Chapter 16

As the weather was still very mild, the natives agreed to letting them sail across to the village. So they piled into the two boats, and sailed to Rio. Here they posted the letters, and then set off purchasing last minute presents for Christmas, and birthday presents for Susan, whose birthday was in early January, so it made sense to pick them up while they were in town. The complicated business of trying to buy presents for each other meant people were constantly swapping partners, for Susan had decreed they ought to be in at least twos.

Once presents were bought the group slowly re-gathered by the boats, and sat waiting for those who had not yet appeared. Susan and Peggy, usually the most punctual, were the last to arrive, much to everyone's surprise. But when they did turn up, they were carrying parcels of cake and ginger beer, which they had been ordered to supply by the natives, and so the whole group had a picnic sitting in a little park close by. Then they sailed back to Beckfoot, and took it in turns to carry gifts to their rooms and stow them away.

Nancy suggested a walk in the afternoon, but Mrs Blackett, remembering the mess they'd got into the day before, said no, they would stay around the house instead, reading or playing games. If they were that desperate to get out they could run round in the garden. So a lively game of tag was organised, while the natives sat inside and held a civilised conversation. The GA shuddered at the screams and shouts coming from the back garden, but she didn't mention it. She still seemed slightly subdued from the incident a few nights before, and had not been so biting or harsh. She also seemed to have developed a new sense of respect for Nancy, though she still insisted on calling her Ruth.

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When the game of tag was finished, and everyone had trooped inside, discarded muddy shoes and downed huge glasses of water, the party felt ready to settle down quietly to reading and small card games. John, remembering his conversation with Nancy, produced 'The Railway Children', and handed it to her, and she retreated into a corner to read. Roger suggested a game of Rummy, so he, Titty, Susan and Peggy settled down to that, and Bridget brought John a new book of fairytales she had been given, and asked him to read to her.

So it was that when the Natives appeared in the doorway to announce that the GA was going back to her hotel (Mrs Blackett was driving her in the Rattletrap), they found the room in comparative calm.

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On the 23rd, the GA decided to stay in town for the day, and so, rejoicing in the freedom (for even though she had not been so bad as she sometimes was, she was still not the most welcome person to have visiting), they set off to climb a mountain. The sun had been out for a few days now, and the lake was no longer so high, and the ground, though still muddy, was not nearly as muddy as it had been.

The natives, having things to prepare for Christmas day, welcomed the absence of young people (they had protested heartily at being called children), and the young people enjoyed the freedom that came from not being supervised, for even the friendliest of natives are still natives.

So everyone was wrapped up warm, and they set off cheerily, lunch packed in their bags, their laughter resounding off the hills as they climbed.

…

Mrs Blackett, on finding she finally had the house almost empty, quickly rushed round, tidying up bits and pieces which had been left lying around. Mrs Walker, on seeing what she was doing, instantly lent a hand, and soon the house looked tidy again. Then they settled down with a mug of tea, finally able to hold a conversation without being constantly interrupted.

The conversation ran for several minutes before Mrs Blackett turned to her friend and said:

'So… Nancy and John?'

"Molly?! Really? Pairing up our children?"

"I'm being serious, Mary. There is something there, though how far they're aware of it I'm not too sure."

"But… Well, I always knew they were close, and I did wonder, but… Well, where has this come from?"

"The other night, when Nancy collapsed…" And she related what had happened, and the conversation she'd overheard. Mrs Walker listened intently.

"So there is something there! But as you say, who knows if they realise it yet, or even if it will develop into anything."

"Oh, it will."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I know my daughter. If there is anything there at all, she'll work it out. Besides, the urgency with which she wrote to me when she found out about poor Mrs Dixon implied seeing 'the Walkers' this Christmas was a matter of life or death, not just a missed opportunity of seeing some friends."

"I did wonder about that. Do they write to each other a lot, do you know, or just when they have important news? John has never been very good at writing letters."

"I don't know. It seems a rather personal question to ask, and as they're at school most of the time I have no way of knowing."

"Oh well, I'm sure they'll let us know when they want us too. Now, I have some presents to sort out, and I'm sure you do too, so why don't we collect them from their hiding places, settle in here and do those."

Mrs Blackett agreed, and the two rose and headed off to find the various gifts.

…

By the time the others got back everything had been packed away, and the two women had settled down to read by the fire, enjoying the peace. This was gone in an instant as soon as the explorers returned.

They came strolling up to the house, chattering and laughing, and burst into the room where the natives sat. Bridget ran enthusiastically up to her mother.

"Mother… You'll never guess what."

Her mother laughed, putting down her book. There was to be no more reading now. "What?"

"We played at pirates, they kidnapped a beautiful princess, an' then the Captain fell in love with her, an' they got married, and she taught all the pirates good manners and they sailed the seas forever, an' they only ever stole from the rich after that, 'cause she said they mustn't take from people who didn't deserve to be robbed, an'…an'… they let me be the princess!"

"Did they really?" And Mrs Blackett looked up at the group in the doorway and mouthed 'thank you' over Bridget's head.

"And Nancy said I was the best princess they'd ever had! Far better than her or Peggy had ever been."

This surprised Mrs Walker a little, for although Nancy was never… discourteous, or abrupt with the little ones, she had never seemed like one to give out that sort of praise particularly freely.

"And… who was the captain? Who you feel in love with?"

"John was, of course…"

"John? Not Roger?"

"Roger said he'd far rather be a rebellious enemy pirate. We spent half the time trying to capture him and force him to see he was doing wrong, and even when we got him he wouldn't listen."

"I see… So what did you do with him?"

"We tied his hands together with Nancy's scarf, and led him along as a prisoner. We threatened to throw him to the sharks, only Susan said it was too cold, and he might catch pneumonia. So we had to make do with making him run up a hill, and when he came back down he said it was too much hard work, and he surrendered, and would do what we said."

Mrs Walker laughed at this, and rose from her chair.

"You're probably all rather thirsty, so why don't you traipse through into the kitchen and see if you can get Cook to give you a drink? I'll put my book away, and we'll have just enough time to enjoy a board game before dinner."

So they did.

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Another not really very plot filled chapter, but I felt I ought to upload something...

100 reviews! Thank you all very much! It means a lot that you've taken the time to read, enjoy and review this story.

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The next chapter's Christmas! (Though hopefully you won't have to wait till Christmas to read it... (unless you'd rather I waited until Christmas before posting it... Let me know)).

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SHADZ: Thank you!

Emserai: I was aiming at John and Nancy being a bit older (about 18/19) and in their last year at school (not really sure how long people stayed at school in those times, I realise they probably left school younger, but...). For any boarding school references I was relying on what I know from the Chalet School books (set in 1930s-40s), Malory Towers (1940s) and other assorted girls school stories from that sort of era. This may explain the slight muddledyness of my knowledge and setting. I hope this threw some light onto Molly and was worked out successfully?

constantlearner: Thank you :)

BatFink: You'll find out about Fred in the chapter after this. The other questions I won't answer yet, but you'll see soon enough!

Lottie T: I haven't/won't forget. There is just a long time between updates, for which I am very sorry. Some chapters are faster to write than others. Thank you for your review.

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Thanks again to everyone! I hope you continue to enjoy this!

G4E