The whole family had congregated outside, and Nicola was amazed as she watched the skill shown by Dr and Mrs Maynard as they swept a wide arc over the slope behind the school. She herself had skied just enough this last term to be able to stay upright, and was thankful for Felicity’s help as she showed her how to turn. It seemed only a short time before Jack was waving his arm and the family made their way to the back door of Freudesheim where they changed into boots before making their way across to the school chapel where the priest was waiting to say a Christmas Day Mass for those who lived at this end of the Platz. 

Mass over they went back to Freudesheim accompanied by Miss Annersley and Miss Wilson, and found a hearty breakfast awaiting them. They divested themselves of their wraps and set to work with hearty appetites and soon the table was cleared. The younger children helped with the pots, and the older one’s did the beds and soon everyone was gathered in the salon where the piles of presents that Nicola had seen the night before were awaiting the children underneath the tree. They left these for the time being and went to the piano where they sang not only the traditional carols, but also other songs, the 12 days of Christmas, Rudolph and others. Joey possessed a choristers golden voice, but refused to sing solo, but most of the others performed solo or in groups. Len played her violin whilst Cecil sang words Con had written to a Bach air, and Mike surprised everyone by racing to the kitchen from whence her returned with a pair of sthingys with which he accompanied himself. The younger children found their eyes being drawn to the pile of presents, but Joey was adamant that they were not to be opened until after dinner. When the crowd had enough of the music, she produced some paper and suggested paper games until dinnertime. This was greeted with groans, but all joined in and much hilarity ensued.

Dinner was served at noon, the family eating early so that Anna could have some time free afterwards to enjoy the day herself. They meal had all the traditional ingredients of Christmas dinner, turkey, sausages, stuffing, bread sauce, roast potatoes and a multitude of vegetables. The table was full and some of the dishes had to be moved to the dresser at the side of the room. They started with crackers, and Nicola starred in amazement at the stately head of school wearing a blue and silver paper hat. She caught Nicola’s wide-eyed look and laughed, “I can unbend occasionally you know, although I must admit to being glad you haven’t got a camera.” 
Nicola blushed and shook her head at the thought of herself taking a photo of the head wearing a silly hat, but Joey overhearing merely opened a drawer and produced hers, complete with flash and snapped Hilda before saying, “Nicola might not have a camera handy, but I do.” 
“Was that camera handy on purpose?” queried Hilda, fixing Joey with a steely stare.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” was all Joey would reply, before Jack cleared his throat and they hushed for grace.
 

The afternoon was spent in unwrapping and exclaiming over each other’s presents. To her surprise Nicola found that she had more to unwrap that she had noticed the previous evening. It touched her to realise that someone must have been up very early to add to the heaps. Jack and Joey had brought her a present, and Felicity had given her some chocolate. Even Anna had found time in the last week to knit her a pair of the gloves she had knitted for the Maynard children every Christmas since they were babies. Finally there was a box that had arrived from her mother unbeknownst to her, and it contained some of her favourite storybooks, along with a new winter coat and a new paint box and block. Tears sprang to her eyes as she realised that her mother must have scoured through her letters to discover the things she most wanted and needed. This was when most presents had been unwrapped, and Joey sensitive to the girls needs placed a hand on her shoulder and said quietly, “There is an hour or so before tea, it will be late today, why don’t you go and have a lie down?”
Nicola nodded, “That’s very kind Mrs Maynard, thank-you.”

She lay down on the bed, listening to the sounds of gaiety coming from below, and re-read her mothers letter. The tears that had been threatening all day began to flow, and worried less anyone come and disturb her she shoved the letter into her pocket and fled.

*Hopes Rachel posts before 10.00am otherwise I won't see this till about this time tomorrow.

Suddenly, Nicola spotted a trunk that caught her eye mainly because its lid was partially open. She moved with impetuously towards it, ripping the corner of her skirt as she did so, and flung the lid back fully, gasping in surprise as she looked at the contents. It was full to the brim with photographs, many of which were obviously years old. Further examination revealed that the pictures were the full Maynard-Bettany-Russell clan throughout the years, and Nicola gave a little shiver of anticipation.

This was the missing piece to the puzzle she felt sure. This was what had been missing from Joey’s study the night before. Obviously, there were photographs in Joey’s study, even some within the drawers, but not one from further back than five years ago. Now as Nicola looked hungrily at the pictures, she realised that the layers of photographs were actually arranged chronologically, the dates and names being inscribed on the back of each picture telling her when, where and who the picture contained.

Reaching deep into the trunk, Nicola pulled out pictures, hoping she would have hit on the layer she was interested in. Rapidly scanning each picture, and hastily discarding a set of “interesting” pictures that Joey and Jack had never intended the rest of the family to see, Nicola pulled on towards her with trembling fingers. Reading the back, Nicola saw that she had found what she was looking for, a picture of Bride Bettany , surrounded by her fellow prefects, taken a little while before the school made it’s last big move out to Switzerland.

Nicola sat down and held the picture firmly. At last the pieces of this puzzle were coming together, and she was beginning to find out what she needed. She clutched the picture tightly to her, and then pulled out her mother’s letter again, reading the end lines over and over: “I love you darling, don’t ever doubt or forget that. Your loving Mother.”

Nicola loved her mother so much it actually was causing her pain now, but she equally had a small part of her that could hate her mother, and looking at the photograph, at the smiling faced innocence shining out, she began to weep bitterly once more. Looking into the face she adored, she wondered over and over how her mother had allowed this to happen, how that innocence had been changed so swiftly, how she had coped with the life she had chosen. The shining eyed, smiling girl in the photograph had no answers, and Nicola, after reading those last lines of her letter once more, curled herself into a ball and sobbed herself to sleep on the dusty floor. 
 

... wonderful Rachel, thank you - I just hope my family will let me get to the computer today to read the next installments! 

*Departs for computer free zone.

Thank you so much both of you a wonderful tale!

It had grown dark before Joey had sent Felicity to find their guest. Felicity had looked into the bedroom and seeing the bed in disarray had presumed that Nicola had just woken up. However after waiting a little while she went to the bathroom down the corridor and found it empty. Slightly confused she went down to the kitchen, but Nicola was not there, so Felicity mounted the stairs once more and peeped into her own bedroom before looking in the other bedrooms and the nursery. Finding that Nicola was in none of these places she had one last look in Nicola’s own room, even going so far as to look under the bed, although she could never have told you why she did this. On her way back downstairs she bumped into Margot who had come to seek the pair.
“What have you been up to scamp?” asked Margot genially.
“I can’t find Nicola.”
“Don’t be silly, where have you looked?”
“Everywhere. She’s gone.”
Margot glanced out of the window and shivered. The day was icy cold and she knew that Nicola’s coat was still on its hook as she had tripped over it on her way upstairs.
“Come on, let’s get the others and have a proper look.” 

The whole family proceeded to search through the house and in their consternation looked in the weirdest places. They congregated at last in the study, having searched everywhere else to no avail. Hilda was beginning to look very concerned, she had agreed with Margot that it seemed unlikely that Nicola had left the house, but that possibility was becoming more likely as each searcher announced that they could not find her. It was Jack who suddenly asked, “Has anyone searched the attics? One of the access points is just outside her room.”
They dashed forward as one, but a glance from Hilda quelled the younger members of the family, even the boys having learned some respect for their ‘Auntie Hilda’ when she looked like that. In the end it was Jack, Hilda and Margot who climbed the stairs and then the ladder into the most inaccessible part of the attic.

It was a sad sight that met their eyes. Nicola was curled up in a corner, seemingly asleep. Her clothes where dusty and dishevelled, her skirt showing where she had caught it on the corner of an old trunk. Saddest of all were the tear streaks on her face, and the rolled up letter she held tightly in her hand. Jack bent to pick her up, shuddering at how cold she was to touch, the attics being unheated. He shot a look at Margot that told that lady their charge was not responding as she should. Jack carried her across to the hatch and passed her through to Hilda who had preceded him down the ladder. They took her to her bedroom and Hilda went to tell the news to the rest of the family whilst Jack and Margot worked on Nicola. Margot deftly changed her into her pyjamas and then Jack applied a restorative. The cold and her tearful fit had finished what the strain of the last term had begun, and it was some time before they had brought her around and then settled her into a warm, restful sleep.

Jack forbade any questioning of Nicola that night. She awoke mid evening to find Margot sat with her, and when she tried to rise was told gently that she needed to stay in bed and that supper would be brought to her. Jack came and examined her when Margot reported her awakening and said that a good nights sleep would see her fit, but that on no account was she to be worried by visitors or questioning until he had pronounced her fit. Nicola was given one of her new storybooks and a light snack, enough to assure her she was not in disgrace, but she showed her nervousness and Margot finally took a hand.
“I don’t know what happened today, and I’m not going to ask. I do know that you are very unhappy about something, I recognise the symptoms all to well, and know how hard it can be when you live in a community like the school and don’t feel as if you belong. All I can do is offer you some advice, talk to Auntie Hilda, I mean the Abb, Miss Annersley. She will help. That’s for tomorrow. Tonight, you need to sleep. I’m going to take your tray away and leave you with your book. Anna will bring you some hot chocolate in a few minutes and I expect you to be asleep when I come back in half an hour.”
Strangely enough this helped to settle Nicola. She had heard enough about the ‘naughty nun triplet’ to know that Margot was not speaking lightly, and felt that tomorrow would deal with itself.

*can't wait for Rachel's next installment*

*looking forward to the next part*

Hope everybody had/is having a marvellous Christmas, and that Santa turned up trumps and filled everybody's stockings with CS books (he didn't put any in mine, but I'm pleased with what he did bring and so am not complaining - too much  ;D)

Planning to log on later to find out what happens next...

After a while, she turned on the bedside lamp, and pulled out her notebook, reading all the notes she had been making. As she reviewed all her thoughts and impressions on a term of school and the few days of holidays, a slight noise came from the garden, culminating in something tapping against the window. Sighing, knowing who it would be, Nicola dragged on her dressing gown, put on her slippers and moved softly to the window.

“Is it you Nicola?” called a hoarse voice, attempting to shout in a whisper.
“No, it’s Santa Claus,” she replied sarcastically. “Of course its me! Who else is it going to be?” she demanded.
“Ummm, well, it could have been, err,” came the voice.
Nicola sighed again. “That is what is known in the trade as ‘sarcasm’. Try to remember so it won’t catch you out again,” she added.
“Oh, right, yup, understood. Umm, are you coming down then?” came the hopeful question.
“I suppose so,” Nicola replied, and shut the window.

A short time later, Nicola was downstairs, whispering to the man stood in the garden. He was a very disheveled looking chap; his clothes had obviously seen better days, days when soap powder had been forthcoming, his hair was in need of cutting and washing, his teeth would be lucky if they still resided in his gums by this time the next year, and his skin had overall tones of dinginess that suggested bathing hadn’t been included in his ‘hobbies and interests’ of late. He went to embrace Nicola, who drew back with a shuddering breath and an “Ewwwwwww!” sound. 

Embarrassed, he pulled back and stood looking down at his feet; a place where shoes would have been welcome but in their absence were making do with a pair of cast off Wellington boots, highly flavoured by only six previous owners. He coughed once and Nicola said, “I presume you’ve come to collect the notes?”
“Please Nicola,” he said, “I really need to know!”
She gave him a cynical look, one of her best most practiced ones, and handed him the notebook.

Tears came into his eyes as he looked at the little notebook he now held in his hands.
“You don’t know how much this means to me,” he managed at last. “You have given me back hope, a chance to redeem myself, a new start!”
“Yeah, yeah, don’t milk it!” was Nicola’s response. “I’ve seen it all before. I don’t even know why I bothered to be honest! I mean, you’d probably stand more chance if you took a bath and washed your clothes!”
“Do you think so?” he asked, a spark of hope lighting up his eyes.

Nicola decided this was the turning point in the young mans life, and decided to be blunt with him.
“I know why you are like this you know, and I’m going to be blunt.”
The man looked at her rather curiously. It had been pure chance that brought the pair together in her first week of school. Whilst out on a school ramble, she had strayed from the path briefly, away from her crowd being shepherded by Miss Maynard, and the young man had accosted her, begging her to tell him how Miss Maynard was. Utterly confused, but feeling incredibly lonely and desperate for contact with others, Nicola had replied laughingly that her teacher was very well, and why did he wish to know.

He had told her his story in short sentences, brief and to the point. He had once been engaged to Miss Maynard, who had thrown him over when she discovered the delights to be had at university, and ever since he had sworn not to wash, shave or change his clothes until she changed her mind.

Now Nicola spoke. “Reg, you are a good looking man, under all the dirt. You would stand a far better chance if you would face the fact that no woman wants to be with a man who smells like last weeks leftovers, washes only when rain hits him, and has no interest or acquaintance with personal hygiene. Go home and WASH! Have a bath, cut your hair and prove to Miss Maynard that you a member of the human race at least!”
Rag looked blankly at Nicola. “You mean, she isn’t impressed by my attempts to win her over so far?”
“Reg! She can’t stand to stand downwind of you! But,” she added, giving him a ray of hope, “She always looks sad when she sees you.”

Reg stood up straight, a new resolve shining in his eyes. “I’ll do it!” he said. “I’m going home to have a bath right now!”
Nicola gladly shooed him out the door, knowing she had a busy day ahead of her and glad to get back to her warm bed and put Reg and his drippy passions out of her mind.

So glad Reg saw enough sense to have a bath, and a big YAY! to Len for getting rid of him.

*off to rejoin the family*

*Off to join Len downwind of Reg  ;D*

*offers Lulie's cat somewhere to hide before she breaks out the cranberry sauce!* ;D

*Will never get full on this kind of food!*

I am sooooooo looking forward to the days when I can log on purely to read other people's drabbles!

More tomorrow of course, didn't you see what Nicola and Margot were saying.

(and none of you expected us to go to boxing day did you?!  ;D)

*not wishing to give anything away*

*pleased that none of you have guessed yet*

"Cricket is the most infernally useless game ever conceived by the human brain" or words to that effect.
                    - Emerson in 'Deeds of the Disturber'
;D ;D ;D

And Vikki, you're right. 

*sends Polly in Matey's direction*
Carolyn, I know there are some people who don't like it when guesses are made about their stories, so I thought it was better not to try.

:D

Thank-you everyone, but you had better wait until you read the end!!

Know it's now boxing day, but think I had probably better wait until I've been to sleep and woken up before I post the next installment. Give you all time to digest today's extra helpings.

Sorry everyone else. ;D

*preparing to be all offended*

*giggling behind hand*
 

*reminds Vikki that she's supposed to be supporting me*

Not with you, with KB for calling me scrooge like when I've slaved over the keyboard all month...and started days after finishing another long story!!

And I am already in bed, and will be logging out in the next few minutes to go to sleep.

*also reminds Carolyn we know she's not offended because we saw her giggling*

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