Summer Term at Malory Towers Page 4

  ‘Oh, it’s easy enough to get round Amy,’ said Bonnie airily.‘All you have to do is flatter her, admire her and show her that you look up to her. She simply adores that sort of thing.’

  ‘Really?’ said Esme doubtfully, thinking that it sounded too simple to be true.

  ‘Really,’ said Bonnie firmly.‘Look, here she comes now. Try it and you’ll see that I’m right.’

  Amy walked over to the two girls, smiling at Bonnie, but ignoring Esme. The early evening sun shining through the common-room window glinted on her golden hair and Esme exclaimed admiringly, ‘How lovely and shiny your hair is, Amy! I do wish that mine would gleam like that.’

  Amy looked at the girl in surprise, then she gave a faint, pleased smile and said, ‘You should brush it a hundred times every night before you go to bed. That’s what I do.’

  Esme nodded, staring at the girl intently as though she were hanging off her every word, and said, ‘I shall try that. You know, Amy, I think that you and Bonnie are far and away the prettiest girls in the form. And the nicest.’

  Amy unbent still more, her smile widening as she said, ‘Why, thank you, Esme.’

  Bonnie’s eyes danced as she picked up the sewing she was working on and she said to Amy, ‘Esme was just saying that she doesn’t really feel as if she fits in with the others.’

  ‘Awfully hearty, aren’t they?’ said Amy, wrinkling her nose.

  ‘Yes, that’s exactly the word to describe them!’ said Esme.‘But my mother wants me to be a proper English schoolgirl, just like them, and I don’t think I can be.’

  ‘Well, Amy and I are English schoolgirls and we are nothing like them,’ said Bonnie.

  ‘That’s very true!’ said Esme, looking thoughtful.‘You are just as English as they are, but in a different way—a good way. I wouldn’t mind becoming more English if it meant that I could be like you two. If only you could teach me.’

  ‘We can teach you!’ said Amy, looking excited all of a sudden.‘We can teach you how to say “wonderful” instead of “wunnerful”, and “twenty” instead of “twenny”.’

  ‘And how to look pretty in a natural way, without sleeping in curlers and putting that dreadful make-up on your face,’ said Bonnie, staring hard at the girl.‘You’ve put that awful black stuff on your eyes again! Don’t say that you haven’t, for I can see it!’

  ‘Well, I just put a little on,’ admitted Esme sheepishly.‘I didn’t think anyone would notice.’

  Amy and Bonnie pursed their lips in disapproval and Amy said, ‘Well, you must promise never to wear it again. And you must agree to do everything that we say.’

  ‘Oh, I shall,’ said Esme, nodding eagerly, feeling quite thrilled. She had made two friends, and she was going to please her mother by becoming more English. Perhaps things at Malory Towers weren’t going to be so bad after all!

  Julie and Lucy, meanwhile, were discussing their favourite subject—their horses.

  ‘I can’t wait until Saturday,’ said Julie, her eyes shining.‘We can spend the whole day over at Five Oaks with Jack and Sandy.’

  ‘I say, do you mind if Susan and I come along too?’ asked Felicity, overhearing.‘I haven’t seen Bill and Clarissa in simply ages.’

  ‘The more the merrier!’ said Julie, happily.

  ‘In that case, I’ll come as well,’ said June.‘How about you, Freddie?’

  Freddie nodded eagerly and Pam said, ‘I say, why don’t we all go and spend the day there? We could take a picnic along with us.’

  ‘My word, what a super idea!’ said Nora, clapping her hands together. Then she called out to Esme, Amy and Bonnie, ‘I say, you three! We’re all going to take a picnic to Five Oaks on Saturday. What about it?’

  Amy, who was absolutely terrified of getting freckles if she spent too much time in the sun, shook her head and said, ‘No, thank you. I don’t want to ruin my complexion.’

  ‘And I want to get on with the handkerchiefs I’m embroidering for Mother’s birthday,’ said Bonnie.

  Esme hesitated. She wasn’t afraid of going out in the sun, for her skin always turned an attractive golden brown. And she so wanted to see Sandy again! But she desperately wanted to keep in with Amy and Bonnie, and perhaps they wouldn’t like it if she went off with the others. Amy solved her dilemma by murmuring in a low voice, ‘Actually, it’s a very good thing that they’re all going out on Saturday. Bonnie and I can give you your first lesson in “Englishness”, without them sticking their noses in and making fun of us.’

  ‘Yes, we’ll make an English rose of you yet, Esme!’ said Bonnie.

  ‘Gee, that’s wunnerful!’ cried Esme.‘I mean, gosh, how wizard!’

  It was a happy group of third formers who went to bed that evening. Most of them were looking forward with great anticipation to their day out on Saturday, while Esme was delighted to have been accepted by Amy and Bonnie. Even Amy felt excited at the prospect of teaching Esme to become a lady, just like herself. She had never realised before just how much the girl looked up to her and wanted to be like her, and that kind of admiration was very pleasant to Amy. What a feather in her cap it would be if she could transform the American girl!

  The following day, June had another encounter with Eleanor Banks. She, Freddie, Felicity and Susan were playing a game of doubles on the tennis-court. Amanda walked past with the Head Girl, Kay Foster, and, knowing that it was a free period for the third formers, she smiled and called out, ‘My word, you girls are keen! That’s just what I like to see. Keep it up, and I don’t see how you can fail to get places on one of the teams!’

  The four girls felt quite thrilled at Amanda’s praise, and her words seemed to spur them on, all of them playing their hardest. Susan sent a particularly high ball across the net, placing it where June had no hope at all of returning it. But, being June, she had to try anyway, making a wild swipe at the ball and sending it soaring over the high mesh fence that surrounded the court. Unfortunately for June, Eleanor Banks happened to be walking by at that moment, and the ball bounced off the top of her head, causing her to squeal loudly.

  ‘Gosh, sorry, Eleanor!’ called out June.

  But the fifth former was in no mood for apologies, although she had been more shocked than hurt, and she came over to the fence to scold June for her carelessness.

  ‘It really was an accident, Eleanor,’ said Felicity, hoping to placate the angry girl. But it was no use, for Eleanor disliked June intensely and was glad of any excuse to dish out a punishment. June, for her part, knew that it was useless to protest and kept her head down, hoping that if she put on a display of meekness, Eleanor would not give her too many lines to learn. And that’s when she noticed that one of Eleanor’s shoelaces had come undone. At once all thoughts of pretending to be meek vanished from June’s head and, giving Freddie a nudge, she whispered, ‘Distract her.’

  ‘What? How?’ Freddie hissed back, looking rather alarmed.

  ‘I don’t know! Think of something—quickly!’ muttered June.

  So Freddie did the only thing she could think of, and pointed rather wildly in the direction of a large tree, which stood just outside the tennis-court, crying dramatically, ‘Look!’

  Everyone but June turned their heads at once, Felicity saying, ‘What is it, Freddie?’

  ‘Can’t you see it?’ said Freddie.‘My word, I’ve never seen anything like it in my life!’

  ‘But what is it?’ demanded Eleanor, growing impatient.‘I can’t see anything at all!’

  ‘Nor can I, Freddie,’ said Susan.‘What is it? A bird, or a squirrel or something?’

  ‘Yes, that’s it—a squirrel!’ said Freddie.‘But it was no ordinary squirrel, for it was absolutely enormous.’

  June, meanwhile, grinning to herself, had worked swiftly. The wicked girl had crouched down and pulled both ends of Eleanor’s shoelace through the holes in the mesh, knotting them together very tightly, several times.

  June straightened up as Eleanor snapped, ‘Enough of this nonsense! I don
’t believe that there’s anything in the tree at all.’ Then she turned her head to glare at June and felt in her pocket for the little punishment book that all the fifth-and sixth-form girls carried with them. With a triumphant little smirk she pulled it out, at the same time going to take a step back from the fence. And that was when she discovered that she was quite unable to move her foot, for June had tied it securely to the fence! Felicity, Susan and Freddie noticed her predicament at once, the three of them gasping at June’s audacity and struggling to hide their laughter as Eleanor roared, ‘June! Untie my shoelace at once!’

  But June pretended not to hear, and called to the others, ‘Come on, you three! Let’s carry on with our game.’

  Freddie was at her side at once, but the more responsible Felicity and Susan hesitated. As head-girl of the form, she really ought to release the fifth former, Felicity thought, watching as Eleanor bent down, pushing her fingers through the mesh, and struggling to untie the knots in her shoelace. She wasn’t having much success, though, for June had done her work well and the knots were very tight indeed.

  Felicity and Susan exchanged a doubtful look, then an enraged squeal from Eleanor made them both burst into laughter.

  ‘Felicity Rivers!’ yelled the infuriated girl, red in the face with anger and humiliation.‘How dare you laugh at me? I shall report you to Miss Potts, all four of you!’

  ‘The chances are that she’ll report us whether we help her or not,’ said Felicity with a chuckle.‘So we may as well have some fun!’

  And with that, she and Susan picked up their rackets and took their places on the court.

  ‘I say, Eleanor,’ June called out.‘Throw us our ball back, will you? Oh no, you can’t—you’re a little tied up!’

  The others roared with laughter, as the furious Eleanor, angry tears starting to her eyes now, beat at the fence with her fists, and Susan said, ‘Not to worry, June, I have a spare ball in my pocket. Your service, I think!’

  As the girls played on, Eleanor continued to work at the knots in her shoelace, and at last she managed to undo two of them. She gave a little cry of triumph, and began tugging at the third and final one. But this knot proved even more difficult and, in frustration, Eleanor screamed, causing June to drawl, ‘My goodness, I don’t think I’ve ever seen the Ice Queen get so hot and bothered. Careful, Eleanor, or you’ll melt!’

  In sheer frustration, the laughter of the third formers ringing in her ears, Eleanor kicked out at the fence with her free foot, and it was at this moment that Amanda returned to the court, with a small group of fifth formers, all dressed for tennis, in tow.

  ‘Hey!’ shouted Amanda, angrily.‘Eleanor Banks! What on earth do you think you’re playing at?’

  Horrified to be caught in such an embarrassing situation by members of her own form, Eleanor bent down and gave the knot a last, violent tug, and it came loose so suddenly that she toppled over backwards. Eleanor was not popular with her own form, and the laughter of the fifth formers joined with that of the third formers now, as Amanda marched across to her and said wrathfully, ‘How dare you distract the youngsters from their tennis practice with your fooling around? At your age, Eleanor, you really should know better!’

  ‘But I wasn’t fooling around, Amanda!’ the girl protested.‘It was that beast of a June! She tied me to the fence when I wasn’t looking, and—’

  ‘What nonsense!’ said Amanda scornfully.‘When I walked by this court, a short while ago, June was working hard at her tennis and she is still playing tennis now. It’s a pity that you didn’t have half of her dedication, Eleanor, then you could focus your energy on something worthwhile instead of disrupting everyone else. As you’re a fifth former, I can’t punish you as you deserve, but you had better jolly well stay out of my way, let me tell you!’

  Eleanor, realising that it was pointless to argue with Amanda in this mood, murmured something which might have been an apology and slunk away.

  June, meanwhile, looking the picture of goodness, shook her head sorrowfully at the departing girl, before finishing her game of tennis under the approving eye of Amanda.

  ‘And the best of it is that Eleanor didn’t even get round to giving me a punishment,’ laughed June carelessly as the four girls walked off the court afterwards.

  ‘My goodness, I haven’t laughed so much in ages!’ said Freddie, still chuckling to herself.

  ‘It was very funny,’ agreed Felicity.‘But the Ice Queen is going to be out for revenge, June—so watch out!’

  5

  A visit to Five Oaks

  Saturday dawned bright and sunny, and the third formers leapt out of bed eagerly—apart from Nora, who always hated leaving her comfortable bed, even on a glorious morning like this.

  ‘Just five more minutes,’ she mumbled drowsily, as Pam tried to rouse her.

  ‘I know you, my girl,’ said Pam sternly.‘Your five minutes will stretch into ten, then fifteen, and you’ll end up being late for breakfast.’

  ‘I know what will get her up,’ said June, coming over and winking at Pam.‘A nice cold, wet sponge! I’ll just go and fetch one, shall I?’

  Had the speaker been anyone but June, Nora would have dismissed this as an idle threat. But there was no limit to June’s daring, and one never knew what she would do next, so Nora sat up abruptly, a scowl on her face, and Pam swiftly grabbed the girl’s arm, hauling her out of bed before she could lie down again.

  The girls got themselves ready in record time and, after breakfast, went to the kitchen to collect the picnic baskets that the cook had promised to leave ready for them.

  ‘She’s done us proud,’ said Felicity, lifting the lid of one of the baskets.‘There are sandwiches of every kind, sponge cake, fruit—ooh, and two big bottles of lemonade! It makes me feel hungry already, although I’ve just finished breakfast!’

  The third formers were in high spirits as they made their way to Five Oaks, carrying the picnic baskets between them, and Felicity said, ‘I don’t know how Amy, Bonnie and Esme can bear to be cooped up indoors on such a beautiful day. It would do the three of them the world of good to get out in the fresh air and think about something else besides their looks.’

  ‘Well, if that’s their idea of fun, I suppose it’s up to them,’ said Susan.‘I say, I’m looking forward to seeing old Jack again, aren’t you?’

  Felicity nodded.‘Malory Towers just isn’t the same without him, somehow, although he’s not very far away.’

  And Jack was very pleased to see the girls, too, being on the friendliest of terms with all of them. Everyone made a great fuss of him, feeding him sugar lumps and patting his velvety muzzle, and Lucy’s horse, Sandy, in the next stall, became very jealous indeed, whinnying for his share of attention. The third formers could see how Sandy had got his name, for he was the most beautiful pale, golden-brown colour.

  ‘Just like the sand on the beach,’ as Nora said, stroking his broad neck.‘He’s adorable, Lucy.’

  Julie turned to the young stable lad, who was busily cleaning some tack, and asked, ‘Where are Bill and Clarissa, Jim?’

  ‘Up at the house, miss,’ he answered, and Felicity said, ‘Well, let’s pop in and say hallo.’

  The girls walked across the stable-yard to the pretty little house that Bill and Clarissa shared, and Pam pushed at the door. To her surprise, it didn’t budge, and she said, ‘That’s odd! I’ve never known Bill and Clarissa to lock their door before. Normally we just walk straight in.’

  She rapped sharply on the door and, after a few moments, it opened slightly and a pale, thin face with bright green eyes and a worried expression appeared at the crack. Then the worried expression cleared, replaced by a smile, and the door was pulled wide open.

  ‘Girls!’ exclaimed Clarissa Carter.‘How lovely to see you all. Do come in!’

  She stood aside, and the third formers filed past her into the big, cosy kitchen, where a young woman with short, dark hair and a tanned complexion sat at a large wooden table, looking rather
pensive.

  ‘Bill!’ cried Felicity.‘I do hope you don’t mind us all turning up like this.’

  ‘Of course not!’ said Bill, her face creasing into a smile.‘It’s wonderful to see you all. I say, you’ve brought a picnic too—how marvellous!’

  ‘Put your baskets over in the corner there, girls,’ said Clarissa. ‘It’s in the shade, so everything will stay nice and cool.’

  The girls did so, then Bill said, ‘I’m afraid you’ll have to take it in turns if you all want to ride, for we only have four horses free today.’

  ‘I’m happy just to watch the others,’ said Felicity, who was fond of horses, but wasn’t a great rider.

  ‘The same goes for me,’ said Nora.‘I’m just here for a day out and a picnic!’

  ‘I say, Clarissa, why was the door locked?’ asked Pam.‘It’s normally open house here.’

  Bill and Clarissa exchanged worried glances and Felicity asked, ‘Is anything wrong?’

  ‘Well, yes, actually,’ said Clarissa, gravely.‘I’m afraid a couple of things have gone wrong just lately.’

  The third formers looked alarmed, and Bill said, ‘Clarissa and I were giving riding lessons to some of the children from the village a couple of days ago, and while we were in the paddock, someone simply walked into the house and stole our cash-box.’

  The girls were very fond of Bill and Clarissa, and knew how hard they had worked to make a success of the riding stables, so there was an immediate outcry at this.

  ‘That’s simply dreadful!’

  ‘I wish I could get my hands on whoever did it—mean beasts!’

  ‘Was there much money in the box?’

  ‘Did you call the police?’

  ‘Luckily there wasn’t an awful lot of money in the box,’ said Clarissa.‘But the thought that someone just walked in and helped himself—or herself—is most worrying, as you can imagine. That’s why we have started to get into the habit of locking the door.’

  ‘And we called the police,’ added Bill.‘But the thief didn’t leave any clues at all, so they weren’t able to be of much help. There’s something else, too.’