Sam and Lauren through and show them where they’re sleeping?” Then as the four youngsters headed off through the loggia, she added “Come with me, Cass, I’ll show you where your room is,” and leaving Edgar and Andrew to follow on with the luggage, the two women made their way upstairs, chatting away to each other as they went.

 

#6:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:38 am

Leaning into the mirror, Ned rubbed a non-existent pimple on his forehead with one hand whilst brushing his teeth with the other, a trail of white toothpaste running down his chin and dropping onto his bare chest. Spitting it out, he rinsed out his toothbrush under the cold tap, swilled some water around his mouth, and dried it with a towel. Then wrapping the same towel tightly around his waist, he ran his hand through his thick, dark, wavy hair, causing it to stand messily up on end, and made his way back to his bedroom. There he found Sam still lounging in bed, the sheet pulled over his head and his legs dangling off the side.

“Quit making all that noise, will you?” Sam moaned, as Ned slammed the door behind him and then made his way across to his dresser and began noisily pulling out all the drawers. “Some of us are trying to sleep!”

Ned grinned as he took out his swimming trunks and beach towel, and forcefully pushed his underwear drawer shut, knocking over several things on the top of the dresser in the process.

“It’s almost eleven o’clock, you lazy oaf!” he retorted, pulling his trunks on and throwing the wet towel on the floor in a heap.

“And?”

“And someone’ll be in to dig us out soon enough, so you may as well stop moaning and get up now or you’ll be in for it. They’ve only left us this long ‘cause it’s the first morning here!”

As if on cue, the door swung open and a fresh and lively-looking Lauren breezed into the bedroom. “Mom says if you’re not up and outside in ten minutes, she’ll come drag you out herself,” she announced, walking directly across to her brother’s bed and pulling off the covers, revealing a pyjama-less Sam underneath.

“Hey!” As Ned burst out laughing, Sam grabbed the sheet from her hands and rearranged it to protect his modesty once more. “What d’you do that for, idiot?” he exclaimed furiously. “And who said you could come barging in here anyway? Haven’t you heard of knocking? We could have been naked or anything!”

“Apparently you are!” she returned with a grin. “What’s the big deal anyhow? I’ve seen you with no clothes on before, remember?”

“You’ve not seen Ned before, and he could have been!”

“Well he wasn’t, was he?” Ignoring her brother’s continued protests, she turned her back on him and fixed Ned with a wide smile. “We’re going in the pool – you gonna join us?”

For no accountable reason, Ned found himself blushing. “Yes, definitely!” he replied eagerly. Then, seeing Sam giving him a look of amazement, he coughed, doing his best to act nonchalant, and quickly added, “I’ll maybe come in a bit. Sam and I haven’t decided what we’re doing yet.”

Lauren simply shrugged. “Please yourself. You’ve toothpaste down your front, by the way.” Then, as Ned’s face coloured again and he began furiously rubbing at the white mark on his chest, she turned back to Sam. “Mom’s serious, knucklehead. You’d best get up,” and shaking her head at what she saw as the strange behaviour of ‘boys,’ she turned on her heel and left the room, collecting up Ned’s wet towel as she went.

“Mom’s serious, knucklehead, you’d best get up,” Sam repeated childishly to her retreating back, throwing his pillow at her as she disappeared through the door. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Ned staring oddly at the open doorway, and gave him an incredulous look. “What’s got into you?”

His voice jerked Ned out of his reverie. “Nothing,” he retorted quickly, turning back to his dresser as a red flush crept slowly up his neck.

“Rot! You’ve gone all…”

“I’m going to get breakfast,” Ned interrupted quickly, and grabbing his beach towel off his bed, he made for the door. “See you out there,” and without waiting for a reply, he hurried into the corridor.


Edgar glanced up from his newspaper as his son appeared in the loggia, and fixed him with a broad grin. “Well, here’s lazy number one, anyway,” he teased. “What time do you call this?”

“It’s not that late!” Ned shot back, grimacing at his father and taking his place at the table, helping himself to a fresh, crusty roll as he did so.

“You think so?”

“Leave him alone, you bully!” Evadne admonished, entering the loggia in her swimsuit, a jug of freshly-squeezed orange juice in her hand. “Ignore him, Ned. He only put in an appearance himself twenty minutes ago.”

“So much for being a supportive wife!” her husband shot back, in injured tones.

Evadne laughed. “Awww, poor baby. Am I being mean to you?” Setting the jug down next to him on the table, she laughed as he pulled a disgruntled face, and stooped to peck him on the cheek. “You’ll get over it, I’m sure. Right, sunbathing for me, I think. Where’s Henry?”

“Outside in the sandpit. Marcia’s with him.”

“I’d best go relieve her then, she must be roasting by now in that get up,” and she turned to make her way outside.

“I was right, you can see it!” Cassie suddenly chipped in, watching her friend from the open glass doors.

“See what?”

“Your bump! It’s definitely there!”

Evadne and Edgar had told their friends the previous evening of their happy news, and once the congratulations were over, Cassie had argued determinedly, despite Evadne’s view to the contrary, that she was definitely beginning to show. Now, Evvy looked down at her stomach and raised a cynical eyebrow.

“Where? I just look fat!”

“That’s rot and you know it! Look, I’ll prove it to you,” and before anyone could ask her exactly how she planned to prove it, Cassie disappeared through the salon doors.

A minute later, she returned, a piece of paper and a pencil in her hands. Evadne stared at her suspiciously.

“What are they for?”

“To show that you have a bump, of course!”

“How?”

“Come here and you’ll see,” and taking her friend by the arm, Cassie marched her over to the nearest wall and held the paper up at stomach height. “Now stand side on.”

“No!”

“Oh, quit being a dolt!” Ignoring her protests, Cassie dragged Evvy into place, and holding onto her with one hand, she quickly drew around the outline of her stomach with the pencil. “There, see? I was right!”

Evadne stared at it sceptically. “All I can see is ‘fat’.”

“Oh please!” Cassie scoffed. “You couldn’t look fat if you tried. Here,” she demanded, walking over to the table and waving the piece of paper in Edgar and Andrew’s faces, “does she, or does she not, look pregnant?”

“Pregnant.”

“Definitely pregnant.”

“Fat,” Ned chipped in with a wicked grin.

“I wasn’t talking to you, mister,” Cassie replied, clipping the back of his head with her hand in jest and causing him to choke on his bread. Then marching back to Evadne, she said triumphantly, “Now you can’t argue – everyone agrees with me.”

“You know what you should do?” Andrew put in, leaning back in his chair and putting his hands behind his head. “Stick it to the wall and then we can draw around her and check it every two or three days. See how much she expands over the month.”

“Well excuse me!” Evadne retorted indignantly, as Cassie exclaimed delightedly at the idea. “I am not here to provide some sort of Markham family experiment, thank you very much!” and to much laughter from those around the table, she spun around, very much on her dignity, and stalked out onto the terrace with her nose in the air.

Outside, she found Marcia sitting on the floor next to the sandpit, helping Henry build a sandcastle. Well, in truth, she was building the sandcastle, whilst Henry giggled and knocked it down again. The owner of the house, an old business associate of Arthur’s, had had the sandpit installed for his grandchildren, and it was fenced in with a low security gate to separate it from the pool. Edgar had remembered to bring his son’s small paddling pool along with them, and Henry was as happy as could be with his little set-up.

Marcia, on the other hand, looked far from comfortable. That morning, before her stepdaughter could get dressed, Evadne had removed the dirty clothes that she had worn the day before and put them in the laundry, and Edgar’s dictum regarding the extra suitcases had well and truly kicked in. Dressed in a thick, woollen winter skirt and an equally heavy roll-neck jumper, Marcia had gradually become more and more overheated as the morning had worn on, and now, as she played with her little brother, her face was scarlet and beads of sweat trickled down her forehead.

“Marcia, are you okay, sweetie?”

The young girl glanced up at her stepmother and gave a slight smile. “I’m a bit hot,” she replied, glancing enviously at Lauren and Thea, who were splashing about in the pool. Her swimming costume had been in another case, so she couldn't even follow them in.

“I’m not surprised. Why don’t you take that sweater off, and put your vest on instead.”

“I can’t!”

“Why not?”

“Not in front of everyone!”

“It’s no different to having your bathing suit on, silly!”

“It is – it’s my underwear!”

“Marcia…”

“I’m not wearing my vest!”

Realising that her stepdaughter was not to be moved from this standpoint, Evadne sighed and shook her head. “Fine, have it your own way. Just don’t blame me if you’ve fried by mid-afternoon.” Unlatching the security gate, she made her way inside the pen. “Why don’t you go sit in the loggia, at least? It’s cooler in there.”

Glaring through the plate-glass windows at her father, Marcia scowled and shook her head. “Daddy’s in there.”

“So?”

“I’d rather play with Henry.”

“Marcia, don’t be…”

“Please, Mummy. It’s shady here too.”

Evadne watched her closely for a moment and then gave up the argument. “So what are you playing then?”

“We’re building Windsor Castle.” She indicated an impressive looking turret combination to her left. “‘Cept Henry keeps knocking it down again.”

As if to prove her point, Henry reached forward and pulled down the corner of the latest fortress with both hands. “O-no!” he shouted, pointing at it.

Evadne grinned and reached out to ruffle his fair curls. “Are you having fun there, little man?”

Henry giggled in return and loudly babbled something utterly unintelligible. Evadne laughed. “Well if you two are quite happy, would you mind if I go sunbathe for a while? I’ll be just over there if you need me,” and leaving her two children to continue on with their game, she headed back out of the gate, latching it behind her, and made for the nearest sunbed.

From the far end of the pool, Lauren caught sight of her brevet-aunt and swam down towards her. “Aunt Evvy, are the boys up yet?”

“Ned is – he’s having breakfast. I’ve no idea what your brother’s up to.” Sitting down on the bed, Evadne had just wriggled to make herself comfortable, when she suddenly realised that she’d left her drink inside. “Darn it! Lauren, would you be a gem and go grab me a glass of juice?”

“Sure.” Lifting herself effortlessly out of the water, Lauren got to her feet, twisted the excess water out of her long, red-brown hair, and headed towards the house.

“My book’s on the dresser too if you’re passing,” she heard Evvy call after her, and shot that lady a grin of acknowledgement in return.

She arrived at the open glass doors just in time to see her mother finish tacking a piece of paper to the wall. “What’s that, Mom?” she asked curiously.

“Aunt Evvy’s baby bump,” Cassie answered, straightening up and surveying her handiwork critically. “And you stay where you are, young lady!” she added quickly, as her daughter tried to enter the room. “I’m not having you dripping all over this stone floor and causing someone to slip!”

Backing up hurriedly, Lauren tipped her head to one side and studied the paper, looking thoroughly confused. “Why is it on the wall?”

“So we can measure how much she grows whilst we’re here.”

“Why?”

“’Cause they’re crazy!” Ned put in through a mouthful of coffee, spraying it over the tablecloth as he spoke.

As Lauren giggled and Ned reached hastily for his napkin, Edgar shook his head in despair. “Why can’t you learn some manners? Anyone would think you were brought up in a barn!” In answer, Ned turned towards his father and opened his mouth wide to reveal a chunk of half-eaten bread. Edgar rolled his eyes. “Charming!”

Lauren pulled a face. “Eeuuw, that’s horrid!”

Ned flushed. “Sorry,” he mumbled, bringing his napkin back to his mouth, and hastily swallowing his food.

Surprised at his son’s rather coy reaction, Edgar glanced at him and raised his eyebrows, but decided not to pursue it for now. Oblivious, Lauren handed Evvy’s glass to her mother and asked her to pour out some juice, and then turned her attention back to her friend.

“Do you and Sam want to come and play water polo with me and Thea? We could do boys against girls.”

Ned nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, okay,” and cramming the last of his roll into his mouth, he choked as he tried to swallow too fast.

“Right,” Cassie said, handing the now-full glass of juice back to Lauren, “I’m off to drag my layabout son out of bed.”

“You needn’t bother – I’m here,” the young man himself interrupted, appearing in the doorway, dressed in a shirt and his swimming trunks, his black hair sticking up any-old-how, having not been brushed.

Andrew looked up at the sound of his son’s voice. “Nice of you to join us.”

“Nice of you to put some clothes on!” Lauren chipped in, a wicked grin on her face.

Sam glared at her, and then choosing to ignore her comments, he walked across to the table and poured himself a cup of coffee from the pot. “Uncle Edgar, did you say last night there are cliffs at the end of the yard?”

“Small ones, yes. Why?”

“Want to go climb them?” Sam asked, turning his attention to Ned.

Mopping his streaming eyes, Ned nodded, as he finally stopped choking, and downed the remains of his orange juice. Lauren glared at him, looking affronted.

“You just said you’d play water polo with us!”

“I know, but…”

“Maybe he’s changed his mind!” Sam snapped, still upset at her for her earlier intrusion.

“I haven’t ch…”

“He said you’d play too!” Lauren chimed in.

“Well we don’t want to," Sam retorted.

“Actually, I do,” Ned replied in a quiet voice.

Sam snapped his head around to stare at his friend. “I thought you wanted to climb the cliffs?”

“I do! But we can play water polo first and do that later.”

Seeing the angry expression on Sam’s face, Andrew hastily got to his feet and put his oar in. “Sounds like a good solution to me. In fact, I think I’ll come play as well. How about it, Edgar? More the merrier.”

“Sounds good to me.”

“Right then, that’s all sorted. Don’t look so mopey,” Andrew added, glancing at his petulant son. “It won’t kill you to wait a couple of hours to go cliff climbing,” and leaving Sam muttering under his breath, he made his way outside, followed by Edgar, Cassie and Lauren, who pulled a triumphant face at her brother as she went.

“Thanks a bunch! What d’you do that for?”

“’Cause I wanted to play water polo,” Ned replied, his voice slightly distant as he stared through the window at the terrace.

“Now we’re stuck playing with Lauren!”

“So? What’s wrong with that?”

“I see enough of her at home, that’s what’s wrong with it! I’d like a day off, if it’s all the same to you! Surely you see enough of Thea too?”

‘Well yes, but…” he shrugged, as his voice trailed off.

Following his friend’s gaze, Sam saw that he was watching Lauren laughing and chatting with her father at the side of the pool. “What the heck's wrong you today?” he asked incredulously. “You go all odd every time Lauren’s anywhere near you! You were doing it last night as well.” He stared back and forth from his sister to Ned a couple of times, and then his eyes widened as comprehension suddenly dawned. “You like her!”

“’Course I do, she’s my friend, same as you are!” The red flush began to creep up Ned’s neck again, and his voice sounded just a little too defensive.

“I don’t mean you like her,” Sam returned, a wide, teasing grin on his face, “I mean you like her!”

“Don’t be an ass!”

“You do!” He laughed as the red flush crept further up Ned’s neck and onto his face. “I know you do, look at you!”

“Oh shut up!” Ned got hurriedly to his feet and made his way towards the door, “You don’t know anything!”

“Yes I do!”

“No, you don’t! I’m going in the pool,” and with that, he stormed out of the loggia and onto the terrace, Sam’s laughter ringing in his ears.

 

#7:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:46 am

The first few days of the holiday happened to be some of hottest that the Côte d’Azur had seen in many years. With temperatures soaring well into the nineties, the two families hardly left the villa, choosing instead to spend their time lounging around in the shady rooms in front of fans, or playing in and out of the swimming pool – anything to keep themselves cool. The person suffering the most was poor Marcia, who was still dressed in her inappropriate attire, and spent most of her time lying on the stone floor of the dining room, it being the coolest place she could find. If her father had meant to find a punishment to teach her a lesson, he had most certainly succeeded.

It was now the fifth day since they had all arrived, and everyone was lazing around the house again on what was proving to be yet another scorching hot afternoon. Cassie was sitting in the loggia, drumming her fingers on the long, wooden table, lost in her thoughts. An hour previously, Sam had been running through the salon when he had slipped on a rug and crashed to the ground, his leg twisted awkwardly underneath him. He had instantly yelled out and clutched his swollen knee, his face twisted in pain. Edgar and Andrew had quickly carted him off to the hospital in Nice to get it checked out, and Cassie was left worrying about what injury her son might have done himself.

Suddenly the door through to the salon was pushed back with a creak, recalling her to her senses, and she looked up as Evadne and Henry entered the room.

“Wha…oh, it’s you. I thought it might be Sam back from the hospital.”

“No, only us. Sorry!” Catching sight of the anxious expression on her friend’s face, Evvy smiled sympathetically. “He’ll be okay, Cass. It’s probably just twisted, that’s all.”

Cassie heaved a sigh and sat back in her chair. “I know. And I know I’m being a dope, worrying like this, but I can’t help it – he is my baby after all, even if he does outstrip me by a good few inches these days! Guess you think I’m being a stupid fool?”

“Why on earth would I think that?” Evadne asked, seating herself on the opposite side of the table and watching as her son toddled towards his brevet aunt. “We all do it – I’m up half the night worrying if one of ours has so much as a cold! So’s Edgar, come to that. Not that he’d admit as much, of course!”

“I guess you’re right.” Cassie reached down to lift Henry into her lap. “Who’d be a parent, hey sugar-pie? You’re all nothing but trouble!”

Henry giggled and thrust his wooden car at her face. “Ka-na”

After an initial day or so of shyness, the little boy had taken to the newcomers wholeheartedly, and there was no doubt that in his brevet-aunt in particular, he had found himself a very willing new friend.

“Why, thank you!” Cassie took hold of the proffered toy and examined the dented side and loose wheel with a frown. “What have you done to it?”

“Oh, just thrown it at everything he’s come across,” Evadne put in, rolling her eyes and opening the book that she had brought into the loggia with her. “It’s as if now that he can throw things, he has to do it all the time! Would you believe he had four of those a month ago? One ended up in the lake, one got eaten by Scrabble, and a third got thrown on the hearth the day we got here. That’s the last one he has left – perhaps he wants to make it a nice even foursome! Henry, stop that, please!” she added, as he banged the car down hard on the wooden surface. “Cass, take it from him, will you, before he damages the table?”

Chuckling, Cassie removed the car from his grasp, placing it just out of reach, and then handed him his rabbit in its place, stemming the inevitable yells of protest. “There you are, sweetie, you play with him instead.” Seeing that he was happy, she turned back to Evadne and heaved a sigh. “I do miss having little ones around sometimes. Life seemed so much simpler when they couldn’t really answer back!”

“Don’t you believe it!” Evadne laughed, pulling a face across the table at her son, who had put his rabbit to one side again and picked up Cassie’s teaspoon instead. “This one answers back all the time – I just can’t figure out what he’s saying, that’s all!” She placed her book back down on the table and looked across at her friend thoughtfully. “Why is it that you only had two, anyway? I always had you pegged for more than that!”

Cassie chuckled and shook her head. “We only ever wanted two – though I think we stuck there more through luck than judgement, if I’m honest!” Then, as Evvy laughed, she added wistfully, “Every so often I do yearn for a baby around the place though. Sam and Lauren seem so grown up now!”

“Well you can have that one on a loan, if you like. I’m gonna have my hands well and truly full in under five months time!”

“Don’t tell me you two can’t afford a nanny, for I shan’t believe it?”

“Oh we can afford one alright, we just don’t want one. We’ve Monique, our au-pair, to help us out part-time, and that suits me just fine.”

“You’re crazy, you know that?” Cassie stared at her incredulously, whilst simultaneously trying to stop Henry banging the s***n on the side of her coffee cup. “I took all the help I could get and it still wasn’t enough! You are aware that you’ll have two kiddies under two years old, aren’t you? Not to mention the other three!”

Evadne grinned. “I can do math, you know, even if I did despise it at school! And I’ll manage somehow without the help, thanks all the same.”

“Why put yourself through it though?”

“Because Edgar and I both grew up in households brimming over with staff, that’s why, and we don’t want our home to be like that. Can you believe that Edgar’s poppa even had someone to run his bath and test the water for him?”

“But I thought that’s how you aristocratic types did things?” Cassie laughed in return.

Evadne shook her head. “Well, let’s just say we want to break the mould! Admittedly we had to get some domestic staff after my attempts to keep house, but that’s where it’s gonna end. Other folk manage well enough on their own and we shall too.”

“Well you’re quite loopy if you ask me!”

Shrugging her shoulders, Evadne put her hand over her mouth as she yawned, and turned to look outside at the terrace. The next moment, she’d turned back to her friend again, a wide grin on her face.

“Say, have you seen that?”

Leaning to her left, Cassie peered around Evvy’s shoulder and chuckled as she saw what had made her friend smile. For the past half an hour, a young local man named Yves, employed by the owners of the villa as pool boy, handyman and gardener, had been busy tending to a lose paving stone on the terrace. Close by, Lauren and Thea were lounging on sunbeds, soaking up the sun’s rays. Ostensibly, the pair of them were reading their books. From their vantage point at the table, however, the two women could see Thea peering surreptitiously at the handyman from behind her book, shifting position slightly in order to get a better look. Lauren was far less subtle. She had abandoned all pretence of reading, and was staring blatantly at the tanned, handsome young man as he went about his work. Every so often the two girls would catch each other’s eye and giggle. The pair of them had been subjecting him to the same treatment all week, whenever he had been called upon to do a job around the villa. Yves appeared utterly oblivious to their attention, though he carried himself with the arrogance of someone who was fully aware how attractive he was.

Evadne laughed as they watched Lauren stand up from her lounger and wander over to sit on the edge of the pool, her eyes never leaving the object of her affection. “Poor Yves. I’ll bet he wasn’t expecting that all summer!”

“Oh, I dunno,” Cassie returned with a grin. “He might not be asking for the attention, but I get the feeling he’s enjoying it all the same! He reminds me of our pool boy when I was around Lauren’s age,” she added, chuckling to herself at the memory. “I used to spend all hours poolside when he was working, convinced that I was in love with him and that one day I would marry him! I scarcely even knew what having a boyfriend meant in those days! Of course, he was utterly disinterested in some simpering fourteen-year-old girl – other than getting a swell head from all the attention. Gee, was I devastated when Dad let him go!”

“Was he worried the guy might finally take notice of you or something?”

Cassie giggled and shook her head. “No, he caught him stealing from Mom’s purse! Of course, I was convinced my father had done it to spite me. I didn’t speak to him for a full three weeks, ‘til Ralph finally got through to me how dumb I was being!”

Evadne laughed. “The trials and tribulations of young love! Speaking of which, I reckon someone in there’s not so happy about the presence of young Master Yves,” she added, nodding her head towards the salon.

Through the open door, they could see Ned slumped in an armchair, peering at Yves over the top of his copy of ‘Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft with a malevolent glare.

Before Cassie could reply, they were interrupted as the door through to the children’s bedrooms was thrown open, and Marcia entered the loggia. She had spent all morning dressed in the summer skirt that she had worn to travel down from Geneva and her thick red rollneck jumper, and had made sure everyone knew just how uncomfortable she really was. Edgar had finally snapped at lunchtime, telling her to stop moaning and pointing out that if she was too hot, it was entirely her own fault. In a fit of pique, she had risen from the table and flounced off towards her bedroom, and none of them had set eyes on her since.

Now, as she crossed the room in front of her stepmother, Evadne’s eyes widened as she noticed what Marcia had on. She was still wearing her summer skirt, which looked exactly as it had done that morning. Her top half, however, was now attired in what looked like a red, sleeveless summer top – and a crudely made one at that.

“Marcia?”

Pretending she hadn’t heard, Marcia carried on her path through to the kitchen. Quite used to this little trick, Evadne simply raised her voice.

“Marcia?”

Unable to ignore her stepmother twice, Marcia stopped and turned around to face her. Evadne looked her up and down.

“Where did you get that shirt?”

“Um…I made it.”

“And what happened to your red sweater?”

Marcia looked nervously down at herself. “I…er…I made this shirt out of it.”

Evvy nodded, her suspicions confirmed. “And who said it was okay to just cut your clothing up like that?”

“Nobody.” Marcia hung her head and waited anxiously for a response, but none came. “I had to, Mummy!” she burst out eventually. “I was so hot. I couldn’t stand it any more.”

“I see.” There was a long pause, as Evadne sat back in her seat, and eyed her contrary daughter keenly. Marcia’s eyes darted around the room, looking at the floor, out to the terrace, up to the ceiling, and back down at her feet again. Anywhere but at her mother. Eventually Evadne heaved a sigh. “Okay, fine,” she added, with a wave of her hand, as Marcia listened in amazement from the doorway. “Go on, off you go.”

After a moment’s hesitation, the young girl walked uncertainly out of the room and Cassie turned to her friend, eyebrows raised. “You’re not letting her get away with it, surely?”

Evvy grinned. “I daresay I should’ve taken her to task, but it’s too hot for a row. And anyhow,” she shifted in her seat as she spoke, “in all honesty, I can’t say I blame her! I’m surprised she’s not toasted in all she’s had to wear these past few days. She was bound to snap at some point, and believe me when I say this is mild compared to what she’s capable of. It’s only an old sweater, after all.” Yawning widely, she put a hand over her mouth. “If Edgar wants a fuss made about it, he’ll have to deal with her himself.”

Cassie chuckled. “Well I guess you know what you’re doing. Henry, no sweetie, d…”

But she was too late. Bored with playing with the teaspoon, Henry had decided to try and get hold of his car. Failing in his attempts to reach it with his hand, he had picked up the rabbit again and began flailing out towards his toy. At the fourth attempt he connected with it, sending it off the edge of the table and crashing down onto the terracotta floor. As it hit the ground, the loose wheel finally detached itself and bounced off across the room.

Evadne watched it go, as her son squealed and pointed at the car. “Well that’s that destroyed then.” Getting to her feet, she retrieved the pieces of toy, putting them on the table so that nobody would tread on them, and then bent to lift Henry out of Cassie’s lap. “Right, I think that’s enough of all that, don’t you? Time for you to have a nap.”

Unsurprisingly, Henry did not agree. As she heaved him up into her arms, he began yelling, kicking his legs violently and struggling against his mother’s grasp. Evadne, however, was more than used to these tantrums at nap times, and merely held him tightly in her arms, gathered up his rabbit, and marched out of the loggia.


As she walked through the salon, Ned glanced up from his book with an offer of help, which his stepmother turned down with a smile. The more people that were around, the less likely Henry was to settle. It was going to be a tough enough job anyway – the little boy’s screams could be heard in her wake, as she made her way upstairs to try and settle him down in his cot.

Ned watched his stepmother go, and then laying his book down in his lap, he turned his attention back to the terrace. Back to Lauren, who was still sitting on the edge of the pool, idly kicking her legs and making ripples on the surface of the water.

To say that he was confused was an understatement. He had been looking forward to this holiday for months now, looking forward to seeing Sam and Lauren again, to larking about and having fun as they always did when they were together, but somehow things were not quite working out as planned. Sam was just the same as he always was, there was no problem there. It was Lauren who seemed to have changed. Ned couldn’t quite put his finger on it. She was just different; more grown up, somehow. He was noticing her in ways that he never had before. How deep and dark her eyes were. The dimples at the side of her mouth when she smiled. How she absently twisted her hair around her fingers when she was speaking. Her bubbly enthusiasm for everything she did, and her daredevil nature that meant she never shirked a challenge, however horrible.

Every time he had seen her, from the evening they had arrived, he felt himself getting a funny feeling in his stomach, had to fight hard to stop himself blushing when she spoke to him, felt a strange need to be around her as much as possible. Sam had been constantly ribbing him, saying that he liked her, but Ned knew that was nonsense. He did like her, of course, but not in the way that Sam meant. She was just Lauren, his good friend. To think that it was anything more was stupid. He just hadn’t seen her in a while, that was all. Of course he wanted to spend time with her. And for the first couple of days, it seemed as if she wanted to spend time with him too.

Then, on the third day, Yves had turned up and everything changed. Lauren and Thea had both sat on their loungers, gazing at the handsome young Frenchman as he cleaned out the pool. As soon as he left, they had gone into a huddle together, giggling like fools, and after that, everything had changed. Lauren was supposed to be his friend and yet all she wanted to do was stare at stupid Yves. It wasn’t that Ned liked her of course. Not at all, not in that way. He just knew that Yves wasn’t worth the attention, with his stupid perfect hair and his stupid tanned body and his stupid French accent. Stupid, stupid Yves.

Suddenly, Lauren pulled her legs up out of the water, tucking them round to the side of her and getting to her feet. Her movement recalled Ned to his senses, and as she said something to Thea and then turned towards the salon, Ned hastily picked up his book again. By the time she came into the room through the French windows, he was, to all appearances, engrossed in his aeroplanes, as if he hadn’t noticed her presence at all.

Lauren smiled as she caught sight of him sitting in the armchair. “Hey, Ned.”

Ned grunted in return and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

“Sam not back yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Say, I hope he’s not done anything bad. He’ll be the worst grouch in the world if he has to miss the start of football next semester. I could live without that, let me tell you! He’s like Atilla the Hun if he can’t play ball!”

Laughing, she made her way through to the kitchen, still chattering away. Lowering his book slightly, Ned watched her through the arch as she made her way across to the fridge and opened it, pulling out an ice-cold jug of juice. Tall and slim, with a teenage lankiness, she had thick, straight, red-brown hair that reached just below her shoulders, deep, dark brown eyes and a warm, wide smile that seemed to permanently light up her face. There was no doubt in Ned’s mind that she was a very pretty girl. Not that he was attracted to her, of course. He had just noticed it, that was all. Even that had been a shock, if he was honest. He had never really paid much attention to how a girl looked before.

Putting the juice back in the fridge, Lauren turned to face him, taking a sip of her drink and then holding it up.

“You want one?”

“No, thanks,” came the sullen reply, and Ned buried his head back in his book.

Lauren stared at him for a moment, a frown knotting her brow. He had been acting very strangely towards her for the past couple of days; hardly talking to her or answering her in monosyllables at best. And he seemed so moody all the time. It wasn’t like him at all. For the life of her, she could not work out what was wrong with him.

Shrugging her shoulders, she simply said, “Please yourself,” and then picking Thea’s drink up from the sideboard, she made her way back out onto the terrace.

Ned watched her go, the scowl returning to his face once more as he caught sight of the handyman. She was going back out to look at Yves, no doubt. Well if she didn’t want to be bothered with him, he thought to himself, hunching his shoulders and sinking further into the chair, then he wouldn’t be bothered with her either. See how she liked that.

Before he could think any more about it, the door through to the hall was thrown open, and Edgar came striding into the room, followed by Andrew and Sam, who was on crutches, his leg clearly heavily bandaged below his shorts. Forgetting about Lauren for now, Ned threw his threw his book to one side and turned to his friend.

“What’ve you d…”

“Sam!” Cassie came running through from the loggia, drowning out Ned’s question. “Oh, sweetie, look at you! What did they say? What have you done?”

“I’m okay, Mom, stop fussing!” Sam protested, as Cassie pushed her husband aside and began helping her son towards the nearest chaise longue. “It’s just twisted, that’s all.”

“He’s to keep it up as much as possible for the next few days, and not put any weight on it for a couple of weeks, maybe longer,” Andrew put in, helping his wife to lower Sam onto the seat. “The doc said he may even be on the crutches ‘til we head home.”

“At least I’ll be okay for football in September,” Sam added, looking thoroughly fed-up as he shuffled back against the chaise longue and Cassie gently lifted his leg from the floor. Then frowning in Ned’s direction, “Guess it means no more cliff climbing though. Sorry.”

Ned grinned back, eager not to add to his friend’s miserable day. “S’okay – I’m sure we can find something else to do!”

“You’ll do nothing but sit here for the next day or so, young man!” Cassie interrupted sternly. “You’ve put us through enough worry already today without you adding to it by doing more damage! And if you want to play ball when you get home, you’ll do as the doc says if you’ve any sense!”

“If who’s any sense?” came a fresh voice, and they all looked up as Evadne entered the room. She was rubbing the side of her stomach, and made hastily for the nearest chair, flopping herself down in it and heaving a sigh. “Ouff, that’s better! I thought I was never gonna get him to settle this afternoon – talk about a tantrum!” Then noticing Sam, she asked, “Hey, you’re back! What did they say at the hospital?”

“It’s twisted – he has to keep it up and be on these crutches for a few weeks.”

“What’s wrong with your stomach?” Edgar asked his wife, with a frown.

Evadne shifted position to make herself more comfortable. “Nothing. Henry just took aim with a foot, that’s all.”

Edgar looked aghast. “I told you not to handle him when he’s having a tantrum! You should have asked someone to help you…”

“It’s easier to do it myself…”

“…You need to be more careful! Where does it hurt? Maybe we should get it checked out by a doct...” `

“Edgar, I’m fine! He’s a baby, not a horse! He’s not done me any damage. Quit being such an ass…”

“No, Evvy, I’m not having it.”

Ignoring her protests, Edgar marched outside and called the two girls into the salon, and then shouted through to the dining room for Marcia to join them as well. When everyone was present, he leant against a wall and cleared his throat.

“Right, from now on, if anyone sees Evvy struggling with Henry you’re to give her a hand…”

“I asked her – she said no!” Ned put in, indignantly.

“That’s ‘cause I needed no help, that’s why!” Evadne said crossly. “I’m not made of china for he…”

“I don’t care, Evvy,” Edgar interrupted. “I’m not risking it. You’re pregnant, remember?”

“I know that, you great dope! That’s why most of my wardrobe doesn’t fit anymore!”

“Have you grown then?” Cassie asked, looking at her friend’s stomach appraisingly. “We’ll have to draw round the bump again.”

“Leave my bump alone!”

Ignoring them, Edgar looked around at the children. “Do you all understand?” He received a round of nods in return. Evadne shot him a look that said ‘I’ll deal with you later’, and he grinned back at her triumphantly.

At that moment, there was an interruption as Yves stuck his head around the patio doors to announce that he was done for the day. Edgar turned to thank him and to ask him to come back the day after tomorrow to see to the pool, and the young man took his leave.

“Au revoir, Yves!” Lauren called at his retreating back.

Ned pulled a face at her. “Au revoir, Yves,” he mimicked childishly, giving her a look of disgust.

Lauren glared at him. “What’s got your goat?”

“Nothing.”

“Why don’t you grow up, then?”

“Why don’t you grow up?”

“That’s enough, both of you!” Edgar put in hurriedly, before it descended into a full-scale row. “Now, I have some good news as well. We need to get out of the villa a little, and the temperature’s not looking like it’s going to drop, so on Monday, we’re all going up to the Gorges de Verdun for the day.”

“It’s really pretty there. We went on holiday, before Mummy and Daddy got married,” Thea hissed to Lauren.

Edgar smiled. “Thea’s right, it’s beautiful, and we thought you Markhams might like to go and have a look. There’s lots to do out on the lake, and there’s a great deal more shade than there is on the beaches here. And anyway, we need the change of scenery. It’s about a four hour drive and we’ll be leaving at six a.m. sharp on Monday morning, so it’ll be early nights all round on Sunday night. Any questions?”

“Can we try water skiing?” Ned wanted to know.

“Yes, if you like. And you can hire small boats for sailing or go swimming too.”

“What about me?” Sam asked, his face looking even more miserable than before.

“You’ll still come with us, Sam, don’t worry – though I’m not sure how much you’ll be able to do. I’m sure we can hire a boat to take you out in at the very least. Or if you’d prefer, Auntie Evvy and Henry aren’t coming with us, so you can stay here with them, it’s up to you.”

Marcia listened to all this from her vantage point near the doorway, her eyes welling up with tears as they all asked questions about the various water sports they could do. Suddenly, unable to take to anymore, she burst out, “I ‘spose that means I have to stay with Mummy and Henry too,” and before anyone could reply, she stormed off towards her bedroom.

“Marcia, wait…”

Edgar heard a door slam and turned to his wife. Evadne glared back at him disapprovingly and shook her head. Heaving a sigh, Edgar got to his feet and with a quick, “Right, I guess that’s all then,” he followed in his daughter’s wake.

As he left the room, Lauren turned to her father. “Dad, can Thea and I go and buy an ice cream?”

Andrew nodded. “Sure. Just put some clothes on first please – you’re not walking the streets in your bathing suits!”

“And you may want to cover up properly,” Evvy added, looking from one to the other. “You’ve been out there all day so far - you’re both looking a little pink.”

Thea twisted her head to look at her shoulder and then glanced over at Lauren. “No we’re not!”

“If we cover up then we won’t get a tan,” Lauren added, and Evadne shrugged.

“Please yourselves. Just don’t come moaning to me when you’re both hurting like sin this evening. And make sure you get Marcia an ice as well, won’t you? I think she’ll need one.” Then, as the two girls departed to find their dresses, the sound of Henry’s cries reached her ears and she resignedly got to her feet. “Can’t he go to sleep just once?”

Before she could move, Ned jumped up and headed for the door. “I’ll go.”

“Ned, it’s okay…”

“No it’s not – you heard Dad!” and not giving her a chance to protest again, he quickly ran out of the room.

Shaking her head, Evadne sat down again. “I can see I’m gonna be treated like an invalid for the next few weeks!”

Cassie laughed. “I’d make the most of it if I were you – it won’t last too long.”

Evvy shot her a mischievous grin. “I guess you’re right. And in that case I may as well make the most of it and put my feet up! Cassie, go fetch me a drink and a tin of my wieners please!”



Edgar, meanwhile, was trying to talk to his youngest daughter, who had shut herself in the bathroom. After knocking several times, with no response, he finally sat down on the floor outside the door.

“Marcia?”

“Go away!” came the muffled response.

“Don’t you want to hear what I have to say?”

“I don’t care! I hate you!”

Edgar raised his eyebrows. “Oh. Well okay, then. If you don’t want to hear that I’m giving you your summer clothes back…?”

This question was greeted by silence for a moment. Then a shuffling noise sounded behind the door and he heard the key click in the lock. Getting to his feet, he pushed the door open and found his daughter sitting with her back against the bath. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying, and she stared up at him as he entered the room and sat down opposite her.

“Are you really giving them back to me?” she asked, sniffing and rubbing her eyes.

Taking his handkerchief from his pocket, Edgar handed it over to her and then sat back against the bath. “Yes, I really am.”

Marcia blew her nose and then looked up at him. “I thought I was going to be left out of the lake.”

“Do you honestly think I’d be that mean?”

“I…don’t know. Maybe.” She stared at her lap, twisting the handkerchief around her fingers, and Edgar smiled.

“I’m not a complete ogre, you know, despite what the rumours say.” Marcia nodded, and Edgar put a hand under her chin, lifting her face up to look at him. “Do you understand why I took them, though?” She nodded again. “And next time, when I tell you to do something, will you do it?”

“Yes.”

“Well in that case, we’ll say no more about it, okay? Come here,” and placing an arm around her shoulders, he pulled her towards him and gave her a hug. “Don’t stop being yourself, sweetheart. We love you for it and wouldn’t want you to change. You just need to learn when to rein the madness in, that’s all. Do you understand what I’m talking about?”

Sniffing again, Marcia nodded as she pulled back and wiped her nose. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re forgiven. Just don’t do it again.”

“I promise I won’t. Cross my heart and hope to die.” She paused briefly, and then added, “I don’t really hate you, Daddy.”

Edgar grinned. “I know you don’t, poppet. If I believed it every time one of you three threw that one at me, I’d be a nervous wreck by now! And I’ve still got Henry and Pebble to come yet too!”

Marcia giggled and scrubbed her eyes one last time, before handing it back to him. Edgar tucked it back into his pocket, and then getting to his feet, he held out a hand to pull her up.

“Interesting shirt you have on, by the way. Looks remarkably like your old, red jumper.”

His face and voice were expressionless, and Marcia was not quite sure what to say. “I was hot,” she mumbled lamely, staring down at her bare feet.

“Were you now? Well if you’ve been cutting your clothes up, I’m not sure you should have your cases back after all.”

“Daddy, that’s not fair! I…” Then, seeing the twinkle in his eye, she uttered an indescribably sound and hit him on the arm. “You’re not funny! I thought you really meant it!”

“Yes, well, hack any more of your clothes to pieces and I just might!” Opening the bathroom door, he turned back and placed his arm around her shoulders. “Come on, you. Let’s go and get those cases, shall we? Unless I miss my guess, you must be crying out for a swim!”

“Ooo – yes please!” and transformed back to her usual, happy self, Marcia broke free of his arm and ran off down the corridor, leaving him to follow on behind.



Much later that evening, after the children had gone to bed, the four adults were sat out on the terrace, having a nightcap and welcoming the refreshing night breeze. A few hours earlier, as the sun had gone down, Evadne’s dire prediction regarding sunburn had been proved right. As the evening had worn on, Thea and Lauren, who had ignored all advice that they cover themselves up, had gradually become more and more pink. By the time dinner was served at eight p.m., the pair of them were looking more like ripe tomatoes than the bronzed beauties they had hoped. Despite the cold tea, carefully applied by Cassie and Evadne to try and take out the heat, they were both still very tender, and the whole situation had provoked much mickey-taking from their siblings, particularly as Lauren, who had burnt the back of her legs, had to sit on a cushion all the way through dinner.

Recalling Thea’s look of horror as she’d passed the mirror and caught sight of the white panda eyes caused by her sunglasses, Evadne chuckled as she sipped her drink.

“Well that’ll teach them to listen to me!”

“Teach who?” Edgar asked, looking up from the map he and Andrew were studying.

“Thea and Lauren.”

Edgar laughed. “Poor old things. That has to hurt something rotten.”

“Yes. Well, now they know that mothers always know best.”

Edgar grinned and reached out to take hold of her hand. “Yes, dear. Whatever you say.”

“I think Lauren was more upset about what Yves might think!” Cassie put in with a chuckle.

Andrew looked up, surprised. “Why would she care what Yves thinks?”

“Because she’s sweet on him, that’s why!”

“She’s what?”

“Just as I say - she’s sweet on him. Surely you’ve noticed that she and Thea become a couple of goggle-eyed idiots whenever he’s around? Or are you completely blind?”

Edgar grinned. “Yves’ certainly noticed. He spoke to me this morning and assured me that he wasn’t in the least interested – I think he was worried that I’d let him go!”

Andrew looked utterly aghast. “But Lauren can’t have a crush on him – she’s not even fourteen yet!”

Cassie laughed. “Oh don’t be a dope! All teenage girls have crushes on older boys. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“But…she’s…okay, I guess you’re right." He looked far from impressed. "But he'd best keep well away from her. She’s far too young for that kind of thing!”

“I think you’ll be safe there,” Edgar put in. “By all accounts, he’s far too busy romancing our neighbour’s eighteen-year-old daughter to be looking at anyone else – especially a couple of giggling young girls!”

“We were just the same,” Cassie chuckled. “Surely you remember the way I was with Eric the pool boy when we were kids?”

Andrew paused for a moment, and then shook his head as a wry smile crept across his face. “I sure do. I used to sit watching you, seething with jealousy and all the while pretending I didn’t care a jot about you!”

At this nugget of information, Cassie was rather taken aback. “You did?”

Andrew nodded, grinning at the surprise on her face, and Evadne laughed. “Sounds rather like young Ned now, if you ask me.”

“Yes, he has got it bad, hasn’t he?”

“Sure has. I'm not sure he knows what to do with himself if I’m honest – I reckon it’s the first time he’s ever noticed a girl in that way.”

Andrew chuckled. “I’m sure Sam’s not helping on that front either – any more than Ralph did with me.”

Cassie raised her eyebrows. “Ralph?”

“Yes, Ralph. He used to rib me something rotten and I'd just sit there flatly denying it! Then, when we got a few years older and I was still trailing after you like a lovesick puppy, he suddenly came over all ‘big brother’ and started warning me off you. Clearly I took no notice!”

“Why’ve you never told me this before?”

“Dunno, really. Guess it’s never come up.” As his wife stared at him in disbelief, he turned to Evadne. “So come on then, who were you sweet on back in those days?”

“Oh, that’s easy,” she chuckled. “My folks’ next-door neighbours’ son in Salzburg. I must’ve been about fourteen, I guess, and I used to find all kinds of excuse to go over there whenever he was home. Fritz, his name was - he was twenty-six, tall, blonde and handsome. I was convinced I’d grow up and marry him. Then one day he introduced me to his fiancée – I was crushed!” Then, turning to Edgar with a grin, “Elsie went one worse though. She had this crazy thing about Gottfried, one of the doctors at the San! He was married too – to one of the old girls – but it didn’t put her off! She used to blush like crazy whenever she saw him! It was priceless!”

Edgar laughed. “Remind me to bring that one up next time we see them!” Sitting back in his chair, he chortled again. “I can go one better than that though. Paul and I had a crush on our Matron at school, if you please!”

The other three burst out laughing. “Not Matron Jones?” Evadne asked through her giggles. "She's still Ned's Matron now," she added, for benefit of her friends.

“The very same!” His wife doubled-up again, and Edgar grinned at her. “She was a little younger in those days, mind you. We used to make up endless mystery illnesses so we could go and see her. I remember Paul getting struck down with bad flu once and being in the San for two weeks. Instead of having sympathy for him, I was just insanely jealous! I even tried swapping my pillow with his in the hope I’d pick up some of his germs!”

Cassie sat up and wiped her eyes. “Did it work?”

“Sadly not, no. I didn’t speak to him for a week when he came out again. He was gloating horribly and I was convinced he’d only got sick to get the upper hand on me!” Draining his glass, he put it back down on the table and then stretched his shoulder. “Right, that’s me all in for today, I think.” He squeezed Evadne’s hand. “You coming?”

Evvy nodded. “Sure am. I’m gonna need cocktail sticks to keep my eyes open if I don’t get some sleep!” she replied, yawning widely as she got to her feet. “We’ll see you two tomorrow morning.”

Cassie and Andrew bade them goodnight, and Edgar placed his hand on his wife’s back and steered her in through the loggia and upstairs to their room.

It didn’t take him long to get changed and in between the sheets, and he sat with his back against the headboard, watching his wife as she brushed out her hair.

“Evvy?”

“Hmmm?”

“I need you to promise me something.”

“You’ll have to tell me what it is first,” she returned, grinning at his reflection in the mirror. “I’m buying no pigs in pokes from you, Edgar Watson.”

But Edgar wasn’t laughing. “Please, sweetheart, will you try and be more careful with yourself? I know you think Henry can’t hurt you or the baby and you’re probably right, but all the same, I’d feel much better if you asked for help sometimes. And not just with him, either. You’re forever trying to carry heavy things and you know Dr. Schrieber said you should be careful.”

Evadne had stopped brushing her hair and watched him in the mirror as he spoke. Now, she placed her hairbrush down on the vanity and turned to face him. “Edgar, I know what I’m doing. I’m not a kid.”

“I know you’re not. And I know you think I’m fussing unnecessarily, but I’m worried about you – you and Pebble.” He paused for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. “The thing is…I never thought we’d be able to have this baby and now we can, and it’s incredible and wonderful and I still can’t believe our luck. I just don’t think I could bear it if anything happened to it. Or to you.”

He swallowed hard, and Evadne got up from the dresser and walked towards him. Sitting down on the bed, she shuffled up next to him, pulling her legs up under her and placing her arms around his neck.

“Nothing’s going to happen to me or Pebble, you big goop.”

“You don’t know that. Look what Corney and Mike went through.”

“But that wasn’t anything they did, it just happened.”

“I know. I’d just rather you didn’t tempt fate, that’s all.” He gazed up at her, his soft, green eyes full of concern. “Won’t you just humour me? Please?”

“Edgar, I can’t just stop carrying Henry around – he’s my baby!”

“I’m aware of that, Evvy. But please, if he’s having a tantrum and Monique or I or one of the kids are around, will you just ask for our help? And will you stop trying to lift heavy things?”

Evadne hesitated for a moment, and then heaved a sigh of resignation. “If I do, will you quit nagging me?”

“Yes, I promise.”

“Fine. In that case, I’ll stop and ask for help. Anything for a quiet life! But you have to quit going on at me too. It's driving me crazy!”

"You have a deal."

"So I should hope." But her soft tone belied her words, and she leant forward and kissed him gently on the nose. Then, pulling back, she gave him a wicked grin. “So – Matron Jones, eh?”

Edgar chuckled. “She’s a fine figure of a woman, I’ll have you know.”

Evadne laughed. “Are you sure it’s not just that clean, starched uniform?”

“Maybe…”

Edgar raised an eyebrow, and Evadne pulled a face and shook her head. “Don’t even think about it, Mister!”

“Spoilsport!”

“That’s me! You get me as I am or not at all.”

“Well, in that case…” Keeping his arms wrapped around her waist, Edgar tipped her backwards until she was lying back on the bed, her legs twisted awkwardly beneath her.

“Hey, watch it!” she complained, grimacing and wriggling into a more comfortable position. “Fragile pregnant lady here, remember?”

“Now you try and play that card!” and reaching across her to turn off her bedside light, Edgar lowered his head and covered her lips with his own.

 

#8:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:53 am

As the first week of the holiday drew to a close, the sweltering weather had broken and turned to thunderstorms and rain, which had continued almost unabated for the next couple of weeks, leaving the two families cooped up in and around the villa, getting restless and irritable. Sam had been fed up and grumpy, thanks to his twisted knee, and Lauren and Ned continued to niggle each other constantly, particularly when it came to Yves. The young American girl had taken to following the handyman around the villa whenever he was there, pestering him with questions and asking him to teach her French, whilst Ned sat brooding in the salon, watching on. Edgar had tried to have a talk with his son about how he was feeling, but as Ned refused to admit that he was at all interested in Lauren as anything more than a friend, and Edgar, quite frankly, felt rather awkward bringing the whole thing up, he didn’t get very far.

It was now the last day of the holidays, and the bad weather had finally given way to sunshine again at the beginning of the week, and as a result, everyone was spending as much time outside as they possibly could. A couple of days ago, Edgar and Evadne had taken all the children to Nice for the day to give Cassie and Andrew some time on their own, and today, the Markhams were returning the favour. Only Henry had remained at home with his parents. The previous day, he had tripped over some toys and fallen headfirst into a wall, grazing his forehead quite badly, and as he was still inclined to be grouchy, Evadne had opted to keep him with her.

The other five children had spent breakfast debating where they should go, and they had finally settled on the Grand Hotel du Cap, just down the road from where they were staying. All five had been pestering their parents to take them there since they’d arrived four weeks previously – even more so once Evadne had informed them all that it was the hangout of many a famous person. Despite Ned and Thea’s best efforts, they still had not seen David Niven, and they were rather hoping that he might be there.

On their arrival, the party ensconced themselves alongside the swimming pool, and not wanting to go in, Thea and Sam, who Cassie had forbidden from doing anything stupid so as to protect his knee, had wandered off, rug and books in hand, to find a shady spot under the trees.

In the pool itself, Marcia and Lauren were sitting on a shelf in one corner of the deep end, where Marcia was quizzing her friend about why she liked Yves. As Lauren finished explaining her reasoning (which largely consisted of the fact that Yves was handsome and French), Marcia screwed up her nose and shook her head vehemently.

"He just looks old and hairy to me."

Ned, who swam up just in time to hear this particular sentiment, burst out laughing. "See, I told you!"

Lauren twisted around to face him and scowled. "You just don’t like him 'cause he’s handsome and a proper man, not a kid like you!"

"You're the kid, not me! He doesn’t care about you."

"He does too! He said 'bonjour' to me when he arrived this morning - he didn't say it to anyone else!"

"So what? It's only 'cause you pester him all day long!"

Lauren's eyes flashed with anger at Ned's words. "You’re so pathetic, Ned Watson. I don’t know why I ever thought you were my friend - you've been downright mean all vacation! You’re just jealous that's all. Yves' better than you at everything - he can even do a somersault into the pool - I saw him!"

"So can I!"

"No you can't!"

"I'll show you if you don't believe me!"

Marcia, who had been listening to all of this with wide eyes, saw an opportunity for some mischief. Giving Ned a wicked grin, she said, "Okay, show us."

"Keep your nose out, squirt - it's none of your business!" her brother flashed back.

Lauren leant back against the side of the pool and folded her arms across her chest. "Well it's my business, and I want you to show us too."

Ned hesitated, unsure quite what to do. Despite his boasting and hundreds of attempts, he had never yet managed to successfully turn a somersault from the side of the pool, and he really didn't want to show himself up in front of everyone.

Lauren raised her eyebrows at his hesitation. "Unless you're a chicken, of course."

This was like red rag to a bull, and glaring back at her, Ned snapped "Fine, I'll show you!", swam across to the side, and pulled himself out.

Making his way along to where there was a clear patch of water, he stood looking down, his toes curled around the edge of the pool, trying his best to psyche himself up. Then catching Lauren’s eye and seeing the smirk on her face, he decided there was nothing else for it. Taking a deep breath, he counted to three and launched himself into the air.

Spluttering to the surface a moment later, he brushed the water out of his eyes and gave a small ‘whoop’. He had done it. For the first time ever, he had managed to turn a proper somersault from the edge of the pool. He could not have picked a better time to get it right. Turning towards Lauren and Marcia, he was about to say ‘Told you so’ when he noticed that the pair of them were pointing at him and laughing fit to burst.

“What’s so funny?”

Lauren sat up and wiped her eyes. “I think you’re missing something,” she managed to blurt out, before dissolving into giggles again.

For a split second, Ned looked a little confused. Then, looking down, he suddenly realised what they were laughing at. In his excitement at completing his dive, he had failed to notice that he had lost his swimming trunks. Turning scarlet, he clamped one hand over his privates and began frantically searching for the missing piece of clothing, only to find that it was nowhere to be seen. Turning back to Marcia and Lauren, he was about to ask them if they knew where it was, when he suddenly noticed his sister was holding them up with one hand and pointing to them with the other.

“Give them back!” he demanded, treading water frantically to get to the side and maintain what was left of his dignity at the same time.

Marcia grinned and shook her head. “You have to come and get them!”

“Give them back, you brat!”

“What’s it worth to you?” Lauren interjected, with a supercilious grin.

“Just give them to me!” he shouted, as his sense of humour gave way altogether, and a few loud tuts sounded around the pool.

“What’s going on?”

All three looked up as Cassie’s angry face appeared, looming over the edge of the pool.

“Why all the noise?”

Taking the trunks from Marcia, Lauren held them up with a grin. “Ned’s lost something.”

Cassie stared at the garment, confused, and then realising what they were, she had a hard time correcting the smirk on her face. “Well give them back to him then and stop acting like a baby,” she said eventually to her daughter, after much biting of the side of her mouth. “And Ned, either you quit making so much noise, or we go home now and you get to explain to your folks why we’re early,” and without waiting for a reply, she turned and marched back to join her husband on their sunbeds.

Reluctantly, Lauren handed the trunks back to their owner, and trying his best to be discreet, Ned flattened himself against the steps as he pulled them back on. Then, hearing the two girls begin to snigger again, he snarled, “Oh, go boil your heads!”, and climbed out, flouncing back to his sunbed and picking up a towel. Drying himself off, he pulled on his shirt and shorts, and then finished in his pocket for some money, as Cassie and Andrew looked on.

“Where are you off to?” Cassie asked, as he turned to leave.

“Anywhere I can’t see those two,” came the sulky reply, as Ned thrust his hands in his pockets.

Andrew gave him a quizzical look. “What’s the matter with you?”

“They’re the matter with me!”

“He dived in and lost his bathing suit!”

Hearing the voice behind him, Ned turned to see Lauren climbing out of the pool, and Andrew burst out laughing.

“Just leave me alone!” and to the sound of laughter ringing in his ears, Ned turned and stropped off towards the hotel.

Making his way into the café, he had just sat down at the table and ordered himself an ice cream and a glass of iced tea, when Lauren and Marcia suddenly appeared at his side.

“What are you doing in here?” he asked angrily, a heavy scowl on his face.

“We wanted an ice cream, if it’s all the same to you?” Lauren replied haughtily, as Marcia pulled out the chair next to her brother and sat herself down. Lauren followed suit and then turned to her friend. “Yves says he’s going to the Sorbonne in the fall. He’s so clever.”

“Bully for him,” Ned muttered under his breath.

Lauren glared at him. “You’re just jealous…”

“He’s not interested in you – how many times do I have to say it before you get it through your thick skull!”

“How do you know?”

“’Cause he’s an adult and you’re a school kid, that’s why!”

At that moment, the waiter appeared at Ned’s shoulder with his iced tea, and pointedly informed them that if they did not keep their voices down, then he would have to ask them to leave. The three of them looked suitably contrite and fell silent, and the waiter took Lauren and Marcia’s orders and disappeared again, mollified for now.

They managed a full three minutes of quiet, before Ned mumbled, “He’s not interested.”

“He is too!” Lauren flashed back angrily. “He’s coming tonight, so you’ll see then and eat your words!”

“That’s what you think!”

“That’s what I know!”

Drawn by the noise, the waiter suddenly appeared from nowhere again. “I warned you!” he began in his perfect English, his face stressed and taut. “We will not put up with this behaviour in our hotel, I must ask you to…”

“Merci, Monsieur, for looking out for them” a heavily-accented American voice suddenly broke into the conversation, “but they’re with us. I can take it from here, if you like.”

As the waiter turned to thank the newcomer profusely and then scurried off, Ned spun round in amazement to find himself staring into the familiar, kindly face of a big, burly, grey-haired man. Forgetting his argument with Lauren for the moment, Ned jumped to his feet.

“Mr. Schulstad! What are you doing here?”

The big American smiled in return. “Mrs Schulstad and I are on vacation, as it happens. Thought we’d come and take in a bit of Europe. So young Ned,” he asked, his face and voice sobering, “this is how you behave in public, is it?”

Ned stared down at the floor, embarrassed. “No. Sorry.”

“Yes, I should hope you are.” Ned squirmed, and seeing that his words had hit home, Mr. Schulstad turned to the two girls. “Well I’d recognise your fair mop anywhere, young lady,” he said, grinning at Marcia.

“Hello, Mr Schulstad!”

“All of which means,” he continued, turning to Lauren, “you must be Thea?”

Lauren shook her head. “No, I’m Lauren.”

“She’s from the family we’re on holiday with,” Marcia explained eagerly. “Thea’s outside.”

“Ah, I see. That explains why I didn’t recognise you. I thought my memory was fading for a moment there! So, where are your folks?”

“At home with Henry.”

“Ah yes, the baby.”

“He’s one and a half now and Mummy’s expecting another one.”

“Is she now? Well, that’s just wonderful. Now, why don’t you come on over and say hello to my wife? I know she’d love to see you all,” and picking up Ned’s iced tea, he strode off across the restaurant, giving them no choice in the matter.

“Who’s he?” Lauren murmured to Marcia, as they followed him to a table on the far side.

“He’s Mr. Schulstad,” Marcia hissed back. “Ned met him on the plane when we flew to Boston before Mummy and Daddy were married, and then we went to see them at their big house when we were there and he owns his own plane and he writes to Ned and comes to England to take him up flying sometimes and he’s really nice and so’s Mrs. Schulstad.”

“Oh, okay,” Lauren returned, having lost track of her friend’s long sentence about halfway though.

The three of them greeted Mrs. Schulstad enthusiastically, although Lauren still had no idea who these people actually were, and then sat themselves down to join their friends for ice cream and chatter. After about forty-five minutes, the two girls made their excuses and wandered off outside again, leaving Ned talking to Charles Schulstad about his ambition to join the R.A.F. Although he continued chatting away, Ned’s eyes followed the two girls as they left the room, and noticing this, Mr. Schulstad allowed himself a small smile.

“So then, are you going to tell me what all that arguing was about,” he asked, changing the subject abruptly as soon as the two girls were out of earshot.

Ned looked awkwardly down at his lap. “Nothing.”

“Really? It didn’t look that way to me.”

Ned hesitated for a moment, and then gave a sigh. “Lauren thinks this boy Yves is interested in her, but he’s not and I was just telling her that, that’s all. He’s an idiot.”

Charles Schulstad raised his eyebrows and gave his young friend a quizzical look. “Is he indeed?”

“Yes. He thinks he’s so clever, strutting about with no shirt on, and going on and on about how he’s going to the Sorbonne.”

Mr Schulstad glanced at his wife and grinned. “And you’re worried she might get hurt?” he asked, turning his attention back to Ned.

“A bit,” came the mumbled reply. “I just don’t see why she likes him, that’s all. He’s horrible.”

“Ah, of course he is. And you’re you sure that you don’t feel like this because you rather like young Lauren yourself?”

Ned looked horrified. “No!”

There was a pause for a moment, and then Mr. Schulstad slowly nodded his head. “Right. If you say so.”

“I do say so!”

“Okay, fine. I believe you, though thousands wouldn’t!”

Before Ned could protest again, Lauren herself suddenly appeared at the door and called Ned to let him know that it was time for them to pack up and head home. As he called back to say that he was coming, Ned blushed and Mr. Schulstad smiled to himself.

“Do you want to come back to the villa and see Dad and Evvy?” Ned asked, as he scrambled to his feet. “They’d really like to see you.”

Charles Schulstad glanced across at his wife. “Want to go, my dear?”

His wife, Penny, shot him a smile in return. “Absolutely. Why not.”

“Well then, it rather looks like we’re coming along for the ride. Shall we meet you all in the foyer in twenty minutes?”

Ned grinned. “Cool. See you then!” and turning tail, he ran back outside, knocking a couple of chairs over as he went.



Back at the villa, Edgar was lounging in a deckchair on the terrace, reading a letter. A pile of correspondence lay on the table beside him, and a glass of cold, refreshing juice was set on the floor on the other side of the chair, next to his shoes. His chair was angled in front of Henry’s cage, blocking the way through to the swimming pool. The cage door was open and Henry, who seemed to finally be perking up a little, was happily toddling back and forth to his sandpit with fistfuls of sand. Behind them, inside the loggia, Evadne was sitting at the long, wooden table, dressed in her swimsuit and watching the pair of them with a smirk on her face. This was because, from her vantage point, she could see exactly where Henry’s handfuls of sand were ending up.

Edgar finished reading the first page of his letter, and then laying the sheet down on the table, he reached to his other side and picked up his glass. He almost had it to his lips, when he heard his wife’s voice behind him.

“You may not want to drink that!”

Edgar’s hand froze and he turned to give her a quizzical look. “Why’s that?”

Evadne grinned as she wandered out to join them, and nodded her head towards his hand. “Henry’s been busy…er…doctoring it!”

Furrowing his brow, Edgar turned back to look more closely at the glass in his hand. Clearly visible through the orange liquid was large mound of sand. Looking up again, he saw his son standing at the edge of the sandpit, sand dripping through his stubby little fingers.

“I suppose you think that’s funny?”

At the sound of his father’s voice, Henry looked up and giggled, and Evade laughed. “I almost let you drink it then – your face would have been priceless.” She grinned unapologetically as her husband raised an eyebrow. “You may not want to put your shoes on either.”

“Why not?” Reaching down to his side, Edgar picked up a shoe, only to find it full of sand. “Oh for goodness sake!” He sounded exasperated as he tipped the sand on to the terrace and moved the shoe to the other side of the deckchair, then followed suit with the second one.

He pulled it out of the way just in time, as Henry appeared next to the chair with his fistfuls of sand. Seeing the shoe whip past his nose, he looked down at his feet and realised that he had nothing to tip his cargo into. As he stared at the ground, his top lip turned up, and dropping the sand, he looked up at his father and began to whine. Staring the little boy straight in the eye, Edgar shook his head, so Henry took his yells up another notch and cried ‘Da-dee’, whist hitting his father’s leg.

“Edgar, give them back to him, you big spoilsport!” Evadne pleaded, pouting down at him.

“No. He can have this instead,” and reaching to his side, he picked up an empty flowerpot and placed it at his son’s feet. Henry stopped crying for a moment, as he glanced down at it, and then deciding that it wasn’t good enough, he turned his top lip up again.

“Oh, just let him have a shoe, for heaven’s sake! He’s not doing any harm.”

Evadne dropped the said shoe over to the other side of the chair again, and Henry immediately stopped yelling and toddled back to his sandpit, happy once more.

Edgar frowned as he watched his son go. “Why my shoe and not the pot?”

“Because he’s not supposed to use the shoe, that’s why! You know how contrary he is!” Walking around the chair to stand in front of her husband, she pushed his hands up out of the way and sat down in his lap. “Who’s your letter from?” she asked, as Edgar wrapped one arm around her and then picked the sheaves of paper up again with his free hand.

“Paul.”

“About time too! We’ve not heard from them in weeks! What does he say? How are they?”

“Things are mostly good, from what I’ve read so far,” Edgar replied, skimming his eyes across the last few paragraphs of Paul’s sprawling script. “Apparently getting around and about's not frustrating him nearly as much these days. The stump's still not healing quite as well as they'd hoped though, so it looks like they won't be able to start discussing a prosthesis any time soon."

"Oh no, that's horrible!" Evadne looked a little upset at this piece of news. "He was holding out for that too!"

"He sounds quite philosophical about it actually." Edgar placed the letter back down on the table, and pulled his wife further onto his lap. "You know, I'm so glad he took that job we offered him. It's keeping him so busy, he's not got much time to focus on anything else! Doug Richardson's been over there for the past month or so, and they’ve been burning the midnight oil going over budgets and projections, by all accounts. Oh, and he says they're coming over to see us in November, whether we like it or not," he added as an afterthought.

Evadne's face broke into a wide grin. "Oh goody! I miss seeing them – it’s been an absolute age!"

Edgar smiled and pecked her on the cheek. "It has, hasn't it?" As he spoke, he felt something being wiped on his side, and looked down to see Henry brushing his hands clean against his father's bare skin. "What are you up to now, Trouble?"

Laughing, Evadne took her arm from around her husband's neck, and reached down to heave her son up into her lap. Henry squealed and threw his arm out, hitting Edgar square in the face.

"You’re a little monster, you know that?" his mother said sternly, as Edgar lifted his hand to rub his smarting nose. In response, Henry turned towards her, babbled something incoherent, and grabbed hold of her left breast. "Ouch!" Evadne prised his fingers away, and sat him back against his father's arm, fending the little boy off as he tried to do it again. "You'd better be gentler with your new brother or sister when it arrives, young man!"

As Evadne rubbed her still-smarting chest, Edgar caught hold of his son's arm. "Henry. Henry. Henry, look at Daddy. Henry!" Henry finally looked up at him, and seeing that he had the young lad's attention, Edgar pointed to his wife's stomach, where a bump was now clearly visible. "Do you know what’s in here?" Henry stared down at his mother's stomach and then back up to his father's face. Edgar smiled down at him. "That's a baby - your little brother or sister. Can you say 'baby', little man? 'Baby'?"

"Babi."

Evadne chuckled, and reached out to touch her son's tiny button nose. "No, sweetie, not 'babi'. 'Ba-by'."

Henry looked totally confused, as he stared back at his Evvy's stomach and repeated the name of his favourite toy. "Babi."

His mother decided she may as well give up. "Oh well," she shrugged. "Now he thinks I have his rabbit in my belly."

Edgar laughed. "I knew something was going on between you and that rabbit!"

Evadne grinned back at him and then turned her attention to the swimming pool. "I think I'm gonna take a dip - it's roasting out here!"

"Why don’t you take Henry in with you? You know he loves water and it'll get some of that sand off him whilst you’re at it."

"What about his graze though?" she asked, gently touching the tender area on this forehead. "I'm not sure it should get that wet."

Edgar gave her an incredulous look. "Are you planning on dunking his head under the water?"

"Of course not!"

"Well then, it's not going to get more than a splash, is it?"

Evadne pulled a face at him, but got to her feet and lifted Henry into her arms, nevertheless. "Come on, sweetie-pie. Let's leave horrid Daddy on his own, shall we?" and to the sound of Edgar's chuckles, she walked across to the swimming pool and carefully made her way down the wide stone steps into the shallow end.

Seating herself on the bottom step, so that she was submerged up to just above her waist, she adjusted Henry until he was sitting on her knee. Feeling the warm water lapping at his chest, Henry let out a squeal of delight and began kicking his legs and splashing with his arms.

Evvy laughed. "Look at you having fun, little man. Is this good? Is it?" Henry giggled, and smoothing back a blonde ringlet that had fallen into his eyes, she adjusted his position slightly so that he was facing his father, and then lifted up one of his arms and waved it back and forth. "Say hi to Daddy. Hi Daddy!"

Edgar lifted his hand to wave back. As Henry giggled again and splashed his feet, a shout of "helloo-oo," sounded through the house, and all of a sudden, Marcia burst through the open french doors that led off the salon.

"Mummy, Daddy, guess who we met?” Then before they could reply, she told them anyway. “Mr and Mrs Schulstad! They were at the hotel and they’ve come back with us!"

As she finished speaking, the Schulstads themselves appeared behind her, accompanied by Ned. Edgar jumped to his feet, his hand outstretched, and Evadne climbed out of the pool, still holding Henry, to exchange greeting with their guests. Charles Schulstad kissed Evvy on the cheek, and then smiled down at the little boy in her arms.

“So, this is Master Henry, I presume?”

As the stranger’s booming voice rang out, Henry squealed and buried his head in his mother’s shoulder. Evadne laughed. “Stop being such a scaredy-cat! Mr. Schulstad’s a friend, silly.”

Ignoring her, Henry began to wriggle violently, so Evvy set him down on the floor, and as he clung to her leg, his back to the newcomers, she turned to say her hellos to her other guest. Charles Schulstad crouched down where he was, and watched the little boy, without saying a word. He had to wait thirty seconds or so, but eventually Henry turned his head very slowly. He stared at the strange man for a moment, and then tentatively reached out a hand and poked him on the knee. Glancing down a moment later, Evadne was just in time to see Henry allow Mr. Schulstad to take hold of his hand.

“That was fast!” she exclaimed, crouching down herself and putting an arm around her son. “It usually takes him a good few hours before he’ll let anybody do that. Doesn’t it, precious? Have you made a new friend?”

Charles Schulstad let out a deep chuckle, and Henry gave him a cheeky smile and pointed at his new friend’s rotund midriff. Then looking up at Evadne, he said ‘Babi’.

“No, sweetie-pie, not ‘babi’. Mr. Schulstad,” Evvy replied hurriedly.

“Mummy, why’s Henry calling Mr. Schulstad his rabbit?” Marcia wanted to know, as she appeared next to them.

Evadne flushed red. “We told him I was pregnant, and he thought we said ‘babi’, not ‘baby’,” she explained, and then shot her guest a remorseful look. “Sorry about that.”

Mr. Schulstad simply laughed and brushed off her apology with a wave of his hand. “That’ll be the huge belly! Perhaps you’re right, my dear,” he added, turning to his wife, “I should go on that diet after all!”

“Dad, can Mr. and Mrs. Schulstad come to the party tonight?” Ned interjected.

Edgar smiled down at his eldest son. “I don’t see why not. You’ll be most welcome,” he said to his guests. “Now, can I get anyone a drink?”



By eight-thirty that night, the party was in full swing. Strings of coloured fairy lights adorned the gutter around the terrace, Sam and Ned were arguing over what music should be playing on the record player in the loggia, and a large trestle table that had been set up along one side of the pool groaned under the weight of the food that Cassie, Evadne and Thea had spent the early evening preparing. They had invited everyone in the neighbouring villas, and other people with whom they had become friendly during their month’s stay, from the man who ran the local boulangerie, to the somewhat-eccentric Parisian couple whom Ned had almost decapitated with a Frisbee on the first day they visited the beach. Almost everyone they had asked had turned up. The only person missing appeared to be Yves.

Charles Schulstad grinned at Evadne as he piled his plate high with helping number three.

“Mighty fine spread you’ve put on here,” he boomed, waving a chicken drumstick in the air.

Evadne smiled and heaved Henry further up on her hip. “I’m not sure I can take credit for it, sadly. Though I did cut the sandwiches myself – it was all I was trusted to do!”

As her guest chuckled and took a bite of his chicken, she glanced down at her small son, and saw that his eyes were firmly closed, his head nodding on her shoulder. She had been trying to get him to sleep all evening, but sensing that something exciting might be happening, he had refused to settle. Eventually, tired of running up and down the stairs every time he began screaming, Evvy had given in and let him join the party, deciding that it wasn’t all bad news. After all, the longer he stayed up tonight, the more likely he’d be to sleep during the journey home the next day.

Mr. Schulstad followed her gaze. “Looks like he’s nodded off at long last.”

“So it would seem!” Evadne heaved a sigh of relief and dropped kiss on Henry’s fair curls. “Pardon me for running off, Charles, but I think I’m gonna go see if I can settle him. Make yourself at home, won’t you? Edgar’s just over there if you need anything. I shan’t be long,” and leaving him to wander back to his wife, she made her way inside the house.

Stepping through the french doors into the loggia, she was immediately accosted by an anxious-looking Lauren. “Aunt Evvy, did Yves say he was coming tonight?”

“I think so, sweetie, why?”

“Well where is he?”

“Not an earthly! Perhaps he had somewhere else to go first?” Then seeing Lauren’s disappointed face, she added, “He’ll be here soon, Lauren, don’t worry. Uncle Edgar still owes him some money, aside from anything else. He has to come tonight so he can collect that,” and leaving a far happier girl behind her, Evvy headed into the salon, not giving Yves another thought.

As his stepmother left the room, Ned turned to Lauren with a look of disdain. “I don’t know why you care if he’s here or not.”

“He’s my friend, that’s why!”

“No he’s not! You just follow him around everywhere!”

“That’s not true!”

“Yes it is!” Sam laughed, as he pulled another record out of the box and removed the sleeve. “All you do is trail after him like a puppy dog. It’s pathetic!”

“Oh, get bent!” Lauren shot back with a scowl.

Unfortunately for his daughter, Andrew had decided that the punchbowl was running dry, and entered the loggia just in time to hear this choice phrase. “Lauren! That’s quite enough, young lady! If I hear you say anything else like that, you’re going to straight to bed!”

As the two boys tried hard to stifle their laughter, Lauren turned bright red and mumbled an apology. Andrew accepted it with a nod of his head and a muttered “Well make sure you don’t it again”, then he collected the required drinks from the dresser, and headed back outside. As soon as he was out of earshot, Lauren turned to glare at the two boys.

“Thanks a bunch.”

Sam shrugged and turned to place the record onto the player, and his sister fixed Ned with a glower.

“It’s all your fault!”

“How’s it my fault? You’re the one who said it, not me!”

“Only ‘cause you’re so mean about Yves! And he is my friend – you’ll see when he gets here!”

“Okay, fine!”

“Fine!” and deciding the conversation had come to an end, Lauren stormed off onto the terrace in search of Thea and Marcia, who were playing with Scrabble on the lawn.

“She’s barking!”

“I could have told you that!” Sam laughed as he lowered the needle onto the record and the first bars of ‘Long Tall Sally’ emanated from it.

“Hey, that’s not fair!” Ned exclaimed furiously. “It’s my turn and I said Chuck Berry!” and forgetting Lauren and Yves for now, the boys resumed their argument where they had left off.


Twenty minutes later, Marcia and Lauren were still playing on the lawn with the Watsons’ pet dog. As they threw a rubber ball for Scrabble to go and fetch, Thea, who had gone inside to get them all some more cola, suddenly came running out of the salon, empty-handed and yelling for her friend.

“Lauren, he’s here!”

Lauren looked up, a wide grin on her face. “Yves is?”

Thea nodded as she approached them, and stopped, pausing to catch her breath before she panted. “He just…got here. But he’s…”

“Oh my goodness!” Lauren squealed. “Quick, how do I look?”

“Lauren, he’s…”

“You look really pretty,” Marcia interrupted.

“You think so?”

Marcia nodded, but Thea grabbed her friend’s arm. “Lauren listen, he’s not alone.”

“What do you mean he’s not…”

As she spoke, Lauren turned towards the house and her voice cut off abruptly. Coming onto the terrace from the loggia was Yves, his arm around a beautiful, slender blonde. Lauren recognised her instantly as the daughter of the couple who owned the villa next-door. The pair of them were laughing and chatting away to Sam, and Ned was standing to one side, staring down the garden at the three girls, an unreadable expression on his face.

“I was trying to tell you,” Thea mumbled anxiously, watching her friend’s stricken face.

Lauren stared in shock at the object of her affection. It was the very last thing that she had expected. Then glancing to one side, she caught Ned’s eye, and the next moment, she turned on her heel and ran down the garden towards the cliffs at the far end.

Marcia went to follow her, but out of the corner of her eye, Thea caught sight of Ned walking towards them, and she grabbed hold of her sister’s arm.

“Get off me!” Marcia tried to wrench her arm away. “I’m going to see if she’s alright!”

But Thea held on firmly. “No you’re not. Ned is.”

Ned was near enough to hear what she said and as Marcia tried to pull her arm free and berated Thea for bossing her around, he stared at his sister as if she had gone mad. “No I’m not!”

“Yes you are!” Thea’s voice was unusually angry. “It’s your fault too, so you should go.”

“I didn’t make Yves have a girlfriend!”

“I know that, but you’ve been really horrid to her and teased her about liking Yves and that’s made her more upset.” Not really following her logic, Ned opened his mouth to retort, but Thea didn’t give him the chance. “Now you have to go and say sorry. Come on Marcia,” and adjusting her grip on Marcia’s arm, she whistled for Scrabble to follow them and dragged her sister away, leaving Ned standing there, bemused.

How was Lauren being upset supposed to be down to him? Okay, so he had teased her and goaded her a little, but he hadn’t made Yves bring along a date! Sweeping his eyes across the terrace, he saw his father talking to Mrs. Schulstad, his brevet-aunt and uncle chatting away to some of the neighbours and Sam still talking to Yves. Stupid, stupid Yves. He had made Lauren like him, and then upset her by turning up with his girlfriend like this.

It didn’t occur to Ned, of course, that Yves had not returned Lauren’s affections for one moment. He just felt anger towards the French boy bubbling up inside him, as his jealousy flared once more. Deciding that Thea was right, perhaps he should go and see Lauren, he gave Yves one more glance and then headed off across the lawn.

As he neared the sea, the light from the terrace began to disappear and he found himself walking almost blindly towards the cliffs. Stopping for a moment to let his eyes adjust to the darkness, he spotted Lauren, sitting a few yards away, her back to the house. Ned watched her as he pondered what to do next, and then giving a slight cough, he continued his way towards her.

Hearing his cough, Lauren turned to look at him as he approached. Then seeing who it was, she quickly snapped her head back again.

“What d’you want?”

Saying nothing, Ned came to a halt next to her and looked down.

“Suppose you’ve come to say I told you so?”

“No, I…”

“Just go away, Ned. You were right, okay? I hope you’re happy. Just leave me alone.”

Ned hesitated for a second or two, and then seeing nothing else for it, he turned to walk away. A moment later, he heard a strangled sob as Lauren began to cry and he spun back around, secretly a little horrified. What was he supposed to do now? He could hardly walk away and leave her like this, but he wasn’t much good with people who cried. Whenever Thea or Marcia were upset, he generally just ran away and fetched Evvy or his father. Maybe that was what he should do now? Yes, good idea. She needed Evvy, not him. He was about to leave when Lauren’s breath caught and her shoulders began to heave. Disconcerted, he stopped in his tracks and looked down at her again. Perhaps he should stay after all. It wouldn’t be fair to leave her on her own.

His mind made up, he sat down next to her on the grass and patted her awkwardly on the arm. Before he knew what was happening, Lauren had turned towards him and buried her face in his shoulder. Ned could feel her tears seeping through his shirt as she continued to sob, and not knowing what else to do, he lifted his hand and haltingly rubbed her back.

It was a few minutes before Lauren managed to pull herself together. When she finally did stem her tears, she lifted her head and looked sheepishly up at him. Ned reached into his pocket, pulled out his handkerchief, and handed it over.

Giving him a slight smile, Lauren accepted it gratefully. She wiped her eyes and blew her nose noisily, and then folded it up and handed it back.

“Thank you.”

Ned grimaced slightly as he took the damp bit of material from her and shoved it into his pocket again. “You’re welcome.”

They relapsed into silence, both sitting with their knees pulled up to their chests, as they stared up at the stars.

“It’s really dark,” Ned eventually pointed out, rather obtusely, it has to be said.

Lauren glanced at him, her brow knitted into a frown, and then returned her head to her knees. “You were right all along,” she murmured quietly, ignoring his previous comment, “and I’ve been such a beast to you, and you were only trying to look after me. I’m sorry.”

Conveniently forgetting the fact that most of his comments regarding Yves were motivated by jealously, as opposed to chivalry, Ned shrugged his shoulders. “S’okay.”

Lauren sniffed and wiped her nose on her sleeve. “You must hate me.”

“I don’t hate you.”

“I’m so stupid. I thought he might like me and all the time he had that horrid girlfriend.”

Twisting round to look at the house, Ned could just make out Yves, standing by the buffet table, his beautiful girlfriend by his side. “She is horrid.” Lauren nodded. “And ugly,” he added, warming to his theme.

Lauren followed his gaze and frowned. “No she’s not. She’s pretty.”

“You’re prettier,” he replied carelessly, and then blushed furiously as he realised what he had said, thanking his lucky stars that it was pitch black.

“Really?”

“Really.”

Ned could feel his cheeks burning now, and he cursed himself inwardly for having said something so stupid. Lauren was watching him closely, and he could feel her eyes boring into his face. He was sure she could see that he was bright red, despite the dark, night sky. Then, all of a sudden, she leant forward and pecked him on the cheek.

“You’re nice, Ned. You’re such a good friend,” and without another word, she got to her feet and started to walk back towards the house.

Stunned, Ned turned to watch her go. Absently, he lifted his hand to his cheek and rubbed the spot where she had kissed him. That was it, he vowed to himself, he was never going to wash his face again.

 

#9:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 11:56 am

The following morning, after long and protracted goodbyes, a taxi bore the Markhams off to Nice airport to catch their flight back to Paris, where they would stay the night before continuing on to New York. Then at midday, having checked and double-checked that they had left nothing behind, the Watsons all piled into their car and headed off down the drive. Ten minutes later they were back, Marcia having remembered that she’d left her bedside lamp under the bed in her room. As Edgar muttered under his breath, she ran in to retrieve it, and they set off for home once more.

It was late in the evening before they crossed the Swiss border near Landecy and headed down towards Geneva and Lac Leman. As they entered the outskirts of the city, Evadne glanced behind her to find all four children and Scrabble fast asleep.

“They’re little angels really, aren’t they?” she murmured to her husband in low tones.

Edgar grinned. “Their halos just need a polish, that’s all.”



For the next week, the household was a frenzy of activity as the three eldest children prepared for the start of their new terms. Thea and Marcia were in a high state of excitement about their new school, and wore their new uniforms at every opportunity, until Marcia spilt tomato juice down the front of one of her blouses, and Evadne put her foot down. Edgar, meanwhile, had been giving his son endless lectures on the importance of working hard as he was now entering the first year of his O’Level studies, and had reiterated his point so many times that Ned just switched off and automatically nodded and said “yes Dad” at appropriate intervals.

It was now the last day of their summer holidays, and all three were at the Cranstons, spending the final afternoon of the summer with their friends. Ann and her brother had joined them, and Ned was busy teaching Rupert some rugby tricks, whilst Audrey looked on admiringly. Rupert was determined to make his school’s Under 15 rugby team this term, and as he went to school not half an hour away from Harrow, should he be successful, he and Ned would be playing against each other in the coming year.

Thea and Kate were taking Pilgrim and Longfellow over some jumps in one of the Cranstons’ fields, and Marcia and Ann were sitting on a fence, watching on and gossiping about Marcia’s forthcoming term at the Chalet School.

“What’s Val like?” Ann asked, looking a little downcast.

As they were speaking, Evadne was at the airport collecting Cornelia and the Pertwees, who were spending the night in Geneva before travelling to the Gornetz Platz with the Watsons the next day. Marcia had been chattering away about how she and Val would probably be in the same class, and Ann was a feeling a touch of the green-eyed monster at the idea of Marcia spending so much time with this girl that she didn’t know.

Oblivious to her friend’s feelings, Marcia grinned back at her. “She’s really fun and nice. Me and her were friends as soon as we met and we write to each other and everything. You’ll like her too,” she added decisively, with a nod of her head.

Ann stared down at her knees. “’Spose.”

Marcia gave her a quizzical look. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Rot! I can tell by your face.”

Ann swung her feet back and forth a few times, and then sulkily responded, “I don’t want you to go to another school.”

“Why?”

“’Cause you’ll make new friends and have adventures with Val and everything and I won’t be there.”

Marcia gaped at her. “But you’ll still be my best friend!”

“Will I?” came the sullen reply.

“Of course!”

“But…what about Val?”

“She’s my friend, but not the same as you!”

“Really?”

“Of course! Cross my heart and hope to die.” Ann still didn’t look convinced, and wanting to reassure her friend, Marcia tried desperately to think of something to say. “I know!” she cried suddenly, causing Ann to jump and almost overbalance off the fence. “We should make a deal that we’ll always be best friends, like Thea and Kate did.”

This idea cheered Ann up considerably. “Okay! What should we do?”

“Um…” Marcia searched her mind for an idea. “We could prick our fingers and put them together. Like a blood bond!”

“Eeuww!” Ann pulled a disgusted face. “That’s horrid.”

“Well you think of something then!”

Ann screwed up her face. “We could…” She glanced around her for inspiration, and her eyes fell on Marcia’s hair ribbons. “We could swap ribbons and always wear each others!”

Marcia thought hard for a second and shook her head. “That won’t work.”

“Why not?”

“’Cause we might lose one and then the bond would break and we wouldn’t be best friends anymore.”

Ann looked horrified. “Not that then!”

“No.”

They fell silent as they both tried to think of something else. Eventually, Ann looked up and asked, “What did Kate and Thea do?”

“Shook hands, I think.”

“We could do that?”

The pair of them thought hard for a moment. “Let’s do that then,” Marcia said, holding out her hand.

Ann shook it vociferously, and then folded her arms across her chest. “School won’t be the same with you not there.”

“I know. Ooo – well done Thea!” Marcia applauded as Thea cleared a particularly difficult jump on Pilgrim, and then turned back to her friend. “We have to think of a way to get your Mummy and Daddy to let you come to the Chalet School!”

“Maybe if we did I could come there next year?”

“Yes!” Marcia jumped down from the fence, pulling Ann with her, and the next moment, the two of them were on their backsides in the field.

“Ow! What d’you do that for?” Ann asked indignantly, as she stood up and brushed herself down.

Ignoring her, Marcia scrambled to her feet. “Come on, let’s go over there and plan!”, and grabbing her friend’s hand, she towed her off towards the large terrace behind the Cranstons home.



By the time the next morning came, however, Marcia’s cheerful enthusiasm had all but vanished, as the fact that she was leaving home and wouldn’t be back for the next five weeks had well and truly sunk in. She barely touched her breakfast, which was almost unheard of, and whilst Thea and the two Pertwee girls chattered excitedly about their forthcoming term, she pushed her food around her plate and hardly said a word. Edgar wasn’t much better. Evadne was accompanying the two girls to the Platz, as her husband had to take Ned to the airport and then get on with some work, so he would be saying farewell to Thea and Marcia in under an hour’s time. He had found it very hard the first time Ned had left for boarding school, and he was realising that saying goodbye did not get any easier the second time around. He was going to miss his daughters immensely.

As soon as breakfast was over, Evadne chased the girls upstairs to clean their teeth and have one final check around their rooms. By the time they re-emerged half an hour later, it was time for them to get going. Cornelia led her two charges out to the large staff car that was waiting to take them to the Platz, leaving the Watson girls to say goodbye to Edgar on their own.

Whilst Marcia said a prolonged farewell to the family pets, Thea gave her father a tight hug and then pulled back, dashing her hand across her eyes. Edgar looked up at her and lifted his hand to cup the side of her head.

“Now, young lady, you make sure you work hard and enjoy yourself, won’t you?” Thea nodded, and Edgar gave her a warm smile. “And I want you to promise me, if anything happens that you need to talk to someone about, you make sure you do, okay? If you can’t talk to one of the teachers, you can always go and see Mrs. Maynard. She only lives next-door. And if you need Mummy or I, you only need to write to us and we’ll be there as soon as we can.”

“I promise, Daddy. I’ll write to you every week anyway.”

“I’ll look forward to it. Take good care of yourself, sweetheart. See you at half-term.”

He gave her another brief hug, dropped a kiss on the side of her head and then released her. Thea returned his kiss and then picking up her small shoulder bag, she ran out of the door to go and join Cornelia and the Pertwees in the car. Edgar watched her go and then turned his attention to his youngest daughter. Marcia had finished cuddling Scrabble and Pickle, and was now standing to one side, scrubbing her eyes hard with her fists. Edgar held out his arms and she ran across the hall towards him, throwing herself on him and bursting into tears. Her father gathered her into his arms and held her as she cried.

“I…don’t want to g…go, Daddy,” she managed to blurt out between her sobs. “I w…want to st…ay here with you.”

Edgar hugged her tighter, smoothing his hand over her fair curls. “Oh poppet, come on, please don’t cry. It’ll all be okay, you’ll see.” Taking his handkerchief from his pocket, he pulled back, lifting his hand to wipe away her tears. “You’re going to have lots of fun, I promise you. You’ll be with Thea and Val and Ronnie, and you’ll make lots of new friends. I’ll bet you anything you like that by the end of the week you’ll have forgotten all about not wanting to go!”

Marcia raised her fist to scrub her eyes and gulped down another sob. “Maybe.”

“Definitely. You just need to be brave and remember that half-term is only five weeks away.”

“I’ll…I’ll try.”

“Good girl.”

Returning his handkerchief to his pocket, Edgar kissed his daughter on the cheek and gave her arm a reassuring squeeze. Marcia stared down at him, her big, green eyes filling with tears once more, and throwing her arms around her father’s neck again, she screwed up her face, willing herself not to cry.

Evadne emerged from the salon, where she had been saying goodbye to Ned and Henry and double-checking that Ned had everything he needed to take back to England, and she stopped as she caught sight of her husband’s face. Well aware how much he had been dreading this moment, she could tell, from the way his eyes were tight shut as he rested his chin on Marcia’s shoulder, that he was struggling to keep his composure.

Walking over to join them, she placed a hand on her stepdaughter’s shoulder and gently eased her back. “Come on, sweetie, we have to get going.”

Edgar released her and Evadne steered the young girl towards the front door, where Andreas, Edgar’s driver, was waiting to help her into the car. Then, turning back into the hall, Evvy reached out and took hold of her husband’s hand.

“Are you okay?”

“I…” Edgar coughed to clear his throat. “I’m fine. You have a safe journey.”

“We will. Make sure to kiss Henry goodnight for me tonight, won’t you, baby? Corney and I’ll be back around mid-afternoon tomorrow.”

Reaching up, she kissed him softly and squeezed his hand to let him know that she understood how he was feeling, and then made her way outside to join the others in the car. Edgar followed her out and watched as Andreas started the engine and drove up the steep drive to the top road, and glancing back, Evadne felt a twinge of sadness at the forlorn figure he cut, standing on the front step, waving until the car was out of sight.



Marcia remained tearful for most of the journey, staying curled up against Evvy’s side, and it wasn’t until they were climbing the mountain road above Interlaken, some four hours later, that she began to perk up a little and join in the chatter of her sister and two friends.

Evvy and Corney's original plan had been to stay with the Maynards for a couple of days before heading home again. However, several things had conspired to ruin this idea, not least of which was the onset of measles among the Freudesheim small fry. So plans had been changed and the party checked into Villa Caramie instead, where the Watsons were welcomed back with open arms by the indomitable proprietor, Mme Renault.

The four children spent the afternoon playing around the Platz, whilst Cornelia and Evadne took the opportunity to catch up on each other’s news. Then at seven o’clock, the large gong summoned them all to dinner, where they were thoroughly spoiled by Mme Renault, who insisted that on top of a hearty meal, they try out all the recipes for her new desserts, much to the delight of the children and the envy of all the other guests.

Finally finishing her second plateful of chocolate torte, Cornelia sat back in her chair, feeling thoroughly stuffed, and lifted a hand to her mouth to stifle a yawn. “Sorry! Yesterday’s flight’s still catching up with me!”

“I don’t think you’re the only one!” Evadne grinned, nodding towards Val, whose head was drooping dangerously close to her empty bowl. “You still with us there, Val?”

Val’s head jerked up as she heard her name and she stared around her, as if trying to work out where she was. “Whassat?”

Cornelia grinned and placed her hand on her young charge’s shoulder. “I reckon it’s time you headed to bed, sweetie. You too, Ronnie,” she added, noticing the pale hue of that young lady’s cheeks. “It’s coming on for eight-thirty anyhow, so it’s not too early.”

The two girls were only too glad to agree and after saying their goodnights, they headed upstairs, followed by Corney who decided that she may as well take her own advice before she fell asleep where she was. Evadne and her daughters remained only to finish their desserts and then decamped to Evvy’s room with a pot of coffee and a box of chocolates, to spend their final evening together before the girls started school. Marcia was still inclined to be clingy, even though she had managed to stem her tears, and she curled up next to Evadne, leaning against her stepmother’s side. Thea stretched herself flat on her back at the end of the bed, her feet hanging over the edge.

“I can’t believe we’re going to be Chalet Girls tomorrow!” she exclaimed for the five-hundredth time that day.

“Well at least one of you’s looking forward to it anyway” Evadne grinned, as she took a sip of her coffee and glanced at Marcia out of the corner of her eye.

Marcia looked indignant. “I am looking forward to it!” she protested, pouting. “I’m just going to miss you and Daddy and Henry, that’s all.”

“I know, sweetie, I’m only kidding.” Evadne put an arm around her shoulders and dropped a kiss on her blonde curls. “We’re gonna miss you both too. We’ll be seeing you again before you know it, though.”

“Henry’s going to have grown lots when we next see him, isn’t he?”

“So’s Mummy!” Thea put in with a grin. “Remember what she was like with Henry? She could hardly get out of a chair!”

“Excuse me, young lady!”

Marcia giggled. “It’s true! You were as big as the garden shed!”

“Well I like that!” Evadne exclaimed huffily. “I was only the size of a kennel, not a shed!”

‘You were a very pretty shed,” Thea insisted, making her sister laugh even more. “Like one with climbing roses or wisteria.”

“If that’s the kind of thing you’re gonna come out with, then I’m only too glad to be leaving you both here tomorrow!” her stepmother retorted indignantly. “You’ll be pregnant one day, and then watch me laugh at you when you can’t get comfortable and it’s ninety degrees outside!”

“Not me! I’m not having any babies – it sounds like it hurts too much!”

Evadne grinned. “Mrs. Maynard used to say she wasn’t having any either.”

“Because it would hurt?”

“Well no, not for that reason. But that’s not my point. Look at her now – she has eleven! So don’t you go tempting fate, madam!”

Thea looked horrified at the mere idea of having eleven children, and Marcia sat up and grinned. “I bet you end up having twenty!” she put in, stifling a yawn.

Evadne ran a hand over her curls. “You sleepy?” Marcia nodded. “Why don’t you go to bed, sweetheart? You’ve a big day ahead of you tomorrow.”

Marcia yawned again. “Think I will. You coming, Thea?”

“In a minute. I want to talk to Mummy.”

“Okay.” Sitting up on her knees, Marcia put her arms around Evvy’s neck and kissed her on the cheek. “’Night, Mummy,” and clambering down off the bed, she ran out of the room and down the corridor to her bed.

As she disappeared, Evadne turned to Thea, who had rolled over onto her stomach and was busy studying the box of chocolates, deciding which one she wanted next.

“What can I do for you then?”

Thea chose a chocolate truffle and sat up properly, popping it into her mouth. “Can I tell you something?”

“Of course you can!”

“I’m really nervous,” she began quietly, twisting her fingers together. “What if there’s someone like Franny there?”

“Oh sweetheart, come here.” Thea crawled up the bed and gave her stepmother a hug. Evadne kissed her forehead and then sat back against the headboard. “It won’t be like that, I promise. Miss Annersley would never allow it, aside from anything else.”

“But she might not know. Mr. Kraus didn’t.”

Evvy heaved a sigh. “Well that’s true, I guess. But I don’t think it’ll happen, Thea. And if anyone tries it, you must promise to tell someone right away. It’s not sneaking if someone’s treating you that way.”

“I know.” Thea sat up again and gave her stepmother a weak smile. “I will tell someone, Daddy already made me promise”

“Well Daddy's right. Now,” Evadne continued in a brisker voice, “I have something for you. Go grab that brown bag there in my suitcase.”

Thea jumped down off the bed to do as she was told, returning with the said bag and handing it over to her stepmother. Evadne opened it and fished inside, pulling out a large leather-bound book which she handed back to her daughter.

“This is for you, from Daddy and me. It’s a diary,” she explained, as Thea accepted it quizzically. “We thought you might be feeling just as you said you are, so we wanted you to have this. Sometimes it can help to write down your thoughts, especially when things aren’t going so well. I kept one all through school and it helped me out of some tight spots, let me tell you. And Daddy’s put something in the front for you.”

Curious, Thea opened it up to find a piece of paper stuck to the inside front cover. In her father’s sprawling script, she read the words ‘If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you…’.

“It was your Granny's favourite poem,” Evadne continued, as Thea read on. “Daddy thought you might like it too.”

Thea read the poem through in silence and then glanced up, her eyes bright, a big smile on her face. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Evvy hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. “You know, I think you’re gonna do real well at this school.”

Thea smiled. “I’ll try, I promise.” Returning her stepmother’s kiss, she jumped down from the bed, the diary clutched in her hands. “I will like it,” she said decisively.

“Glad to hear it,” Evadne grinned. “Now, off to bed with you, before you turn into a pumpkin!”

Thea laughed. “I’d better go then! Night, Mummy.”

“Night, sweetheart. Sleep tight.”

Evadne chuckled as Thea disappeared out of the door. Left alone in her room, she drained her cup of coffee, popped another chocolate into her mouth and lifted the telephone receiver to call her husband and say goodnight.

 

#10:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 12:09 pm

Wonderful to see this back - thanks, Jo Very Happy

*looking forward to more*

 

#11:  Author: Kat,  PostPosted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 12:23 pm

Yay!

Thank you Jo Very Happy

 

#12:  Author: Alice, Location: London, England PostPosted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 2:02 pm

I hadn't read the last post so that was a nice surprise. Thanks Jo.

 

#13:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 2:03 pm

Thanks Jo.

looking forward to more when you have time!

 

#14:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Tue Apr 11, 2006 3:14 pm

Thank you Jo - it was gorgeous to read it all in one go!

 

#15:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 4:10 pm

Here's an update at long last! I hope people can forgive any blatant errors - I've not had time to do all the fact-checking stuff so I'm claiming poetic licence!!

Off to catch up with other people's fine work now! Very Happy

“Marcia! Come here, at once!”

At her stepmother’s hissed words, Marcia stopped abruptly en route from Val’s room to her own, almost tripping up that young lady in the process, and made her way back down the corridor. As her daughter reached her, Evadne took hold of her arm and dragged her closer.

“How many times have I asked you to keep quiet already this morning?”

Marcia stared down at the carpet and shuffled her feet. “Don’t know,” she muttered.

“Well I do – it’s eight! Now, this is the last time I’m going to say this, so you listen up. It’s six forty-five and just because you choose to be up and about, doesn’t mean everyone else wants to be! I’d thank you to remember that people are still trying to sleep. Now, I suggest if you can’t go back to bed, you follow your sister’s example and go bathe and get dressed. If I hear one more word out of you before breakfast, then I’ll have you wearing a muzzle!”

“Same goes for you, Val,” Cornelia put in, appearing in her own doorway, her dressing gown wrapped around her. “I don’t want to hear your dulcet tones again for a good half hour!”

“And don’t you put your uniform on yet, Marcia Watson!” Evadne added, as Marcia made good her escape. “I’m not risking you throwing food down it! You can change when breakfast’s done.”

Marcia yelled an acknowledgement as the two girls ran off in opposite directions and Evadne grimaced at her friend. “You can’t tell me we were ever that bad!”

Cornelia laughed. “Not at all – we were ten times worse! Why do I get the feeling that they’re gonna be something of a handful in class?”

Evvy chuckled. “Oh – I reckon you’re right, but at least we don’t have to deal with them – that’s the school’s job! And on that note,” she added, glancing at her watch, “I’m off to follow my own advice and have a bath. See you for breakfast at seven-thirty,” and leaving a chortling Cornelia behind her, she disappeared back into her room.



All four girls had awoken at the crack of dawn, thoroughly excited about their first day at the School, or in the case of the Pertwees, their first day back after a long absence. Even Marcia, who was rarely voluntarily up and about before seven, had forgotten her woes of the previous day and whilst Ronny and Thea did the sensible thing and washed and dressed, she and Val had been running up and down the corridor, shrieking at the tops of their voices. Their efforts had woken not only Evadne and Cornelia, but every other occupant of the floor as well, and several irate guests had already stuck their heads out of their bedrooms to ask them to shut up.

Such was their excitement, in fact, that by nine o’clock, breakfast had been eaten, cases had been packed and all four were ready to go. They were summarily despatched outside to occupy themselves for a couple of hours whilst the adults finished getting themselves together, and then at eleven, Andreas, Edgar’s driver, loaded up the luggage and everyone piled back into the big staff car for the short journey across the Platz.

As Andreas pulled up in front of the main building, Val wrenched the door open and jumped out, and Cornelia had to move swiftly to prevent her running straight inside.

“Don’t think you’re going in looking like that, young lady,” she admonished, a look of slight panic on her face as she managed to grab hold of her charge's arm. “Matey would skin both of us alive! You pull your sleeves down and straighten your skirt!”

“She can’t be that scary!” Thea put in sceptically, as she bent down and rubbed a mark from one of her shining, new shoes.

Evadne grinned. “You’d better believe it! Just one glare will turn you to stone! She’s almost as bad as old Bill!”

“Would that be me you’re referring to, Lady Watson?” sounded a new voice behind them, and Evadne froze and then slowly turned around, her cheeks scarlet, to find herself staring up into a pair of twinkling eyes.

“I…er…no, of course not!” She stammered, clearly embarrassed, much to her daughters’ delight. “I was talking about…um…well…” Her voice tailed off and feeling like a naughty schoolgirl again, she hurried around to the boot, pretending she needed to speak to Andreas.

As she disappeared, Miss Wilson laughed and turned to greet the others, asking the Watsons about their summer and welcoming the two Pertwees back into the fold. Then, after exchanging a few words with Cornelia, she issued an invitation to her former pupils to join her for a coffee before heading home, and set off on her way back to Welsen.

As soon as she was out of earshot, Evadne re-emerged from her hiding place at the rear of the car.

“I might have known she’d hear me!” she hissed to her friend, as they ushered the four girls towards the door where Rosalie Dene was waiting to greet them, chuckling to herself as she had seen and heard the entire thing.

Cornelia giggled, but decided to keep her comments to herself. There would be plenty of time to rib Evvy later on. Instead, she held out her hand to greet her old friend. “Hello, Rosalie! Are we first?”

Rosalie smiled as she returned the greeting. “Almost. The Maynard girls and Ruey are here, but I’m not sure they count as they live next-door! The main rabble arrive later this afternoon.” Turning to the girls, she gave them all a warm smile, welcoming Ronny and Val back before asking, “Did you have a good trip?”

They all answered in the affirmative, Marcia adding in some detail the story of how she had not wanted to leave home the previous day but that now she was okay and excited about being there. As she finished her long tale, most of which had been uttered without taking a breath, a stunned-looking Rosalie raised her eyebrows at Evadne and then gave the young girl a smile.

“Well I’m glad to hear you’re feeling better now,” she said kindly, inwardly marvelling at just how much this child could talk. “So, are you Thea or Marcia?”

“Marcia. That’s Thea,” that young lady replied, pointing at her sister.

“Well welcome to the Chalet School, both of you. I hope you’ll be very happy here. I know your mother certainly was. Now let’s get down to business, shall we? Val, Ronny, can you still remember the way around?”

“Yes, Miss Dene.”

“Jolly good. Well, nothing much has changed since you were last here. Val, we’ve decided that you will be Marcia’s sheepdog, as you already know each other. Ask Robina or another of your old clan to help you out if there’s anything you’ve forgotten. Thea, yours, I believe, will be Sara Carlyon, but I’m sure Val will look after you until Sara arrives this afternoon.” Turning to Evvy, she asked, “Must you two rush off or have you time for a coffee and a natter?”

“We’ve time for lunch as well, if it’s going!” Evadne replied with a grin, and Rosalie laughed.

“I’m sure Karen won’t mind catering for two more.” Then, catching sight of Matey coming down the hall towards them, she turned back to the girls. “Now, I’ll leave you to Matron’s tender mercies whilst we grown-ups go and catch up on our news,” she said, as that indomitable lady reached them and greeted Evvy and Corney with a smile. “Matey, I’m sure you remember Ronny and Val Pertwee? And these are Thea and Marcia Watson, who are new to us this term. I’ll leave them all in your care, if that’s okay with you? We’ll see you again at Mittagessen,” and as Matey agreed, Rosalie, Cornelia and Evadne took their leave.

“Why do they say Mittagessen not lunch?” Thea asked, as she watched them go.

Ronny gave a shrug of her slim shoulders. “No idea. They always have done, as far as I can remember.”

“It dates back to the early days in Tirol,” Matey informed them briefly, taking a list from the pockets of her skirt. “Now then, let’s get on, shall we? I’ve plenty to do and so have all of you. Ronny, you are up in Honeysuckle with a few familiar faces. None of the others have arrived yet but you should bump into the Triplets somewhere around. Gaudenz will have taken your trunk up by now, so you can begin unpacking. Do you remember where it is?” Ronny nodded. “Well, off you go then. You can take yourself off to the common room or outside once you're done.” Then, as Ronny headed off to do her bidding, she turned to the other three. “Val, you and Marcia are together in Gentian, so you can show her the ropes. Thea, you are in Lavender and I’ll start you off myself. Come along, follow me. There’ll be time to stare out of the window later, Marcia,” she finished, as she set off down the corridor at a brisk pace.

“Mummy’s right – she is scary!” Marcia hissed to Val, as they hurried to keep up.

“Yes, I most certainly am,” the lady herself replied sternly, looking over her shoulder, though anyone who knew her well would have picked up the trace of amusement in her voice at the look on Marcia’s face. “Now, how about less of the chatter until we get upstairs? Otherwise I’ve plenty of hems I can set you to sewing!”

Duly warned and not entirely sure whether to take the threat of hemming seriously or not, Marcia clamped her mouth shut and the four of them made their way silently up the stairs.



The remainder of the morning was taken up with unpacking, and by the time they had finished and dragged their trunks into the corridor to be taken away, it was time for lunch. Then, as soon as the meal was over, it was time for Evadne and Cornelia to leave. They said their goodbyes to Miss Annersley, Rosalie and others of the staff who were dotted about and then turned to their charges. As Cornelia said farewell to both of the Pertwees and collected messages to be passed on to Yseult, her husband and the girls many friends back in Boston, Evadne crouched down and hugged both of her stepdaughters tight.

“Now, you both make sure you be good and work hard, or I’ll be hearing all about it!” she said, still clutching Thea’s arm as she looked from one to the other. To her relief, she saw that they were both smiling – even Marcia was winning the battle with her tears, though her eyes were suspiciously bright. Evvy had been worrying all day about leaving either of them in floods of tears, but it seemed her fears were unfounded. “Have you any messages for Daddy?”

“Tell him that it’s fun here,” Thea replied, grinning.

Marcia hugged her stepmother again and then kissed her on the cheek. “You have to pass that on to Daddy and Henry. Promise!”

“I promise,” Evadne smiled, returning the kiss.

Marcia beamed at her and then ran off to say goodbye to Andreas, and Evadne got to her feet, putting an arm around Thea, and followed her outside.

“Keep an eye on her for the first few days, won’t you Thea? Just in case she gets teary again.”

Thea nodded, staring up at her stepmother as they walked along. “Daddy’s upset about us leaving too, isn’t he?” she asked astutely.

Evadne glanced down at her and squeezed her shoulder. “Yes, sweetie, he is, but he’ll be okay. He’s just going to miss you both, that’s all. So am I.”

They came to a halt next to the car, and Thea turned and put both her arms around Evvy’s waist. “We’ll be home again in five weeks though.”

“I know. And as you so politely pointed out last night, you won’t be able to hug me like that by then – this little one’s gonna be the size of a pony by the time he or she comes out!” Thea laughed and Evadne dropped a kiss on her smooth, dark locks. “Now, I think Aunt Corney and I had best get going, or you two will be getting home again before we do!” Releasing Thea, she gave Marcia a final hug and kiss and then climbed into the rear of the car.

As Andreas set off in the direction of Welsen, Evadne waved until she could no longer see her daughters and then sat back against the soft, leather seats with a sigh.

Cornelia watched her friend with a smile. “They seem happy enough.”

“Yes, thank heavens. That’ll be some good news for Edgar, at least. We shan’t be long at Welsen, Andreas, I promise,” Evvy called out to their driver.

Andreas glanced at her in the rear view mirror and smiled. “Take as long as you need, Lady Watson.”

“Can’t see we’ll need more than a half hour or so,” she replied with a grin. “Then would you mind if we stopped off in Interlaken on the way home?”

“Not at all.”

“Why Interlaken?” Cornelia interjected.

“I want to pick up a few things for Edgar. He’s in need of some cheering up.”



For Thea and Marcia, the afternoon and evening flew by in a jumble of learning new rules and customs, meeting new faces, welcomes from Miss Annersley, delicious meals, announcements and prayers. By bedtime the pair of them were thoroughly exhausted. Meeting up with Thea in the common room, just as she was about to head up for bed, Marcia faced her sister with wide eyes and gave a huge yawn.

“You tired?”

Marcia’s gleaming, blonde curls bounced as she nodded vigorously. “Tired and muddled. My head’s all squiggly. I’ll never remember everything, ‘specially not to talk slang!”

Thea laughed. “Mummy must have managed it and if she can, then you will.”

“Bet she didn’t. Bet she got fined all the time!” Marcia grinned back. “At least we can talk French and German, though,” she added with feeling. “There’s another new girl Pamela who doesn’t know any at all – she’ll have to not talk ‘cept on English days!”

“I’m sure she’ll learn some soon. She’ll have to!” Thea chuckled, staring around the room at the various groups of girls. “It’s good here though, isn’t it?”

“Marvellous. Everyone's really nice. I miss Daddy and Mummy a bit already though,” Marcia replied, her face falling slightly. “I’m going to say goodnight to them in my head and maybe they’ll hear me telepatricly.”

“I think you mean telepathically,” Thea giggled, and Marcia gave her a confused look.

“That’s what I said!”

Before Thea could reply to the contrary, Val called across the room for Marcia to hurry up and that young lady ran off, shouting goodnight to her sister over her shoulder as she went. Feeling a tap on her shoulder, Thea spun round and found herself looking into her sheepdog’s smiling face. Sara Carlyon was a friendly, studious young girl who was hail-fellow-well-met with most people and had one or two closer friends. It had not taken her long to discover that this new girl shared her love of animals, riding, literature and history and the two of them had been chattering away easily for most of the afternoon. Her easy-going, cheerful manner was going a long way to allaying Thea’s fears that there might be a Franny-like situation all over again. Now, Sara had come to inform her that it was time for bed and relieved, as she felt she was about to keel over where she was, Thea readily followed her upstairs to the dormitory.

The pair of them chatted amiably about their respective horses as they got themselves changed into their nightclothes and then, just as Thea was brushing out her hair, Sara’s head appeared through the curtains separating their beds, in strict defiance of the rules.

“Don’t forget you’re second after me for baths in the morning!” she hissed furtively. “I’ll yell when I’m going so you can get yourself ready. You really have to scram when it’s your turn or they’ll be an awful fuss. And remember it’s cold or luke-warm water only!”

Thea shuddered at the thought, imagining the lovely, hot bubble-baths she was used to at home. “It sounds horrid!” she whispered back.

Sara grinned. “You’ll get used to it. I’ll show you how to strip the bed and hump the mattress in the morning. Matey likes it done just-so. I’d better go before I’m caught. See you tomorrow. Sleep well,” and her head disappeared briefly before she reappeared to say, “You’ll get your test results tomorrow – I hope we’re in the same form!” Then she vanished again, this time for good.

Turning back to her locker, Thea hugged herself with glee, thinking that she hoped so too. Despite her outward cheeriness, she had been dreading this day even more than she had let on to her stepmother. Unlike Marcia, who was already palled up with Val, Thea knew nobody of her own age at the school and she had been worried for weeks that people might not like her. Now she was overjoyed that it appeared she had already made a new friend. Still smiling to herself, she knelt to say her prayers and then climbed into bed, snuggling down between the cool sheets. Ten minutes later, she was fast asleep.



Thanks to a longer than intended coffee break at Welsen and the unscheduled stop in Interlaken, it was gone eight o’clock by the time Evadne and Cornelia finally arrived home. They had eaten along the way and an exhausted Cornelia had taken herself off to bed almost as soon as they got in. She had a long flight back to Boston in the morning and was desperate for some sleep. Evadne, meanwhile, greeted her husband and then ran off to kiss her sleeping son goodnight. By the time she returned downstairs, Edgar was ensconced on one of the comfortable sofas, Pickle curled up on his lap. It was a warm night and through the open french windows, Evvy could see Scrabble stretched out on the stone patio, trying to keep himself cool.

Edgar watched her, a smile on his face, as she flopped down in one of the armchairs, kicked off her shoes and rested her feet on a pouffe. “Ouf, that’s better!" she sighed, wiggling her toes. “Did Ned get off okay?”

Edgar grinned. “Pretty much, though we had a tight call when he suddenly realised he’d left his rugger boots behind. We only just made it back to the airport in time!”

“Typical! He’d forget his head if it weren’t screwed on.”

“Too true! So, how were the girls?”

“Both good. Thea’s a bit apprehensive, just as we thought, but she seemed happy enough when I left and Marcia was back to herself and full of beans. That reminds me actually,” and getting up from her seat, she crossed the room and sat down next to her husband, hugging him around the waist and kissing him on the cheek. “That’s from Marcia. I promised to deliver it!” She gazed up at his face, as an indignant Pickle jumped down and ran outside, and Edgar gave her a sad smile in return. “So, how are you?”

Edgar shrugged. “The house seems so empty.”

“It’ll be half-term before you know it, Edgar, honestly,” she replied in sympathetic tones.

“I know. Ignore me. I’m just being a fool, as per usual.”

Evadne hugged him tight. “Yes, but you’re my fool and I love you for it. Here, I have something for you,” and jumping up, she retrieved her handbag from a nearby table and then flopped down next to him again. Fishing inside the bag, she pulled out several folded sheets of paper, flattened them out and put them in his hands. “These are all up for sale in Interlaken. I thought they might cheer you up.” Edgar began to leaf through the apartment details as she watched him closely. “We can go see them any time you like.”

Placing them down on the low table next to him, Edgar wrapped his arms around her and smiled down into her eyes. “You see, this is why I keep you so well – because you do things like this.”

Evadne laughed and reached up to peck him on the lips. The next moment, her sharp ears picked up the sound of childish wimpering from upstairs. “I think someone’s trying to fill the void his sisters have left!” she said resignedly. “I guess I’d better go see what’s up. You can make me a cup of tea while I’m gone if you like? ”

Edgar rolled his eyes. “I suppose that can be arranged!”

“Why thank you!” Giving her husband a cheeky grin, she kissed him again, pulled out of his arms and headed off upstairs to see what was wrong with their son.

Last edited by Josie on Sat Apr 15, 2006 8:04 pm; edited 4 times in total

 

#16:  Author: Kat,  PostPosted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 5:20 pm

Yay! Thank you Jo!

Poor Edgar though.. but at least the new baby will keep him occupied when it arrives Very Happy

 

#17:  Author: Alice, Location: London, England PostPosted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 5:44 pm

Thank you for a lovely long post Jo. Looking forward to hearing more about Thea and Marcia's experiences at school.

 

#18:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 6:14 pm

That was lovely - especially liked Bill catching Evvy!

Thanks Josie. Laughing

 

#19:  Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex PostPosted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 7:27 pm

Thank you Jo! I hope Edgar finds something to occupy himself with until the baby comes! Very Happy

 

#20:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:05 pm

Thank you Jo!!! Completely fabulous as usual!!! Very Happy

 

#21:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 9:47 pm

Thanks, Josie. I have definitely missed reading the updates to this drabble. It's great to have it back again. I'm glad that Thea seems to be getting on well with Sara and Marcia seems happy as well.

 

#22:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Wed Apr 12, 2006 11:15 pm

Thank you Jo. It was good to see Thea and Marcia settling in at the school. I can just imagine how confused they're feeling at the moment!

 

#23:  Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:49 am

Im looking forward to the girls at the school! Thanks Jo, as lovely as ever. Very Happy

 

#24:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 9:23 am

Thanks Jo, that was brilliant - loved seeing the girls start school. Very Happy

 

#25:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sat Apr 15, 2006 3:23 pm

Thanks, Jo, it's great to see drabbles coming back onto the board, and with such a wonderful long update.

 

#26:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 12:17 pm

Aww it's lovely to see them at the school at last.

Thanks for the update Jo.

 

#27:  Author: Kathye, Location: Laleham PostPosted: Mon Apr 17, 2006 10:41 pm

He he

I am actually up-todate on a drabble, Thank Jo

Superb as per normal!

 

#28:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 5:31 pm

“It’s going to be so cool having you here! And in Park too! You’ll have to try out for Torpids – the trials are usually this weekend, though they watch you in eccer this week too, see how you do. I’ll recommend they keep an eye out for you. Your kicking’s top-notch now - they’d be crazy not to try you, at least.”

Ned shot all this out at breakneck speed as Elsie drove the car up the steep roads of Harrow-on-the-Hill towards the school, and Tom stared back at his friend, a little bemused.

“What’s Torpids again?”

“The house rugger team!” Ned replied in an exasperated tone, shaking his head. “I told you that yesterday!”

“You told me about five hundred other things yesterday too!” Tom shot back indignantly. “I can’t remember everything!”

“I know, but it’s rugby!”

Quite used to his friend’s reverential attitude to all things athletic, Tom merely rolled his eyes and Paul grinned over his shoulder at the two boys.

“Tom! How could you forget anything about the mighty game,” he teased, a twinkle in his eye.

Elsie and Tom laughed, and Ned ignored the lot of them and peered out of the window as they approached The Park, the boarding house that was his, and now Tom’s, term-time home.

“We get our own studies too, now we’re in the Third. You Shell’s have to share, but it’s not so bad if you get a decent chap.” Elsie pulled the car to a halt in The Park’s forecourt and Ned wrenched the door open the second the car stopped, and jumped out. “Come on, let’s go and take a decker at who you’re with!”

“Ned, slow down! It’s not a race!”

Ned halted as he was called back and turned to see Paul holding onto the door, using it as a crutch to pull himself up and out. Thanks to some intense physiotherapy, his remaining leg was now strong enough again to support him, with the aid of sticks, although he still used his wheelchair when he was tired or had simply had enough.

Watching his brevet-uncle struggling with his sticks, as Tom and Elsie disembarked in a more sedate manner and directed the porters to the trunks in the boot, Ned felt rather guilty, to say the least, and walked contritely back to the car to offer Paul a hand.

“Sorry, Uncle Paul. I forgot.”

Paul smiled, as he accepted Ned’s shoulder to steady himself on. “Don’t look so woebegone – I’m not angry. Just remember that we can’t all move as fast as you. The old bones don’t work as well,” he added, with a wink.

Ned laughed nervously, inwardly kicking himself for being so inconsiderate, and to his immense relief, at that moment a large car drew up behind the Rodwells and Harry and his parents disembarked. The adults all greeted each other warmly and Harry ran over to Ned and Tom, yelling almost as loudly and excitedly as his friend had been just a minute before.

Once the platitudes were over, they all occupied themselves with settling the three boys back at school. Paul insisted on hobbling around his former boarding house, to see, in his own words, whether the old place had changed, and Elsie was torn between trying to help her son and trying to keep an eye on her errant husband, who despite his disability was insisting on checking out the entire house, attic rooms and all. She tolerated his sense of adventure for about half an hour, before finally convincing him that if they didn’t leave for home right away, Lily would wonder what on earth had become of her parents. Deciding that he was really quite tired anyway, he reluctantly agreed. Tom’s ‘shepherd’, a tall, lanky second-year called Donaldson, had arrived to spirit his charge away about ten minutes previously, and satisfied that their son was in good hands, they bid Ned goodbye and took their leave.

Ned stood at the door, waving as they drove off down the road, and then returned to the entrance hall where most of his year were gathered around one of the noticeboards, grumbling to each other. For some reason, their study lists had not yet been posted, and anxious to see who had got the best rooms and to get on with their unpacking, they were disgruntled to say the least.

“I don’t see what’s taking them so long,” Dan Burgess was moaning, as Ned approached the group. “Everyone else’s are up there, so why aren't ours?”

“Patience is a virtue, Burgess,” a familiar Scottish burr put in from behind them. “Surely you know that?”

Dan turned bright red and the entire group turned to see their Housemaster, Mr Stevenson, approaching them, a trace of amusement in his grey eyes.

“You’re all waiting for this, I believe,” he said, waving a sheet of paper in the air as he came to a halt in front of them. “Apologies that we’ve taken ‘so long’.” His eyes twinkled at Burgess as he spoke. “We had one or two things to iron out. Now, are you all here?”

“All except Laskar and Lloyd-Kitchen, Sir,” a stocky, fair boy by the name of Ashworth replied.

“Ah yes, I already know about them. So then, as neither will be back until a little later, let’s get down to business, shall we? I think some of you remember that Wooller had to miss a great deal of last year through illness?”

Various nods went around the group at this. Gavin Wooller, a boy in the year above them, had been struck down with a bout of pleuro-pneumonia the previous November, and there had been worries at the time that he might not pull through.

Mr. Stevenson smiled. “Well, the good news is that he’s well enough to rejoin us this term. Now, because he missed so much of last year, a decision has been made that he will come down a form and join you lot.”

The boys all looked pleased at this. Wooller was a popular boy.

As a murmer went around the group, Harry frowned. “Is there bad news as well then, Sir?”

“Yes, Pepperell, in a manner of speaking. Though I’m not sure bad news is quite the term I’d use.” The group fell quiet again and Bill Stevenson paused and looked around them. “You all know that you are due to get your own studies this year. Well, due to Wooller being kept down, we’re one too many, so I’m afraid two of you are going to have to share. We’ll alternate each term, though, so nobody will be in the double all year.”

This announcement was greeted with a stunned silence. They had all been looking forward to having their own space, and this news came as a bit of a blow.

Mr. Stevenson glanced down at his list. “We’ve picked the names out of a hat to make it as fair as possible. This term’s occupiers of the double will be Watson and Lloyd-Kitchen. They’ll be replaced next term by Ashworth and Harris, and then in the summer term by Young and Burgess. Any questions?”

As he finished speaking, a loud squeak sounded from the back of the group, and everyone turned to look at Ned. That young man was staring at his Housemaster in disbelief, seemingly unable to speak. Trying to form a word, all that came out was another squeak, as he opened and closed his mouth like a stranded guppy.

Mr. Stevenson raised his eyebrows. “You okay there, Watson?”

“You can’t! It’s not fair!” he burst out, finally finding his voice again. Mr. Stevenson stared at him and Ned reddened and added, “Sir.”

“I think you’ll find it’s perfectly fair, Watson. Someone has to share and as I’ve already explained, we pulled the names out of a hat. Can’t get much fairer than that.”

“But Lloyd-Kitchen!”

“What about him?”

“Can’t you swap him with someone?”

“No, we cannot swap him with someone!” came the stern reply, reminding Ned to whom he was speaking. “It’s only one term so you can jolly well stop moaning and put up with it. Unless you'd like a detention that is?" Ned shut his mouth abruptly. "I’m sorry if you don’t get along, but you’ll just have to grow-up and put your differences aside until Christmas. I’m sure you’ll have more than enough work to keep you busy. This is the first year of your GCE studies, after all.” His tone had silenced Ned completely, and seeing that his pupil had nothing else to say, he pushed his way through the group, removed a drawing pin from the board and pinned up the piece of paper. “The rest of you, your study allocations are on that list. I suggest you hurry on and unpack, if you want to be done before tea,” and with that, he took his leave.

“He knows I can’t stand Lloyd-Kitchen!” Ned fumed, as Harry and Dan rejoined him and the three of them made their way upstairs. “He’s done it on purpose!”

“Why would he do that?” Burgess asked, trying to look sympathetic, although in reality he was just relieved it wasn’t him.

“I don’t know!” came the sulky reply. “Everything’s ruined now. This was supposed to be the best year ever!”

“You said that last year,” Harry retorted with an irritating grin.

“And the year before that,” Burgess added.

Ned chose to ignore them. “Stupid Stevenson! It’s not fair and you know it!” he stropped, as he stomped up the stairs.

“What’s not fair?”

The three of them looked up to see Bronson and Weare, two of Ned’s rugby friends from the year above, coming down the staircase towards them.

Bronson grinned at the look on Ned’s face. “What’s bitten you, Watson? Bit early to be ragging on Stevenson, isn’t it?”

“He has to share a study with Lloyd-Kitchen ‘til Christmas,” Harry told them.

Weare raised his eyebrows. “How’s that?”

“Wooller!” Ned grumbled.

The two elder boys laughed, rather heartlessly, it has to be said. “I’d forgotten about that!”

“Just think, all those stories about Mumsie and Father to look forward to!”

“Oh sod off all of you!” and with their laughter and shouts of “language!” ringing in his ears, Ned turned and stomped up the staircase to the second floor, refusing their efforts to get him to turn around.



An hour later, having finished his unpacking, he threw open the door of Burgess’ study to find his friend hanging up the last of his shirts and Harry sitting on the bed.

“Did you knock?” Dan asked sweetly, as Ned flopped down next to Harry and folded his arms crossly across his chest.

Ned just glared at him. Harry laughed and moved up to give him more room. “Is His Highness back yet?”

“Just heard him braying on the staircase. Why d’you think I’m hiding over here?”

Dan grinned. “Consider this your refuge!”

“So come on,” Harry put in, “forget about Lord-Dungheap for a minute and tell us about your summer. How was Cap Ferrat?”

Thus encouraged, Ned forgot all about his woes for a moment and launched into a detailed account of his family’s month spent on the Riviera, filling them in on everything, including his version of the saga of Lauren and Yves. He dwelt on that particular subject so much, in fact, that after twenty minutes of hearing how stupid Yves was and how he ‘tricked Lauren into liking him’, Dan and Harry exchanged amused glances, eyebrows raised. They knew their friend well enough, however, not to say anything about it. Not just yet, anyway. Instead, they just let him ramble on.

He was just reiterating his point about Yves being too stupid to go to the Sorbonne, when shouting from the hallway interrupted him in full flow. They could hear Piers’ unmistakeable drawl, as he laid into somebody, and all three got to their feet and made their way to the door to find out what was going on.

In the corridor, they found a stunned-looking Tom staring up at Piers as that young man berated him for all he was worth. Tom, for his part, was wondering what on earth was happening. He had only come to see Ned and having knocked on the door of his friend’s study, had found himself getting a mouthful from this complete stranger.

“Next time, just watch what you’re doing, you stupid clod!”

“What's going on?”

“This idiot new boy stood on my foot!”

“I can’t have done!” Tom said, thoroughly confused, looking from Piers to Ned and back again. “You were the other side of the door!”

“Shove off and leave him alone, Lloyd-Kitchen,” Ned put in, glowering at his room-mate.

Piers raised an eyebrow and looked him up and down. “What business is it of yours what I say to some piffling first year?”

“He’s my friend, not that it's any of your business.”

A nasty sneer came over Piers’ face as he looked Tom up and down. “Well that explains a lot,” he said superciliously. “And while you’re at it, Watson, pick up your bric-a-brac, will you? I like my room to be spotless,” and he stalked off down the corridor, his nose in the air.

Tom stared at his friend, utterly bemused. “What’s wrong with him?”

“He’s an ass, that’s what!” Ned replied loudly, directing his reply to Piers’ retreating back. “And I’m not picking up my things, so you can go boil your head!” Then, taking hold of Tom’s arm, he steered him into the study, slamming the door behind him.

Harry turned to Burgess and heaved a sigh. “Well that’s that then.”

Dan grinned back at him. “I think this term's going to be quite fun!”

Last edited by Josie on Tue Apr 18, 2006 8:25 pm; edited 1 time in total

 

#29:  Author: Guest,  PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 5:47 pm

Oh no, poor Ned!

Although I'm shouting with laughter (well, I would be if wasn't in the library) at the thought - and looking forward to all the wonderful scenes that will ensue!

 

#30:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:21 pm

Oh poor Ned - that's really unfair - I'm sure some sadistic **** in the Staff Room has done that on purpose as a way of trying to force Ned to 'grow up' - why should he like Piers? The boy's a complete prat!

Thanks Josie - very wicked. Laughing

 

#31:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:34 pm

LOL!

Oh Jo, that was a bit mean! Poor Ned! (at least you've not lumbered the poor kid for the whole year though! Wink

 

#32:  Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:40 pm

Poor Ned. Laughing

Thanks Josie.

 

#33:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 6:40 pm

Thanks, Josie. If Lloyd Kitchen had been in the year above, there would have been a space for him. Couldn't he go in the room that he would have had if he was in the year above?

I definitely do feel sorry for Ned. It is totally unfair for him.

 

#34:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 9:28 pm

I think this term might be quite amusing from our point of view!

Thanks Jo

 

#35:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 10:26 pm

Oh! Poor Ned. Thanks Jo.

 

#36:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 3:58 am

Poor Ned; life does this to you sometimes . . . although I think the staff genius responsible for this has gone Too Far. Very Happy

Thanks Josie!

 

#37:  Author: Identity Hunt, Location: UK PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 6:59 am

Poor Ned !
Looks like it`s going to be an eventful term...............

 

#38:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:16 am

Jo you're wicked - but this promises to be fun! *g*

Thank you!

 

#39:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:26 am

Poor Ned

*sends him a calendar so he can cross off the days until the end of term*

Thanks, Jo Laughing

 

#40:  Author: Kat,  PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 11:30 am

I love the posts you do about Ned and his school, Jo - thank you! Very Happy

 

#41:  Author: Mia, Location: London PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 12:40 pm

*agrees with Kat*

I'm looking forward to seeing why Piers is like he is

Thanks Jo

 

#42:  Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex PostPosted: Wed Apr 19, 2006 7:06 pm

Thank you Jo! Another lovely update!

 

#43:  Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:57 am

Thanks, Jo, wonderful long update.

 

#44:  Author: Josie, Location: London PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 5:48 pm

By the end of their second week at the Chalet School, the two Watson girls had forgotten all about their fears and their homesickness and were settling in wonderfully to their new home away from home.

Thea’s first night wish had been granted and she had duly been placed in LIVa. In stark contrast to her initial worries, she was fitting in like a duck to water. The staff were finding her a pleasure to teach. She was polite, attentive and more than competent at most subjects, especially her favourites, namely history, geography and English. The exceptions to the rule were art and science, the latter which she had no aptitude for whatsoever, but as Sara Carlyon had pointed out, she couldn’t be good at everything, or she "just wouldn't be normal". Out of the classroom, although not interested in hockey, she was proving surprisingly good at netball despite her small, slight stature. She was fast and nimble, and those involved with the school’s physical education were already marking her out as one to watch. Mr. Denny too, had taken note of his pretty, dark new pupil. Although not as exciting a prospect as Upper Four’s new girl, Flavia Ansell, Thea possessed a sweet alto and ‘Plato’, as the music teacher was affectionately known by all and sundry, was thrilled to have another talented youngster on his hands.

The thing causing her the most happiness, however, was the relationships she was forming within her class, and in particular, her blossoming friendship with Sara. As Sara herself had put it just that morning, “I was really fed-up when Miss Dene told me I’d have to sheepdog – I thought I’d be landed with all kinds of freak – and instead I’ve ended up with a brand new friend!”

As for Marcia, she was having an absolute wail of a time. Val’s old friends had welcomed that young lady back into the fold with open arms and Marcia, with her bubbly manner and somewhat kooky outlook on life, had slotted right in with her. To have not one but two people in their midst with such a penchant for mischief was like manna from heaven for the rest of the Upper Third, and they were already looking forward to the fun that could be had in the weeks ahead

The staff were finding Marcia something of a mixed bag. Her history, geography and English literature were mediocre, her domestic science and needlework skills were somewhat lacking and she had no interest whatsoever in anything to do with organised sport, declaring loudly to Val, much to Miss Burnett’s amusement, that “running around and hitting balls with a stick made her brain want to fall out!” As for her maths and science, she already had the staff responsible for those subjects tearing their hair out at the appalling state of her work. On the other hand, she was talented storyteller, a proper little mimic when it came to languages, and Miss Yolland could not praise her art highly enough. Where some of the staff were frankly bemused by their new pupil’s slightly bizarre thought processes, the art mistress was already waxing lyrical about it all being the mark of a truly creative mind.

It was now the Friday at the end of the second week of term, and Marcia, Val and another of their coterie, Robina McQueen, were in the Splasheries at the end of their lunchtime break. Their last lesson before Mittagessen had, indeed, been art and Marcia, it seemed, had as much admiration for her art teacher as that lady had for her.

Robina screwed up her nose as Marcia finished singing her teacher’s praises. “She’s not always that nice. She told me I couldn’t paint a wall last term!” she yelled over the wall of her toilet stall.

“That’s ‘cause you couldn’t,” Marcia laughed. “Your flowers today looked more like balloons!”

Robina, whose talents lay more on the maths side of things, was not in the least peturbed. “Well I’ll swap you Miss Yolland for Miss Wilmot any day.”

Marcia made a disgusted sound at this, as she pulled the chain and opened the stall door. Val was already washing her hands, and a few sinks down from them, some members of UIV were listening intently to a raven-haired girl who was holding forth.

“You’re both nutty if you ask me,” Val said, as she turned off the tap and wiped her hands dry on her skirt. “Burnie’s the best teacher any day.”

Marcia was just about to contradict her, when a loud comment from the elder girls caught her attention. The dark haired girl was announcing importantly to a red-headed chum that her aunts had once gone to the school.

“My mummy was at the school too!” the ever-ebullient Marica interrupted.

The four elder girls turned to stare at her, and the dark-haired girl frowned. “So what? We didn’t ask you!”

“I…I was just saying, that’s all!” Marcia stammered, shocked at the response her innocent comment had received.

“Jack, don’t be mean,” a golden-haired maiden, whose accent betrayed that fact that English was not her first language, put in. Then turning back to Marcia, she added, “Maybe she knew Jack’s aunts?”

Encouraged, Marcia turned to Jack with a grin. “Were your aunts in Austria, then?”

“No, the Welsh branch,” Jack answered, still scowling. “So I doubt they’d have known your Mum. Aunt Jacynth was Head Girl, her name’s on the honours boards,” she carried on, turning back to her red-headed friend again.

But the others were intrigued. “What was your mother’s name?” asked a Dutch girl, who went by the name of Arda Peik.

“Lady Watson.”

Val hit her friend on the arm. “She means when she was at school, you goop!”

“Oh. Evvy Lannis. You probably won’t have heard of her, though.”

To her surprise, the elder girls and Robina perked up at this. “As in Evvy Lannis & Corney Flower?” the golden-haired girl asked, amazed.

Marcia frowned. “We have an Auntie Corney who Val lives with but she’s Mrs Van Alden.”

“She was Corney Flower at school though,” Val bubbled enthusiastically, understanding why others were so interested. This claim to fame hadn’t occurred to her before now. “I know ’cause Grandpa Joe’s Mr Flower.”

Marcia still looked confused. “Why?”

“Because they’re legends, that’s why!” Arda replied, and her friends nodded enthusiastically. “For all the mischief they made. They were some of the naughtiest girls ever!”

“You can read about them in the legends book!” her friend added, with a smile.

“Legends book?”

“In the library, I’ll show you!” Robina who had just emerged from her stall, grabbed her friend’s arm. “Why didn’t you say before?”

“I didn’t know!”

You should ask Mrs Maynard about her,” Arda said. “She has lots of stories. You’ll meet her when you go for English tea.”

Marcia grinned back at her. “I already know her, she’s a friend of Mummy’s.”

Jack, who had remained silent throughout this conversation, glared at Marcia, furious that the younger girl had stolen her thunder. “You don’t get special treatment just because your mother went here, you know.”

“I never said you did!” Marcia flashed back, riled by the elder girl’s tone.

“Well just you remember that,” Jack retorted. Then deeming the conversation closed, she turned back to her friends. “Come on, Arda, Wanda, Copper, lets go,” and without another word, she marched out of the Splasheries, leaving her friends to follow on behind.

“Who was that?” Marcia asked, frowning.

Val shrugged. “Don’t know – she wasn’t here when I was before.”

“Her name’s Jack Lambert,” Robina said, wiping her hands on a towel. “She’s always like that to us. Her friends normally are too.”

“Well she’s horrid!” Marcia declared with feeling.

Val nodded her head in agreement. "I say let’s agree not to like her!”

The others heartily acquiesced, but before any further discussion could be had on the subject, the bell rang for afternoon lessons.

“We’d better scram!” Robina declared, throwing the towel back on the rail. “We’ve got geog – you know what Ferry’s like about being late!” and on that note the three of them made a run for it, Jack and her friends forgotten for now.

Last edited by Josie on Thu Apr 20, 2006 9:48 pm; edited 3 times in total

 

#45:  Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 6:07 pm

Oh dear - hope Marcia will have the sense to keep her head down. And Jack seems like a right meanie here - have to say I think she's one of EBD's less likeable characters....

Wonderful to know the CS girls had toilets though!

Thanks Josie

 

#46:  Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 6:23 pm

Hmmm, good for Marcia sticking up for herself - I agree with Fran, I think Jack is a proper little bully - witness her treatment of Jane Carew. - She doesn't like it when others steal her thunder, does she?

Thanks Josie.

 

#47:  Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 7:13 pm

Thanks, Josie. I'm glad that Thea and Marcia are having a great time. I'm sorry that Jack is being so horrible to Marcia.

 

#48:  Author: BethC, Location: Worcester, UK PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 10:34 pm

Thanks, Josie - great scenes.

 

#49:  Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW PostPosted: Thu Apr 20, 2006 11:49 pm

Thanks Josie - good to see Thea and Marcia settling down, although directing the latter to the "Legends" book might have some interesting results!

No, Jack is not particularly appealing.

 

#50:  Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 6:17 am

Thanks Josie. I did grin because you've given them toilets Wink

Lovely portraits of the girls and Marcia sounds a proper little livewire!

You've caught Jack at her worst, there! Do I see trouble ahead?

 

#51:  Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 8:10 am

Thanks Josie.

 

#52:  Author: Nell, Location: London, England PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:10 am

Thank you Jo.

Great to see the girls settling in - looking forward to seeing Thea's reaction to the legends book!

*g* cos of the toilets!

 

#53:  Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:36 am

Wonderful! Thanks, Jo Very Happy

Good to see the girls settling in and making friends. Looks like some of the staff might have their work cut out with Marcia though Laughing

 

#54:  Author: aitchemelle, Location: West Sussex PostPosted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 9:35 pm

Toilets?? Shocked Goodness Jo!!
Love the update! Very Happy Pleased the girls are starting to settle in!

 

#55:  Author: Kat,  PostPosted: Mon Apr 24, 2006 3:04 pm

Toilets? How modern! ROFL

Thanks Jo - good to see Marcia sticking up for herself, but sad to see Jack being such a little b***h!

 

#56:  Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Tue Apr 25, 2006 1:30 pm

Shock! horror!
Toilets at the CS????? Really Jo!!! Wink

Fabulous post hunny, thank you!

 

The CBB -> Starting again at Sarres...


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