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Summer at the Tiernsee - completed 02/06 pg11

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The CBB -> Ste Therese's House

#1: Summer at the Tiernsee - completed 02/06 pg11 Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 10:57 am
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Here is the first part of Steve and Adrienne. This is set in the same universe as my Reluctant CS Girl/Prefects and Promises/Through Thick and Thin drabbles. Time-wise, it comes at the end of the year which has its first term described in A Reluctant CS Girl, and will cover the summer holidays. Constructive criticism is always welcome, as usual, anything particularly bad by pm. My apologies for any EBDisms, I've dome my best to make it fit with the rest.

"Name?"

"Stephen John Maynard."

"Occupation?"

"I've just graduated."

"Why are you travelling?"

"I'm going to my family's holiday home."

"Name?"

"Charles Richard Maynard."

"Occupation?"

"Medical Student."

"Why are you travelling?"

"For the same reason as my brother."

The bored looking woman glanced from one to the other, comparing them, Stephen thought, handed back their passports, giving them each the wrong one, returned the smile Charles gave her, and passed on along the train at the border check, leaving Stephen wondering what she would have said if they had they told her were planning a bank robbery. Charles was probably the only person on the train who could have gotten a smile out of her. He heard her again in the next compartment, asking the same questions, and picked up his book again. He had read for about an hour when his attention wandered again and he stared out the window at the night, wondering why it always seemed to be dark and raining when they travelled home for the holidays. It was his own fault, he thought, for taking train instead of flying. He maintained that it never felt like going on holiday unless they took the train, and Charles, rather short of money after a particularly wild term, had agreed to come with him. Not that he had been much company so far, Stephen reflected, given that he had slept since London and was only just waking up now they well into France.

"Who are we meeting in Paris?" Charles asked, for the fourth time.

"Adrienne." Stephen said absently, hoping he would remember this time. "The rest are there already."

"Do you know who's coming?" Stephen rummaged in his pocket, producing a crumpled letter on which was visible their mothers rather sprawling writing.

"Me, Adrienne, Roddy, you, Erica, the two F's, Cecily and one of her friends, Phil, Geoff, and Claire. Com and Roger are taking the twins to stay at Freudesheim for two weeks, and then they'll we be back. Full house. I love the way our family goes on holiday, just by swapping houses."

"Not half." Charles agreed. "At least if Roddy's there then the three of us can escape from it sometimes. Who's Cecily bringing?"

"Because we're going to get anywhere without Felix and Geoff wanting to tag along." Stephen commented. "And Mamma didn't say."

"We can dump them at home." Charles replied calmly. "It'll be fine."

"We got lucky that Mamma collected them last week." Stephen pointed out. "Or we'd have them here. And we can't exactly dump Felix, Chas, he's 18."

"No thank you." Charles said, stretching his long legs and putting his feet up on the seat opposite. "Next year is soon enough for me to be stuck with Felix in a train." Stephen shook his head and looked back out of the window.

"Paris." he announced presently and Charles sat up. They collected their belongings together and pulled on their coats, and were ready by the time the train pulled into the station. A brisk trip brought them to the station where they were meeting Adrienne, and they found her sitting on her case, a cup of coffee rapidly going cold by her feet, sketching one of the statues. Charles dropped his case and ran up behind her, leaning over her shoulder to give her a hug, and Stephen had just had time to envy his brother's ability to charm women when Adrienne dropped her book and pencil and got up, hugging and kissing them both. To Stephen, it seemed like she lingered a second longer in his arms than in Charles', but he dismissed as imagination, or, more likely, wishful thinking.

"The train's waiting." she said, picking up her case as Charles retrieved his. "I bought us some rolls and things for supper; I guessed you'd be hungry." She led the way to where the Paris-Wien express was sitting and they climbed on, being fortunate enough to find an empty compartment.

"This is where the holidays start." she said delightedly, cuddling down into a seat beside Charles and wrapping a blanket around herself.

Last edited by Eilidh on Fri Jun 02, 2006 9:38 am; edited 17 times in total

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

Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 11:40 am
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*bounces*

Another Eilidh drabble! Hurrah!

I love your universe.

#3: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 11:46 am
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Me too Very Happy

#4: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 11:49 am
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Thank you Eilidh and your lovely bunnies! I'm very glad that you have started this Very Happy

Kathryn

#5: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 12:09 pm
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Oh excellent, thanks Eilidh. Very Happy

#6: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 1:18 pm
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Thanks, Eilidh.

#7: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 2:30 pm
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Wonderful and thank you!

#8: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 2:50 pm
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How lovely to come home after a long and tiring day and find this to read! Thanks, Eilidh, you may just have saved my life!!

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

Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 6:01 pm
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Ooooh!!!
This looks good! Thanks Eilidh!

#10: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 8:31 pm
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I love the way you're portraying Charles as slightly arrogant, from your other drabbles its how I'd imagine him to be like.

#11: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 9:42 pm
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Lovely start! Bet that poor woman wouldn't have been so happy if all the maynards had been there! Laughing

Thanks Eilidh.

#12: Author: Lizzie, Location: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border

Posted: Tue May 16, 2006 10:18 pm
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New story! Hurrah!

Thank you!

#13: Author: delilah_siren, Location: Sydney, Australia

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 8:58 am
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yay! Thanks Elilidh! Especially for starting it so quickly!!

#14: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 10:24 am
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I think of Charles at this stage as a slightly toned-down version of what Felix is later on. Steve seems to be a totally different type of person, though, which is making things a bit more interesting.

"Steve! Wake up!" Stephen shifted slightly, but didn't open his eyes. Someone shook him. "Steve! Wake up!"

"I'm awake." he muttered. "What is it? Where are we?"

"Half an hour from Innsbruck." Charles replied, lifting cases down from the luggage rack and piling them up on an empty seat.

"What happened at the border? Was Adrienne awake?" Stephen asked, glancing down at her. She was still asleep, her head resting on her hand and her cheeks flushed, and he could quite happily have watched her all morning if Charles hadn't accidentally hit him in the back of the head with a case as he lifted it down.

"Sorry." he said. "What were you staring at?"

"Nothing." Stephen replied quickly. He was fairly sure that even his brother didn't know this secret, and intended to keep it that way. Charles gave him a suspicious glance.

"I dealt with the border." he said, rummaging for something.

"You don't speak German." Stephen countered.

"I've been learning." Charles replied. "In case everything falls through and I end up back at the San."

"You'll never work at the San." Stephen replied. "You and Dad can't get on for long enough."

"If it's the only option..." his brother replied grimly. "I'm going to tidy myself up. I'll be back in a bit. Wake Adrienne. And you might lift the rest of that stuff down." he added over his shoulder. Stephen set to work on the luggage first, wondering how it had all started out in three cases. He squeezed as much of it as he could back into them and then climbed up on the seat to fetch the things from the back of the shelf. As he prepared to get back down, the train gave a jolt and he was thrown to the floor, landing on Adrienne's feet and causing that young woman to wake with a cry of pain.

"I'm sorry!" he gasped, scrambling to his feet and ignoring the protesting pains. "It was the train, I didn't mean...What did I do?" Adrienne was rubbing her ankle.

"I don't know." she replied.

"Let me see?" Stephen asked. She rested her leg on his knee and he removed her sock, examining the maltreated ankle and noticing, as he always did when close to her, how big and clumsy he looked beside her. "I don't think it's anything bad." he said, praying that this was the case. "You should get Chas to check though."

"You called?" Charles asked, appearing back in the compartment, looking considerably better. "What's happened?"

"I fell off the seat and landed on her foot." Stephen explained, giving up his position with some reluctance and fighting his jealousy as Charles long, thin hands felt the ankle. Without comment, he picked up his washing things and left. "You have to stop this, Steve." he told himself firmly. Before he could go any further, he felt the train slacken speed and hurried back to the compartment where Adrienne was giggling helplessly at something Charles had been saying. Stephen ignored them, pushing the last few things into his case and picking it up.

"Mamma will be waiting." he reminded them. There was a scuffle to get off the train, and as Stephen stepped off the train he felt someone fall heavily into him. And so it was that Joey Maynard, waiting patiently on the platform until the crowds cleared, spotted Adrienne first, walking calmly towards her, while behind Adrienne her eldest sons appeared to be involved in a wrestling match on the platform.

The journey to Spartz, where the family car was kept, passed quickly in exchaning news. Stephen was privately amused that Charles managed to give a perfectly full account of his term without telling any lies, and yet managing to omit anything he knew his mother wouldn't approve of. Beside him, he felt Adrienne giggling, and exchanged an amused glance with her. The mountain train was full, and they were unable to get places together. Stephens jealousy returned in earnest at the sight of Charles and Adrienne chatting together on the opposite side if the carriage, and by the time they reached Seespitz he was in a thoroughly bad mood.

The younger members of the family had walked to meet the train, and he noticed that Adrienne was immediatly seized by Claire, who had adopted her as an older sister some time ago, and the two went off together, chattering in French. Cecily hugged both him and Charles violently before disappearing back along the path with Charles, followed by a nervous looking girl about the same age as her. Finding himself left with Phil and Geoff as escorts, Stephen attempted to put his bad mood aside and respond cheerfully to their talk on the trip around the lake, although he was relieved when they reached the house and he could retire to his room, which was thankfully empty of Charles, and calm down properly.

Last edited by Eilidh on Wed May 17, 2006 10:53 am; edited 1 time in total

#15: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 10:27 am
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Poor Steve. Thank you Eilidh.

#16: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 10:27 am
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Thanks Eilidh Very Happy

#17: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 10:38 am
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Oh I'm really really enjoying this, I love all this angst! Smile

Thanks Eilidh

#18: Author: kimothy, Location: Glasgow

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 10:52 am
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This is great - is that nervous looking girl anna by any chance??

#19: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 10:58 am
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Thanks Eilidh, this is fab Very Happy

Kathryn

#20: Author: Identity Hunt, Location: UK

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 12:41 pm
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Eilidh,
this is just brilliant !
More please........ Very Happy

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

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 12:41 pm
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What a horde!

Thanks Eilidh

#22: Author: Ally, Location: John Bettany's Cabin!

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 12:56 pm
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Aww poor Stephen, this is luffly, thanks Eilidh Very Happy

#23: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 2:18 pm
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Poor Stephen. And I'm glad we know that Charles turns into a decent chap, because I'm not liking him as much here! Thanks, Eilidh.

#24: Author: ibarhis, Location: London and Hemel Hempstead

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 2:22 pm
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Just found this... nice!

#25: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 7:26 pm
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Thanks, Eilidh. It's great to see what Stephen thought of Adrienne and what Charles was like as a medical student.

#26: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 7:42 pm
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Oh dear, young love!

But shock, horror that one of Joey Maynard's offspring cannot speak German! Shocked

Thanks Eilidh.

#27: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 8:04 pm
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I was surprised by Charles' lack of ability to speak German to!
Steve is rather sweet and loveable though!

#28: Author: Lucy B, Location: NZ

Posted: Wed May 17, 2006 11:19 pm
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Thanks Eilidh - we really are spoilt Very Happy

And we can enjoy any suspense without worrying as we know how it turns out!

#29: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 8:43 am
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The German thing came from Joey and Co - Jack says there that the boys really should know more German, and it's quite evident they know very little.

The first day passed as first days always do, with unpacking and settling in. It was evening before Stephen got any more time to himself, and when he did he made his way down to the little boathouse and the landing beside it and sat down, his feet in the water. It really was ridiculous, he thought, to be so jealous of his brother. Charles had spent the first sixteen years of his life in Stephens shadow. They had gone to school together, spent their time in the holidays together, and had been far closer than most brothers. When Stephen had left school, Charles had been on his own for the first time.He had developed far more of a personality after that, Stephen remembered, and with the personality had come confidence, and all the rest of the problem stemmed from there. Charles was just more confident than he was. And he was nice to everyone, and very likeable. He was also taller, and was built like his father, while Stephen was far stockier, like Mike. And it wasn't Charles' fault that he had had a never-ending stream of girlfriends since leaving school, while Stephen spent the majority of his evenings alone, or with friends. Just like it wasn't Charles' fault that he had decided to follow in their fathers footsteps and train as a doctor, or that he had so much patience with his younger sisters, or anything else, but none of it endeared him any more to his older brother. And his close friendship with Adrienne, which had developed over the last year or so, was the last straw. With a groan, Stephen flopped onto his back on the grass. He wasn't even going to start thinking about Adrienne just now. She was a whole new set of problems.

"He's your brother, for God's sake." he said aloud. "Get over it."

"Who's your brother?" asked a voice. Stephen looked up to see Felix sitting down on the grass beside him and shook his head.

"Four different people, you included." he replied. Felix took the hint.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" he asked, changing the subject.

"Going out on the lake, I think." Stephen replied. "Mamma was saying somthing about some friends of hers arriving tomorrow - the mother of that kid Cecily has with her and someone else with twins Cecily's age. Apparently they're coming to stay at the Kron Prinz Karl." Felix nodded.

"Cecily's friend is called Anna. And I know who she means." he said. "The twins are boy and girl - the boy, Nick, he's ok. Lois is a brat."

"Nice." Stephen muttered.

"Well, she's maybe not that bad." Felix conceeded. "She's very athletic - gave me a run for my money last time we saw them."

"Ah ha." his older brother replied. "And there we have the problem. Beaten by a little girl. Well, she shouldn't do it this time. Were there any sports trophies you didn't walk off with last term?"

"Only the ladies ones." Felix replied, with slight arrogance. Stephen squinted up at him and was struck by how much like Charles he looked and sounded, his colouring aside. He wondered how many hearts Felix would break over the next few years.

"Going in?" he asked. "Mamma will be after us soon, otherwise." Felix nodded and got to his feet.

"Don't want to keep them waiting." he commented.

#30: Author: kimothy, Location: Glasgow

Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 8:51 am
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YAAAAY!!! loving this!! please write more!!!

#31: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 8:54 am
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I always felt a bit sorry for Steve. I've just been re-reading the beginning of Joey & Co in Tirol for my drabble, and Joey says that Steve's really responsible and he can keep an eye on the younger boys during the holidays - and he can only have been about 11 at the time. He seems to get labelled as "the sensible one" like Len, but everyone keeps going on about how wonderful Len is and they don't with Steve!

Thanks Eilidh.

#32: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 9:09 am
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Poor Steve to be eclipsed by your younger brother must be a horrible thing.

#33: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 9:53 am
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This is great, thanks Eilidh. Smile

I've never really cared about Steve and Charles and Felix before and now I do

#34: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 2:26 pm
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Thanks Eilidh, it's really nice to see more of Steve and see how Felix and Lois' relationship starts off Very Happy

Kathryn

#35: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 4:27 pm
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Yes, I'm looking forward to Lois' arrival so that we can see exactly where they're coming from in the other drabble. Thanks, this is fabulous.

#36: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 6:17 pm
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Thanks, Eilidh. It's nice to get to know them as their younger selves.

#37: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 7:18 pm
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Thanks Eilidh, love Felix's comment about Lois. Laughing

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

Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 7:21 pm
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Thanks Eilidh!
Tis quite strange reading this straight after reading about their older selves, but good too!

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

Posted: Thu May 18, 2006 11:46 pm
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I agree Vikki - dislocating but in a nice sort of way! Poor Steve - he does get rather "lost" in the books doesn't he?

Thanks Eilidh.

#40: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 9:35 am
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It's quite strange to write as well, but the bunnies aren't giving me much of Thick and Thin at the moment, so I thought if I got some of this written they might get back to it.

As it was, they were early for dinner, and were sent back outside to the garden, where most of the rest fo the family was gathered. Adrienne was sitting under a big tree at one end, chatting to Erica, and both were occupied with their mending. Claire was lying on the grass reading a book a short distance away and with one accord Stephen and Felix avoided them and joined Charles and Roddy at the other end of the garden. They were still exchanging news, and Stephen, who had heard it all before, lapsed into a daydream, staring vaguely across the garden, until Charles shook him.

"Dinner." he said. "What was so fascinating?"

"I was thinking." Stephen replied vaguely.

"You were staring at Adrienne." Charles said quietly as the other two went on ahead.

"Was I?" Stephen asked, attempting to sound surprised.

"She didn't notice, don't worry." Charles replied with a grin. "I won't tell. Your taste has improved, though. She's miles up from your usual standard."

"There's nothing to tell." Stephen replied, passing over the insult in his haste. "I was thinking about something else."

"Of course you were." Charles said soothingly, diving into the house before Stephen could respond and effectively ending the conversation.

The following day was, as Stephen had predicted, spent on the lake, boating and swimming. Jesanne Gellibrand arrived with her twins and Anna's mother early in the morning, and the two adults spent the day relaxing in the garden of Die Blumen while Lois and Nick joined the others on the water. By mid afternoon, however, everyone was starting to look bored, and indeed Adrienne had already abandoned he water, and was curled up on the lakeside with her drawing and Phil, who wasn't strong enough to swim for as long as the others.

Adrienne was lying flat out on her stomach beside the lake, more like a child than a woman in her early twenties, and working hard at her drawing. The little pier appeared on the paper, and she idly began to sketch in a figure, her pencil wandering over the page. Eventually she finished, happy with the drawing, and held it away from her to look at it properly.

"That's good." Phil observed, looking up from her book. "It's Steve, isn't it? He'll like that." Adrienne stared hard at the paper. It was Stephen, sitting on the end of the pier. She closed her eyes and rolled over on her back, hearing Phil get up and move away.

"This is getting ridiculous." she told herself softly, safe in the knowledge that she was alone. "You can't be thinking this. It's wrong. You're practically adopted into the family."

'So was Roger.' said the voice in her head.

"That's different." Adrienne said out loud.

'No it isn't.'

In an effort to shut out the voice, she rolled over and picked up her pencil again, resuming her drawing. She hadn't got far when Charles heaved himself out of the water and threw himself down on the grass beside her, taking care not to drip any water on her drawing.

"You ok?" he asked.

"Fine." she replied absently.

"I'm tired of swimming." he said, by way of explaining his presence. "I thought I'd come and keep you company for a while, give you something to draw, if you want." she laughed. "What have you been doing anyway?" he demanded. "Let me see." She showed him the drawings she'd been working on that morning, and after confessing himself impressed, he rolled over onto his back and closed his eyes. Grateful for a new subject and something to take her mind off Stephen, Adrienne sat up and began to draw him. After a few more minutes, the group on the water seemed to be discussing something, and most of them took off towards the centre of the lake, leaving Anna to scramble ut of thw water and wrap herself in a towel. She looked at them rather nervously and, taking pity on her, Adrienne called to her.

"Come and sit with us, if you want." Rather shyly, the younger girl came across and sat down near them.

"They said to tell you they're having a race, if you want." she said softly. Charles opened one eye.

"Too much effort." he replied. "Why aren't you racing?"

"I don't swim well enough." she replied, even more shyly than she had spoken to Adrienne. He nodded absently, and returned to doing nothing, while Adrienne continued with her drawing, thinking she had never seen such a shy girl. Eventually, when the race finished, Anna disappeared back to the water, and having finished drawing Charles, who was now asleep, Adrienne turned back to trying to think through her problem, attempting to come up with a possible solution.

#41: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 9:43 am
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I think Steve will be less than impressed with the picture of Charles. This is a lovely story, Eilidh, thanks.

#42: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 9:52 am
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I wonder if Charles will play matchmaker with Steve and Adrienne.

#43: Author: kimothy, Location: Glasgow

Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 10:02 am
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loving this.... even tho i know how its going to turn out its still great!!!!! Very Happy

#44: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 11:30 am
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Thanks, Eilidh. It's great to see one of the first comments passed between Charles and Anna.

#45: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 1:04 pm
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It wouldn't be a good love story is we didn't have Lots of mix-ups and confusion. This is so satisfying, thank, Eilidh

#46: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 2:45 pm
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Thank you Eilidh, I love seeing the beginings of all the relationships!

Kathryn

#47: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri May 19, 2006 4:22 pm
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Remember that shy girl Charles! Laughing

Thanks Eilidh.

#48: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 9:18 am
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On the water, Cecily was lazing in the Tub, as the family boat was called, enjoying the sunshine and watching the others round about her. Suddenly the boat tipped violently to one side and she gave a yell as she threw her weight the other way.

"Idiot!" she exclaimed angrily. Nick Gellibrand untangled himself in the bottom of the boat and sat up.

"Who are you calling an idiot?" he demanded.

"Don't you know how to get into a boat without capsizing it?" Cecily demanded.

"There aren't many boats on the Welsh marshes." he retorted. "I haven't had a lot of practice."

"That's not the point." Cecily replied.

"It is." Nick argued. "Could you get on a horse?" Cecily subsided, beaten, and he grinned triumphantly at her, looking very like his sister, before pulling on a t-shirt and settling himself beside her.

"It looks like your brother and my sister are trying to out-swim each other." he observed.

"Just leave them if they're having fun." Cecily said lazily. "If they tire themselves out they'll be easier to put up with." Nick laughed.

"Lois has been practicing hard, hasn't she?" he said, shifting his position so he could see his sister.

"It's been so hot; she's been in the pool almost every day." Cecily explained. "And you must know what she's like - does everything as well as she possibly can, except lessons." Nick nodded.

"You've never been to Dragon House, have you?" he asked. Cecily shook her head.

"It's so far for me to go for part of the holidays, and every time Lois has invited me there's been something on at home I've had to go to. I'd love to see it though, I've seen photos. It looks beautiful."

"Did we meet that Christmas that Lois and Mum and I spent on the Platz?" Nick asked.

"Only once or twice." Cecily replied, thinking back, "I wasn't well and wasn't allowed to do any winter sporting - I rather think the twins took charge of you."

"Yes, they did." Nick agreed. "I thought I would have remembered you if I'd seen a lot of you." Cecily blushed.

"Are you as keen on sports as Lois is?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Some of them." Nick said. "I'm a bit more studious than Lois though. I want to go to University. I can't imagine Lois doing that."

"No." Cecily agreed. "Lois doesn't think she needs to know any more than she does just now, never mind learning more after school. What do you want to do at university?" The conversation moved on along these lines as the pair got to know each other slightly, and by the time Lois and Anna summoned them to come for a walk Cecily felt she had made a new friend, and Nick was delighted to be better acquainted with his sister's pretty friend.

#49: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 9:20 am
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That was a nice beginning for Cecily and Nick. Thanks, Eilidh.

#50: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 9:36 am
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Lovely start for them both - funny about Felix and Lois isn't it?

Thanks Eilidh.

#51: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 9:38 am
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Awww very cute Cecily and Nick! Very Happy

#52: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 10:13 am
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Thanks, Eilidh. It's great to see the beginning of Cecily and Nick's friendship.

#53: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 10:27 am
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Nice to see them getting to know each other.

#54: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 12:33 pm
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How lovely Very Happy

Thanks Eilidh!

Kathryn

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

Posted: Sat May 20, 2006 12:45 pm
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Oooh early Charles-and-Anna, and Nick-and-Cecily and maybe Felix-and-Lois?

Thanks Eilidh, this is gorgeous

#56: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 8:44 am
—
By the end of the first week they were well settled back into Die Blumen, and boating, swimming, and walking were the order of the day most of the time. The visitors were getting on well with the family - Lois and Nick had never hesitated to talk to anyone they came across, and although Anna had achieved what they had thought was impossible and remained shy, she talked freely to Cecily, Lois, Nick and Phil, and seemed comfortable with Claire, Adrienne and Joey. She tended to stare mutely when any of the other boys spoke to her, although Joey and her mother were hoping that by the end of the holiday she would reply to them, at least.

The weather was hot - almost oppresivley so by the Saturday night, and they were expecting thunder at any time, much to the horror of Claire. Adrienne was tied up for a long time before the youngest Maynard was in bed, and, having no love of thunder herself headed outside to get some fresh air before it started. She was annoyed with herself, as, a week after she had decided something needed to be done, she had not made any approach to Stephen. After a brief word with Joey, she left the house, and immediatly spotted him sitting by the side of the lake. Screwing up all her courage, she headed down beside him.

It was almost dark, and Stephen was sitting on the boat landing again, dangling his feet in the water. The Tub was moored beside him, and he was considering taking it out into the middle of the lake, in the hope of some quiet. The problem with having such a big family was that there was very rarely time for quiet. He knew Charles was waiting in their room, ready to resume teasing him about Adrienne, and that the rest of his brothers and sisters would probably be equally glad of his attention for something. The middle of the lake seemed like the right type of place to get some peace. Still, it would be a lot of work to row the Tub alone and he was tired. There were footsteps on the boards behind him and he sighed, silently saying goodbye to the peace of the evening. To his surprise, though, nobody spoke, and after a few seconds he looked up to see Adrienne sitting a short distance away, silently. She wasn't looking at him and didn't seem inclined to speak, so he kept his silence and looked back at the water, watching the shapes of the fish coming to the surface. After a while, he heard a slight noise, and looked up to see Adrienne shiver in her thin summer dress. Stephen removed the jumper he had knotted around his neck and put it around her shoulders, noticing as he did so that it was enormous on her tiny frame and feeling big and clumsy again. She pulled the material around her without looking at him. By now it was almost completely dark, and he wondered how long they would sit there in silence. Eventually, he got to his feet and Adrienne looked up. He held out his hand, and helped her to her feet.

"Going in?" he asked. They were the first words either of them had spoken.

"I was thinking about a quick walk first." she replied, her hand still in his. "You can come if you want, I was going to go to Seespitz and back. It's not like Auntie Joey sets us a bedtime any more, and I'm enjoying the quiet." They set off together, and had gone quite a distance before he realised he was still holding her hand. If he let go now, he reasoned, she might be offended. But she might be wishing he would. Before he could figure out what to do, she stopped and turned towards the water. He followed her until they were back at the lakeside, where she sat down.

#57: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 8:58 am
—
That was really sweet Very Happy

#58: Author: kimothy, Location: Glasgow

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 9:33 am
—
aaaaaaawwwwwwww that was luvely!!! please can we get some more!! Smile

#59: Author: ibarhis, Location: London and Hemel Hempstead

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 11:06 am
—
Clever Adrienne - that was lovely... and clever, clever Eilidh!

#60: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 2:51 pm
—
Hehehe...good for Adriennne and Steve!

Thanks Eilidh, very warm and fuzzy Very Happy

Kathryn

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

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 3:05 pm
—
Awwww how cute!!!! Very Happy

#62: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 3:27 pm
—
That was so sweet! Thanks, Eilidh.

#63: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 7:51 pm
—
Well done Adrienne!

Thanks Eilidh.

#64: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 9:46 pm
—
Thanks, Eilidh. I'm glad that Steve and Adrienne have a chance to spend some time together alone.

#65: Author: Sandra, Location: Oxfordshire

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 10:26 pm
—
This is so sweet. Can you find a SLOC amongst them all for me?

#66: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 8:35 am
—
Thanks for all your comments - a long bit today.

"I thought we were walking to Seespitz?" he asked.

"I wanted to stop." she replied. "We can go back in a while."

"Are you ok?" he asked, concerned. She nodded, just visible in the darkness under the trees.

"I told Auntie Joey we were going for a walk and would be back late. She said not to be too long. She thinks it's going to rain." she added.

"So what do you want?" Stephen asked. Adrienne didn't answer, but gave another shiver. Stephen released her hand and put an arm around her instead.

"We should go back if you're so cold." he said. "Do what your big brother tells you." the last words tinged with sadness as he realised he wanted to be more than a brother to her.

"You're not my brother." Adrienne said suddenly. "You're not." She sounded upset, and Stephen hastened to reassure her.

"I'm sorry." he said, "It was automatic, I suppose, I've heard you call Chas your brother before and I just thought..." he tailed off.

"Chas is different." Adrienne replied.

"Chas is always different." Stephen replied, the jealously welling up again, but refusing to be controlled this time. He got to his feet and moved away, looking out over the water. It seemed that even his parent's wards preferred Charles to him, and he had had enough. "Chas has looks, brains, confidence, girlfriends, everyone's favorite brother... I'll just tag along behind and pick up after him, will I?" He was angry, and he knew he sounded angry, but Adrienne didn't seem to be affected.

"Are you finished?" she asked, getting up and coming to stand beside him. She slipped her hand back into his and rested her other hand on his chest. He felt his anger lessen, as he became aware of how close she was. "Steve, I can't think of you as a brother." she said softly. "That's why I had to bring you here, where nobody knows where we are, and nobody can see us. Because if I think of you as my brother then this is even more wrong than it is already, and I can't cope with that."

"What's wrong?" Stephen asked. His heart was hammering in his chest, feeling like it was about to break through his ribs.

"This." Adrienne replied, standing on her tiptoes and pulling his head down to kiss him. She pulled away after a few seconds and stared at him anxiously. Stephen stared back at her.

"I thought...Chas...you..." he managed. She was still watching him, looking worried, and he wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up to kiss her again.

"You don't think its wrong? Bad?" she asked anxiously. He shook his head. "Auntie Joey and Uncle Jack will." Adrienne said.

"Maybe we should keep it from everyone else until we've told them." she nodded and said something that was drowned out by a roar of thunder above them. The thunder was followed within seconds by torrential rain. Adrienne gave a cry and clung to him, and Stephen lowered his head so he could speak directly into her ear.

"It's only thunder," he said, calmly. "It won't hurt you. I promise. It'll be ok." She looked up at him, feeling reassured, and the fear in her eyes was replaced by a flash of mischief.

"Will there be lightening?" she asked. Stephen made his way out of the trees and looked around.

"It's in the next valley." he said, as another crash sounded overhead and the mountains were thrown into sillhouette for a second. Adrienne grinned.

"How wet are you?" she asked, bending down and removing her sandles. Her long hair was plastered flat against her head, and Stephen was trying desperatly to keep his eyes off her dress, which was soaked through and clinging to her. He glanced down at himself, and then back at her.

"What are you doing?" he asked, a idea forming in his mind. Adrienne took his hand and pulled him towards the water, and his suspicions were confirmed.

"You're mad!" he said, incredulously. She crouched down and untied his shoes.

"How much wetter can we get? And it'll be quicker than going back by the path. Come on!" She effectivley ended the argument by running into the water until it reached her knees, and then turned and waited. He pulled off his shoes, and ran after her, catching her when she was about waist deep and kissing her again.

"This is turning into an amazing night." he said. She smiled at him and dived forward, taking off across the water. He followed her again, and they swam slowly side by side across the lake in the darkness, the rain beating down around them. About half way across he noticed she was trailing behind and halted.

"What is it?" he asked.

"My foot hurts." she said. Stephen swam back to her. "I stood on something on the way in." she explained.

"Why didn't you say at the time, rather than waiting unti we were out here?" he asked. "Hold on to my shoulders."

"I'm too heavy." Adrienne protested, but he ignored her and started swimming again, towing her behind him. When they reached the boat landing he heaved himself out the water, and then turned around and lifted Adrienne out behind him. As wet as she had been before, she was now wetter, and the water was streaming out of her hair and dress and pooling around her feet.

"Are there any towels?" she asked. He hunted in the boathouse, but returned empty handed, and she giggled. "Who do you think is still awake?" she asked, indicating the light burning in the lounge and trying to squeeze the excess water out of her dress and hair.

"I don't know." Stephen said. "I'm not even sure I am any more. I can't believe this last hour has just happened." Adrienne smiled.

"Maybe this will convince you." she suggested, coming closer and kissing him again. "Are you awake now?" she asked a few minutes later.

"I think so." he smiled back. "I don't know how I'm going to keep this quiet. I want to tell everybody, now!"

"Will you settle for just Chas?" she asked.

"I suppose." he said doubtfully. "I'm not sure - I've been a bit awful towards him"

"Well, try being nice again." she suggested with a shiver.

"You need to get inside." Stephen said firmly, leaving aside the question of Charles. "You're cold. Come on." Remembering her injured foot, he picked her up easily and carried her towards the house, where they were met in the hallway by Charles himself, who stared at them in amazement. Both were barefoot and dripping water, Stephen looked like all his Christmasses had come at once, and Adrienne, despite having a rather blue tinge and shivering violently looked very pleased with herself and had her hand firmly clasped in Stephens.

#67: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 8:43 am
—
Aww. Thanks Eilidh.

#68: Author: ibarhis, Location: London and Hemel Hempstead

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 9:59 am
—
Good girl, Adrienne!

#69: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 10:33 am
—
Yay, how lovely...but what about that hint in the other version of this...

Thank you Eilidh.

#70: Author: Rosy-Jess, Location: Gloucestershire-London-Aberystwyth

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 11:02 am
—
hehe. How fine. That was fabbity. Go Adrienne.

#71: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 11:49 am
—
Thanks, Eilidh. I'm really glad that they have got together.

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

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 1:38 pm
—
Awwww! Yay!!!!

*hopes Jo and Jack won't be funny about it though!*

#73: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 1:39 pm
—
Thanks Eilidh, that was lovely Very Happy

Kathryn

#74: Author: Sarah_G-G, Location: Sheffield (termtime), ? any other time!

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 1:42 pm
—
So sweet! Nice, romantic, non-dangerous, Chalet-style adventure Smile

You have to wonder what Charles is thinking at that moment...

#75: Author: Josie, Location: London

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 2:08 pm
—
Awww, how sweet!

Thanks Eilidh

#76: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 3:40 pm
—
That was lovely. Good for Adrienne, going after what she wants like that! Thanks, Eilidh.

#77: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 3:42 pm
—
Very sweet!
But am I the only one who thought Adrienne was going to suggest that they were going to go skinny dipping? Or have I just got a saucy mind!

#78: Author: Lizzie, Location: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 4:39 pm
—
Ooh, this is great! I like these stories about the grown-up Maynards, let's just hope their mother manages not to butt in...

Thanks Eilidh!

#79: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 5:28 pm
—
That was lovely - but why are Jack and Joey going to object? They are not blood relations.

Thanks Eilidh.

#80: Author: kimothy, Location: Glasgow

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 6:53 pm
—
loving this!! its sooo good.. can we have some more soon please???
Laughing

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

Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 12:50 am
—
Oh that was nice...thank you Eilidh!

#82: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 8:19 am
—
"What have you...where were you...when did you..." Charles stammered, and then jumped out the way as Stephen, an arm around the shivering Adrienne, led her upstairs and deposited her in a bathroom before showering and putting on dry clothes himself. When he returned downstairs, he prepared three mugs of cocoa, handed one to his brother, who still looked rather like he had seen a ghost, and carried the other upstairs, leaving it on Adrienne's bedside table before retiring to bed himself.

"What's going on?" Charles demanded, having seemingly found his tongue. He didn't sound pleased, however, mainly due to the fact that he had cleaned and dressed Adrienne's foot and she had refused to answer any of his questions while he was doing it, merely smiling provokingly. "What have the pair of you been doing?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Stephen replied, turning to face the wall. "Did you look at Adrienne's foot?"

"Don't start that." Charles said, sounding irritated. "And yes, I did. It was just a cut, and a bit bruised. She must have stood on a stone or something. I take it you didn't want Dad looking at it?"

"Too many awkward questions for tongiht." Stephen replied.

"Why was she barefoot anyway?"

"That's one of those questions I was just talking about."

"Did you fall in the lake?"

"No."

"So what's going on? I can see the two of you finally got together. What were you doing? And how did she hurt herself?" Charles persisted.

"Well, don't ask stupid questions then." Stephen replied, his desire to tell his brother his news evaporating rapidly. "You've got eyes in your head, don't you?"

"Excuse me for being pleased for you." Charles muttered, turning out the light and throwing himself into bed with enough force that the springs creaked protestingly, leaving Stephen wondering what the problem was.

Unwilling to wait, Stephen spoke to his parents the following morning. After listening to him stammer otu the rquest, Joey and Jack exchanged a long glance.

"Can we discuss it?" Joey asked. Stephen retired to outside the door, where he leant against the wall and waited. Eventually Jack left the room and disappeared outside, and he judged that he could go back in.

"Well?" he asked his mother. Joey looked up at him.

"Steve, it's not right." she said eventually. "I know you both feel like it is, but it can't be. Adrienne is like another daughter to us - it just feels wrong."

"It's not." Stephen said, a stubborn look appearing on his face. Joey sighed.

"We would rather you didn't take things any further." she said firmly. "And that's our last word on the matter."

Stephen left the house and wandered down towards the lake. He caught sight of Adrienne beside the water with Charles and made his way towards them. It was still early, and most of their siblings were occupied with their chores.

"Well?" she asked eagerly as he sat down.

"Forbidden." he replied miserably. "They won't hear of it." Adrienne looked equally sad.

"I can't believe after all the time it took the two of you to get together, you're going to abandon everything because Mamma and Dad have said no." Charles said scornfully. "I thought you were more determined than that." he got up and took off towards the water, leaving them alone.

"He's got a point." Adrienne said.

"It's up to you." Stephen said slowly. "If you're willing to risk it I am."

"I'm willing." she said with a smile.

#83: Author: ibarhis, Location: London and Hemel Hempstead

Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 8:22 am
—
Good for Charles! More storm clouds brewing methinks...

#84: Author: Rosy-Jess, Location: Gloucestershire-London-Aberystwyth

Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 9:00 am
—
Hurrah. Am glad they are going to give it a go anyway. *all goosebumpy* I DO like this story!

#85: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 9:06 am
—
I hope Steve and Adrienne don't get caught out too soon!

#86: Author: kimothy, Location: Glasgow

Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 10:14 am
—
yay!! very exciting..... but what about this fire?
Laughing

#87: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 10:19 am
—
Thanks Eilidh, I am enjoying this.

#88: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 11:08 am
—
Thanks Eilidh, I can see why Jack and Joey would forbid it but I am glad that they have decided to go ahead anyway. At least they have Chas on their side!

Kathryn

#89: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 11:42 am
—
Thanks, Eilidh. I'm glad they have agreed to see each other anyway.

#90: Author: Lyanne, Location: Ipswich, England

Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 2:46 pm
—

Quote:

Adrienne is like another daughter to us - it just feels wrong

Oh come on Joey, the girl was 15 when she came to you! This isn't like Claire, who has been with you since babyhood. And, I think you should be pleased a relative of Robin wants to be in the family.

(Adrienne isn't legally the Maynard's child, is she? I think she just lives with them because she is a relative of Robin's & has no other family. Therefore, not adopted nor a legal ward in the sense of Erica or the Richardsons.)

#91: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 3:18 pm
—
I suppose it would seem a bit weird to them, but, as Lyanne said, it's not like they grew up together.

#92: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 4:10 pm
—
Yes, I can imagine Jo and Jack seeing all these 'extra' Maynards as their own children, and so finding the idea of two of them getting together a bit odd, but really there's no reason why Steve and Adrienne shouldn't get together. Is Con with Roger in this world?

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

Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 5:02 pm
—
*shakes Jo and Jack in the hope of making them see reason*

#94: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 5:51 pm
—
I can't see any reason why Jack and Jo are against it - Adrienne isn't related to the Maynards.

Glad Steve and Adrienne decide to go ahead anyway - and we know it's a successful relationship.

Thanks Eilidh.

#95: Author: Mary, Location: Sussex University

Posted: Wed May 24, 2006 8:33 pm
—
No! Oh and it was going so well. Rrrr to Jo and Jack.

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

Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 1:12 am
—
I can see why emotionally they might feel that - but Adrienne is Robin's relative, not theirs, so they really don't have any justification at all.

Thanks Eilidh

#97: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 8:43 am
—
Just almost copied this into my other drabble by accident. Rolling Eyes

Joey watched them from the window of her room.

"Are we doing the right thing?" she asked her husband. "They're adults, Jack. We can't forbid it - they're not related by blood."

"It's not right, Joey." Jack said inflexibly.

"What are we going to do if they just ignore us, like Con and Roger?" Joey asked, watching Charles get up and leave the other two alone.

"Make sure they can't." Jack said firmly. "That was ridiculous - Con should have done what she was told. Anyway, Steve isn't as stubborn as Roger."

*************************************************************

"Adrienne, will you take these to the Post for me please?" Joey asked that afternoon, pushing her last letter into an envelope and sticking the stamp on. Adrienne got to her feet, exchanging a glance with Stephen.

"I'll row you across." he offered, getting up as well. "It'll be far quicker and nobody's using the Tub." Joey looked up sharply.

"That's a good idea." she smiled. "You can take Claire as well - she wanted to get some sweets but I dind't want her walking round in this heat." Stephen tried to hide the disappointment on his face as he agreed.

"So this is what we're up against." he said, as the made their way to the boat, calling for Claire as they went.

"We'll get there." Adrienne smiled. "They can't send someone with us all the time."

"They can." Stephen predicted.

It seemed he was right, as Joey or Jack almost invaribly managed to add an extra member to the party whenever they were considering going somewhere together.

"It's not fair!" Stephen said one afternoon, about six weeks later, when his parents had gone for a walk with Phil, Geoff and Claire. Cecily and Anna had been invited to the Kron Prinz Karl for Kaffee, and Felix and Felicity had gone off on some mission of their own. Only Adrienne, Roddy, Charles and Erica were there to hear him, and he felt safe in saying what he thought. "They never gave Con and Roger this trouble."

"That's going to help things." Charles said sarcastically. "And what did you do about your difficult parents. Oh, I complained that it wasn't fair. When are you going to get a backbone?" Stephen glared at him.

"Don't you have anything helpful to say?" he demanded.

"Oh, shut up, both of you." Roddy snapped. Both turned on him, but Erica interrupted.

"We're all on edge because of the heat." she pointed out. "Maybe you could all just stop winding each other up and think about things before you say them?"

"I'm going for a swim." Charles said. "I've had enough. Sort your own problems." he added to his brother, striding off towards the lake.

"How fun." Roddy muttered, getting up and leaving as well. A few seconds later Erica followed them, and Stephen and Adrienne looked at each other.

"What's wrong with him?" Stephen muttered.

"You annoy him." Adrienne said, realising he was talking about Charles. "He thinks you should stand up for what you want more."

"We can't all have his bags of confidence." Stephen retorted, with an uncomfortable feeling that his brother was probably right. "Anyway, I am trying. Aren't I?" Adrienne put down her embroidery and sat down on the grass beside him.

"You're improving." she admitted, kissing him. "You and Charles need to try and understand each other more. You used to get along fine."

"I know." Stephen replied. "I don't know what happened."

"You couldn't cope with him growing up." Adrienne said wisely. "He's still the same person. And he's still your brother and he's always going to be and you'd be as well learning how to get along with him."

"I know." he replied. "I'll try."

"Thank you." she said. "And we'll talk to Con and Roger when they get here. They might have some advice - they've been here, after all. In the meantime, I have a plan."

#98: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 9:28 am
—
Looking forward to the arrival of Con and Roger!
Loving this Eilidh!

#99: Author: kimothy, Location: Glasgow

Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 9:39 am
—
thos should be interesting... hopefully yay for con and roger....!!! Laughing

#100: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 10:33 am
—
Thanks Eilidh Very Happy

#101: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 10:37 am
—
Joey and Jack are such a pain aren't they?! Thanks Eilidh Very Happy

Kathryn

#102: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 10:37 am
—
Thanks Eilidh, this is fab. Silly Jack and Jo!

#103: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 10:48 am
—
Thank you Eilidh - this is great and I want to poke Jack especially, I think Joey could be persuaded if he wasn't being a pain.

#104: Author: ibarhis, Location: London and Hemel Hempstead

Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 11:20 am
—
I like Adrienne! And Steve is finding his feet...

#105: Author: Josie, Location: London

Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 12:36 pm
—

ibarhis wrote:

I like Adrienne!

Me too!

Thanks Eilidh

#106: Author: Richenda,

Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 2:12 pm
—
Loving this already

**Goes to hunt out the sequel to add to 'must read' list**

#107: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 2:54 pm
—
How ridiculously childish of Jack - does he want to lose his children? It seems he takes a long time to learn to - even years later he tried the same with Cecily and Nick.

Thanks Eilidh.

#108: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 2:57 pm
—
Thanks, Eilidh. It's nice to know that they do make a go of things even if it's not easy for them. I do wish Jack would be a little less of a stick in the mud, though.

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

Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 5:16 pm
—
*pokes Jack*

Thanks for the lovely story so far Eilidh, I'm definitely going to have to keep up with this from now on!

#110: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Thu May 25, 2006 5:23 pm
—
Thanks, Eilidh. I wonder what advice Con and Roger will give.

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

Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 12:31 am
—
So, what, exactly, is the problem, Jack?

#112: Author: Cathy, Location: Sydney, Australia

Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 4:30 am
—
Thinks that they should get permission from the school (Miss Annersley) or Robin, who is Adrienne's only known living relative. And I always thought that the school stood in place of Adrienne's parents anyway. From what I remember of the books, the Maynards don't have any kind of legal guardianship over her.

#113: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 9:16 am
—
A few days later, the alarm clock rang out early in the morning, and Stephen thumped it quickly, silencing it, before rolling out of bed and pulling on his clothes.

"What are you doing?" Charles asked, sleepily. "It's only 5."

"Nothing you need to know about." Stephen replied in an undertone. Despite Adrienne's advice, he hadn't forgiven his brother for his comments a few days before and things were distinctly frosty between them. "Go back to sleep." Picking up his shoes, he tiptoed out of the room and downstairs, where he began to pack rolls, meat, and fruit into a bag. Adrienne appeared moments later, carrying her sandals, and set to work to help him. As a result, before anyone else in the house was stirring, the pair had left together and were scrambling up the path to what Joey called "the valley of flowers."

"This was a good idea." Adrienne smiled, as they struggled up the last section and came out into a flower filled meadow. A stream ran down one side of it and a path of sorts was visible across the middle. "It's beautiful."

"It's even worth facing Dad when I get home." Stephen said ruefully.

"You're not to think about that." she said firmly. "This was the only way we were going to get some time alone." He agreed. It had been Adrienne's idea to run away for the day, and as a result here they were. She ran across the grass until she was in the sun, and then flopped down on her back, Stephen following her.

"I was going to tell you," he began hesitantly, "I hope you don't mind. I got this." He held out a crumpled envelope.

"What is?" she asked, curious.

"It's a letter from Auntie Rob - Soeur Marie-Cecile." Stephen said. "I thought if Mamma and Dad wouldn't give in, then..." Adrienne read the letter quickly and then threw her arms around him.

"Well done!" she smiled. "At least someone is happy for us. And I'm a lot more comfortable now we've got this. And we've got a whole day to ourselves." she added, with a delighted sigh. "No one to look after, no one to interfere with what we feel like doing... heaven. Did you disturb Charles?"

"He went back to sleep." Stephen replied briefly, not wishing to discuss Charles.

"That's the best thing about having a room to myself." Adrienne smiled. "You couldn't swing a cat in it, but at least I don't have to share."

"We always have." Stephen replied, sleepily. Adrienne poked him.

"Don't go to sleep!" she scolded. "Come on, we'll take a walk along to the village." He dragged himself to his feet and by the time the had finished exploring the tiny village he was wide awake again.

The morning passed slowly, but neither wished it would go faster. After their visit to the village, Adrienne sketched, and Stephen read, both enjoying being alone in each others company. As the sun rose higher and they began to think about lunch, a few other walkers appeared, wished them a good morning, and passed on. They shared out what they had brought for lunch and afterwards Stephen stretched out in the sunshine. Adrienne rested her head on his chest and, with their arms around each other, exhausted by the early morning and the climb, they fell asleep. It was much later when they awoke, and to Stephens dismay his face, neck, legs and arms felt hot and tight. He moved slightly and disturbed Adrienne who sat up, yawning.

"What time is it - oh." she said.

"What?" Stephen demanded.

"You're burnt." she explained. "Quite badly. And it's getting late. We should go back down." Rather reluctantly, Stephen agreed. It was evening, and they had planned to be back in time for their evening meal, so they slowly set off down the hill. By the time they got to the bottom, Stephen was in pain from his sunburn and both were tired, and very relieved to see the Tub at the nearer shore, and Charles returning from the Post with a bag of letters.

"Where have you been?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at Stephen.

"Never mind." Stephen muttered, feeling more than slightly apprehensive about facing his father.

"You're lucky Dad had to go back to the Platz this morning before Mamma realised you were gone." Charles said. Stephen relaxed slightly.

"He's not there?" he asked.

"No." Charles replied shortly. "I don't suppose you want to help with the rowing?" he asked, manouvering the boat out into the middle of the lake.

"With my skin two sizes too small?" Stephen retorted.

"Move over." Adrienne said, sliding into the seat beside Charles and taking one of the oars. She rowed skillfully and before long they were at Die Blumen, where Joey regarded her son and ward with resignation. Stephen put a protective arm around Adrienne's shoulders.

"Please Auntie Joey?" she hazarded. Joey looked at Stephen.

"Your father is going to kill you when he finds out." she said firmly.

"Does he need to find out?" Adrienne asked, seeing that Stephen was incapable of answering.

"Of course he does." Joey replied. "You might at least have left a note to let me know where you were."

"We forgot." Adrienne said, sounding more like Claire.

"Mamma?" Stephen put in. Joey looked up at him.

"What?" she asked.

"It doesn't matter if Dad agrees or not." he said. "I know he's never going to like it, just like he didn't like Con marrying Roger. But I'm not going to let that stop me from doing what I want." Adrienne stared at him in shock, and Charles with some of his old respect. There was a stubborn set to Stephen's face that his mother hadn't seen for a long time, but that told her he had chosen to dig his heels in and would not be moved. She looked from one to the other in despair, shook her head and returned to the house.

"She's coming round." Charles observed. "She'll get there in the end." his brother snorted, but just then Felicity arrived with a bottle of cold cream, which she handed to Adrienne.

"From Mamma." she explained, before running off up the path after Erica. "For Steve!" she shouted back over her shoulder, linking her arm through the older girl's as they set out together towards Seespitz. Adrienne looked at the bottle.

"You're forgiven." Charles said with a grin.

"So it would seem." Stephen replied, sitting down on the grass. Charles stretched out beside him and Adrienne took the top off the bottle as Stephen held out his arm, all of them silently thankful that the frosty atmosphere had vanished.

"I'm pleased you said what you did." Adrienne said. "I wouldn't ask you to choose between them and me - but at least if Auntie Joey has come round Uncle Jack might."

"Unlikely." Charles said. Stephen hissed as the cream landed on his hot arm.

"It's your own fault." Adrienne told him, but she was gentle as she rubbed the cream in and Charles, watching them, thought that his father was going to be disappointed if he didn't come round soon.

#114: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 9:22 am
—
I'm glad Joey has seen sense, I have little hope that Jack will though!

#115: Author: Ally, Location: John Bettany's Cabin!

Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 9:27 am
—
Aww they are a lovely couple, and Im glad Robin is pleased for them! *pokes Jack*

#116: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 9:59 am
—
I'm glad Jo has decided to accept something she can't change. I just wish that Jack could be as accomodating. He's a real dinosaur.

#117: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 10:03 am
—
What a misery Jack is!

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

Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 11:59 am
—
How lovely that Robin is pleased for them - and surely her opinion counts for something?

Thanks Eilidh.

#119: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 12:39 pm
—
Yay for Robin and well said Steve, glad Joey's seeing sense but Jack is a fool.

Thank you Eilidh.

#120: Author: kimothy, Location: Glasgow

Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 1:12 pm
—
yay for robin Very Happy

and grrr to jack Mad

#121: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 3:10 pm
—
That was such a good idea of Steve's to write to Robin. Thanks Eilidh, I'm glad Joey is starting to come round Very Happy

Kathryn

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

Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 4:30 pm
—
Yay! At least Jo's seen sense, now there's only Jack to work on!
I feel VERY sorry for Steve with his sunburn though!

#123: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 7:32 pm
—
Isn't it years later that we find that Jack has never visited Steve and Adrienne or seen their baby? He obviously didn't come round - what an idiot. Rolling Eyes

Thanks Eilidh.

#124: Author: Lyanne, Location: Ipswich, England

Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 10:47 pm
—
I wonder what started Jack off being so awkward about the children marrying people they know well? Did something similar happen in his family? I don't get the impression that Bob & Lydia were very happy together.

#125: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 10:58 pm
—
Thanks, Eilidh. I'm glad that Joey is coming round.

#126: Author: ibarhis, Location: London and Hemel Hempstead

Posted: Fri May 26, 2006 11:05 pm
—
Maybe if Jack sees Robin's letter...

#127: Author: Ruth B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 11:07 am
—
Surely if Joey knows Robin has given her approval she has to come round! Maybe Robin needs to write her and Jack a strongly worded letter.

#128: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 1:23 pm
—
"Claire, how can you have destroyed so many clothes in six weeks?" Joey asked in despair over breakfast the next morning, surveying her youngest ward. Claire grinned back at her, unaffected by the question. "I really don't have time to take you to Innsbruck, and there's nothing left that you can wear for the next three weeks," Joey continued, "I really don't know what to do with you."

"Can't she borrow something of Phil’s? Or Cecily's?" Felix suggested regarding Claire with interest. "You do look a mess, Claire." he added.

"Not if she's going to destroy them!" Cecily retorted, as Phil shook her head violently.

"I'm far too tall - Claire's tiny." she said, with a good deal of point.

"Can't I take her to Innsbruck?" Adrienne suggested. "We could go tomorrow morning and we'd be back by supper. She could borrow something of Cecily's to wear to go." she added, with a glance at Claire, who was attired in shorts that looked as though she had slid down one of the mountains in them and a top that was missing a button and had a long tear in the sleeve. "Honestly, Claire, Auntie Joey's right. You are a mess. Anyone would think you were a kid, rather than almost fourteen and in Upper IV." Claire grinned at her, unrepentant, knowing Adrienne would never stay angry with her for long.

"You're sure you would be ok?" Joey asked. "I would go myself, but with Con and Roger coming back with the twins I really need to get sorted out here. I'd hate Con to come back and find her house looking like this!" They all agreed. Con and Roger had stayed at Freudesheim for most of the holidays, after only planning to go for two weeks, and in their absence the rest of the Maynard’s had managed to thoroughly make their mark on Die Blumen. The plan was agreed to, although Stephen failed in his frantic task of trying to find some excuse to accompany them, and the following day, Adrienne and Claire, attired in a summer dress belonging to Cecily and with strict instructions to keep it clean, set out early before anyone else was awake to catch the first mountain train.

Stephen, who had intended to be up in time to see Adrienne before she left for the day, was rather disappointed to find he had missed her. He had woken in a bad mood in any case, made worse by his disappointment, and after snapping at most of his family was left severly alone to come out of it on his own. Finding this was the case, he retired to the Saal, where he spotted Adrienne's sketchbook lying on the table and picked it up, intending to pass the time by looking at her drawings.

The first few pages contained views of Paris and people he presumed were her classmates, including several young men. Feeling slightly jealous, her flipped through the pages until he found the statue she had been drawing when they met her in the train station, and then continued from there. The first few pages were occupied with the lake and the house. A picture of him at the boat landing. Charles, asleep. Phil, several sketches, and a few of Claire. A page devoted to Felicity, done during one of her ballet practices. More pictures of Charles, interspersed with Roddy and Felix. Stephen put the book down carefully. Unreasonable as it was, and he knew it was, he blamed Charles for the many drawings, realising that Charles must be seeking out Adrienne’s company in order for her to have so many pictures of him.

As a result, for the rest of the morning and the early afternoon, spent on the water, he was as unpleasant as he knew how to his brother. Charles was in a similarly bad mood after a bad night's sleep and, after several nasty remarks, responded with a few comments of his own, giving truth to Roddy's remark to Felix that the pair were spoiling for a fight. As luck would have it, the day was immensely hot and Joey insisted on the entire party spending the late afternoon resting in the garden, and hoped that Adrienne had the sense to be keeping Claire quiet. Felix and Roddy had been intending to separate Stephen and Charles, but all four found themselves together, and the two made many pointed comments before Joey allowed them out of the garden in the late evening, promising to take anyone who wanted to go for a moonlight row on the lake. She had offered to keep Nick and Lois for the night as well, so quite a crowd set off for the boat.

Con and Roger and their family had arrived during the afternoon, and after putting the twins to bed and checking someone would be at home to attend to them, they joined the crowd on the lake with pleasure. Stephen found himself suffering from a bad headache due to the fierce sun and elected to stay at home while the rest went for their row. Charles, who was still feeling hard done by, thinking that he had come in for more than his fair share of nasty remarks from Stephen, and was rather tired, stayed as well, and in an attempt at keeping the piece Roddy and Felix elected to stay too, and ran down to the boat to inform Joey to start without them.

"What's wrong with you today anyway?" Charles demanded when they were alone. "In a temper because your girlfriend's gone off for the day and left you?"

"Shut up." Stephen responded.

"Original." his brother remarked. "Can't you think of anything better?"

"She's hardly my girlfriend anyway." Stephen snapped. "You make sure she spends most of her time with you - I've seen her sketchbook and it’s full of pictures of you." He knew this was unjust as he said it, but Charles had responded,

"Maybe if you weren't so insistent on keeping everything quiet she wouldn't be with me so much." Charles responded. "You can hardly expect her to spend time with you when most of the time you pretend she doesn't exist. Maybe if you stood up to Dad and told him that you were going ahead with it whether he likes it or not she might respect you more."

Roddy and Felix arrived back just then and found the two glaring at each other, the things with which they had been intending to occupy themselves lying discarded on the ground.

"Who's this then?" Roddy asked in an attempt to change the subject, picking up a photo of a pretty girl from the ground beside Charles. "New girlfriend?"

"Newish." Charles responded.

"What's she called?" Felix demanded, leaning over to examine the photo.

"Claire." Charles said, calming down slightly.

"Very pretty," Roddy said, replacing the photo.

"She's nothing special." Stephen commented.

"Where did you meet her?" Felix asked.

"I was out one night." Charles said vaguely. "And of course she's pretty. She's even prettier than Adrienne." he added, with a sly look at his older brother. Stephen refused to rise.

"Adrienne is lovely though." Felix observed. "If she wasn't like a sister...I bet she's got hundreds of admirers in Paris." he added, unaware that he was making things worse.

"Oh she has." Charles said, now being deliberately nasty. "She was telling me about some of them. She must miss having so much attention. It's no wonder that she takes any she can find when she's on holiday."

To Felix's amazement, Stephen jumped to his feet and landed a punch on his younger brother, who responded in kind and within seconds the pair were fully occupied. It was Roddy who intervened first, closely followed by Felix.

"Idiots!" that young man exclaimed, gripping Charles' arm firmly. "Do you want Dad after you for upseting Mamma?" Charles muttered something unintelligible, and Roddy took up the tale.

"Chas, go and move your stuff to our room." he said firmly. "Felix can spend the night in yours. No, you stay here!" he added, as Stephen made to follow Charles into the house. "You started it. I know he shouldn't have said it, but you shouldn't have hit him." Stephen opened his mouth to protest, and then thought better of it, subsiding into silence until Charles returned, and, with remarkable timing, Adrienne and Claire came round the end of the house, laden with parcels and looking very tired.

"What's going on?" Adrienne demanded, looking from one to the other.

"Nothing." Roddy said firmly. She looked round the four, noting the swelling eyes the both Stephen and Charles were sporting, in addition to the blood running from Charles' lip and Felix's nose, he having got in the way while trying to separate his brothers..

"I'm too tired to find out tonight anyway," she said. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight, all. Come on, Claire." She managed on the way past to smile briefly at Stephen, which had the effect of clearing a good deal of his bad mood and may even have led him to apologise to his brother, had Roddy not swept him into the house and up the stairs before he had a chance.

#129: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 1:29 pm
—
Oh, for goodness sake! Don't you want to smack Steven?

Thanks Eilidh, so natural. Laughing

#130: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 2:03 pm
—
Charles has definitely changed for the better in the other drabble, Eilidh! I do feel sorry for Steve, though, trying to keep things quiet and so giving himself so much more to be jealous of.

#131: Author: ibarhis, Location: London and Hemel Hempstead

Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 2:07 pm
—
Steven is having a bad time... He is expected to behave like an adult in relation to the younger boys, but is finding it difficult to stand his ground in this. It's easy for Charles to carp; I bet he won't find it easy in his turn.

#132: Author: kimothy, Location: Glasgow

Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 2:18 pm
—
this is great.. i hope it gets sorted out soon though

#133: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 2:19 pm
—
Stephen and Charles were both being pretty immature then! Lads!!

#134: Author: Lizzie, Location: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border

Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 2:36 pm
—
I love this story!

Thanks Eilidh!

#135: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 4:20 pm
—
Thanks Eilidh, I'm not sure how I missed this update earlier!

Kathryn

#136: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 7:48 pm
—
Thanks, Eilidh. I hope that Stephen and Charles will sort things out between them.

#137: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Sat May 27, 2006 8:04 pm
—
I really dislike this young Charles, am so glad that he manages to change over time!
Thanks Eilidh!

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

Posted: Sun May 28, 2006 2:40 am
—
Oh, really - I could smack the pair of them - although I do understand why Steve's finding it hard.

#139: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 11:27 am
—
Still too restless to sleep, and firmly regretting giving in to his temper, Stephen woke in the early hours of the morning, and wondered what had awoken him. Turning over, he was almost asleep again when the breeze blowing in the window strengthened slightly and a strong smell of burning filled the room. Sitting up, he reached down to the floor for the first thing that came to hand, in this case a shoe, and threw it across the room at his brother. Felix sat up as well, looking annoyed.

"What did you do that for?" he demanded, not unreasonably.

"Shh." Stephen retorted. "Can you smell something burning?" Felix obligingly sniffed, wondering why he had to be silent to do so, and nodded.

"Yes."

"We need to go and see what it is." Stephen said. "Come on."

"Go yourself." Felix replied, lying down again.

"Don't be an idiot." Stephen said, climbing out of bed and throwing him some clothes. "It'll be far quicker if we both go, and you're awake anyway. It's probably something outside and we'll need to look." Something stopped Felix from pointing out that he hadn't been awake until Stephen's shoe had hit him, and grumbling and uttering dire threats against Roddy for altering the sleeping arrangements, he pulled on some clothes and followed his brother along the corridor and down the stairs. The smoke smell grew much stronger as they went and it was all Stephen could do to stop himself joining in Felix's continual muttering of,

"Be outside, be outside, be outside." At the bottom of the stairs, Stephen stopped dead, pointing to the kitchen door. Wisps of smoke were curling out from under it. Felix swore.

"Gong." Stephen said, urgently, racing towards the front door, intent on examining the extent of the fire from outside the house. It took a few seconds for Felix to realise what he wanted, but as the cold draught from the front door hit him he began to beat the big gong as hard as he could, the sound reverberating through the sleeping house. Within seconds, people were streaming out of the house and gathering on the lawn, and Joey was frantically trying to make sure they had everyone when Stephen reappeared.

"It's the kitchen." he said. "And the two rooms above look like they might go as well."

"Who's above the kitchen?" Roger demanded of his wife.

"It's the boxrooms." Joey said, answering for her. "Nick has one, and Adrienne the other. Con, give me Evie." Both women were attempting to sooth the screaming twins, but Stephen was already looking frantically around the garden before she got the words out, and, not seeing Adrienne, he bellowed her name at the top of his lungs. Lois, having just noticed that her brother was missing, made a mad dash back towards the house but was stopped by Felix, who held her firmly despite her wriggling and the attempts she was making at biting his hands. Charles had his hands full with Cecily and Anna, who had taken off at the same time as Lois, until Roddy removed Cecily from his grip, leaving Charles both hands to hold on to Anna. In the confusion with the girls, no one noticed the figure re-entering the house until Joey gave an anguished cry, pointing towards the door.

"Steve!"

#140: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 12:08 pm
—
Thanks, Eilidh. I hope that they will be able to rescue Nick and Adrienne.

#141: Author: Lizzie, Location: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 12:53 pm
—
NO! You can't leave it there!

Update! Update!

#142: Author: Sarah_G-G, Location: Sheffield (termtime), ? any other time!

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 1:12 pm
—
What?!! Mean cliffhanger! *waiting on the edge of my seat*

#143: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 1:15 pm
—

Chair wrote:

Thanks, Eilidh. I hope that they will be able to rescue Nick and Adrienne.

I think, as this is set before Eilidh's other drabble, that's it's definitely going to happen. Willbe interesting seeing how, though.

Thanks Eilidh. Laughing

#144: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 2:01 pm
—
Thanks Eilidh, looking forward to the rescue mission.

#145: Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 2:12 pm
—
Oh Eilidh what are you doing to us. Ok I know they'll be fine, cos of the other drabble. *breathe, breathe*

*crosses everything anyway*

#146: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 2:55 pm
—
Oh my goodness! I don't remember any reference to Steve being awfully scarred in the other drabble, so presumably he'll be all right! Thanks, Eilidh.

#147: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 3:12 pm
—
What a place to leave it!!

#148: Author: Mary, Location: Sussex University

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 3:25 pm
—
Steve? But he's lovely. He can't be injured!! Oh no! Please post again- very soon.
M
xx

#149: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 3:26 pm
—
Please come back Eilidh and tell us what happens!

Thank you Very Happy

Kathryn

#150: Author: ibarhis, Location: London and Hemel Hempstead

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 4:03 pm
—
Oh my gosh... what a cliff...

#151: Author: Sandra, Location: Oxfordshire

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 4:40 pm
—
that is a horrible, horrible cliff. Please tell us what happens - will resort to bribery if necessary (would chocolate help? wine? am happy to send virtual cadburys dairy milk and pinot gris)

#152: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 5:36 pm
—
Even though we know they survive, it's still pretty heartstopping.

*wibbles*

#153: Author: kimothy, Location: Glasgow

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 9:47 pm
—
OMG!! talk about a cliff!!! c'mon eilidh... i cant believe ur doing this to us!!! n ok so we vaguely no wat happens but still!!!!

#154: Author: Josie, Location: London

Posted: Mon May 29, 2006 10:33 pm
—
All that catching up and I'm on a cliff! *sulks!* Wink

Thanks Eilidh. Looking forward to the next bit.

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

Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 12:44 am
—
Well, we know it is ok...but I'd like to see how we get there!

Thanks Eilidh!

#156: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 10:37 am
—
How can it be a cliff if you know they're both alright?

Stephen had taken a deep breath before he entered the house and held his breath as he ran quickly along the hallway and up the stairs. He kept his head down, his eyes stinging from the smoke and hurrieed until he caught his foot in something and fell full length along the passage. He was up again in a second, discovering he had twisted his knee in the fall. Ignoring the pain, he took off towards the back of the house again, conscious as he ran of a dull thumping noise. As he turned the corner he saw Nick, throwing his entire weight against Adrienne's bedroom door, and joined him.

Meanwhile, in the garden, Phil and Geoff had taken off at full speed to the nearest hotel to get help, Roger was unrolling the garden hose, Felix was still fighting to hold Lois back, and Roddy was struggling with Cecily. Charles watched his brother disappear into the smoke, still gripping the wriggling Anna tightly.

"Will you stay still, you nuisance?" he demanded, all thoughts of his disagreement with his brother forgotten. "You can't go back in, you pest, you'd be no use at all, stand still! I need to go and help!" Anna stopped dead, shocked by his tone, and he let go of her carefully. "Thank you." he said, relieved, when she made no effort to run away. He looked quickly round at the rest of the family.

"Mamma!" he called over the noise. Joey looked around, tears streaming down her face as she rocked her granddaughter in her arms. Charles ran over to her. "I'm going to help Steve." he said. "He can't bring them both out on his own." Joey made no response and Charles took off across the grass. The hallway was full of smoke and, bent almost double he made his way to the stairs. The heat coming from the kitchen was intense, and to his horror he saw that the door was burning and before long the front half of the house would be ablaze as well. Throwing caution to the wind, he raced up the stairs, fighting his way along the corridor to where Stephen, with Nick's assistance, was attempting to knock down Adrienne's door. The young boy looked in no state to help, and Charles pulled him out the way and, with his brother, applied his own shoulder to the door, which broke open after a few more tries, sending them both into the burning room. Adrienne was still in bed, looking asleep, and Stephen crossed the room in two strides and picked her up.

"Get out!" he instructed hoarsly. Charles nodded and followed him from the room, stopping to pull Nick to his feet and help him down the stairs and out into the garden. He was almost carrying the younger man by the time they were out of the house, and dropped him as soon as he could on the grass. Felix released Lois, who tore across to her brothers side, panic written on her face as Nick sank to his knees, coughing violently and gasping for breath. Charles looked from him to Stephen anxiously, not sure where to go. The decision was made for him as Anna and Cecily landed on the grass beside them. Cecily turned her attention to the hysterical Lois, while Anna tried to help Nick to breathe.

Stephen, meanwhile, had the unconscious Adrienne in his arms and was leaning against a tree, tears streaming down his face. Seeing that his the girls were coping with Nick and Lois as well as he could, Charles made his way over to them.

"You have to calm down." he said, taking Adrienne's wrist in his hand. "You're not helping your breathing by getting upset. She's alive, Steve, you saved her." The ambulance from the san pulled up, and Charles pushed his brother towards it. "I'm going to get Nick." he explained. He helped Nick to his feet again, and between them he and Lois, who had calmed down considerably, got him into the ambulance.

"Can I come?" she asked pleadingly.

"There's no room." Charles replied. "You have to tell your mother what's happened. We'll look after him, I promise." There was no time for any more as a paramedic pushed Lois gently out of the way and closed the door, while another made Charles sit down beside his brother. Stephen's eyes were still glued to Adrienne's white face and he was clutching the hand that lay on top of the blanket. Charles put a hand on his shoulder in comfort, and the journey to the san passed in silence.

Adrienne was wheeled away when they arrived at the san, while a young nurse led Nick off and Charles found himself with Stephen, who seemed inclined to stand motionless in the middle of the carpark.

"Come on." he muttered, propeling his brother after Nick and the nurse. She showed them to a side room and Charles, fighting exhaustion, made his brother get into bed before collapsing on his own, his eyes stinging and his breathing hoarse from the smoke. An older nurse arrived to dress their burns next, doing Stephen first, and by the time she reached Charles he was almost asleep. He struggled to stay awake and answer her questions, but was aware that she gradually stopped questioning him and he didn't hear her leave.

#157: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 10:51 am
—
Charles seemed to've been shocked into being a bit more comfort there.

#158: Author: Ruth B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 11:08 am
—
Oh my! Glad I missed that cliff!

Is this the source of Nick's later health problems or does he already have those?

#159: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 11:58 am
—
Phew.

Thank you Eilidh.

#160: Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire

Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 12:04 pm
—
Oh wonderful a double update of Eilidhness Very Happy

Charles is my hero Wink

#161: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 12:40 pm
—
Oh gosh, how did I miss that cliff?

Thanks Eilidh - hope Nick and Adrienne are going to be OK, even though I know they are, if that makes sense...

#162: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 12:57 pm
—
Thanks Eilidh, glad that Charles was such help there - hopefully it will help mend the rift between him and Steve.

#163: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 3:46 pm
—
Yes, that was more like the Charles we know and love from the other drabble! Thanks, Eilidh.

#164: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 4:11 pm
—

Eilidh wrote:

How can it be a cliff if you know they're both alright?

Because you're a very good writer Eilidh! Very Happy

Thank you for the update Very Happy

Kathryn

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

Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 7:29 pm
—
Eilidh you are amazing.

And we want to know that they'll all be okay and not seriously hurt of anything!

#166: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 12:34 am
—
Thanks, Eilidh. I knew really that they would both be ok, but I got so caught up in the suspense of the drabble.

#167: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 8:44 am
—
Thank you for your comments everybody

Charles awoke first the next morning, and took a few minutes to remember where he was before getting out of bed. He knew, for they had been told, that they didn't have to stay in their room that morning, the doctors judging that they would be ok, so he dragged on the clothes he had been wearing the previous night, making a face at the smell of smoke, and examined himself in the small mirror in the bathroom.

"Not a pretty sight, Chas." he said ruefully, relieved to find that his voice was almost back to normal. His eyes were red-rimmed, and one of them was swollen and rapidly turning an interesting blue-black colour. His lip was split, and there were smudges of smoke on his face, which was pale where it wasn't dirty. A brisk wash cured the last, but he still looked unlike himself. Giving it up as a bad job, he set out down the corridor until he found a nurse.

"Where's my sister?" he asked, thankful that his German would stretch that far. She gave him directions and he made his way through the corridors, until he found Adrienne on her own in a room. She looked tiny in the bed, the mask on her face covering most of it. "Will she be ok?" he asked the nurse, who had come up behind him.

"She will recover." she told him in her own language. "She should wake today. Your family will be here soon, yes?" Charles nodded, confident that at least someone would make the long journey up the mountain to them, and headed back to his own room. He found Stephen awake, and, seeing that he still looked unhappy, made an effort at acting normal.

"Morning, Steve." he said cheerfully, entering the room. "I've seen Adrienne, they said she's going to be fine. What a mess you look, even worse than me." Stephen scowled at him, and Charles immediately changed tack.

"Seriously Steve, she's going to be fine. You got her out. You saved her."

"You followed me in." Stephen said, his voice still hoarse. "Why?" Charles looked at him in confusion. That was the last thing he had expected.

"Because you would have done the same for me." he replied. "Because you're my big brother and I always follow you. That's what little brothers do. We're renowned for it. And because I knew you'd never get them both out on your own. I thought you'd need me." he fetched a glass of water and handed it to his brother, who sipped it gratefully.

"You didn't have to do it." he said.

"I know that," Charles replied uncomfortably. "I wanted to do it. Did you think I was going to stay outside and let you burn to death?"

"Thanks." Stephen said softly, and then changed the subject slightly. "Nick was trying to break in before I got there." he said, "He was nearly collapsing from the smoke, and still trying."

"He's all right." Charles agreed. "And I rather think he's keen on our baby sister."

"He can have them all if he wants after his display last night." Stephen said with a smile.

There was a disturbance outside and Joey appeared with Jesanne and Lois. A doctor had a lengthy discussion with them, and then Joey stuck her head around the door.

"Come on, you two." she said cheerfully. "Felix has brought you some clean clothes." They found him in the corridor, holding a large bundle which he handed over.

"At least someone can't comment on how we look." Charles observed with a grin. Felix had scratches on his face and arms, all of which were an angry red colour.

"She's a wildcat." he said, seeing them looking. "I pity the man who ends up with her, I'll tell you that for nothing. She's going to be a nightmare!" They changed into the clean clothes in an empty ward, and just as they were about to leave, Stephen spoke.

"Chas?"

"What?" Charles asked.

"Thanks for coming to help me last night. And I'm sorry for...well..."

"It's fine." Charles said. "I've been a pig. I'm sorry too. Let's go and find your future wife."

"Not yet." Stephen said, turning bright red as he led the way out of the room.

#168: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 8:52 am
—
Glad Charles and Steve are getting on better - & love Felix's comments about Lois Wink

#169: Author: ibarhis, Location: London and Hemel Hempstead

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 9:13 am
—
The conversation between Charles and Steve felt very real and now we know (part of) why Felix and Lois fell out.

#170: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 10:27 am
—
Lovely reconciliation between Charles and Stephen! Thank you Eilidh

#171: Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 10:35 am
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*sigh* Breakfast drabbling is so nice Cool

Glad that Steve and Charles made it up between them. Fingers crossed for Adrienne that she won't have any facial scars or anything (is that what the big mask is for?). Lovely bit in there from Felix, ahoy young man *you* may yet end up with her!

Thank you Eilidh.

#172: Author: Elisabeth,

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 10:43 am
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Ah! Sweet! I'm actually loving Charles in this - especially the brotherliness between him and Steve.

#173: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 11:33 am
—
Glad that everyone is safe and sound, but what state is Con and Roger's house in?

#174: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 12:47 pm
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Thanks, Eilidh. I'm glad that Stephen and Charles are getting on better with each other.

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

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 2:47 pm
—
Really nice conversation between Steve and Charles there. And Laughing

at Felix!

Thanks Eilidh

#176: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 3:05 pm
—
Yes, I'm wondering about Adrienne and the mask on her face. I hope she's ok. Thanks, Eilidh.

#177: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 4:01 pm
—
This is getting near the end now - only two posts to go after this one (I think)

Joey was in Adrienne's room when they found her, and Adrienne's eyelashes were fluttering. What Charles had taken for a mask earlier was a large dressing, covering most of the side of Adrienne's face, and he wondered how bad the burn was. Joey noticed immediately that not only did both of them look happier, when they came in they stood together, instead of heading to opposite sides of the room as they had for the past few years. Gently, Charles pushed Stephen towards the bed, and Joey, who had become reconciled to a lot of things the night before, moved to the side to let him in. He took Adrienne's hand and waited until her eyes opened. She glanced around her in wonderment, and Stephen spoke.

"Shh, darling. It's alright. I'm here. You're in the San. How do you feel?" Adrienne squeezed his hand.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice soft.

"The kitchen caught fire." Stephen told her gently. "You were asleep - you breathed in a lot of smoke. Do you feel ok?" She nodded slowly.

"I think so. Except my face - it hurts."

"It got burned." Stephen explained. She nodded.

"How did I get out? My room was locked." Joey sat on the other side of the bed.

"Steve and Chas went back in and kicked your door down." she said, with a hint of a smile. "Steve brought you out." Adrienne smiled up at him.

"Thank you." she said softly. "Both of you." she added, reaching out her other hand for Charles. "I take it things are...better?" she asked, looking from one to the other.

"Things are good." Charles told her. Stephen realised suddenly that there were tears in his eyes, and running down his face and landing on the sheet. He picked Adrienne up and pulled her towards him, holding her tightly, and burying his face in her hair. Charles squeezed his shoulder briefly, and then managed to remove Joey from the room, leaving them alone.

"What is it?" Adrienne asked, shocked.

"I thought I'd lost you." Stephen managed, through his sobs. "You were so still and you wouldn't wake up. I thought I'd lost you, and I hadn't even asked you yet."

"Asked me what?" Adrienne asked, using the sheet to dry his face. Stephen made an effort and calmed down.

"To marry me." he said, nervously. "Will you?"

"Of course I will." she said. "I love you - and I'd love to marry you." Stephen hugged her tightly, and held her until they were interrupted by the re-entry of Joey, along with a doctor, and Stephen was evicted while Adrienne dressed.

"Are congratulations in order then?" Charles asked. Stephen felt his face going red again, but nodded. Charles shook his hand enthusiastically. "I was right, wasn't I?" he asked. "Things are good?" Stephen nodded.

"Things are good." he confirmed, as the door opened.

"You may go, Mademoiselle Desmoindes." the doctor announced. "As soon as we can get you a chair."

"I don't need one." Adrienne said, holding out her arms towards Stephen. "Did you borrow Roger's car, Auntie Joey?" Joey nodded, and Stephen, realising what was required, picked her up."I can walk perfectly well." she informed them in rapid French. "But that doctor doesn't seem to believe it."

"Lets just go." Charles laughed, leading the way down the corridor. Joey hung back.

"Am I right in assuming that you're going to be Adrienne Maynard before long, dear?" she asked.

"She is." Stephen answered for her. "Whether Dad likes it or not." he added, with a memory of Charles' words the night before.

#178: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 4:02 pm
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Glad Joey's pleased. Any chance of Jack stopping being such a prat before the wedding?

Thanks Eilidh Very Happy

#179: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 4:16 pm
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How wonderful Very Happy

I mis-read kitchen caught fire as kitten! Shocked

#180: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 4:58 pm
—
Thanks, Eilidh. I am sorry this drabble will be finishing so soon. I'm really glad that Stephen has asked Adrienne to marry him.

#181: Author: Lizzie, Location: A little village on the Essex/Suffolk border

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 5:07 pm
—
Lovely! So lovely!

Thanks Eilidh!

#182: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 5:07 pm
—
But in the other drabble it sounds as if Jack doesn't accept things before the wedding. Wasn't he horrible even after the birth of their first child? Thanks, Eilidh, but are you sure this is almost finished? I'm sure there's lots of stuff you could add to it!!

#183: Author: Rosy-Jess, Location: Gloucestershire-London-Aberystwyth

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 6:26 pm
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Ooh, I do like this drabble. Am looking forward to more!

#184: Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 7:27 pm
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*swoon* What a lovely proposal Very Happy

Hurrah! For now we shall have a wedding! Right? Right? *g*

Thanks Eilidh.

#185: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 7:28 pm
—
Lovely. Wonder why Jack's objecting? Has he actually tried to articulate it? He seems to have a problem with any of his children growing up - and a major problem with his sons.

Thanks Eilldh.

#186: Author: Caty, Location: New Zealand

Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 10:19 pm
—

Eilidh wrote:

Charles squeezed his shoulder briefly, and then managed to remove Joey from the room

Probably took more effort than rescuing the others from the fire.

#187: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 12:15 am
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Thank you Eilidh, I feel all warm and fuzzy now Very Happy

Kathryn

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

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 1:52 am
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Thank you Eilidh, it's lovely to see them reaching an understanding.

#189: Author: Eilidh, Location: Macclesfield

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 9:31 am
—
Penultimate Post

"Isn't Nick coming?" Charles asked as they got into the car, Felix sliding into the drivers seat.

"Not yet." Joey replied. "He's inhaled too much smoke - they think he might have damaged his lungs. They're keeping him in for tests." The others looked at each other.

"He'll be ok." Charles said, trying to sound convinced. "He will."

When they arrived back at Die Blumen, Adrienne insisted on getting our of the car herself and walking to the door, accompanied by Joey.

"What's the damage?" Stephen asked.

"Kitchen's gone." Felix said. "And the rooms above will need some work as well. It's still liveable though. We're eating at the Kron Prinz Karl - and Roger's gone to Innsbruck to see about getting someone to come and look at it.

"What happened?" Charles asked. Felix shrugged.

"They don't know." he replied. "Wiring, maybe? The stove not raked out properly? I don't think they'll find out. Coming inside?" Stephen nodded, but Charles hung back.

"I'll go and see Cecily." he volunteered. "She'll want to know whats happening." He headed down to the side of the lake, where Cecily and Anna were sitting together, but as he approached, Cecily got up and left.

"Where's she gone?" Charles demanded, sitting down beside Anna.

"She wants to be on her own for a while." she replied. "She's upset. How's Nick?"

"Not great." Charles said honestly. "They're keeping him in again tonight - he seems to have got the worst of the smoke." Anna pulled her knees up and rested her chin on them.

"He'll be ok?" she asked. Charles took a deep breath.

"He should be." he replied. "As long as there's not too much damage to his lungs - they'll heal over time. He'll need to avoid catching anything that might make them worse though."

"I see." she replied, lasping into a thoughtful silence. Charles stayed where he was for a few minutes until he began to feel slightly uncomfortable.

"You'll tell Cecily?" he said eventually. Anna nodded. Unsure of what to do next, Charles got up and went back to the house.

"It's been some holiday." Stephen said when he found him.

"You can say that again." Charles agreed. "Have you seen Dad yet?"

"He's on his way back." Stephen replied. "I suppose you think I should just tell him?"

"Instead of...?" Charles prompted.

"I don't know." Stephen admitted. "I don't know how to do this, Chas. Two months ago I didn't even think Adrienne was interested in me, and now I'm marrying her! And I think you do things too fast!"

"You have a point." Charles said. "I think you should just tell them. After all, they're not Adrienne's guardians. Auntie Rob is. What does she think? I know you wrote to her, I saw the envelope when I took it to the post."

"She said she was delighted." Stephen admitted.

"Well, there you go then." Charles said. "Who cares what Dad thinks? Just tell him. He can't stop you anyway! When does she want to get married?"

"Next Christmas." Stephen said. "She wants to finish her art course first, and I have to get a job. And then Adrienne decided she wanted to get married in the snow. Mamma agrees - they're upstairs with Con discussing arrangements already. Mamma's in her element."

"She would be." Charles grinned. "To be honest, I don't know how you can do it. I'm never going to marry."

"That's what you say." Stephen replied absently.

#190: Author: kimothy, Location: Glasgow

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 9:45 am
—
wow! this is amazing!! loved charles saying he would never get married... but poor nick!!

#191: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 9:56 am
—
Well done Robin, but what a shame Jack can't be happy for his son.

#192: Author: Rosy-Jess, Location: Gloucestershire-London-Aberystwyth

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:05 am
—
Poor Nick. Hope it all picks up soon. And bless Steve. So sweet.

#193: Author: Róisín, Location: Galway, Eire

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 10:17 am
—
OK I'm dithering between:
wibbling about Nick's lungs and that there isn't any permanent damage
and
SQUEEness about a marriage in the *snow* - oh how romantic and pretty. *sigh* Also, did I imagine the chemistry between Anna and Charles there? Wink

Thank you Eilidh.

#194: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:12 am
—
I'm so glad that Joey has come round, hopefully Jack will to!

#195: Author: Josie, Location: London

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 12:39 pm
—

Mia wrote:

I mis-read kitchen caught fire as kitten! Shocked

Ouch!

thanks Eilidh. Fab as ever.

#196: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 2:35 pm
—
Poor Steve, having to face Jack. He's not going to be at all easy to talk to, is he. Thanks, Eilidh.

#197: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 3:27 pm
—
Yay for a wedding! Love Charles' comment too Very Happy

Thanks Eilidh!

Kathryn

#198: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:19 pm
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Think Jack is being a complete pillock!

Lovely time for a wedding.

Thanks Eilidh.

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

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:45 pm
—
Awwww squeee for a wedding!

Worried about Nick's lungs though...

Thanks Eilidh

#200: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:49 pm