Last Term at Malory Towers Read online

  She had. She 'dripped with diamonds', as June said to Susan. 'I'm only surprised she doesn't have a diamond nose-ring, as well as all the rest,' said June. I've a good mind to suggest it to Jo. She could pass on the idea, perhaps.'

  'No, don't,' said Susan, afraid ol June's unkind wit. 'She can't help having such parents. Oh, isn't her lather dreadlul this time?'

  He really was. He had cornered Miss Parker, Jo's form mistress, and was blaring at her in his fog-horn voice.

  'Well, Miss Parker - how's our Jo getting along? Naughtiest girl in the form as usual? Ah, well - they're always the most popular, aren't they? The things / used to do as a boy. My name's Charlie, so they called me Cheeky Charlie at school! The things I said to my icachers! Ha ha ha!'

  Miss Parker made no reply. She merely looked disgusted. Jo felt frightened. She knew that face of Miss Parker's. She had a feeling that Miss Parker might say something that even Cheeky Charlie wouldn't like.

  Her father went blundering on. 'Well, you haven't said a word about our Jo. She's a card, isn't she? Ha ha - 1 bet she calls you Nosey Parker!' And he actually gave Miss Parker a dig in the ribs!

  'I have nothing to sa> about Jo except that she apparently takes after her father/ said Miss Parker, starlet with annoyance. She turned away to speak to Darrell's mother, who had come to her rescue. Everyone always hoped to be rescued from Mr Jones!

  'Daddy! You shouldn't have said that/ said Jo, in great distress. 'That was awful. You made her angry. Please don't say things like that.'

  'Well, 1 like thatV said Mr Jones, tipping his hat back on his head and scratching the top of his forehead. 'What did I say? Oh - I was being old Cheeky Charlie again, was I.1 Well, you do call her Nosey Parker, don't you? My word, there's your Head. I must have a word with herV

  Jo tried to pull him back, and cast an agonized glance at her mother. Jo was beginning to realize that her father hadn't very good manners. Why why, why did he shout so, why did he always have such a bright red shiny face, why did he poke people in the ribs and tell silly jokes? Why did he barge in on people when they were talking 'ogether, and interrupt them?

  He was doing that now. Jo hadn't been able to prevent him from going right up to the little group in which the Head Mistress stood, talking to three or four parents. Her mother was blushing red. She too knew that 'Cheeky Charlie' was not at his best.

  'Hallo, hallo, hallo!' said Mr Jones, walking right into the middle of the group, and holding out a great red hand to Miss Grayling. 'You're like the Queen of England today, aren't you - holding court, with us poor parents as subjects! Ha ha ha!'

  Mr Jones was so pleased with this brilliant remark that he was quite overcome, and beamed round, expecting much approval and admiration.

  He got none. Miss Grayling shook hands politely and then dropped Mr Jones's great paw immediately. 'How do you do?' she murmured, and turned back to the parent she was speaking to. Not one of them looked at Mr Jones, but Cheeky Charlie had a very thick skin and didn't notice things like that.

  '1 hope our Jo's a credit to her school,' he began again. 'Her pa wasn't! He was a naughty boy, he was - always at the bottom of the form, wasn't he, Ma? Well, the school's looking fine, Miss Grayling!'

  'Thank you,' said Miss Grayling. 'I'm afraid I must ask you to excuse me for a few minutes, whilst 1 finish my talk to Dr and Mrs Leyton.'

  Mrs Jones pulled at his arm. 'Come away, Charlie,' she begged, thinking that her husband must really have got a touch of sunstroke. He always did behave like this, ot course, and shout and boast - but somehow it didn't show so much at home, among his own friends. Here it suddenly seemed very vulgar and out of place.

  Mr Jones was about to address a few hearty words to Dr Leyton, when he caught an extraordinarily icy look in that distinguished-looking gentleman's eye. It reminded rheekv Charlie ol one ol his old headmasters who had once toid him exactly what he thought ol him. Mr Jones

  kicked away, mumbling something.

  Miss Grayling sighed with relief. 'I'm sorry,' she said to the other parents. 'It was an experiment, taking Jo - I'Ut I'm alraid it's not an experiment that's going to work init well. We've had other experiments before, as you ..now - taking girls that don't really fit in, hoping they a ill, later. And so far they always have done, in a marvellous way. 1 think Jo would too, il only she got a little backing from her parents. But her father always undoes any good we do here for Jo!'

  'Let's go to another part of the grounds,' said one of die other parents in the group. 'I feel it would be safer!'

  Jo was relieved to see the Head going off in another direction. Oh dear - she really would have to take her lather in hand and tell him a few things. She looked rather downcast and her father squeezed her arm. what's up, old lady?' he said, in a kindly voice. 'Cheer up! I don't like to see my little Jo not smiling. Her old dad would do anything in the world for her!'

  Jo cheered up at the love in his voice. Blow Miss Parker and Miss Grayling and everyone else! ft was half- term and nobody should spoil it. She pulled at her mother's arm.

  'Mother! Can I ask Deirdre, my friend, to come and be with us today? Her father's at sea and she's got no mother. So she's alone today.'

  Yes, you ask her,' said her lather in his booming voice, before her mother could answer. 'We'll give her a slap-up time. I'm glad you've got a friend at last, Jo! You never seemed to have one before.'

  So Deirdre was asked to join the Jones's, and was pleased to have someone to go out with, though Mr · ones really scared her with his loud, booming voice and le.vial ways.

  So you're my Jo's friend, are you?' he boomed at her.

  Ji. you stick In my lo. she's worth ii, my Jo is. What's ·'· ·! name1 Deirdre' Well, we'll send you some stunning

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  parcels, won't we, Ma? You stick by Jo, Deirdre!'

  'Yes,' stammered Deirdre, almost deafened.

  'What about that money Auntie sent you the other week?' enquired Mrs Jones, as soon as she could get a word in. 'We never heard it you got it. Have you got it safe?'

  Jo hesitated. She was afraid to tell her mother that she had dropped it, and that Matron had it, and that she, Jo, hadn't dared to go and get it back. If her father knew that, he would go right up to Matron and demand the money then and there, for his precious Jo! That was simply unthinkable.

  'It's quite safe/ muttered Jo, and racked her brains to think how to change the subject.

  'Oh well - if you've got that money untouched, I won't give you any more at present,' said her mother. 'Twenty-five pounds is enough to keep in your drawer, or wherever you keep it. You can write if you want any more.'

  Jo didn't know what to say. She had hoped her mother would give her more money - then she wouldn't need to go poking about in Matron's room for hers. Poor Jo hadn't screwed up her courage even to peep inside Matron's room yet. She had no money at all except for a few coins left from her week's pocket-money - handed out by Matron.

  Half-term flashed by. The parents departed by car and train, except for Bill's father and mother, who came and went on horseback, much to Bill's delight and Clarissa's. Their half-term had been spent in riding over the cliffs, the horses enjoying the half-term as much as anyone!

  'My last half-term gone,' mourned Darrell. 'Now I'm facing my very last few weeks!'

  'Cheer up!' said Alicia. 'A lot can happen in a few weeks.' She was right. A lot did happen - and most of it was really very unexpected!

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  The first thing that happened was the row between June and Amanda. Most people had thought the two would blow up sooner or later, and they did!

  It was over quite a simple thing. Amanda was coach¬ing June at tennis, sending her fast serves to take - so fast and hard that June was half scared of some of them! But she slammed them back valiantly, pleased at being able to handle such terrific serves.

  'June! Use your head!' shouted Amanda, stopping her serves for a minute. 'What's the good of returning these fast serves if you don't put the bal
l somewhere where I've got to run for it! Or even somewhere that ! can't reach! All you do is to put them back right at my feet.'

  Jt's as much as I can do to take the serves, let alone pLhv the return ball/ answered June. 'Give me a chance! Also, the court is a bit bumpy this end, and the ball doesn't bounce true. It puts me off when that happens.'

  'Don't make excuses,' said Amanda.

  'I'm not!' yelled June, indignantly. But Amanda was already throwing the ball high in the air for her next serve.

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  The ball flew like lightning over the net to June, Again it bounced on an uneven bit and swerved a little to- the right. June lashed at it wildly.

  It flew straight up into the air, and then swerved right over the netting round the court, landing in the middle llf a watching group, who fell all over themselves trying 'n taich the ball, shrieking with laughter.

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  'If you fool about, .lime, we'll stop,' said Amanda, honestly thinking that .June had hit the ball wildly on purpose. Something immediately went 'ping' inside June, as it always did when she lost her temper.

  She didn't lose it outwardly at lirst. She merely collected up the balls round the court, and then sent them all flying over the surrounding netting into the watching girls, one after another.

  'I'm finished,' she announced to Amanda. 'It's impossible to work with you. I shan't turn up for this sort of thing any more. It's not worth my while. So long!'

  And under the admiring eyes of the watching girls, June strolled off the court, whistling softly.

  Amanda called to her. 'Don't be a fool, June. Come back at once.'

  June took no notice. She whistled a little more loudly, and began throwing her racket up into the air and catching it deftly as it came down. She did a few imaginary strokes with it, and then began to fool. The watching girls laughed.

  Amanda strode after June. 'June! I told you to come back. If you don't, I'll see you're not chosen for even the third team.'

  'Don't want to be!' said June, throwing her racket up into the air again and catching it. 'You go and find some other second-former to bawl at and chivy round. Don't waste that nice kind nature of yours, Amanda.'

  And this time she really did go off, having given Amanda a look of such scorn and dislike that Amanda was shocked. The little group of spectators were scared now. They dispersed, whispering. What a bit of news to spread round the school. What a row. And wasn't June MARVELLOUS! Honestly!' whispered the first- and second-formers. 'Honestly, she doesn't care lor anyone, not even Amanda!'

  Amanda told Sally, Darrell and Moira the news

  herself. 'June Hew into a temper and the coaching is off/ she announced. 'I'm not giving up any more of my time io that ungrateful little beast. I'm sorry I gave her any now. But she would have been well worth it.'

  'Oh, what a pity!' said Sally. 'We had arranged to watch June swimming tomorrow, and playing tennis the next day, to see il she could go into the second team, as sou suggested. She's already good enough for the third, ·^he could have been in all the matches!'

  'Well, she can't be/ said Amanda, and then she spoke spitefully. 'She's gone off her game this week. She doesn't deserve to be in the third team either.'

  Alicia spoke to June about it. 'What happened?' she said. 'Couldn't you have stuck it for a bit longer? We >vere going to come and watch you swimming and ■playing tennis this week - meaning to put you into the second teams, so that vou could play in the matches.'

  'I'm not going to be chivied about by anyone/ said lune. 'Least of all by Amanda. Not even for the sake of shining in the second teams with the fourth- and fifth - !ormers!'

  'But, June - aren't you rather cutting off your nose to spite your face?' asked Alicia. 'Don't you want to play in ;he matches? They're important, you know. We do want id win them this year. We lost the tennis shield last year, and were only second in the swimming matches.'

  June hesitated. She did want to play in the matches. ^.Ite would have liked to bring honour and glory to the teams - and yes, to Malory Towers too. June was really beginning at times to see that one should play for one's Mde and not always for oneself.

  'Well,' she said at last. 'I'll be honest with you, Alicia. H's, I was looking forward to playing in the matches, and : was pretty certain I'd be chosen. But Amanda is a slave- driver and nothing else - she made me slave and she got w>d results - but she's so absolutely inhuman. I couldn't

  slick her one moment more, even it it meant giving up the matches.'

  'Although you knew you might help the school to get hack the tennis shield and win the swimming?' said Alicia.

  There was a pause. 'I'm sorry about that,' said June, with an effort. 'I didn't think enough about that side of the question, f'm afraid. But look, Alicia - it's done now, and I'm not going back on my word. I'm fed up to the teeth with tennis and swimming. I don't want to touch a racket again this term, and if f go into the pool, I shall just fool about.'

  'You'll fool about all your life, I expect,' said Alicia, getting up. 'All you think about is yourself and your own feelings. I'm sorry about it, June. You're my cousin, and I'd like to have cheered myself hoarse for once, watching you do something fine - like Darrell cheers Felicity.'

  She walked off and left June feeling rather small and uncomfortable. But nothing, nothing, nothing would make June go to Amanda again. Nothing in this world. June gritted her white even teeth and swung an imaginary racket into the air and caught it. Finish! No more coaching!

  Nora came running up. 'Was that Alicia? You didn't tell her we were going to play the magnet trick on Mam'zelle Dupont today, did you?'

  'Don't be an ass,' said June, scornfully. 'Do you suppose I'd split after we said we wouldn't say a word?'

  'Oh. Well, you seemed to be having such a confab,' said Nora, 't came to ask if I could have the magnet. I've been waiting ages to ask you. Was Alicia rowing you?'

  'No,' said June, shortly. 'Don't be so jolly inquisitive, and mind your own business. Here's the magnet.'

  Nora took it, beaming. She felt proud of being chosen by the second-formers to play the trick up in the grand sixth form. She had planned everything very carefully, with Felicity's help.

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  exercise books off the desk/ Felicity had told Nora. 'All vou've got to do is to walk into the room, apologize, and ask Mam'zelle if the book belongs to a sixth-former. You can do the trick whilst she's examining it.'

  It sounded easy. Nora was thrilled when the time i.ame that afternoon. The second-formers were free, but the upper forms were busy with work. Nora sped up to the sixth form with the book.

  She heard the drone of someone reading aloud in French as she got there. She knocked at the door. Mam'zelle's voice came at once. 'EntrezV

  Nora went in with the book. 'Excuse me, Mam'zelle,' she said, holding out the book. 'But does this belong to one of the sixth-formers?'

  Mam'zelle took the book and looked at it. 'Ah - it is Mary-Lou's missing book,' she said. Behind her Nora was holding the powerful little magnet two inches away from Mam'zelle's neat little bun of hair.

  Alicia's sharp eyes caught her action and she stared, hardly believing her eyes. All Mam'zelle's hair-pins at once attached themselves to the magnet. Nora withdrew it hastily, said 'Thank you, Mam'zelle' and shot out of the room before she burst into laughter. Alicia felt sure she could hear the little monkey snorting in the (.orridor as she fled back lo the second-lormers.

  Mam'zelle seemed to have felt something. She usually wore more pins in her hair than Mam'zelle Rougier, and probably she had felt them all easing their way out! She put up her hand - and immediately her bun uncoiled itself and flapped down her hack!

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  'TiensV said Mam'zelle, surprised. The girls all looked up. Alicia felt like a first-former again, long
ing to gulp with laughter. Mam'zelle patted her hand over her head to find her hair-pins. She could find none.

  'Que c'est drole, gal' said Mam'zelle. 'How strange it is!'

  She stood up and looked on the floor, wondering if, for some extraordinary reason, her pins had all fallen down

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  there. No, they hadn't. Mam'zelle grovelled on hands and knees and looked under her desk to make certain.

  The girls began to laugh. Alicia had quickly enlightened them as to what had happened. The sight of poor Mam'zelle groping about on the lloor for hair-pins that were not there, her hair hanging over one shoulder, was too much even for the staid sixth-formers.

  Mam'zelle stood up, looking disturbed. She continued her frenzied hunt for the missing pins. She thought possibly they might have fallen down her neck. She stood and wriggled, hoping that some would fall out. She groped round her collar, her face wearing a most bewildered expression.

  She saw the girls laughing. 'You are bad wicked girls!' she said. 'Who has taken my hair-pins? They are gone. Ah, this is a strange and puzzling thing.'

  'Most piggv-hoo-leeearrrr,' said Suzanne's voice.

  'But nobody could have taken your pins, Mam'zelle,' said Darrell. 'Why, not one of us has come up to your desk this afternoon.'

  'Qa, c'cst vrai,' said Mam'zelle, and she looked alarmed. 'That is true. This is not a treek, then. My pins have vanished themselves from my hair. Girls, girls, can you see them anywhere?'

  This was the signal for a frantic hunt in every ridiculous nook and cranny. Darrell was laughing help¬lessly, unable to keep order. For three or four minutes the sixth-formers really might have been back in the second form. Irene produced several explosions, and even the dour Amanda went off into fits of laughter.

  'Girls, girls! Please!' Mam'zelle besought them. 'Miss Williams is next door. What will she think?'

  Miss Williams thought quite a lot. She wondered what in the world was happening in the usually quiet sixth form. Mam'zelle got up. '1 go to make my bun again,' she said, and disappeared in a dignified but very hurried manner.