Might sound weird... Adult Adoption

I was interested, too. I wish you'd post more often.

If Jig turns out ok, then I might be in line for the Royal Caledonian Order.

Now Jig, "Hold Fast"! Of course I have not sold you! I have relinquished my charge of you so that you may have a better (second) life - and speak respectfully of your good Uncle Desmond now!

I assure you, I closed my eyes and thought of England - I mean, Caledon!

I vote "yes".

We must petition for this together, I think

Now that the lid is off the can, I shudder to think what else will come out. Des is truly overdue for his long scheduled stroke, now

Dearest Sister,

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single woman in possession of two daughters of questionable paternity, must be in want of the assurances that can only be said to derive from the certain knowledge that at least one of those young charges is not roaring across the countryside in pursuit of extramarital sexual gratification like a hound to a fox.

Jig, you know that I, as your dutiful sister, both love you, and fear for you. It is in that spirit that I now, painfully, must inform you that you give your family palpitations.

It is not that I am more loved; it is rather that I am not the primary cause of Mummy's indigestion and high blood pressure.

Unlike some people, I ave to do some work. It's the thing peopel in the arts have to do. OLDER sisters like yourself get all the breaks.

What are you two quarreling about now?

Honestly, since this thread started, I have had racing tachycardia and am throwing back the pepcids and smelling salts like there is no tomorrow. I may as well bill them to Caledon while I am at it, and get Deira to send along her mounting debt as well.

...roaring across the countryside...

ZOMG!

That's hilarious...but it might give pause to your "parents" who laid out a hefty adoption fee and expected at least a few weeks of the joys of raising a child in return.

I can see Immy pulling this one though.

I quite agree. I can only say that **I** didn't start it.

/me smiles primly.

If all of you keep misbehaving I'm going to have to throw some large, overblown, stiffly formal event where all of you will have to act properly, sit still, and at most, not be able to do more than hiss epithets at each other between gracious smiles to your adoring public.

Don't say I didn't warn you!

*prepares to contact the vicar, the university chancellor, and the admiral*

Good idea I'm very concerned about Jig's behavior though. I fear she might blow the whole enterprise for us.

You give her a good talking to and make sure she knows how the future of the family depends upon her behaving in a circumspect manner - make sure she knows her duty.

Laurin - see what I mean! He'll get the Procurator Fiscal next!

/me smiles primly (again).

Well, I think you know that you can depend upon SOME of us to behave in becoming fashion, should you choose to do so . . .

Well, there's always the instigation factor to consider.

When trouble starts, always look to the seemingly oh~so~proper one pretending to have nothing to do with it, right?

She's often the one with the box of mice...

Well I haven't done anything (other than to unleash the 2 of you on the grid, apparently)!

And have you noticed he is pointedly ignoring me? I knew he would try to wriggle out of the title.

There you go again Pep, bringing up the same past comment that is neither appropriate nor necessary.

Also you may want to check for typos ( and yes I am sure this time).

Don't worry about thinking up a reply though, just do your usual and ignore what you can't answer.

I couldn't agree more. I try to have the quiet life, and then all this gets tramped through the forum. I will make sure I have an extra box of smelling salts before I embark on that conversation!

Nothing interesting here . . .

Pep ( . . . please move along.)

I think a single thread can only contain so many derails at once

Is it a real chance that OP can get adopted at such an event?

I'm sure Roberta, and probably many others, must be completely confused by now - so here is a brief summary of the sorry saga to date.

Laurin is the natural mother of Jig and Scylla.

Jig turned out to be so wild that she could not cope with her, so she foisted - sorry, fostered Jig to me - a saintly, hard working SL woman of mature years, who has struggled to keep us both out of debt and Jig out of trouble for a very long time.

Scylla owned a locket with a photograph, which was the only thing left to her by her unkown father. This photograph, it transpired, connected the two sisters unmistakably with the Shang family.

Lord Desmond, the head of the Shang family and whose seat is located in the expansive estate of Caledon, acknowledged the connection and adopted Jig. He is interviewing for a governess for Jig - so she might be prepared for her future life as an heiress.

Scylla, meanwhile, feels that she is more deserving and better suited to the role of heiress presumptive of Caledon - and after all, it was her locket that proved the case.

Whilst all this ancestral research was going on, Laurin believed she had found happiness and stability with Pep and the wedding was planned. I was to be bridesmaid (even though I hated the pink dress) and Lord Desmond agreed to give the bride away. However, Pep jilted Laurin and left her crying and destitute (not to mention dyspeptic). I think Lord Desmond should certainly make an example of him and flog him on the church steps, or in the stable yard, since he is undoubtedly a scoundrel.

I trust this makes things perfectly clear.