A drabble for Kathye
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#1: A drabble for Kathye Author: Secret Santa PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 4:38 am


As it happened, Vera Smithers did not return to England after her expulsion from St Scholastica’s school.
She and her escort were met at Paris by her Aunt Esme, and Vera was delighted to learn that she was to be whisked away to the South of France for the Christmas holidays. The escort, one of St Scholastica’s visiting school masters, was less happy about this turn of events, but since Vera was no longer a pupil of the establishment, there was nothing he could do about it. He had been asked to ensure that the girl was returned to her family and he had fulfilled that task.
What a lark, getting expelled from school. You need to go some to catch up with me though,” Esme giggled, “But I always had great fun before I was expelled. I have to warn you though, my big brother isn’t very pleased - he’s wondering how he can explain the disgrace of having his daughter sent away from a school which, frankly, isn’t a top class establishment in the first place. In fact, that’s why we are beginning our Christmas hols so soon, so he doesn’t have to.”
“Well, I know where I would rather be at the moment.” Vera grinned back. She liked her young aunt and tried hard to copy her sophisticated ways. She was also pleased that she did not have to face up to her parents for a few more days. She hoped that by the time her mother and father arrived in France they would be reconciled to her expulsion, and even if they were not, at least Aunt Esme was on hand to back her up.
The next few days flew by, without her mother’s restraining influence Vera was able to go to all the parties and outings to which she was invited, and she certainly made the most of her freedom. In fact, she had the time of her life. There were plenty of the ‘right sort’ of people in France that year, even if many of them were foreigners from countries where titles were ten a penny. It was not long before she began to regret making advances to Marie von Eschenau, who wasn’t even a particularly interesting young lady. “I don’t know why I bothered to be friendly to her, in fact I never should have, there are lots of people better than her. Even so, she had no business cutting me like that. Nor did that Josephine Bettany, she’s nothing anyway.”
Vera was inclined to brood about wrongs done to her, and she blamed everyone but herself for her downfall, but once she decided that the Chalet schools were simply beneath her contempt, she dismissed them from her mind. Her real ire was directed at her erstwhile headmistress and her former best friend.
If Miss Browne had seen fit to treat both girls equally Vera might have forgiven her but the fact that she had given Elaine Gillings a second chance, when Vera had only acted upon Elaine’s suggestion was a blatant act of injustice, and it rankled.
Vera also suspected that Elaine had lied to save her own skin, and that most of the blame had been assigned to her own fair hands. Altogether, it was debatable which of two she hated the most.

Vera’s parents eventually arrived in France, and if her mother had had her way, Vera’s freedom would have come to an abrupt end, However, Mrs Smithers’ opinions counted for little in the family, and Mr Smither’s was quite pleased with the new friends which Vera had acquired. This did not prevent him from giving Vera his unbridled opinion of her behaviour, “How could you have been so stupid, girl. What on earth possessed you to leave those letters lying around? She should have thrown them straight on to the fire.” He punished her by cutting back on that month’s allowance, but since she was already generously endowed in that area it did not make a great deal of difference.
Mrs Smithers had also attempted to lecture her daughter, she had been ashamed and saddened to think that a child of hers could act in such a underhand manner but Vera was all too used to such homilies and she paid little attention, save for remembering a few choice phrases which she could repeat for Aunt Esme’s amusement.

It was two days later when Vera caught sight of Elaine Gillings, Elaine was walking along the pavement in the company of a rather dowdy woman. Vera was seated in Otto von Stift’s Daimler, and she could not resist turning around to smirk at other girl. If that woman was Elaine’s mother it was little wonder that she had fought so hard against being expelled. Her family were obviously of little account and it would probably be difficult to find another half decent school which would be willing to accept her. Vera enjoyed the thought, but she had not yet forgiven Elaine, and did not feel properly avenged. She leant over and whispered into Otto’s ear.
Otto grinned and tapped on the window which separated them from the chauffeur. After attracting the man’s attention, he gave him his instructions, and sat back to watch the fun.
It was a wet Christmas in the South of France that year, and the chauffeur, with regard to the car with which he was entrusted, usually endeavoured to avoid all but the most unavoidable puddles. It was quite an experience for him to drive through a very large puddle at a speed guaranteed to soak anyone unfortunate enough to be on the pavement. Naturally the group of pedestrians treated to this impromptu shower included Elaine.

It was another two days before the former school friends met again. Vera had fallen asleep after imbibing a great deal of Christmas cheer, and had awakened to find herself in a strange salon at five thirty am. Her inclination was to turn over and go back to sleep, she was very, very tired, her head was pounding, she felt sick, and her mouth was dry and coated with nicotine, but she knew there were some things which her father would not forgive, and the thought of his wrath was enough to force her to get to her feet. She knew that she had to return to her own rooms before he or her mother awoke. It was a matter of seconds before she located her coat, someone had thrown it over her whilst she slept. In her befuddled state it took longer to find her shoes, but eventually she found a pair that fitted, although she was not totally certain that they did actually belong to her.
She was feeling more nauseous and dizzy by the minute, but she knew she had to force herself to move. She circled the room twice, opening various doors before she found her way out. She had opened that particular door earlier, but she had found herself facing a step ladder and had quickly shut it again. By now, Vera had come to the conclusion she was on a boat, “That’s why I feel so awful, I’ll feel better when I get off here.” Vera knew, in her heart of hearts that this was not the truth, but if she convinced herself it was the case, it would make the ladder easier to tackle.
It was a miracle that she managed to complete the ascent, but complete it she did, and she somehow managed to scramble onto the deck.
She was still reeling when she tottered across the gangplank and she was thankful for the ropes at either side of her. Life got harder when she reached the jetty and no longer had anything to hang on to.
She stood swaying slightly while she tried to get her bearings. At first she thought she was completely alone, then she spied a girl standing beneath a lamp post waiting for a large dog to finish his frenzy of sniffing. Vera thought she recognised the figure and as the girl turned round she realised it was Elaine.
“Hey, Elaine, I need you, come here,” She shouted. It was an unfortunate choice of words. Elaine turned her back immediately, she would have nothing more to do with Vera Smithers. She could hardly credit the fact that Vera had actually acted upon her lightly uttered suggestion, still less could she believe how the wretched creature had tried to pass the blame onto her own shoulders. The incident with the puddle had just been the icing on the cake. No matter how much Vera implored, go to her aid she would not.
“I say, come here.” Vera’s shrill voice disturbed the peace of the morning again. Elaine began to walk away. The dog, a friendly Dalmatian had other ideas. Icy knew nothing of schoolgirl politics, but he knew that if he responded quickly when he was being called it might mean a titbit as a reward. With a joyous ‘woof’ he bounded across the concrete and raced up the jetty where he jumped upon Vera and began to lick her face.
Vera staggered anew at this onslaught and tried to step away. The result was inevitable. If you are simultaneously hung over yet still more than a little drunk, and you are wearing high heeled shoes at least one size to big, and you are standing on a slippery jetty, and you are jumped upon by a dog who can easily put his feet on your shoulders, and who is no light weight to boot, there is only one place where you are going to go.
Vera duly ended up in the water. Elaine was possibly still close enough to hear the splash, but at that precise moment one of the crew members of another, larger yacht took it upon himself to start up the diesel engine which powered the vessel, and Elaine heard nothing., and since the yacht which had throbbed into life belonged to her grandfather she knew that she had to hurry back on board. She pulled a whistle out of her pocket and blew into it shrilly three times. Icy knew what that meant. It meant breakfast. He scrambled on top of Vera’s body and used it as a means of hauling himself back onto land. He didn’t know that his actions meant Vera lay face down in the oily sea. Nor that when he jumped upwards he pushed Vera further below the surface where she became entangled with some cast off mooring ropes.
Elaine noticed that the dog was wet, and it occurred to her that Vera might have been responsible. “What happened boy? Did she push you in the water?” she said as she fondled Icy’s muzzle. “Never mind, she’ll pay for it one day.”
Elaine descended into the cabin, unaware that that day had arrived, and that the payment was rather more than she would have chosen to extract.
Or was she?

 


#2:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 5:16 am


Oh, she almost deserved it! Vera = hammer

 


#3:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 7:19 am


Very clever and I agree. She (nearly) deserved it.

 


#4:  Author: Secret Santa PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 11:22 am


The drabble was of course from Santa, a Santa who gets logged out everytime he views a topic. Is it possible for a mod to change the user name on the first post please?

 


#5:  Author: KathyeLocation: Laleham PostPosted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 12:15 pm


Thank you Secret Santa very much for my drabble, and for all my other gifts, sorry I havnt been around very much to say anything, we are trying to sell our Maisonette so have been rather preocupied with real life !


ETA: I have edited the User for you

 


#6:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Tue Dec 14, 2004 7:29 pm


Oooh! That WAS a sticky end for Vera!
Nicely done Santa!

 




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