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Jun. 22nd, 2009 06:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fiery_ringWith all the excitement of the stink balls and extra classes to do, Carlotta found little time to look through the precious Ringmaster's Log Books. Determined not to be left on a cliff hanger, she regularly crept up to the dormitory at free moments to have a look.
Finally, she found a few entries that started to unravel the story again, but posed more questions than they answered.
'13th December 1927: An intruder was discovered on site today, by the name of John Brown. He was found in Maria's caravan, and claimed to be a guest. Maria confirms his story. A meeting is to be held tomorrow to discuss his presence in the camp.
14th December 1927: John Brown requests sanctuary on the grounds of his friendship with Maria, and a need to escape his father for a time. He is a spoilt boy, but pleasant enough, and his accusations of recent whipping appear genuine. Ted Barnes has agreed to house him in his caravan for a trial period of three weeks since cohabiting with Maria is not appropriate. He will sell tickets to pay his way in the meantime.'
Carlotta pauses for a moment. Whipping is not an uncommon punishment in her time, and she never met her grandfather, so there is no way to know.
'4th January 1928: The weather has taken a turn for the worse. I have paid everyone an additional sum for fuel.
John Brown and Maria Fernandez have been caught engaging in inappropriate activity. Mr Brown claimed to be concerned that she was getting too cold. He has been cautioned not to put himself in such a situation again.
As Maria's guardian, I have warned her to be wary of this man's intentions...
...14th January 1928: A doctor has been called to examine Maria, who has been ill for several days.
15th January 1928: Maria Fernandez is to be married to John Brown on Saturday...'
Carlotta flicks back through the dates. Goodness, only a month?! Perhaps her mother had known her father for a while before he stayed with the circus. She'd not realised that he'd lived in the circus though, more assumed that his business had kept him following them around.
'18th January 1928: Maria and John Brown have left the circus in the middle of a contract. Mr Brown says they have no intention of coming back.
I will admit that I am devastated to lose Maria, who has been like a daughter to me, and have made arrangements with a servent boy in the Brown household to keep an eye on her.'
After this, there is nothing mentioned on the subject of either of her parents in the following weeks and months of entries. The bell goes for prep, but Carlotta stays where she is; she can't leave on this note... she skips to near her date of birth, her heart racing.
'12th September 1928: Maria Fernandez arrived unexpectedly at my caravan at midnight last night, heavily pregnant and soaked to the skin. She was hysterical. We sent for the doctor immediately and made her as comfortable as possible.
At 2.15am she gave birth to a daughter of healthy weight and colour, but Maria was in a poor way. At 2.30am she called me to her side, to tell me that the child was to be named Carlotta Maria Brown, and that if she did not survive, begged me to make her a ward of the circus rather than have her return to her father, at least until she was old enough to choose her own path. She lost consciousness and died shortly before 3am.
In respect of Maria's wishes, tomorrow I will make arrangements to become her legal guardian, though I fear that I am getting too old and will at some point have to pass the job to another. Carlotta is well, and is being wet nursed by Mrs Thomas.'
Carlotta puts the book down, and swallows the lump in her throat. Remembering the Prep bell, she quickly puts the book in her drawer, and tries to compose herself before she goes down. This was never going to be an easy story to find out.
"Carlotta Brown, why aren't you at Prep?" asks an angry voice at the door. Carlotta looks up at the angry face of New Matron.
"I was busy." she says, trying to restrain her temper. "I'm going now."
Finally, she found a few entries that started to unravel the story again, but posed more questions than they answered.
'13th December 1927: An intruder was discovered on site today, by the name of John Brown. He was found in Maria's caravan, and claimed to be a guest. Maria confirms his story. A meeting is to be held tomorrow to discuss his presence in the camp.
14th December 1927: John Brown requests sanctuary on the grounds of his friendship with Maria, and a need to escape his father for a time. He is a spoilt boy, but pleasant enough, and his accusations of recent whipping appear genuine. Ted Barnes has agreed to house him in his caravan for a trial period of three weeks since cohabiting with Maria is not appropriate. He will sell tickets to pay his way in the meantime.'
Carlotta pauses for a moment. Whipping is not an uncommon punishment in her time, and she never met her grandfather, so there is no way to know.
'4th January 1928: The weather has taken a turn for the worse. I have paid everyone an additional sum for fuel.
John Brown and Maria Fernandez have been caught engaging in inappropriate activity. Mr Brown claimed to be concerned that she was getting too cold. He has been cautioned not to put himself in such a situation again.
As Maria's guardian, I have warned her to be wary of this man's intentions...
...14th January 1928: A doctor has been called to examine Maria, who has been ill for several days.
15th January 1928: Maria Fernandez is to be married to John Brown on Saturday...'
Carlotta flicks back through the dates. Goodness, only a month?! Perhaps her mother had known her father for a while before he stayed with the circus. She'd not realised that he'd lived in the circus though, more assumed that his business had kept him following them around.
'18th January 1928: Maria and John Brown have left the circus in the middle of a contract. Mr Brown says they have no intention of coming back.
I will admit that I am devastated to lose Maria, who has been like a daughter to me, and have made arrangements with a servent boy in the Brown household to keep an eye on her.'
After this, there is nothing mentioned on the subject of either of her parents in the following weeks and months of entries. The bell goes for prep, but Carlotta stays where she is; she can't leave on this note... she skips to near her date of birth, her heart racing.
'12th September 1928: Maria Fernandez arrived unexpectedly at my caravan at midnight last night, heavily pregnant and soaked to the skin. She was hysterical. We sent for the doctor immediately and made her as comfortable as possible.
At 2.15am she gave birth to a daughter of healthy weight and colour, but Maria was in a poor way. At 2.30am she called me to her side, to tell me that the child was to be named Carlotta Maria Brown, and that if she did not survive, begged me to make her a ward of the circus rather than have her return to her father, at least until she was old enough to choose her own path. She lost consciousness and died shortly before 3am.
In respect of Maria's wishes, tomorrow I will make arrangements to become her legal guardian, though I fear that I am getting too old and will at some point have to pass the job to another. Carlotta is well, and is being wet nursed by Mrs Thomas.'
Carlotta puts the book down, and swallows the lump in her throat. Remembering the Prep bell, she quickly puts the book in her drawer, and tries to compose herself before she goes down. This was never going to be an easy story to find out.
"Carlotta Brown, why aren't you at Prep?" asks an angry voice at the door. Carlotta looks up at the angry face of New Matron.
"I was busy." she says, trying to restrain her temper. "I'm going now."
