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elen_nareTitle: Misinformation
Chapter: 6
Fandom: Chalet School series
Rating: T
Length: 1269 words
(See Chapter 1 for full header).
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Hilda watched, smiling, as the younger mistresses left her study. “That’s one good thing to come out of this, at least,” she remarked once the door had closed behind Kathie. “They know now that we don’t judge them, and that they’re safe here.”
“It will be a big weight off them, I should think,” Nell agreed, “though I’d have preferred it to happen in less dramatic a fashion!”
Hilda turned to Nell, serious now. “You’re quite right, so would I. And this isn’t finished yet, is it?”
“I’m not nearly as confident in Jack’s ability to solve this as I pretended to be just now,” Nell confessed. “I exaggerated because I thought Nancy and Kathie had been put through more than enough. I know he’ll do his best, of course, but I suspect Dr Travers can be very stubborn when he wants to.”
“I don’t know him well, of course,” Hilda said slowly. She was thinking something over. “I wonder what kind of a temper he has?”
“Why do you ask?” Nell inquired warily.
“Because this could be the overreaction of hot temper and bruised pride, but it could also be far more calculated. If he deliberately set out to revenge himself on you, what better way than to wreck the career and the school you chose over him?”
Hilda had been watching Nell’s face as she spoke, alert for her reaction. By the time she finished explaining her idea, she was sure Nell had already considered the possibility. There was no surprise in her expression, though there was worry, and a very slight annoyance. Her next words confirmed it.
“Sometimes I wish you weren’t quite so clever,” Nell grumbled. “I was hoping you wouldn’t see that, this is troubling you enough as it is.”
“You’d already realised it; were you planning on worrying about it alone?”
“Well, yes. This whole situation is my fault, in a way, so I should be the one worrying about it the most,” Nell replied.
“Your fault? Nell Wilson, please don’t tell me I have to start lecturing you on not taking responsibility for things you aren’t to blame for, I have to do that often enough with the girls!” Hilda exclaimed. “It’s Dr Travers’ fault, and his alone.”
Nell’s face lightened at the thought of receiving a Head’s lecture, just as Hilda had intended. “All right, I won’t add to your lecturing,” she said, grinning. “As for your theory, yes, I had thought of it.”
“Do you think it’s likely?” Hilda asked anxiously.
“Not really. He seems likely to act without thinking in a temper, but I don’t think he’s the type that would coldly plan something so vindictive.” She shrugged expressively. “There again, I didn’t think him the type to go and propose to me, either, so who knows how good a judge I am!”
“You really had no idea?”
“Not in the slightest! He was perfectly pleasant and friendly, but I never thought of anything more. Even if I had thought he was looking for a wife, I’m the last person I’d have expected him to consider. We have so many mistresses who are younger and prettier, I’d have thought he’d fix on one of them.” And Nell shook her head in puzzlement.
Hilda looked at her in fond exasperation. Nell had never been vain; so long as she was neat and clean, she was content. It was true that she was no classical beauty, but a strong character could be read in the molding of her pleasant face, and a fine spirit shone in the keen grey eyes. While Hilda admitted herself to be biased, she was sure she wasn’t the only one to see more beauty in Nell than Nell saw herself.
“I thought you were indignant with Jack for being surprised that Dr Travers had proposed to you? That suggests you can see the attraction,” she teased, and Nell chuckled. “As for his choosing someone else,” she continued more seriously, “all things considered I’m glad he didn’t.”
“Huh! If you want to get rid of me you can say so, there’s no need to marry me off!” Nell retorted, pretending to be cross.
“Idiot. I’m glad he picked you, because someone else might have accepted him.”
“I see. Yes, it would be dreadful to see one of our friends married to such a man!” Nell answered, serious now. She shook her head. “I wish I could say I’m certain this isn’t planned, but I can’t.”
“We must hope for the best,” Hilda replied quietly.
“And prepare for the worst? If... if it’s necessary, you know I would resign, for the sake of the School.”
Hilda grasped both Nell’s hands in her own. “Over rumours? With such slender foundations as these? Don’t be absurd!”
“Rumours don’t always need solid foundations to grow,” Nell replied stubbornly. “I’d far rather resign myself than see the School harmed. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t feel the same way.”
Hilda nodded slowly. Of course she would; they had both devoted their lives to the Chalet School, both valued its success over themselves. “Even if Jack fails utterly, and we can’t silence Dr Travers either, no-one would listen to him. People wouldn’t turn against you on his say-so, they know you.”
“It’s not entirely untrue, though, what he says. Oh, I don’t think I’m an unnatural abomination!” Nell added quickly as Hilda flinched, “But... there’s a reason we have to be secret.”
Hilda sighed. “I know; if it were public knowledge, prejudice would force us out,” she replied sadly. “It isn’t, though. It’s nothing but a yet-nonexistent rumour, and I won’t have you contemplating resignation over it. You heard the conditions I gave Nancy and Kathie; they’re the same for you.”
Nell gave her the ghost of a grin. “My dear, if I were undeniably caught by the entire school, I suspect you’d have rather more worries than looking for a new Science mistress.”
“Such as having to resign myself?” Hilda said with a crooked smile. “Yes, quite. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it - and I hope we never do.”
The clanging of the school bell made them both start, and Nell jumped out her chair. “Is that the time already? I must run, I’m supposed to be teaching the Sixth.”
Hilda nodded, rising herself to see Nell out. “I’ll phone Jack and tell him our theory. He should be aware of the possibility, and he may not have realised it himself.”
“Good idea,” Nell agreed as they crossed the room. Pausing with a hand on the doorknob, she turned back suddenly. “Hilda...”
She said nothing more, but she didn’t need to. Hilda could read all she meant in her face, in the tone of her voice in that one word. Worry for herself, for both of them, for the School; fury at what was happening; hope that it would turn out well, and fear that it wouldn’t; and above all, love, pure and simple.
It was a risk, especially now. They couldn’t easily be seen from any of the windows where they stood, and there should be no-one to see in any case, but it was still a risk. Hilda didn’t make a conscious decision to take it, she simply acted, placing a gentle kiss on the beloved lips. “I love you, Nell. Come what may, I love you,” she murmured.
“I love you, Hilda, whatever happens,” Nell replied in the same soft tone, returning the kiss. Then she slipped out of the study, leaving Hilda to return to work, still worried, but deeply comforted by that moment of intimacy.
Chapter: 6
Fandom: Chalet School series
Rating: T
Length: 1269 words
(See Chapter 1 for full header).
Previous | Next
Hilda watched, smiling, as the younger mistresses left her study. “That’s one good thing to come out of this, at least,” she remarked once the door had closed behind Kathie. “They know now that we don’t judge them, and that they’re safe here.”
“It will be a big weight off them, I should think,” Nell agreed, “though I’d have preferred it to happen in less dramatic a fashion!”
Hilda turned to Nell, serious now. “You’re quite right, so would I. And this isn’t finished yet, is it?”
“I’m not nearly as confident in Jack’s ability to solve this as I pretended to be just now,” Nell confessed. “I exaggerated because I thought Nancy and Kathie had been put through more than enough. I know he’ll do his best, of course, but I suspect Dr Travers can be very stubborn when he wants to.”
“I don’t know him well, of course,” Hilda said slowly. She was thinking something over. “I wonder what kind of a temper he has?”
“Why do you ask?” Nell inquired warily.
“Because this could be the overreaction of hot temper and bruised pride, but it could also be far more calculated. If he deliberately set out to revenge himself on you, what better way than to wreck the career and the school you chose over him?”
Hilda had been watching Nell’s face as she spoke, alert for her reaction. By the time she finished explaining her idea, she was sure Nell had already considered the possibility. There was no surprise in her expression, though there was worry, and a very slight annoyance. Her next words confirmed it.
“Sometimes I wish you weren’t quite so clever,” Nell grumbled. “I was hoping you wouldn’t see that, this is troubling you enough as it is.”
“You’d already realised it; were you planning on worrying about it alone?”
“Well, yes. This whole situation is my fault, in a way, so I should be the one worrying about it the most,” Nell replied.
“Your fault? Nell Wilson, please don’t tell me I have to start lecturing you on not taking responsibility for things you aren’t to blame for, I have to do that often enough with the girls!” Hilda exclaimed. “It’s Dr Travers’ fault, and his alone.”
Nell’s face lightened at the thought of receiving a Head’s lecture, just as Hilda had intended. “All right, I won’t add to your lecturing,” she said, grinning. “As for your theory, yes, I had thought of it.”
“Do you think it’s likely?” Hilda asked anxiously.
“Not really. He seems likely to act without thinking in a temper, but I don’t think he’s the type that would coldly plan something so vindictive.” She shrugged expressively. “There again, I didn’t think him the type to go and propose to me, either, so who knows how good a judge I am!”
“You really had no idea?”
“Not in the slightest! He was perfectly pleasant and friendly, but I never thought of anything more. Even if I had thought he was looking for a wife, I’m the last person I’d have expected him to consider. We have so many mistresses who are younger and prettier, I’d have thought he’d fix on one of them.” And Nell shook her head in puzzlement.
Hilda looked at her in fond exasperation. Nell had never been vain; so long as she was neat and clean, she was content. It was true that she was no classical beauty, but a strong character could be read in the molding of her pleasant face, and a fine spirit shone in the keen grey eyes. While Hilda admitted herself to be biased, she was sure she wasn’t the only one to see more beauty in Nell than Nell saw herself.
“I thought you were indignant with Jack for being surprised that Dr Travers had proposed to you? That suggests you can see the attraction,” she teased, and Nell chuckled. “As for his choosing someone else,” she continued more seriously, “all things considered I’m glad he didn’t.”
“Huh! If you want to get rid of me you can say so, there’s no need to marry me off!” Nell retorted, pretending to be cross.
“Idiot. I’m glad he picked you, because someone else might have accepted him.”
“I see. Yes, it would be dreadful to see one of our friends married to such a man!” Nell answered, serious now. She shook her head. “I wish I could say I’m certain this isn’t planned, but I can’t.”
“We must hope for the best,” Hilda replied quietly.
“And prepare for the worst? If... if it’s necessary, you know I would resign, for the sake of the School.”
Hilda grasped both Nell’s hands in her own. “Over rumours? With such slender foundations as these? Don’t be absurd!”
“Rumours don’t always need solid foundations to grow,” Nell replied stubbornly. “I’d far rather resign myself than see the School harmed. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t feel the same way.”
Hilda nodded slowly. Of course she would; they had both devoted their lives to the Chalet School, both valued its success over themselves. “Even if Jack fails utterly, and we can’t silence Dr Travers either, no-one would listen to him. People wouldn’t turn against you on his say-so, they know you.”
“It’s not entirely untrue, though, what he says. Oh, I don’t think I’m an unnatural abomination!” Nell added quickly as Hilda flinched, “But... there’s a reason we have to be secret.”
Hilda sighed. “I know; if it were public knowledge, prejudice would force us out,” she replied sadly. “It isn’t, though. It’s nothing but a yet-nonexistent rumour, and I won’t have you contemplating resignation over it. You heard the conditions I gave Nancy and Kathie; they’re the same for you.”
Nell gave her the ghost of a grin. “My dear, if I were undeniably caught by the entire school, I suspect you’d have rather more worries than looking for a new Science mistress.”
“Such as having to resign myself?” Hilda said with a crooked smile. “Yes, quite. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it - and I hope we never do.”
The clanging of the school bell made them both start, and Nell jumped out her chair. “Is that the time already? I must run, I’m supposed to be teaching the Sixth.”
Hilda nodded, rising herself to see Nell out. “I’ll phone Jack and tell him our theory. He should be aware of the possibility, and he may not have realised it himself.”
“Good idea,” Nell agreed as they crossed the room. Pausing with a hand on the doorknob, she turned back suddenly. “Hilda...”
She said nothing more, but she didn’t need to. Hilda could read all she meant in her face, in the tone of her voice in that one word. Worry for herself, for both of them, for the School; fury at what was happening; hope that it would turn out well, and fear that it wouldn’t; and above all, love, pure and simple.
It was a risk, especially now. They couldn’t easily be seen from any of the windows where they stood, and there should be no-one to see in any case, but it was still a risk. Hilda didn’t make a conscious decision to take it, she simply acted, placing a gentle kiss on the beloved lips. “I love you, Nell. Come what may, I love you,” she murmured.
“I love you, Hilda, whatever happens,” Nell replied in the same soft tone, returning the kiss. Then she slipped out of the study, leaving Hilda to return to work, still worried, but deeply comforted by that moment of intimacy.
