Demons, Part 12
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008 11:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lizziecPart 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Having decided to act, Hilda took action as soon as Jack departed her study. She called Rosalie through, telling her she would need her notebook. No sooner was Rosalie through the door than Hilda began to reel out instructions.
"I want to see Miss Wilmot, Miss Wilson, Matron Lloyd, Ruth Derwent and yourself in here as soon as possible. Rearrange the timetable if you must to make sure that forms needing supervision are covered, but I need them in here as soon as you can arrange it. I also need you to arrange for coffee and biscuits to be brought here before the meeting starts, enough for everyone who will be here. See to it please Rosalie, as quickly as possible."
Luck was on Hilda's side. Nell Wilson was over from St Mildred's for day's visiting science teaching and so on hand immediately, and many of the other members of staff she wanted had free periods, leaving Rosalie with a minimum of time table shuffling to do. Within half an hour of Jack's departure all members of staff Hilda had requested were seated in her study and demanding to know what on earth had led to the impromptu meeting.
Hilda quietened the group and began with an apology. "I'm sorry you all have to hear this news from me, and all together, but time is of the essence." She turned to face her close friend and former co-Head. "Nell, I'm especially sorry that you hear what I have to say like this as it is about your God Daughter."
Whatever jollity had been in the room before Hilda started to talk vanished as her grave tone and carefully measured words registered with the assembled members of staff. The Head noted she had everyone's complete attention and continued, "Jack Maynard came to see me earlier this morning with news of Len and Con, who you all know went missing for some time yesterday. As you all know, they were found by Jack at the Auberge and taken back to the San for the night. The news that Jack brought this morning concerned the reason the girls had gone there in the first place. Len had apparently gone there with the intention of ending her life. Con followed and managed to stop her. Len is apparently in the middle of some sort of breakdown, she is very thin, and has what are suspected to be self inflicted bruises all over her."
Hilda paused and looked round her colleagues, all of whom looked shocked. Nell's face had taken on a rather ashen colour. No one spoke.
"I know this comes as rather a shock. Jack and I discussed what steps to take with regard to the school. You, the senior staff, were to be told what happened yesterday and hopefully you can use your knowledge to deflect any awkward questions from other members of staff and the school at large, who are only to be told that Len is ill. Of course, we will ask the pupils to pray for her recovery from illness. Con is obviously strained, but I expect she will return to us within the next week or two. When she does, we will need to keep a very close eye on her, and of course Margot, who by the way, does not know the news yet. I expect she will be sent for when Joey has been told."
Hilda looked keenly around the gathered staff. One or two were beginning to come out of the shock of the announcement, notably Matron Lloyd. Nell still looked dreadful.
"Gwyneth, Jack would like you to look in Len's room and see if you can find anything that might give us some insight or clue as to what led her to take the steps she did yesterday."
Matron nodded. "If you have no objection, I shall go and begin right away. Someone will fill me in later on what else is discussed." On which note she rose to leave the study
"Wait."
A new voice sounded, and everyone turned to face its owner, Nell Wilson. Matron looked askance at the interruption. Nell's face, previously white, was now flushed with colour. Those nearest her could see she was trembling. Hilda recognised it as a sign that her friend was trying to remain in control of her temper.
Nell spoke again. "How did you let her get in to such a state? You are Head Matron. You have a famed eagle eye, and yet Len Maynard was clearly suffering, losing weight, hurting herself, considering..." She struggled to articulate the word. "Suicide."
Matron bristled. "If you have a complaint about the way I do my job then I respectfully ask that you talk to me privately. As for Helena's health, that is largely for her House Matron to see to. I had noticed only a few problems with her appetite and when I saw them I questioned her about them. She claimed the heat was putting her off her food and I took her word for it. She is eighteen."
Hilda took the opportunity of a brief pause to try and defuse the situation. "Nell is just upset Gwyneth. No one really thinks you are responsible for what happened. No one else noticed anything was wrong either. Please go and see to Len’s room, it is the best way we can help at the moment." As she spoke Hilda escorted Matron Lloyd out of the study, so denying Nell any further chance to lash out at that particular target. Matron left only slightly mollified, and it is a matter of record that any girls who crossed her for the rest of that day found that Matey had a sharper than usual tongue.
The staff meeting broke up shortly afterwards, Hilda having delegated a number of tasks to those members of staff who remained, all of which involved laying down plans to doubly ensure the girls welfare, particularly their mental health and making sure that no other girl ended up as desperate as Len.
Just as she was finishing up a telephone call interrupted proceedings. It was from Freudesheim asking for Margot to be sent home, and as a result the conclusion to the meeting was somewhat hurried. She asked Ruth Derwent, the triplets' form mistress to send Margot to the study, while privately rueing the fact that she would not have time just yet for the one to one talk it looked like Nell badly needed she reasoned that at this time Margot’s needs must come first, so instead she arranged to meet Nell for a long walk later in the day.
Then Hilda Annersley settled at her desk awaiting Margot's arrival, working as she waited on some of the never ending correspondence that was her lot as Headmistress, while over at Freudesheim, Jack was trying to comfort a very distressed Joey.
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7
Part 8
Part 9
Part 10
Part 11
Having decided to act, Hilda took action as soon as Jack departed her study. She called Rosalie through, telling her she would need her notebook. No sooner was Rosalie through the door than Hilda began to reel out instructions.
"I want to see Miss Wilmot, Miss Wilson, Matron Lloyd, Ruth Derwent and yourself in here as soon as possible. Rearrange the timetable if you must to make sure that forms needing supervision are covered, but I need them in here as soon as you can arrange it. I also need you to arrange for coffee and biscuits to be brought here before the meeting starts, enough for everyone who will be here. See to it please Rosalie, as quickly as possible."
Luck was on Hilda's side. Nell Wilson was over from St Mildred's for day's visiting science teaching and so on hand immediately, and many of the other members of staff she wanted had free periods, leaving Rosalie with a minimum of time table shuffling to do. Within half an hour of Jack's departure all members of staff Hilda had requested were seated in her study and demanding to know what on earth had led to the impromptu meeting.
Hilda quietened the group and began with an apology. "I'm sorry you all have to hear this news from me, and all together, but time is of the essence." She turned to face her close friend and former co-Head. "Nell, I'm especially sorry that you hear what I have to say like this as it is about your God Daughter."
Whatever jollity had been in the room before Hilda started to talk vanished as her grave tone and carefully measured words registered with the assembled members of staff. The Head noted she had everyone's complete attention and continued, "Jack Maynard came to see me earlier this morning with news of Len and Con, who you all know went missing for some time yesterday. As you all know, they were found by Jack at the Auberge and taken back to the San for the night. The news that Jack brought this morning concerned the reason the girls had gone there in the first place. Len had apparently gone there with the intention of ending her life. Con followed and managed to stop her. Len is apparently in the middle of some sort of breakdown, she is very thin, and has what are suspected to be self inflicted bruises all over her."
Hilda paused and looked round her colleagues, all of whom looked shocked. Nell's face had taken on a rather ashen colour. No one spoke.
"I know this comes as rather a shock. Jack and I discussed what steps to take with regard to the school. You, the senior staff, were to be told what happened yesterday and hopefully you can use your knowledge to deflect any awkward questions from other members of staff and the school at large, who are only to be told that Len is ill. Of course, we will ask the pupils to pray for her recovery from illness. Con is obviously strained, but I expect she will return to us within the next week or two. When she does, we will need to keep a very close eye on her, and of course Margot, who by the way, does not know the news yet. I expect she will be sent for when Joey has been told."
Hilda looked keenly around the gathered staff. One or two were beginning to come out of the shock of the announcement, notably Matron Lloyd. Nell still looked dreadful.
"Gwyneth, Jack would like you to look in Len's room and see if you can find anything that might give us some insight or clue as to what led her to take the steps she did yesterday."
Matron nodded. "If you have no objection, I shall go and begin right away. Someone will fill me in later on what else is discussed." On which note she rose to leave the study
"Wait."
A new voice sounded, and everyone turned to face its owner, Nell Wilson. Matron looked askance at the interruption. Nell's face, previously white, was now flushed with colour. Those nearest her could see she was trembling. Hilda recognised it as a sign that her friend was trying to remain in control of her temper.
Nell spoke again. "How did you let her get in to such a state? You are Head Matron. You have a famed eagle eye, and yet Len Maynard was clearly suffering, losing weight, hurting herself, considering..." She struggled to articulate the word. "Suicide."
Matron bristled. "If you have a complaint about the way I do my job then I respectfully ask that you talk to me privately. As for Helena's health, that is largely for her House Matron to see to. I had noticed only a few problems with her appetite and when I saw them I questioned her about them. She claimed the heat was putting her off her food and I took her word for it. She is eighteen."
Hilda took the opportunity of a brief pause to try and defuse the situation. "Nell is just upset Gwyneth. No one really thinks you are responsible for what happened. No one else noticed anything was wrong either. Please go and see to Len’s room, it is the best way we can help at the moment." As she spoke Hilda escorted Matron Lloyd out of the study, so denying Nell any further chance to lash out at that particular target. Matron left only slightly mollified, and it is a matter of record that any girls who crossed her for the rest of that day found that Matey had a sharper than usual tongue.
The staff meeting broke up shortly afterwards, Hilda having delegated a number of tasks to those members of staff who remained, all of which involved laying down plans to doubly ensure the girls welfare, particularly their mental health and making sure that no other girl ended up as desperate as Len.
Just as she was finishing up a telephone call interrupted proceedings. It was from Freudesheim asking for Margot to be sent home, and as a result the conclusion to the meeting was somewhat hurried. She asked Ruth Derwent, the triplets' form mistress to send Margot to the study, while privately rueing the fact that she would not have time just yet for the one to one talk it looked like Nell badly needed she reasoned that at this time Margot’s needs must come first, so instead she arranged to meet Nell for a long walk later in the day.
Then Hilda Annersley settled at her desk awaiting Margot's arrival, working as she waited on some of the never ending correspondence that was her lot as Headmistress, while over at Freudesheim, Jack was trying to comfort a very distressed Joey.
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Date: Tue, Apr. 29th, 2008 11:17 pm (UTC)