Lowewood Academy

“Really Juliet, there’s no need to gobble your luncheon” said Mama acidly.

“Sorry Mama, but if I don’t leave soon, I’ll miss the party” I said.

“I’m not sure I approve of you going all the way to London for a New Year’s Party. Why couldn’t Edmund Corwin have the party at Ashberry Hall? I’m sure his stepmother wouldn’t have objected!”

“Because I told you Mama, his girlfriend lives there. In Notting Hill” I replied.

“Well I’ve no idea what his father thinks, letting him associate with a policeman’s daughter. In fact…..”

Whatever else she was going to say never came out, because I finished my coffee and stood up.

“I’ve got to go Mama. Thanks for a lovely Christmas. I’m going straight back to school from London, so I’ll see you at Easter.”

“Easter has never meant much to me since Rupert left us” she sighed, staring into her plate.

“Bye then” I said.

She didn’t reply.

(more…)

I retrieved the present from the hidden depths of my wardrobe.

The house was empty (Mum, Dad and Jo-Jo had all gone to visit Grandma and Grandpa Dennington – I (thank God!) was recovering from a throat infection so couldn’t go – yippee *cough*) and that meant I would finally be able to find out what Jen had bought for me.

It had come with a note: ‘Whatever you do, do NOT open this in front of your parents!’

So it hadn’t gone under the tree with the rest of the presents. Presents which had included (in no particular order): a beautiful silver bracelet inlaid with amethysts from Ollie (I hadn’t quite known what to make of that); ‘Charmed Season Five’ on DVD from Jo-Jo; a huge box of Belgian chocolates and a pretty blue scarf from Rosie; a goat donated to an African village on my behalf from Melody and a course of driving lessons from my parents with a driving company that has quite possibly the worst logo I’ve ever encountered: ‘You’re ‘shaw’ of a pass with Blackshaw’s Definitive School of Motoring!’

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At 8.30 am on Christmas Day 1914 Captain Sir Edward Hulse of the Scots Guards saw four Germans leave their trenches opposite him and start to come towards the British lines across no-mans land. Seeing that they were unarmed he climbed out of his own trench and went to meet them. They met at the half-way point between the lines and exchanged Christmas greetings. All along the front line similar things started happening. Groups of soldiers from the opposing armies met in no-mans land. Presents of beer and cigars were exchanged and in one place a football match took place which, reputedly, the Germans won 3-2. It became known as ‘The Christmas Truce’ and lasted until Boxing Day when the troops went back to business as usual and the ghastly slaughter of the trenches began again as though nothing had happened.

It’s felt a bit like that here at home over the last few days. Caroline and I have had our very own ‘Christmas Truce’. It started when Dad arrived home but no doubt hostilities will re-commence once Caroline and I are back on our own.

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