Fun and Games at Malory Towers Read online

  Enid Blyton™

  Fun and Games at Malory Towers

  Written by Pamela Cox

  Copyright

  Fun and Games at Malory Towers

  Text copyright © 2009 Enid Blyton Ltd, a Chorion Company

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Egmont UK Ltd

  239 Kensington High Street

  London

  W8 6SA

  Visit our web site at www.egmont.co.uk

  First e-book edition 2010

  ISBN 978 1 4052 49706

  Table of Contents

  Cover Page

  Title Page

  Copyright

  1 New girls at Malory Towers

  2 The first day

  3 A clash of wills

  4 An interesting rehearsal

  5 Millicent in trouble

  6 The missing notebook

  7 The term goes on

  8 A new friendship

  9 Half-term

  10 Who is the thief?

  11 The thief strikes again

  12 Mutiny in the orchestra

  13 A shock for Bonnie

  14 Delia makes a discovery

  15 A most peculiar night

  16 Things are cleared up

  17 A big chance for Delia

  18 A wonderful end to the term

  1

  New girls at Malory Towers

  ‘Isn’t it marvellous to be going back to Malory Towers?’ said Felicity Rivers excitedly, to her friend Susan Blake. ‘And to think we’ll be going up into the fifth form! Haven’t the years just flown by?’

  ‘Yes,’ agreed Susan. ‘Sometimes it seems like only yesterday that we were starting out as first formers.’

  Felicity had been staying with Susan for a few days, and now Mrs Blake was driving them back to school. First, though, they had to stop to collect a new girl, who was also going to be in the fifth form, on the way.

  ‘Mother, what did you say the new girl was called?’ asked Susan.

  ‘Millicent Moon,’ answered Mrs Blake. ‘I met her mother when I went out to tea the other day, and she seemed very pleasant indeed.’

  ‘Yes, but what is Millicent like?’ asked Susan impatiently.

  ‘Well, I don’t know, dear, for I didn’t meet her,’ said Mrs Blake. ‘She wasn’t there. The family have been living in France for the last year, you know, and Millicent was studying at a music academy there.’

  ‘I wonder if she will be as eccentric as my sister Darrell’s friend, Irene?’ said Felicity, with a grin. ‘Remember her, Susan?’

  ‘Yes, she was great fun,’ said Susan. ‘A simply brilliant musician, but completely absent-minded when it came to normal, everyday matters. I say, won’t it be marvellous for us if Millicent turns out to be as mad as Irene?’

  But when Mrs Blake presently stopped the car outside a neat house, the girl who stepped out didn’t look at all mad or eccentric. And she didn’t look as if she would be much fun either, thought Felicity and Susan, feeling a little disappointed.

  Millicent Moon was tall and slim, with long, straight dark hair, intense dark eyes and a pale, serious face. Her mother and father walked to the car with her, Mr Moon bringing Millicent’s trunk with him, and Mrs Blake stepped out of the car to greet them. The three grown-ups chatted for a few moments, while Millicent stood aside, an aloof expression on her face.

  Inside the car, Felicity said to Susan, ‘She looks awfully serious.’

  ‘Perhaps she is just nervous,’ said Susan. ‘It must be hard changing schools in the fifth form, when most of the others have known one another for years, and all have their own friends.’

  ‘Yes,’ agreed Felicity. ‘We must do everything we can to make Millicent feel at home.’

  So, when the new girl’s trunk was stowed safely in the boot, and Millicent herself slipped into the back of the car beside Felicity and Susan, she received a warm welcome.

  ‘Hallo, Millicent,’ said Susan, with a broad smile. ‘Nice to meet you. I’m Susan, and this is my friend, Felicity.’

  Felicity greeted the girl too, and said, ‘I hope you’re going to like it at Malory Towers. If there is anything you want to know, just ask Susan and me.’

  Millicent gave a little smile, and, as Mrs Blake started the car, said, ‘Thank you. I’m sure that I shall be happy, as long as I can play my music, and keep up with my lessons. Music is my life, you see.’

  Felicity and Susan looked rather startled at this, for Millicent sounded so very dramatic, and Susan said, ‘There are several girls in our form who take music lessons, but none of them are what you could call great musicians. I must say, it will be jolly nice to have someone in the form who can bash out a few tunes on the piano in the common-room, when we feel like having a dance.’

  Now it was Millicent’s turn to look startled, and Felicity said, ‘Perhaps Millicent doesn’t play the piano.’

  ‘Oh, I do,’ said Millicent coolly. ‘And the violin. And the harp. And the flute. But I am used to playing classical music, and not dance tunes.’

  Then Millicent turned her head to look out of the window and fell silent, while Felicity and Susan pulled wry faces at one another.

  As Millicent evidently wasn’t in the mood for conversation, the other two girls began to talk about their friends at Malory Towers, Susan saying, ‘Sylvia won’t be coming back this term. Her people are moving to Scotland, and she is going to day school there.’

  ‘I shall miss old Sylvia,’ said Felicity, with a sigh. ‘I didn’t much care for her at first, but she turned out to be quite a good sort.’

  ‘I could do with a nice easy time, this term,’ said Susan. ‘We all worked so hard at passing School Cert in the fourth that I think we deserve a good rest.’

  ‘Did everyone in your form pass, dear?’ asked Susan’s mother.

  ‘Yes, everyone,’ answered Susan. ‘Even Nora and Amy, who were both quite certain that they would fail.’

  ‘June sailed through, of course,’ said Felicity, a touch of envy in her tone. ‘She hardly did any studying at all, yet she still managed to get excellent marks.’

  ‘Typical of June!’ laughed Susan. ‘I say, she will have to settle down a bit now that she is a fifth former, won’t she?’

  ‘Yes, I think it’s going to be harder for June than for any of us,’ said Felicity, thoughtfully. ‘She’s so fond of playing jokes and tricks, but that kind of thing is quite out of the question when one becomes a fifth former.’

  Susan was about to reply to this when suddenly a low, tuneful humming filled the car. Felicity and Susan looked at one another, startled, as they wondered what it could be, then they realised that it was coming from Millicent. The girl had her eyes closed and her head back as she hummed, then, just as suddenly as it had started, the sound stopped, and Millicent opened her eyes and began rummaging in her schoolbag.

  She realised that the others were staring at her, and gave a laugh.

  ‘Sorry,’ she said. ‘It’s just that a new tune has come to me, and I must write it down at once, while it’s fresh in my mind.’

  She pulled a pen and notebook from her bag, and began jotting down a series of musical notes, while Felicity and Susan watched, fascinated.

  ‘There!’ she said at last, in satisfaction. ‘I shall try that out later. You did say that there was a piano in the common-room, didn’t you?’

  ‘Well, the old fifth formers had one,’ said Felicity. ‘So it should still be there, unless Miss Grayling has had it moved.’

  ‘Good,’ said Millicent. �
�Now, do tell me more about Malory Towers.’

  Now that she had written down her new tune, Millicent seemed much more amicable, and chatted pleasantly with Felicity and Susan throughout the rest of the journey.

  It was a very long drive indeed, and at twelve o’clock Mrs Blake stopped the car and took the girls for lunch at a restaurant. Afterwards, the three of them all felt rather sleepy, and conversation in the car tailed off as both Millicent and Susan closed their eyes. Felicity remained awake, though, for although she felt tired, she was excited too. It was so marvellous to be going back to her beloved Malory Towers, and she simply couldn’t wait to see all the others again.

  Scatter-brained Nora, and her friend, the placid, good-natured Pam. Then there were Julie and Lucy, who always brought their horses, Jack and Sandy, back to school with them. Not forgetting Amy, Bonnie, Freddie – and June, of course! Who could forget June, with her bold, mischievous ways? Perhaps there would be other new girls, too, thought Felicity, as the car went on its way, getting closer and closer to Malory Towers. What fun that would be!

  When they were almost there, Susan woke up, rubbing her eyes before she turned to grin at Felicity.

  ‘Almost there!’ she said excitedly.

  Then Millicent stirred, and sat up, yawning.

  ‘We’re nearly there, Millicent,’ said Felicity excitedly. ‘Once we turn this corner you will be able to see Malory Towers. Look, there it is! Up on the cliff-top.’

  ‘Heavens, it looks like a castle!’ exclaimed Millicent, looking up at the big building, with its four towers. ‘How magnificent. I feel sure that I shall be inspired to write some marvellous music in such a setting.’

  Millicent had gone all intense again, and Felicity and Susan exchanged glances, trying not to laugh, while Mrs Blake frowned at them in the driving mirror.

  At last the car came to a halt in the driveway, and the three girls looked out to see dozens of girls, all chattering away together, greeting friends and saying goodbye to parents.

  Felicity could see Nora and Pam in the distance, and she longed to leap out of the car and run across to them. But she was a sober, serious fifth former now, so she got out of the car in a dignified manner, and waited patiently with Susan and Millicent while Mrs Blake opened the boot and got their things out.

  ‘Do have a good term, all of you,’ said Mrs Blake, giving Susan a hug. ‘And I shall see you at half-term, dear.’

  Then the three girls made their way across the lawn, and found that Pam and Nora had been joined by June and Freddie.

  ‘Hallo there! Had good hols?’

  ‘My goodness, isn’t it grand to be back?’

  ‘I can’t believe that we are fifth formers now!’

  ‘And who’s this? A new girl?’

  ‘Oh yes, this is Millicent Moon,’ said Felicity. ‘Millicent, meet Pam, Nora, June and Freddie.’

  The others greeted the new girl with interest, then Susan said, ‘There’s something different about you this term, June.’

  ‘Is there?’ said June, looking rather startled. ‘I can’t think what.’

  ‘I know what it is!’ cried Susan. ‘You have an air of dignity about you.’

  ‘Yes,’ agreed Felicity, her eyes twinkling. ‘You look far more serious and responsible than you did last term. Like a proper fifth former!’

  ‘I was just thinking that myself,’ said Nora, joining in the fun. ‘I say, June, perhaps Miss James will make you head of the form now that you’ve gone all serious and grown-up.’

  June gave a snort and said, ‘Serious and grown-up? Me? What nonsense! As for Miss James making me head of the form, why, she’s more likely to choose Bonnie or Amy!’

  The others laughed at the thought of little Bonnie, or the haughty Amy, becoming head-girl, and Nora said, ‘I wonder who she will choose? Not me, that’s for sure.’

  ‘Well, we will find out tomorrow,’ said Pam. ‘I say, who’s that over there? Another new girl?’

  The others looked, and saw a plump, fair girl, with round, grey eyes and a rather bewildered expression, standing alone.

  ‘Poor thing,’ said Freddie. ‘She looks rather lost. Shall we go and say hallo?’

  So the group of fifth formers went across to the new girl and Felicity said, ‘Hallo there. You’re new, aren’t you? What form are you in?’

  ‘I’m in the fifth form, North Tower,’ answered the girl, smiling shyly. ‘My name’s Delia Norris. Are you all fifth formers too?’

  ‘Yes,’ answered Susan. ‘And we are all in North Tower, so you had better come along with us to Matron.’

  Delia bent to pick up her night case, and as she did so it flew open, her belongings spilling out everywhere.

  ‘Oh my gosh!’ said Delia, bending down to cram them in again higgledy-piggledy. ‘How silly of me. My aunt is always telling me how careless and clumsy I am.’

  ‘Well, that’s not very kind of her,’ said the outspoken June, and Felicity gave her a nudge, before stooping to help the new girl collect her scattered things.

  ‘Well, my aunt isn’t very kind, sometimes,’ said Delia, turning red. ‘She was awfully glad when my grandmother decided to pay the fees for me to come to boarding school.’

  She sounded rather forlorn, and some of the others felt sorry for her.

  Susan asked kindly, ‘Do you live with your aunt?’

  ‘Yes, and my two cousins,’ answered Delia, closing her night case firmly. ‘My father is a sailor, you see, so he is away a lot, and I have no mother. I don’t think that my aunt really wanted me to live with her, and my cousins certainly didn’t, for they never made me feel very welcome.’

  ‘What a shame!’ said the kind-hearted Pam, touched. ‘I daresay you will be glad to be away from them.’

  Delia nodded and said, ‘Though I can’t really blame them for being impatient with me at times. I’m such a duffer!’

  The others didn’t know quite what to say to this, and were relieved when Bonnie and Amy joined them.

  The two newcomers were introduced to the new girls, then Felicity said, ‘Well, I suppose we had better take our health certificates to Matron. Got yours, Delia? And you, Millicent? Good, well, off we go then.’

  The fifth formers trooped off to Matron’s room, where they found her busily ticking things off on a list. She looked up as the girls entered, and her plump face broke into a smile.

  ‘Hallo, fifth formers,’ she said. ‘My goodness, how strange it feels to be saying that to you! It seems like only yesterday that you came in here as giggling, irresponsible first formers.’

  ‘Yes, but all that is behind us now, Matron,’ said June, putting on a very grave expression. ‘You see before you a group of very sober, responsible individuals indeed.’

  Matron laughed, and said, ‘Hmm, as far as you are concerned, June, I will believe that when I see it. Now, do you all have your health certificates?’

  One by one, the girls handed them over, apart from Delia, who opened her night case and began pulling everything out.

  ‘Delia, what are you doing?’ asked Susan. ‘You’ve only just put everything back in!’

  ‘I can’t find my health certificate,’ said Delia. ‘I’m quite sure that it is in here somewhere.’

  ‘Well, it had better be, my girl,’ said Matron sternly. ‘Or it’s quarantine for you, and I am sure you don’t want that.’

  Delia certainly didn’t want that, and began searching more frantically. At last the health certificate was found, tucked inside one of her slippers, and she handed it over with a sigh of relief.

  Matron took it and said, ‘Off you go now. You are all in the same dormitory, along with Julie and Lucy, and another new girl called Gillian Weaver.’

  ‘Another new girl!’ exclaimed Nora, as they left Matron’s room and made their way to the dormitory. ‘I wonder what she is like?’

  The fifth formers soon found out, for when they reached their dormitory Julie and Lucy were already there, and with them was a slim girl, with narrow gre
en eyes and long, pale auburn curls. She was very attractive indeed, and the others looked at her with interest.

  ‘Hallo, you lot!’ cried Julie. ‘We’ve been back for ages, and we’ve got Jack and Sandy all settled in nicely.’

  The others greeted them, then Lucy said, ‘This is Gillian Weaver, who is joining our form. And I see we have two more new girls!’

  There was a flurry of introductions, then Felicity said happily, ‘Well, here we are, all back together again for a new term. I wonder what it will bring?’

  2

  The first day

  There was just time before tea to show the new girls round a bit. The fifth formers looked in at their new common-room, before going down to the stables, to greet Jack and Sandy.

  Delia and Millicent seemed rather nervous of horses and admired them from a distance, but Gillian patted their velvety muzzles and made a great fuss of them.

  ‘Do you ride, Gillian?’ asked Julie.

  ‘A little,’ said the girl. ‘But I don’t have much time for it, with my other interests.’

  ‘Oh?’ said Lucy. ‘And what are they?’

  ‘Well, I simply love tennis,’ said Gillian. ‘And I see that the courts here are super, so I’m hoping to do well at that this term. And I play the violin, too, and that takes up a lot of my time.’

  Millicent’s ears pricked up at this, and she said, ‘I am a musician myself, and play several instruments, including the violin. Have you taken any music exams?’

  ‘Oh, no,’ said Gillian, looking quite alarmed at the thought. ‘I simply play for fun.’

  Millicent, who took her music very seriously indeed, looked rather disapproving at this, but the others rather liked Gillian, and Freddie took her arm, saying, ‘Let’s go and take a look at the swimming-pool before tea. There’s just time.’

  Both Gillian and Millicent went into raptures over the beautiful, natural swimming-pool, which was hollowed out of rocks and filled by the sea.

  ‘Lovely!’ exclaimed Gillian. ‘I simply can’t wait to go for a swim in there.’