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Anyone who glanced at Margot Maynard as she passed down the street would not have noticed anything out of place about her. Her red-gold hair, still in its practical bob, stood out, even in the grey English weather; her eyes still held a glint of the mischief she'd been known so well for in her school days. Her clothes, fashionable but inexpensive, easily marked her out as a member of the student population, and she carried herself with an air of serenity that would have amazed many of her older acquaintances. Today, however, she was feeling more forlorn than serene.
She was on her way to meet her triplet sisters, Len and Con, for one of their monthly cups of coffee - their last monthly cup of coffee, in fact. When they had first arrived at university, the three of them had established the monthly meeting in order to retain their strong sisterly ties as the three of them moved into the wider world, and thus further apart. The coffee itself wasn't particularly good - the cheap stuff they could afford on their allowances was a far cry from the luxurious creamy bowls they had enjoyed at home - but they all agreed that the company was excellent. Today, however, was their last meeting before her two sisters graduated, and after that they'd both be leaving England for Switzerland. "And then," thought Margot sadly, "I'll be all by myself again!"
She had a significant amount of control over her emotions these days, though, and the face that she presented to her sisters at the bustling cafe that was their regular meeting place showed nothing more than the happiness she always felt when she saw them. If Len squeezed her hand a little more reassuringly than usual, and if Con flashed her a sympathetic smile, she could easily pretend that she hadn't noticed. Besides, it quickly became obvious that Len had something that she was absolutely dying to tell them, but was (rather impatiently) waiting for the others to share their own news before insisting they listen to hers.
"Oh go on, Len," Con said after the eldest triplet had politely inquired how she had done on her last essay, "we can tell that you've got something to say! You'd better spill it - otherwise you're clearly going to burst!"
"Well," Len began, and then she hesitated. "It's not just my news, really. Maybe I shouldn't be the one to say anything. I mean, nothing's been officially announced yet..."
Margot rolled her eyes. "Like Con said, spill it! Otherwise I may be forced to shake you until the words drop out!"
Len laughed. "Honestly, you two make me sound more like a- a water balloon, than anything else! OK, I'll tell you," she added quickly, seeing the glares she was getting from both her sisters. "It's this way," she said. "It hasn't been announced yet, but they're opening a new branch of the school - strictly a day school. It's rather experimental at this stage - I don't know all the details. Auntie Hilda says that there's been a lot of interest so far. I've been offered a job there as a languages mistress," she added, by way of an afterthought.
"A new branch!" Margot exchanged. "But where? Not in Switzerland, surely?" Although it had been some years since the three girls had left their school, they still held a great deal of interest in it - not least because their younger sisters were still in attendance there.
"No; they're still hunting for a suitable location, but it will be here in England." Len glanced at Con. "That's why Auntie Hilda offered me the post, I think. Reg doesn't have any real interest in returning to Switzerland, and he only stuck it out as long as he did for - well, for certain reason."
"By 'reasons', you mean you of course, my dear!," Con interjected, and grinned when Len blushed. "So I suppose the plan is for the both of you to move to England after the wedding - assuming that you're accepting Auntie Hilda's offer?"
"It is and I am," Len replied, smiling happily. "We don't plan on having a family straight off, you know. We'll both be able to work while we get used to each others company!"
"What does Mother think of it?" Margot asked suddenly. "She always seemed so happy that you were going to be living so close to her - not going off to the other ends of the earth to get married like Sybs and- and Josette." She stumbled over the second name as she suddenly remembered a piece of family news that had yet to reach the ears of her sisters, but neither of them noticed.
"I was rather worried that she'd be upset," Len acknowledged. "But you know Mama - once she had processed the information she just took it in her stride. When I talked to her on the 'phone last week she just said, 'Well, Len, I'd think you a very strange girl if you put the wants of your parents over those of your husband! What kind of a marriage would that be?' And Switzerland isn't as far away as all that, these days," she added. "We'll probably be home for Christmas and things, anyway."
"I expect Mama has more important things to worry about," Con said, suddenly smug. "And you needn't keep looking at me like that, Len, because I'm certainly not going to be all by my lonesome on the Platz without you there to keep me company! I'm not going to be there at all, actually!" And she grinned again as Margot and Len both turned to her, surprised.
"Not going back home?" Margot asked breathlessly. "You don't mean-"
"I'm staying right here!" Con exclaimed. "I've also been offered a job - not as a teacher, of course, but one of the big publishing firms is desperate for copy editors, and, well, it's not writing, but hopefully I'll be making the right contacts so when I do write something worth publishing I'll know who to go to." Her sisters both congratulated her, and Margot found her spirit lifting. Con, at least, would still be near her, and by the sound of it once Len had married she wouldn't be so far away that Margot couldn't snatch a spare weekend here and there to go and see her. She knew that one day, in the not-too-distant future, her own life would be such that she'd almost never get to see her sisters, but she was content that for now, at least, they were in arms' reach.
Len turned the conversation back to Con's earlier statement. "What did you mean about Mother having more important things to worry about? She's alright, isn't she? The kids-"
"Oh, everything's just fine and dandy," Con said quickly. "But I had a letter from her yesterday, and- well, I brought it with me so you two could hear everything as well. Hang on a moment and I'll read it to you." She rummaged through her handbag and drew out a letter, written in their mother's unmistakeable handwriting. Clearing her throat, she began to read,
"My dear Con,
"You'll have to apologise to your sisters for me, because I meant to write to them as well, but I just glanced at the clock and noticed what the time was, and if I don't get this off to you in time for the next post none of you will learn anything! Besides, it mostly concerns you, so it's only good and proper you get to hear about it first!
"Firstly, everyone is well. Your father sends his love - at least, he would if he knew I was writing! Young Felicity was involved in some kind of night-time escapade which resulted in her breaking her arm, but I haven't had the full story out of her yet - she was supposed to come home to see me last Saturday with several of her little pals, but the visit was canceled as part of her punishment. And I haven't got it from Auntie Hilda either - she just gurgled like a drain and said I'd learn it all in good time! What a vexing creature she is when she wants to be!
"Sorry, I shouldn't let myself get distracted from this letter's real purpose, so I better just put it to you in a nutshell! Your father has been invited to a conference in Canada - the same one that your Uncle Jem took off to with Margot in tow all those years ago - and I'm going with him. It won't be until after Len has got herself married, but when we do go it will be for a good six months. Not that the conference will last that long, of course, but Papa is intending to do a working tour of several North American hospitals when it is done, and I don't mind telling you that I've had 'itchy feet' for some time, so the thought of going back to Canada is a particularly nice one. Not to mention getting to see Aunt Rob again after all these years!
"Steve and Roddy will have both started at university by then, of course, and I don't propose taking Chas, Erica or Mike - they're all old enough that upsetting their schooling will definitely affect them and Chas, at any rate, would not be thanking me for it! Daisy, Auntie Madge and Auntie Mollie have offered to have them for hols, so they needn't feel unloved! The other six will be coming with us, as will Adrienne Desmoines. Anna is also coming, of course, but not Rosli, who is leaving us to marry a very nice young man who works in Boltigen. Perhaps it's just as well, as the children are growing up and I won't be needing the extra help much longer, but she's been with us for such a long time - almost ten years! - that we'll have to think of something very special to give her when we say farewell.
"Sorry, sorry, I'm off on a tangent again! I'm writing to you, Con, as you were meant to be coming back home to us after graduation. Last time you wrote you hinted that there was something else in the offing, so I'm wondering - is that still your plan? Do you want to come with us to Canada, or would you like to stay at Freudesheim, or - what? I'm sorry to have to spring this on you so suddenly, but there's rather a lot to organise - flight tickets, school for the children, somewhere to stay - and not really as much time as I'd like to do it in! So write back as soon as you can, please, and let me know your plans!
"I must go now, as the phone is ringing most insistently.
"All my love, Mama
"PS: That was your aunt on the phone - you'll have heard the news by the time you get this, of course! As you'd expect, she rather rubbed my nose in it - but as I told her, she is my namesake and for that reason alone it shouldn't have been a surprise!
"PPS: Sorry - just reread and realised this entire letter is exclamation marks and run-on sentences! What Hilda would have to say about it I can't think!"
"How like Mama!" Len giggled. "I see what you mean, though, Con - she's clearly going to be far too busy getting ready for Canada to mourn the loss of her eldest daughter! But what was that first postscript about?"
"I haven't an Earthly," Con admitted. "I was hoping one of you would be able to make sense of - Margot! You know something about it!"
But Margot had started laughing, relief that she wasn't losing her sisters just yet mixing with the knowledge of what exactly it was that her mother was talking about. The cafe's other patrons turned to stare as Len and Con joined in, not sure at what the joke was but infected by Margot all the same. Finally, Margot made a wild effort at self-control and managed to say, "It's Josette! I bumped into Jo Scott this morning - you know they were always such good friends, and she was the first person to find out, after Uncle Jem and Auntie Madge."
"The first person to find out what?" Con demanded, but Margot was off again and it was at least another minute before she managed to gasp out -
"Quads! Josette has had quads!"