The CBB :: View topic - Felicity's Wedding Day

#1: Felicity's Wedding Day Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 12:13 am

The Gornetz Platz was flooded with golden sunlight, the day Felicity Mary Maynard married her doctor.
The nineteen year old bride, endowed with an extra fairy tale beauty on this, her special day, had wanted to marry in the Chalet School’s own Catholic Chapel, and she had finally got her own way, despite the fact that the small building was bursting at the seams.
The bride’s motherwas getting accustomed to her role following the marriages of Mary Helena to Dr Reg Entwhistle, and Mary Constance to Padraig O Brian (D. Phil) not to mention the emotion of seeing Mary Margaret taking her final vows as a Bride of Christ, but she was still unable to prevent a small teardrop escaping her large moist eyes as she watched her fourth daughter become Mrs Sebastian Ross.
Being Joey, she quickly recovered, and was back to her normal irrepressible self by the time the assembled guests made their way into the school grounds for the delicious meal created by Karen and her minions.
Afterwards, once the formality of the speeches was over, and the cake had been cut, the guests arose from their seats to allow the servants to clear away the debris of the feast. Miss Annersley, from her exalted honorary position on the bridal table was moved to remark that it was a good thing her pupils were rather less messy eaters before she too moved off to reacquaint herself with Con Stewart, as once was.
By this time the wedding party had dissolved into small groups of people, eagerly chatting with old friends, or fussing around the bride and bridegroom and their families.
Madge Russell was greatly in demand, both as the founder and first head mistress of the Chalet School, and the bride’s aunt. Her husband stayed by her side at first, before he drifted off to view the affair from a slight distance.
As he watched his wife talking animatedly to Juliet O Hare, his thoughts went back to another similar day, many years ago, the day he had taken Margaret Bettany for his wife.
“Not a bad idea to take a breather,” a slightly harassed looking Jack Maynard came and stood by his side, “It’s all been rather frantic.”
Jem chuckled, “Yes, I remember when my own girls married. It’s all gone off well though, and Felicity looked lovely.”
“She did.” Jack glanced fondly across the lawn to his daughter, pride shining from his eyes, “But you don’t know the half of it. It may have turned out well, but there were some near disasters behind the scenes.”
Aren’t there always.” Jem looked enquiringly at Jack, but seeing that the latter had no intention of revealing any more, the two settled into a companiable silence born of many years friendship.
The peaceful interlude lasted for as long as it took for Joey to register that her husband had temporarily retreated from the maddening crowd. It didn’t take long for her to hunt him down. “What are you two doing skulking over here?” She asked with a merry laugh, “There’s no Clock Golf laid on for you today. Oh Jem, did you see Jack’s face when Cecil caught the bouquet? It was priceless. Not that I’m in any hurry for that particular event to take place myself. Oh, Frieda wants me, don’t be too long Jack, Felicity will be going away soon.”
She bounded across the lawn in a manner reminiscent of Freddie, her new St Bernard puppy.
Jack shook his head in mock despair, “She did say she’s still be a Chalet School when she was a grandmother.” His affectionate tone belied his actions.
“You knew what she was like when you married her, Jack. She hasn’t changed a bit since then. You’re a lucky man. Luckier than you probably realise.”
“I realise it all right, you needn’t worry about that.” Jack replied cheerfully, before noticing the regretful expression on Jem’s face, “But what’s brought this on? Surely you’re not going to tell me you’re suffering pangs of unrequited love for my wife?” He probed gently, certain that whatever was on Jem’s mind, it was not that.
“Hardly. Joey’s more like a daughter to me than anything else, but she’s so different to Madge, although I didn’t think so at one time. Madge started the school in a foreign country, with next to no pupils and only that French woman to help her. That was quite an undertaking you know. I thought, that I was marrying a strong woman, someone who would stand beside me. I was wrong, she’d just been waiting for a man to come along and look after her all along. The minute I put the ring on her finger she became the complete ‘little woman.’”
Jack looked at him in surprise, “I thought you were happy Jem, I mean, apart from…” he bit his tongue, not wanting to drag details of that particular incident again.
“I was, am. As a matter of fact, I still love Madge as much today as the day I asked her to become my wife, she’s as sweet and loving now as she was then, but, she’s never troubled herself with anything more challenging than planning the dinner menus. The fact is, I don’t know how she’s going to manage when I’ve gone.”
“Hopefully that won’t be for a good few years yet.” Jack spoke easily, Jem had only recently retired from actively practising medicine, and he was still very much involved with the San, in all ways that counted.
Jem shook his head. “Not years, Jack. Months. Six if I’m lucky.”
“Are you sure?” Jack could have kicked himself for asking such a stupid question, Jem was a doctor. Of course he was sure, and Jack had the evidence of the truth in front of his own eyes; the hitherto unnoticed frailty of the older man, but the response had been instinctive, springing from an unwillingness to believe. As it was he felt as though he had been kicked in the stomach.
Jem had been his friend and mentor for more years than he cared to remember, always in the background ready to offer help and advice if needed, remaining unobtrusive when he wasn’t. Their friendship had been quiet, undemonstrative, but Jack suddenly realised how much he had counted upon Jem being there, how much he owed him, and the depth of his affection.
He swallowed and turned away, giving himself time to regain his composure. Some part of his brain was dimly aware that Jem was still speaking, just as he was only vaguely aware of the people moving around in front of his eyes.
As the deadening mist began to clear he found himself looking directly at Madge Russell, her head thrown slightly back as she laughed at a remark made by one of her coterie.
“She doesn’t know.”
“No. I can’t tell her Jack. I’ve always told her most things, everything in fact, even about that Arabella Mortimer woman, but this, it’s too hard. I can’t bring myself to do it.” A loud guffaw of merriment floated across the lawn, “And I shouldn’t have told you either, dammit, not today. I don’t want to cast a blight on Felicity’s wedding. We’ll keep this to ourselves for now, eh?”
“That goes without saying. You’re going to have to tell Madge, you know, soon. But until then, I’ll keep this strictly to myself. Madge won’t thank any of us if she finds out from someone else.”
Jem flinched away from the pain in Jack’s eyes. It did not make the prospect of telling Madge any easier. It had taken almost all his reserves of courage to tell his brother-in-law, as it was he had seized upon the moment when the opportunity had presented itself, not considering the inappropriateness of the occasion. He wished now that he could take his words back, but once spoken, they could never be recalled.
Jack struggled with his inner feelings, attempting to subsume them within his constructed façade of the behaviour expected from him on this auspicious occasion.
He could, he knew, fool most of the people, but not his Jo. She knew him too well.
As he knew her.
He turned and offered Jem the only comfort he could, “I think you’re wrong you know, about Madge. And Jo. Madge is stronger than you think, that determination that was there when she first set sail for the Tyrol, that’s still there. It may not have been much in evidence lately, but it’s something you don’t lose. If anything, it will be Jo who’ll find it harder, sometimes she has too much insight into others lives, and too much imagination. Madge coped all right in Canada, remember? When you were so busy she scarcely saw you from one weekend to the next.”
It wasn’t much help, and Jack knew it, but it was all he had.
“Look after them both for me Jack, I know it’s not really your place, but with the girls settled in Australia, and David in the States…..”
Jack nodded, then the two men made their way back to the wedding party where Felicity, every atom of her being radiating joy and happiness was preparing to set off for her honeymoon, preparing for the excitement of her new life as a married woman.

#2: Author: Nina, Location: Peterborough, UK

Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 12:27 am

Lovely Ellie - sad for Jem though (and have I missed Arabella somewhere else?)

#3: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 12:36 am

Very realistically written post! Crying or Very sad

Poor everybody!
*Hopes Joey was correct back in Excitements, when she observed that Madge's development into "that sweet woman, Lady Russell" had been neatly forestalled.*

#4: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 7:07 am

That's a fascinating take on the 'sweet Lady Russell' bit. Not Jem's wish at all. Very moving. thanks, Ellie

#5: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 7:43 am

How sad - and an intriguing twist - that Madge's development was not what Jem wanted.

Thank you Ellie - wonderful character development.

#6: Author: Lynsey, Location: Fife

Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 7:43 am

Nina wrote:

(and have I missed Arabella somewhere else?)

I think I've missed her too. Can someone tell us who she is/was please?

#7: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 11:00 am

Thank you Ellie, its good to see a different take on how Madge developed. So are you going to try and redeem dear Jemma, because you can't leave it there! Wink

#8: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 12:00 pm

Wonderful, Ellie, thank you.

#9: Author: Ciorstaidh, Location: London

Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 3:22 pm

oh, Ellie

A fantastic insight into the men's lives - we so rarely see them supporting one another, rather seeing things through their wives' eyes.

thank you Very Happy

Please write about Arabella?? (or if she's been written about, someone point me in that direction, please?)

#10: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 4:56 pm

Aww, and more bitter-sweet being set against the wedding

#11: Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 8:09 pm

Thanks. That was an idea that I'd been kicking around for quite a long time, I finally got round to doing something about it last night, but once I'd got it written down I daren't read it again in case it was too cringy, so thanks to the very nice, kind person who assured me that it wasn't a pile of poo.
Thanks to Ally, too, for answering the query about Jem's age yesterday, but Ally, do you really think Jemma needs redeeming Shocked

As for Arabella, it occurs to me that the name seems a bit familiar, I've I've accidently nicked it from someone elses drabble, I humbly apologise, but I haven't written anything about her (yet) that's just the tiniest unsprouted seed of an idea at the moment, but if anyone else wants to write that particular story, please feel free to do so. I think I probably ought to give Jem a rest now anyway - I do seem to have written about him quite a lot.

#12: Author: BethC, Location: Worcester, UK

Posted: Sun Aug 29, 2004 9:18 pm

Arabella Mortimer = Arabel and Mortimer? (Joan Aiken? Think it was on another thread somewhere!) Smile

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

Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2004 4:50 pm

*sniffles*

Please write more of this Ellie!!!!

#14: Author: Caroline OSullivan, Location: Reading, Berkshire, UK

Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2004 7:59 pm

BethC said

Quote:

Arabella Mortimer = Arabel and Mortimer? (Joan Aiken? Think it was on another thread somewhere!)

This was being discussed on Girlsown the other week - probably where you remember it from

#15: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Mon Aug 30, 2004 8:05 pm

That was a beautiful description of Felicity's wedding but I'm more pleased to see Jack and Jem together, I love the two of them and their friendship that's always there in the series but very much under the surface. Please please please continue Smile

#16: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 3:08 pm

Considering that when they were at the Round House, Madge made all the important decisions about the school, ran her household, looked after several foster children and ran the farm attached to the house, what is Jem grousing about?

#17: Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 8:21 pm

Caroline - I daresay you're right - thanks. I don't really remember reading that, but when you log on and find half a dozen digests in your in box you do tend to skim through them. Obviously at some point the words Arabelle and Mortimer penetrated my subconscience and popped up again when I needed them.

Jenny - valid point - this is only showing Jems POV, but give the guy a break, he isn't exactly grousing, just articulating his concerns about the future.

Sarah & Vikki - Sorry but there won't me any more, not in the near future anyway, frankly I'm not capable of writing it.

#18: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2004 12:51 pm

Thank you for the warning Ellie. It is a lovely touching scene seeing Jem and Jack together like this. Must have taken a lot to write it.

#19: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 9:00 pm

Well thank you for what there was then Ellie Smile

#20: Author: Elisabeth,

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2004 3:26 pm

I've always found Jem and Jack's friendship rather touching and that bit about Jem is so sad. *sniff* *sniff*

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