Goodbye Malory Towers Page 17

  ‘Oh, that’s marvellous!’ cried Mrs Mannering, looking hard at her older daughter and feeling pleased that she had lost her rather serious expression, and now seemed like a happy, carefree schoolgirl. She blamed herself for the strain that Lizzie had placed herself under, and now, as she put an arm about each girl’s shoulder, she said, ‘My dears, I can’t tell you how sorry I am for misunderstanding what Uncle Charles said to me. I can’t believe that I was foolish enough to think that such a generous man would really expect us to repay him for your school fees.’

  ‘Now, that’s quite enough of that!’ said Uncle Charles, turning a little red. ‘This is supposed to be a happy occasion for us.’

  ‘Yes,’ said Lizzie, squeezing her mother’s hand. ‘It was just a mistake, Mother, so let’s forget all about it.’

  In the end, despite June’s misgivings, the gala went off very well indeed. Mrs Mannering had the thrill of seeing Edith receive a standing ovation for her graceful diving, while Lizzie finished a very honourable second in her race.

  Neither Felicity’s parents nor June’s had been able to come, but Darrell applauded wildly at Felicity’s impressive diving, while Alicia yelled herself hoarse as June streaked the length of the swimming pool, narrowly beating her opponents. Sally was there to spur Daffy on, too, of course, her heart in her mouth as she watched the girl poised on the topmost diving board. How tiny she looked, all the way up there! Sally squeezed Darrell’s hand involuntarily as Daffy launched herself into the air, turning a perfect somersault, before stretching out her arms and legs and diving cleanly into the water.

  ‘That was simply marvellous!’ said Alicia, clapping June on the back when everyone went in to tea afterwards. ‘To think that my don’t-careish cousin was responsible for organising all that!’

  ‘I’m not quite so don’t-careish now, if you don’t mind, Alicia,’ said June with a grin. ‘But I mustn’t take all the credit, for Felicity and Susan were an enormous help to me.’

  ‘You were excellent too,’ said Darrell to Felicity. ‘I was proud of you. And I managed to get some decent photographs, so Mother and Daddy will be able to share your moment of glory as well.’

  All of the Malory Towers girls went to bed without protesting that night, tired but happy. Only the old girls – along with Miss Nicholson – sat up late.

  ‘Well, today has been fun,’ said Clarissa. ‘But tomorrow is not going to be fun at all.’

  ‘I just hope that everything goes according to plan,’ said Mavis, looking worried.

  ‘As long as everyone plays their parts, nothing can go wrong,’ said Alicia, confidently. ‘Everything will be all right, you’ll see.’

  ‘Oh, I do hope so,’ said Gwen, wringing her hands. ‘Miss Grayling hasn’t said anything yet about me coming back next term. If she does, I would very much like to accept her offer, but I don’t feel that I can if Daisy is still here, planning and plotting against me.’

  ‘She won’t be,’ said Darrell, a grim expression on her face. ‘Dear Daisy is in for a shock tomorrow!’

  20

  Goodbye Malory Towers

  As the old girls had already discovered, Daisy was on duty in the dining-room at breakfast time, and they spoke freely in front of her.

  ‘So, we are agreed,’ said Sally. ‘We are all going to the cinema tonight?’

  ‘Yes,’ said Darrell. ‘The film starts at eight o’clock, so we should be back shortly before half past ten.’

  ‘Are you wearing your famous diamonds, Mavis?’ asked Daphne.

  Mavis laughed. ‘I think that they may be a little showy for a small cinema,’ she said. ‘I’d better leave them behind.’

  ‘Well, for heaven’s sake give them to Matron for safekeeping,’ said Gwen. ‘It makes my blood run cold to think of them lying around in the drawer of your cabinet.’

  ‘Oh, they have been perfectly fine there all week,’ said Mavis, lightly. ‘And they will be perfectly safe there tonight, as well.’

  But the girls didn’t go to the cinema that night. Instead they sat in the common-room, as quiet as mice, so that if Daisy happened to pass she would not know they were there. All except for Alicia, Darrell and Gwen, who were upstairs. Alicia lay hidden under her bed, which was opposite Mavis’s, so that she had an excellent view if anyone came in. And jolly uncomfortable it was too! Darrell and Gwen, meanwhile, sat on a window seat in an alcove in the passage outside the dormitory, hidden from view by a heavy curtain.

  The time seemed to pass very slowly indeed for all concerned, as there was nothing they could do to occupy themselves, not even talk! But, just as the three upstairs were beginning to wonder if Daisy was going to take the bait, they heard the sound of feet padding softly up the stairs. Gwen clutched at Darrell’s arm, and Darrell patted her hand reassuringly, holding a warning finger up to her lips.

  In the dormitory, Alicia tensed as she heard the door open, then blinked rapidly as the light was switched on. Hardly daring to breathe, she watched as a pair of legs, clad in black stockings and sensible black shoes, came into view and made straight for Mavis’s bed. The intruder had her back to Alicia now, so the girl took a chance and stuck her head out so that she could get a good look. Yes, it was Daisy all right! And she was helping herself to Mavis’s ‘diamonds’!

  Quickly, Alicia drew her head back in, then Daisy switched off the light and went out, closing the door behind her. Instantly, Alicia emerged from her hiding-place, yelling at the top of her voice, ‘DARRELL!’

  This was the signal that they had agreed on, to let Darrell and Gwen know that Daisy had taken the jewellery, and both girls jumped out from behind the curtain, confronting the startled Daisy.

  The maid hardly knew what to think for a moment. That yell had come from the dormitory, but there had been no one in there a moment before. And what were two of the old girls doing up here when they were supposed to be at the cinema? Then Daisy heard a door open behind her, and saw Alicia coming out of the dormitory, a grim expression on her face and, all at once, she realised the trap she had fallen into.

  ‘Let us see what you have in your pocket, Daisy,’ demanded Darrell.

  ‘W-why, nothing,’ stammered Daisy, trying to bluff it out.

  ‘Don’t lie, Daisy,’ said Alicia. ‘You have Mavis’s jewellery in there, for I saw you take it.’

  ‘I – I was taking it to put in Matron’s safe,’ said the girl, sounding desperate now. ‘You see, I overheard you talking at breakfast, and – ’

  ‘Don’t lie!’ said Gwen scornfully. ‘You were stealing them, just as you stole the cufflinks I bought for my father.’

  Daisy turned pale, and suddenly all the fight seemed to go out of her. Then she glared at Gwen and hissed, ‘Yes, I took the jewellery. But I wasn’t going to keep it for myself, oh no. I was going to plant it in your room, so that it looked as if you had taken it, then Miss Grayling would have had no choice but to dismiss you – the high-and-mighty Miss Lacey! But you’re not so high-and-mighty now, are you?’

  Gwen shrank back as though she had been slapped, quite sickened by the hatred in the maid’s voice.

  Seeing that Gwen looked as if she was about to faint, Alicia said to Daisy, ‘Be quiet! You’re coming along to Miss Grayling’s study with us, right now.’

  Daisy did not protest, for she knew that the game was up, and walked along sullenly with the three girls to the Head’s room.

  Fortunately, Miss Grayling had not yet gone to bed, and she called out, ‘Come in!’ when Darrell tapped on her door.

  She raised her brows when the three girls, accompanied by a reluctant Daisy, entered, and asked, ‘Is something the matter?’

  ‘I’m afraid that there is,’ said Darrell. ‘We have just caught Daisy stealing Mavis’s jewellery.’

  There was no need for the Head to ask Daisy if this was true, for guilt was written all over the girl’s face. Miss Grayling felt shocked and dismayed, for Daisy had been at the school for a number of years, and although she was a little too fond of
gossiping at times, the Head would have sworn that she was of good character. It saddened her deeply to find out that she had been mistaken.

  ‘There is more, I am afraid, Miss Grayling,’ said Gwen, and she went on to tell the astonished Head mistress the other things Daisy was suspected of doing.

  Really, thought the Head, it seems quite unbelievable that all this has been going on under my nose, and I didn’t have the faintest idea!

  ‘But Gwen, my dear, I don’t understand,’ she said. ‘Why on earth didn’t you report the loss of your cufflinks?’

  ‘I – I didn’t want to make a fuss,’ said Gwen, looking down at the carpet. ‘I thought that if I caused trouble, you might not want to keep me on here.’

  ‘I see,’ said Miss Grayling quietly. Then her expression hardened as she turned to Daisy, and said, ‘Please hand over the jewellery that you stole.’

  Red-faced, Daisy put her hand into the big pocket of her apron, and pulled out Mavis’s necklace and earrings, placing them on the Head’s desk.

  Miss Grayling glanced at them, then said, ‘And you intended to plant these in Miss Lacey’s room so that I would dismiss her. All because she treated you unpleasantly many years ago. What a low and spiteful act, Daisy.’

  Both Daisy and Gwen turned red at this, for Gwen did not like to be reminded of how mean she had been to Daisy.

  ‘And am I to understand that you also masqueraded as Miss Lacey, and locked poor Lizzie Mannering in the shed?’ asked the Head.

  ‘Yes,’ admitted Daisy. ‘I knew that the first formers were having a feast, you see, for they had asked me to provide them with lemonade. And I knew that Miss Lizzie would be snooping around, for I overheard them discussing how to get the better of her. I already had Miss Lacey’s clothes, for I had washed them for her, and I had taken the hat from her room when I stole the cufflinks. All I had to do was borrow a wig from the costume box behind the stage that is used for plays and concerts.’

  ‘You seem to have done quite a bit of snooping around yourself,’ said the outspoken Alicia in a hard voice. ‘You were outside our common-room the other night, weren’t you, and heard us talking about visiting Gwen’s class-room the following morning. So you were able to sneak in first and write that horrible message on the blackboard.’

  Daisy hung her head but said nothing and, at last, Miss Grayling said, ‘Daisy, you will pack your bags tonight and leave Malory Towers tomorrow morning. But first, I must insist that you give Miss Lacey her cufflinks back.’

  So the three old girls, Daisy and Miss Grayling went along to the maid’s room, up in the attics. There, Daisy produced a rather battered suitcase from under her bed, and threw open the lid to reveal a small jewellery box containing the cufflinks, Gwen’s hat, a blonde wig and a bottle of very expensive perfume.

  ‘Is this yours, Gwen?’ asked Darrell, holding up the bottle.

  ‘No,’ said Gwen, puzzled. ‘I have never seen it before.’

  ‘I took it from Miss Amy,’ said Daisy. ‘Oh, I didn’t steal it from her, but what I did was just as bad. I made her give it to me in return for keeping quiet about something. I shan’t tell you what.’

  ‘Well, I’m glad to see that you still have some decency,’ said Alicia scornfully.

  Suddenly, Daisy’s legs began to tremble, and she sat down abruptly on her bed, looking up at Miss Grayling, and saying in little more than a whisper, ‘Will you have to call the police?’

  The Head looked at Gwen, and said, ‘That is for Miss Lacey to decide, as she has borne the brunt of your spite.’

  ‘I don’t want the police involved,’ said Gwen at once. ‘Daisy, you have behaved very badly indeed, but I am partly to blame because of the shameful way I treated you all those years ago. I think that losing your job and being sent away from Malory Towers is punishment enough.’

  ‘A just decision, I think,’ said Miss Grayling. ‘Daisy, you will remain here until morning. I shall inform the housekeeper that you are leaving in the morning because of some family crisis. Any wages that you are owed will be sent to your home.’

  ‘Thank you, Miss Grayling,’ said Daisy, feeling quite light-headed with relief that the police weren’t going to be called. Then she looked at Gwen, and said, ‘Thank you as well. I’m sorry, but it should comfort you to know that I have hurt myself far more than I have hurt you.’

  ‘It doesn’t,’ said Gwen quietly. Then, followed by Miss Grayling and the others, she turned and left the room.

  ‘Phew! Thank goodness that’s over!’ said Darrell, when they were all out on the landing.

  ‘Well, I am thanking goodness that I allowed you girls to hold your reunion here,’ said Miss Grayling. ‘But for you, we might never have got to the bottom of this, and Daisy could have continued persecuting Gwen next term.’

  ‘Next term?’ said Gwen, hardly able to believe her ears. ‘Miss Grayling, do you mean … ’

  ‘Yes, Gwen,’ said Miss Grayling with a smile. ‘I would like you to return to Malory Towers in September and teach the girls who will be moving up into the sixth form.’

  ‘Marvellous news, Gwen!’ cried Darrell, patting the girl on the back.

  ‘Simply super!’ said Alicia. ‘Come on, girls, let’s go back to the common-room and tell the others everything that had happened.’

  ‘Oh, I’ve still got Amy’s perfume,’ said Darrell, suddenly realising that she was clutching the bottle.

  ‘Well, you can give it to her tomorrow,’ said Alicia, grabbing Darrell’s arm and pulling her towards the stairs. ‘Come on! The others must be on tenterhooks!’

  Miss Peters and the third formers arrived back at school on Friday morning, the last day of term. Fortunately, the third formers had packed their trunks before leaving for their camping trip, so they had nothing to do but wait for their parents to arrive.

  For everyone else, though, it was a bustle of last-minute activity as trunks and night cases were packed.

  ‘This quite takes me back,’ said Irene, haphazardly stuffing things into her night case. ‘I can almost imagine that I am a first former, going home for the holidays.’

  ‘Yes, you tried to steal my pyjamas then!’ said Alicia, snatching them back from Irene.

  ‘Thank goodness we only have night cases to fill this time, and not trunks!’ said Daphne. ‘How I do hate packing!’

  In the sixth-form dormitory, meanwhile, Felicity went up to Amy and said, ‘I almost forgot! Darrell came up to me after breakfast, and asked me to give you this.’

  ‘My perfume!’ cried Amy, absolutely delighted to have it back again.

  ‘Yes, it was found in Daisy’s room,’ said Felicity, and Amy flushed a little as she remembered giving it to the maid in return for her silence.

  The news of Daisy’s disgrace had flown round the school, of course, but with the excitement of the last day of term, no one had said very much about it.

  At last, the sixth formers were packed, and they carried their night cases down to the big hall, all of them feeling rather solemn suddenly.

  The old girls were already there, and Darrell smiled at Felicity as she saw her coming down the stairs.

  ‘How do you feel?’ she asked when Felicity came up to her.

  ‘Excited, sad – all mixed up, really!’ laughed Felicity.

  ‘Just the way I felt on my last day,’ said Darrell.

  All the mistresses, as well as Matron, had gathered in the big hall, for everyone wanted to say goodbye to the old girls, as well as to the departing sixth formers.

  Mam’zelle Dupont grew quite tearful as she hugged everyone in turn, and Nora disgraced herself by bursting into tears too, though everyone assured her that it was quite understandable.

  At last the big coaches that would take the train girls to the station arrived, and there were a great many emotional farewells.

  The hall seemed a great deal bigger and emptier once they had left, and Felicity said to Darrell, ‘I do hope that Mother and Daddy don’t arrive too soon. I want to make my last
moments at Malory Towers last as long as possible.’

  ‘They may not be your very last moments,’ said Sally, overhearing this. ‘Who knows, you may want to arrange a reunion of your own in a few years.’

  ‘Yes, that would be fun,’ said Felicity, brightening a little. ‘It makes me feel less sad to think that I might come back one day.’

  Just then, Daffy came running up to Sally, grabbing at her sleeve. ‘Mother and Daddy are here!’ she cried. ‘Do come on, Sally. Goodbye, Darrell! Goodbye, Felicity!’

  ‘These youngsters just have no sense of occasion,’ sighed Sally, shaking her head. ‘I shall see you both in the holidays, I expect. Yes, Daffy, I’m coming!’

  ‘Do you mind if we wait outside, Darrell?’ asked Felicity. ‘I think the sunshine might cheer me up a little, and I’d like a last look at the grounds.’

  ‘Good idea,’ said Darrell.

  So the two sisters made their way outside to wait for their parents, each lost in her own thoughts as they looked at the gaily coloured flower-beds, and well-kept lawns.

  Then, all too soon, Mr Rivers’s car could be seen winding its way up the drive, and it was time to leave.

  Felicity and Darrell climbed into the back seat and, as the car pulled away, both of them turned and looked back – and said a silent goodbye to Malory Towers.