Dracones - I am so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. Sorry.
Here's Chapter 7!
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Glancing up horror struck, Nancy counted the days in her head. She had just reached her terrible conclusion as the doorbell rang.
She heard hurrying feet, and the door open. Then John's voice sounded.
"Good evening, ma'am. Are we expecting you?"
And the GA replied, with horrible certainty,
"Hasn't my letter reached you? Oh, I knew the postal service was going down the drain."
Peering round the door Nancy caught sight of the GA, soaked from head to toe, with water dripping from her nose. She waited for the explosion she knew would come as soon as she recognised John, but to her surprise, it never came. Thinking back she remembered that however many times her Aunt had cursed the Swallows, she had never actually met them. John was now removing her coat, most politely, and hanging it on the pegs, before looking round to see where everyone else had got to. Nancy realised that whilst she'd been reading the letter, the others had set to with the tree, and were busy decorating it. Realising the GA wasn't some horrible apparition who would vanish if she shut her eyes and wished hard enough, Nancy forced herself round the door to greet her.
"Aunt Maria!" She saw John freeze at the name. So he hadn't worked it out yet. "I got your letter about ten minutes ago! I must admit, I don't know where you're going to sleep, I haven't even had time to tell mother you're staying."
"Oh well, no problem there. Young man, would you care to direct me to my niece."
John glanced at Nancy, who mouthed 'mother'.
"Of course, ma'am. I believe she's setting up the tree."
The short procession made its way through the hall, John and Nancy terrified, and the GA pleased with the disturbance she was causing. She was baffled by Nancy's suggestion there was no room, this was a three bedroom house, and if this boy was the only visitor, well, he could sleep on the couch. Then they stood in the doorway of the room, and her mouth dropped open. It appeared there were dozens of people moved in. This was not strictly true, though the room did now contain twelve, the 4 Swallows, 2 Amazons, 2 Mothers, C. Flint and Timothy, Bridget, and the GA. C. Flint and Timothy had, for the time being, moved into the house, because they felt it likely they would be stranded if they tried to stay on the houseboat. The GA, catching sight of Mrs Blackett standing on a chair, balancing the fairy on the top of the tree, called out,
"Molly! What on earth is going on?"
At which Mrs Blackett looked up, gasped "Aunt Maria!" and fell off the chair. Timothy, seeing what was happening, caught her just in time, and she was soon righted, and turned to face the problem at hand.
"Aunt Maria, I wasn't expecting you today, was I?"
"Ruth has just informed me that my letter arrived just seconds before I did."
Nancy took this as a hint, and handed her mother the short letter, which she read quickly, and with a worried frown on her face.
"I really am pleased you came to stay, Aunt," she said, praying to be forgiven for lying, "But I honestly don't see how we can fit you in."
"I don't see what the problem is, I've always fit before."
"Well, the two girls," she waved at Susan and Titty, "are staying in Na-Ruth and Pe-Margaret's room. The two boys, and Jim and Tim, are in the spare room, and myself, Mary and Bridget are in my room, so unless you sleep in the lounge, I don't see where else we can put you."
"There must be somewhere." She demanded, and John thought quickly, not wishing to start a fight quite yet.
"Well, Rodge and I would be perfectly happy sleeping on the floor in the lounge, and I'm sure Capta- Mr Turner and Mr Stedding won't mind sleeping on the couches."
The GA looked relieved, but Mrs Blackett looked furious, as did Nancy.
"No." Mrs Blackett's tone was final. "I won't kick you out of your rooms. What we'll do is this. I'll ask cook to lay an extra place at the table and you shall sit at the head, where I know you like to, Aunt. Then, when the meal is over, we shall hop into the motor boat with your bags (Don't worry, the boat has a cover for when it's raining), and I will pay for you to stay in the 5 star hotel in (Rio's native name) and arrange for one of the local fishermen to bring you over every morning and pick you up every night. You will be far more comfortable there, and I will make sure you get breakfast included."
This solution was so perfect that everyone heaved a sigh of relief. The arrangement meant that there were a large amount of hours spent without the GA in the house, which everyone had been dreading.
Just then the bell rang for dinner and all was forgotten in the scramble for the bathroom sink, to wash hands.
AN: Just noticed it wasn't clear, the morning had been spent baking, and the letter had arrived around twelve noon. Earlier, when they were sitting in the kitchen, it was when they'd just taken the cookies etc. out the oven. Sorry about that... (After this any AN's will be at the bottom of the story).
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Dinner was, overall, a considerably peaceful affair, the conversation revolved completely around the GA, and whenever it seemed she was going to turn from it, questions were thrown at her from all directions. On one occasion, when she seemed particularly eager to change the subject, Nancy was forced to ask the most dreaded of all questions, 'What is the fashion by way of clothes this winter, Aunt Maria?' Everyone round the table stared at Nancy, shocked, and even the GA was rendered speechless. 'What?' Nancy demanded. 'I was only asking. I thought it might be interesting to know.' At which the GA observed there was 'hope for Ruth yet' and proceeded to explain at some length, what was the fashion. This topic continued till the meal was over, and Mrs Blackett hurried the GA out the house, saying she wanted to be sure there was space at the hotel, as she couldn't bear to think of her aunt staying in anything less that the best accommodation. This pleased the GA greatly, and she allowed herself to be hustled out the house and into the boat. As soon as the boat was heard starting up, conversation took full force.
"I should have known she'd turn up! She always spoils everything."
"Nancy! Don't be rude. All the same, she did seem to act as though she owned the place."
"See, even mother didn't like her, and she likes nearly everyone."
"That's not true, Titty..."
"It is, and you know it."
"I make an effort to be nice to everyone, there's a difference."
"What made you try to martyr me, John? I wasn't going to be okay sleeping on the floor for ages, and you knew it."
"I wanted to prevent a fight. 'Sides, you don't complain when we're camping."
"No but that's different."
"So Titty, are you going to make another wax figure?"
"Don't tease me, Peggy. And it didn't work so well last time, so we'll have to get rid of her some other way."
"Well, mothers dragged her off to Rio, and perhaps we can convince her to go sightseeing."
"If only this rain would stop, we could set off on expeditions each morning before she arrived, and get back after she'd gone."
"Oh, what a splendid idea. Let's!"
"Not in the rain."
"Susan!"
"You'll all catch your death of colds. Not in this rain."
"She has a point, I refuse to let you traipse around in this weather, catching colds and ruining your clothes. Think of the mud!"
"Mother..."
"Speaking of clothes, Nancy, what on earth induced you to bring up fashion at the dinner table?"
"Same thing as made John offer up your room. You know how she hates you! I wanted to prolong her discovery of who you are as long as possible."
"Hates us? What do you mean?"
"Oh, Mrs Walker, didn't you know? Sorry. She believes the Walker children are a bad influence on us, and so she hates you. In real life, I think it's the other way round, but she won't listen to reason, though I tried and tried to explain. She persists in idolising us, and making us into saints, which we're not!"
"And every time she offends you in front of us, Nancy nearly explodes. She'll take any amount of insult to herself, but hurt her friends, and you're in trouble." Peggy glanced at her sister fondly.
"'Jib-booms and bob-stays! You make me sound like a martyr, Peg!"
"You ask for it, the way you flare up at her insults."
Watching this conversation with interest, Mrs Walker now decided it was getting a little out of hand.
"Okay! Everyone, let's finish the tree before your mother gets back. That way we will have more time for our game this afternoon."
"What game?"
"Oh, what're we playing?"
"Better not be something childish."
"Can I play, Mummy? Or am I too young?"
Everyone erupted into questions at once, and Mrs Walker held her hands up in surrender.
"I'm not telling you anything until Molly gets back. Come, finish the tree."
And with that, they had to be satisfied.
...
There it is. The next chapter.
TTTHNN: Sorry for delaying your breakfast. Thank you for complimenting (yet again) my writing style. I don't deserve it. So many other authors on FF are better than me. All the same, I like that you think like that. I was pleased with my grade as well, thanks for your congratulations. As to your question, how did I get good at writing, I really don't know. I just have spent my whole life writing, and somewhere along the way, I became half way decent. You just have to keep writing, and keep giving it to people to read and critesize. I think my friend is getting annoyed with all the poetry I keep sending her...
SkyeBlue: Thank you so much, your review made me smile. I liked the pretending as well, and will try to keep that in here as much as I can.
Dracones: Sorry if I have offended you. And sorry you didn't like the flood idea. I shipped the GA off to Rio for you, so she won't ruin everything. Sorry again.
tic tac toe 03: Wow! I'm pleased updating means so much to you. Congratulations on getting into Uni! It makes me feel really proud, that people at least two years older than me read my fics (I'm starting sixth form in september). Congratulations again, your review made my day, I'd just recieved the news I got a B in General Studies AS a year early, and so I was really pleased and excited anyway, but your review just made me really happy. (Does that sound a bit extensive... Sorry...)
Thank you to everyone, and please, try to review!
G4E