Len, Con and Margot stood quivering outside the dooor of thier fathers study,
'Come in girls.' he called finally.
The three 12 year olds marched into the study, the eldest two weaping - they were not accustomed to seeing their father angry, unlike Margot who had felt her fathers wrath more frequently. 
'Sit down. Don't speak untill i speak to you. I have heard fromm your head mistress the reasons for your temporary expulsion but now i wish to know how you managed to get into such trouble. Then i may be able to make a case for you.' he said simply. The Maynard parents prided themselves on fairness and on the behaviour of their off spring, the latest development had rendered Joey incapable of normal life and she had been sent to the san to recouperate.
'Well - i'm waiting - Margot, since you seem to be the only one with a measure of self control - tell me, what happened.'
'Papa - this new girl, Yseult, she is 16, nearly 17 and really too old for our form. She started bossing us younger ones around and trying to lead the others to do bad things. She wanted us to start a campaign against the staff and the pree's. Well, we three, we like the staff, especially Ferry, i mean - miss Ferras and we like the prees - so we didn't want a campiagn. I suppose we went the wrong way about stopping it...' Margot trailed off, she couldn't 'tell' on her sister but she wouldn't lie. Luckily the guilty part jumped in,
'It was my idea Papa - i said that we should send her notes - with cut out letters, like the ones in Mamma's detectve novels...'
'You've been reading your mothers books? I take it without permission?' Jack gasped, Len squirmed, her body language admitting her to another crime,
'I see - go on.' Jack continued, grimer than ever. 
'So we sent her the notes, she got upset and now-well she's ran away.'
'Con, do you have anything to say?' 
'Yes Sir - i wrote the notes, Margot said i had 'a way with words' so i did. Margot only posted them coz her locker was next to Yseults.'

The three were silent for a few moments, broken by Len "What are we going to do?" she wailed "Mamma's really ill and it's all our fault"

"And what will we do if we aren't allowed back to school?" added Con "We'll be sent back to England!"

Margot suddenly sat up, her eyes flashing an face as red as her curls.

"Well I think Dad is a [/i]mean[i]" she said "We were only trying to stop that horrible Yseult being mean to the prees. Yseult is just a...a....a....[/i]pig[i]"

Her sisters looked shocked. Margot had always struggled with her "Devil" as she called her temper.

Con tried to smooth down Margot's ruffled feathers, but with her usual lack of tact succeeded in making matters worse, resulting in the youngest triplet storming out of the bedroom. A door slammed downstairs told them that she had marched straight out of the front door of Freudesheim.

Len turned to Con in dismay "Oh it's a thousand times worse now - we aren't supposed to go out without permission"
 

Len sat firmly on her bed, put her head in her hands and wept - all she wanted to do is make her parents proud of her, to fulfill their expectations of her. In this attempt however she had annoyed her closest friends (con and Margot) and mayed her mother very ill indeed. 

Con found that Margot had gone only so far as the front steps where her anger had left her and she had dropped to the floor and cried as bilterly as her eldest sister.
'Hi Margot, come inside, we don't want to get into trouble.' Con said gently.
'Where's Len?' Margot asked.
'In our room, she didn't want to break anymore rules.' Con replied truthfully, Margot nodded, that was the sister she knew. 

The pair returned to their bedroom where Len lay face down on her bed, crying. 

I hope there's going to be a lot more of this, Marianne.

There father walked into their bedroom, the first thing the next morning,
'Right girls. Come to the study immediatley after you have eaten.' was all he said, he looked very stern and almost in tears which frightened the twelve year olds.

'Did you see his face? We are expelled i know we are!' exclaimed Margot, the slight tendancy towards selfishness comeing out.
'It's Mamma, she's worse - i will never, ever forgive myself!' Len replied, in character. 

Breafast was eaten quickly since the three couldn't bring themselves to eat too much,
'Come on, we have to go, pay for our consequences.'
The three followed Con, who's character was emerging as a strong one, they knocked ad were admitted to  the study.
'Sit down.' he ordered with a slight catch in his stern voice. They obeyed.
'Firstly, your mother is very ill, last night they had to ressusitate her because her heart stopped beating, it is possible to die of a broken heart you know girls and what you did broke her heart.' he said frankly, his own emotions not allowing him to be gentle with his eldest children. 'Naturally you have to be punished - while Miss Annersley has offered to take you back to the Chalet school, i have deemed it appropriate that you do not go back, or not all of you at least. I have always tried to trust you and let you be together but trust has to  be earned. Margot you shall return to the Chalet school, you will be in Upper Third which is the correct form for your age. Constance you shall also return to the Chalet school, except you and Margot will not be in the same class, you shall be placed in Lower third. I know the average age is younger than you but you seem in greater need than Margot of reform. Finally Helena (she didn't even flinch at the use of her real name) you shall not return to the Chalet school, it seems that you are a bad influence over your sisters, you have used your talents as a leader in an evil way thus you are going to the convent in Canada where Robin is now, she shall be your gaurdian although you may come home in the summer months. That is all, you may go now.' he said.

All the anger that Margot and Con felt towards Len melted away and they already felt the pain of their impending separation. 
'Oh Len - i'm so sorry, so so very sorry!' Margot cried, tears already rolling down her cheeks.
'Me too Len,' Con whispered, the shock too much for her to cry.
'It's ok - i - want to be alone now.' Len murmered, she walked out into the hall and through the front door where she picked up her pace so that she was running.
 
 

(i'm just making this up off the top of my head so...)

Len sat for sometime and began to feel cold for the winter was fast approaching, she couldn't bring herself to go home and besides she didn't know exactly where she was so by and by she drifted off into an uneasy sleep. 

Meanwhile Margot and Con were frantically calling her althought they had not left the boundries of their land,
'I wish Mamma was here.' Con said finally after realising their calls were in vain, 'We shall have to get Papa...he will be so angry.'
'Mamma would make things right,' agreed Margot sadly.
'Shall we go and tell Papa what has happend?' Con asked.
'Uh-huh, ok.' Margot replied unenthusiastically.

The pair once again found themselves outside their fathers study,
'Come.' he said curiously once they had knocked. 
'Papa, its Len...' Margot bgan bravely.
'Margot, i will not have you pleading your sisters case, i know that she was upset but she has to face the consequences of her actions, as do you. Please go and do not speak of this to me again.' he said in a raised voice.
'NO papa, i'm not pleading her case - she's gone! She ran off and she dosn't have even a blazer with her!' exclaimed Margot amazed at her fathers lack of intuition that she had experience from her mother.
'Gone where?' he asked calmly.
'We dont know Papa. She ran off when she heard what her punishment was to be!' Con joined in.
'I see. In that case i suppose we had better find her, but mark my words, this means trouble.' he said grimly. He had come to expect undying obdience from all of his children. 
'Thankyou Papa, lets go and wrap up, Con!' Margot said breathing an enourmous sigh of releif. 

I may have to kill both Joey and Len. 
I may kill just one and give Jack a nervous breakdown!
I might be really cruel and kill somebody else off.
I might just kill them all! 
I suppose i could save them all and give it a jolly ending!

(what would you most like?)

Well there's always the scenario of the Gornetz Platz being hit by a meteor! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

'Yes i suppose you two ought to come. You might find one of her vests and i will get the dog.' Jack said, for although he was angry he was naturally very anxious about his eldest daughter.

'Thankyou Papa, come on Margot!' Con said, finding her voice.

'Good girls...hang on, let me get the phone i'll put them off.' Jack said, now caught up in the moment.

Ten minutes or so past and the girls were ready and waiting to search for their sister, Jack returned.
'I'm sorry girls, your mother has taken a turn for the worse, Uncle Jem dosn't think she'll last.' he choked, not realising the burden he had unloaded onto his two girls.
'But len Papa.' sobbed Con, 'We have to find Len before we go to Mamma.'

They walked and called for half an hour following Bruno who had a strong sent of one of his mistresses, eventually they saw a small heap on the ground which looked suspiciously like Len.

'Len! Len, wake up! We've found you! We have to go to Mamma coz she's really ill!' called Margot, obviously delighted they had found her eldest sister. 

'Margot - ' Len began but stopped when she saw the strange behaviour of Bruno the dog. He was stood in front of the other two triplets growling angrily and seemingly attempting to push them back. Sudenly the sleepy Len saw the reason,

'Margot! Look out! The tree!' she cried for a large branch of a tree was cracking and coming loose,

'W-what? Get off, bruno!' she shouted irritatedly.

'The tree - ' Len cried again, bounding over to Margot and shoving her bodily out of the way but triping over her untied shoe lace and falling. The branch fell...to Con and Margot it was in slow motion but to Len it was alll too quick, she had no chance to get out of the way, she couln't see it fall for she was lying face down but it landed hard on her lower back. 

(ANYONE REALLY FEEL FREE TO BUTT IN!!!)

Hoping that this drops a big hint.

The too little girls heaved but it was no use, the branch was a big heavy thing from an old pine tree;

'I know!' said Margot with a stroke of Genius, 'Tie a note to Bruno and he'll take it to Papa!' 

'Um - i have no paper.' squiremed Con.

'What kind of Author and Guide are you Constance Maynard!?' asked Margot for she to had left the house without thinking of the need for paper.

'Oh, you two - i have paper, if you can get your hand to my pocket...' gasped Len for the pain was great.

'thank God someone is prepared.' Margot whispered, she didn't like the paleness of her sisters face. 

Margot got down on all fours and reached into the depths of her sisters dress, 'Got it! - and a pen - quick Con, your the neatest, tell Papa to follow Bruno, he'll know what to do!' exclaimed Margot - she had great faith in their marvellous saint Bernard. 

Con did  as she was bade and sent the Dog off to find their Papa. 

Meanwhile at the San Jack was sitting by the bedside of his sick wife, she was sleeping restlessly but eventually her eyelids rose to reveal bright feverish eyes;

'My babies...' she uttered.
'Here Joey - Cecil is over their with the nurse and Felix and Felicity and the boiys are on their way.' said jack soothingly, the reality having struck him - he had no idea where the triplets were.
'Len - Con - Margot, where are they Jack.' Joey asked, more lucidly than before.
'They are coming Joey.' was all he could say - the truth would surley kill her and while there was breath in her, body there was hope. 

The intelligent Canine knew what he had to do, he understodd, 'fetch Jack' and bounded off with the note under his collar (how can you be taking this seriously?). Soon he reached the San and Nurse Fobbs found the note, read it and ran off to fetch her boss - Dr Maynard.

'Dr...Sorry to disturb you but your dog has come in here with this note - you need to read it!' sghe exclaimed paying no heed to Joey.

'What? give it to me!'

Jack read the note which just told him to follow bruno - fast.

'What is it Jack - is it my girls?' Joey uttered, not opening her eyes but sensing something was wrong.

'Yes darling, i am going to get them...Hang on my darling...' he finsished before rushing from the room.

'Nurse Fobbs, get Jem, we might need an abulance, tell him two minutes. I'll be next to the abulance.' Ordered Jack.

Jem came and the two sped off in the ambulance, Bruno leading the way (i know that dosn't make sense!) 'Look! I can see them! Oh my God, look at Len, Len!Jem, my baby!' excalimed Jack already cursing himself. 

'Don't fret Jack, she's still alive - we'll get her out and back to the san.' Jam replied much more clamly than he felt. 

The pair of strong doctors lept out of the ambulance and moved over to where Len was lying, face down, pale and shivery. 
'Hallo Len - Papa's here now - can you feel your lags Len?' he asked.

'Sort of Papa but i do feel awfully queer.' 

'I know darling, but you've done shock in guides havn't you? Thats probably what you have.' said Jack.

'oh.'

Jack knew what that meant, the likley hood was that Len would bleed to death once the branch was lifted off her - but they had to try. With one man at each end and the opther two triplets holding her hands they removed the Branch from Len's back, she let out a cry of pain and fell unconcious. They lifeted her onto the stretcher and itno the ambulance. 
 

It definitely wasn't meant as a pun!
And I beg your pardon for taking your comment as a flippant one! I believe it was Esmeralda's snigger that did it!

'Hello girls, are you here to see your Mamma?' asked nurse Green, who knew the Maynards by sight.

'We came with Len - Papa's gone with her. Is Mamma alright?' Margot garbbled, she hardly dared to beleive what was happening to her.

'Oh - goodness, was that your triplet? I wondered when i saw Dr Maynard crying. Don't worry, i'm sure she'll be alright, come and say hi to your Mamma.' she said, not understanding what the missing triplet meant for Joey.

Margot and Con dared not argue with the brisk nurse and they were lead into a pretty yellow side room where Joey Maynard lay sleeping alone.

'Mamma,' whispered Con, alarmed by her mothers ill appearance. 

'Girlies, is that my girlies - Len - Len are you alright?' she stammered, not fully concious. 

'Len isn't here, she's a bit poorly, Papa's with her.' Maegot said truthfully.

*Pleads temporary insanity due to too much CBB, if one can have too much of such a good thing, and not nearly enoogh sleep.

'Get Papa Con, we need Len!' oreder Margot, offering a prayer to her gaurdian angel at the same tie wishing she had the wisdom of her eldest sister. 

Con ran down the corridor where she had seen the doctors take Len,
'Papa! Uncle Jem! Somebody! Come to Mamma!' she cried over and over.
'Darling! I'm here honey, Lens alrigh i was just coming to find you.' said Jack, tears in his eyes.
'She is?' gulped Con.
'She lives-it will be some time before we can say she is well however.' said Jack, not willing to tell the highly strung Con what the injury may have meant for Len.
'You have to come to Mamma, she is asking for Len, she's almost mad with crying!' exclaimed Con.
'Come on.' said Jack, his face had gone slighly pale and it felt like an age until they found the pretty side room where his wife lay. 
'Margot.' he gasped as he saw the dishevelled child sitting in the corner sobbing almost frantically.
'This is your fault Papa! Mamma is dead, you weren't here and its all your fault!' shouted Margot. Jacks eyes were drawn from Margot to his wife where she lay grey and still - all life having left her body. At that jack let out an almighty cry and sank to the ground, his face in his hands - leaving Con alone standing. 

*Searches for communal tissue box.

By and by Jacks tears subsided and full gravity of the situation hit him, his wife was dead, his strength, his rock, his child was paralysed from the waist down and would probably be  in a wheel chair for ever more. His third daughter was bitter and blamed him for what had happened and in his heart he knew that she was right and young Con was in shock, she stoiod staring unblinkingly at her mothers body, no tears had  rolled down her cheaks, a sob hadn't escaped her body. 

'Darlings, let us leave this place, let us go to Len for she needs us. Mamma is with the little christ child now.' he said finally.

'There is no Christ Child but i shall come to Len.' Margot said coldly, Con simply follwed her without uttering a word. 

(PS More please)

Echoes Lesley's plea for more.

Can't believe it happened. Not like that, with none of us there.

*feeling bereft*

Jack and his three eldest daughters wept together but they didn't feel united in their greif, Jack was beginning to feel an overwheling sense of guilt, as was Len. Margot felt angry while Con just felt numb with shock.
 

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