The Chaletian Refugee
The CBB -> Cookies & Drabbles

#1: The Chaletian Refugee Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 8:44 am


This comes from Exile - I wondered what the heck Sigrid's parents were thinking letting her go to a school in Guernsey when war must have appeared almost inevitable and I got bitten by this PB.

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

Sigrid hadn’t noticed anything unusual until they reached Spartz. Instead of walking up to the Tiernsee, they were loaded onto buses. As the bus started she nudged her neighbour, Emmie Linders. “What do you think is happening?”

Emmie looked towards the front of the bus. “Something’s wrong,” she said slowly. “Look at Charlie.”

Sigrid looked at Miss Stewart. The mistress was clearly worried about something. “Do you think it has anything to do with…” she stopped, not wanting to mention the veiled threats that Germany had been making towards Austria.

“I think it has everything to do with that,” Emmie said. She had noticed how much the tension had increased in Innsbruck since they were there a few days earlier “Things are changing in Austria – and not for the better, either.”

“What do you think will happen?” Gretchen Braun asked, turning around from the seat in front. “Papa and Mama nearly didn’t let me come back to school but my Grandfather insisted I return.”

Emmie shook her head. “I do not know,” she said. “But I doubt it will be good.” She looked towards the back of the bus where the prefects sat, deep in conversation. “I fear that this will be a difficult half term.”

*****

Instead of turning off at the Tiernsee, the buses continued up the road to the Sonnalpe. Madame met the buses as they stopped in front of one of the hotels on the Sonnalpe – Der Eidel Ritter, if Sigrid recalled it correctly. She spoke with the school for a few minutes – a short speech that Sigrid knew she would remember for the rest of her life.

“In the valley, we used to tell you to let your thoughts rise to the hills. Now we are on the hills themselves, I tell you to keep your thoughts high. To rise, so that you may help to set right wrongs; to show the way, so far as in any of us lies, to the kind of world God meant this to be when He gave it to man. Be upright; be honest; be brave. Courage is a great thing, and we do not know how soon we may need it, nor how far we may have to strain it in the days ahead. So take this as your motto for the rest of this year: ‘Be brave’.”

Emmie looked at Sigrid as they got ready for Abendessen. “Be brave,” she commented. “Do you think that Madame knows something we don’t?”

Sigrid nodded. “I think we may see many changes,” she said pensively. “I just wonder whether the school will remain as we know it.” Somehow she knew that they were facing a very difficult time.


Last edited by Nicole on Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:00 am; edited 3 times in total

 


#2:  Author: AngelLocation: London, England PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 9:20 am


OK, truly fascinated by this.

Sigrid was Norwegian? and wasn't Norway one of the occupied territories at one point?

 


#3:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 12:17 pm


Also very interested, more please Nicole!

(Angel - Norway was occupied, and it's where we get the term quisling from - a man Quisling was an infamous Norwegian collaborator!)

 


#4:  Author: MarianneLocation: Lancaster PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 12:32 pm


very interesting!

 


#5:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 2:52 pm


In answer to your first question, Nicole, yes it definitely works. Looking forward to more.

 


#6:  Author: LadyGuinevereLocation: Leicester PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 3:32 pm


This definitely looks interesting! Hoping for more soon Smile

~LadyG

 


#7:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 6:59 pm


And here's a bit more for you.

I'd just like to say that I'm not a historian and my knowledge of European Geography is not fantastic - I'm writing this with an atlas beside me to try and be as accurate as possible - so if I do make any mistakes, please let me know. And if anyone can think of a better title also please let me know.

*****

Nazi Germany annexed Austria on 11 March 1938. At first it didn’t appear as if school life would change very much. It took several weeks for the first Nazi uniforms to appear on the Sonnalpe. A couple of weeks after that it seemed that the Nazis had been present on the Sonnalpe forever. Then the demands began at the end of term.

“Giovanna, I heard that all the German and Austrian girls are leaving.” Sigrid found her cousin in the library.

Giovanna nodded. “The Government have ordered us to leave,” she said. “They want us educated in accordance with the Reich.” She smiled bitterly. “So we are forced to leave.”

“But – all the German and Austrian girls? That must be half the school!”

“All except Maria Marani. Her parents have decided she will stay,” Giovanna told her. “Sigrid, this is just the start. Others will leave now.”

“What makes you say that?” Sigrid asked.

The older girl shrugged. “I think there will be a war,” she said finally. “I don’t know when, but I think there’s a war coming. Do you think that your parents would let you stay in a school this far from home in war time?”

Sigrid thought of the letter she had received from her parents just that morning. “They want me home now,” she agreed. “I’ve written to them and begged to stay, though.”

“Maybe, if the school moves away from Austria,” Giovanna said. “But there won’t be many parents that will send their children to school here now.”

Giovanna turned back to face Sigrid, tears rolling down her face. “The school is dying.”

*****

The last night of term was usually fun. Staff and prefects tended to turn a blind eye to all but the most serious breaches of the dormitory rules, and the Middles especially tended to take advantage of the one night a term when they could visit their friends.

Tonight, however, the atmosphere was very subdued. All but the very youngest knew that this would be the last time the school as they knew it would ever be in the same place again. Sigrid found herself looking at the German and Austrian girls and wondering how many of them she would see again after tomorrow morning.

For she was now in no doubt that there would be a war.

There was a meeting held on the last night of term headed by the prefects. The Head Girl, Hilary Burn, stood and read out the Chalet Peace League Charter.

“We the girls of the Chalet School, hereby vow ourselves members of the Chalet School League. We swear faithfully to do all we can to promote peace between all our countries. We will not believe any lies spoken about evil doings, but we will try to get others to work for peace as we do. We will not betray this League to any enemy, whatever may happen to us. If it is possible, we will meet at least once a year. And we will always remember that though we belong to different lands, we are members of the Chalet School League of Peace.”

Tears were rolling down Sigrid’s face as she leaned over and signed her name to the Charter. As she straightened she met Giovanna’s eyes. Giovanna was openly crying as she held out her arms to her cousin. They stood in silence for a long time. There was nothing that could be said.

 


#8:  Author: AngelLocation: London, England PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 7:01 pm


good stuff.

Have Joey and co escaped at this point?

 


#9:  Author: PatLocation: Doncaster PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 9:22 pm


Not yet Angel. They go on the picnic to hide the peace league charter first. It's after that they goto Spartz and have to escape.

 


#10:  Author: Amanda MLocation: Wakefield PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 9:56 pm


I'm finding this very good so far, very realistic and poignant.
Please keep on.

Star Wars

 


#11:  Author: Amanda MLocation: Wakefield PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 9:59 pm


Sorry about the double posting - don't know what happened there.

 


#12:  Author: ShanderLocation: Canada PostPosted: Sun Jul 11, 2004 11:48 pm


Well done. That last bit just about had me crying.

 


#13:  Author: Elisabeth PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 7:32 am


This is lovely. Gave me goose-pimples all over.

 


#14:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 10:18 am


Giovanna turned back to face Sigrid, tears rolling down her face. “The school is dying

*sniff*
Crying or Very sad

Wow - this is really good - very moving

More, please - and I think the title works just fine ...[/quote]


Last edited by Rachael on Mon Jul 12, 2004 3:39 pm; edited 1 time in total

 


#15:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 3:37 pm


I'd never even thought about the girls of other nationalities. We knew what happened to the French, German and Austrian girls, but I'd never given a thought to the girls from Hungary, Norway, etc.

Perhaps Sigrid could join the Resistance.

 


#16:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Mon Jul 12, 2004 7:31 pm


So sad! Crying or Very sad

 


#17:  Author: ShanderLocation: Canada PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 1:58 am


Nicole, I just want to say how intrigued I am by this. I hope we get more soon.

 


#18:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 5:27 am


And a little bit more.

This bunny has got me well and truly by the throat so I should hopefully get some more posted tonight, but after that I probably won't be able to post any till Friday my time - I'm out for the next 2 nights. Really bad timing..

****

It was almost a relief when the end came. The school couldn’t recover from the loss of so many girls. Over a third of the school did not return after the Easter holidays and their loss was keenly felt.

The summer term was barely a month old when Miss Wilson escorted several girls down to Spartz to do some shopping. They never came back to the school.

Sigrid was called in to see Miss Annersley the next day. She curtseyed as she entered the office. “You wished to see me, Miss Annersley,” she said.

Miss Annersley nodded. “Yes, I did. Sit down, Sigrid.”

Sigrid sat opposite the desk and listened open mouthed as Miss Annersley told her of yesterdays events in Spartz. “They were very brave,” she said. “I don’t think I could stand up to a – a rabble like that.”

“Yes, they were,” Miss Annersley agreed. ‘However, it means that we can no longer keep the school open, Sigrid. We had been hoping to keep the school open until the end of term, but that is no longer possible. I’m going to announce this to the school tonight, but I wanted to see you first. Now, including yourself, we have four Norwegian, two Swedish and two Danish girls in the school, and we need to get you all home safely. You’re the eldest of the eight of you, and you’ve been with the school for the longest. What is the best way to get you all home safely?”

Sigrid thought for a minute. “Usually I catch a ferry from Oslo to Copenhagen, then catch a train to Innsbruck,” she said. “I know there are ferries between Stockholm and Copenhagen as well because I usually meet the Ericksen sisters in Copenhagen.”

Miss Annersley nodded. “We were hoping to avoid traveling through Germany if possible,” she said. “However, I would prefer that you all traveled together.”

“I know there are ferries between Rotterdam and Oslo, but they’re not very regular. We could end up stuck in Rotterdam for a couple of days,” Sigrid offered.

“That’s not good enough,” Miss Annersley decided. “I’ll see what can be arranged, and will probably want to talk to you again later on. Sigrid, I want you to keep this to yourself until after I’ve spoken to the school tonight.”

Sigrid nodded. “Of course,” she said, standing up. At the door, she stopped and curtseyed. “Miss Annersley, I’m so sorry that you have to do this.”

Miss Annersley smiled. “Thank you, Sigrid. We’re hoping to restart the school at a later date, so we’ll let you know when that will be.”

 


#19:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 7:45 am


Hmmm - I can see some adventures ahead ...

*settles down (im)patiently to wait for Friday*

BTW - I like your signature Nicole!

 


#20:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 9:28 am


Next bit hopefully.

I'm having a few issues with my computer freezing every time I try to do anything, so I hope this works - I just love Windows 98!

If I get a chance I'll post more tomorrow, but I can't guarantee that I'll have the time.

********


Sigrid looked down at the Tiernsee for the last time. She was too far away to make out any individual buildings but she knew exactly where the school was. She looked towards Seepitz and then across to Scholastika at the head of the lake. The Chalet School’s closure had been inevitable from the day the Germans marched in, but that didn’t make today and tomorrow any easier to deal with.

Sigrid and the other Scandinavian girls would leave the Sonnalpe very early the next morning. They would be driven to Spartz where they would catch the train to Innsbruck. At Innsbruck they would catch the train to Copenhagen. There was no staff available to escort them past Innsbruck – they had all been ordered out of Austria, and would be escorting the British, French and Dutch girls to their home countries.

She turned as she heard someone move up beside her. “Good evening, Madame,” she said, smiling.

Madge smiled back. “Hello, Sigrid.” She also looked out over the valley. “It’s quite strange to think that after tomorrow we won’t be here any more.”

“You must be very sad,” Sigrid answered. “After all, this has been your home for many years and now you are forced to leave.”

Madge nodded. “It’s quite a bittersweet feeling,” she said reflectively. “Some of the happiest times of my life have been spent here, but I don’t want to live here under the current regime. In a way I’m pleased to go now before things get any worse.” She looked at the younger girl. “Sigrid, I’m sorry that none of the staff are allowed to escort you home. It’s a big responsibility that we’ve had to place on your shoulders.”

“It’s fine, Madame. Under normal circumstances, we don’t see an escort mistress before Stuttgart,” Sigrid said. “The train goes straight through to Copenhagen, so we don’t need to change trains. Once we reach the Danish border we’ll be fine.”

“I know you’ll look after the others. I want you to look after yourself as well, dear,” Madge said. She scribbled on a piece of paper and handed it to Sigrid. “This is our address in Guernsey. I would like to hear from you when you get home to Oslo, just so I know you made it home safely.”

“Madame, will you restart the school in Guernsey?” Sigrid asked.

Madge nodded. “I plan to. But that won’t happen straight away. It may take a year or more before we can start again,” she said.

“I’ll be there,” Sigrid told her. “I don’t want to end my Chalet School days like this.”

Both women stood staring down at the valley for a long time. Finally Madge looked away. “Come on, Sigrid,” she said softly. “Time to…” her voice broke. “Time to go inside. It’s getting cold.”

Neither could resist one last long look over their shoulder as they walked back to the school.

 


#21:  Author: Ruth BLocation: Oxford, UK PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 9:36 am


This is beautiful. I've never really thought about how all the other girls got home. In Exile you get so wrapped up in the flight from Spartz.

More please!

 


#22:  Author: LulieLocation: Middlesbrough PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 9:40 am


Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad

I've never really thought how all the other girls must feel, leaving their school. I wonder if any of the much younger girls still stuck to the Chalet outlook (secretly of course) throughout the course of the war, or if they were totally brainwashed into the Nazi outlook.

*feels scared for Sigrid and the others making hteir journey, and what they'll find at the other end*

 


#23:  Author: DawnLocation: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 9:53 am


sniff Crying or Very sad

This really brings it home how they must have felt in having to leave - almost better to be one of those who had to flee and didn't get chance to say goodbye

 


#24:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 10:04 am


Aww. This is really lovely, Nicole, you get a lot more insight into it than you did via EBD.

 


#25:  Author: Carolyn PLocation: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 10:38 am


That was beautiful. Made me shiver with goosebumps, but beaqutiful nonetheless.

Thank you

 


#26:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 11:44 am


I've gone shivery as well - that was a beautiful moment between Madge and Sigrid, founder and pupil ...

I like the idea of it being a bittersweet too and this last part is so poignant ...
Quote:
Both women stood staring down at the valley for a long time. Finally Madge looked away. “Come on, Sigrid,” she said softly. “Time to…” her voice broke. “Time to go inside. It’s getting cold.”
Neither could resist one last long look over their shoulder as they walked back to the school.


It does make you think how very different the series would have been without WWII - some of the best books in the series are a direct result of the war - there's a good chance it would have been a much shorter series without it ...

 


#27:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 2:59 pm


This is so touching, Nicole.

 


#28:  Author: NellLocation: London, England PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 3:22 pm


Wow. nicole this is wonderful, so touching and beautiful. Rosei had told me it was good and finally I got here, lovely.

 


#29:  Author: RebeccaLocation: Kendal/Oxford PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 3:30 pm


Fantastic, Nicole. I'd never especially thought about what happened to the school in general as opposed to the fleeing party and this is really moving.

 


#30:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:06 pm


Like everyone else (but you, Nicole) I'd never really thought how the other girls got home and the effect it had on them. We think of the German and Austrian girls and what they went through but those who were there to the end must have all gone through a heartrending and scary experience.

I wonder what their parents were thinking at this point. I think most countries in Europe were still hiding their heads in the sand at this point.

Norway was not invaded till April 1940. I wonder if the parents thought this was a storm in a teacup? Must google for more info.

See what you've started, Nicole!!! Wink

PS More please when you can Very Happy

 


#31:  Author: Amanda MLocation: Wakefield PostPosted: Tue Jul 13, 2004 6:36 pm


This really brings home what a monumental change it would have been for the girls and the staff. The finality of the situation knowing that they would be leaving the Tiernsee behind, not knowing when they would ever be able to come back, or meet up again, has really hit home.

This is lovely writing, I'm looking forward to the next installment.

Star Wars

 


#32:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 3:24 pm


Nicole, This is so powerful, I am sitting here with tears in my eyes. Like everyone else I never really thought about what happened to the rest of the school after Jo and Co. left. YUo are bringing to life another part of the school's history that was glossed over in the series.

 


#33:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 3:46 pm


Thank you Nicole - a wonderful way of bringing to life what could have happened then. Smile

*Looking forward to more on Friday!

 


#34:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 6:16 am


I think I've made a rod for my own back with this one - I've spent all my lunch breaks this week at the public library researching WWII and am planning to spend a large chunk of tomorrow doing the same. I'm finding it really interesting, though. It's quite incredible the amount I *didn't* know.

I know it's a short post, but more will follow tonight.

*****

Sigrid took the eight passports from Miss Annersley. “Thank you,” she murmured with a smile. The other seven had said their goodbyes to Miss Annersley and were waiting on the train for her.

“Sigrid, take care of yourself and of the others,” Miss Annersley said. She hugged the younger girl. “I’m asking a lot of you, I know, but I’m sure you’re more than capable of making sure everyone gets home.”

Sigrid nodded. “We’ll be fine,” she assured Miss Annersley. “I promise I’ll look after them.”

“ I know you will,” Miss Annersley told her. She hugged Sigrid. “I hope to see you again when we start the school again.”

Sigrid smiled through her tears. “You will,” she said. She broke away from the older woman and got onto the train. All eight girls hung out the window and waved goodbye as the train pulled away from Spartz.

She cried until they were nearly at Innsbruck.

 


#35:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 6:26 am


Poor Sigrid! Crying or Very sad

Thanks Nicole - research can take over your life!! Laughing

 


#36:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 7:40 am


*Waits to hear what awaits the girls*

It's quite fascinating, Nicole. I really felt for them as they left on the train.

 


#37:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 8:45 am


Oh poor Sigrid - I expect the responsibiltiy for the others will help take her mind off her natural grief at leaving the school

But what a terrible situation to be in - not knowing whether she will be able to return to the school or even if there will be a school to return to ...

Good luck with the research Nicole

 


#38:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:00 am


They had about twenty minutes at Innsbruck before their train left. Sigrid turned and made sure everyone was still there. “The train leaves from the other platform,” she told them. “I think we should go over there now and wait. We can buy a coffee there.”

The others agreed and they made their way to the other platform where Sigrid bought them all coffee and sweet bread twists. “Don’t take too long,” she warned them. “We’ve got just over ten minutes before the train leaves and if it leaves without us, we’ve got problems.”

Once they had finished, Sigrid ushered them onto the train. She made sure that the tickets and passports were within easy reach in her bag and found a compartment for them. “I want to tell you just a couple of things that Miss Annersley and Madame asked me to tell you,” she said. “They think we should stay here in the compartment as much as possible. If we need to leave, we don’t go out alone. Nobody is expecting trouble, but it would be foolish not to realize that something may happen.”

The others nodded in agreement. “Do you think the others will be all right?” Karen asked.

Sigrid smiled. “They’ll be fine,” she assured them. She smiled at Anna, the youngest of them all. “This is quite an adventure, Anna, isn’t it? You’ll have a great story to tell your children and grandchildren.”

Thankfully the journey passed without incident, although Sigrid breathed a sigh of relief when they crossed the Danish border. They were safe now.

Karen and Ingrid Hansen’s parents met them in Copenhagen. They escorted the Norwegian and Swedish girls to the ferry terminal and saw them safely onto their ferries.

Sigrid had never been so pleased to see her parents as she was when she disembarked from the ferry in Oslo on that day in May 1938.

 


#39:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:06 am


Phew! Well at least they got home.

Thanks Nicole.

 


#40:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:16 am


Thanks for getting them home safely, Nicole. Are you continuing this to show what they did during the war?

 


#41:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:32 am


Yes, I do intend to keep with this one, Jennie - hopefully to the end of the war. I've got quite a few ideas left, and this bunny doesn't want to leave me alone

I hope no one thinks the journey home was a cop out. I thought about putting the girls in some kind of trouble, but I didn't feel at that time it would be realistic to do that. I don't think the Nazi Government would have risked causing any kind of trouble with the Governments of Norway, Sweden and Denmark at that stage.


Last edited by Nicole on Fri Jul 16, 2004 10:12 am; edited 2 times in total

 


#42:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 9:43 am


I think that you were quite right to let them have an uninterrupted journey home. There would have been massive repercussions if eight young girls had been arrested or otherwise harmed.

I'm glad you're going on with this, it will open up an aspect that we hadn't thought about.

 


#43:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 10:05 am


*breathes sigh of relief*

I agree they needed to get through safely - there would be no need or real reason for them to be challenged

Definitely looking forward to the next bit ...

 


#44:  Author: AngelLocation: London, England PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 4:08 pm


*sighs of relief*

Compelling writing, thanks

 


#45:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 4:57 pm


Nice to know they got safely home but, like the main characters who went to Guernsey, we have the foreshadowing of knowing that war did come. I always find it moving when I read about that period with people still making plans and hoping.

 


#46:  Author: DawnLocation: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Fri Jul 16, 2004 5:48 pm


This is really fabulous


I've got a book that is the diary of a British Quaker who had been to a conference in Sweden and was then speaking about it in Norway when the invasion happened and she was stuck in Norway from April 1940 - 1945.

She then became involved in the resistance movement and the evacuation of Jewish people.

It's also fascinating reading her version of what happened when the heavy water plant was blown up, based on the underground knowledge at the time and the official Nazi broadcasts and what actually happened as per the tv programme that was on recently with Ray Mears.

 


#47:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 7:31 am


Here's a bit more. There won't be any more tonight, sorry - I'm not feeling well, so am off to bed.

****

It was all that Sigrid could think about. Germany was now making threats against Czechoslovakia in much the same way it had threatened Austria six months earlier. The world had ignored the annexation of Austria following the April referendum which showed the majority of Austrians were in favour of the Anschluss. Sigrid hoped the world wouldn’t ignore the Czechs the way they had the Austrians.

She had started at a new school at the start of September and was struggling a little to fit in. It was not easy starting a new school at sixteen. Sigrid couldn’t believe that she was the only one in her class paying attention to the news – but she was the only student who had seen the Nazis in action.

There had been a lively debate in class that day about the situation in Czechoslovakia. Most of the students felt that the world should just let the inevitable happen. Sigrid held diametrically different views. She had lived for a very brief time under Nazi occupation in Austria. Her cousin, Giovanna, was still living in Austria but had been told she would be moved to Germany to work in the factories there when she turned 18. Giovanna was unable to say much in her letters – Sigrid could tell they were being opened and read by the Nazis.

Sigrid translated the speech from Neville Chamberlain into Norwegian for her parents. Chamberlain had assured the British that Germany had no further ambitions in Europe and that “peace in our time” had been guaranteed. At the end of the speech, Sigrid shook her head. “Chamberlain is a fool if he believes that,” she said vehemently. “Hitler has made this promise many times before and has always broken his word.”

The Germans marched into the Sudetenland the next day. Sigrid cried when she saw a photo on the front page of the paper. A middle aged woman was giving the Nazi salute and crying into her handkerchief as the troops marched past. Sigrid knew exactly how she felt.

 


#48:  Author: AngelLocation: London, England PostPosted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 7:58 am


powerful, fascinating stuff.

Thanks Nicole

 


#49:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 8:00 am


Very evocative. Hope you feel better soon.

 


#50:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 8:05 am


Thank you Nicole, very powerful.

(Hope you're feeling better soon.)

 


#51:  Author: LadyGuinevereLocation: Leicester PostPosted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 9:34 am


You've given me goosebumps!

~LadyG

 


#52:  Author: Amanda MLocation: Wakefield PostPosted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 10:16 am


This is still wonderful. Hope you're feeling better soon.

Star Wars

 


#53:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 12:41 pm


Thank you for that part, I hope you feel better soon.

 


#54:  Author: Sarah_KLocation: St Albans/Leicester PostPosted: Sat Jul 17, 2004 10:55 pm


Sleep wel Nicole and look after yourself. I'm loving reading this, especially knowing how much research and work you're puttjng in. It's really fantastic

 


#55:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 3:31 am


A very small bit. I could have posted this with the bit that follows on, but I think it needs to be separate. The next bit will be posted fairly soon.

******

In March Sigrid received a letter from Miss Annersley advising her that the Chalet School was to reform in September. She quickly persuaded her parents to let her return – she had not settled well to school in Norway. She wrote back to Miss Annersley confirming her attendance at the school on the day the Germans marched into Moravia and Bohemia - the other German speaking portions of Czechoslovakia.

The rest of the world did nothing at this blatant violation of the Munich Agreement which had been signed less than six months previously. Hitler began eying more land. It didn’t take long to realize that his next target would be Poland. At virtually every opportunity throughout the summer Hitler told of trouble between the German controlled East Prussia and the so called “Polish Corridor”. He demanded that the Polish port of Danzig be ceded to Germany.

 


#56:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 7:48 am


Sorry for spreeing everyone

*****

The Chalet School was to reopen its doors on 1 September. Due to the need to avoid traveling through Germany, Sigrid was forced to leave her home a week prior to school starting and catch a ferry to Rotterdam and then another ferry to Newcastle.

Sigrid would stay with Violet Allison and her family for the few days before school started. She was looking forward to seeing Violet. They had been in the same form for several years and had built a solid friendship during the last few terms at the Tiernsee. Although they had written to each other during the sixteen months or so the school had been closed, it wasn’t the same as seeing each other in person.

She quickly saw Violet waiting with a couple that Sigrid assumed were her parents at the ferry terminal. Sigrid waved to her from the deck then hurried down the gangplank and waited in line at Customs. She was very quickly passed through Customs and found the Allison family waiting on the other side. “Violet, how lovely to see you again.”

Violet hugged her – a very unusual gesture from the normally quiet, undemonstrative girl. “And you.”

Mr Allison coughed. “Now girls, I’d like to get home before dark, so shall we get moving? Sigrid, have you brought any other luggage apart from these two?” He indicated the cases beside Sigrid.

Sigrid nodded. “My trunk got sent a couple of weeks ago as we didn’t know how long it would take to get to Guernsey,” she said.

“I would imagine that it’ll be waiting for you there,” Mr Allison told her as he picked up the cases.

They quickly left the terminal and made their way to the car. The girls climbed in the back seat and made themselves comfortable. “So how was the journey home, Sigrid?” Violet asked as Mr Allison started the car.

“That was the most terrifying time of my life,” Sigrid answered with feeling. “Do you know after the train left Spartz I cried nearly all the way to Innsbruck. It was a relief to cross the border into Denmark. We had no trouble, but the thought that there could be trouble was horrible.”

Violet nodded. “I felt the same way. When we crossed the border into Switzerland the staff all breathed a sigh of relief. I don’t think that we knew how tense the last few months in the Tirol had been until then.” She looked at Sigrid. “Do you hear from Giovanna at all?”

Sigrid shrugged. “We write, but it’s hard. Our letters are being read by them so we don’t put anything in them that could get her into trouble. She’s working in a factory in Stuttgart now that she’s turned eighteen.”

“Poor Giovanna.” Violet shook her head. The weeks that she had lived in Austria after the Anschluss had given her a fairly good idea of how hard Giovanna’s life had become. “And what of the other Norwegian girls – Astrid, Erika and Anna?”

“Astrid’s family live in the suburb next to my parents, so I see her and Thora all the time. Do you remember Thora – Astrid’s older sister?” Violet nodded.

“Erika and Anna are from Bergen which is quite some distance from Oslo, so I haven’t seen them since they left Oslo. They have all settled down well in Norway.”

“And did you settle down well when you returned?” Violet asked, knowing the answer.

Sigrid smiled. “Not at all. It’s very hard to start a new school when you’re sixteen and I felt like I didn’t belong there at all,” she said. “Then there was the day we were discussing the Munich Agreement in class and I told them what I thought of the Nazis. They didn’t agree.”

“I did exactly the same thing,” Violet said. “The rest of the class thought I was mad.”

“Remember girls, they haven’t witnessed the same things you have,” Mr Allison told her. “At the time the newspapers were full of Austrians welcoming the Germans. We didn’t think any differently until Violet got home and told us what was happening. If we’d known, there’s no way that we would have let her go back to school after Easter. “

 


#57:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 10:46 am


Thank you Nicole - strange that some schoolgirls would have a better idea of what was going on in the middle of Europe than their parents or compatriots.

 


#58:  Author: AngelLocation: London, England PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 2:57 pm


Wow

there's so many good drabbles at the moment. This is brilliant, thanks Nicole

 


#59:  Author: Sarah_KLocation: St Albans/Leicester PostPosted: Sun Jul 18, 2004 8:25 pm


Thank you for those bits Nicole (and I don't think anyone's going to complain about spreeing when it's drabble!)

 


#60:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 10:22 am


Spree as much as you like here, Nicole - this is excellent and I like the insight that the pupils have because of their experiences in Austria

 


#61:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 10:44 am


Echoes Rachael. That's one of the best things about this drabble.

 


#62:  Author: Elisabeth PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 1:05 pm


Loving this Nicole.
BTW is Sigrid a real character from the books or is she made up? I don't seem to remember a Sigrid but that may be just me.

 


#63:  Author: AnnLocation: Newcastle upon Tyne, England PostPosted: Mon Jul 19, 2004 5:36 pm


Sigrid is a real character, Elisabeth. She's a prefect when the School reopens in Guernsey.

 


#64:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 6:26 am


Sigrid enjoyed the few days she spent with Violet and her family, although it quickly became obvious that war was imminent. Germany and Russia signed a non aggression pact effectively dividing Poland between them. Britain and France had promised to come to Poland’s aid if it was invaded. The world was waiting for the next move.

Mrs Allison took them to the railway station when they left for school. She saw them onto the platform. “Violet, please write to us this evening, darling, so we know you both made it to school safely,” she said, kissing her daughter goodbye. “Sigrid dear, if you can’t go home at Christmas for any reason let me know. I’ll write to Miss Annersley and ask her if you can come here.”

Sigrid smiled. “Thank you, Mrs Allison,” she said. She got onto the train to allow Violet and Mrs Allison to say their goodbyes and began to look for a compartment.

Violet joined her a few minutes later, and they waved goodbye to Mrs Allison as the train pulled away from the platform. They would meet up with the rest of the school in London and travel onto Guernsey from there.

“I wonder how Maria will go as Head Girl,” Violet said. Both girls had been shocked to discover that they were prefects. Neither had seen themselves as prefect material; they were both quiet girls who were happy to remain in the background.

“She’ll be fantastic,” Sigrid answered. “From what I’ve heard Gisela was one of the best Head Girls ever and Maria will be the same.”

“It’s very strange, the way they’ve almost mirrored each other,” Violet said thoughtfully. “Gisela was the first Head Girl and now Maria is the first Head Girl of the new school.”

Sigrid looked at her. “You say some very strange things at times,” she said. “Or am I the only one that gets the … benefit of such thoughts.”

“Well, I can’t exactly share my thoughts with everyone, Sigrid. They’d all think I was mad!”

“And they’d be right!”

“I prefer to think of myself as the only sane person in a mad world,” Violet told her.

“You can believe that if you want.” Sigrid looked out the window. “I wonder if there’s any news on Maria’s father.” Herr Marani had not been seen or heard from for well over a year and grave fears were held for him.

Violet looked serious. “I haven’t heard anything and Maria hasn’t said anything in her letters,” she said. “It’s really difficult. I’m not sure whether to ask if there has been any news or to wait until she says something. I don’t want to upset her in any way – she’s going through enough without me making things worse.”

 


#65:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 8:05 am


Oh, poor Maria! Crying or Very sad

 


#66:  Author: Ruth BLocation: Oxford, UK PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 9:11 am


Its nice to see Violet coming out of herself a bit - I could never quite believe her to be as shy as EBD made out!

 


#67:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 11:53 am


Poor Maria!
(This is the problem with the fill ins, and alternative views, we all know when the sad/bad bits are coming up! Crying or Very sad )

 


#68:  Author: Amanda MLocation: Wakefield PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 6:05 pm


This is still a wonderfully haunting story. You can almost feel the outside world rapidly closing in on them with no way of escaping it. Agree with Vikki about the sad bits coming up. Sad

Star Wars

 


#69:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Tue Jul 20, 2004 7:31 pm


Thanks Nicole- love the little scene between Sigrid and Violet.

 


#70:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 7:21 am


Sigrid and Violet had been told they would meet the rest of the school in London. The railway station where they were to meet Miss Stewart was absolute chaos.

“What are all these kids doing here?” Sigrid asked as she dodged another line of children intent on making their way to the platform by the shortest route possible.

“They’re being evacuated to the country,” Violet answered. “Just in case.”

Sigrid didn’t need to say any more. She watched the goodbyes for a few minutes then had to turn away. Watching the parents saying goodbye to their children made her realise something that she wasn’t prepared to accept yet.

They arrived at the school late in the evening. So late that Miss Annersley sent the whole school to bed straight after Prayers. All the usual start of term notices would be read out at Prayers the next morning.

Sigrid discovered that she was a Dormitory Prefect. She made her way to her dormitory and found that she had charge of five girls who she assumed would be Third or Fourth Formers. She shook her head. This was very new territory for her. “Right, Lights Out is in ten minutes,” she said, “so I’d suggest that you all get organized. Don’t worry about unpacking your cases – we’ll take care of that tomorrow. Just take out what you need tonight.”

Elizabeth Arnett – naturally – was the first to speak up. “Sigrid, when do we know who’s Head Girl?” she asked.

“Miss Annersley will tell you that tomorrow after Prayers when she welcomes the school back,” Sigrid said. “Now, Elizabeth, it’s late and we’ve all been traveling all day. I’m very tired, and I’m sure the rest of you are as well. We’ll worry about that sort of thing tomorrow.”

 


#71:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 8:47 am


Nicole wrote:
Sigrid didn’t need to say any more. She watched the goodbyes for a few minutes then had to turn away. Watching the parents saying goodbye to their children made her realise something that she wasn’t prepared to accept yet.


Chilling ...

Poor Sigrid ...

 


#72:  Author: Annie PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 9:14 am


Wooooooooooooow! Have only just read this! It's brilliant!
Thanks Nicole

 


#73:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 2:59 pm


*Worries about Sigrid's parents*

Quite chilling to think of all the people who were separated.

 


#74:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 5:15 pm


My dad wasn't born until October 1939, but his older brother - age 12 was evacuated. Didn't stay long though - he ran away back home!


Thanks for the latest Nicole - very sobering.

 


#75:  Author: JackieJLocation: Kingston upon Hull PostPosted: Wed Jul 21, 2004 7:31 pm


It is definitely sobering, thinking of all the children who had to leave their parents.

On a side note, for my History GCSE coursework I had to do a wartime diary, and I wrote it as a girl who was evacuated but then came back home (I think she turned 16). But I do recall using my CS books to get into thinking in that period.

JackieJ

 


#76:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 7:06 am


Miss Annersley called the prefects aside at Break the next day. “It’s just been announced,” she said quietly. “Germany has invaded Poland. I’ll be announcing it to the school at lunch time.”

“Are we at war?” Yvette Mercier asked.

“No, not yet,” Miss Annersley told her. “But unless Germany stops the invasion and retreats to the border, war will be declared.”

Sigrid smiled bitterly. “They won’t retreat,” she commented. “Why should they? Germany has invaded other countries before now and the rest of the world has ignored them. They’ll be thinking that the rest of the world will continue to ignore their actions.”

“When you say invasion, Miss Annersley, do you mean an invasion like we saw in Austria or an invasion with soldiers and tanks and … things?” Cornelia asked.

“The German Army crossed the border into Poland early this morning,” Miss Annersley answered. “The BBC has reported that German planes have bombed Warsaw and other towns.”

“Those poor people,” Violet said. “I never thought we were lucky until now. At least we weren’t bombed.”

“That is something we can be grateful for,” Miss Annersley agreed. “We have a wireless installed in the staff room. We will tell the school the latest news at Prayers each day, and at other times of the day as required. I’m also going to arrange for newspapers to be delivered to the prefects room. I would ask that you don’t discuss anything you see in the newspapers with any other girls unless the school as a whole has been told. I don’t want to hear any wild rumours which could cause some to panic.”

Maria looked at the others. “I think we all would appreciate that,” she said. “At a time like this it is important that we know what is happening in the world.”

 


#77:  Author: Annie PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 7:35 am


Miss Annersley is so sweet and encouraging! Well done Nicole, and thanks Very Happy

 


#78:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 8:23 am


That was lovely, Nicole, thank you ...

I particularly like the prefects thoughtful reactions - not that I would expect any less of them of course!!
And as someone else said earlier, it's nice to see the quieter characters coming into their own

 


#79:  Author: Ruth BLocation: Oxford, UK PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 8:24 am


This drabble makes me all goosbumpy! Its wonderful - and a nice antidote to RCS at the moment!

 


#80:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 10:11 am


I think that this is a wonderful serious drabble.

 


#81:  Author: Amanda MLocation: Wakefield PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 4:42 pm


I have to echo what everybody else has said - this is a wonderful drabble.

Star Wars

 


#82:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Thu Jul 22, 2004 7:21 pm


Nicole this is so evocative, you can picture being in the room with them - thank you.

Last edited by Lesley on Fri Jul 23, 2004 7:12 am; edited 1 time in total

 


#83:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 6:53 am


Thanks everybody. I'm not comfortable with writing Hilda especially - Lesley does such a wonderful job with her characterization of her in RCS that every time I write her it feels awkward.

*****

Sigrid knocked on the Middles’ Common Room Door and walked in. “Excuse me please, everybody. Miss Annersley wants everyone to go to the Hall now,” she said. “So if you can all line up at the door – in an orderly manner please, Betty and Elizabeth – and I’ll escort you down there.”

“Why does she want us to go to the Hall?” Elizabeth asked. “It’s Sunday. We don’t have an Assembly on a Sunday.”

“I don’t know,” Sigrid said. “I’ll find out why at the same time you do.” But she could make an educated guess. “Now, you all know the rules. No talking in the corridors, please.”

She took them to the Hall and found her place at the back of the room between Maria and Sigrid. Miss Annersley was already there watching the girls enter.

As soon as the last girl took her seat, Miss Annersley spoke. “The Prime Minister is to address the country at quarter past eleven this morning,” she told them. “We’ve brought you together so you can all hear what he has to say.”

Sigrid and Violet looked at each other. They had a fairly good idea of what was to come. Violet checked her watch. “Any time now,” she murmured, showing Sigrid the time – it was exactly 11:15.

As she finished speaking, they heard a voice come out of the wireless. Miss Annersley adjusted the volume so that all could hear. The man speaking sounded very old and tired, but the words he used were spoken very carefully and deliberately. There was no way that they could be misunderstood.

“This morning, the British Ambassador in Berlin handed the German Government a final note, stating that, unless the British Government heard from them by 11 o’clock that they were prepared at once to withdraw their troops from Poland, a state of war would exist between us. I have to tell you now that no such undertaking has been received, and that consequently this country is at war with Germany.”

The school stood as God Save the King was played, then Miss Annersley turned the wireless off. “Those of you that were with the school during the last few months in Tirol will remember exactly what that time was like,” she said quietly. “Perhaps it is only now that we realise how lucky we were then.” She paused and looked over the school. “I asked you on Friday to remember Madame’s words ‘Be brave’. I would also ask you all to remember those girls who attended this school in Tirol, and who are now living in under Nazi rule. Remember them, and pray that they remain safe, so we can be reunited when the war is over.”

 


#84:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 7:15 am


Thank you Nicole, a wonderful piece - can't understand why EBD chose to ignore it in Exile, but you have done an excellent job - can picture it. Laughing

 


#85:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:47 am


This drabble should come with a warning - I get goosebumps every time I read it ...

And that radio excerpt gets me every time, regardless of whether I read or hear it ...

Excellent stuff Nicole

 


#86:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 1:32 pm


Thank you, Nicole, that was atmospheric.

 


#87:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 3:13 pm


I'll join the goosebumps brigade. That was very moving, especially Hilda's calm and understated comments afterwards.

 


#88:  Author: AngelLocation: London, England PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 4:02 pm


Another for the goosebumps brigade.

Thank you

 


#89:  Author: LisaLocation: South Coast of England PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 8:27 pm


Just found this ....
Wow. Just wow.
You are a very talented writer. Thanks.

 


#90:  Author: Sarah_KLocation: St Albans/Leicester PostPosted: Fri Jul 23, 2004 10:17 pm


*shivers*
Goosebumps over here too. You're doing an amazing job Nicole, truly you are.

 


#91:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 6:15 am


The school settled down reasonably quickly. There were many differences between the new school in Guernsey and that which left the Tirol sixteen months earlier. The most obvious was the size of the school. In Guernsey there were only fifty two pupils. Before so many had been forced to leave at Easter there had been over two hundred girls at the school.

Some things remained the same. Cornelia stamped into the prefect room after prep one evening absolutely livid. “What is it about the Fourth Form that makes them all such absolute horrors,” she began.

“Pots and kettles there,” Violet observed. “What did they do?”

Cornelia shook her head. “We were never that bad,” she said. “More to the point, what didn’t they do? I know not one of them did their prep. That meant, of course, neither did I.”

“So what did you do to them?” Sigrid asked. Cornelia was once one of the most mischievous Middles the school had ever known and the thought that she was dishing out the punishments to the new generation promised to be absolutely priceless.

“Nothing major. I just pointed out that I wasn’t going to have to explain to their teachers tomorrow exactly why they hadn’t completed their prep,” Cornelia answered. “Oh, and Betty and Elizabeth won’t be attending the Saturday night.”

“It had to come,” Yvette said philosophically. “It’s been a very quiet start to term – no-one’s really done anything too outrageous.”

“I hope you realise that you’ve just guaranteed they’ll do something outrageous now,” Cornelia said gloomily.

 


#92:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 6:39 am


Lovely bit, Nicole - and like the development of Violet.

 


#93:  Author: LulieLocation: Middlesbrough PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 7:44 am


I'm loving this. I like the bit about people finding it amusing at the thought of Corney as prefect

 


#94:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 10:59 am


I loved that touch of humour.

 


#95:  Author: EllieLocation: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 11:40 am


Wow! Just caught up with all you've written since the first post. You're research is certainly paying off - I could almst imagine I was living through the period myself.
I like the last part too, the remindre that 'normal' life continued amid all the horror.

 


#96:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 11:59 am


I've just read this from the beginning, and it is wonderful. EBD ignored so much around this time, and the girls from other countries, its good to have another agp filled.

*Agrees with the goosebumps brigade*

 


#97:  Author: Sarah_KLocation: St Albans/Leicester PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 12:52 pm


Nice to know that Middles are always Middles what ever the circumastances, Cornelia's right with her prediction of doom I suspect.

 


#98:  Author: Kathy_SLocation: midwestern US PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 3:25 pm


Just caught up on tons of this and it's excellent! Thank you, Nicole.

Trust Corney to lighten the mood Smile .

 


#99:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 3:30 pm


I always had a soft spot for Corney; she might have been a wicked Middle, but she was never really malicious.

 


#100:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Sat Jul 24, 2004 4:57 pm


Jennie wrote:
I always had a soft spot for Corney; she might have been a wicked Middle, but she was never really malicious.


Well, she was something of a nightmare in Head Girl, but she reformed thoroughly after her experience in the salt caves.

 


#101:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 6:24 am


Next bit. BTW, as I'm not trying to rewrite Exile from Sigrid's POV, so there are a couple of plot lines that I'm just going to skim over. Sorry, but I just can't get them to work...

*****

A new girl joined the school the next day. She was settled in the Fifth Form and placed in Sigrid’s dormitory. Sigrid wasn’t altogether happy about that as it created more work for her at a time when she was busy enough already. She helped Gertrude finish unpacking and stood. “I’ll take you down to the Seniors common room,” she told the younger girl. “Someone down there will look after you for a few days.”

She escorted the girl downstairs and to the Senior Common Room where Amy Stevens was sitting by herself reading. “Amy, this is Gertrude Beck. She’s just arrived and will be in the Fifth Form with you. Can you look after her for a few days until she settles in. Gertrude, Amy has been with the school almost since the start and if she can’t answer your questions, nobody can.”

Sigrid left the Common Room and went to the Prefects Room. “You’ve been a long time,” Cornelia told her as she closed the door behind her.

“New girl. I’ve just unpacked her and taken her to the Fifth Form Common Room,” Sigrid answered, sitting down opposite Cornelia.

“It’s strange to have a new girl arriving at this time,” Violet said.

“It has happened before.” Maria hardly spoke these days. “Especially in the first term. Margia and Amy, Juliet and many others started partway through that term.”

“Including Giovanna and Anita,” Sigrid said quietly. She hadn’t heard from her cousins since she arrived in England and knew that it was unlikely that she would hear from them until after the war had ended, assuming that they survived.

Cornelia looked at Maria and Sigrid. “This sounds dreadful, but I forget at times that you two especially are going through a worse situation than the rest of us. For us we’re worried about our friends, but you’ve both got family still there.”

 


#102:  Author: Catherine_BLocation: Oxford, UK PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 9:13 am


Nicole, I've just found this drabble and it's superb. I've been shivering at every post, I think it's incredibly powerful and partly because nothing especially terrible has happened to Sigrid or her friends/family yet, it's all the "small" things about the War like having to move, being in a new environment, losing contact with friends in other countries, being desperate to read the news... you've done it so well, many congratulations and I hope the drabble will continue for a good long while.

 


#103:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sun Jul 25, 2004 1:16 pm


Thank you Nicole - I think this drabble is all the more poignant as it relates a perfectly normal School term, with new girls and Prefects etc, then suddenly we are all catapulted back into the horror that was Nazism by being reminded of those left behind.

Superb.

 


#104:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 6:12 am


BTW Violet's theories come straight from a diary excerpt I read. Couldn't resist using it...

****

The next day Miss Annersley called the school together after Prayers and told them of Mademoiselle’s death. She had died the day before after a long illness. Out of the corner of her eye Sigrid saw Cornelia collapse but knew she wouldn’t be in time to stop the other girl hitting the floor.

Miss Wilson however was in time and caught her. Together with Matron she carried the distressed Games Prefect from the hall.

Miss Annersley had stopped speaking while Cornelia was carried out. She continued to speak for a couple of minutes telling them about the memorial service to be held the next day for Mademoiselle in their chapel. She then dismissed the school.

The Sixth Form was very subdued for the rest of the day. With the exception of Polly Heriot, they had all been taught by Mademoiselle for many years and had loved her. Although they had known she had been in ill health for many years, and none of them would ever forget a Half Term some years ago when they had been Senior Middles when it appeared Mademoiselle would not survive.

They were also missing Cornelia, who had been sent to bed. With only six girls in the form, the absence of anyone was keenly felt, let alone someone with as much personality as she had.

****

“She had what?” Cornelia asked in disbelief.

“Triplets,” Robin said calmly. “All girls. I haven’t seen them yet but Daisy and I are going home tomorrow to meet them.”

“Only Joey would do that,” Violet said shaking her head. “Triplets. I can’t wait to see them.” She looked over at Sigrid. “You’re very quiet over there.”

Even by her standards, Sigrid had been very quiet for a few weeks now. The sinking of the Ark Royal in Scapa Flow had immediately brought a letter from her parents ordering her not to try and come home while the U boats remained so active. She hadn’t been surprised by the letter, but had just begun to realise that it could be many years before she went home. Not even the excitement over Gertrude Beck being a Nazi spy had managed to shake her depression. Violet and Corney had been very worried about her, and were trying to keep her from becoming as withdrawn as Maria had become since they left Austria.

Sigrid managed a small smile in response. “It’s great news,” she said. “And heaven knows, we need all the good news we can get.”

“Nothing’s really happened yet,” Yvette protested. “Not since Poland surrendered.”

“It will happen,” Violet said. “Hitler likes these gaps of about six months between campaigns, doesn’t he? In March there was Anschluss with Austria. In September he took over the Sudetenland. In March he took over the rest of Czechoslovakia and then in September, Poland. I think we need to pay attention in March.”

 


#105:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 8:52 am


Consistently brilliant - thanks, Nicole

And lots for me to catch up on! I like the thoughtfulness of the girls - Corney noting that it's more difficult for the the likes of Maria and Sigrid with family still on mainland Europe; Violet thinking through Hitler's manoeuvering etc; Corney & Violet being worried about Sigrid, and presumably Maria as well ...

 


#106:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:30 am


Poor Sigrid not knowing when or if she will see her parents again, and watching from a distance as Hitler crosses Europe.

 


#107:  Author: LisaLocation: South Coast of England PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:32 am


Gets better and better. Gripping!

 


#108:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:56 am


This really brings home the menace that was Naziism.

 


#109:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 2:54 pm


Nicole this is a very opwerful drabble I am so glad I have caught up with it at last. It really brings forward all the undercurrents of Exile and brings to life things that happened in war time. It must have been very strange for the girls to be having a near normal life knowing what was happening in other parts of Europe.

 


#110:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 6:28 pm


Thank you Nicole.

 


#111:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 6:40 pm


Thank you Nicole. I've always found this period of the school the most moving but you are giving it a whole new dimension.

 


#112:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Mon Jul 26, 2004 6:49 pm


Nicole this is amazing. More whenever you can, please. Very Happy

 


#113:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 6:07 am


Some of the school found more than enough excitement a few weeks later.

Sigrid tore down the beach at Pleinmont Point, barely hearing Maria tell the others to stay back. She followed Cornelia to the burning plane and helped her pull the airman to safety.

“At least he’s alive,” Cornelia said.

“Yes,” Sigrid gasped. “Corney – Maria!”

Maria’s hair had come free from the knot at the back of her head and fallen over her face. Sparks had fallen on it and her hair was smouldering.

Corney dropped the airman leaving Sigrid to continue pull him to safety as she dashed over to Maria and put out the sparks with her hands.

“Help me!” Sigrid yelled, seeing the fire move towards her. Yvette and two others came and helped her carry the airman further up the beach where they collapsed.

“That,” Yvette said, “was the bravest thing I’ve ever seen. Corney’s hand’s have got to hurt.”

Locals had joined the girls on the beach and were helping the girls put the fire out.

Sigrid stood. “Stay here,” she told Yvette, and dashed over to Corney and Maria. “How are you both?”

Cornelia had lost most of her hair and her face was very pink – almost as if she had been sunburned. “My hands sting a bit,” she answered. “What about the airman?”

Sigrid knelt down and tried to find a pulse. There was none. She looked up at Cornelia and shook her head. “I think he’s dead.”

It was the first time she had ever seen death. She had to look away and saw Maria. Maria was standing on the other side of the airman shaking. “Corney …”

Cornelia looked over at the Head Girl. “Let’s get her away from here, Sigrid,” she said.

They led Maria away from the destruction as several cars pulled up. Doctor Jem and a couple of other men jumped out and hurried over. Sigrid assumed that they were also doctors from the San. “I think he’s dead, Dr Jem,” she told him as he knelt down beside the airmen.

Doctor Jem examined him quickly and shook his head. “I’m afraid you’re right, Sigrid.” He placed his jacket over the man’s face. “Come on, I want you to move away from here, please.” He made them move further up the beach. “Are the three of you hurt?”

“I’m fine, but Corney and Maria are burned,” Sigrid answered.

Doctor Jem looked them over quickly. “You’ll need to come with me to the San,” he told them “Sigrid, bring the others together so I can make sure that they’re fine and then I’ll try and find a way for you all to get back to school.”

 


#114:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 7:12 am


A really moving account. Thank you Nicole.

 


#115:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 8:47 am


Wow.

Very interesting to see this episode from Sigrid's viewpoint as we primarily remember it because of Corney and Maria ...

 


#116:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 9:45 am


Thank you for the different viewpoint Nicole. Im re-reading Exile at present, and with this drabble, and others written about the similar period, Exile seems like a different book.

 


#117:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 1:19 pm


*shivers*


Nicole, you've made me go all goosebumpy! This is so real!!!!

 


#118:  Author: LisaLocation: South Coast of England PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 1:52 pm


*echoes compliments*

I agree this feels so real, it gives a completely fresh outlook on Exile (which is one of my favs) Well done!!! Really enjoying it. Smile

 


#119:  Author: Sarah_KLocation: St Albans/Leicester PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 3:21 pm


As the others have said, it's great getting to read the scene from Sigrid's point of view, makes you think about what you're reading more carefully.

Thank you.

 


#120:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 3:23 pm


This makes it far more personal, seeing the events through Sigrid's eyes.

 


#121:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 5:52 am


Hope this works - I'm really not comfortable writing Hilda

****

Doctor Jem had paid the bus driver to take the Seniors straight back to school. When they walked into the foyer they created quite a sensation. It was one of the few times that Sigrid could ever remember seeing both Miss Annersley and Matey at a loss for words. She could only imagine what they all looked like to the staff.

Miss Annersley recovered first. “Girls! What have you been doing?”

“A plane crashed on the beach at Pleinmont,” Sigrid answered. “Doctor Jem has taken Corney and Violet and Maria to the San.”

“How were they injured?” Matey asked.

“They were burned when we pulled the airmen away from the wreck.”

For the second time in as many minutes both Miss Annersley and Matey were left temporarily bereft of speech.

Matron was the first to recover. “Is anyone hurt?” she asked, bustling over.

“We didn’t go near the plane,” Enid answered. “Only Sigrid and Yvette.”

Before they knew what had happened Sigrid and Yvette found themselves in San with Matey. “You’ve both been scorched a bit, but nothing too serious,” she decided. “Hot baths for both of you and then to bed.”

Both girls knew better than to argue and presently they found themselves in bed.

Miss Annersley came into the room and smiled. “How are you feeling, Sigrid?” she asked, sitting next to her.

Sigrid laid her book down. “I’m fine,” she said, “just a little bit shaken. Have you heard how Violet and Maria and Corney are?”

“Violet’s fine. She will stay in the San for a couple of days and will then come back to school. Cornelia and Maria suffered worse burns than Violet. It is unlikely we will see them back at school before next term.”

“They were so brave,” Sigrid said, shaking her head. “They didn’t even stop to think that they could get hurt.”

“Enid and Amy used almost the same words to describe your actions. It takes a great deal of courage to do what you all did today. Did you stop and think that you could get hurt?” Miss Annersely asked.

“There wasn’t time to think,” Sigrid said frankly. “The airmen would have died if we hadn’t acted when we did.”

“They were German, Sigrid.”

Sigrid was shocked to discover that Miss Annersley knew about her prejudices against Nazis, but then again her pupils swore that the Headmistress missed nothing that happened in the school. “I didn’t really think about that, Miss Annersley. They were human beings who needed help.”

Miss Annersley didn’t say anything. She didn’t need to.

“I hate the Nazis for what they did to us and are doing to Giovanna,” Sigrid said quietly looking down at the bedclothes.

“Not all Germans are Nazis, Sigrid,” Miss Annersley said. ‘You met many Germans at the Tiernsee. Do you think that they all became Nazis?” She leaned forward. “Hatred is an extremely powerful emotion. It’s so powerful that sometimes it can completely dominate your life. If you let your hatred dominate your life to the exclusion of all else what have you become?”

Sigrid met her eyes. “No better than the Nazis,” she said ruefully.

“It is the ability to feel compassion that separates us from the Nazis, Sigrid. If we cannot feel for another human being regardless of nationality we become no better than they are.” Miss Annersley smiled. “Your strength of character is one of the many admirable qualities that you have. With that you can become anything you wish. Please don’t let your hatred of the Nazis dominate your life.”

“I understand that, but it’s hard, Miss Annersley.” Sigrid couldn’t meet her eyes. “I think of Giovanna and what she has to do every day and I hate them for making her do that.”

“I know. Sigrid, look at me.” Miss Annersley waited until Sigrid met her eyes. “Life hasn’t been fair to Giovanna and your anger is understandable. I feel angry when I think of the lives that many of our girls are forced to lead now. We each have to move beyond anger in our own way and move on in our lives. You certainly have the ability to do so.”

“And forget about what’s happening to Giovanna and so many others!” Sigrid exclaimed shaking her head. “I can’t do that.”

“Absolutely not. We must remember them and we should feel sorry for them, but we must live our own lives.” Miss Annersley leaned forward. “And perhaps we should do what we can to free them from Nazi rule.”

 


#122:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 6:53 am


Even though we know what happens in this particular bit, I still held my breath that Corney, Violet and Maria would be alright. Again, getting Sigrid's point of view really rounds out the incident.


I think that is just as Hilda would have handled it.
Not to mention Matey, of course! Rolling Eyes

 


#123:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 8:28 am


What do you mean you're not sure of this?!
Nicole, this is a superb post - it's great to see Matey and Hilda "temporarily bereft of words" and why not? All sorts of scenarios must have been going through their minds - not least the fact that their charges could have died!

The discussion between Hilda and Sigrid is wonderful - I love Hilda's insight and she handles Sigrid brilliantly - not so much telling her that she mustn't be prejudcied against all germans but helping her work this out for herself ...

Excellent - you've given much more depth to one of the critical scenes in Exile ... Very Happy

 


#124:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 10:17 am


A beautiful post, I agree with Rachael about the discussion between Sigrid and Hilda, it was very moving and insightful. Thank you Very Happy

 


#125:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 10:27 am


Another post in which Hilda displays her wisdom and compasssion. Lovely, thank you.

 


#126:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 1:40 pm


Nicole, that was a lovely post - I can picture Hilda saying the words. Thank you. Smile






(Double post deleted!)

 


#127:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 3:57 pm


Thank you Nicole, sensitively written, agree with the others it rounds out this part of Exile. Helps to know about Hilda and Matey - they must have been worried sick.

 


#128:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 12:26 am


That was lovely Nicole! Thank you sweetie!!!

 


#129:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 7:45 am


Thank you, everybody! That scene with Miss Annersley and Sigrid was one of the first that I thought of and I've rewritten it so many times because I was never happy with it.

***

Much to Sigrid’s surprise Violet returned to the school about four days later. As some of the Juniors had been diagnosed with German Measles the day before the school had been put into quarantine. “What are you doing here?”

Violet sat down next to Sigrid. “I’ve had German Measles before,” she answered. “And as you can’t get them twice I’m fine. So what have I missed – apart from the epidemic?”

Sigrid shook her head. “Nothing that I can think of,” she answered. “Although Yvette and I only got out of San yesterday, so we haven’t had a chance to catch up ourselves.”

“So the school’s had no Pefects for three days,” Violet asked. “I bet the Middles would love that. Has that ever happened before?”

Sigrid shrugged. “Not as far as I remember. They were quiet last night in prep.”

“By the way, I got to hold the Triplets yesterday,” Violet told her.

“I haven’t even seen them yet! What are they like?” Sigrid asked

“I don’t think they’ll stay identical. Con’s eyes are already starting to darken – I’m picking she’ll have Joey’s eyes,” Violet answered. “They seem to be very placid babies.”

“They certainly don’t get that from their mother,” Sigrid said with decision. “Placid is certainly not a word you can use to describe Joey.”

 


#130:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 8:29 am


*g*

Class!!
Quote:
“They seem to be very placid babies.”

“They certainly don’t get that from their mother,” Sigrid said with decision. “Placid is certainly not a word you can use to describe Joey.”

 


#131:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 9:13 am


A great line!!

I love the way this is fitting around Exile, thank you Nicole Very Happy

 


#132:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 2:01 pm


Lovely, thanks Nicole.

 


#133:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 3:59 pm


I'm really enjoying this, it's great. Very Happy

More soon please!

 


#134:  Author: Sarah_KLocation: St Albans/Leicester PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 7:54 pm


Thanks Nicole, I love Sigrid's last line about the triplets and Joey. The chat with Hilda after the plane crash was amazing.

 


#135:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 8:47 pm


Thanks for the latest update, Nicole.

 


#136:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 11:02 pm


Lovely post Nicole!!!
Looking forward to more!

 


#137:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 6:52 am


Cornelia and Maria would not return to school that term. For Maria it was unlikely that she would ever return to school. Miss Annersley told the prefects that she had been diagnosed with nervous exhaustion and would be in the San for many months recovering.

There was news of Maria’s father at last. Relatives of the Marani’s confirmed that the Nazis had given them Herr Marani’s ashes. They believed that he had been executed in a concentration camp. It was little comfort, but at least the Marani family had answers to some of their questions.

Sigrid had accepted Mrs Allison’s invitation to spend Christmas with them. It was either that or spend the holiday at school and as much as she loved school she didn’t really want to do that.

The last few weeks of term were exceptionally quiet – except for one memorable day.

 


#138:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:32 am


Poor Maria Crying or Very sad


However ....................... NICOLE!!
Laughing Laughing Laughing
I think you have been infected with the cliffhanger bug!!
Very, very sneaky!!!

 


#139:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:50 am


Isn't it a sad thing that everyone eventually writes cliffhangers, and even sadder that we love them so much?

 


#140:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 8:58 am


*g*

But even the likes of Dickens etc did that, didn't they?

Ahem, we may not be quite the same standard but didn't he write his books in chapters for a newspaper so he had to hang on to the readers "until the next time" with a little cliffhanger/teaser - like soaps etc today ...

We're just conforming to accepted entertainment norms and using all the tricks of the trade! Very Happy

 


#141:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 11:11 am


Poor Maria indeed, I wish she had't dissapeared quite so completely afterwards until many years later, so that we could have seen her recover.

*Enjoying the cliff!*

 


#142:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 2:22 pm


Could we possibly have an account of the memorable day, oh excellent drabbler?

*enjoying the cliff...but the scenery's getting a bit old now!* hint hint!!!

I just realised the last post was today... oops! But its almost 12 hours now...

 


#143:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 3:33 pm


...............and that's a long time to wait.

 


#144:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 5:33 am


Twisted Evil Cliffs are fun!! Twisted Evil

Jennie & Laura - sorry, but it's unlikely that I'll ever post at 3:30 in the morning!!

Not quite sure where Violet's mouth came from - but she's a lot of fun to write!!

***

“What in the name of…” Polly began as the noise in the corridor began to resemble a riot in progress.

Violet and Sigrid looked at each other and stood. Clearly there was no member of the staff in the immediate vicinity. Before they reached the door it burst open and Biddy O’Ryan fell into the room.

“Biddy, what do you think you’re doing?” Yvette asked.

“’Tis a miracle I’ve seen with me own eyes!” was the extremely dramatic response from Biddy. “Alive and in the flesh.”

“I have a feeling I’m going to regret asking this,” Violet muttered, “but Biddy, what is going on.” She held up a hand as Biddy began to speak and only succeeded in reaching new levels of incoherence. “Let’s just start at the beginning and talk slowly and calmly, shall we?”

“Frieda and Dr von Ahlen and Wanda’s husband are in Miss Annersley’s office.” Biddy said with exaggerated care.

Yvette was already at the door. “Let’s go,” she said looking back. “I want to see Frieda!”

“Hold on,” Sigrid said. “We can’t just break into the Abbess’ office.” She winced as the noise level seemed to increase. “What in the world is going on out there? “

“I don’t know, but there’ll be major problems if someone in authority hears that,” Violet said.

“You’re in authority,” Polly pointed out.

“Good point. Then I’d better go and create major problems for that lot out there!”

 


#145:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 7:00 am


Lovely Nicole. thanks

 


#146:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 7:52 am


Wonderful! So good seeing that from a different POV!

(Love Violet! Laughing )

 


#147:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 10:18 am


Thanks Nicole, great to have a different view of all these happenings!

 


#148:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 11:03 am


Violet is SO good!

I'm really enjoying this - more soon please... and come on, it's only midnight...! Very Happy

 


#149:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 3:50 pm


I think this is great, so lots more, please.

 


#150:  Author: Sarah_KLocation: St Albans/Leicester PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 3:57 pm


Very Happy
Violet's a lot of fun. Nice to see this scene from another POV too, it wsa a pretty big day for a lot of the girls after all.

 


#151:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 6:56 pm


lovely post Nicole!
Andbig grin at Violet's comment!

 


#152:  Author: EllieLocation: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 9:12 pm


Wonderful story Nicole, I agree with the comments about seeing things from another POV, I have to adnit that I tended to overlook Sigrid.

Just a thought re Exile, the line in about Herr Marani's ashes being returned always seems a bit unlikely to me - would the Nazi's really have returned the ashes of all the people the killed in the concentration camps?

 


#153:  Author: PatLocation: Doncaster PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 9:20 pm


That always seemed very unlikely to me too. Givwen what we now know about Concentration camps!!!

 


#154:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 9:38 pm


I agree, but it's there in the book, and I can imagine that Hilda would have told the school once she found out. I did think long and hard about including it - maybe I shouldn't have...

More will come very soon - hopefully 2 posts today...

 


#155:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 9:42 pm


But I got really excited that was more drabble! Grr.

And I have to get up early tomorrow! Surprised Aggh. Oh well. I'm willing to sacrifice sleep for drabble! (I do have excellent priorities Very Happy )

 


#156:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 10:07 pm


Nicole wrote:
I agree, but it's there in the book, ..... I did think long and hard about including it - maybe I shouldn't have....


I wondered about it in the book too but agree that you should leave it in as you are not re-writing the book, but telling the story that is in the book from a different perspective.

 


#157:  Author: GemLocation: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September) PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 10:16 pm


Just read this drabble from the start - Nicole, it's absolutely amazing, and you are a very talented writer. It's lovely to see the war stories from a different angle, and even nicer to see quieter characters coming into their own - e.g. Vi's last line on the last update - wonderful!

Thank you!

 


#158:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 10:47 pm


Sorry, Laura Smile had to get the washing out as it's going to rain later on (and I can't *believe* that housework took preference over CBB Shocked), but it's out now, so lots of drabbling/CBB time today Very Happy .

BTW - it's so cold here this morning that my cooking oil has solidifed in its bottle and the yard is white!! I've already heard 2 car accidents on the main road as cars slip on the black ice!! This is seriously not fair!!

***

In the end Miss Annersley ushered them into Hall as virtually the whole school were wandering the corridors. On the stage stood 2 men and a woman.

Violet nudged Sigrid. “It’s definitely Frieda,” she muttered. “Wonder how she got here.”

They listened as Frieda told the school how Bruno and Friedel escaped. As Frieda told them of the help they got from a former student’s brother Violet leaned over. “Could they be tallking about Giovanna?”

“They could be,” Sigrid murmured. “Although she’s not nineteen till January. Now shush. I want to hear Frieda.”

“…and we are proud - proud - proud of belonging to such a school.” Frieda was in tears as she finished.

Sigrid and Violet were also in tears by the time Frieda finished speaking. Looking around they saw that most of the school were close to tears.

“I wonder who the girl that helped them was,” Sigrid heard Enid Sothern say to Amy Stevens and Robin Humphries.

“It’s unlikely that we’ll ever find out,” Sigrid interrupted the conversation, “and speculating who it could be could get other girls into trouble with the Nazis. All we can do is hope and pray that they remain safe.”

Once in the Prefects Room Violet looked grave. “Frieda looked old,” she said. “So did the other two.”

Sigrid nodded. “I thought that as well. How old is she – about twenty one? She had a look in her eyes that made me think she’s seen far too much that she shouldn’t have.” Sigrid thought for a second. “That made absolutely no sense at all.”

“I know what you meant,” Violet said. “You know, I sometimes wonder what it would be like if we hadn’t left the Tiernsee when we did. Then something like this happens and I realise that I don’t really want to know the answer to that question.”

 


#159:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 10:57 pm


Thanks for that Nicole - very sobering, thinking on what Frieda and the others went through.

 


#160:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 6:45 am


Mr Allison met the girls at the railway station a couple of days before Christmas and took them back home. “Richard arrived home yesterday,” Mr Allison told them as they pulled up to the house. “And Daniel was hoping he could get leave.”

“You didn’t meet Daniel in the summer,” Violet said to Sigrid. “He couldn’t get leave over the summer – hardly surprising given what was happening then.”

“Which service is he in?” Sigrid asked.

“RAF Fighter Command, based near London,” Mr Allison told her. “And Richard wants to join the Navy after he finishes school, so we’ll have him to worry about as well. At least we won’t have to worry about you girls.”

Mrs Allison ushered them into the kitchen. “Come in here where it’s warm, girls,” she told them. “Edward will make sure your trunks are taken upstairs. Sigrid, we’ve put you in with Violet again, dear.” She kissed both girls and examined them. “Well, no signs of burns now I see. What on earth were the pair of you thinking of?”

“We didn’t really have time to think,” Violet answered.

“Think about what?” Richard asked.

“A plane crashed on the beach one day while we were out from a ramble,” Violet said briefly. “A couple of us got a bit burnt, that’s all.”

“Why don’t things like that happen at our school?” Richard wondered. “All the exciting things happen at your school.”

“It’s more frightening than exciting,” Sigrid told him. “Believe me, there are things that I would gladly have missed.”

 


#161:  Author: Catherine_BLocation: Oxford, UK PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 7:38 am


Thanks for all the new posts, Nicole.

I'm very glad Sigrid has somewhere to go for Christmas.

 


#162:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 8:10 am


Love the comment "All the exciting things happen at your School!"

And poor Allison family - if older son works for Fighter Command, they'll have a lot of worrying come the summer!

Thanks Nicole.

 


#163:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 10:29 am


Thank you Nicole. I like the girls dicussing the changes in Frieda, and the fact Sigrid has a temporary home with Violet

 


#164:  Author: Kathy_SLocation: midwestern US PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 11:46 am


This is a wonderful perspective, Nicole.

Likewise enjoyed the juxtaposition of
Quote:
At least we won’t have to worry about you girls.”
and
Quote:
All the exciting things happen at your School!
Smile

 


#165:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 5:17 pm


Lovely Nicole!!!!!

looking forward to more

 


#166:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 5:43 pm


Lovely, Nicole. Again, it's so spine chilling to think that parents were only worrying about the boys who would be in the armed forces - and we know the CS had to flee the Channel Islands! Also, no one foresaw the bombing that was ahead.

I often wondered why EBD didn't make more of the war years and yet, she gave the bones of it and I suppose to some extent no-one wanted to read anything quite so worrying during the war and wanted to forget it afterwards. We've now got the advantage of distance from that particular war.

I'm really enjoying having the story enlarged on and from a different POV.

 


#167:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 7:12 am


Thanks again, everyone.

BTW could some very kind person PM or email me a summary of War/Goes to It concentrating on the school rather than Joey et al. I've lent my copy to my sister who has lent it on to a friend of hers and can't remember enough about what happened to tie it in with this story *sigh*. Thank you!! Very Happy

****

“Any news?” Violet asked as she and Sigrid sat down at the breakfast table.

“Not really,” Mr Allison answered from behind his paper. “Hasn’t really been anything since the Navy sunk the Graf Spee. The Finns are doing quite well against the Russians.” He folded the paper. “What do you girls plan to do today?”

“We haven’t made any plans,” Violet answered. “Maybe go for a walk a bit later.”

“It’s been a very cold winter, so if you do go out wrap up warm and don’t go too far,” Mr Allison warned them. “You don’t want to go back to school with colds.”

Sigrid and Violet looked at each other and smiled. Although it was cold outside, it was nowhere near as cold as the winters on the Tiernsee they had experienced.

“We’ll take care,” Sigrid promised.

***

“Can you believe that?” Violet asked as they wandered down the road.

“My parents do the same when I’m home at Christmas,” Sigrid commented. “And my mother grew up in the Tyrol so she knows what the winters are like.” She slipped slightly on the icy road. “I miss my boots.”

“You could write to your parents and get them sent to you,” Violet suggested. “You probably won’t ever need them in Guernsey, but they’d be handy here.”

“I think I probably will,” Sigrid said. “I’ll ask them to send some of my clothes as well – I’m sick to death of living in the same couple of outfits when not at school.”

“That’s a good plan. I think the Government are introducing even more rationing in January and if they include clothing then you could have problems,” Violet said. “You could always borrow some of my clothes.”

“If the war goes on for many years you may need them yourself,” Sigrid pointed out. “Thank you for the offer though.”

“No problem,” Violet said, looking up at the sky. “We should probably head back home. It looks like it could turn nasty soon.”

They hurried back to the house arriving just as it started to rain. “Girls, I was starting to worry about you,” Mrs Allison said as they came in the kitchen door. “I don’t think you’ll be able to go out again today though.”

Sigrid looked out the window and noticed the rain was turning to sleet. “It’s getting nasty out there now,” she agreed.

“I might get you girls to give me a hand this afternoon,” Mrs Allison told them. “I’ll be starting
preparations for Christmas Day.” She sighed. “It won’t be as good as last year because of rationing, but we’ll make do.”

“Have you heard from Daniel yet, Mum?” Violet asked.

“No, not yet. He did say that he won’t know whether he gets leave until fairly late so he may very well just turn up,” Mrs Allison answered. “Knowing him that’s exactly what he’ll do.”

 


#168:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 10:00 am


Loads of lovely posts - excellent!

I particularly liked their view of Frieda and co. and how they comment on the fact that she's aged - understandably so!

Also liked Richard being envious of the girls!!

 


#169:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 10:49 am


Thanks Nicole, its so nice to hear about Violet's family, she was so overlooked in the books!

 


#170:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 12:31 pm


Love that Nicole - typical family, especially the bit about the winter! Laughing

 


#171:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 6:34 pm


What sort of winters does Sigrid get in Norway? Still, it was good to see a little light relief in the parental fussing.

 


#172:  Author: CathyLocation: Australia PostPosted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 9:52 pm


Hmm are we going to get a romance in this story? Or is my imagination jumping way too far ahead?

 


#173:  Author: EllieLocation: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 1:40 am


This really makes you understand what it must have been like to live during the war, Nicole, thank you.


Re Herr Marani's ashes - I wasn't querying your use of the tale, after all it was in the book, it's quite legitimate to use it, I was querying EBD. I think Pat hit the nail on the head with her comment about what we now know of the concentration camps - I guess EBD didn't have that advantage.

 


#174:  Author: ChelseaLocation: Your Imagination PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 2:06 am


Ellie wrote:
This really makes you understand what it must have been like to live during the war, Nicole, thank you.


Re Herr Marani's ashes - I wasn't querying your use of the tale, after all it was in the book, it's quite legitimate to use it, I was querying EBD. I think Pat hit the nail on the head with her comment about what we now know of the concentration camps - I guess EBD didn't have that advantage.


I think that this did happen. There was a movie (Swing Kids?) where the main character (at the begining of the movie) had a job that involved delivering ashes to families in boxes. IIRC, the ashes seemed to contain some sort of proof (e.g. a wedding ring) that had not been burned.

*realises that half remembered movies are not the best sort of proof available*

 


#175:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 8:30 am


Thanks again, everyone. As for a romance - I'm not sure yet. The only thing I know for certain is that the Allison family, especially Daniel, Violet and Richard will be fairly important throughout the drabble.

Re the legal issues discussed here - I'm not sure about them at all, so let's just call it my take on what could have happened. If anyone feels I've made any major errors, just let me know. Very Happy

****

“Mr Allison, can you post a letter for me tomorrow, please?” Sigrid asked. She had written to her parents asking if they could send her clothing and some other items to her. She had accepted that it would be some time before she would be able to return to Norway – perhaps years.

“Of course,” Mr Allison answered. He took the envelope she gave him. “Writing to your parents?”

Sigrid nodded. “I’ve asked them if they can send some of my things here,” she said. “After all it’s going to be a while before I can go home.”

Mr Allison nodded. “I think, Sigrid, that this is something we need to discuss a bit more,” he said. “Could you come with me, please.”

Sigrid followed him to his study. “Sigrid, with the war between Finland and Russia we must consider the possibility that Russia could invade Norway if it defeats Finland,” he said. “That would leave you – well with little official protection.”

“A refugee,” Sigrid said flatly. “I’ve thought about it over the last few weeks especially.”

“Have you been in contact with the Embassy since you’ve been in England?”

“None at all,” Sigrid said.

“I wonder if they know that you’re in the country. I find that quite incredible,” Mr Allison mused. “In that case I think you should write to the Embassy tomorrow and let them know who you are and where you are. Now you’re seventeen, aren’t you? When do you turn eighteen?”

“In June – the fourteenth.”

“I’m not sure at what age one is considered an adult in Norway, but here in Britain it is twenty-one,” Mr Allison told her. “Molly and I have discussed this, and we’re quite happy to act in loco parentis for you – with your parents consent, of course.”

Sigrid was slightly blown away by the conversation. “I’m sorry, I’m not quite sure what that means.”

“What it would mean is that Molly and myself would be considered your legal guardians while you’re in Britain or until your twenty first birthday whichever is the first to occur,” Mr Allison told her. “In reality, Sigrid, we would be there to advise you and offer you a home. You’re an intelligent and mature young woman who is more than capable of making her own decisions in life.” He leaned forward. “By doing this it should mean that you’ll have some protection should Norway be invaded and you be unable to be in contact with your parents.”

“Will you need something in writing from my parents?” Sigrid asked. “I know the school have something that my parents signed.”

“Yes, that would have,” Mr Allison said. “It wouldn’t hurt if your parents could put their wishes in writing – just in case.”

 


#176:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 8:38 am


Aww the Allisons are lovely. I'm glad she has somewhere to go etc etc.

Nicole this is great! Seeing as you've just posted I wont ask for more...yet! Very Happy

 


#177:  Author: Lulie (as guest) PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 8:39 am


*eeebles at the thought that something nasty may happen to Sigrid or her parents.

I'm really enjoying this, btw, Nicole. The real effects are so glossed over in the books (understandably, in some ways as they are for children and publishers at the time seemed to think that children shouldn't be exposed to nasties!)

MORE PLEASE Laughing oh, and if necessary could you put tissue warnings? I don't want my mascara to run!

 


#178:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 9:22 am


* Laughing at Lulie!*

Nicole - this is wonderful and I love the Allisons - what nice people and I like the way they're involving Sigrid in the decision instead of patronising her ...

 


#179:  Author: AngelLocation: London, England PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 11:27 am


Wouldn't the school have required guardians in the UK for non-uk-based students anyway - we certainly had to have them, in case parents were away on business trips and such like.

(great drabble by the way - really enjoying it)

 


#180:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 11:29 am


The Allison's are so lovely to Sigrid, but Im really worried about her parents in Norway Sad

 


#181:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 3:32 pm


so glad the Allisons want Sigrid to be their ward. Must not wibble about Sigrid's parents, they will come through.

 


#182:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 3:34 pm


Really enjoying this Nicole. Love the way the Allison's have just accepted Sigrid.

Looking forward to more when available.

 


#183:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 5:51 pm


Awwww! Nicole, the Allisons are so lovely here!

 


#184:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 7:09 pm


I never thought of Sigrid's status later as a 'refugee'. A very ambiguous postition to be in!

Angel, I'm not sure whether the legal safeguards we take for granted were in place that far back.

*Just relieved that Sigrid has the Allisons to look after her*

 


#185:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 7:28 pm


Thanks for that Nicole - also worrying about Sigrid's family. Sad

 


#186:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 9:36 am


Um - I'm not sure whether there'll be a post on this tomorrow as I'm going to be occupied (nearly wrote busy there, and I know what you lot would make of *that* word Rolling Eyes). I've just got off the phone from Donna and we're meeting for coffee tomorrow after work. I'm very excited by that!! Hopefully I'll get something posted, but I can't promise anything...

****

Sigrid was alone in the kitchen reading. Mrs Allison and Violet had walked down to the shops to pick up a few last minute items for Christmas Day and Richard was over at a friends place for the afternoon.

She looked up as the door opened. “That was quick...” she began then stopped as she saw the stranger.

The stranger wearing an RAF uniform. “Who the hell are you?” he asked frowning. “And why are you in my mother’s kitchen?”

“You must be Daniel. I’m Sigrid, Violet’s friend,” she said standing. “Can I get you a cup of tea?”

“Thank you, that would be good,” Daniel said still staring at her. “You’re the friend from school who can’t go home – you’re Swedish?”

Sigrid barely stopped herself from wincing at that. “Norwegian,” she told him. “Violet and your mother have gone to the shop to pick up some things. They shouldn’t be too long.”

Daniel nodded. “And Richard?” he asked.

“He’s at a friends place for the day.”

“I’ll get changed and be down in a minute. White, no sugar.” He shook his head at the expression on her face. “The tea, silly.”

Daniel never knew how close he came to wearing the teapot after that comment.

****

“So how long have you been with the school?” Daniel asked a couple of minutes later. “As long as Violet?”

“A term longer, I think,” Sigrid answered. “It’s hard to remember now.”

“I always wanted to go to Austria and see the school. Violet has said it was beautiful there,” Daniel said. “Pity that it’ll be a long time before I can go there.”

“There are a few other places that I’d like to be able to safely travel to before I go back to Austria,” Sigrid said quietly.

“I imagine that there is,” Daniel said. “Is it your last year at school as well? Have you made any plans for after that?”

“Not really. It all depends on whether I can get back to Norway in the summer. If I can’t then, I don’t know,” Sigrid said. “I’ll just have to see what the Embassy suggests I do.”

They looked over as the kitchen door opened and Mrs Allison and Violet. They stopped at the sight of Daniel then rushed over to welcome him home.

Sigrid took advantage of this to go upstairs and give the family some privacy.

 


#187:  Author: LulieLocation: Middlesbrough PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 9:42 am


Daniel sounds charming!

Have fun with Donna and pass on our best wishes

 


#188:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 11:26 am


Nice episode!! Daniel sounds like a typical bloke fo that era!

Yes - do please say hello to Donna for us ... Very Happy

 


#189:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 11:59 am


Thanks Nicole!!
*thinks Sigrid should have chucked the teapot at him!!!!*
Please say hi to Donna from me too!

 


#190:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 12:52 pm


I would have loved to see him wearing the teapot!!

Thanks Nicole, and please say hi to Donna Very Happy

 


#191:  Author: Lisa_TLocation: Belfast PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 1:17 pm


This is brilliant,Nicole!!!!!

Give my love to Donna and remind her she's to stay away from men while she's out there- we want her back in the UK, you know! ROFL ROFL

(NB, I was amused by Nicole's comments on the cold. I do hope Donna had the wit to realise that it's winter down there and packed accordingly....*g*)

 


#192:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 3:27 pm


Poor Sigrid - though it would have been nice to see Daniel wearing the tea pot.



Have a lovely time with Donna and add another hello from me too.

 


#193:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 3:33 pm


I guess you'll have to spend all your time with Donna saying "Hello from (list getting on for 300 names) Wink

Have a good time. Must say Daniel didn't impress on first meeting but if he is a fighter pilot, he's probably been training hard and has a better idea of what is coming than his family. Poor lad.

(reminded me of Madge and the teapot in another drabble Twisted Evil )

 


#194:  Author: LisaLocation: South Coast of England PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 4:32 pm


Such a fun realistic scene where Sigrid and Daniel meet!

This is great, Nicole - I love it! Very Happy

 


#195:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 5:56 pm


Why do I feel that Sigrid and Daniel would make a good couple???

Thanks Nicole!
(Say hello to Donna from me too, please!)

 


#196:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 7:38 pm


Because they've got off to a bad start in true CS fashion?

 


#197:  Author: Kathy_SLocation: midwestern US PostPosted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 3:42 am


*"accidentally" upsets tea over Daniel*
*wishes Nicole & Donna a splendiferous time*

 


#198:  Author: GemLocation: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September) PostPosted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 7:23 am


*hopes that Nicole and Donna have a wonderful time*

*thinks that Sigrid and Daniel would make an interesting couple, to say the least!*

 


#199:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 3:35 pm


*again, hoping you have a fab time* (either past or future tense as applicable - I can't work out the time difference!)

Moree sooooon pleeeease... Very Happy

 


#200:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 12:39 am


“Games Prefect! You!” Sigrid exclaimed a couple of days after Christmas.

Violet reread Miss Annersley’s letter. “Apparently so,” she answered. “And Corney’s Head Girl. We’ve got three new Prefects as well – Polly, Robin and Lorenz.”

“I’m pleased for Polly,” Sigrid said. “She’s the only one in the Form who wasn’t a Prefect last term. She must have felt left out at times.”

Violet nodded. “I thought she did at times. I’m not surprised that Robin’s a Prefect either. She’ll be Head Girl once we’ve all left school.”

“I agree. That’s a very obvious choice,” Sigrid said. She giggled. “Unlike Corney as Head Girl. I can’t wait to see that!”

“Who else is there that could do the job, though? We’re seen as being too quiet and Yvette went home to France for Christmas, so I don’t think she’ll come back to school. The only other Sixth Former is Polly and she’s not a Prefect.” Violet shrugged. “Corney may not be an obvious choice, but she may well be the only choice.” She giggled. “I have to admit that it would appear as if the lunatic is taking over the asylum if you hadn’t seen Corney for a few years and realised how much she's changed.”

 


#201:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 12:44 am


Thank you Nicole , never thought of the effect of Corney becoming Head Girl on the other prefects.

 


#202:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 9:35 am


I love their comments about Corney, thank you Nicole Very Happy

 


#203:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 10:16 am


Loving the 'we're seen as being too quiet' comment - completely calm acceptance!

 


#204:  Author: EllieLocation: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 12:06 pm


Far to much has happened since I was last here to commentate on it all, but I'm glad Sigrid has the Allisons to support her.

As for Daniel - did he really do anything so bad? When I return home I expect to have a drink made for me!

It was really interesting to see the two girls discussing the appointments, esp. the last comment about Corney.

And I know that it's too late to ask you to say hello to Donna, but I hope you had a good time.

 


#205:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 6:38 am


I'm not going to spend a lot of time on the Easter term - there's so much that happens in the few months following that I need to show.

****

There were no new girls starting at the school that term. Although the school preferred new students to start at the beginning of the school year in September there were usually one or two starting during the Easter term. Violet commented on that to Sigrid as they made their way upstairs on the first night.

“I think it’s the U boats. If the school was on the mainland then perhaps there would be a couple,” Sigrid answered. “I can understand that many parents wouldn’t want their children crossing the water at the moment.”

“Guernsey’s fine though. There’s no way a U boat would get into the Channel.”

“They said that about Scapa Flow not so long ago. Even being a passenger vessel would not guarantee its safety. They’re sinking passenger vessels in the Atlantic all the time. Also, we’ve literally been in the battle lines already. Remember the plane last term.”

Violet acknowledged the point with a wave of her hand. “There’s no way I’ll forget that. I don’t believe that anyone who was there will ever forget it.” She jumped at the sound of a voice behind her.

“Girls, I know you’re both Prefects and therefore entitled to a few privileges,” Matey told them, “but I think it’s time you were both in bed.” She looked keenly at them. “Are you both still getting nightmares?”

“Not anymore, Matron,” Sigrid lied. She heard Violet answer the same.

Matey didn’t look convinced by their answers but let it pass. “Bed both of you, please.”

****

Sigrid dumped her books on the Mistresses desk in the Fourth Form and turned to face the class. “Does anyone care to explain why it sounds as if a riot has broken out in here? I could hear you from the Prefects Room!”

“Well, we just thought we’d have a discussion and things got a little loud,” Betty answered.

“That was a rhetorical question, Betty. You should be old enough to work quietly by yourselves for the few minutes before a Prefect arrives, but clearly not!” Sigrid checked her watch. “Since you’ve now wasted fifteen minutes of your Prep time and not one of you has your books out ready to start work, you can make that time up after Supper tonight. You’ve got two minutes to set this room straight, get your books out and sit down and start work. If it takes you longer than that to get organised, I’m adding five minutes to every extra minute it takes you.” She sat down and watched them put the room to order. Somehow she knew it was going to be a rough night.

 


#206:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 8:27 am


Thanks Nicole! More would be much appreciated Very Happy

 


#207:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 9:03 am


Thank you Nicole, its nice to see a bit of that missing term Very Happy

 


#208:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 9:37 am


Sigrid seems to have made a good prefect! Also glad to see abit of that missing term, though I quite understand why you don't want to spend too much time on it with all there is to come.

I thought you expressed the growing tension very well, too - Violet taking the commonly felt line and Sigrid more aware of what can happen.

Looking forward to more.

 


#209:  Author: Sarah_KLocation: St Albans/Leicester PostPosted: Sun Aug 08, 2004 9:30 pm


Sigrid does seem to be making a good prefect, even with the odd cheeky middle around Smile

 


#210:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 5:24 am


More excellent posts - love seeing reactions of Violet and Sigrid to Cornelia being made Head! Laughing

 


#211:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 7:24 am


You may start needing to have the tissue box handy - the next few posts could be quite emotional...

****

Easter that year was in late March and Sigrid spent the holidays with the Allison’s again – excluding Daniel, who had been unable to get leave. Her parents had agreed to the Allison’s acting as her guardians in case the worst happened.

Sigrid and Violet returned from a walk a couple of weeks after Easter to find Mrs Allison waiting in the kitchen for them. “Sigrid, can you please come with me for a minute?” Mrs Allison asked.

Sigrid wasn’t sure what she made of the expression on Mrs Allison’s as they went to the office where Mr Allison was waiting. As she entered the office Sigrid noticed that he had the same strange expression on his face. “Sit down, Sigrid,” he said quietly.

“This isn’t good news, is it? My parents?” Sigrid asked beginning to stand again.

“As far as I’m aware, they’re fine,” Mir Allison reassured her. He took a deep breath. “Early this morning German forces invaded Denmark and have attacked Norway. Little is known at the moment about the situation. I’m trying to put a telephone call to the Embassy for you, although I doubt whether they will know any more than we do at the moment.”

Sigrid shook her head. This was her worst fear come to life. “This can’t be happening. Norway is neutral – we’ve done nothing to encourage them.”

“I’m very sorry, Sigrid.” Mrs Allison took hold of her hand. “There’s nothing that we can say that can make this easier for you.”

“I don’t know what to do,” Sigrid murmured. “Everything’s changed so suddenly.” She shook her head. “I always thought that things couldn’t get worse than leaving Austria and leaving my family there behind. Now they’ve got my whole family.”

“There’s nothing that we can do until we hear from the Embassy,” Mr Allison said gently. “All we can do at the moment is speculate – the Germans could be repelled.”

“I don’t think that will happen unless Britain and France can send lots of troops to Norway as soon as possible,” Sigrid said. “The German Army appears to be the only army that can move that fast.”

“Sigrid, I don’t think we should make any decisions until after we hear from the Embassy,” Mrs Allison told her. “They will be able to give us the latest news and then we can decide what to do from there.”

 


#212:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 8:57 am


Oh dear ... poor Sigrid ... Sad

 


#213:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 10:02 am


Poor Sigrid, it must be so hard to know you can do nothing, just wait. I'm really glad she has the support of the Allisons.

One question, why did Hitler invade Norway? I think Sweden were neutral, but I don't know much about this part of the war in detail.

 


#214:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 1:56 pm


Aww poor Sigrid - it must have been so dreadful for her.

 


#215:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 4:09 pm


Hasn't Norway got oil deposits??? Or maybe coal?? Might be making it up but seem to remember reading something about that being the reason Hitler invaded.




Poor Sigrid. Crying or Very sad

 


#216:  Author: Sarah_KLocation: St Albans/Leicester PostPosted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 4:25 pm


Poor Sigrid, it would be awful to be so far away whilst your family was in danger, especially as she doesn't understand why Hitler invaded.

*stockpiles tissues*

 


#217:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 4:35 pm


I think Norway was invaded to get an ice free port to transport Swedish iron ore which was essential to the German war effort. Also Hitler had met a Major Quisling (yes, that's were the name came from) who was an ex-Norwegian Minister of Defence and claimed he had support for Hitler within Norway. So he probably saw it as a soft target.

Poor Sigrid. She must have been devastated.

 


#218:  Author: GemLocation: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September) PostPosted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 5:24 pm


Poor Sigrid! Crying or Very sad She's being very brave about it though.

Nicole, as well as being absolutely fantastic, this drabble (as well as all the yibble) is incredibly educational about the situation at the time- I'm learning as much, if not more, than I've learnt studying the Second World War (in particular Nazi Germany) for the past three years!

 


#219:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 7:41 pm


Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh! Poor Sigrid!!

*pokes evil nazis!!!*

 


#220:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 7:58 pm


Vikki wrote:
*pokes evil nazis!!!*


It's a shame you weren't around then, Vikki! I'm sure you would have scared Hitler and saved a lot of trouble! ROFL ROFL

 


#221:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 7:59 pm


PatMac wrote:
Vikki wrote:
*pokes evil nazis!!!*


It's a shame you weren't around then, Vikki! I'm sure you would have scared Hitler and saved a lot of trouble! ROFL ROFL



*sulks*
s'not funny!!!!

 


#222:  Author: AnnLocation: Newcastle upon Tyne, England PostPosted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 10:40 pm


*sniggers* Oh yes it is...

This drabble continues to be excellent, Nicole. (((Sigrid)))

 


#223:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 12:19 am


*pokes Ann* Razz

 


#224:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 6:34 am


OK - which silly billy gave Vikki a poking stick! Wink

PatMac got the reasoning for the invasion of Norway exactly right - Germany was dependent on iron ore from Sweden which was transported to Norwegian ports and then shipped to Germany. Britain also planned to invade Norway to cut the supply line and the 2 invasions were launched virtually simultaneously resulting in a few clashes on land and a naval battle off Norway's west coast. Both sides lost a few ships, but this caused more harm to Germany than Britain as their navy was nowhere near as big. One book that I've read theorises that the damage done to the German navy was one of the reasons why the Germans didn't send the invasion fleet in late summer/autumn of 1940 - the British navy was still very strong, but Germany had few capital ships left...

S'pose I'd better post some story now after all that burbling..

****

It was very late that evening before they got through to the Embassy and the news wasn’t good. The Embassy had confirmed that German troops had landed in several places, including just outside Oslo. There had been unconfirmed reports that a German ship had been sunk in Oslo Harbour by guns installed at Oscarborg, the narrowest part of the fjord and that there was a naval battle raging between British and German warships off the west coast of Norway. Sigrid had to wonder why the British warships were there – it wasn’t possible for them to have sailed from British waters to Norway that quickly. A politician named Vidkun Quisling had seized control of the Government for the Nazis.

The next couple of days brought little confirmed news, but many rumours. Finally five days after they first found out about the invasion came confirmation that Oslo had fallen.

Violet found Sigrid leaning on the garden fence. “Are you all right?” she asked. “Sorry – stupid question, I know.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Sigrid stared into the yard. “I don’t know what I should be feeling at the moment. I’m – I’m numb. I just can’t believe that there are Nazis in Oslo and that Denmark has just capitulated like that.”

“I’ve been trying to put myself in your place and ask myself how I would feel if it was London that had fallen, but I can’t imagine Nazis in Trafalgar Square or Hyde Park,” Violet said. “Not as I know them anyway. I – you’re just so strong.”

“I’m not strong. It’s happened now and I have to accept that I can’t change it. Otherwise I think I’ll go mad.”

Violet noticed the envelope in her hands. “Have you received a letter from your parents?“ she asked. The envelope was still unopened.

“I – I don’t want to open it.” Sigrid let out a breath she hadn’t realised she was holding. “Not yet. It will be the last letter that I get from them for a long time.”

“Come here.” Violet hugged the other girl. “You’ll see them again when the war is over and it won’t be that long.”

“It’s already too long. Maybe I shouldn’t have left Norway.”

“What good would that do? You’d be there and in the same situation that we were in as in Tirol. Could you really accept living under Nazi authority for any length of time after that?” Violet shook her head. “Knowing you, you’d fight back against them, and they would kill you. I think you’re in the best place you can be.”

“Better to be dead and free than living under Nazi rule,” Sigrid said.

“Exactly – and what point can you make by going and getting yourself killed needlessly. Better to live and see them defeated – and work towards their defeat,” Violet told her. “Because they will lose. Evil like that cannot and will not be allowed to survive.”

 


#225:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 7:06 am


*Lump in throat time*. That was so moving, Nicole. Thank you.

It's a long while since I read about the invasion of Norway so I'm glad something stuck in my head!

 


#226:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 8:28 am


Violet is a great friend to Sigrid - will we find out whether they keep in touch throughout the war, once they've left school etc?

 


#227:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 9:01 am


Violet's words are very moving. Thank you and PatMac for the info Very Happy

 


#228:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 10:29 am


Poor Sigrid - and all the other is must have happened too. Nice to see how good Violet and aher family are to Sigrid.

Thank you Nicole this must have taken ages to research.

 


#229:  Author: Amanda MLocation: Wakefield PostPosted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 11:15 pm


Have to echo evrybody else. I love this story. I'm glad Sigrid's got such a good friend as Violet, and that she's got such a supportive family helping her through this.

Star Wars

 


#230:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 8:44 am


The school was moving again – this time to a village near Armiford. Letters arrived a week before term was due to start advising Sigrid and Violet that the new term would begin at the start of May. They were to make their way to London where they would meet the rest of the school and then proceed to Armiford.

Mr and Mrs Allison were pleased by the move. Recent events had left them with the belief that Guernsey was too isolated and potentially too vulnerable to Nazi attack for the school to remain there. Armiford was situated far away from most major cities and military targets, so they felt that the school would be safe there.

“Our last term,” Violet commented as she shut her overnight case. “I wonder what we’ll be doing this time next year.”

“I know what you’ll be doing,” Sigrid told her as she too shut her case. “All ready for tomorrow.”

“What will I be doing, then?”

“You’ll be in one of the services or the Land Army. Something like that.”

“You could do that as well?” Violet pointed out.

Sigrid shrugged. “Possibly, but I’m not a British citizen. I’m sure that that would be a requirement.”

“I don’t think so. In Daniel’s squadron there’s a Pole and an American. I don’t think they’re British citizens.” She jumped at the sound of her father’s voice telling them to get a move on before they missed the train. “Why don’t we discuss this later?”

 


#231:  Author: AnnLocation: Newcastle upon Tyne, England PostPosted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 9:45 am


Vikki wrote:
*pokes Ann* Razz


So I'm in the same league as the Nazis now? Shocked

Thanks Nicole - as Susan says, this is really well researched.

 


#232:  Author: GemLocation: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September) PostPosted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 11:27 am


Wonderful, Nicole!

I feel so sorry for Sigrid! And Vi as well - I'm sure she must be worried about her brother Sad

 


#233:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 4:15 pm


Thanks Nicole Very Happy

This has made me think about the logistics of them being on the Island in wartime. How did they all cross the channel at Christmas and Easter safely, I'm suprised some parents allowed them to return after Christmas! Heigh ho, EBD again!

 


#234:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 5:28 pm


Thanks Nicole - wonderful.

I think the only reason that the Chalet School went to Guernsey was so that EBD could include the Chesters and Lucys - oh and the Ozannes, though they were onkly bit parts!

 


#235:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 10:04 am


Probably like everyone else EBD didn't realise at the time how close the Nazis would get to the Channel Islands.


Thank you for more story.

 


#236:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sat Aug 14, 2004 7:28 am


Plas Gwyn wasn’t quite what the girls expected. Sigrid conceded that she hadn’t known quite what to expect. “It’s beautiful,” she said at the sight of the big house.

Violet took a slightly more practical view. “I hope we’re able to control the hooligan element. Think of what some of those Middles could do to this.”

“We can control them,” Sigrid said. “It looks like Corney wants you. I’ll organize this lot for the mean time while you find out the arrangements here.”

“What makes you so sure Corney knows?” Violet asked over her shoulder as she went over to Corney.

“She stayed at school over the holidays – she’s bound to know.” Sigrid saw Miss Annersley and Miss Wilson join them outside. “Never mind,” she called, but Violet didn’t hear her.

Miss Annersley welcomed the school back and read out dormitory lists. Sigrid noticed that the dorms tended to be smaller – most seemed to be two or three people. She had ended up with Violet in a two person dormitory.

Cornelia showed Sigrid to her room. “It’s small, but most dormies are like that,” she told them. “I’m down the end of the corridor, and Polly and Jeanne are across the way as well.”

Sigrid breathed a sigh of relief. “No more being dorm prefect for the Fourth,” she commented.

“No, Lorenz has that dubious honour,” Cornelia answered. She leaned back against the door. “So, how are you, Sigrid?”

“I’m coping with things,” Sigrid answered, sitting on one of the beds. “It’s a matter of waiting now to see what happens and hoping for a miracle.” She shrugged slightly. “Which appears unlikely.”

 


#237:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sat Aug 14, 2004 8:31 am


Poor Sigrid. Crying or Very sad

Thanks Nicole.

 


#238:  Author: GemLocation: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September) PostPosted: Sat Aug 14, 2004 8:38 am


Poor Sigrid Sad

 


#239:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Sat Aug 14, 2004 10:12 am


Thanks Nicole

*Hugs Sigrid*

 


#240:  Author: LisaLocation: South Coast of England PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 10:45 am


*lets out deep breath* wonderful ...

Have just caught up on the last few pages at once. Like everyone else, I love learning from this and it all makes it more real somehow.

Fantastic writing and research, thank you Very Happy

 


#241:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 7:55 am


Um - posting's going to be a little irregular over the next week or so. I've got a heck of a lot of reading to do because I'm just getting to May 1940 where a heck of a lot happened so I want to make sure I've got my facts right.

***

“What did you think of Assembly?” Violet asked as they prepared for bed that evening.

Miss Annersley had welcomed them to the new school that evening and welcomed two Old Girls back as staff members. Sigrid remembered Mary Burnett and Gillian Linton as popular Head Girls some years previously when she had been a Middle. She also had told them that Herr Laubach would be joining them in a couple of weeks time – he had managed to escape from Austria following his wife’s death.

“Well, I’m pleased that Gillian and Mary have joined, although I will miss Miss Stewart,” Sigrid answered. She giggled. “It’s going to be hard remembering to call them Miss Linton and Miss Burnett, though.”

“I know,” Violet said with feeling. “Thankfully we won’t have much to do with Gillian – she was Head Girl only a couple of years ago. Mary will understand any mistakes we make. What about Herr Laubach. How did he make it here?”

“Do you think we’ll ever know?” Sigrid asked. “I feel very sorry for him, you know. He would’ve lost everything when he left Innsbruck.”

“She’s in a better place now,” Sigrid said simply. “I wonder whether he has any news.”

“He won’t answer that one no matter how many times you ask him,” Violet told her. “Just in case it puts anyone that’s still in Austria in any danger.”

“I know that, but I’d love some word of those we had to leave behind.”

Violet looked at her. “Did you ever think that it might be best if we didn’t know how bad their life is?” she asked.

“We already have some knowledge of what it must be like for them. What would be worse – the truth or what we’re imagining?”

 


#242:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 12:45 pm


Nicole, every time I read this I go all goosebumpy! You've caught the atmosphere so well! It's like being there!

 


#243:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 1:50 pm


Thank you for all your hard work researching this story, its really paying off and making it so real.

 


#244:  Author: Kathy_SLocation: midwestern US PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 4:54 pm


*agrees with Vikki & Ally, and finds the last few lines especially moving*

 


#245:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 5:28 pm


Nicole this keeps getting better. Thank you.

 


#246:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:38 am


When I said irregular, I didn't think it would be this irregular. Blame the Olympics, sorry. They keep distracting me... Hopefully the next bit should be up tomorrow night. If not definitely Wednesday..

***

The first week of term went by quickly. The news from Norway was not good – British troops had begun to withdraw from Narvik on the Friday tacitly conceding that that battle was lost.

“Listen to this,” Cornelia said. She was reading the newspaper one evening in the Prefects Room. The other Prefects were finishing off prep or knitting. She read aloud “’You have sat too long for any good you have been doing. Depart, I say, and let us have done with you. In the name of God, go!’”

“Cromwell to the Long Parliament,” Violet said lazily. “We studied it in History a few years ago.”

“Slightly more recent than that,” Cornelia said. “Some MP said that to Chamberlain yesterday in Parliament. There was a vote of no confidence which Chamberlain just survived, but many MP’s abstained and many others crossed the floor.”

Violet shook her head. “The world’s gone mad,” she said in disbelief. “Why?”

“They’ll be blaming him for Norway,” Sigrid said. “The losses there will be seen as his fault.”

“That doesn’t seem exactly fair,” Polly commented.

“There’s no such thing as fair,” Cornelia said cynically. “If there was, we’d still be in Austria.”

 


#247:  Author: GemLocation: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September) PostPosted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 8:47 am


Wow - the amount of research that you have put into this is amazing, Nicole. It's a wonderful read. Thank you.

 


#248:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 9:20 am


Fantastic again, Nicole - thank you

 


#249:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 10:35 am


Really wonderful, thank you Very Happy

 


#250:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 12:53 pm


Wonderful, Nicole!

*confiscates Nicole's TV to remove the temptation to watch the olympics* Wink

 


#251:  Author: EllieLocation: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 4:29 pm


*Thinks that Nicole deserves to watch the Olympics as a reward for all the research in this amazing drabble.*

Thank you so much for this Nicole - It's a terrific story, very evocative, and educational too.

 


#252:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 4:57 pm


This is amazing.

More would be lovely, please (although I have to agree that the gymnastics, diving, athletics and every other sport under the sun are really addictive to watch!)

 


#253:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 5:28 pm


Thank you Nicole.

 


#254:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 5:46 pm


Thank you Nicole. the research you have done is awesome and I too get goosebumps at some of the conversations.

 


#255:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 8:38 am


Are the girls coming across as slightly too cynical at the moment? I'm thinking that they could be, but it's actually really hard to write them as naive schoolgirls now, especially knowing what's happening and about to happen to them. I don't think they can be that innocent and naive now.

***

Violet nudged Sigrid as they entered the Dining Room at lunch time the next day. “Wonder what all that’s about,” she murmured, nodding towards the staff table. All the staff were gathered about Miss Annersley and all looked very serious.

Sigrid glanced over at the staff. “It doesn’t look like good news,” she said. “I hope …”

They didn’t have to wait long. Miss Annersley stood at the end of the meal. “May I have your attention, please girls,” she said. She waited until all eyes were fixed on her. “This morning the German Army launched an invasion against Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and France. Not much is known at this stage but it’s believed that the British Expeditionary Force and the French Army are moving north as we speak. I would ask that you remember those of our Old Girls who now find themselves caught in the battle lines in these countries and pray that they and their families remain safe from harm.”

The school stood for Grace then went into the gardens for their rest period. The prefects all gathered to discuss the news.

“They won’t get very far,” Violet said confidently. “They’re coming up against the French and British armies now. They’re not going to walk all over us the same way they did the Poles.”

“I hope so,” Sigrid murmured, thinking of the British and French armies in Norway. Their efforts had been less than inspiring. “I hope you’re right.”

“They tried to go through Belgium last time, didn’t they?” Cornelia said. “And basically got stuck there for four years.”

“True, but I don’t think anyone wants to see that kind of slaughter happen again,” Violet said. “Millions dead. It’s inconceivable.”

“But highly possible,” Polly pointed out. “My guardian refused to let me go home these holidays because he was afraid we’d be bombed, living just outside London.” She nodded to the gas mask at her feet. “We’re back to carrying gas masks with us everywhere again, so they must think we’re going to be bombed.”

“Why would they bomb a girls school?” Lorenz asked.

“Because they can,” Sigrid said bleakly. “I think we’re isolated enough here, but what about the likes of London and Liverpool. Lots of targets there for them to aim at and lots of people there if they miss.”

 


#256:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 9:20 am


Thank you Nicole. I don't feel they are too cynical, they are growing up because of the war, a sad thing. I am glad that the school is taking the responsibility of informing the girls, especially the older ones, of the new developments.

 


#257:  Author: LisaLocation: South Coast of England PostPosted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 10:54 am


Nicole wrote:
Are the girls coming across as slightly too cynical at the moment? I'm thinking that they could be, but it's actually really hard to write them as naive schoolgirls now, especially knowing what's happening and about to happen to them. I don't think they can be that innocent and naive now.


Actually, I think you have developed their characters and situation so well, it feels entirely natural. If they were static characters then this wouldn't be half as good, but their change in attitudes is both convincing and very sad - how many young lives and innocence was affected for ever.
(I know that doesn't make much sense, but you know what I mean!)

 


#258:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 11:28 am


I really think you have got it just right. The seniors who experienced Austria would have lost their innocence and become much more realistic about what could happen. I expect there were some girls who still had their heads in the sands but most people were really quite worried by the invasion of the low countries and France.

I agree with Lisa that it is sad to see this forced maturity.

 


#259:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 6:53 pm


I think you've got it just right, Nicole, also like that the Schoolkeep them informed. So Blitzkrieg to come, then Dunkirk -my granddad was there.

 


#260:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 6:56 pm


I think it's just right too. It would be way less real if they hadn't become more cynical... ok that doesnt really make sense but I'm too tired to work out how to reprase it!

Anyway, I think its all fabulous, and I'm really looking forward to more when you have time.

 


#261:  Author: Helen PLocation: Cheshire PostPosted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 7:57 pm


Just found this and can't believe I missed it before!

It's so moving and realistic and I'm learning so much from it.

Thankyou Nicole for all your research and excellent writing - I hope this drabble continues for ages and ages!

 


#262:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 8:11 pm


Well, Helen, there are 5 years of war left - give or take a bit!

*rushes to support Nicole who collapses " grey, still, and to all appearances .... at the thought*

 


#263:  Author: Kathy_SLocation: midwestern US PostPosted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 12:17 am


Well said, Pat! ROFL

Please keep going, Nicole! The research is worth it....

 


#264:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 8:09 am


PatMac!! What have you done?!! Nicole's normally posted by now!

*wafts smelling salts under Nicole's nose and props her up against 'puter*

 


#265:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 8:37 am


*g*

Thanks PatMac, Kathy and Rachael for the support. I got the feeling that this would be huge when I started the story about 18 months before I originally intended to. So far over 13,000 words written and about 2000 in a document I've got for future bits. Eep!

***

The girls had learned early on that the first casualty of war was truth. It was impossible to find out what was happening on the Continent and rumours were rife. One rumour was very quickly confirmed as truth.

Cornelia entered the Prefects Room after prep. “Chamberlain’s gone,” she announced. “I just heard it on the radio in Rosalie’s office. He’s been replaced by Churchill.”

“Winston Churchill!” Violet exclaimed. “Interesting choice.”

“Why is that?” Sigrid asked.

“He’s been preaching against Germany and the Nazis for years now. Most people have just ignored him.” Violet shrugged. “I guess he’s been proven to be right after all.”

Polly sighed. “Do you want to know what I think?” Without waiting for them to respond she continued. “I think we’re going to be telling our children and our grandchildren that we were lucky enough to live through these days. Historians will write about this time in the same way they wrote about the Armada.”

“I hope we don’t have to live with the possibility of invasion the way they did in 1588,” Violet said.

“We won’t. The Germans will be stopped before they get much further. Don’t the Dutch have some way of opening the dykes and flooding their land? And the Belgians have some fort that’s supposed to be unassailable?” Cornelia smiled. “They won’t get very far now.”

 


#266:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 11:50 am


Wow!!

On the one hand they're so thoughtful and quite deep (Polly thinking that it's history in the making) and on the other, they're so naive (Corney believing they'll be stopped soon)
I suppose it's actually a good thing that they don't know the scale and enormity of what's coming ...

This is a riveting read, Nicole - thank you

 


#267:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 5:03 pm


Cornelia's thoughts are just mirroring everyone elses though. The German's advance through the forests of Belgium with Panzers took everyone by surprise- brilliant strategy.

Thanks Nicole!

 


#268:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 5:33 pm


This just keeps getting better and better.

Thanks!

 


#269:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 7:39 am


The next day did not bring good news. It appeared that the Dutch and the Belgians had been taken completely by surprise by the German attack and the Germans were advancing rapidly. The news over the weekend continued to be bad as town after town fell. The Nazis were moving through the Low Countries faster than anyone believed possible. By Monday most of Holland had fallen, and a new word entered the English language.

“Sigrid, you speak German, don’t you?” Vicky McNabb asked. She had started with the school that term. “What does Blitzkrieg mean?”

Sigrid frowned. “Lightning war,” she answered. “That’s as accurate as I can get, anyway. Why do you ask?”

“The morning paper’s describing the invasion as a Blitzkrieg. That sounds appropriate, doesn’t it?”

“They’re certainly moving through Holland as quick as lightning,” Violet commented. She sighed. “How long do you give the Dutch before they surrender?”

Cornelia looked grave. “Maybe a week?” she guessed. “Certainly no longer.”

“Less than that,” Sigrid said. “I’d guess that by Friday Holland will have fallen.”

Vicky shook her head. “When do you think we’ll get some good news?”

“I think we’re going to have to get used to bad news,” Polly said slowly. “It’s going to be a very long summer.”

Vicky made a face. “I didn’t want to hear that,” she said. “Do you think we’ll cope?”

Sigrid nodded slowly. “We’ll cope,” she said confidently. “Because we have no choice. We must cope.”

 


#270:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 8:45 am


Wow. Sigrid is so thoughtful! It's interesting the way its only the girls who were with the school before the move that have a deeper insight into the war itself.

 


#271:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 11:22 am


Thank you Nicole. I feel so sorry for the girls seeing all their hopes gone, and they must be remembering all their friends in these countries. Crying or Very sad

 


#272:  Author: sparklyhairLocation: Buckingham PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:13 pm


Have just read this all the way through and its amazing Nicole, you are a genius Very Happy I agree with everyone about the goose bump effect, and must admit I have cried already (i do get quite emotional reading anything about either of the World Wars-was quite embarrassing in A Level English Lit studying literature of WWI in class, was in constant tears). Just want to know what else Sigrid and the others are going to go through! (dont know if my mascara will cope though Crying or Very sad Very Happy )

 


#273:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 3:08 pm


It gives me goosebumps too! I studied War in the 20th Century as an option at uni and found so much of the personal details that we read really moving.

btw: If anyone wants a reall exposé of truth being the First Casualty of War, read Philip Knightley's book The First Casualty.

*now expects to hear that at least half of you have already read it - fellow bookworms that you are Wink *

It's really good Nicole and the research you have done is incredible.

 


#274:  Author: EllieLocation: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 3:52 pm


I know I've said it before, but I can only say it again, this is amazing. It really gives a feel for how the war was viewed at the time rather than in hindsight.

 


#275:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 6:36 pm


Awesome Nicole.

 


#276:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 10:36 pm


*shivers*

Nicole, this really is wonderfully written! Thank you!

 


#277:  Author: DawnLocation: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 11:38 pm


Nicole you really must change the subtitle of this, cos it most definitely *is* working

 


#278:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 8:54 am


This is probably cheating a bit, but this is the most incredible speech, I had to use it. All I knew was the "blood toil, tears and sweat" line.

***

Miss Annersley ushered the school into Hall that evening. “The Prime Minister is about to speak to the country,” she told them. “I’ve brought the school to hear the speech.” She turned back to the wireless.

Presently the girls heard a voice that would become very familiar to them>

“We are in the preliminary stage of one of the greatest battles in history, that we are in action in many points in Norway and Holland, that we have to be prepared in the Mediterranean, that the air battle is continuous and that many preparations have to be made here at home. I would say to the House as I said to those who joined this Government. I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.

We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask: what is our policy? I will say: it is to wage war by sea land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy.

You ask: what is our aim. I can answer that in one word. Victory. Victory at all costs, victory in spite of terror, victory however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival.

Let that be realised. No survival for the British Empire, no survival for all that the British Empire has stood for, no survival for the urge and impulse of the ages, that mankind will move forwards towards its goal.

But I take up my task with buoyancy and hope. I feel that our cause will not be suffered to fall among men. At this time I feel entitled to claim the aid of all, and I say “come then, let us go forward together with our united strength.””

Throughout the Hall, you could have heard a pin drop. Sigrid looked around and noticed all had the same awestruck expression on their faces.

Miss Annersley broke the silence. “I’m sure … I’m sure that all of us present know how grim the situation is in the Low Countries,” she said, “and how hard the next days and weeks could be. Remember these words and be brave, no matter how dire a position we appear to be in.”

 


#279:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:13 am


One word: Goosebumps

 


#280:  Author: NellLocation: London, England PostPosted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:28 am


*Echoes Rachael*

I was reading that with Churchill's voice echoeing round my head having heard part of that speak and the one given on D-Day at La Cupole (a V2 rocket base and now museum) in Saint-Omer on Wednesday.

 


#281:  Author: Richenda PostPosted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 9:35 am


This is fantastic. I'm really enjoying this.

More please (if it's not too much trouble Embarassed )

 


#282:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 11:21 am


*shivers down my spine*

Every time I hear or read a Churchill speech its brings home again how lucky we were to have him.

 


#283:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 11:50 am


Thanks, Nicole. I always read that speech with Churchill's voice saying it. Goosbumps indeed. Thank you for including it here, it gives such a true feeling of how dark things were.

 


#284:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 12:24 pm


This is superb, Nicole, dare I say much better than EBD?

 


#285:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 8:45 pm


Agrees - we needed Churchill - we were so lucky.

Thank you Nicole.

 


#286:  Author: Sarah_KLocation: St Albans/Leicester PostPosted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 10:05 pm


I'm enjoying this so much, it's a brilliant blend of fact and fiction so that it feels so very very real. Thank you for filling in such a big EBD blank

 


#287:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Fri Aug 27, 2004 10:55 pm


Thank you Nicole!
*shivering*

 


#288:  Author: DonnaLocation: Liverpool PostPosted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 12:14 am


sparklyhair wrote:
I agree with everyone about the goose bump effect, and must admit I have cried already (i do get quite emotional reading anything about either of the World Wars)


Thank goodness it's not just me! I've just read this from the beginning (I seem to have typed that a lot tonight!) and I think I've had tears in my eyes for most of it - whether it was from what was happening in the story, or knowledge of what was to come. It is really amazing Nicole - even as a social historian (or maybe especially as a historian), it's never really sunk in as to how people must have felt during the war, especially those who had to watch their countries suffer through invasion and oppression.

I love everything about the way you've written this drabble - I think the attitudes of the senior girls are just right, because they would have become cynical, and I love the way the staff keep them all informed, and I love the way you're using speeches from the time and...I could go on forever! Smile basically, to sum up all of the above - is there any more please? Wink

*does feel guilty that she seemed to deprive CBBers of this for a night, but Embarassed at the number of 'hi's - you're all lovely* Very Happy

 


#289:  Author: EllieLocation: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 12:46 am


Excellent use of the speech Nicole - I heard Churchill's voice too. This drabble is so Wow.

 


#290:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 9:36 pm


Cornelia held up a hand as the Prefects entered the Prefects Room. “Don’t say anything,” she said. “Just for a minute.” She sat down at the head of the table and shook her head. “I don’t know what to say,” she said finally. “I don’t know the words that can describe how I’m feeling now.”

Violet nodded. “I know exactly what you mean.” She shrugged. “After an absolutely diabolical weekend when I’m starting to feel that we’re vulnerable here, I now know that we’re going to win this. How can we not win this war with that man as Prime Minister.”

“I liked that he was realistic about the situation,” Sigrid said. “He’s told us that we’re in for a struggle, that it’s not going to be easy.”

Polly nodded. “That’s the first time I’ve ever heard anyone in Government say that,” she agreed. “It certainly wasn’t a speech filled with false hopes.”

“But there was hope in it,” Cornelia commented. “Hope that tomorrow will bring good news.”

 


#291:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sat Aug 28, 2004 9:46 pm


Lovely! As someone who was born 25 days after Dunkirk (who can work that one out? Wink ), my Mother told me of the difference that speech made. Until then, the general population were mixed between despair and disbelief.

An incredibly emotive post, Nicole and, from what my parents told me, so true!

 


#292:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 7:59 am


Miss Annersley's definition of courage is a quote I came across. It's currently pinned to the wall by my desk and I just love it. It seems like the sort of thing she would say...

*****

Tomorrow, however, did not bring good news. Holland surrendered after the Germans launched a bombing raid which completely destroyed the port of Rotterdam. It was reported that thousands had been killed or injured and tens of thousands were left homeless.

Early that afternoon Miss Dene knocked on the door of the Prefects Room and entered. “Sigrid, Miss Annersley would like to see you in her office,” she said.

Sigrid stood and left the room. “Why? Is there news of my parents?” she asked as they went towards the office.

“She’ll explain it to you,” Miss Dene said as she opened the office door. “Sigrid’s here, Miss Annersley.”

“Thank you. Sigrid, come in please, dear.”

Sigrid entered the office and curtseyed. “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes, I did,” Miss Annersley said. “Sigrid, this is Mr Amundsen from the Norwegian Embassy. He would like to talk with you.”

Sigrid turned to the man standing beside the desk as Miss Annersley left the room. “Good afternoon,” she said nodding her head. “Do you have news of my family, Mr Amundsen?”

Mr Amundsen shook his head. “I’m sorry, but no,” he said. “Sigrid, I’m not sure what you know of the situation in Norway at the moment.”

“I know it’s not good,” Sigrid said. “I know most cities have fallen.”

“Yes, that’s correct. That means that it is highly probable that you won’t be able to return to Norway at the end of term.”

Sigrid laughed. “I’d taken that as a definite fact, actually,” she said. “My parents wrote to me last year and told me that they didn’t want me crossing the North Sea until the U boats were neutralised.”

“I sea.” Mr Amundsen was silent for a minute. “Mr and Mrs Allison have asked to act as your guardians once you leave school until you turn twenty one which will be …” He consulted a file. “In June 1943, I believe.”

“Yes, that’s correct. We discussed this at Christmas and Mr Allison wrote to the Embassy about this. My parents agreed that Mr and Mrs Allison were to act as my guardians and I know they had a meeting at the Foreign Affairs office to confirm this. That was in January, and we’ve heard nothing since.” Sigrid frowned. “I can’t help but wonder what this is about, Mr Amundsen.”

“We – the Embassy – are trying to make contact with as many Norwegian nationals as we can,” he said. “We are still fighting, mainly in the north and in the mountains, but the situation is grim. The surrender will probably come very soon.” He looked at her. “While we can, we’re trying to look after our people and make sure they’re taken care of as best we can. Because you’re due to finish school very soon we thought that someone should see you and find out what we can do to help you once you’re finished.”

Sigrid nodded. “We break up in July,” she confirmed.

“And where do you see yourself working after July?”

“I’d like to join one of the services and do what I can to help,” Sigrid said, “but as I’m not a British citizen I can’t do that.”

“We’ll have a look and see what we can do,” Mr Amundsen told her. “You have some fairly unique skills – I understand that you speak several languages fluently?”

“Norwegian, English, French and German fluently. I can speak enough Danish and Swedish to manage in those countries if I must, but I’m not fluent,” Sigrid told him.

He looked mildly impressed. “I’m fairly sure that the British would find that useful. About your family and friends who are still in Norway. We believe that the Red Cross are in the process of setting up means of maintaining contacts between people in countries that have been occupied and refugees such as yourself. Alternative methods of communication may become available.”

“Do you mean some kind of underground?” Sigrid asked.

“Possibly, but it’s too early to speculate yet.” He held out his hand. “Sigrid, it’s been a pleasure to meet you, and I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again fairly soon so we can discuss what happens to you after you finish school.”

Sigrid shook his hand. “Thank you for your time,” she said.

“A pleasure.”

Miss Annersley entered the office as Mr Amundsen left. “Was Mr Amundsen able to give you any news of your family, Sigrid?” she asked.

Sigrid shook her head. “The Red Cross may be setting up means of communication between occupied and free countries, but I don’t think that would be used for letters to family. We discussed what I could do once I leave school- he was impressed by my languages.” She hesitated. “He called me a refugee.”

Miss Annersley raised an eyebrow. “I’ve heard you describe yourself as a refugee before now, Sigrid.”

“Well yes,” Sigrid began then stopped. “I hate that word.”

“Refugee? Why is that?”

“To me it implies that I’m a victim and I’m not a victim, Miss Annersley. That’s one thing I refuse to be.”

Miss Annersley smiled. “I know that, and so do most people who know you, Sigrid. I believe I said to you once before that your strength of character is one of your best traits.”

Sigrid nodded. “That was after the plane crashed in Guernsey,” she said.

“That’s right. You said at the time that Maria and Cornelia had been very courageous, which they were. But there is another kind of courage,” Miss Annersley told her. “Courage is not found in the heat of battle. Courage is found the next day, facing the repercussions. Benevolence is not giving what you will not miss. Benevolence is giving when the cost is dear to you. Love is not without pain. Love is pain's most excruciating incarnation. Dying is not hard. Living on is. The legacy of a hero is not made on a foundation of invulnerability. The true testament of a hero is born of tears and sadness.” She smiled. “That’s the kind of courage that you show every day, Sigrid. You’ve given up a lot for the school, and will continue to show that courage throughout your life regardless of what happens to you from here.”

 


#293:  Author: GemLocation: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September) PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 9:04 am


That was so lovely! Nicole, Miss Annersley is wonderfully true to form in this drabble. I'm really enjoying it. *off to write out quote and stick it to my own wall* - it's wonderful! Do you know who said it?

That said, more please!

 


#294:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 9:17 am


Superlative ...

 


#295:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 10:21 am


Goosebumps again and tears pricking my eyes. thank you

 


#296:  Author: NellLocation: London, England PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 11:31 am


Wonderful - and i love the quote too!

 


#297:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 2:06 pm


Beautiful, thank you. It looks like Sigrid may have an interesting time after school if she is able to put her languages to use.

 


#298:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 2:31 pm


That was great, Nicole, Sigrid is showing real courage in facing up up to the difficulties.

 


#299:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 3:07 pm


Nicole, that was beautiful!!!
I want to hug Sigrid!!!

 


#300:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 6:51 pm


Beautiful, and very true to character. Thank you Nicole.

 


#301:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2004 9:04 am


I love that quote. Unfortunately I can't remember where I got it from.... If I ever do find it again, Gem, I'll let you know.

****

“So what was all that about?” Violet asked after classes had finished for the day. “You get pulled out of class and when you get back you pay no attention to class.”

“I had a visitor from the Embassy,” Sigrid said.

“Well finally. Dad hasn’t wanted me to say anything, but they’ve been worried that you’ve had no contact from the Embassy over the last month. So what did they say?”

Sigrid shrugged. “In all honesty, not much,” she said. “We discussed what I’d do once school finishes. He had no news of my parents, though.”

“So what will you do?”

“No idea. He’s going to talk to the British and see where they can put me. He’s fairly certain that my languages would be useful to the authorities.”

“That’s pretty obvious. Norwegian, French and German as well as English,” Violet said, shaking her head. “And Norwegian’s fairly unusual.”

Sigrid raised an eyebrow. “Not where I come from.”

“You’re just trying to be difficult now. You know exactly what I mean,” Violet said. They walked in silence for a bit. “So what else happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“Sigrid, I know you. That sort of conversation’s not going to leave you in a daydream for a whole afternoon. Clearly something else happened.”

“Have you been taking lessons from Joey?” Sigrid demanded.

“What kind of … oh. Interfering lessons. That’s a bit nasty. Funny, but nasty,” Violet said. “And no, that attempt to change the subject isn’t going to work.”

“Persistent, aren’t you?” Sigrid commented. “The Abbess and I talked a bit after Amundsen – the man from the Embassy – left. She said something that got me to thinking.

“She’s good like that.”

“She talked about courage,” Sigrid said. “She said it takes more courage to deal with the repercussions of a fight than the fight itself.”

Violet thought for a minute. “I like that,” she decided.

“It was more than that, of course, and exactly what I needed. Amundsen was – I didn’t feel he was interested in me as a person, only what I could offer. He mentioned my family as an afterthought – just said that the Red Cross were setting up communications and that was it.”

“So you didn’t like him then?”

“He called me a refugee.”

“This man calls himself a diplomat? My diplomatic skills are better than his,” Violet said.

“What diplomatic skills?” Sigrid asked. She ducked as Violet threatened to throw a book at her head.

“You’ll keep,” Violet promised.

“You say that every time and never follow through.”

“Well, this time I mean it. ”

 


#302:  Author: NellLocation: London, England PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2004 9:45 am


Lovely, am so glad Sigrid has a friend like Violet. And good to see them reflecting on Miss Annersley's words.

 


#303:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2004 9:55 am


Poor Sigrid! The first Norwegian she meets in a long while doesn't care about her as a person. I suppose he would justify it as having more important things to worry about but .....

 


#304:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2004 11:03 am


Wonderful post, thanks, Nicole

I love their exchanges - so very human and just the right balance of good-natured teasing/banter and thoughtfulness

(Also liked the little dig Sigrid has at Joey - nicely depicted!)

 


#305:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2004 2:24 pm


lovely Nicole!!! Smile

 


#306:  Author: AnnLocation: Newcastle upon Tyne, England PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2004 3:14 pm


Brilliant Nicole. It's good to see that Sigrid hasn't lost her sense of humour, that shows just how courageous she is.

 


#307:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Sep 01, 2004 5:14 pm


Wonderful portrayal of both Sigrid and Violet. Smile

 


#308:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Fri Sep 03, 2004 2:59 pm


WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Goosebumps, tears and shivers. Some wonderful posts made whilst I was away.

I too heard that speech in Churchill's voice.

Glad Sigrid is getting the support from the School as she isn't getting much from the Embassy.

Glad to see her friends are sticking by her.

 


#309:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:23 am


Um - sorry about taking so long here. RL has been a bit hectic over the last week - as you may have figured out. There probably won't be a post tomorrow, but hopefully I'll be back on track after that Very Happy

****

“Do you think we’ll ever hear good news again?” Enid Sothern asked Amy Stevens.

It had been a week of bad news from France, culminating in yesterdays announcement that German troops had captured the towns of Amiens and Arras. In ten days they had reached the English Channel effectively surrounding the British and French Armies.

“Of course we will,” Violet interjected. “Enid, it’s been a rough couple of weeks, but the Germans haven’t won the war yet, you know.”

“But they’re doing so well.”

“Yes, they are.” Sigrid agreed. “But that doesn’t mean they’ll continue to do as well. Remember most of the rest of the world is on our side – who do the Nazis have as Allies?”

Enid hesitated. “What about Italy?”

“What about them? They’re not in the war,” Violet asked.

“Yet.”

“Enid, we’re not going to lose this war,” Sigrid said. “Think about it. How long has it been since Britain was invaded? They’re not going to get across the Channel.”

“The Germans have reached the Channel. So what?” Violet continued. “The armies will soon push them all the way back to Germany.”

The two older girls left the other two feeling slightly happier about the world. “So tell me – did you believe any of that rubbish you just said?” Violet asked.

“I think that we’re in for some very long and hard days,” Sigrid said slowly. “I think that the worst is yet to come, but I do think we can win. We just need to remember to be brave. We’re Chalet girls after all, not spineless jellyfish.”

It was a piece of slang that would have brought the wrath of the entire staff down on her shoulders if they’d heard her, but Violet couldn’t resist. “Yeah,” she smiled.

 


#310:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 10:15 am


It must be so hard to hear bad news continuously, yet they are doing their best to remain positive.

*Hugs them all and Nicole*

Thank you Very Happy

 


#311:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 2:58 pm


Thank you Nicole!!!!!

 


#312:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 5:56 pm


Thanks Nicole! I love this so much, and it's really making me appreciate what we have now (even if that includes a far poorer prime minister! please note the lack of capital letters, I don't think he deserves them!)

 


#313:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:03 pm


Thanks Nicole - really brings it home to you - my grandfather was at Dunkirk.

 


#314:  Author: EllieLocation: Lincolnshire PostPosted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:06 pm


Thanks Nicole.

 


#315:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:20 pm


thanks, Nicole. It really does bring it home.

 


#316:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 12:58 pm


Thanks Nicole, agrees with tghe above posters.

 


#317:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sat Sep 11, 2004 11:22 pm


“It’s not looking good, is it?” Cornelia asked a few days later. It was Sunday and the Government had called for a national day of prayer. There was standing room only at Church that morning and the girls found it slightly surreal hearing the Vicar leading prayers for “Our army in grave peril in France.”

“It’s always darkest before the dawn,” Sigrid answered, still knitting.

“I don’t understand how you can be so positive about things, Sigrid,” Cornelia said.

“I don’t have a choice,” Sigrid said bluntly. “I would give everything to be able to wake up and discover that this has all been a dream, but that’s not going to happen. This is where we are and we need to make the best of things.”

“Easier said than done,” Polly commented.

“Words are easy,” Sigrid agreed. “Life’s not supposed to be easy.”

“I don’t believe that God puts us here to suffer,” Cornelia objected.

“Neither do I,” Sigrid said. “We’re told that Heaven is a place where there’s no pain or suffering. Maybe to appreciate that when we get there, we need to have some understanding of how hard life can be.”

“We’re certainly getting that at the moment,” Violet said. She shrugged. “If it doesn’t kill us, it will make us stronger, right?”

 


#318:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sat Sep 11, 2004 11:58 pm


Thank you Nicole.

 


#319:  Author: GemLocation: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September) PostPosted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 9:46 am


Thank you Nicole - words cannot describe how amazing this drabble is.

 


#320:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 11:36 am


Definately with Gem. And I love Violet and Sigrid so much! The characters are all so real.

 


#321:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 4:50 pm


Thank you Nicole, can imagine similar conversations taking place all over the country.

Just listening to Songs of Praise from Bleinheim Palace and they have just been talking about Churcill, a bit odd whilst reading this.

 


#322:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 7:12 am


I'm just experimenting a bit at the moment - hope this works

***

Thursday brought confirmation that the army was being evacuated from Dunkirk. The rumours had been flying around for several days that an evacuation was in progress, but it still came as a surprise to hear the reality of the situation.

“Who’s the letter from?” Sigrid asked.

“Daniel,” Violet answered handing her the letter. “Sounds as if he’s having a tough time of it.”

Sigrid looked at the letter.

Dear Violet,

This will be a very short letter – I’ve had a hell of a day, and tomorrow doesn’t look like it will be any better.

We’ve been flying virtually all day every day since the Germans invaded. Mainly cover for Bomber Command but things change so quickly. We’re often airborne before the plans change. The last couple of days we’ve been flying cover for the army.

Flying over Belgium and France, it seems as if the entire population is on the move. All the roads are clogged with civilians moving south to try and get away from the battle lines. People are travelling any way they can – car, lorry, horse and cart, on foot. It’s extremely sad to watch.

The front is moving incredibly fast. I would estimate that some of the German tanks are travelling close to a hundred miles a day. It’s quite sobering when you realise that they’re taking over the land that was fought over for four years in the Great War with little progress made by either side.

We’ve had some casualties. One of the Flight Commanders was killed in a dogfight over Belgium the other day and a pilot was forced to bale out. We still haven’t heard any news of him yet – we’re assuming he’s been captured by the Germans.

It seems strange to be writing to you now, knowing that you’re at school and thankfully safe from danger. I guess I’m doing this because you’ve lived under the Nazis for a short time and I’m assuming that you have some understanding of what’s happening.

I meant to ask about Sigrid the last time I wrote. How is she coping with all the bad news. She’s the one I feel sorriest for in this mess. I know Mum and Dad have been great to her and I’m sure she appreciates it, but it can’t be easy for her losing contact with her family now that Norway has been occupied.

Anyway, I must get some sleep before it all starts again tomorrow. Write back to me soon if you can. Your letters are so normal – they make me realise that despite what I’m seeing at the moment, there’s more happening in the world than death and destruction.

With love
Daniel


Sigrid handed the letter back. “Poor Daniel,” she commented. “I’m not sure I could do what he’s doing.”

“I know. I feel guilty now about all the times I could have written to him and didn’t,” Violet said. “It’s just really hard to know what to write about. I doubt he’s interested in the Middles’ latest.”

“You never know. I think what he needs to hear is that life is continuing as normal for you,” Sigrid said. “Or as normal as it gets these days.”

“Why don’t you write as well. You’re more normal than I am,” Violet pointed out. “I’m sure Daniel will appreciate a double dose of normality.”

Sigrid shrugged. “I’ll write once and if he wants me to I’ll keep writing,” she promised.

 


#323:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 1:17 pm


That was great, Nicole, human touches between the awfulness of war.

 


#324:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 2:22 pm


That was lovely Nicole!!!
Do I see a possible romance for Sigrid and Daniel?

 


#325:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 2:38 pm


Nice to see the lives behind the awfulness of war.

 


#326:  Author: GemLocation: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September) PostPosted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 3:08 pm


Vikki wrote:

Do I see a possible romance for Sigrid and Daniel?


I hope so!! This is wonderful, Nicole! Thank you!

 


#327:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 6:23 pm


Thank you Nicole.

 


#328:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 8:16 am


*on catch up*

Still awesome, Nicole - am really enjoying this and liked the interlude of Daniel's letter, especially the reference to him seeing the mass of refugees which must have been very moving from the air ...

 


#329:  Author: LissLocation: Harrow, London PostPosted: Tue Sep 14, 2004 9:56 pm


I've finally got round to reading this, Nicole, and I can only echo everyone else in saying how wonderful it is. I love the way you've shown the ordinary lives of the girls carrying on, with this big scary cloud hovering over everything.

On a teeny tiny note, though, would Daniel have been allowed to write all that Violet - wouldn't stuff like where he was flying have been classified?

 


#330:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 8:51 am


I'd say you're right, Liss, about that being classified information and in retrospect, I would be fairly certain that the letter wouldn't have passed the censors without being cut to ribbons. My only defence is that I need to reintroduce Daniel to the story now - he plays a fairly key role in an upcoming scene - and this seemed the most realistic way to do it... Call it dramatic licence on my part (well, if EBD can have an air raid in June 1940, I can have a letter that managed to beat the censors, can't I?). Very Happy

****

It was hard to think of something to write to someone she had only met for a couple of days at Christmas but a few days later she dropped the letter off at the Post Table.

That day the last ship left Dunkirk. The Royal Navy assisted by a most unlikely flotilla ranging from personal pleasure craft to fishing boats to steamers had managed to achieve what was thought impossible. The majority of the army had been evacuated from France. The best case scenario was that 45,000 troops would be rescued. In the end close to 340,000 made it away from France safely. It was an incredible achievement which could make all the difference when the Germans turned their eyes towards Britain.

“How can we lose?” Violet asked as they left Hall.

The Prime Minister had spoken to the country again following the evacuations telling the country that “We shall go on to the end … We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the hills. We shall never surrender.”

Sigrid privately wondered exactly what they would be fighting with. She felt it very hard to believe that the army had been able to salvage much if any of their equipment from France. She had in fact seen some of the men in the village who had formed a Home Guard platoon drilling with pitchforks.

“We can’t lose,” she said finally. “Because if we lose then the whole world loses. I’m just not quite sure how we’re going to win from here, though.”

“I know. Did you see those old men with the pitchforks?” Violet said. “God help us if they’re ever called upon.”

“A pitchfork to the tummy wouldn’t exactly be good,” Polly commented.

“I agree, but pitchforks against Panzers wouldn’t be pretty,” Violet pointed out. “I think the term for that would be a massacre.”

“It reminds me of those stories in the papers last year. You remember - the Polish army charging the German tanks on horseback armed with sabres,” Sigrid commented. “It’s all very romantic, but you just know they’re doomed.” She shrugged. “What I do know is if they get this far, I’ll be fighting – even if it’s with sticks and stones. I’ve seen them invade too many countries to sit back and watch them do it here.”

The others stared at her for a long time. “You shame me,” Violet said. “Here you are, a long way from home standing there like – like Boudicea determined to fight the invaders.”

“Or a Valkyrie,” Polly murmured.

“I hope not. In Viking myth, Valkyries escorted the spirits of warriors who have fallen in battle into Valhalla,” Sigrid said. “That’s not something that I ever want to do.”

“Me either,” Polly agreed. She shook her head. “I got this picture in my mind of you battling a tank and winning.”

“Of course I did,” Sigrid said. “I introduced them to our secret weapon and they ran.”

Violet looked confused. “What’s our secret weapon?” she asked.

“Matey, of course. Would you like to be on the other side to her?”

“Thank you, Sigrid,” Matey said from behind them making Sigrid jump. “I’ll accept the compliment in the spirit it was intended.” She looked at them. “I think it’s time you were in bed, so on your way please.”

Sigrid shook her head. “How does she do that?”

Violet nodded. “She certainly scares me.”

Polly stood. “Let’s go to bed before she comes back this way.”

The others agreed wholeheartedly and made their way upstairs.

 


#331:  Author: DawnLocation: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 9:43 am


Nicole wrote:


The best case scenario was that 45,000 troops would be rescued. In the end close to 340,000 made it away from France safely.


Shocked That is absolutely frightening, that they thought they would get so few away - out of interest how many died in the evacuation?




Loved the discussion between the girls and Matey overhearing them discussing her as a secret weapon made me lol Laughing

 


#332:  Author: Ruth BLocation: Oxford, UK PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 9:45 am


LOL at Matey! That ALWAYS happened to me at school (although the comments were usually less complimentary! Embarassed )

Glad to see Sigrid is keeping strong through this

 


#333:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 10:12 am


Wow. It really makes you proud to be British when you read that. Loved the bit about Matey.

 


#334:  Author: NellLocation: London, England PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 11:40 am


Dawn wrote:
Nicole wrote:


The best case scenario was that 45,000 troops would be rescued. In the end close to 340,000 made it away from France safely.


Shocked That is absolutely frightening, that they thought they would get so few away - out of interest how many died in the evacuation?


Dawn, I don't know how many died but I know that there were whole divisions left behind because they got trapped behind the Panzer ring around Dunkirk. My grandfather was one of them, he was fighting with the Black Watch and then got captured and became a POW for the rest of the war.

 


#335:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 12:33 pm


Churchill's 'fight them on the beaches' speech said 30,000 killed but I imagine that was quite inaccurate.

 


#336:  Author: JackieJLocation: Kingston upon Hull PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 12:38 pm


This is so moving Nicole, it just makes you remember that not everyone could fit in with the wartime life so easily as it sometimes seemed.

Related to this, and on the POW front, Ben's Grandad and Grandma on his Dad's side were both in a POW camp in this country. His Grandad, a German from near Poland, had come over before the war and married Ben's Grandma, but during the war they both were in a camp. I have an idea that one of Ben's aunts/uncles was actually born in the camp as well. Hopefully Sigrid won't have that fate to look to.

JackieJ

 


#337:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 2:58 pm


Thank you Nicole that was nicely balanced between some humour and some sobering thoughts.

 


#338:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 4:35 pm


Wonderful bit of humour with Matey!! Laughing Laughing Laughing

I can just picture it!!

(Nicely introduced as a foil to the sombre storyline)

 


#339:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 5:33 pm


Excellent Nicole - as others said, a wonderful miss of serious and humour - absolutely love Matey hearing that comment! Laughing

 


#340:  Author: GemLocation: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September) PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 6:09 pm


Absolutely love the last few lines, Nicole! You've got a wonderful blance between humour and seriousness. Thank you.

 


#341:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 8:01 pm


I loved the idea of Matey as Britain's ultimate secret weapon!

 


#342:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 7:52 am


The German occupation of France continued after Dunkirk. Three days before Sigrid’s eighteenth birthday Paris was declared an open city. A day earlier Italy had declared war against Britain and France. The American President, Roosevelt, phrased it brilliantly when he described Italy as picking up a dagger and stabbing its neighbour in the back.

Sigrid hoped that Paris would hold out till after her birthday. She hoped in vain. That evening word came through that the Swastika flag was flying over the Eiffel Tower.

Sigrid managed to find a quiet place away from the others. Tonight she was very close to falling apart and she didn’t want the others to see. With her she had her parents’ last letter which had quickly become her most treasured possession.

It was without a doubt the worst birthday she had ever had. It was the first birthday she had celebrated – if that was the right word – without her family. In Austria Giovanna and Anita had been there with her. There had been parcels from her parents.

Today there was nothing from any of her family. There was no hope that there would be news from them tomorrow; it would probably be many tomorrows before she heard from them again. And the Nazis had occupied yet another of her favourite places.

To all purposes, she was essentially alone in a world turned completely on its head.

For the first time in nearly a year Sigrid broke.

 


#343:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 8:07 am


OMG - poor Sigrid ... Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Although I suppose it had to happen eventually - she's only human

She's so brave and it's so tragically sad ...

(((Sigrid)))

*hoping Violet or someone appears on the scene soon to give her some support and lots of hugs*

Wonderfully written, Nicole

 


#344:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 8:35 am


Poor poor Sigrid. She has done wonderfully well to keep going so far.

 


#345:  Author: NellLocation: London, England PostPosted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 10:01 am


Poor Sigrid, hope someone finds her to give her a hug.

 


#346:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 10:29 am


Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!
Poor Sigrid!!!

*sneaks into drabble to give Sigrid a much needed hug!*

 


#347:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 12:07 pm


Poor Sigrid and so believable. thank you.

 


#348:  Author: JackieJLocation: Kingston upon Hull PostPosted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 12:21 pm


Oh, I want to give Sigrid a hug now as well. She certainly needs it.

I know I've said it before, but this is really moving, I had a lump in my throat for that last bit.

Thank you

JackieJ

 


#349:  Author: GemLocation: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September) PostPosted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 12:51 pm


Oh, Sigrid! *wanting desperately to give her a hug*

Please, please let Vi find her! Don't let her go through this alone! *sobs*

 


#350:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 1:36 pm


Poor Sigrid, she desperately needs a cuddle, yet I can understand that she wants to be alone.

 


#351:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 6:02 pm


Wow oh wow. Poor poor Sigrid!

But the line that really gave me goosebumps was:
Quote:
That evening word came through that the Swastika flag was flying over the Eiffel Tower.

 


#352:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 6:57 pm


Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad Crying or Very sad

Join with everyone else in wanting to give Sigrid a hug - please let someone find her soon.

 


#353:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 10:02 am


Nicole!

Where are you - it's been ages and I'm worried about Sigrid!

 


#354:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 11:13 am


It must be very difficult to write, but I don't want it left there.

 


#355:  Author: GemLocation: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September) PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 12:09 pm


Nicole, please let someone find Sigrid soon :'( *shamelessly begging*

 


#356:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 6:43 pm


Yes, the next bit is really causing a few problems and I've had visitors all weekend which hasn't helped. They've wanted me to spend time with them rather than writing for some strange reason...

I'll have the next bit up tonight my time - sorry for the delay...

 


#357:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 8:20 pm


Some people are so selfish, don't they realise that you have an audience panting for the next part?

Seriously, this must be very stressful to write, so do it at your own pace. We'll wait.

 


#358:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 6:37 am


OK, this is quite possibly the hardest bit I've ever had to write. I had to keep walking away from the computer as it was just so emotional...

***

“There you are,” Violet said, entering their dormitory. “I’ve been looking for you all over the place.”

Sigrid somehow managed a weak smile. “I didn’t feel like company.” She turned away from Violet.

“It’s been a rough day for you, hasn’t it.” Violet broke several of Matey’s rules by sitting on the edge of Sigrid’s bed. “Not a good birthday.”

“Absolutely lousy.” She kept her back to Violet. “I don’t want company at the moment. Please just leave me alone.”

“I’m not going to do that.”

“Well you should.”

“No I shouldn’t. You wouldn’t leave me alone if I was this upset.” Violet ran her hand down Sigrid’s back. “You’re incredible, you know that. You’ve been so strong throughout the last few months.’

“I’m not incredible.”

“Yes, you are. Sigrid, I don’t think I’d be able to live through what you’re going through and keep my sanity. Admittedly, it’s debatable whether I’ve ever actually been sane, but that’s not the point. I’m not sure that I’d be able to get out of bed most days if I was in your position.”

“I don’t feel strong or brave or anything else you can think of. I’m coping because I don’t have a choice.” Sigrid was silent. “And some days I don’t cope.”

“I sometimes think that you feel you’ve got to be strong all the time. Darling, you’re the only person who thinks that. It’s all right – more than all right – to fall apart every now and then, you know. Heaven knows, you’ve got more right than just about anyone else here.” Violet stood and went around to the other side of the bed. She knelt on the floor beside Sigrid’s face. “Do you know who you’re starting to remind me of?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “Maria. All throughout the autumn term she acted exactly the same way you’re acting. I’m not going to let another one of my friends have a breakdown if I can help it.”

 


#359:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 6:44 am


How awful ----- and brilliantly written. Thank you Nicole.

 


#360:  Author: GemLocation: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September) PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 8:59 am


Thank you so much, Nicole. That must have been incredibly hard to write. I especially like Vi's last few sentences - if anything will break Sigrid's calm, I think that will. So long as Joey doesn't come in and start singing!!!! poke Joey

 


#361:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 9:31 am


Wow - a chill just shot straight through me reading this

Wonderful idea for Violet to liken Sigrid's situation to Maria's and being so concerned that another friend might suffer a break down - I hadn't even thought that their uncertainty and fear was so similar but of course it is ...

Violet is certainly rising to the occasion - it can be so difficult to know when to take a friend at face value and leave them alone and when to keep at them because you know they need to cry ...

I hope Sigrid responds to this ... I really do ...

 


#362:  Author: DawnLocation: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 10:14 am


goosebumps



Nicole - I really don't know how you are managing to write this - it must be so draining (but please don't stop)

 


#363:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 10:15 am


Wonderful Nicole it also gave me goosebumps. I'm so glad Vi is being such a good friend and I hope that means Sigrid will eventually be alright.

 


#364:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 10:44 am


*shivers*

Wow! I don't know what to say Nicole. That was a very powerful piece of writing. In fact, this whole drabble is. Thank you sweetie.

 


#365:  Author: NellLocation: London, England PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 11:09 am


Wow! Thank you Nicole, very powerful.

 


#366:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 12:52 pm


Thank you Nicole, very powerful.

 


#367:  Author: Kathy_SLocation: midwestern US PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 2:46 pm


You are doing such an amazing job here, Nicole!

 


#368:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 3:11 pm


Oh dear, I hope Sigrid doesn't become so ill that she needs the Red Sarafan.

 


#369:  Author: JackieJLocation: Kingston upon Hull PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 6:12 pm


There's so many goosebumps in here already, but I'm going to have to add to them.

This is wonderful Nicole. It's definitely one of the best drabbles on the board at the moment.

Thank you.

JackieJ

 


#370:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 7:37 pm


Thank you Nicole - know how draining those posts can be - hope you've got someone to offload on.

 


#371:  Author: MiriamLocation: Jerusalem, Israel PostPosted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 8:14 pm


Jennie wrote:
Oh dear, I hope Sigrid doesn't become so ill that she needs the Red Sarafan.


The Red Safaran only works on Joey. She sings carols to everyone else. Hope she doesn't need top be called in, anyway.

 


#372:  Author: LisaLocation: South Coast of England PostPosted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 9:08 pm


Oh, Nicole Crying or Very sad

This is so beautifully written and sad. You must be drained from writing it. Your research and realistic humorous touches is (or should that be are?) so sophisticated and this is seamless.

Rises to give standing ovation
claps loudly
hurriedly sits down as rest of audience hiss at me - it ain't over yet! Smile

 


#373:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:48 pm


Thanks Nicole. Although when you said it was very hard to write I got very worried! (with regards to deaths...)

And I really feel that I know Violet and Sigrid, they're just so realistic. Thanks again.

 


#374:  Author: jaceyLocation: Ireland PostPosted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 9:14 pm


Thank you Nicole, this is so convincing. (and I never felt EBD was convincing in this period)

Wonderful that Joey hasn't managed to elbow her way to the forefront!

I visited the Imperial War Museum last time we were in London and felt so overcome with emotion. Had studied the period in college, but the dryness of texts leaves you ill prepared for the human aspect.
Of course, here in Ireland we didn't have a war, we had something called "The Emergency" Exclamation

 


#375:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sat Sep 25, 2004 8:58 am


I can safely guarantee that this is definitley a Red Sarafan free drabble - not so sure about it being a Joey free drabble. I'm trying really hard here, but she may need to make an appearance soon.

Deaths, mm. Don't really want to think about those at the moment - these last couple of posts have been really hard to write. I'm not sure how I'm going to manage when I kill someone off - and there will be deaths in this story - there's a war on after all.

***

“How are you today?” Violet asked the next morning.

Sigrid shrugged as she finished making her bed. “I’m good,” she said.

Violet raised an eyebrow. “Really?” she asked.

“I’m fine. Better than yesterday.”

Violet looked at her. “Just as long as you remember that you’re allowed to fall apart occasionally. Nobody expects you to always be strong.”

“I know that. It’s just – it’s hard to explain,” Sigrid said.

“So explain. I can ask questions if I need to – I’m good at questions.”

“I would never have guessed that,” Sigrid said dryly. “Everything’s just changed so much, and I just don’t know anything anymore.”

“Know that feeling,” Violet commented. “I keep thinking each morning I’ll wake up and we’ll be back in Austria again and this has all been a strange dream.”

“In a way I wish we could.” Sigrid smiled sadly. “Everything was so simple there.”

“Oh, it was,” Violet agreed. “But I’m not so sure that I’d want to go back now. It’s been a horrible two years, but I wouldn’t go back to being the same girl I was when I left Austria. I know that I’m a stronger person than I thought I was – I’ve had to be.” She shrugged. “Austria has lots of memories – lots of fantastic memories – for me, but I don’t think we should live in the past.”

“I suppose,” Sigrid murmured. “Do you want to know something? I’m sick of ‘be brave’. I feel like that’s all I’ve been and I don’t know how long I can keep being brave.”

“You don’t have to be brave all the time, you know. As I said last night, you were really starting to worry me. I don’t think you can stay calm and in control all the time – you need to let go every now and then.”

“It’s hardly being brave, though.”

“I disagree. Do you remember telling me what the Abbess told you about being brave? I’ve thought about that a bit, and I think she’s right.”

“She’s always right.”

“Well there is that,” Violet conceded. “I think you’re taking it a little too seriously.”

“Whereas you take nothing seriously.”

“Well, life’s too short to take everything too seriously,” Violet said frowning. “There are things that I have no control of so I don’t see the point in worrying over them. What will come will come no matter what I do.” She shrugged. “In a way, I can have that attitude because my life hasn’t changed that much yet. Yours has.”

“I figured something out last night,” Sigrid said. “The war has a beginning, therefore it must have an ending. Every day that I live through brings me one day closer to the end of the war and one more day closer to going home. That’s what I’m going to concentrate on.”

“That sounds like a good idea to me,” Violet said. “However, I’m going to concentrate on finishing up here before we’re even later than we already seem to be.”

Sigrid looked at her watch. “It’s not really good for prefects to be late for Breakfast, is it?”

“Not really, no. Come on - less talk, more work. We may actually get down on time if we hurry.”

 


#376:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sat Sep 25, 2004 9:24 am


Lovely conversation between the two of them - and shows just how much they've both grown from when in Austria - I imagine that type of conversation was being repeated by schoolchildren all over Europe.

Thanks Nicole.

 


#377:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Sat Sep 25, 2004 10:29 am


Thanks, that was lovely.

 


#378:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Sat Sep 25, 2004 11:01 am


Thank you Nicole. I'm glad Sigrid can reason positively and hang on to the idea the war will end.

No one mentioned deaths before *wibbles* Please don't kill Daniel!!!

 


#379:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sat Sep 25, 2004 11:08 am


I love the maturity both Sigrid and Violet are showing. Violet for realising Sigrid's feelings and recognising that she is not in the same situation. Sigrid for realising the need to take each day at a time as part of a journey to the end of the war. Thank you Nicole.

Ally: I've been wibbling about that for days!

 


#380:  Author: nickyjLocation: Essex, England PostPosted: Sat Sep 25, 2004 3:04 pm


Nicole this is beyond words. I've just read it through from the beginning (and have been crying since about page 2)

I love the way everything's so familiar but there's so much depth to it. Must be unbearable to write in places

 


#381:  Author: LisaLocation: South Coast of England PostPosted: Sat Sep 25, 2004 7:00 pm


Great. It's fantastic the way the characters are growing and developing - and utterly realistic!

 


#382:  Author: urchinLocation: Anywhere but here... PostPosted: Sat Sep 25, 2004 11:22 pm


Wow!

this is a part of the series that I always felt was incomplete. I'm loving the way that you are filling the gaps and telling the story from a completely different point of view.

Urchin *wibbling at the thought of deaths*

 


#383:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 8:40 am


Thank you Nicole you are writing this so well. I can well believe it being very difficult to write. Violet and Sigrid are growing with their times much as I am sure many girls and even more boys of their age ad time had to.

 


#384:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 9:21 am


Superb.

I particularly liked Sigrid's thought process:
Quote:
“The war has a beginning, therefore it must have an ending. Every day that I live through brings me one day closer to the end of the war and one more day closer to going home


Must have been difficult for kids and teenagers to grow up during that time - having to grow up that much more quickly because of the brutal realities of war ...

*worried about the deaths - especially Sigrid's parents and Violet's brother ...*

 


#385:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 6:45 am


Um - posting may be a bit erratic between now and the 16th of October - I've got a couple of weeks leave starting then and before I go on leave I have to organise end of season parties for 2 netball teams, organise another team for the summer competition and organise a social for my team at work. The good (?) news is that I should be able to get lots written while I'm on holiday to make up for the next couple of weeks as I'm probably not going to go away.

BTW - no prizes for what the next post'll be about!!

****

The French government surrendered a week later. Britain now stood alone against the Nazis. That afternoon, however, the Chalet School had other things to worry about.

The prefects were in their room coming to terms with the news that the San was evacuating from the Channel Islands. It was the second time in as many years that the San had been forced to evacuate, and for the girls, it was another sign that the war was now on their doorstep.

Monica Marilliar crashed into the room. “Corney, everyone is to go to the Abbess in the garden at once,” she said. “Gwensi Howell, Daisy Venables and Beth Chester never came into prep, and no-one knows anything about them.”

“This isn’t good,” Violet muttered to Sigrid.

“No. Not what I’d expect from those three.” Sigrid responded. At the same time that they were talking Polly had explained that she had been on duty with that form and had been told the trio had gone to see Mary Burnett about some returned prep.

As they left the prefects room they literally ran into Miss Wilson who sent them down to the gardens where Miss Annersley was organising search parties.

“I swear, when I get my hands on those three, they’ll wish they were never born,” Violet said as she, Sigrid and Polly searched the shrubbery.

“Oh, I think they’ll be more than wishing that by the time the Abbess is through with them,” Sigrid said. “Then they’ve got to answer to Corney and Robin.”

“I should’ve checked,” Polly said.

“Why?” Sigrid asked. “You know what the Third are like – it’s unusual if they don’t have returned work. I wouldn’t have looked for them.”

“Nor me,” Violet said. “What’s that?”

They pushed their way through the hedge. “They couldn’t have gotten through here,” Sigrid muttered ducking under another branch.

“Yes they could have,” Polly said. “They’re not five foot ten like we are.”

Violet, being smaller than the other two was having much more success. “Found something, but…” she stopped. “What were they wearing today?”

Sigrid thought for a minute. “Beth was wearing a blue dress,” she said, “I think Daisy was wearing a pink dress. Not sure about Gwensi.”

Violet held up three dresses. “One blue, one pink, one green,” she said. “These would fit them, wouldn’t they?”

“Turn them inside out,” Polly said. “They should be names or Matey’ll be in the queue to have their guts for garters.”

“Where do you get these expressions from?” Violet asked as she checked the dresses. “G Howell, D Venables and B Chester. So they were here.”

“We’d better let the Abbess know,” Sigrid said. “That’s if we ever get out of here.” She turned around and began picking her way out of the hedge.

 


#386:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 8:32 am


Well, I can't say I'm not disappointed - the first 2 weeks of Oct are going to be tough without this and no prospect of RCS until 18th Oct!! Sad

Hope all the organising goes well and that you get lots of inspiration during your leave!! Very Happy

Like the way you're continuing to weave in the action from the books ...

 


#387:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 12:23 pm


Thank you Nicole, it is nice to see another side of this episode.

 


#388:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 1:00 pm


Thank you Nicole!

Hope you get through the next couple of weeks without TOO much hassle!

 


#389:  Author: DawnLocation: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 2:11 pm


Thanks Nicole

good luck in trying to get everything done before you go away (unlike me whenever I'm going away, you do at least seem to be starting in reasonable time!)


and thankyou for all that you have written so far

Mexican Wave

 


#390:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 3:21 pm


Thank you, Nicole. Have a good holiday.

 


#391:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 7:03 pm


Thanks Nicole! Have a lovely holiday Very Happy

 


#392:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 7:17 pm


Lovely post Nicole -will wait, rather impatiently, for the rest!


Rachael wrote:
Well, I can't say I'm not disappointed - the first 2 weeks of Oct are going to be tough without this and no prospect of RCS until 18th Oct!! Sad


Well Racheal, that's not strictly true where you're concerned, is it? Laughing

 


#393:  Author: PatLocation: Doncaster PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 8:01 pm


I hope you leave her on some awful cliffs like you do us, that's all I can say!! Twisted Evil

 


#394:  Author: JackieJLocation: Kingston upon Hull PostPosted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 9:18 pm


Have nice Hols Nicole, hope you come back refreshed and ready to write more drabble Very Happy

Thanks for the latest parts though, it's wonderful to see the war through the eye's of the girls.

JackieJ

 


#395:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2004 8:08 am


Pat wrote:
I hope you leave her on some awful cliffs like you do us, that's all I can say!! Twisted Evil


In fairness she does .... Sad








... althoug not for as long ... just enough time to give Lesley an advance idea of the reaction here!!! Wink

 


#396:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2004 8:06 am


I've wanted to tie this in with War a bit more than I have, but every time the Prefects are mentioned, EBD introduces Joey, so...

Besides, there are so many other things happening and I wanted to show Sigrid's reactions to those.

One of the things that does annoy me about War is that right at the start of the book EBD mentions how England will have to show what she's made of in the coming months and then NOTHING else about the war - unless you count a slightly dubious bombing raid.

Speaking of which....

*****

The missing girls finally showed up at ten o’clock that night much to the relief of all those who had been searching fro them. They were quickly bundled into baths and off to bed – explanations would have to wait for the morning.

But before morning could come there was another disturbance for the school. The kind of disturbance that was going to become all too familiar in the coming months.

Sigrid woke as the siren wailed. “What’s that?” she asked half asleep.

“Air raid warning,” Violet said grimly. She was already out of bed and reaching for her clothes. “Come on. We’ve got to get ourselves and Pansy and Lavender dormitories down to the cellars.”

“Why are we having an air raid drill in the middle of the night?” Sigrid stumbled out of bed and pulled on her gardening kid.

Violet reached for her case and gas mask that were kept at the foot of the beds in accordance with Miss Annersley’s instructions. “It may not be a drill,” she said. “They’re not that far away now.” She reached the door. “I’ll see to Pansy, you take care of Lavender.”

“Right.” Sigrid was now awake and only half a step behind her.

Thankfully, most of the school thought it was a joke and spirits were high as the school settled into the cellars.

“They’re taking this well,” Violet murmured as she sat beside Sigrid. “Only a couple of the maids are a tad – upset.”

“Not for long if I know Karen,” Sigrid said.

“I agree,” Violet said scrambling to her feet. “Come on – looks like we’ve got to hand round milk and biscuits.”

Sigrid raised an eyebrow as she heard a very interesting conversation between Betty Wynne-Davies and Elizabeth Arnett. She made a note to discuss it later with Violet but completely forgot it a few minutes later at the sound of a crash.

“Was that a bomb?” Violet asked.

Sigrid didn’t have time to answer before there was another explosion, then another. “Do you really need me to answer that one?”

“No, it’s quite all right,” Violet said. She ducked as a bomb exploded seemingly over their heads. “That’s just not fair.”

“It’s a little close,” Sigrid agreed. She looked over as Miss Annersley and Mr Denny came in and told them that the Germans were bombing the Cardiff and Newport areas. “Are they closer than I think? That last bomb sounded like it just missed the school.”

“They’re some way away,” Violet said vaguely. “If they’re bombing there and we’re getting the explosions here, I really don’t want to be any closer than this.”

They fell silent as Mr Denny spoke asking them to sing, and joined in the singing. Not without a few misgivings on Sigrid’s part, however. She had realised a long time ago that, while she could play the piano reasonably competently, she would never win any prizes for her singing.

The singing continued for nearly an hour. By then some of the younger girls were asleep or nearly asleep. The bombs had stopped falling, but the All Clear hadn’t sounded yet. Miss Annersley told them to get into their sleeping bags. They would spend the night in the cellars.

By the time the All Clear sounded it was after three o’clock in the morning. The only people awake were Miss Annersley, Miss Wilson and Matey who decided to leave the school where it was for the night.

 


#397:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2004 8:31 am


It's nice to see the bombing raids from the prefects' perspective - thanks Nicole ... EBD always writes it from the staff point of view but the Seniors have a responsibility too so it's nice to see them coping

Also liked Sigrid hearing an "interesting" conversation between Betty & Elizabeth!!

 


#398:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2004 10:18 am


thanks, Nicole. It is interesting to hear the Prefects' perspective. EBD writes as if only the staff were really thinking about repercussions, whereas the Prefects and all the VIth would have been over 16 and, if not at a private school would probably of been at work and considered adults!

 


#399:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2004 6:01 pm


Thanks Nicole. (I want to know what the 'interesting' conversation was though!

---> Woohoo! My 500th post! Very Happy

 


#400:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Thu Sep 30, 2004 6:58 pm


That would have been the one about Gillian Linton wouldn't it? When Elizabeth starts to grow up and leave Betty behind.

Thanks for that Nicole.

 


#401:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Fri Oct 01, 2004 1:33 pm


Thank you, Nicole, I'm glad to see the prefects being developed into serious, thoughtful, responsible young women.

 


#402:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Fri Oct 01, 2004 3:05 pm


Yet another scene it is nice to see a different perpective of. Thank you Nicole.

 


#403:  Author: AnnLocation: Newcastle upon Tyne, England PostPosted: Fri Oct 01, 2004 4:57 pm


Nicole wrote:
They fell silent as Mr Denny spoke asking them to sing, and joined in the singing. Not without a few misgivings on Sigrid’s part, however. She had realised a long time ago that, while she could play the piano reasonably competently, she would never win any prizes for her singing.


It's the little touches like this which make this story so compelling. I love the fact that Sigrid hasn't lost her sense of humour and sometimes thinks slightly inappropriate things. It makes her seem all the more real.

 


#404:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 5:37 am


Sigrid dropped into her chair in the prefects room. “That was arguably the quietest prep I think I’ve ever had with the Fourth,” she commented. “They were all very subdued.”

“So were the Third,” Violet said. “Speaking of the Fourth, does anyone know anything about Gillian Linton apparently having to separate Elizabeth and Betty earlier on today?”

“They weren’t sitting together in prep,” Sigrid said slowly. “And now I think about it, I overheard part of what sounded like an interesting conversation between the two of them.”

“And you didn’t think to tell us about it before now?” Cornelia asked.

“Well, I forgot. It was right before that bomb exploded – the one that killed a couple of rabbits,” Sigrid said. “To be honest, I was thinking about other things immediately afterwards.”

“I can understand that,” Cornelia agreed. She waited a minute. “So what was the conversation about?”

“Elizabeth was worrying about Gillian and Joyce being alone during the air raid,” Sigrid said. “Betty made some comment – something like “snap out of it” which Elizabeth didn’t like.”

“I don’t blame her,” Violet said. “I wonder if she’s finally starting to grow up. They’ve got to eventually.” She shook her head. “In another couple of years they’ll be in the Sixth and quite probably prefects.”

“A couple of years ago nobody would’ve picked that I’d be Head Girl,” Cornelia pointed out. “I grew up. Perhaps Elizabeth is growing up as well.”

 


#405:  Author: Kathy_SLocation: midwestern US PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 5:56 am


Thank you, Nicole.
No wonder the middles were subdued!
Interesting to see the Elizabeth/Betty quarrel from the prefects' angle. Also wondering whether Sigrid et al. get the details on yesterday's missing trio and the poachers.

 


#406:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 7:44 am


Thanks Nicole. You've made it so real I can 'see' them in my visualisation of the book.

btw: Is this normal? As I read, I see the scene. I can see some of the room and the people themselves. It causes all sorts of problems if I go somewhere that is supposed to be the setting of the book or see a film of a book because mostly it's not the same.

 


#407:  Author: PatLocation: Doncaster PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 9:44 am


If it isn't normal, then I'm weird too Pat. I always have some sort of picture in my mind - if I don't I can't get on with the book and I leave it. I think it's why so many people have trouble with films of books they have read - if the actors/scenes and so on don't agree with their mental picture.

 


#408:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 12:47 pm


Well, there's a relief, Pat! At least there are two of us Wink

 


#409:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 12:48 pm


Guilty as charged Pat (both of you) I see the same.

Love latest update Nicole.

 


#410:  Author: ChelseaLocation: Your Imagination PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 12:50 pm


Loved that bit.

I think that I'm the abnormal one - I don't see anything. Even if I try, I can't.

 


#411:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 1:41 pm


Thank you Nicole, it was good to see the air raid from the prefects perspective, its adding so much depth to what EBD wrote. Very Happy

 


#412:  Author: Helen PLocation: Cheshire PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 2:43 pm


Still really loving this.

I too 'see' everything I'm reading in my head, and have terrible trouble with films of books. I can't imagine not visualising everything.

 


#413:  Author: JosieLocation: London PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 8:00 pm


This drabble is, and continues to be, amazing Nicole.

It's so powerful and the characters seem so real, especially Violet & Sigrid. I love seeing everything through the eyes of the 'minor' book characters, and seeing how they evolved and gew up so fast because of the war.

Looking forward to the next installment...

(edited as I seem to have had a severe bout of keyboard dyslexia there!)

 


#414:  Author: MiriamLocation: Jerusalem, Israel PostPosted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 11:11 pm


I always avoid seeing films of my favourite books, becuase nothing matches the way I see it. On the odd occasions when I have seen a film, I find I am stuck whith those images afterwards - which annoys me because I know they are not how things really look.

Once when the Archers appaered on television, my father and I exclaimed simultaneously "But they don't look like that on the radio!"

 


#415:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:13 am


Thank you Nicole at least the prefects noticed what was going on.

I also see the scenes in books as I read and have problems later in a series if something is added or changed when I have a picture of it fixed in my mind. Like Pat if I can't see the picture I can't read the book.

 


#416:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 3:44 pm


It's quite normal to see the book being played out as a drama in your head, if that didn't happen, you wouldn't be reading the book properly.

That's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.

 


#417:  Author: DonnaLocation: Liverpool PostPosted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:28 pm


Thanks for the update Nicole! And I'm another who sees the book as she's reading. I remember my English teacher being very surprised and confused when myself and my best friend both said we saw pictures when we were reading (and we even put it with more clarity than my statement above!)

 


#418:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Tue Oct 05, 2004 3:57 pm


I don't know why she said that. I expected my pupils to see the pictures in their heads. Another common thing is for the reader to be on the fringe of the action, not as a participant, but as a close observer.

There is really no one way of responding to a text, but seeing the pictures in your head, or being on the edge of the scene shows that you are fully engaged with the text you are reading.

 


#419:  Author: ChelseaLocation: Your Imagination PostPosted: Tue Oct 05, 2004 5:44 pm


My lack of seeing pictures is actually very annoying! I cannot conjure up images in my head (whether reading or studying or whatever). I didn't realise other people could do it. I do see things, I just cannot control them.

Organic chemistry was a nightmare, since my prof. kept saying to imagine the molecule in your head and then rotate it. I couldn't imagine a single carbon atom let alone a whole molecule. And forget about rotating it!!

 


#420:  Author: Kathy_SLocation: midwestern US PostPosted: Tue Oct 05, 2004 11:28 pm


I think the "pictures" I have of characters are more a set of feelings, with the physical aspects fairly nebulous -- so it's funny that I often look at actors in film adaptations and declare them totally wrong, or, very occasionally, just right. As for organic -- I couldn't do the imaginary 3-d rotations either, and those stereoscopic images in the texts are useless for someone with my kind of vision. I was most grateful for the trusty model kit. Sort of like Lego.... maybe that's why I liked organic.

 


#421:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Wed Oct 06, 2004 7:39 am


I do exactly the same thing when I'm reading. In fact a film or a TV adaptation of a favourite book can be really disappointing as there's always at least 1 character who doesn't look like how I imagined them.

I'm actually quite impressed that you can see Violet and Sigrid, since I haven't described them in very much detail, and EBD certainly never did. I know exactly what they look like and can see the scene as I'm writing it, but I've given so little description of them physically that I'm impressed anyone else can see them.

***

Elizabeth did indeed show signs that she had begun to grow up over the last few weeks of term. Both staff and prefects found her much easier to deal with. Betty, however, refused to grow up and was still the same annoying girl she had always been.

The war news continued to be bad. The school had enjoyed the time it had spent on Guernsey and it was devastated when the Channel Islands had no choice but to surrender to the Nazis. They had also gained girls from the Islands during their time there, who were now having to come to terms with the same situation that Sigrid had had to accept a couple of months previously.

“Last week,” Violet said as she entered the prefects’ room. “Then we have to go out into the world.”

“So what are you going to do?” Cornelia asked.

“I’m going into the Land Army until I turn eighteen,” Violet answered. “Come October I’ll apply for the WRENs. What about you?”

Cornelia shrugged. “I’m not sure yet,” she answered. “I’d like to do something like Evvy is, but it’ll depend on my father.”

“What’s Evvy doing with herself?” Sigrid asked.

“She’s in the WAAFs,” Cornelia told her. “Obviously she can’t tell me anything of what she’s doing, but she seems to be enjoying herself. What about you, Sigrid? What will you be doing?”

Sigrid shrugged. “It looks like I’ll join one of the services,” she said. “Probably the WAAFs – if they take Evvy, who’s American, then they should take me. The Embassy are working on it.”

 


#422:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Wed Oct 06, 2004 8:07 am


Thank you Nicole. EBD never really touched on the next stages - too near in time, perhaps.

As to 'seeing' them, I'm probably projecting from people I have known? I do know I do that sometimes. You get it on the phone as well. Someone sounds as if they look a certain way and it's quite a shock.

As Miriam said earlier, the Archers' actors don't look like they do on the radio Wink

 


#423:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Wed Oct 06, 2004 10:58 am


Or someone posts a certain way and you get a shock when you see their piccie or meet them in the flesh! Wink

Loving this Nicole - nice to see the girls discussing their options once they leave and how committed they all are to supporting the war effort

 


#424:  Author: LisaLocation: South Coast of England PostPosted: Wed Oct 06, 2004 12:50 pm


Fandabeedozee! This is still wonderful and engaging, Nicole.

I have to say, the only adaptation that didn't disappoint me was the BBC's Pride & Prejudice (Or could that have anything to do with the delectable Colin Firth? Wink drool!)

That's not strictly true - I also thought LOTR was incredibly good. And am I the only one in the world not to hate the film of Captain Corelli's Mandolin? (although Nicholas Cage could have something to do with that!!) Ooh, I sound like a right one, don't I?! Laughing

 


#425:  Author: JackieJLocation: Kingston upon Hull PostPosted: Wed Oct 06, 2004 12:58 pm


This is still wonderful Nicole.

Please may we have some more soon.

*Idly wonders if Lisa is turning into the small annoying Kranky Confused Shocked*

JackieJ

 


#426:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Wed Oct 06, 2004 2:06 pm


Thank you Nicole. It must have been difficult for boarding school girls to go into the services. Though they must have been used to living away from home for weeks at a time they must have met a lot of things that were different. Bit garbled but I'm thinking of the sheltered lives the CS girls lead to suddenly being plunged into life with a set of girls who are completely different.

 


#427:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Oct 06, 2004 2:08 pm


Thanks Nicole.

 


#428:  Author: LisaLocation: South Coast of England PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 3:45 pm


JackieJ wrote:


*Idly wonders if Lisa is turning into the small annoying Kranky Confused Shocked*

JackieJ


Confound it! Someone has figured out my true identity!



Nicole ... (weedling tone ...) can, I mean, MAY we have some more please ..... Very Happy

 


#429:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 6:02 pm


There's definitely more to come, Lisa, BUT it won't be posted before Sunday or (more likely) Monday my time. I've got an extremely busy weekend with my parents due here tonight, my niece's first birthday tomorrow - where did that year go? - and finals day for netball on Sunday.

After next week posting will get more frequent - I've just got to get through to then...

 


#430:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 7:47 pm


Have a great weekend, Nicole! We'll still be here when you come back. Wink

 


#431:  Author: DawnLocation: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Thu Oct 07, 2004 9:01 pm


PatMac wrote:
We'll still be here when you come back.


Is that a threat or a promise PatMac? Wink

Have a great weekend Nicole

 


#432:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Fri Oct 08, 2004 12:19 pm


Have a great weekend, Nicole!

 


#433:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2004 7:39 am


It was a week of saying goodbye. Last lessons, last prep, last day. For Sigrid, Violet, Cornelia and Polly it was time to put their childhood aside and join the adult world.

Or so Joey said when she had afternoon tea with them following Simone Lecoutier’s wedding. Privately Sigrid felt she had had to put her childhood aside and join the adult world two years previously on a train journey through the heart of Nazi Germany.

Her future had finally been decided, though. After the term ended she would spend a few days with the Allisons then would begin training as a WAAF.

Sigrid’s last lesson was a piano lesson with Herr Anserl. Despite the fact that she knew that in the future she would only play for her own enjoyment, she also knew that Herr Anserl had very exacting standards that he expected to be met at all times. It was therefore a surprise when with a couple of minutes left in the lesson he told her to stop playing.

“Herr Anserl?” she asked.

“It is a difficult position that we both find ourselves in – away from our homes,” he told her. “For myself – I am an old man and the school has become my home. For you – where do you intend going when you leave school?”

“I’m going to spend a couple of days with Violet’s family and then I start training to be a WAAF,” Sigrid answered.

Herr Anserl looked puzzled. “What is a WAAF?” he asked.

“Womens Auxiliary Air Force,” Sigrid explained.

“I understand now.” He was silent for a long time. “It is a sad and strange world that we live in when we are forced to send our young girls to war,” he said reflectively. “Yes, very sad that we have come to this.”

“I suppose so,” Sigrid murmured.

“You will, I hope, forgive an old man his rambling, Fraulein Sigrid,” Herr Anserl said. “It is moments like this that I wonder whether I have lived too long and seen too much.”

Sigrid smiled bitterly. “I know how that feels.”

“You’re too young to be as cynical as I am,” he told her sternly. “Even if you’ve had to grow up too fast.” He sighed. “Far too fast. I wish that you girls could remain untouched by this war, but even I know that I ask the impossible.”

 


#434:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2004 8:55 am


Oh, how wonderful!

Thank you for letting us see such a human side to Vater Bar, Nicole ... I think you've captured how he and others of his generation must have been feeling superbly ...

 


#435:  Author: JosieLocation: London PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2004 9:34 am


Poor Herr Anserl. Crying or Very sad

Wonderful as ever Nicole. Thanks.

 


#436:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2004 10:59 am


Lovely Nicole and good for Herr Anserl it must have been so hard for him to be exiled from his country and I'm glad he could offer Sigrid some comfort.

 


#437:  Author: GemLocation: Saltash, Cornwall (holidays), Aberystwyth (termtime from September) PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2004 12:38 pm


Oh, poor Vater Bar. Thank you for showing that side to him, Nicole Smile

 


#438:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2004 1:05 pm


Awwwww! Thank you Nicole! That was so lovely!!!!

 


#439:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2004 6:12 pm


Echoes everyone else - that was lovely Nicole - we sometimes forget just how terrible it must have been for those in exile.Especially those knowing that relatives and friends were fighting on different sides.

 


#440:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2004 7:15 pm


Poor old Herr Anserl, it's only about the second time we really see him as a human being instead of a plot device.

 


#441:  Author: AnnLocation: Newcastle upon Tyne, England PostPosted: Mon Oct 11, 2004 10:42 pm


Oh Nicole, that was wonderful!

 


#442:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 6:46 am


That was lovely, Nicole. Thank you. I always felt sorry for Herr Anserl. He was gruff because he cared about music and it must have been torture to teach school girls, most of whom didn't really want to learn.

 


#443:  Author: SusanLocation: Carlisle PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2004 10:57 am


Thank you Nicole that was lovely. Poor old Herr Anserl it must have been horrible for him and others like him. Looing forward to seeing how Sigrid gets on in the WAAF.

 


#444:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sat Oct 16, 2004 5:00 pm


So am I, I hope we see it soon.

 


#445:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Sat Oct 16, 2004 9:36 pm


Yes - there's more coming later today or tomorrow if the bunny doesn't co-operate. I've just gotten back from a 10k walk for breast cancer that my friend and I decided we would do. That was the last of my commitments, and I'm on holiday from Wednesday so there'll be lots after then. Not that I'm counting down or anything, you realise. Wink

 


#446:  Author: LauraLocation: London (ish) PostPosted: Sat Oct 16, 2004 9:55 pm


That was lovely. Although as i read this straight after Lesley's Finale I'm now crying again!

 


#447:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 8:57 am


I'm not really sure about this bit at all. I wanted a scene with Hilda and the prefects but this went somewhere I wasn't expecting it to...

***

“It feels odd, doesn’t it?” Violet asked. She was in the prefects’ room with Sigrid, Polly and Cornelia.

“What does?” Cornelia asked.

“It’s the last night we’ll spend here as Chalet girls,” Violet said.

“We’ll always be Chalet girls,” Cornelia disagreed. “It’s our last night as pupils, that’s all. Tomorrow we go out into the world.”

Sigrid smiled. “Is the world really ready for us?” she asked. “Or more to the point – are we ready to face what’s out there.”

“We have to be, as you’re fond of saying,” Polly said. “I don’t know how the rest of you feel, but I’m ready for whatever’s out there.” She nodded. “Yes, I’m ready.”

“I’m scared,” Violet admitted. “It’s a different world today than it was a year ago and I’m not sure about it at all. It’s changed – and not for the better.”

“I’m a little scared as well,” Sigrid agreed. “For the first time in my life I don’t know where I’ll be in a few weeks time.”

“Who does?” Cornelia asked. She was to travel to London the next day and meet her father. After that she had no idea what lay ahead for her.

Sigrid jumped as there was a knock on the door. It swung open and Miss Annersley stood there. “Good evening, girls,” she said, smiling. “May I come in?”

Cornelia, as Head Girl responded. “Of course. Please come in, Miss Annersley.”

“Thank you, Cornelia” Miss Annersley entered the room and sat down. “I wanted to talk to you all together before the end of term.”

“Tomorrow doesn’t really count since most of us leave straight after breakfast,” Cornelia agreed.

“Exactly,” Miss Annersley agreed. She looked at them all. “I wanted to thank the four of you for your work for the school over the past year. As you all know it has been a very difficult year for us. You have led the school during the hardest year that it has ever faced and I couldn’t have asked for anything more of my prefects.”

They didn’t know what to say. Finally Cornelia spoke. “Thank you, Miss Annersley,” she said. “I don’t think any of us would describe this year as easy or enjoyable, but it’s been a year that I wouldn’t trade for anything. I’ve learnt so much about what I can do and the four of us are close friends now which we weren’t before.”

Sigrid nodded. “It’s been a horrible year for me,” she said. “I’m not sure how I would have coped without the school and my friends. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Miss Annersley nodded. “I’m incredibly proud of you all. I can’t remember saying that to any group of prefects before, but I don’t think any other prefects have had to face some of the things that you have had to face. You have proven that you are four strong young women who can cope with anything that comes your way. Without the four of you the school would not have the strength that it does – the younger students have taken their lead from you all, and you have proven worthy of such trust. Thank you for all your hard work and good luck for your future – wherever that may take you.”

Violet was the first to speak after Miss Annersley left the room. “Wow. Just wow,” she said. “We’ve thought that we’ve been adequate prefects, but for her to say that – we must have been fantastic.” She stood. “Ladies – a toast. To the Chalet prefects of 1939 and 1940. It’s been a difficult year and we’re facing an uncertain future, but we’re going to face it as strong women – not spineless jellyfish.”

Sigrid stood. “I agree. To us – and to the school.”

 


#448:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 9:43 am


Crying or Very sad

Amazing Nicole, how wonderful of Hilda to say that Very Happy

 


#449:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 9:45 am


Well, I think it's superb Nicole - how lovely of Miss Annersley and she's absolutely right -they've done a smashing job, given that how they led the school in the first months of it being resurrected determines how it will run in future ...

Good for all of them!
*joining in the toast!*

 


#450:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 9:51 am


Cheers Joins in the toast, they deserve it!

We are not worthy And that's for Hilda, for recognising that she had to tell them, and for Nicole for writing it!

 


#451:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 1:40 pm


Awwww! Thank you Nicole! I'm all goosebumpy now!

 


#452:  Author: DawnLocation: Leeds, West Yorks PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 1:40 pm


Pure goosebumps Nicole

 


#453:  Author: LadyGuinevereLocation: Leicester PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 5:49 pm


Awwwwwwww!

~LadyG

 


#454:  Author: JosieLocation: London PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 6:12 pm


Oh, Hilda's so sweet Very Happy

Thanks Nicole. That was lovely.

 


#455:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:37 pm


Thanks, Nicole.

 


#456:  Author: Carolyn PLocation: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 7:59 pm


I felt the goose bumps start on my head and travel all the way down before coming back up again.

Lovely.

 


#457:  Author: Lisa_TLocation: Belfast PostPosted: Mon Oct 18, 2004 8:05 pm


oooooooh that was sooo lovely!!! *also goosebumpy*

 


#458:  Author: Kathy_SLocation: midwestern US PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2004 1:05 am


Most excellent!

(a bit worried that it reads like an EBD ending, though)

 


#459:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2004 2:17 am


I can assure you that this is most definitely not the end. Very Happy

****

Barely three weeks after finishing school Sigrid arrived at her new home – an RAF base south east of London. She had trained as a plotter – such as the training was. It had lasted for the grand total of two weeks.

She wasn’t sure what to expect now. Training had taught her that she knew very little of what the world outside school. Although the school had made sure they had kept up with the war news, the girls had been sheltered away from the world. Training had been the first time that Sigrid had come into contact with people from all walks of life and it had been an interesting experience to meet girls with a completely different outlook to hers.

She was with Louise Nelson, an eighteen year old who had trained with her. “So this is it,” Louise said looking around.

“I suppose it is,” Sigrid answered. “Who was it that we needed to report to –Miss Scott?”

“Yeah, that’s it,” Louise said. “This’ll be her coming now, surely.”

Both girls sprang to attention as a tall woman came over to them. “Airwomen Nelson and …” there was the faintest of pauses. “Bornson – have I said that right?”

Sigrid smiled. She had learned that there weren’t many who could actually pronounce her name correctly. “Close enough, ma’am,” she said.

“I’m Sergeant Jane Scott. Good to see you both. If you’d like to pick your cases up, I’ll show you where you’ll be living and then give you a brief tour. After that you can unpack and introduce yourselves to the other girls here. You’ll both be on duty from 0600 tomorrow morning, so I would suggest that you get an early night if possible.”

She led them to a corner of the airfield where there were several flimsy looking buildings. Sigrid mentally classed them as little better than shacks. Inside was not much better. Beds were lined down each side of the room and a small area at the back of the room had been curtained off.

“At the moment there are four girls to a hut, but that number will probably increase in the next few months,” Sergeant Scott told them. “Each hut have their own rules – your trainers would have filled you in on the basics. One rule that is common to all the huts involves keeping the noise down. As you know we work four hours on, four hours off, so at any given time there are girls trying to sleep. You won’t be popular if you wake your colleagues up.”

She then took them to the control room where they found themselves overlooking a table that would grow very familiar to them. “Now, you both trained as plotters, so you’ll be spending a lot of time here. Being that we’re close to France and that has been keeping us very busy. We expect that to continue and in fact we’ll probably be even busier now that the weather has settled down.” As she spoke a siren went off. “You’ll hear a lot of that – that means that at least one of our squadrons has been scrambled. There are four squadrons based here – two of Hurricanes, one Spitfire and one Blenheim.” She fell silent as the WAAFs on the floor below moved the plots into position. “Girls, it’s not an easy job. You’re going to see and hear some things that are going to be very difficult for you, but you’re here because we need you. If you have to fall apart, please don’t do it in here. Save it till you’re off shift because there are many people who depend on you doing your job properly.”

 


#460:  Author: Kathy_SLocation: midwestern US PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2004 3:16 am


Sounds as though it won't be easy -- adjusting to both a stressful task and the outside world!

(Very glad the drabble's not over, though Smile )

 


#461:  Author: Miss DiLocation: Newcastle, NSW PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2004 3:33 am


ohhh This is Good! Really, Really Good.

 


#462:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2004 6:30 am


Ouch! Four on, four off? That is a murderous shift pattern! Good luck to Sigrid!


Thanks Nicole - glad this has not finished. Laughing

 


#463:  Author: LizBLocation: Oxon, England PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2004 7:34 am


So happy to see there's more of this - thanks Jumping

Liz

 


#464:  Author: NellLocation: London, England PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2004 9:57 am


Glad there's more, look forward to seeing how Sigred settles into the job and life outside the CS.

 


#465:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2004 12:46 pm


Thanks Nicole, looks as if Sigrid's life outside the CS is going to be fascinating Very Happy

 


#466:  Author: Sarah_KLocation: St Albans/Leicester PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2004 3:53 pm


That's fantastic. I visited Duxford last week as part of my course and I can just imagine Sigird in the Ops room they had there.

 


#467:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2004 4:08 pm


Hooray. I'm glad this is continuing. I imagined Duxford too, Sarah.

 


#468:  Author: Helen PLocation: Cheshire PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2004 8:43 pm


Really pleased that wasn't the end, and fascinated by all the attention to detail.

Nicole, this is wonderful! We are not worthy

 


#469:  Author: NicoleLocation: New Zealand PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 12:20 am


Thank you, I'm pleased that you want more of this

***

Louise sat down on what was going to be her bed. “Something tells me this isn’t going to be anything like working at the shop,” she said. Louise had left school at fourteen and spent the last four years working at a corner shop two streets from her home. Training had been the first time she had been further than five miles from her home village in the Midlands.

“It’s certainly nothing like school,” Sigrid said as she finished unpacking her case. She had already made her bed.

“How busy do you think we’ll be?”

“Well, the fact that we’re only working four hour shifts speaks volumes to me. That’s not a long time – how long did you work in the shop?”

“Nine to six, Monday to Friday,” Louise answered. “The seeing and hearing things that are difficult worries me a bit. Imagine seeing a dead body.”

“I’ve seen a dead body,” Sigrid said briefly. “When the school was in Guernsey just before Christmas. We went for a walk and a German plane crashed on the beach. We got them away from the wreck, but one of the air crew was already dead.”

“Yuck. Why would you try and rescue a German.”

“They’re still human beings. I’d like to think that they’d do the same thing for me if it was the other way around,” Sigrid pointed out.

Louise frowned trying to take this in. “You’re Norwegian and the Germans have taken over your country. Don’t you hate them for that?”

Sigrid smiled. “I used to, but an incredible lady once told me that hatred can dominate your life to the exclusion of everything else, and if I was to do that I could become no better than the Nazis,” she said. “I certainly don’t agree with their actions, but I’m better than they are and I’m going to play my part in getting rid of them.”

“Do you really think we’ll win? It doesn’t look like it,” Louise said.

“We’ll win because we have no choice. If we lose the world loses,” Sigrid said. She turned around as the door opened and two young women walked in.

They stopped when they saw Sigrid and Louise. Then one stepped forward. “You must be our new recruits,” she said. “I’m … Sigrid Bjornesson, what are you doing here.”

Sigrid smiled. “Evvy Lannis. I might have known.” She hugged Evvy then turned to Louise. “We were at school together in Austria, Louise.”

“And I went back to the States for about fifteen months after that all ended,” Evadne said. “Hi Louise, I’m Evadne Lannis, usually known as Evvy, and this is Maggie Lawrence.”

“I’m Louise Nelson,” Louise said shyly.

Maggie smiled. “Nice to meet you both,” she said, sitting on a bed. “Evvy, do you think we should fill them in?”

“Yeah, I do. Where will you both be working?”

“We’re both Plotters,” Sigrid answered.

“Plotting is a lot harder than you think. It’s not just moving the counters over the tables – that’s the easy bit. The pilots RT’s are patched straight through and you basically hear everything they say,” Evvy told them. “Sigrid, after the Chalet School’s rules about slang, you may find some of the language a bit of a shock. I know the pilots were asked to try and watch their language, but they do forget when in combat. The other thing – and this to me is the hardest thing about the job – is that not all of the pilots make it back here again. If they’re lucky they bail out. If they’re not …” She shrugged. “It’s not pleasant.”

Sigrid imagined that to be something of an understatement.

“The shifts are really hard. It’s four hours on, four hours off and you’ll be using those four hours to eat and sleep,” Maggie said. “It’s been fairly quiet up until now, but over the last few days the Germans have been sending more and more planes over, so we feel that something’s going to start happening soon. We’ve got it reasonably lucky though – we get two rostered days off out of seven. The pilots are at readiness from dawn until dusk every day. They’re really finding it tough, but there’s no other option.”

“What shift are you on?” Evvy asked.

“We start at 0600 tomorrow morning,” Sigrid answered.

“Good, that’s the same as us. We’re going to freshen up and head over to the mess for supper,” Maggie told them. “Come with us, and we’ll introduce you to some of the others.”

 


#470:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 12:32 am


How lovely that Evvy was there. Good for Sigrid still hanging on to the words said about hatred.


Thanks Nicole.

 


#471:  Author: CathyLocation: Australia PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 2:11 am


Nicole this is really wonderful. It's great to see Sigrid's character being fleshed out and her story told like this.

 


#472:  Author: Kathy_SLocation: midwestern US PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:09 am


Sigrid continues to amaze -- wonderful attitude!

But wow, Evvy! She never occurred to me Very Happy .

 


#473:  Author: patmacLocation: Yorkshire England PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 6:34 am


Yay! Evvy! How lovely that she is there. thanks Nicole.

 


#474:  Author: Rachael PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 10:40 am


Loving this, Nicole

How very fortunate that Evvy is there - undoubtedly she will already have made her mark and I expect she can help the newbies

4 hours on / 4 hours off Shocked
Nasty - I can see that the shift shouldn't be longer than 4 hours because it's so intense but I can't see them ever getting enough sleep etc so how will they ever be at their best?

And when do they get to socialise with the pilots? Wink
*watches Reach for the Sky far too often*

 


#475:  Author: JosieLocation: London PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 10:44 am


Rachael wrote:

And when do they get to socialise with the pilots? Wink
*watches Reach for the Sky far too often*


*also watches Reach for the Sky too often, hence pilot fetish! Razz *
ooo, any chance of dashing Douglas Bader appearance?! Wink

Thanks Nicole, glad you kept this going once they'd finished school.
Are we going to see more of Violet and her brother too?

 


#476:  Author: NellLocation: London, England PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 12:19 pm


Oooo I love Reach for the Sky both book and film!!!

Thanks Nicole, this is so good. Its lovely to see the way you keep developing Sigrid character and hooray for Evvy!

 


#477:  Author: Sarah_KLocation: St Albans/Leicester PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 1:45 pm


So glad to see Evvy around, though wibbling slightly remembering Josie's Evvy drabble at the moment and the comment about pilots not coming back.

(oh and I can't wait to see Sigrid's reaction to the pilot's language, I bet Evvy was in her element)

 


#478:  Author: AllyLocation: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!! PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 3:04 pm


*wibbles*

Is Daniel at this base??

*wibbles some more*

 


#479:  Author: LizBLocation: Oxon, England PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 5:43 pm


How lovely to see Evvy there too. Smile

Liz

 


#480:  Author: PatLocation: Doncaster PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 7:08 pm


josie wrote:
Rachael wrote:

And when do they get to socialise with the pilots? Wink
*watches Reach for the Sky far too often*


*also watches Reach for the Sky too often, hence pilot fetish! Razz *
ooo, any chance of dashing Douglas Bader appearance?! Wink


Douglas Bader lost his legs through directly disobeying an order. He was doing aerobatics in his plane when he crashed, and far too close to the ground. In other words, he was an idiot!!! He was also an arrogant one, who was extremely unpopular with every non-commissioned bloke in the RAF!!!!!!!

 


#481:  Author: LesleyLocation: Rochester, Kent PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 7:58 pm


My father told me he had known the man who acted as his bat man in the war. Apparently, because he was ill, the bat man could have been sent home on compassionate grounds from the POW camp - but Bader refused permission, saying he needed his bat man with him.

 


#482:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 8:41 pm


Nicole, this is wonderful. Sigrid has become a real person in this drabble. And so nice for her to meet up with Evvy again.

 


#483:  Author: Carolyn PLocation: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 8:48 pm


Nice to see Evvy involved.

 




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