This week’s discussion is on Jo to the Rescue, first published in 1945. This is the nineteenth book in the series and the first of the ‘holiday’ books, covering the summer holidays immediately after Gay. Jo, Simone, Frieda, Marie and their children and Sybil spend the summer at a cottage on the Yorkshire moors, where they befriend Phoebe Wychcote, a lonely invalid, and Reg Entwistle, an intelligent but sulky young boy from the village with a burning ambition. They also clash with spoilt rich girl Zephye Burthill, whose desire to get her hands on Phoebe's cello leads to more than one run-in with the Chalet clan. Notable events:
Twenty two year old Phoebe Wychcote is paid a visit at her cottage by her young friend from the village, Reg Entwistle, who brings the news that the new occupants of the cottage opposite are arriving. He takes Phoebe out into the garden in her wheelchair so that they can watch Jo and Co. arrive without being seen themselves. Phoebe, who suffers from severe rheumatism, is hopeful that she can make friends with the newcomers, as she has been extremely lonely since the death of her father eighteen months previously and she has nobody to rely on but her maid, Debby. Later that day, Jo knocks at the door of Phoebe’s cottage to enquire where she can get some milk, and immediately recognises Phoebe as the daughter of the professional cellist Nicholas Wychcote, whom she had seen in concert with Vanna di Ricci some time ago and met backstage afterwards. Phoebe is delighted to be so rapturously greeted, and Jo agrees to call again the next day. Debby goes over to The Witchens with Jo to show her where the milk is, and tells her about Phoebe’s illness, and that she is in the care of Dr Mitchell. Later on, Jo tells Simone, Frieda and Marie about Phoebe, and that she happens to know via Jem that Dr Mitchell has just died the previous week. The next morning, Jo brings the triplets and Stephen over to meet Phoebe, and when she discovers that Phoebe does exquisite embroidery both as a hobby and as a means of supplementing her meagre income, commissions her to make two frocks for Madge and Jem’s forthcoming baby. A week later, Phoebe confides in Jo about an ongoing problem: she is being harassed by letter by a wealthy man, Mr Burthill, who wants to buy her father’s valuable cello for his own daughter, Zephyr, who has taken a violent fancy to the instrument. Phoebe does not want to sell the cello because it symbolises her father to her, but she is afraid of being selfish and wonders if she should let Zephyr have it. Jo advises her firmly not to. Jack arrives at The Witchens for a few days and is introduced to Phoebe. Jo and Marie tell him more about her condition and ask if the San could help her now that she no longer has Dr Mitchell, and Jack agrees they can try, as soon as there is a spare bed. That night there is a huge thunderstorm, and while the Quartette see to the children, Debby comes to ask Jack to go over to Many Bushes as Phoebe, who was already in pain that evening and is terrified of thunder, is now dangerously ill. Jack gets Marie to sit with her while he gets a horse from a nearby farm and rides over to Garnley, the nearby market town, to get medical supplies for her. Jo, alone at The Witchens one afternoon a few days later while the rest of the party are picnicking in the meadow, is the first to make the acquaintance of Zephyr Burthill, having written on Phoebe’s behalf to tell the Burthills to leave her alone. Zephyr now arrives to ask Jo for Phoebe’s address. Jo flatly refuses to give it, tells her off for being so selfish, and warns her against harassing Phoebe any further on the matter. Zephyr leaves, vowing to get the cello one way or another, leaving Jo worried that she may even stoop to burglary. Later that evening, the Quartette discuss how they can prevent Zephyr – or potential hired burglars – from breaking into Many Bushes. Jack, now back in Armishire, rings up to say a bed at the San has become available and they are coming for Phoebe the next day. The Quartette decide in that case to invite Debby over to The Witchens with them, and for Jack to take the cello back with him and hide it at the Round House. Jo and Simone go over the next day to help Phoebe pack, and tell her about the San’s rheumatic specialist, Dr Peters, who has been studying in America and knows a new treatment which Jack believes could help her. Jack and Dr Peters arrive to take Phoebe to the San, and Jack warns Jo that Stephen’s teeth are coming in. After they have set off back to the San, Jo is horrified to discover they have left the cello behind. They tell Debby about their fears, and she agrees to sleep at The Witchens to avoid any altercations with burglars. Reg appears, having heard that Phoebe is gone, and is most indignant at not being told. Jo apologises and promises he will be able to visit her at the San, and talks him into becoming a scout for them, looking out for any trouble from Zephyr. That night, Stephen wakes Jo with his teething, and she is just about to go back to bed when she hears Rufus growling. She reaches the window just in time to see someone getting into a car, and when she goes down to investigate, finds a lump of raw meat in the garden, clearly intended for Rufus. The next day, Jo calls the vet out and gives him the meat for analysis, and he later returns to confirm that it had been doped with something to make Rufus under the weather for a few days. He urges Jo to report the matter to the police, but she declines, pointing out they can’t really prove anything. The vet intends to tell the police himself, but due to a combination of circumstances the matter passes out of his head and he forgets about it. Jem arrives for a few days’ holiday, and as The Witchens is full, sleeps in Phoebe’s room at Many Bushes. During the night he is woken up by the gate creaking, and when he goes down to close it spots a car pulling up outside The Witchens, from which two men alight. Meanwhile Jo, roused by Margot having bad dreams, decides to go down to the kitchen and make a cup of tea. She gets there just as the two men creep in through the back door, and in a panic flings a frying pan, plate and bacon at them before Rufus jumps at them and Jem and the local police constable arrive on the scene. The men are arrested, but deny any knowledge of the cello. The Quartette and Jem discuss the possibility of the San and the school moving back to the Tyrol after the war, and Jo reveals that she and Jack may not be able to go back, as she has just heard that Jack’s brother Bob has died, and if his widow Lydia chooses to leave Pretty Maids – which Jo thinks likely as Lydia prefers London – then Jack will have to take over the estate as Bob’s heir. Jem departs for Armishire a few days later with Debby and the cello, and at the end of that week Jo takes Reg down herself to visit Phoebe. Jack meets them in Armiford and takes them up to the San. He confirms to Jo that Lydia wants to stay on at Pretty Maids for the present, and says that Phoebe’s condition is improving but that she can’t be completely cured. He wants Jo to talk to her about moving down to Armishire so that she is within easy reach of the San should she need further treatment. Jack takes Reg off to see the X-ray room while Jo goes in to see Phoebe, and is amazed at her improvement. Phoebe gives her the first of the two baby frocks she had requested, and tells her about Reg’s family and how he wants to go to university but missed the chance of a free place at the local grammar school due to illness at the time of the exam. When Reg returns from the X-ray room, he is fired with determination to become a doctor. Just as Jo arrives back at The Witchens, the Vicaress, Mrs Hart, who has so far been away from the village for various reasons, comes to call. Mrs Hart, having rowed with both Phoebe’s father and Debby on previous occasions and made some insulting remarks about Phoebe in her hearing, has a decidedly low opinion of them and is determined to put the party at The Witchens right about them. She fails to make an impression, however, as they refuse to agree that Phoebe is being selfish by not giving Zephyr her cello. She also earns Jo’s ire when she compliments Sybil on her looks, making her uncomfortable. Zephyr turns up at The Witchens again to plead her case for the cello, this time encountering Simone, who gives her short shrift. Jo arrives on the scene and tells Zephyr once again how selfish she is being, and when Zephyr says she is delicate and easily made ill, Jo tells her about Robin and the sacrifices she was forced to make as a child due to her delicacy. She gets Zephyr, who has never had a real friend, interested, and duly sends for Robin to come and meet her, believing it would be a good thing for them to meet. The next day, after a picnic in the meadow with Reg, Jo and the others get ready for tea with Zephyr and Robin. When they arrive, Marie chats to Zephyr about the Chalet School, and tells her that music has to come from the inside, not from possessing someone else’s instrument. When the others come to join in the conversation, Zephyr is left feeling very conscious of her lack of education (due to constantly complaining about her various governesses and getting them sacked), and when Jo is persuaded to sing a few numbers, she begins to realise that perhaps Marie is right and that real music comes from the inside. Jack arrives for another short holiday, and tells the Quartette that Phoebe’s improvement is continuing. He also brings the news that Dr Peters has fallen in love with her, but doesn’t want to risk saying anything and possibly upsetting her if she doesn’t feel the same way. He has therefore asked Jack to ask Jo to try and find out what Phoebe feels about him. The Quartette are delighted at this turn of events, and arrange that Jo and Simone will go to visit Phoebe and subtly try to find out what she thinks. Their conversation is interrupted by Margot having a tantrum, and Jack goes to find out what it’s all about. When he learns that Con and Margot have argued and Margot refuses to apologise, he sits her down on a log and tells her they won’t be moving from it until she tells him why she lost her temper. After an inward struggle against her pride, and wondering why she has a temper when Len and Con don’t, Margot gives in and tells him the story, and apologises. Jack takes Jo, Simone and Reg down to the San, and impresses upon Reg the need for hard work and to conquer his sulkiness if he means to be a doctor. Reg admires Jack enough to take this on board and determines to get the better of his tendency to sulk, while Jo tells Simone in an aside that Jack means to go and see Reg’s aunt and offer to pay for him to go to Garnley Grammar School. Jo and Simone go in to see Phoebe, and after telling her about Reg and seeing the second baby frock she has made, they make some remarks about Dr Peters to provoke her into talking about him. Her replies convince them that she does indeed love him, and when they take their leave, Jo manages to get him alone for a moment and give him the go ahead, much to his delight. The last week of the holidays arrive, and while the Quartette are cleaning The Witchens in preparation for their departure, Jack rings up with the news that Madge has given birth to a baby girl, much to the chagrin of Jo, who has been talking of and hoping for a boy. That afternoon he hitches a lift with the ambulance and comes up to The Witchens for an hour, bringing with him letters for Jo and Debby from Phoebe, and the news that she is engaged to Dr Peters. In her letter to Jo, Phoebe asks to be married from Plas Gwyn, and for Jack to give her away and the triplets to be her bridesmaids. She also reveals that Madge and Jem have named the new baby Aline Elizabeth, and have asked her to be one of her godmothers. Back in Armishire, Jo goes to visit Madge and see baby Aline, and Madge tells her they have asked Elizabeth Ozanne to be the other godmother and Frank Peters to be godfather. Jo tells her Phoebe is planning her wedding for some time about the end of November. Jack takes Jo up to the San to visit Phoebe, and tells her that Reg’s aunt has accepted his offer to pay for Reg’s schooling. As the grammar school is full, he is to go to Polgarth, where Frank Peters’ young cousin went, instead. When Jo goes in to see Phoebe, she tells her about Reg, and Phoebe shows her her engagement ring. Their conversation is interrupted by Zephyr, who has found out where Phoebe is via Mrs Hart, but has come to apologise instead of continuing her quest for the cello, much to Jo’s delight and Phoebe’s astonishment. Jo invites her to tea with Robin, and tells Phoebe how pleased she is at how everything has turned out.
So, thoughts on the first holiday book of the series? What do you think of new characters Phoebe and Reg? What about the Zephyr/cello storyline and Robin's intervention? The younger generation, particularly the triplets, are in the spotlight in this book, what do you think of them?
_________________ 'I'm sorry, I only play for sport.' - Lara Croft
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