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elen_nareTitle: Misinformation
Chapter: 3
Fandom: Chalet School series
Rating: T
Length: 746 words
(See Chapter 1 for full header).
Previous | Next
Miss Annersley looked up in some surprise as someone knocked on the door of her study. She hadn’t summoned anyone, and it was rare for people to come unexpectedly at this time. Nell Wilson should be arriving soon from the finishing branch, but she never bothered to knock.
“Come in,” she called in her beautiful voice. The pleasant smile she had adopted vanished from her face as she took in the expressions of the women who entered, and she waved them quickly to chairs.
“Nancy, Kathie, what’s wrong? Has something bad happened?” she asked anxiously, her mind running over the many possibilities of mischief and accidents.
The pair looked at each other, seemingly unable to begin. “I - we - ” Nancy started haltingly, then held out a letter. “You need to see this,” she finished abruptly.
Taking it, Hilda pulled the letter out of the envelope, surprised to recognise Jack Maynard’s handwriting. Why would Jack be writing to Nancy? She read the short note in growing horror. She’d been fearing something like this from the moment it became clear to her that Nancy and Kathie were in a relationship, but she’d comforted herself by the thought of their caution and discretion. It seemed those had failed, though... and what was she to do now?
“This is very serious, Nancy,” she began quietly.
“I know, that’s why I knew you had to see it, so you could - could protect the school,” Nancy interrupted, subsiding when Miss Annersley raised a hand for silence.
“Why is Doctor Travers making these accusations against you?” she asked, dreading the answer. If they had been undeniably caught, there was very little she could do for them.
Nancy shook her head wildly. “I’ve no idea! I’ve never spoken to him, just seen him from a distance, and I know he came to the San recently. I suppose he must have... heard something, or seen something... I don’t know... of course, if you - you want me to leave, I will.”
“We both will,” Kathie interjected firmly at this point.
“Kathie - ” Nancy began, but the younger mistress spoke over her.
“I mean it. I know you have to consider the school first, Miss Annersley, and I understand that - we both do - but you can’t make Nancy leave and not me, that wouldn’t be fair.”
The Head silenced them once more, praying desperately for help and guidance. What should she do? What should she say? What could she say? Before she could make up her mind, a face looked in at the open window.
“Hilda, are you busy? You’ll never believe - good heavens, what’s going on?” Nell Wilson’s cheery tone changed abruptly as she took in the faces of the three in the study.
“Come in, Nell. You should know this,” Hilda answered, mentally adding ‘and I need your help’, then smothered an exclamation as her co-Head proceeded to clamber over the windowsill. “I meant by the door,” she said pointedly, but she couldn’t keep the relief from her eyes at Nell’s arrival. The situation was still terribly serious, but she felt better able to cope with Nell here to help her.
“This is faster,” Nell shrugged. “I’ll close the window, shall I? This seems like something that shouldn’t be overheard.” She suited actions to words as Hilda hastily agreed, kicking herself for not having thought of it, then walked over to the group. “Now, what’s the matter?”
Picking up the fateful letter, Hilda passed it her, instructing her to read it. Nell’s eyes widened as she did so, her eyebrows shooting up towards her white hair, then narrowed thoughtfully. Her first question surprised everyone.
“Do you have the envelope?”
Hilda handed it over, wondering what she could possibly want with it. Nell scrutinised it carefully, then sighed heavily, dropping into a chair by Hilda’s desk.
“Well, I can’t blame Rosalie, in fact I’m impressed she got so close. Why couldn’t Jack have addressed this clearly, and saved people a lot of bother?” Shaking her head, she looked up at her puzzled companions. “Nancy, I’m so sorry - and you, Kathie - you shouldn’t have been mixed up in this at all. Unless I’m very badly mistaken, this letter was meant for me.”
The other three looked at her in astonishment. “For you, Nell? Why?” Hilda asked, just managing to keep her voice steady, but inwardly quaking.
“It’s a bit of a long story...” Oddly, Nell seemed almost hesitant. “You see, last night Dr Travers asked me to marry him.”
Chapter: 3
Fandom: Chalet School series
Rating: T
Length: 746 words
(See Chapter 1 for full header).
Previous | Next
Miss Annersley looked up in some surprise as someone knocked on the door of her study. She hadn’t summoned anyone, and it was rare for people to come unexpectedly at this time. Nell Wilson should be arriving soon from the finishing branch, but she never bothered to knock.
“Come in,” she called in her beautiful voice. The pleasant smile she had adopted vanished from her face as she took in the expressions of the women who entered, and she waved them quickly to chairs.
“Nancy, Kathie, what’s wrong? Has something bad happened?” she asked anxiously, her mind running over the many possibilities of mischief and accidents.
The pair looked at each other, seemingly unable to begin. “I - we - ” Nancy started haltingly, then held out a letter. “You need to see this,” she finished abruptly.
Taking it, Hilda pulled the letter out of the envelope, surprised to recognise Jack Maynard’s handwriting. Why would Jack be writing to Nancy? She read the short note in growing horror. She’d been fearing something like this from the moment it became clear to her that Nancy and Kathie were in a relationship, but she’d comforted herself by the thought of their caution and discretion. It seemed those had failed, though... and what was she to do now?
“This is very serious, Nancy,” she began quietly.
“I know, that’s why I knew you had to see it, so you could - could protect the school,” Nancy interrupted, subsiding when Miss Annersley raised a hand for silence.
“Why is Doctor Travers making these accusations against you?” she asked, dreading the answer. If they had been undeniably caught, there was very little she could do for them.
Nancy shook her head wildly. “I’ve no idea! I’ve never spoken to him, just seen him from a distance, and I know he came to the San recently. I suppose he must have... heard something, or seen something... I don’t know... of course, if you - you want me to leave, I will.”
“We both will,” Kathie interjected firmly at this point.
“Kathie - ” Nancy began, but the younger mistress spoke over her.
“I mean it. I know you have to consider the school first, Miss Annersley, and I understand that - we both do - but you can’t make Nancy leave and not me, that wouldn’t be fair.”
The Head silenced them once more, praying desperately for help and guidance. What should she do? What should she say? What could she say? Before she could make up her mind, a face looked in at the open window.
“Hilda, are you busy? You’ll never believe - good heavens, what’s going on?” Nell Wilson’s cheery tone changed abruptly as she took in the faces of the three in the study.
“Come in, Nell. You should know this,” Hilda answered, mentally adding ‘and I need your help’, then smothered an exclamation as her co-Head proceeded to clamber over the windowsill. “I meant by the door,” she said pointedly, but she couldn’t keep the relief from her eyes at Nell’s arrival. The situation was still terribly serious, but she felt better able to cope with Nell here to help her.
“This is faster,” Nell shrugged. “I’ll close the window, shall I? This seems like something that shouldn’t be overheard.” She suited actions to words as Hilda hastily agreed, kicking herself for not having thought of it, then walked over to the group. “Now, what’s the matter?”
Picking up the fateful letter, Hilda passed it her, instructing her to read it. Nell’s eyes widened as she did so, her eyebrows shooting up towards her white hair, then narrowed thoughtfully. Her first question surprised everyone.
“Do you have the envelope?”
Hilda handed it over, wondering what she could possibly want with it. Nell scrutinised it carefully, then sighed heavily, dropping into a chair by Hilda’s desk.
“Well, I can’t blame Rosalie, in fact I’m impressed she got so close. Why couldn’t Jack have addressed this clearly, and saved people a lot of bother?” Shaking her head, she looked up at her puzzled companions. “Nancy, I’m so sorry - and you, Kathie - you shouldn’t have been mixed up in this at all. Unless I’m very badly mistaken, this letter was meant for me.”
The other three looked at her in astonishment. “For you, Nell? Why?” Hilda asked, just managing to keep her voice steady, but inwardly quaking.
“It’s a bit of a long story...” Oddly, Nell seemed almost hesitant. “You see, last night Dr Travers asked me to marry him.”
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Date: 2013-07-24 12:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-07-24 08:53 pm (UTC)