I have just blued £30 on Nicola bloody Marlow

[Failedspinster]

Help me. I'm addicted. By hook or by crook I obtained two Antonia Forest paperbacks at low prices. It was not enough. Now I've just bought another for thirty sodding quid I can ill afford, comforting myself with the knowledge that I can always economise on clothes.

I know I am not alone. Please tell me your stories of absurd expenditure of money and effort to secure a favourite.

I never tire of Renault. I read them on rotation at least once a year.

I enjoyed The Last of the Wine but haven't read any others yet; sounds as though I should.

I find that one a little hard to understand in places, I am not clear on the politics of the time so I miss some of the references.

I think this was her first historical one, wasn't it?

I absolutely would read the rest.

I was addicted to Antonia Forest's books and wrote to her twice In the Eighties and she replied both times! I remember I did ask her a couple of questions about plot which she answered. Would have to go and find the letters though.

That is truly amazing Jinglebells99. Do find the letters and tell us what they say.

Wow, Jinglebells. If you can find the letters, I'd love to know what they say!

NotCitrus thanks so much for pointer to Trennels on Dreamwidth.

I started reading The Charioteer earlier today, and have barely put it down. It's very good. And I'd forgotten how very recently things have changed.

YES I think Patrick is a total dick. I hate him. I think because I can't stand the feeling that Nicola might actually fall for him and be trapped. Get away from him Nicola and run away to sea.

[tumbleweed]

It's Giles I can't stand............

Ooh really?? I didn't feel I knew enough about him to hate him!

I'm missing end of term and the historical ones. But i do love so much about these books.

Someone shared a fanfic about Giles marrying Mary-Lou (chalet school) and that sent me down a rather lovely rabbit hole. Highly recommend it.

Is fanfic all on kindle? I've never read beyond the 4 main AF books published by Puffin in the 80s...

Annandale- I am very old and come from a similarish background so I just may be projecting a bit. I knew a lot of arrogant young officers in my youth...........

Fair enough are you ever afraid that Nocola would be one of them?

archiveofourown.org/works/3231305?show_comments=true#comments

I don't think that links to the ML Giles one but I know it was on the archive of our own site that I read it.

I had a teeny bit of a crush on Patrick at one point, although I would have detested him in real life.

I'm very fond of Patrick - I think he'd grow up into a bearable human being, annoying as he is. I'm more worried about Peter's death toll (already killed a Kommendant and Jael, nearly killed a sister when the gun went off in Peter's Room, and it's amazing he and others havent died at sea thanks to the cock-up at the start of MATT and of course RAH). I just pray he ditches the Navy as soon as he can.

Giles only really appears in RAH and is obnoxious. Seems to be the cossetted first-born son with a superiority complex.
The fic where he marries Mary-Lou is ace though.

Giles is unnecessarily horrible to Nicola when she runs away from school to visit him, though.

My ds is Patrick for other reasons- but I am secretly pleased.........

I'm afraid I think of Patrick every time I see Jacob Rees-Mogg.

annandale Noooooo!!!!! Pass the brain bleach!

Much more Rupert Everett in Another Country, floppy 80s hair and too intense for his own good.

I think you're horribly right about Jacob Reese-Mogg. He even has the floppy hair.

Good Lord- Patrick's blond, isn't he???????

No - the Marlows are all fair, but Patrick has 'golden eyes', and is dark and skinny.

I can see a scenario when he might be allowed to become Rees-Mogg-ish, but I don't think the influences of his dad (a reassuringly normal MP ), Claudie, and at least knowing the Marlows, would allow that.

Of course if he were Rees-Mogg then Victoria Coren would be Nicola or Ginty (or Lawrie), flirting outrageously with him on HIGNFY...