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Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#1 Old 20th Jul 2011 at 3:14 AM Last edited by Kathleen_Anne : 22nd Jan 2013 at 5:08 AM.
Default Future’s Present-- Update 21st Jan-- Chapter Sixteen: Ribbon of Friendship
Author's Note:
Firstly, thank you very much for your interest in my story! You can follow it here, on wordpress or on blogger. If you ever want to know where I'm up to in writing/picture taking you can check out the status of my story here.
There are two ways to read this story. You can read all the chapters and get the story from Bobbie's point of view. Or, in addition to reading all the chapters, you can read the added extras inbetween the chapters. These are diary entries, reports and letters that give an insight to the world and events outside Bobbie's point of view. They all relate to the plot and will be helpful to those of you who are trying to guess what is going on. These added extras are just that-- added extras to the main story. You don't have to read them as all will be revealed eventually. If you do read them keep in mind they are a) short and b) unillustrated.

About the sci-fi classification of this story.
No, it isn’t in the wrong category. Yes, on the surface it looks like any in-public-domain school story… or does it? What was that in the background of that picture? Why did that happen? That was a little… odd…?

Just wait.

The science fiction elements drive the plot and all will be revealed (much) later on. In the meantime you’ll see little glimpses of it here and there so keep your eyes open!.


Prologue



"I grew up in an orphanage." The words were said quickly, like she was ripping off a bandage and wanted the pain to be over in as little time as possible.


I opened my mouth to respond but she cut me off "now take your shock, your pity, your horror, your disgrace and whatever else you are feeling and go get over it somewhere else for I don’t want to see none of that. I've had enough of that to fill a lifetime."
I looked at the elegant lady and took her in, from her polished, pointy shoes to the well curled locks of hair. No one ended up in orphanages but destitute; what family, however poor would not take in a child who had lost their parents? Even a struggling farming family would trade another mouth to feed for the extra hands to help around the farm. Here was a woman admitting that she had no family to speak of, or that she had family and circumstances meant they could not acknowledge her as their own. But here she sat before me, a lady of elegance, a lady of society… a… lady! People like her come from family, and those families are rich and powerful. Here sat a contradiction.
She remained impervious to all my questions, as you can imagine I had many.



"I made my promise. Perhaps I have already said too much. Good day."



I took this as my cue to leave but as I was in the hall I heard a door close upstairs. I saw what could only be the lady’s daughter descending the stairs and naturally I paused.


She reached the bottom of the stairs and for a moment she just looked at me.
"Good evening." I said. "I've just been visiting your mother—"


"I know. Look, I don't know anything about it." She said, "But if you want to know then perhaps you should speak to her best friend."
"Who is that?" I asked.
"Bobbie… Bobbie Hilton."
"A boy?"
"No, she's a girl. They knew each other as children. Bobbie must have been a pet name, like my mother, she was known a Frankie instead of Francesca."
"Where can I find her? Do you have an address."
"No."
"Does your mother not write to this good friend of hers?"


"No, she is not allowed, don't ask why… I don't know."
"Right." As Alice would say this was getting curiouser and curiouser. "Do you know anything else about this Bobbie?"
"No…" she thought for a moment. "Wait! She was from the highlands, I think. Does that help?"
"It narrows it down a bit. Thank you."
***
It was many years later that I tracked down Bobbie Hilton. Roberta, for that was her name, was an elegant lady but not surrounded by the riches her friend was. I was saddened to hear from her that Frankie had passed away a few years prior.


"We had a good friendship, dear Frankie and I." Bobbie said. "All things come to an end eventually, I just wished I could have seen her one last time."


"Why couldn't you?" I asked. Bobbie looked at me for a full minute without speaking, like she was searching me for something… trust?


"With Frankie gone now and I myself not far from seeing the pearly gates…If I do not tell now the story may well die with me. But you must be willing to listen to the full story and promise on your life that you will not speak of it to another soul again. I wish you to record it in full detail to be released by your children, or grandchildren, in one hundred years time. Not a day sooner. Do you agree?"
"But why?"


"That will be explained in the telling of the story, lets just say it is very important and if you tell too soon you may destroy two thirds of the universe.... All I need now is your agreement. Those are the conditions of my telling."


"I agree." What else could I do? And so Bobbie started
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#2 Old 20th Jul 2011 at 7:25 PM Last edited by Blue70 : 20th Jul 2011 at 7:31 PM. Reason: Typos
Here's some constructive criticism for you:


The Negatives: The story so far lacks exciting events, but its normal sometimes chapters can be slow and just preparatory for others. Also, graphics could be better


The Positives: Great writing and use of language. Your wrighting really feels like its a 1900s something novel, except with pics, which is a lot easier on the eyes Also, the mystery factor is great to keep the reader going


I don't exactly know what direction you are taking the story, but here are some suggestions from my point of view, you don't have to do any of them, but I'm just sharing my thoughts:

_The storyline for me has a dramatic ambiance, so I have a feeling there needs to be an Evil uncle character who was always jealous of the girl's father for wining the heart of her mother; so on the ship he kills the father and wants the mother to be with him, but she refuses to so he kills her too (this could be a very dramatic and intense chapter). And that's how Bobbie ends up in an orphanage and meets the other character in the story (her uncle claims the inheritance and travels far away for fear of someday getting caught for the murder).

_ I feel the kid needs a guilty addiction that always comforts her, like an addiction to chocolate, or an attachment to a caring teacher, or a teddy bear she hugs. She would always go back to it whenever she is facing troubles in her life

_ You may have some of these in mind already, but you should mention some possible things that happen related to that time period, maybe even invent something like the 3rd Sim Islands War or something :P

Good luck in your writing, so far so gd

Procrastilaxation :D ~~~ Check out my story Abilities
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#3 Old 20th Jul 2011 at 10:12 PM
Thank you so much for your constructive criticsm! You are right about the graphics, it's something I'm trying to actually work on without blowing out my old lap top. My stories are often slow to start, even when I stick a murder in just before the start (yes, really! tehehe!) so it is something I still need to work on with pretty much everything I write... Again this is something I've been trying to work on so you don't get chapters of crap before you start to see where the plot is actually going.

As for the suggestions I do have the majority plotted out so I won't address the first one because that would be a spoiler but the next two are food for thought!

Thank you again! I hope you enjoy reading!
Destroyer of Worlds
retired moderator
#4 Old 21st Jul 2011 at 2:30 AM
I actually like this story so far. I know there aren't many exciting events but it actually hooks me and makes me want to read more. One thing about the pictures: getting in one a sim's view would be great. Do you use the tab key in game? It is MUCH easier to take pictures that way and get great shots too. Also, in terms of pictures, I notice that you have the same picture or extremely similar one multiple times. Try different angles or, at least until things get going, maybe less pictures. For example, a few pictures into chapter 1, the pictures are exactly the same, except 1 is zoomed in. Play with it a bit more to increase the versatility. With that being said, I love your writing style and do agree that it seems to fit the period quite well which is not easy to do.

In regards to your question: I think one chapter a week is nice. That is what I am doing as well. It gives me time to work ahead, plus, if something comes up in RL, I have enough time and saved work to not worry too much about it. I suppose wait and see what other people think too but I am for it.

Heaven Sims | Avendale Legacy
"On the internet, you can be anything you want. It's strange that so many people choose to be stupid."
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#5 Old 26th Jul 2011 at 3:11 AM
Quote: Originally posted by heaven_sent_8_18
I actually like this story so far. I know there aren't many exciting events but it actually hooks me and makes me want to read more. One thing about the pictures: getting in one a sim's view would be great. Do you use the tab key in game? It is MUCH easier to take pictures that way and get great shots too. Also, in terms of pictures, I notice that you have the same picture or extremely similar one multiple times. Try different angles or, at least until things get going, maybe less pictures. For example, a few pictures into chapter 1, the pictures are exactly the same, except 1 is zoomed in. Play with it a bit more to increase the versatility. With that being said, I love your writing style and do agree that it seems to fit the period quite well which is not easy to do.

In regards to your question: I think one chapter a week is nice. That is what I am doing as well. It gives me time to work ahead, plus, if something comes up in RL, I have enough time and saved work to not worry too much about it. I suppose wait and see what other people think too but I am for it.


Thanks for the comments!
I have been playing around with tab kep camera mode and pose boxes today (taking pictures for chapter three) and with the advice I've got I can see they are looking better already! Future chapters do have a lot more things (rather than talking in the same room all the time) going on so I think that will make photos easier.

Sci-fi meets 19th century boarding school story-- Future's Present-- A Sims 3 Story

A random legacy with a rainbowcy theme set in a post apocalyptic world-- Recolour

I now have a blogger-- Kathleen's Sim Stories-- for both my stories for those that prefer to follow and comment there
Lab Assistant
#6 Old 11th Aug 2011 at 12:07 AM
I think you are one of the better writers on this board =).

Keep up the good work!
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#7 Old 15th Aug 2011 at 10:49 AM
Quote: Originally posted by Karasu20
I think you are one of the better writers on this board =).

Keep up the good work!


Thank you! This is a fun project for me as the nature of the style gives me the oppertunity to zoom through the plot, stick to the plan and not get caught up on editing and rewriting and making things perfect. I have a serious writing project comming up that is rather... tragic... so this will be my refreshing break when that gets too depressing (not saying that Future's Present is a particular HAPPY story or anything, but lets just say that the planning process for this one did not involve me reading books on the holocaust and torture and making lists of the most horrible things I can imagine...).
It's also fun learning to take sims photos and combine them with the stories.

Sci-fi meets 19th century boarding school story-- Future's Present-- A Sims 3 Story

A random legacy with a rainbowcy theme set in a post apocalyptic world-- Recolour

I now have a blogger-- Kathleen's Sim Stories-- for both my stories for those that prefer to follow and comment there
Destroyer of Worlds
retired moderator
#8 Old 9th Oct 2011 at 4:16 AM
Just wondering how the story is coming along. I've been looking forward to an update!

Heaven Sims | Avendale Legacy
"On the internet, you can be anything you want. It's strange that so many people choose to be stupid."
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#9 Old 6th Nov 2012 at 11:54 AM Last edited by Kathleen_Anne : 6th Nov 2012 at 1:00 PM.
Default Chapter One: A surprise Summons
Chapter One: A surprise Summons

I was eight years old and thoroughly spoiled.

I had two nursery maids, a nanny and a governess all to myself. I had a room for just my toys and more dresses than I could hope to grow out of. Most of all I had a loving mother and father. Father was an important naval captain and not often at home but mother was always home. Not that I had her undivided attention, she was a lady of society and many of my memories are of her writing letters, or holding meetings or off at parties.

Sometimes she would hold one of the grand parties in our ballroom.

I would be dressed up for the occasion and allowed downstairs to meet the guests and Mother would get the chance to show me off to all her friends before I was sent up to bed.
I used to try to catch snatches through the banisters on the stairs and when I was finally ordered to bed I used to lie awake listing to the sounds of music and merriment below.

My story starts in late autumn when Father was home on a few weeks leave.

After having spent a pleasant day in the nursery playing princess and having my own way with everything, Elen came with a message that Father wished to see me in the office.

“What for?” I asked.
“I don’t know Miss Bobbie but he said now. Nanny is waiting outside to escort you.”

“Am I in trouble?”

“I don’t know, are you?” Elen winked and I giggled.

“Well, I better find out!”
“That’s the spirit, a bit of Highland courage!”

I quickly changed into my day clothes then I went, as dutifully as any daughter could but wondering at the reason for the summons all the same.
Nanny escorted me to Father’s office where I found him sitting behind his desk and my mother in a small chair beside it.
“You sent for me Papa?” I said

“Yes my daughter, take a seat.” Father indicated to the only remaining seat and I sat down on the edge. ‘My daughter’ meant serious, what could this be about?
“Nanny,” Mother held out a letter and I glimpsed the address on the front, Mr and Mrs Cooper. My parents talked about the Coopers a great deal but I’d never met them. “Would you please ensure this makes the next post?”

“Certainly Madam.” Nanny took the letter and… did her eyebrow just shoot up a fraction? I looked closely as she left but her face had returned to its usual composure.

“Bobbie?” My father indicated to the seat again and I tentatively sat down.

“Next spring,” Father continued, and I turned my attention back to him “my duties take me around the coast of Palai.”

At this I look up in interest. Palai was THE country for… for anything. Fashion, culture, food, they had the lot. Fraitessa was the capital city and I had heard wonderful stories about it.

“It has been a long time since your mother had some time away and I will be taking her with me. We shall be away six months.” At this my mood dropped. Six months without Mother! “Your mother and I have been talking, and you are a big girl now and we thought it time to expand your education, there is little more Miss Brown can teach you.

“You’re taking me with you?” I blurted out, I couldn’t hold it in much longer! Was he or wasn’t he? Father chuckled.
“Well, yes and no. You will be coming as far as Fraitessa and you shall be boarding at your mother’s old school.”

“School? A real school? Me? In Fraitessa?” This was better than being on a ship for six months, only it still meant being apart from mother, but still. How many girls got to go to school in Fraitessa? I knew Mother’s old school was the crème de la crème as far as schools in Fraitessa went.
“Yes my dear, a real school!”

“Carolina went off to a school in Fraitessa, not as good as my old dear school and remember how much of a lady she had become when she returned? And my old school WAS a dear, you will love it, I am sure!”
“Oh, I am sure I will mother! Will you or you and father be able to visit me at all?”
“No dear.” My father answered. “I’m sorry to say we will not be able to. I have a few days leave to settle you in but then we won’t see you until it is time to set of home. But never fear, Mother and I shall have a special surprise for you for the journey home.”

“Oh, what is it?” I asked eagerly.
“Now, if I told you that, would it still be a surprise?”
“No Papa.”
“There we go then, something to look forward to!”
Father dismissed me from his office and I left with my mind in a whirlwind! I didn’t know where to concentrate my thoughts first. On leaving home? On six months without my wonderful mother? On how wonderful school In Fraitessa would be? I decided the situation had far more positives than negatives so it was with a happy heart and an excited voice that I ran into the nursery to give Elen the news.

“You weren’t long!” Elen said as the nursery door closed behind me. “Where’s Nanny? Didn’t she come back with you?”

“Oh, no, she had to dash to post a letter to the Coopers, but—”

“What another one?”

“I— but— what do you mean? But never mind, I’ve got such great news! I’m going off to school!”

“You don’t say?”
“Yes, I am. Only for six months, never fear, I shall be back by Christmas and what a Jolly one it shall all be!” I spilled out all the details and spent the rest of the afternoon talking excitedly about my future with Elen.

Sci-fi meets 19th century boarding school story-- Future's Present-- A Sims 3 Story

A random legacy with a rainbowcy theme set in a post apocalyptic world-- Recolour

I now have a blogger-- Kathleen's Sim Stories-- for both my stories for those that prefer to follow and comment there
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#10 Old 6th Nov 2012 at 11:57 AM
Default Chapter Two: The Waiting
Chapter Two: The Waiting


The next day a flurry of activity started. There had been things to buy: books, pen nibs, satchels. I had a million questions to about my new school and schools in general because everything I knew came from books. Mother took the time to answer a few of my questions.

A few weeks into the preparations a delivery of bolts of white, black and navy fabric arrived. These were the colours of my new school and not long after that a letter arrived containing the school patterns so Nanny got to work. I’d be at school for the spring and summer terms and I always tried not to shiver as the lightweight dresses were fitted. That’s an old Highlander tradition, that if you’re not shivering then you’re not really cold, and once you start then your body knows it’s cold so it won’t stop. Mother used it on her wedding day and Papa swears lives at sea had been saved by not shivering so I had no doubt it was true. I still believe it to this day.

One day I was standing— not shivering— as I had my hem marked. I looked into the mirror as Nanny knelt down. Would it be as good as what the other girls would be wearing? Would their fabric be finer or their stitches neater? The door to the sewing room was open a crack and I heard voices in the corridor.
“No, I haven’t received a reply, and I sent the letter off weeks ago. Yes, we’re still going! We need to get to the bottom of it all”
I brightened, it was Mother’s voice.
“Mother, come in and see my dress!” I called out to her. Sure enough, Mother came in with one of her society friends.
“Oh Bobbie, just perfect! Give us a twirl!” Mother said.

“Let me lift you down Miss Roberta.” Nanny said. “I don’t want you stuck by a pin.”

I let Nanny lift me down then I did a twirl while mother and her friend— a Mrs Morgan— made all the appropriate sounds.
“I can’t believe my little baby is so grown up!” Mother said. I smiled. At last the dress had her seal of approval!

Closer to the date of leaving there were the guests to be received and gifts to be accepted. Most of the gifts were small and practical such as a new needle case or pincushion but a good many were purely decorative and for me to “do up my room” at school in a manner to my own fancy. For Christmas Mother gave me a beautiful bedspread to take away with me and Father, who was in the middle of the Tangarian ocean, send me a box of paints and a beautiful carved pen handle. Mother had a farewell party for me where I said my final goodbyes to the ladies of society. It was a funny feeling, walking down the stairs to the ballroom, knowing that it would be another six months before I would do this again.
Winter passed and it was spring before I knew it. I had been ticking of the months, then the weeks and finally the days before our departure. Mother had a farewell party for me where I said my final goodbyes to the ladies of society. It was a funny feeling, walking down the stairs to the ballroom, knowing that it would be another six months before I would do this again.
Finally I crossed off the last box and it was the night before we left.

I crept into bed and lay beneath the covers in the darkness, my mind spinning. Over the months there had been new dresses and books and a million questions and all of a sudden I felt nervous for the first time.

Suddenly I heard the door squeak and a light step in my room. I cautiously looked over my shoulder and who should it be but Elen?

“I thought I might come tuck you in.” she said.

I grinned, Elen used to tuck me in every night when I was little, but I was too old for such things now. I would miss Elen so much, she wouldn’t be able to come see me off at my new school because it would be unfitting for a girl like her to make her own way back. Elen was the younger of my two nursery maids and had been hired when she was but twelve years old when I was a baby. The two of us were firm friends.

“I wonder what the other girls will think of me there.” I said as she sat on the side of my bed. “What if they think I’m just some girl from the colonies and not worth their notice?”
“Nonsense!” Elen said soothingly. “They will think you are just wonderful, just like we all do. Who on God’s earth couldn’t love our little Bobbie?”
“Thank you Elen!” I gave her a big hug.

“Oh, sweet-pea!” Elen bent down and kissed me.

“Now you better get to sleep, you have an early start and a big day ahead of you tomorrow!”
“Goodnight.”
“Goodnight poppet.”

Sci-fi meets 19th century boarding school story-- Future's Present-- A Sims 3 Story

A random legacy with a rainbowcy theme set in a post apocalyptic world-- Recolour

I now have a blogger-- Kathleen's Sim Stories-- for both my stories for those that prefer to follow and comment there
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#11 Old 6th Nov 2012 at 11:58 AM Last edited by Kathleen_Anne : 6th Nov 2012 at 12:32 PM.
Default Chapter Three: A New Begining
Chapter Three: A New Begining
I awoke that morning in the sleepy hours before sunrise. This was really happening, I was really going on a ship and sailing to Fraitessa and attending school for six months. This was happening. It still seem unreal. Our carriage ride to the coast was three hours. Mother slept on and off. Me? I was far too excited. The port was like a whirl, people going about their business, people not knowing what their business was and people sticking their noses into how other people were doing their business lead to a lot of shouting, but I noticed that when they saw us they at least shouted only using words I was supposed to know. Father made the time to see Mother and I settled into our cabin and then he was off, attending to whatever it was he attended to while mother and I straightened out what was to be our home for the next fortnight. Yes, my great sea voyage was only to be two weeks, but I was still excited.

At 8am we set sail. I stood and watched the Highlands slip away.
“Goodbye.” I said. “I’ll see you again in half a year!”
The voyage was calm but mother still found a way to feel seasick and so I enjoyed having the run of the ship. Within the first week I’d been everywhere from the crows nest (that only took me half a day of wheedling one of the lookout boys) to the galley. I mixed with the sort of people I’d never really talked to before in my life— if you don’t count servants— and they pandered on my every whim. The most eventful happening during the voyage was my ninth birthday. Father held a proper party for me with mother and the officers and I stayed up celebrating after mother had retired. I was on my way back to our cabin when I heard:
“Psssst! Bobbie!” I turned my head and saw Jim, the ship’s boy, beckoning me over to the starboard side of the ship.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Come with me, I’ve got a surprise!” I followed him. Despite the vast differences between us, Jim and I were of an age and had instantly got along very well.
“Where are we going?” I asked as he led me into a dark room.

Suddenly the lanterns were unshielded and I was facing my second birthday cake of the day!
“We couldn’t let those fancy officers be the only ones to throw you a party!

“Happy birthday to our favorite captain’s daughter!” Stanley, the one who’d taken me up to the crow’s nest, yelled. We had a fine time.

The cake wasn’t anything as grand as the cake I’d just enjoyed in the officer’s dining room but I enjoyed it all the more knowing the men had given up some of their rations for it. It was a real treat.

Two weeks after we left we arrived in Fraitessa and the first thing that greeted me was a busy, noisy port. I made my way with my mother and father past the sailors and the fish mongers and into the city itself.


Here it was no less busy, though much more refined. Ladies in beautiful clothes walked the paths, splendid carriages pulled by even more splendid horses rattled along the streets. The smells of warm bread wafted out of a bakery and my nose could smell the sweet scent that accompanies a street sweet vendor. The colours. The sounds. The smells. All were an assault on my senses. Before I could begin to take them in we standing in front of a beautiful house.

I paused at the gate. I had a strange impulse to run, like I was walking into a prison. I shook my self. I took a deep breath and with some good old Highland courage I took my first steps onto the grounds of my new school.

Up the path and past the garden. Could it be called a garden? There were no flowers yet— rather strange for spring when in the highlands flowers were bursting free wherever they could. I almost made it up the stairs when I paused on the very top step. I looked back the way we had come, even though I knew there was no hope of return now. Not for another six months

“Alright darling?” Mother asked.
“Yeah… I was thinking… it’s just I look like I’ve just stepped of a ship.”
“Well you HAVE just stepped of a ship.” Father said in the way only a clueless male could say.
“Oh sush!” Mother said to him.
“Do you think I ought to have changed?” I asked her.
“Sweetheart, I’m still in my suit, how do I look?”
“You look beautiful!” I told her.
“Well, there you go then, you look beautiful too. Don’t you fret, the girls here wouldn’t worry about that anyway. They might even think it is exciting to have their new classmate come from so far away!”
I smiled. Mother was the most wonderful woman in the whole world. Just then my ears heard a clattering of footsteps then the front door opened.

“Goodness, you’re here, it is you, isn’t it?” The speaker was a Highlands girl who looked to be a housemaid.
“The Hiltons, here with young Roberta.” Father said with a slight smile.

“Yes, that’s who I thought you were Sir! Lady D’Winter is with Mrs Roberts, that’s the cook, right now, but if you follow me she shan’t be too long.” The girl ushered us inside and began making her way down the hallway. “Leave your bags by the door please, our lad Tomas will fetch them up.

“What’s your name?” I asked her, taking a skip to keep up. “And are you the parlourmaid?” I asked, not quite sure of her position now that she was to be showing us into a room.

“Gladys Miss.” Said she, “and well, sort-of. In the mornings I’m housemaid and do for you girls upstairs too, in the afternoons I’m Parlourmaid, well, that’s what’s on paper, mostly I just do what’s needed. We had a Parlourmaid but she found another position, and Lady D’Winter didn’t think it warranted having another one so we are getting another housemaid instead and I’ll do a bit of both.”

“Are there any other Highland girls here?” I asked, pleased that Gladys was the chatty sort. I liked the chatty sort. “Amongst the students, I mean.”

“No Miss, ah, but don’t fret, we are quite multi-cultural here! We have one girl all the way from Fredonia!”

“Through here please.” Gladys ushered us into a rich parlour and indicated that we should take a seat. “Her Ladyship won’t be too much longer.” She said then was off.

Gladys was true to her word because it wasn’t long before an elegant figure swept into the room. I leapt to my feet and took in a tall lady in partial mourning.
“Ah, Captain and Mrs Hilton!” She said. “And this must be young Miss Hilton. How do you do?” She asked me.
“How do you do Lady D’Winter.” I replied, bobbing a small curtsey.

“Please sit down.” She said. We all did so. “Would you care for some refreshments?” she asked.
“That would be lovely, thank you.” Mother said. Lady D’Winter rang a bell.
“So I understand that you are one of our Alumni, Mrs Hilton.”

“Yes, I attended in the days of Lady Saffron, and if I do say so myself my years here were amongst the happiest of my life.”
“How kind of you! I am sure that at the end of her time here Miss Hilton will be able to look back and say the same.”
I wasn’t sure if an answer from me was expected here, but fortunately I was saved by the door opening a little too swiftly and a harried young girl entering the room.

“If you please, Madam, Gladys couldn’t come, one of the young misses—”
“I only sent for some tea, Dorcus.”
“Oh, yes your Ladyship.”
Here the girl paused. “Um, excuse me madam, if you please your ladyship…”
“Yes?”
“Does tea mean just the drink tea, or morning tea proper or…”
“Just a pot of tea if you please, and something simple and sweet to go with it would be lovely”
“I— um—”
“Just pass that on to Mrs Roberts, she can give you what’s required.”

“Oh, yes, of course, thank you Madam, I mean your ladyship, I mean… thank you!”
With that the girl rushed out of the room and I suppressed a giggle.

“You must forgive young Dorcus.” Lady D’Winter said apologetically to my parents. “She is new and I fear the task of answering a call for tea may be above her for a little while yet. Still she is from a farming family and I find those girls prove honest and hard workers. I do like to take the chance to give these girls a good start in life, if I have to put up with a few blunders it is well worth it if I can advance their skills, I always say. Don’t you agree?”

“Oh, absolutely!” Mother said. “A kind and understanding employer is so important.”
She and mother exchanged chit-chat for a little bit while I sat there feeling a little uncomfortable and overlooked. Tea was soon brought in by Gladys and I was pleased for I would have hated to see Dorcus drop the tea tray or something dreadful.

“The shortbread was made just yesterday.” She said to me as she placed the tray on the table. “Mrs Roberts thought it might be nice for you to have a little taste of home.”
“Oh, do say thank you to her from me!”
“I will.” Gladys said with a smile.
“Thank you Gladys.” Lady D’Winter said
“Yes your ladyship.” Gladys gave a curtsy then left quietly.
Lady D’Winter waited until we had begun on our tea before speaking again.
“I trust that you had no problems with the instructions I sent to you?” She asked.
“No.” My mother answered. “It was all clear, darling Bobbie has everything required.”
I thought of the suitcase of Navy, black and white clothing that sat out in the hallway. A certain amount of liberty was allowed to be taken with the uniform, but we all had to use the same dress patterns and we had to stay within the limited colour pallet of the school colours. I hoped that at the end of six months I wasn’t sick of navy but I feared I might be!
“Excellent. As discussed in our correspondence, the fees cover the full year--”

“A year! I thought I was only here for six months!” I looked from Mother to Father then back to Lady D’Winter. Lady D’Winter must have just gotten it wrong, my parents wouldn’t pull a switch on me now… would they? Or could it be that was the “surprise” father had for me on my return, another six months here? I tried desperately to quell the churning in my stomach.

Sci-fi meets 19th century boarding school story-- Future's Present-- A Sims 3 Story

A random legacy with a rainbowcy theme set in a post apocalyptic world-- Recolour

I now have a blogger-- Kathleen's Sim Stories-- for both my stories for those that prefer to follow and comment there
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#12 Old 6th Nov 2012 at 12:01 PM
Default Chapter Four: Welcome to Fraitessa
Chapter Four: Welcome to Fraitessa


“Yes dear, that is what I am about to discuss, with your parents.” Lady D’Winter looked at me with a disapproving glint in her eyes.

I understood her point instantly; she was talking to my parents, not me and I was to be seen but not heard. But this was me they were talking about! Was I here for six months or was I here for twelve? I looked at my parents but they hadn’t seemed to have noticed, or at least neither of them piped up to say that at home they include me in discussions for which I was present and encouraged me to ask questions. Especially when they were about me! Nor did my parents give me a sympathetic look, it was like they didn’t even notice that my future for a whole year was being discussed around me! I sat back and let them talk it out

“If at the end of her six months here your daughter wishes to stay on, which I’m sure she might, I am more than happy to accommodate this and can keep a place open for her until your return at the end of the summer term. I hope that your young girl might one day be a proud alumni as you are Mrs Hilton. In your letter you mentioned that your daughter would be unable to join you for the summer break, is this still the case?”
“Yes, it is.” Father answered.
“She is more than welcome to stay here, but all the other girls will be going home. Should she be fortunate enough to receive an invitation to one of the girl’s homes for the holidays I am happy to judge the suitability of the girl and be given charge of giving or withholding the permission…”

“Thank you Lady D’Winter, but I give my permission for my daughter to spend the holidays with whatever girl she wishes, provided she has been invited. I am sure all girls at your school are respectable.”
“Oh, of course, thank you Mr Hilton.”
Well, one point to Father! At least I could spend the holidays how I wished… provided I made a friend here… My thoughts trailed off as Lady D’Winter continued.

“The behaviour we expect is what you would expect of any young lady and I am sure no girl would bring the school’s reputation into dispute. Miss Hilton,” I realised she was actually addressing me now and paid attention, “there are detailed rules to ensure you understand what is expected of you, you will find them on your bed upstairs and there is always a copy pinned to the inside of the bedroom doors.” She rung her bell again and Gladys appeared. “Would you send for Miss Luxum.” She said.
“Yes your ladyship.” Gladys bobbed a curtsey and rushed off.
“I’ve sent for one of the young ladies to escort you to your room and help you settle in. Miss Luxum is our star pupil and from a very respectable family, I am sure she would be more than pleased to answer any questions you have, Miss Hilton. Now Captain and Mrs Hilton, I will ask that you give your farewells to your daughter. My time as headmistress has taught me that parents lingering and extended farewells make it harder on the girls.”

“I quite agree.” Father said. “Come here poppet!”

I exchanged my farewells with my parents, I tried to pretend that I hadn’t noticed that Mother’s cheeks were a little damp as the last thing I wanted to do was to cry!
All to soon I was waving to them as they left and then I was alone in the room with my new Headmistress. Not for long, though, because just at this minute a girl entered the palour. She was wearing a beautiful lace dress and I knew her dressmaker as soon as I saw it. Even a wee lass from the colonies such as myself could recognise the most expensive seamstress in the on the continent the moment I saw her work.

“Ah, Mariah, now how are you settling in?” Lady D’Winter ased.
“Very well thank you, Headmistress. I was just finishing putting my drawers in order”
“I am glad to hear that dear. This is our new student, Roberta Hilton. Would you be so kind as to show her to her room and help her settle in? This will be her first term at school and I am sure it will all be very overwhelming for her.”

“Of course, I would be delighted, come along Miss Hilton!”
Before I knew it I found myself following this beautiful girl into the hallway and up the staircase. The prim and proper perfect girl changed out of Lady D’Winter’s presence and she appeared to relax a bit and chattered away.

“We’ve been sorting out our rooms.” She said. “We have to share, isn’t it shocking?”
“Um.. I—” I’d never had to share a room before in my life, having no brothers or sisters, but I thought he point of going to school was to spend time with other young people. Besides, if I had a roommate then at least I’d get to know one person pretty quickly.


“At the school I wanted to go to each young lady had her own room and two maids, lady’s maids mind, they weren’t there to clean or anything, that was the business of the housemaids. If a young lady wished she could bring two from home, unless she was foreign in which case she could only bring one. Of course, Mummy insisted on sending me here, she said a few years with more common folk would help build character. I suppose she’s right and the education here is actually very good. I’ll be going to a top notch finishing school of course, Mummy wouldn’t have anything else and I am so glad.”
I listened to her in silence. Great, a snob, just like I feared I would find. Despite what Elen and Mother told me the tight knot that had been sitting in my stomach all day must have suspected all the girls would be like this. “We can put you in With Josephine,” she continued “I think the two of you will get along very well.”

“Oh, thank you!” I said, glad that Mariah was helping me find a friend here, even though she had made it plain she though my company was beneath her without actually outright saying so. “Is she a nice girl?” I asked as we stopped outside a door

“Oh, well, actually I rather thought she would be a bit of a self esteem boost for you.”

“Whatever do you mean?” I asked.

“Why, I do declare,” Mariah looked me up then down in a way that made me feel very self-conscious. Was it my suit?

“She’s even fatter than you are!”

And with that Mariah turned on her heel and made her way down the corridor and went into a room a few doors down. Just as the door was closing I heard a chorus of giggles erupt before they were shut off by it closing.

Sci-fi meets 19th century boarding school story-- Future's Present-- A Sims 3 Story

A random legacy with a rainbowcy theme set in a post apocalyptic world-- Recolour

I now have a blogger-- Kathleen's Sim Stories-- for both my stories for those that prefer to follow and comment there
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#13 Old 6th Nov 2012 at 12:07 PM
Default Chapter Five: Highland Courage
Chapter Five: Highland Courage

I stood outside the door and the impulse to turn around and run and not stop until I had reached Father’s ship flashed through my body. I pushed it back to a corner of my mind; that would not make my parents happy after all the hard work to get me here. Six months, that’s all I needed to stick it out for, six months. I could do that, right? It might even be, as Mariah had put it, “character building.”

I took a deep breath. Courage, Bobbie, where’s that highland spirit? I said to myself. Once I was ready, I reached out my hand and opened the door and took a step into the room.

Inside there was a figure sitting on the bed sorting through a pile of clothing. She leapt to her feet when I entered and I was faced with a happy faced girl with watery blue eyes and blond hair. We stood there looking at each other for a moment.

“Hallo.” She finally broke the silence. “Are you my new room mate?”

“Um, yes. Mariah said we might… uh… get along, she brought me up…”
“Oh, well that explains the long face then. Are you nice? I so hope you are.”
“Um, well, I like to think so!” I said a little more cheerfully.

“Oh, I am glad! I thought you must be for Mariah to put you in with me, but I thought I better ask just in case! I’m Josephine Cox, but please call me Jo. I know your name; it’s Roberta Hilton. I saw it on your luggage labels, here, see? Tomas brought your trunk up earlier.”

“Yes it is, but you may call me Bobbie.” I answered.

Jo squealed with delight.
“Well I never! Jo and Bobbie, I say we could have such larks together! Are you the sort of girl to have larks?”

“I don’t quite know… I never have had any before. I’ve never been to school before you see and… well, I have read a lot of school stories and they always seem such fun!”
“Never been to school… well I better help you unpack and show you where everything goes. These draws over here are yours and you have half the closet. Well, you can have a bit more than half if you need it because I don’t quite fill my portion up…”

“That will be your bed. We only have the one desk, but we are meant to do our studies in the study hall, this is for personal use. Trust me, you don’t want to be caught writing a letter in study hall! Especially if it happens to be to your brother and it contains some rather amusing descriptions of Miss Jane’s recent assaults on poor unsuspecting students… Some of the girls draw up a roster, would you rather do that or do you think we might become good friends enough to share and take turns without one?” Jo finally paused for breath and I was in marvel at the pace she had rattled along at.

“I—well, I don’t know. I’ve never had to share anything before.”

“Never had to share? Don’t you have brothers or sisters?”
“No.”
“Well I never… Who on earth did you play with as a little girl then?”

“There was Elen, she’s my nursery maid, but I never had other children to play with. Our home is quite remote so there aren’t neighbours…”
“Not even the usual pack of village children or anything? You poor mite!”
“Well, I’ve never minded! I had dolls and books… I do love reading an make-believe, don’t you?”

“Well… I suppose you’ve never known any different! I’m not much for reading but I don’t mind a good yarn! You don’t know what you’ve missed out on, that’s what it is! Some of my best memories have been of times with my brothers and sisters! Why one time—but enough of that! Lets just try sharing to start with and if that doesn’t work we can look at drawing up— oh, but I’m sure it shall. Girls are more sensible than boys about these things. I should know, I have five brothers—”

“Five!”
“Yes, five! Try sharing anything with them, I dare you! Now, lets have a look at your case.”

Jo showed me where everything went and how Miss Jane liked the draws to be kept; apparently she was very particular and checked once a week. Miss Jane, I learned, was the second in command and as well as being a teacher was in charge of discipline. New words and information was fired to me at such a pace I wondered how I’d ever remember it all.

“Here are the rules.” Jo pointed to the paper pined on the back of the door. “But there are a hundred unwritten ones besides… or it feels like it anyway. Last term—“ Jo was interrupted by a knock on the door. “Come in!” She called. The door opened and a girl walked in.

“Henri!” Jo greeted her. “Bobbie, you must meet Henri, Henriette you know, but I’m sure she won’t mind you calling her Henri, Henri, this is Bobbie, she’s going to be a great friend of ours!”

“Pleased to meet you Bobbie!” Henri said. Her voice was soft and pleasant, not the booming jolly voice of Jo but the twinkle in her eye and the turn of her nose on her freckled face made me feel that she was full of fun and mischief.

“Pleased to meet you too! I said “Is your room nearby?”
“Just next door.” She said.

“The three bedrooms in this corridor are for our class only.” Jo explained to me. “There are six of us all up. Us younger girls all get the second floor and they try to group each year level to a particular corridor or area. The older girls get the third floor, lucky things! Miss Jane sleeps downstairs so they don’t have to be as quiet or as careful as we do!”

“I dare say they’ve earned it though!” Henri said
“True, I suppose. And we’re in a better spot this year, last year we were right on top of the dragon’s lair! Remember Henri?”

“How could I forget that! Your birthday and everything! That’s the reason we’re not allowed to share any more Josephine Cox!” The two laughed at the memory
“The dragon’s lair?” I asked, feeling a little left out.

“Miss Jane’s room.” Jo answered. “Because she’s such a dragon! Her roar burns!”
Henri giggled.

“Jo, you better not get caught saying things like that! Why it would be just your luck if—”

Henri was cut off by a sharp knock at the door. The door opened and in walked an old woman—no, not so old, but her face was pinched and her eyes narrow.

“Children! What are you doing standing about!? This time is meant for creating order. Miss Joans, what are you doing in here? Are these your quarters?”

“Um… no Miss Jane. I… I was just visiting, I mean welcoming our new student!” Henri stammered out.

“Don’t talk back to your elders and betters young lady! Back to your own work.”
Henri scampered away and Miss Jane lectured us for a little longer before leaving herself.
“I’m sorry Miss Jane” Jo was saying, “But I just thought—”

“Oh, you just thought, did you? News to me! You know the rules Miss Cox”
“Yes Miss Jane.”

“Now back to work and don’t let me see you breaking the rules again!”
“I see why you call her the dragon!” I said when we were alone again.

“Oh, that’s just a taste. Come on, we best get back to work or there’ll be real trouble for us!”

Jo and I set about finishing up our room, there seemed to be so much to do! We cleaned everything from top to bottom and gave all the furniture a milk wash tinted lime. But the decoration did not end here! Oh no, not for school girls! Our wall paper was dreadful but there was nothing much we could do about that. We did re-stain the wood to match that of the mismatched panel in the corner and paint the plaster moldings.

Jo showed me how to make my bed the “Miss Jane way”, she was quite particular in the matter of tucking, folding and corners, and I adorned it with the new duvet I had brought from home.

There was a furniture hire scheme and with some of my pocket money I acquired a darling little chair and Jo sweet talked “what a dear you are Tomas!” into hanging up a few shelves for us. Jo told me some of the girls went so far as to paint the floors or put down new carpet. It seemed we could do most things—within reason.

Lunch was taken in our rooms and was a very simple “something brought up on a tray” as Gladys explained it as she brought it in. Finally we had everything neatly away and were almost finishing the final decorations as darkness started to creep into the view out of our window.

“Jo, do say, have I got this painting straight?” I asked her

“A little to the left… no, the other left… I say!” “Say what?” I replied.


“What IS that? In the painting I mean, I mean, what is it meant to be?”
“Oh, I really couldn’t say! It was a gift from my parent’s friends Mr and Mrs Cooper to celebrate the birthday of their little girl Francesca. I’ve had it since I was a very little girl, Papa gave it to me. He said one day I would understand what it was but until then his lips were sealed!” “Oh, well I do love a mystery but that’s a funny one to have! Now, let’s finish up here then we need to dress for dinner! Bobbie…?”
“Sorry, I was just reminded about my parents all of a sudden.” I was almost overcome by a wave of homesickness and… and… do you call it parent sickness? Fortunately Jo was prepared for that.
“Yes well, best not think about them otherwise you will be homesick something awful!” She said to me. “Now come get ready!”

Sci-fi meets 19th century boarding school story-- Future's Present-- A Sims 3 Story

A random legacy with a rainbowcy theme set in a post apocalyptic world-- Recolour

I now have a blogger-- Kathleen's Sim Stories-- for both my stories for those that prefer to follow and comment there
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#14 Old 6th Nov 2012 at 12:39 PM
Default Chapter Six: A Class Divided
Chapter Six: A Class Divided

“No no, that awful one with all the poofs, that’s it!” Jo said as I pulled one of my new dresses out of the wardrobe.
“It’s not that bad!” I said.
“Mine is, all white and poofey and ruffley and bowey and everything.” Jo pulled a mass of white fabric out of her side of the wardrobe. “On the positive side, we hardly ever wear these.”
“Really? Why not?” I asked as we dressed.
“These are evening dinner dresses.”
“Yes, I know, don’t we usually get dressed for dinner?”
“Most days us younger girls have dinner at midday then tea in the evenings.”
“Oh! What about the older girls?”

“Friday and Saturday they have dinner in the evenings, often there’s special guests, but during the week they have tea and supper in the evenings. And their evening dinner gowns are much nicer than ours. Still, if I have to wear an ugly dress I know I’m getting above the usual standard of meal, right?” Jo giggled and I joined her.

“I just don’t like the collar things” I said.

“At least your dress isn’t white. We had over half a bolt of this white at home and I’m sure it all went into this monstrosity.”

Soon we were dressed and we headed out into the hallway, where we happened to met up with Henri and her roommate Marjorie.
“Marjorie, this is Bobbie, the new girl I as telling you about. Bobbie, this is my roommate Majorie. She’s from even further away than you are!”
“From Freedonia.” Marjorie said.

“That’s a bit more special than the Highlands!” I said. “How long does it take to get here from Freedonia?”

“Almost three months…”
“Come on!” Henri said. “We better get going!”

“You three go ahead.” Marjorie said “I’ve—I’ve forgotten something!” She then dashed off.
“More like she wants to walk down with Mariah and Valerie!” Jo said rolling her eyes.
“Is she a nice girl?” I asked.

“She’s one of the enemy!” Jo said dramatically.

“Oh, Jo!” Henri said. “She’s not that bad! She can be really pleasant once you get her on her own!”
“Isn’t this a bit early for dinner?” I asked to change the topic.
“Oh, yes, but there is a rotation.” Jo said.

“There are three dining halls.” Henri continued. “Two small ones and one large. We younger girls dine apart from the older girls, especially at the beginning of a school year, so that we don’t disgrace our class with bad table manners! And that you don’t want to do!” Henri gave an exaggerated shudder. “The first two years dine at six and the next two at seven using the smaller dining halls then the older years dine at eight in the larger one. At Christmas the whole school has dinner and a ball all together, it is more than fun! We can wear whatever we like and there are all sorts of guests… you’ll love it!” “I won’t be here for that!” I said. “I am only to stay half a year.”

“Really?” Jo said as she pushed open the doors of the dining room. “Whatever for? Lady D’Winter doesn’t usually take girls for half years or terms only.”
“I am only here while my parents are touring on my father’s ship for six months.” I said. “I do have a full year’s place for me here but I’ve never been away from home before and six months is an awful long time! I expect I will be happy to go back home with my parents at the end of it. Lady D’Winter said I might stay the full year if I change my mind though.
“Oh, do!” Jo said. “Winter term is just wonderful!”
“I’ll see!” I said.

Soon we were all seated for dinner. I met Valerie who was very beautiful and very good friends with Mariah. We were seated Jo, Henri and I down one side of the table and Mariah, Valerie and Majorie down the other. Miss Jane sat at the head.

“Now Miss Hilton,” Miss Jane said to me after the thanksgiving prayer “I understand this is your first year here and indeed your first visit to Fraitessa. However, I still expect your manners to be the same high standard that we ask of all girls.”

“First, I expect you to know and use decent table maners, look to Mariah opposite you if you’re unsure and I am always here to help if you get very stuck.”

“Second, dinner conversation as a group is allowed but I won’t have chattering and gossiping amongst small groups to the exclusion of the others.”

“Roberta daarrling.” Mariah said leaning forward to give the impression of speaking just to me but using a voice which easily carried to both ends of the table.

“That spoon there is for the soup and then afterwards you work from the outside in. And do try not to put your elbows on the table as Josephine is doing, it IS considered such bad manners…”

“Thank you Miss Luxum.” I said, fuming. “I do know that much.”

“Why I am glad!” she said with fake looking smile. “We Fraitessians do try to spread culture to all the corners of the globe but one never knows how well the locals take it up!”
“Apparently not.” Said I.

“And my elbows aren’t on the table!” Jo said. “That’s my forearm!”

“So, how is everyone settling in!” Henri said, quickly changing the conversation away from dangerous territory as Mariah gave Jo’s arms a disgusted look.

“Oh, you other girls should see how we’ve done us our room!” Valerie said. “It is all pink and prettiness. My mirror from home arrived safe and sound, I went without it all last year and the ones here never show me the same as my one back home! I am so glad it survived the journey!”

“What difference can there be?” Jo asked. “Once you get past the frame, isn’t one mirror the same as the other?”

“Oh dear, please don’t despair! I am sure that once you are older you have every chance of slimming down a bit!”
And so the evening continued. It was with some relief that I made my way up to bed that night as even I had realised that our class was divided in two; us and them. This wasn’t at all like in the school stories I had read. In those all girls were nice and friendly with maybe one or two that weren’t, and by the end of the term those girls either left or were made into nice people by the majority of the girls. One thing I could be sure of was that we weren’t living in some old school story!

Sci-fi meets 19th century boarding school story-- Future's Present-- A Sims 3 Story

A random legacy with a rainbowcy theme set in a post apocalyptic world-- Recolour

I now have a blogger-- Kathleen's Sim Stories-- for both my stories for those that prefer to follow and comment there
Needs Coffee
retired moderator
#15 Old 6th Nov 2012 at 9:53 PM
I like your story and hope you keep writing it.

"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives." - Unknown
~Call me Jo~
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#16 Old 7th Nov 2012 at 3:51 AM
Quote: Originally posted by joandsarah77
I like your story and hope you keep writing it.

Thank you very much! It's good to be working on it again I've got another chapter that I want to get posted up here today which will put this thread up to date with my journal and then I have another chapter going up on thursday. :D

Sci-fi meets 19th century boarding school story-- Future's Present-- A Sims 3 Story

A random legacy with a rainbowcy theme set in a post apocalyptic world-- Recolour

I now have a blogger-- Kathleen's Sim Stories-- for both my stories for those that prefer to follow and comment there
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#17 Old 7th Nov 2012 at 5:43 AM
Default Chapter Seven: Highland Temper
Chapter Seven: Highland Temper


I don’t know how much sleep I got that first night, my thoughts kept wandering towards home and Mother.

It seemed like I had only just managed to close my eyes when a shaft of light forced them to open again.

I lay blinking, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the morning light. Morning. At least I’d got some sleep. Hearing footsteps I sat up and saw Gladys clearing out the remains of last night’s fire from our fireplace.
“Good morning Gladys!” I said.
“Good morning Miss!” She replied. “Did we sleep well then?”
“Not too bad…” I didn’t want to admit being homesick and I cast around for a new topic. “Did you get that new housemaid yet or do you have to do all the rooms on your own?”
“Not yet miss, and I have young Dorcus Dunn to help me. Today she is helping by staying in the kitchen and not even going near a young miss’s curtains or clothes or fire!” Gladys winked at me and I giggled. I could imagine Dorcus would make a terrible housemaid! “But Tomas was a good lad this morning and fetched the firewood inside for me extra early, an’ the water too. An’ a bit of extra work never harmed nobody, that’s what me old ma used to say.”

“I hope that’s true, I might have to study awful hard! I’ve never been to school before!”
“Now there, enough of that frettin’. Plenty a lass who starts here hasn’t set a foot inside a school before and they do just fine. Now, I’ve set both your things out nice an’ neat so you don’t need to be searching for matching stockings before you’re a properly woken.”

“I’ve set your mail on your nightstand—” at this I sat up. “No, nothing for you but remember the sea post takes a good two weeks from home so don’t you be a frettin’. Make sure you wake that room-mate of yours is up if she sleeps past the waking bell as she does every other day and don’t let her dally over her letters as they look like they’re from those brothers of hers in which case don’t let her take them down to breakfast and get caught reading them at the table again and be sure to read those rules again and don’t be late to breakfast or you’ll as likely go without and get a scolding too!” Gladys bustled up her things and hurried off to continue her morning chores.
Despite Gladys’ assurances I was disappointed when I checked the mail just to make sure. There wasn’t anything for me. I crossed my fingers and hoped for tomorrow


The first day of classes went by in a whirl. In some lessons I was behind but I was ahead in others, but within half an hour I regretted not listening to everything Miss Brown had ever said about my Fraitessian Script handwriting. I vowed that as soon as she wrote me her new address I’d send off a letter to tell her she was right all along after all. It was admitting a defeat, but would show her just how much of a grown up young lady I’d become since my ninth birthday.


Mariah was clearly, as lady D’Winter had described her, the star pupil.

Jo was just as clearly the dunce and as luck would have it Jo ended up with the harder questions more often than not. When reciting our multiplication table in Mathematics she would always be called upon to give the answer for seven eights or nine twelfths rather than two eights or nine tenths.

When her turn came in geography it fell to her to point out some tiny country on the edge of civilization.


To make matters worse Mariah would always leap to give the correct answer whenever Jo, Henri or I gave an incorrect one. If one of her friends gave an incorrect answer, however, she would usually only give the correct answer after a bit of prodding from the teacher and gave it with an uncertain air. No teacher would scold an incorrect answer when even the best student was unsure of the correct one, but if a girl’s classmates leapt to correct her then they thought surely the incorrect answer must be the result of a lack of study and dedication.

All the teachers had the same solution for this which was to assign extra prep.


I found the school regime wasn’t that different to that of home only instead of servants telling me when to get up and when to study I had bells, and I found I sank into the routine more quickly than I’d expected too. I’d been at school a week and a half when a Wednesday afternoon found us all temporarily unattended near the end of Lady D’Winter’s art class. We were careful to keep chatter to a minimum as we didn’t want to be heard slacking off!
“Your painting is looking really good!” I said to Jo.

“I hope so! If I get any extra prep this week then I won’t have time to finish what I already have, let alone enough time to spend extra hours on this! But I can’t get this bowl right!”

“Like this!” Henri said leaning over. “Just curve the line like that, then put more shadows there and no one will notice it.”

“Oh, talking in class!” Mariah skipped over then sat herself on the table next to Jo’s station. “What are we talking about?”
“Nothing!” Jo snapped.
“You mind your manners or I’ll report you Miss Cox. Oh, Miss Joanes, doing another student’s work for her? Whatever would our dear Headmistress say to that? Does it count as cheating?”

“Mariah Luxom, you know very well I’m just helping Jo! See, look. Back at my own work, nothing to see here!”

“Well, you would have thought she would have asked MY advice! After all I’m the best artist in our class!” Mariah jumped down from the table. “let me see!” She said. “Here… Oh, woops!” Mariah’s brush dragged over Jo’s painting, leaving a big red diagonal streak like a gash across the canvas.

“Oh darling, I am so sorry!” she said in mock apology to Jo’s horrified squeal.
“The nerve of you Mariah, you did that on purpose!” I yelled.

“Roberta Hilton, how can you accuse me of such an act! I was trying to help, it was purely an accident! I’m sorry Josephine’s painting is ruined but I’m sure Lady D’Winter will allow her to start again!”

Jo burst into tears.

Before I could stop myself I let my highland temper boil over and gave her a good slap.

“And next time she’ll box your ears!” Jo yelled into Mariah’s stunned face.
“Roberta! Josephine! Just WHAT may I ask is going on here?” Who should have walked in just in time to witness my loss of control but Miss Jane. “Can our headmistress not leave you girls alone for five minutes!”

“I’m sorry Miss Jane!” Jo sobbed. “It was Mariah, she r—ruined my painting and I had w—worked so hard on it—”

“Nonsense Josephine! Do you expect me to believe poor Mariah played any part in this! You and Roberta will both stay after lessons to clean the art studio from top to bottom, neither of you will be allowed to join us in our nature walk on Saturday and you will both receive five black marks against your names.” Jo’s face fell. With a painting to re-do and now cleaning even I could not see how she was to get all her work finished.

“I also expect an apology to Mariah. Now, did any other girl have anything to do with this Mariah?” Mariah looked at Henri and I could just see her opening her mouth to accuse her of goodness knows what, and with the way things were going once accused she wouldn’t be able to convince Miss Jane of the truth either. But Henri was too quick for that.

“Excuse me, Miss Jane? I feel honour bound to own up for the small part I played in this--”

“Oh darling, you were hardly as bad as those other too! I could forgive you in a heartbeat!” Mariah changed tactics.

“Thank you for your honesty Miss Joanes but don’t for one moment think it will excuse you from punishment. You will join Josephine and Roberta this afternoon.” With that Miss Jane turned on her heel and stalked out of the room.

“Why Bobbie!” Jo said, wiping her eyes, after a moment of stunned silence. “I had no idea you had such a temper on you. I wish I could bottle that!”

“It’s the Highlander blood in me.” I said. “It gets the better of me… when provoked!” I gave Mariah what I hoped was a threatening look. “And on top of that, trying to dob in Henri. I’M the one that slapped you, though you well deserved it!”
“I— I didn’t tell! She turned herself in!”

“Only to keep you quiet! Who knew what story you were going to make up about me! I was going to tell her that after what you did to Jo’s painting that— that I jolly well cheered Bobbie on. In my head, at least.” Henri turned to Bobbie and said “At lease with me helping it won’t take so long!”
“You don’t know what I was going to say.”
“It’s not fair.” Jo sounded on the verge of tears again. “After what you did to my painting and now we have to stay back.”
“After what I did to your painting? I had a little, regrettable accident, and you two attacked me! What do you call that? Ladylike?” I don’t suppose I can expect any better from—”

“Accident! We all know it wasn’t!” Jo yelled back.
“Was too!”
“Was not, and it’s your fault Henri’s in trouble too!”


Tensions were starting to stretch again and I could just smell more trouble boiling over when, to my surprise, Marjorie came forward.
“Now, calm down all of you, Lady D’Winter will be back soon and there’ll be trouble for all of us if she finds you still arguing.” We all shut up.


“Good, now Jo, Mariah said it was an accident and she’s said sorry. It’s a shame but… I’m not sure you could have rescued that bowl anyway--”
“Yes she could have!” I cut in.
“It doesn’t matter now. And Roberta, we don’t slap people here, or box their ears. Miss Jane’s punished you two for that and Mariah did try to explain that Henri didn’t have anything to do with it.”

“No she didn’t!” Jo spoke up. “She just made it like she was downplaying Henri’s part.”
“How do you know? Miss Jane didn’t listen long enough for anyone to hear what I was going to say!”
“Since when does ‘not nearly as bad’ mean the same thing as ‘had nothing to do with it?’” I asked.
“It’s all right.” Henri said. “I don’t mind helping you all clean up. I’ll tell Lady D’Winter that it was a misunderstanding and she can believe me or not—”
“You can tell her? I think Mariah can tell her.” Jo said. “After all, she claims she tried to tell Miss Jane.”
“I—”
“What do you think, Marjorie?” Jo ignored Mariah’s stammers and looked straight to Marjorie.


Footsteps in the hallway silenced our conversation and we all stopped our argument just in time for Lady D’Winter to enter. She surveyed the class with a serious look in her eye.

“Lady…” I started but she cut me off with a look

“I am very disappointed in you all.” She said. “I expected that I could leave young ladies of your age alone for a few minutes. Apparently I misjudged the moral fiber of some of you. I understand that appropriate consequences have been handed out and I will say no more on the events that shall never again be repeated in this school. Understood?”
We all nodded our heads. It was clear that Lady D-Winter would allow no discussion on the matter of who was to blame.

“Then class dismissed.”

Sci-fi meets 19th century boarding school story-- Future's Present-- A Sims 3 Story

A random legacy with a rainbowcy theme set in a post apocalyptic world-- Recolour

I now have a blogger-- Kathleen's Sim Stories-- for both my stories for those that prefer to follow and comment there
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#18 Old 8th Nov 2012 at 12:52 AM
Default Chapter Eight: How not to slap a young lady
Chapter Eight: How not to slap a young lady

After classes finished, when the rest of the school was heading off to enjoy their free time before prep started, Jo, Henri and I headed toward the art room.



“I truly don’t mind.” Henri was saying. “I can afford a little bit of time to help you two, and at least I didn’t get any black marks!”
“And you still get to go on the nature walk.” Jo said.
“It won’t be as fun without you two.”
“Oh, but you must enjoy it for us!” Jo said.



“And bring us back lots of specimens!” I said. “I’ve got years of collecting to catch up on.”



“I wish you’d brought your botany book with you.” Jo said. “I’d loved to have seen some of your specimens from back home.”



“I had two trunks as it was!” I said laughing.”



We entered the art room and took a moment to look around.
“It’s huge.” I said.
“We just need a system.” Jo looked around.



“I wouldn’t know where to begin. Do we use cloths and soap or something?” I asked



“Haven’t you ever cleaned anything before?” Jo sounded astonished.
“Well… does my face count?”
“Oh Bobbie!” Henri started laughing and Jo soon joined in.
“Well, have either of you ever cleaned anything before!” I didn’t see what they were laughing at.



“I cleaned my mirror once.” Henri offered. “There was an incident with mustard. Don’t ask.”
“Oh that’s pathetic!” Jo said.
“Well what have you cleaned?” Henri challenged her.



“Heaps of stuff! I have five brothers. Not one or two or three but FIVE!”
“What about four?” I teased her.
“No, not four, FIVE. Seriously, you grow up with five brothers and you’re going to end up cleaning something to stay out of trouble. Believe me, after five brothers mustard meets mirror is nothing! They’ve left us a basket of cleaning stuff over here.”
We turned to look at the basket when we heard the door open behind us. We swung around in unison and…



“Marjorie?” we all said.
Um…. Hello.”
“Have you got a message for us?” Jo asked with a frown.
“Um… no I—”
“Then what is it?”
“I—”



“Are you alone? Is Mariah coming back to finish her work on my painting?”
“Oh give her a chance to speak Jo!” Henri said.
“Thanks.” Marjorie smiled at Henri. “I— well, I just came to, um, to see if you wanted any help.”
“With what?” Jo still had the frown on her face.



Marjorie swept her hand around the art room. “This.”
“Why?”



“Because I told you.” Henri hissed. “She’s actually pretty nice once you get to know her—”
“You want to help us with our punishment?” Jo ignored Henri.
“Look, only if you swear not to tell anyone else, all right? I just feel bad over what happened. And, technically, Roberta was the only one that slapped anybody.”
“Oh, thanks.” I said. “And, um, thanks for the offer…” I looked at Jo.
“Yes, thank you.” Jo said without the frown, if not quite with her usual warmth.
“And you promise not to tell?”
We all agreed.



We all gathered around the basket and Jo explained to us what all the different things were for. There were scrubbing brushes and sponges and jars of powder and cakes of hard, yellow soap.



Jo soon got us to work cleaning. I can’t say it was difficult, but it was time consuming.



We mopped.



We scrubbed.



We washed.
We worked mostly in silence and soon were almost finished.



“Jo, do say.” Marjorie said tentatively as we worked. “What did you think I was here for?”



“Well, to be honest… well, I thought Mariah might have sent you to check we didn’t hurt her painting while we were in here.”
“Oh Jo… I’m sure that hasn’t even crossed Mariah’s mind!”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Why, because what she did was a compete accident and she can’t see wrong in anybody?”
“No, I just mean that if she had thought you’d do that then she’d jolly well let you to get you into even more trouble. Goodness! Don’t tell her I said that! I just meant she wouldn’t want a confrontation, that’s all.”
“Sure that’s all.” Jo said sarcastically.
“You weren’t thinking of doing anything to her painting, were you?”



“Of course not!” Jo sounded shocked. “For a start that would be a horrible thing to do, and none of us are horrible I’ll have you know.”
“Except when our tempers get the better of us!” I joke.
“I must say, I’ve never seen anybody get slapped before.” Marjorie let out a small giggle. “I mean, if was very wrong and everything.”
“Would you really box her ears like Jo said?” Henri asked.
“You ask me now and I’ll say no.” I said. “But who knows what a temper could do.” I giggle.
“At least you wouldn’t spoil a perfectly good painting.” Jo said. We all looked at her painting. “I totally could have fixed that bowl.”
“I disagree.” Marjorie said.
“I know.” Jo said.
“She could have!” Henri offered.
“With about ten layers of paint. Sorry to say that in the time we have left tent layers of paint would just make a muddy mess. The better tactic would be to distract the eye from it all together.”
“What do you mean?” Henri asked.
“Doesn’t matter now.” Jo said. “It’s ruined.”
“I’m not so sure.” Marjorie took a few steps back and squinted her eyes and I took a glance around at the other paintings. Mariah’s, of course, was the best, with Henri’s coming in at a rather distant second. Marjorie’s painting was good, but while she had a better perspective and overall balance to her work than most of the others, she lacked in technique, her brush strokes were short and lacked confidence, and I noticed she already had the case of muddied colours here and there.
“I think it’s beyond saving.” I say.



“I agree.” Henri said.
“There’s a plant in Freedonia. Red fronds—”
“Tababen?” Jo asked, picking up. “Have you actually seen it? I’ve only seen drawings in books. The one with the white flower.”
“That’s the one. I’d hoped you’d know it. Can I try something? I mean, if it doesn’t work then the painting is ruined anyway, right?”
“I guess…”
“Only, if anyone asks, you saw the plant in your botany book and it sparked an idea. Please? I had nothing to do with this.”
“If you can get me out of having to start over then my lips are sealed.”



Marjorie began confidently mixing up colours then before I knew it the red streak on Jo’s painting began to transform. Behind Jo’s small, off center, bowl a vase with red fronds spilling out began to emerge. Because she was painting most of it on the background the paint was dry and she could quickly build up strong colours. That wasn’t the only thing I noticed. Her brush strokes were longer and almost clumsily placed. I soon realised that if I didn’t know I couldn’t tell her work apart from Jo’s.



Henri and I soon got to work finishing the cleaning.



Jo stayed to watch her painting transform.



Henri and I finished cleaning just as Marjorie was putting down the paintbrush. There’d only been so much she could do with the initial red streak. It had become a frond spilling out in front of everything else. It was so close to the viewer it was slightly blurred around the edges which excused the distortion it had made when Mariah had pushed her brush through the layers of wet paint Jo had applied during the lesson.
“There.” Marjorie said. “Don’t touch it again until our next class and it should be fine for the next layer.”



“I— I— I don’t believe it.” Jo beamed at Marjorie then threw her arms around her and planted a kiss on her cheek. “Thank you so much! Oh, do say you’ll be friends with us! You are nice and lovely and everything that Henri said, you don’t need to be friends with Mariah and Valerie. Oh, say we’re friends!”
“Mariah and Valerie are my friends.” Marjorie said. “And please don’t fling your arms so, you’ll choke me!”
“But you’re nicer than they are.” Jo coaxed. “And you already share a room with Henri.”
“And we’ll outnumber them.” I said “How much trouble can two cause against four?”
“Henri, tell her she doesn’t need those two?”



“We’ve been friends for years.” Marjorie said. “I can’t let silly school girl spats get in the way of our friendship. I’m sure you all understand.”



“I don’t.” I said. “Mariah’s nasty. Why would you want to be friends with her?”



“She’s not that— my godness, is that the time? We shall have to simply fly to get to prep!”
Hurriedly we began packing up and were soon making our way out the door. Before we parted I had to ask Marjorie a question.



“If you can paint so well, then…” I tried to find a nice way to put it.



“I’ll never be top of class, I’m not that bright. Coming first in just art doesn’t mean much and… well…”



“Mariah?”
“Yes. She wouldn’t be happy.”



“That’s unfair!”



“No, I don’t mind. Being first is important to her. It’s not to me. What right do I have to upset her?” With this we turned our separate ways so no one would ever know Marjorie had spent her recess being a nice, pleasant normal schoolgirl. But it wasn’t her I was thinking of now, it was Mariah. And already a plan was forming in my mind. We don’t slap people here Marjorie had said. But there was more than one way to slap an errant schoolgirl. Maybe those years of reading school stories would come in use after all.

Sci-fi meets 19th century boarding school story-- Future's Present-- A Sims 3 Story

A random legacy with a rainbowcy theme set in a post apocalyptic world-- Recolour

I now have a blogger-- Kathleen's Sim Stories-- for both my stories for those that prefer to follow and comment there
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#19 Old 10th Nov 2012 at 10:10 AM Last edited by Kathleen_Anne : 9th Dec 2012 at 7:47 AM.
Default --Letter from Miss March to Lady D’Winter
Author’s Note:

This is the first of the in-between chapter extras that I've decided to do. They are optional, you don't have to read them.
Without these the entire story is told from Bobbie's point of view.
With them you get insights from other characters.

The Extras will take the form of letters or diary entries and sometimes will be written by a character with whom Bobbie is currently interacting with (as in you'll get a different POV of an event you've seen narrated by Bobbie) but sometimes they will be from a character far away or even one you don't know yet and will give you a clue what else is going on. They will all be relevant to the plot but many will not have pictures to go along with them.

If yo’ve been paying attention then this should be an exciting extra! lol.


Lady D’Winter,

In response to your letter seeking a girl suited to the position of housemaid I wish to offer two suitable candidates for your consideration.

The first girl was christened Mary Brooke which I find a most suitable name for below stairs. She is two and twenty and has been in service since her tenth birthday. Her most recent position was head housemaid for Mrs Beauch of Fraitessa for three years and as you will see from the attached reference Mrs Beauch found her an exemplary servant. You will also note from the attached references she has also served as parlor maid on several occasions and has an unstained record. I Highly recommend her for a sophisticated establishment such as yours.

The second girl I wish to put for your consideration was christened with the unfortunate name of Clemonce De Brenyan but answers very well to Clair which I’m sure you wll agree is a far more suitable name for below stairs. She is eighteen years old and entered into service at the age of fourteen when her family fell into misfortune. She is a hardworking girl and I am sure she would be easily trained to meet your requirements. You will see from the attached reference from Mrs Dun that she found her to be most suitable in her position as junior housekeeper.

If you wish to arrange an interview with either or both of these girls I am more than happy to arrange this. As usual I have included the particulars in regards to payments on the attached sheet.

On a final note, I’m sure over the years the two of us have become good friends and you will overlook me being so bold, but I wish to bring another girl to your attention. Her name is Frankie and we estimate her age to be about eight years. She comes with no documentation and I cannot provide you with her christened name or birth date. She was born into service and has been in the service of Mrs Cooper of Braklesie for as long as she can remember. She is a hardworking girl well suited to the scullery of scrubbing floors. She has been sent to me because Mrs Cooper no longer has a use for her and as usual I’m expected to find what to do with her. If you could find a place off the books for a girl such as this I would be more than grateful and I’m sure you would find that my fee most accommodating in this instance.

Many Regards,

Miss March.

Sci-fi meets 19th century boarding school story-- Future's Present-- A Sims 3 Story

A random legacy with a rainbowcy theme set in a post apocalyptic world-- Recolour

I now have a blogger-- Kathleen's Sim Stories-- for both my stories for those that prefer to follow and comment there
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#20 Old 15th Nov 2012 at 6:07 AM
Default Chapter Nine: Operation Beat Mariah.
“We can’t beat her.” Jo said.



It was Thursday morning recess and it was the first chance I’d had to sit down with Henri and Jo together to discuss my plan. I’d gathered them into a quiet corner of the garden as soon as Geography had finished and I was now trying to explain it.



“None of us is good enough.” Henri agreed. “Don’t get me wrong, if one of us could become dux of the class then that would be wonderful—”
“Not to mention the best way of slapping Mariah I’ve ever heard.” Jo put in.
“Yes, but she’s first in every lesson of every class, how can you take that away from her? I’m all for pranks and larks but if you’re talking about anything immoral… well, I’m not sneaking tests out of teachers draws.”
“No, nothing like that! I’ve got more moral fiber than that!” We all giggled thinking of Lady D-Winter’s comments the day before. “But think about it, we don’t need to make one of us dux. All we need to do is ensure that in each class someone else comes first.”
“Well it won’t be me coming first!” Jo said. “I don’t mind so much, but it would be nice to put Mariah in her place a bit!”
“And why not? What are you best at, Jo?”
“Nature studies.”
“Jolly good from what I’ve seen. You can answer anything I want to know. If you were more confidant and volunteered answers on our nature walks I’m sure you’d get them right.”



“But we’re not marked on that, we’re marked on our book work.” Jo said. “Whereupon I spell every other word wrong and draw my silvercrest ferns to look like heartleaf and even though I try to make the caption clear I get told to take more care over my work.”
“Henri can help you with the drawings, and if you write everything out before hand I can correct your spelling for you.”



“Is that— would you— is that allowed?” Jo looked from me to Henri and back again.
“I don’t think it’s against any school rule.” Henri said slowly. “We can’t have another girl do our work for us but we’re encouraged to work together.”
“And it will still be your own work.” I said. “So that’s Jo for nature studies. Whose next?”



“I can do art— maybe.” Henri offered. “I can ask, anyway.”
“Marjorie, you mean?” Jo asked.
“She might help me after hours. She won’t go for first herself, but between you two and me I rather think she’d like to see her beaten.”
“Why not try to encourage her to just do her best?” I asked. “I’m sure she’d beat Mariah and WE’LL still be friends with her.”
“Bobbie, Marjorie can’t just choose not to be friends with Mariah.” Henri said.
“Why not?”
“To start with their mothers are very close. The met when Mariah’s mother did a year as a missionary in Freedonia and have kept in touch ever since.”
“My mother did that.” Jo said. “Back then after finishing school nice young girls did a year bringing good to the far reaches of the world. She was to spend a year in Ghana.”



“Your mother spent a year in Ghana?” Henri sounded surprised by the distraction.
“No. She met a nice young man over there doing the exact same thing. Turns out they had grown up a few streets away from one another but had never met. She’d been there two months and next thing you know they get married and come back home— yes, in that order. It caused quite a scandal with rumors and gossip until my eldest brother was born ten months after the wedding.”
“So their mothers are close…” I prompted Henri.
“Sorry. Yes. Marjorie lives with Mariah in the school holidays and Mariah’s parents oversee her affairs while she’s here. Then, if that wasn’t enough, Mariah’s father owns the company Marjorie’s father works for.”
“I had no idea.” Jo said.
“She told me everything last night.”



“Poor Marjorie.” I said. “That is much worse than having to be polite once a week to society ladies who pinch your cheeks.”
“Well I wouldn’t be fiends with anyone I didn’t want to… oh don’t look at me like that Henri! Yes, she’s in a fix, but will she help you with your art?”
“I think so. Bobbie, you’re next. I think you’re almost a match with Mariah at spelling.”
“I am when we spell out loud. Only the written tests I get marked down because you make some of your letters differently to the way we do in the Highlands and it looks like I’ve spelled words wrong when I haven’t.”
“I can help you with that.” Jo said with a big grin on her face. “I’ve still got all my old handwriting books, I’ve been meaning to go through them but I never find the time. They’ll teach you how to form your letters our way.”
“That would be very helpful! Than you Jo.”
“And if both of you help me manage my time I can beat Mariah at sewing, hands down!”
“Really?” Henri asked.



“Yes, I’ve very good you know.” I smiled to see Jo so confidant of her abilities. “I can make mends so neat you can’t see them and I can usually tell if a pattern will fit or not by looking at it. I do have five brothers, you know. Things need to be mended before mother finds out. Only all my other lessons take so much of my time my sewing always gets left to the end and rushed through.”
“And then you get a black mark for having your light on after lights out so you can sew.” Henri smiles at the memory.



We spent the rest of our recess discussing our strengths and weaknesses and assembled quite a list. All too soon we were interrupted by the bell to return to class and we all leapt to our feet.
“Here’s to operation beat Mariah!” I cheered.



“Lets make a pact.” Jo said.
“A pact?” I asked.
“Yes, everyone put your hands out like this.” Jo put her hand our and we all followed suit.
“Now, I swear to do everything in my power—”
“So long as it’s not immoral or against the school rules—” Henri put in.
“Yes, so long as it’s not immoral, to beat Mariah and put her down and thus saving our darling Bobbie from boxing her ears!” Henri and I giggled. “This is serious!” Bobbie scolded.
“I swear.” Henri said, stifling her laughter.
“Me too. Uh— I mean, I swear.”



And underneath the trees in the garden we made our pledge.
“Now we better fly off to class!” Henri said. “Getting a black mark for being late is not a good start!”
So off we ran

Sci-fi meets 19th century boarding school story-- Future's Present-- A Sims 3 Story

A random legacy with a rainbowcy theme set in a post apocalyptic world-- Recolour

I now have a blogger-- Kathleen's Sim Stories-- for both my stories for those that prefer to follow and comment there
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#21 Old 17th Nov 2012 at 8:02 AM Last edited by Kathleen_Anne : 9th Dec 2012 at 7:47 AM.
Default --A Letter From Mrs Hilton
My dearest most darling daughter Bobbie.
I cannot tell you how much your Papa and I miss you! I think of you a million times every single day and then more some. I hope you’ve settled into school and made some wonderful friends. If there is any girl there that doesn’t love you yet then there is a girl with no sense whatsoever!
Now my dear, this is a short note but you see it is wrapped around a bundle of letters. I’ve written to you everyday even when I had nothing to say. And you poor thing, we haven’t at port once until today so I haven’t been able to send them. Except for my last letter. Do you wonder how I did it? Well, sneaky me left it at the post office and asked the kind lady there to put it in with the post in two days time. I thought a few days into lessons would be a wonderful time to receive a letter from home, just enough time to get over the excitement and bewilderment of a new place but not quite enough time to get too desperately homesick. Were you surprised? Don’t say your old Mother doesn’t have a few tricks up her sleeves!
We’ve stopped unexpectedly at a port today but won’t be here for long so I’ll send these off to be posted to you with just this short note. Try to savor these letters because, my sweets, I don’t know when we will stop next. Perhaps if you opened one a day you could pretend each day’s post had brought you some new words from your loving Mama?
Keep safe, my darling daughter.
I love you.
Mother.

Sci-fi meets 19th century boarding school story-- Future's Present-- A Sims 3 Story

A random legacy with a rainbowcy theme set in a post apocalyptic world-- Recolour

I now have a blogger-- Kathleen's Sim Stories-- for both my stories for those that prefer to follow and comment there
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#22 Old 23rd Nov 2012 at 1:24 AM Last edited by Kathleen_Anne : 9th Dec 2012 at 7:47 AM.
Default --Henri's Diary Entry
Dear Diary,
Jo came to me today in a private moment to ask my advice. She had with her a letter. Bobbie’s letter. It was the letter she sent home ever so long ago but was returned undelivered. So she sent it again but then the mainlboats went on strike so we thought the reply must have been held up. I arrived today, the letter. It wasn’t a reply. It was Bobbie’s letter returned only this time “No longer at this address. Return to sender.” Was scrawled across the front. We can’t think what it means. Gladys had the sense not to leave it with the rest of that morning’s mail but to give it to Jo at a quiet moment so she could in turn give it to Bobbie in a quiet moment. Jo suggested that maybe Bobbie’s Papa has sold his house because he’s bought a better one nearer to civilization but I’m not sure even she believes that. For a start she hasn’t given Bobbie the letter yet. We’ve decided another day can’t hurt. It’s the soiree tonight and we want Bobbie to enjoy it as best she can.
What we’ll do come tomorrow, I don’t know. I would write and ask Mother but she is still on the ship with Father. Jo would write and ash her parents but they can’t send a letter back because they are still under quarantine. There must be a grown-up somewhere we can turn to but for the life of me I can’t think who. Suddenly I feel very alone in the world. I think Bobbie must be very brave.

Now, I must be off as Jo and I are spending the whole afternoon spoiling Bobbie as best we can.

Henri.

Sci-fi meets 19th century boarding school story-- Future's Present-- A Sims 3 Story

A random legacy with a rainbowcy theme set in a post apocalyptic world-- Recolour

I now have a blogger-- Kathleen's Sim Stories-- for both my stories for those that prefer to follow and comment there
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#23 Old 23rd Nov 2012 at 1:40 AM
Default Chapter Ten: Frankie
Yes! Here she is! Frankie! Now, who is she? And what's up with the creepy sci-fi guy? A few of my readers have spotten him looking in at windows, what's up with that? Why does Bobbie have an ugly picture of a car... or something? When will Bobbie hear from her parents, surley she's due for a letter at lase, after all, we've seen in the added extras her mum has written some... right? I tried really hard with the pictures of this chapter, I hope you can tell!

Don't forget you can follow this story via wordpress. For those of you who prefer blogger, you can now follow it over there too.



The sounds of the curtains opening woke me up. Saturday. My heart did a little skip before it sank again. No nature walk for me today. But at least I had Jo to keep me company. Saturday also meant no classes and I’d been looking forward to it all week. I sat up in bed and looked to Gladys clearing out the grate from last night’s fire. Only it wasn’t Gladys.




“Hello.” I sad.
“Oh!” The figure jumped and span around, startled. “I didn’t mean to wake you. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t mind that, I don’t! I think I’m meant to pretend to be asleep until you leave the room anyway, like Jo does—”




“I’m not pretending! It’s too early!” Jo protested sleepily.
“Are you the new housemaid? Gladys said that one had been asked for.”
“I’m not sure. I’m new, but not a housemaid as such.”




“Miss.” Jo said sleepily without opening her eyes. “You’re supposed to call her Miss when you speak to her.”
“Oh, uh—” the girl looked from Jo to me then back again. “I’m sorry— Miss.”
“Better.” Jo sat up and rubbed her eyes. “Lady D’Winter’s always taking on girls new to service, you need to learn fast or there’ll be trouble for you. Oh, you’re young! Too young to be a housemaid.”
“I know, but— I mean, I know Miss, but— I’m sorry, is that right?”
“Yes.” Jo said.
“Thanks.”
“Thank you Miss.” Jo corrected.




“Thank you Miss.” The girl repeated. “I was told I was to do anything that needed doing. Gladys has the toothache something terrible this morning so I’m to do her work while she lies in the kitchen with a compress on her face to ease the pain.”
“What’s your name?” I ask, not wanting to hear the details of Gladys’ toothache.
“Frankie.” She answered.




“Frankie, Miss.” Jo flopped back down on her pillows. “It’s too early!”
“Well, I better go, I’ve got stacks more rooms to do—”
“Please excuse me Miss, but I have the other young misses to see to.” Jo said without lifting her head from her pillow.
“Um, yes, that, Miss, um, thank you Miss!” the girl hurried from the room.
“You shouldn’t pick on her so!” I scolded as soon as she was gone. “She’s just learning.”
“Pick on her? I was helping her. She’ll get in trouble if she doesn’t learn fast. Think what would happen if she had to speak to Mariah? Or worse, Miss Jane or Lady D’Winter herself.”
“Well, they should be understanding. Lady D’Winter told me herself that she trains up young girls to give them a good start in life and that we have to excuse—”




“Ha! Don’t tell me you believed that?”
“Yes… doesn’t she?”
“She buys cheap labour where she can is a more accurate way to put it.”
“Oh Jo…”
“It is the truth, and I swear to it! Oh, no expense spared where it shows to persons of greater importance and influence than us, but mark my words, she got Frankie because she was cheap. And she left the mail all the way over on our desk, be a peach and fetch it, would you Bobbie darling!”
“Fetch it yourself lazy! It will be for you anyway!” The bitterness in my words came from the fact that in the almost two weeks since I’d been here I was yet to receive a letter. True, it took two weeks for a letter to get to Fraitessa from the highlands but it had been four since I’d left home.




“Actually, there is one for you!” Jo said as she looked at the letters.




“Really?” I scooted to the end of my bed. “Pass it here, who’s it from? Is it from Miss Brown? I’m expecting one from her with her new address, she has a new position—”




“A Miss Gr— not sure. Must have been raining somewhere, the ink has run.” She passed it over.
“It has been through the wars.” I said as I tore it open. “Oh, it’s from Elen!”
“Well, that’s nice!”
I prepared to enjoy a good read, but Elen’s letter was disappointingly short.
“She’s writing from her mother’s house.” I told Jo. “Her mother has been poorly so she’s gone home to care for her a bit… oh bother!”



“What?”
“She hasn’t written her mother’s address except on the envelope and that’s so badly run that I can’t read it.”
“Oh well, I’m sure she’ll write again.” Jo said. “Or you can send your reply home and they’ll know where to forward it too. But listen to what my brother says—”
“Oh goodness, I better not!” I said. “That’s the next bell and we’re not even begun dressing yet, we’ll be late!”



We left our letters and helped each other to turn our mattresses, as rules dictated must be done every Saturday, and I prayed that Miss Jane wouldn’t choose this morning to inspect our beds because the corners on my sheets had looked better.



We scrambled into our clothes and rushed out when we heard the breakfast bell, Jo still buttoning her belt and me fastening my collar.



After checking the coast was clear we dashed out and ran across the landing, breaking one of the many school rules about proper behavior in hallways.



I skidded to a halt at the top of the stairs when I heard footsteps below but it was only Gladys.



We took the risk of running down the stairs and across the entrance hall knowing Miss Jane might appear any moment to catch us doing something so unladylike as running!




Soon we were pushing open the doors to our breakfast room and were relieved to see that while we were the last of our class, we’d at least arrived before Miss Jane.



“Phew!” Jo said. “I can’t believe we beat the dragon, could you imagine Miss Jane if she knew we were late?”



“No need to imagine Miss Cox.” We spun around to see that no other than Miss Jane standing right behind us.
“And your tardy has not gone unnoticed, nor yours Miss Hilton.”
“No miss Jane.” I said.
“Sorry Miss Jane.” Jo said.



“The two of you are to return to your room at once and to remain there for the rest of the day, in which time you shall both meditate upon your behavior. If by tomorrow I do not see two reformed schoolgirls then you will both find yourselves in Lady D’Winters office answering serious questions about your future in this fine establishment. Go.”



“But—” Jo started.



“Now!”
And without another word we both turned and left our class to their breakfast and returned to our room.



“I can’t believe her!” Jo broke out after she slammed our door behind us. “Bobbie, I’m so sorry! Me and my big mouth has us both in trouble.”



“Well, I got you out of the nature walk with my Highland temper so we’ll call it even then.”
“But a whole day trapped in our room! What are we to do?”
“Well, you can start by telling me what your brother wrote. Which one is this from?”
“Timothy.”
“Is that the one that nursed the foal?”
“No, the one that spent the night in the tree. Listen.”
Jo related the latest gossip from her brothers’ school, which sounded far more interesting than ours, and that cheered us both up.



“I wish we could have adventures like that.” I said. “It sounds much more fun than getting in trouble for slapping someone.”
“Or for being late to breakfast.” Jo said.
“I think it was rather the dragon comment that got her so riled.” I said with a giggle. “But still, I’d rather be facing the music after having a midnight feast or—”



“Ohhhh! Don’t talk about midnight feasts! Now I’ve just remembered how hungry I am! Why did I finish my sweets yesterday? Oh, I’m such a greedy girl.” Jo threw herself on her bed.



“Say, Bobbie, next time I try to finish my sweets do tell me ‘no, Jo, save them for when you need them’ because I’m sure to at some point!”



“I shall die of hunger, I’m sure of it!”



Just then we heard a tap on the door. We looked at each other, were we allowed to have visitors? The door opened a crack and a dark face peered through.
“Can I come in— um, I mean Miss—”



“Is that food?” Jo leaped off her bed. “Oh, come in, do!”
“Oh, keep it down!” Frankie entered and quickly shut the door behind her. “Mrs Roberts sent me up with it, but Miss Jane isn’t to know.
“Put it here on the windowsill.” Jo said. “That way we can brush any tell-tale crumbs outside. Oh thank you thank you, isn’t Mrs Roberts a brick?”
“She said you’d be pleased.” Frankie said as she put our breakfast down. Jo jumped onto my bed and sat down.
“We’ll have plenty of time to remake them later.” Jo said to me.



“Do say thank you to her for us, will you?” I asked Frankie. “And thank you for bringing it. Frankie…?”
The girl didn’t answer me. She was frozen, looking to the corner.
“Where did you get that?” She asked.
“What?” I asked.



“That.” She pointed.



“That’s Bobbie’s.” Jo said. “Some painting from someone-or-other and you need to learn to mind your manners or Miss Jane will lock you in your room without breakfast if you’re not careful!”
“Bobbie?” Frankie asked.



“That’s me.” I sad as Jo investigated the contents of the tray.
“And Miss Roberta to you.” Jo remembered to remind the girl.
“But how did you get it?”
“Why? What’s it to you?” Jo asked.



“My old employers had that exact same painting.” Frankie said.
“Couldn’t have.” I said. “That’s a gift from friends of the family, I’ve had it as long as I can remember and you don’t look any older than I am!”
“He did so! Mr Cooper had that—”
“Mr Cooper?” You were employed by the Coopers?”
“Yes, you know them?”



“Rather! Well, they’re family friends. I mean, I’ve never met them because of their daughter, they can’t travel, but my parents know them.”
“Their daughter?”
“Yes, she’s poorly. That’s why they live out at Braklesie, because of the fair weather, for her health. It was the Braklesie Coopers you were with, wasn’t it?”



“Yes, but they don’t have a daughter. Only sons.”



“No, they have a daughter, you must know her. Her name’s Francesca. She’s almost my age.”



“No, I— what did you say her name was?”



“Francesca.” I said frowning. The Coopers weren’t a big family and they only kept open one house, it must have been the same ones.



“But that’s m—”
“Frankie?” Dorcus’ voice rang out from the hallway. “Where are you girl? You’re needed in the kitchen.”



“I— I better go!” and before I could say another word Frankie turned on her heel and ran from our room.

Sci-fi meets 19th century boarding school story-- Future's Present-- A Sims 3 Story

A random legacy with a rainbowcy theme set in a post apocalyptic world-- Recolour

I now have a blogger-- Kathleen's Sim Stories-- for both my stories for those that prefer to follow and comment there
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#24 Old 25th Nov 2012 at 8:18 AM Last edited by Kathleen_Anne : 9th Dec 2012 at 7:47 AM.
Default --A report to a supervisor
Authors Note: This is another of the added extras, a view outside Bobbie's point of view and a little something extra to my readers. I've got a poll on my blog where you can let me know what you think about the added extras by clicking here, or you can leave a comment here if you like.

Primary subject location unknown. Last known location is the Cooper estate at Braklesie but there have been no confirmed sightings. Possible location of secondary subject still unconfirmed but reconnaissance of the suspected local is a high priority. Attempts at questioning the locals have failed. Requesting extra training on dress, customs and manners to aid in the assimilation of local culture. Stepping back to a observational role until the necessary training is received.

Sci-fi meets 19th century boarding school story-- Future's Present-- A Sims 3 Story

A random legacy with a rainbowcy theme set in a post apocalyptic world-- Recolour

I now have a blogger-- Kathleen's Sim Stories-- for both my stories for those that prefer to follow and comment there
Lab Assistant
Original Poster
#25 Old 29th Nov 2012 at 11:21 AM
Default Chapter Eleven: The Magical Pact and the Wardrobe


“Come on Bobbie, eat something!”



“Food! How can you think of food at a time like this?”
“A time like what?”



“Didn’t you listen to a thing that just happened then?”
“Ummm… something about your painting?”
“Yes, but look at it Jo, there can’t be two like it.”
“Maybe your friends had two made and sent the other to the Coopers that Frankie worked for.” Jo suggested.
“It’s a really small family, Jo. I don’t think there’s another household of them in Braklesie.”
“Well, they had two made and kept one for themselves.”



“Then why doesn’t Frankie know their daughter?”
“Oh, who knows. Ask her next time you see her. No do eat some breakfast!”



I joined Jo and, to my surprise, found I had quite an appetite.
“Well.” Said Jo, after brushing the crumbs out the window. “We might as well make use of our time, I’m going to re-write my botany book.”



“But I want to use the desk.” I said. “I can write to home, just like you said, and they can forward the letters on.” I desperately wanted to speak to Mother and not just because I missed her. I wanted to ask her about the Coopers. I tore my mind back to the Highlands. The letter to the Coopers Mother handed to Nanny. Nanny’s reaction… surprise? Disapproval? Elen’s comment about the letter, another one, she had said, and not in a good way. Had Mother been sending too many letters to the Coopers for some reason? My mind took me back to the day Mother gave my new dresses the seal of approval. There’d been talk of a letter then—”



“Oh curl up in your chair and write!” Jo said. “I need the neatest handwriting for my schoolwork, this was your idea, remember.”



“No, I want neat handwriting too, so my old governess can see how much it’s improved.”



“Oh Bobbie, we’re not having a disagreement are we?”
“I— I hope not.”
“Good, because we mustn’t, you know! Friends like us have to stick together. Besides, if we do there’s nowhere to escape away from each other today.”
“I’m sorry.” I said. “I’m only anxious that it makes this evening’s post.”



“And I’m sorry, I should have thought, you haven’t had a letter from home until today, of course you want to answer it as soon as you can.”
“Do you think I’ll be allowed out to post it?”
“Probably not.”
“Then you take the desk, no sense me rushing to get it written if I can’t post it.”



“No, you take the desk! Really, I don’t want it! I was just being stubborn, it’s one of my faults. Actually I was really hoping that as soon as I mentioned schoolwork you’d come up with some game instead because I simply can’t! It will be a while longer, though, before boredom drives me to my schoolwork!”



“All right!” I said giggling. “But I can’t have you being bored if I’m writing letters. “I bought some games with me, they’re in the box in the back of the wardrobe, feel free to go through them.”
“Oh goody! May I? Thank you. I love other people’s things. They think they’re old and boring and to you they’re new and interesting.”
“There’s nothing special.” I said. “And do ignore how babyish some of it is, I was only eight when I packed.”



“And now you’re nine and all grown up!” Jo teased.
I made a face at her then sat down at our desk to write.



The arrangement worked quite well and I was pleased. I wrote about it in my letter to Miss Brown so she could see that I’d learned how to share already.
I also wrote a letter to Elen, and had almost finished it when Jo called out from behind me.



“Look! I’m a fairy princess!”
“I only brought that because I thought we might need a costume for a play or something!”
“I love dressups! I hardly ever got to play at home!”



“Me too.” I admitted. “Well, about the loving dressups, not about the never playing part.
“I do declare you’re such a goose, Bobbie Hilton! What’s wrong with loving dressups? Doesn’t every girl?”
“Well, mother told me to leave them at home… but I snuck them in!”



“Thatta girl!”
“There’s a wand in there!” I giggled.
Jo pulled it out.
“It’s heavy!” she said.”
“Go on, give it a wave!”









Jo did and to my surprise she let out a gasp of shock and dropped it.



“Careful! I’ve had that as long as I can remember and I don’t want it broken!”
“But, what was that?
“What was what?”



“There were sparkles Bobbie!”
“Well, of course! It’s a wand!”
“But how does it do it?”



“Magic.” I explained.
“There’s no such thing as magic!”
“There is too! How else do you explain the evidence before your eyes?”



“But… where on earth did you get it?” Jo asked, sounding astonished.
“From the fairies at the bottom of my garden.” I managed to keep a straight face until I saw the look on Jo’s whereupon I burst out laughing. “You’re the goose now!” I said. “It was a present from… well, from the Coopers, actually.



“But you don’t really believe in magic, do you?” Jo asked.



“How else do you explain things you can’t explain?” I asked before turning back to continue my letter.



“Henri would know.” Jo said, interrupting my thoughts again. “I’ll ask her! We both can! Deal?”



“It’s magic!” I replied, dipping my pen into the inkwell an resisting the urge to roll my eyes.
“No, there must be a way it works… like a clock. Clocks aren’t magic.”
“I— oh bother!” I reached for the blotting paper— my distraction had caused a blot right when I’d almost finished a blot-free letter. But I wasn’t re-writing now. Besides, Elen wouldn’t mind! “How about we make a deal?” I said. “I’ll help you investigate magic if you help me investigate Frankie and my painting.”



“That’s a deal!” Jo said and I left her waving my wand while I finished off my letter.

My letters finished, I folded them up into envelope folds, wrote their names on the front and sealed the backs. I then placed both the letters into one factory-envelope and wrote my home address on the front in my best Fratessian script.
“Now what?” Jo asked.



“Well, now I think you better work on your botany book.”
Jo groaned.
“Just think of Mariah’s face when we put her down!” I encouraged her. “Lets just clean this up first.” It didn’t take long to pack everything back into the box and I helped Jo store it at the back of our wardrobe. We pushed it into the corner with a thump.



Thump.
We exchanged glances. Did our wardrobe just thump back at us?
Bang.
Jo hit the back of the wardrobe with her fist.
Bang. Bang.
“Well I never!” Jo said.
“Believe in magic now?” I asked. I was even more astounded when I heard a giggle, but it wasn’t Jo’s laugh!
“Silly!” She said, “that’s Henri’s room!”
“Sure is!” Henri’s voice sounded muffled. “My wardrobe backs onto yours, seems there’s no wall between, just the backing of the wardrobe!”
“Which is made up of boards, a couple of which look a little loose.” Jo said with a squeal. “Hand me that letter opener, Bobbie!”
I did and it was the work of minutes for her to pry the middle bottom board out of the back of our wardrobe.



“Hello!” Henri’s face appeared in the gap. “What timing, I was just putting my coat back when I heard you!”



“Just back from the nature walk?” I asked
“Yes, but you two didn’t miss out on much!” Henri wasn’t entirely convincing. “How are you two doing? Driving each other nuts yet?”
“Not quite!” Jo said.
“Hungry?”
“N— actually yes.” Jo said. “I must be at least lunchtime by now?”
“You and your stomach!” I shook my head. “We managed to get breakfast!” I explained to Henri.
“Well, we had a picnic lunch and I took a little more than I could eat so decided to save it for later.”



Henri pushed a mostly full bottle of fresh milk, an apple, a pear and some slices of bread slathered in butter through the gap.
“I say!” Jo exclaimed. “I never would have though of you stealing a bit of grub for two starving prisoners!”



“I didn’t steal it! It was left over and we were all encouraged to take seconds!”
“Don’t worry Henri!” I said laughing. “I believe you. I know, could you please do me a favour? I have a letter that I’d like to make the next post—”
“Certainly, pass it through.”
“Now that’s an idea!” Jo said. “We can talk to each other without leaving our rooms or without speaking. This could be useful in silence hours.”
“Oh Jo! You’ll be in trouble before you’re out of it!” Henri said
“It’s Miss Jane proof!” Jo protested. “And I’ll place the board back every time!”
“I’ve heard that before!” Henri said. “Look, I have to go if I’m to make that post!”
“Thank you!” I said as Jo replaced the board.
“Well, what now?” Jo asked me after we’d eaten.
“Re-make our beds, I guess.” I said. “Miss Jane could still do an inspection.” But my mind wasn’t on beds or Miss Jane. It was on Frankie and magic ad paintings and Francesca Cooper and all the coopers and on the secret in our wardrobe.
School was about to get a lot more interesting, I was sure of it.



“Lets have an adventure.” I said.

Sci-fi meets 19th century boarding school story-- Future's Present-- A Sims 3 Story

A random legacy with a rainbowcy theme set in a post apocalyptic world-- Recolour

I now have a blogger-- Kathleen's Sim Stories-- for both my stories for those that prefer to follow and comment there
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