First Term at Malory Towers Read online

  Darrell took them into the school, chattering at the top of her voice. 'You must see my dormy. You must see the very bed I sleep in—and I must show you the view out of our dormy window. It's super!'

  In her intense excitement she had forgotten all about Emily,

  waiting patiently nearby. She suddenly saw her, and stopped.

  'Oh—Emily! Mother, you said I could choose some one to come out with us—and here she is. This is Emily Lake, a girl in my form.'

  Mrs. Rivers looked at Emily and was surprised. She had not expected a quiet sober little girl like this to be Darrell's chosen friend. She did not know that as yet Darrell had no definite friend. She shook hands with Emily, and said she was pleased she was coming out with them.

  After that Emily tagged along behind them, listening to Darrell's excited chatter, and her parents' amused replies. She liked Darrell's parents. Her mother was pretty and amusing, and sensible too—and as for her father, well, any one would trust him at sight, thought Emily, gazing at his determined, good-looking face with its big dark eyes and intensly black eyebrows, just like Darrell's but bigger and shaggier.

  Darrell was proud of her parents. She wanted to show them off. She saw Gwendoline with two women—one obviously her mother, with bright golden hair like Gwendoline's and a rather babyish, empty face. The other must be Miss Winter, the governess, thought Darrell. What an awful person!

  Poor Miss Winter was not really awful. She was plain and poor and always eager to agree with everyone. She adored Gwendoline because she was pretty and graceful, and did not seem to see the selfishness and spoilt ways of the silly little girl.

  Mary-Lou was with them, trying to smile, but really very unhappy. She didn't like either Mrs. Lacey or Miss Winter and she was begnning to feel horrified at some of the fibs that she had heard Gwendoline tell them.

  'I'm almost the best at tennis in our form,' she heard Gwendoline say. T shouldn't be surprised if I'm put into a

  match-team, Mother!'

  'Oh, darling—how clever you are!' said Mrs. Lacey, fondly. Mary-Lou stared at Gwendoline in surprise. Why, everyone knew Gwendoline was a real muff at all games!

  'And Mam'zelle is very pleased with my French,' went on Gwendoline. 'I believe 1 might be top in that. She says 1 have a splendid accent.'

  Miss Winter glowed. 'Oh, Gwen darling! Isn't that lovely now? 1 did my best with you, of course, but I was always afraid it was rather a poor best, because I've never been to France.'

  Mary-Lou longed to say that Gwendoline was always bottom in the French class, but she did not dare to. How could Gwendoline stuff her people up with such a lot of lies? And how could they believe them?

  'Are you going to go in for the swimming-match this afternoon?' asked Mrs. Lacey, looking fondly at Gwendoline, who today had her shining golden hair loose down her back, and looked, so her mother thought, like a real angel.

  'No, I thought I wouldn't, Mother,' said Gwendoline. 'It's best to give the others a chance. After all, I've done well at so many things.'

  'There's my sweet, unselfish girl!' said Mrs. Lacey, and squeezed Gwendoline's arm. Mary-Lou felt slightly sick.

  Then Darrell spoilt it all! She passed by with her mother and father, and Mrs. Lacey was struck by her good looks and happy smile.

  'There's a nice girl, dear!' she said to Gwendoline. 'Is she one of your friends? Let us speak to her.'

  'Oh no, she's not a friend of mine,' began Gwendoline, but Mary-Lou, delighted at this praise of Darrell, was calling to her. 'Darrell! Darrell! Mrs. Lacey wants to speak to you.'

  Darrell went over to Mrs. Lacey and was introduced by a glowering Gwendoline. 'And are you going to go in for the swimming-sports?' asked Mrs. Lacey, graciously. 'I hear dear Gwendoline is not, bless her.'

  'Gwendoline! Oh, she can't swim a stroke!' said Darrell. 'We always yell at her because she takes five minutes putting one toe into the water. Don't we, Gwendoline?'

  This was all said in good humour and fun—but Gwendoline could willingly have pushed Darrell over the cliff at that moment! She went very red.

  Mrs. Lacey really thought that Darrell was joking. She laughed the tinkling laugh which she thought was so pretty. 'I suppose if Gwendoline entered she'd beat you all!' she said. 'As she does at tennis—and lessons, 1 suppose.'

  Darrell looked in astonishment at Gwendoline, who was glaring at her, crimson in the face. 'Gwendoline's been stuffing you up, I expect!' she said w ith a laugh, and went off to join her own party.

  'What a very outspoken, blunt sort of girl,' said Miss Winter, puzzled and worried.

  Gwendoline recovered herself. 'Oh, she's not a nice girl,' she said. 'Nobody likes her. She hasn't got any friend of her own at all—and you can see why. She's always running other people down. Jealous, 1 suppose. Don't you take any notice of her, Mother. Mary-Lou here will tell you I'm first- rate at tennis and the rest!'

  But that was beyond even timid Mary-Lou! She just looked more scared than ever, and murmured something about going to speak to Mam'zelle—and off she went, glad to escape from the Lacey family for a few minutes.

  On the way to the car, after Darrell had shown her parents every single thing she could think of, from the view up in North Tower, to the inside of her very well-tidied desk, the Rivers family saw Sally Hope.

  'Why, isn't that Sally Hope?' said Mrs. Rivers, stopping. 'I'm sure it is. There was a very good photograph of her in her mother's drawing-room, when I went to tea there the other day.'

  'Yes. That's Sally,' said Darrell. 'Do you want to speak to her, Mother?'

  'Well, I have a message for her from her mother,' said Mrs. Rivers. So Darrell raised her clear voice and called, 'Sally! Sally Hope! Come here a minute, will you?'

  Sally must have heard Darrell, for everyone around did. But if so, she took no notice at all. She plunged down into a path that led through some bushes in the drive and disappeared.

  'Blow her!' said Darrell. 'I should have thought she would have heard my yell. I asked her to come out with us, Mother, but she wouldn't.'

  'Come along,' said her father, opening the door of the car. 'We'll go along the cliff and then take an exciting road 1' ve found that leads right down to a lonely little cove. We'll have our lunch there.'

  Darrell and Emily got in. Emily was enjoying herself. Mrs. Rivers was so nice, and asked her so many questions about herself. Usually people found Emily dull, and left her alone. But Mrs. Rivers, thinking that Emily was Darrell's chosen friend, was very anxious to know her well.

  She soon learnt that Emily was very fond of sewing. Darrell listened to her chattering in astonishment. She had never heard Emily talk so much before! Gracious, hark at her describing the cushion-cover she was making—the colours, the stitches and everything!

  'It's always been a disappointment to me that Darrell never took any interest in embroidery,' said Mrs. Rivers to Emily. 'I'm very fond of it too. I've done the seats of six of our chairs at home, in tapestry work.'

  'Oh, have you!' exclaimed Emily. 'I've done some too— but only two so far. I loved that work.'

  'Perhaps you will able to interest Darrell in sewing!' said Mrs. Rivers, laughing. 'It's as much as I can do at home to get her to do a simple darn!'

  'Well, I'll teach Darrell to darn, if she likes,' said Emily, eager to please this nice Mrs. Rivers.

  Darrell was horrified. Gracious, she hadn't brought Emily out to have her planning with her mother to teach her darning! She changed the subject at once, and told them about Gwendoline and how she had been boasting to her mother and governess.

  Soon they were down on the beach, eating the most gorgeous lunch Darrell had had that term. Cold chicken and pickles—pickles! There was never a pickle to be seen at school. Little cardboard containers full of fresh salad and mayonnaise sauce. Delicious! Jam-tarts and slabs of chocolate ice-cream. What a lunch!

  'And ginger-beer to wash it down,' said Mrs. Rivers, filling up the glasses. 'More chicken, Darrell? There's plenty.'

  Afte
r lunch it was time to go back for the sports. Emily was not in the swimming, so she said she would find Darrell's parents good places to watch from. Darrell left them in her care when she got back to Malory Towers to change.

  It was such a happy day. Everyone seemed in a good temper, and jokes flew about everywhere. Even the two Mam'zelles went about arm-in-arm, a thing that they had not done at all that term.

  The swimming-sports were exciting. Mrs. Rivers was delighted with Darrell's strong swimming, graceful diving, and fearlessness. She was one of the best of the small girls. Some of the big girls were extremely clever in their diving, especially Marilyn, the sixth-form games-captain. Everyone cheered her as she did a graceful swallow-dive from the topmost board.

  'And can you do all these things, darling?' Darrell heard

  Mrs. Lacey ask Gwendoline. Gwendoline, who was near Darrell and a few others, looked round warily, wishing her mother wouldn't ask such awkward questions in public.

  'Well—not quite all,' she said, and Miss Winter patted her fondly on the shoulder.

  'Always so modest,' she said, and Darrell could hardly stop herself laughing outright at the thought of Gwendoline being called modest. She looked scornfully at little Mary- Lou sitting near Gwendoline, wondering how she could possibly listen to all the bigger girl's boasting and yet say nothing.

  At tea-time Darrell and Emily kept the plates of the grown¬ups (and their own!) well supplied with strawberries and cream, and fetched ice-creams in plenty. What a lunch they had had—and now, what a tea! Besides the strawberries and ice-creams, there were little buns and cakes and biscuits of every kind. Malory Towers knew how to do things well!

  'Mother! There's Sally Hope again!' said Darrell suddenly, catching sight of Sally's head in the distance. 'I'll get her in a minute. By the way, you never told me how that mistake about Sally's baby sister happened—the one you said she had got, and hasn't.'

  'But Darrell dear—she has got a baby sister!' said her mother in surprise. 'I've seen her!'

  'Well—whatever does Sally mean!'said Darrell. 'Ireally must get her and find out!'

  15 A SUDDEN QUARREL

  BUT Sally was not easy to find. She seemed to have completely disappeared again. It occurred to Darrell to wonder if Sally was avoiding her—but no, why should she? There would be no reason for that.

  She hunted everywhere for Sally. Nobody knew where she was. It was peculiar. Darrell went back to her parents, anxious not to lose any more of their company, for time was precious now.

  'Well, / can't find Sally,' she said. 'She's completely vanished. Anyway, I'll give her her mother's message. What was it, Mother?'

  'Oh, her mother seemed a little worried about Sally, because it's her first term at boarding school, and Sally writes such funny wooden little letters,' said Mrs. Rivers. 'I showed Mrs. Hope some ofyour letters, darling. I knew you wouldn't mind; and she said she did wish Sally would write more news to her, and send her letters like yours. She said she seemed to have lost touch with her completely. She was really very worried. She wanted me to speak to Sally and tell her she sent her fondest love, and was so sorry she couldn't come and see her this half-term. And she said her baby sister sent her hugs and kisses.'

  'I'll tell her,' said Darrell, very puzzled. 'But Mother dear, Sally's awfully funny about things. She truly and honestly did tell me she hadn't got a sister, and she was furious with me for talking about her mother. She said I was interfering and all sorts of things.'

  'Well—perhaps she was joking,' said Mrs. Rivers, also rather puzzled. 'Sally does know she's got a baby sister at home. For one thing, that was why she was sent to boarding school, so that the baby who is rather delicate could have all Mrs. Hope's care. It's a dear little thing.'

  'Been losing your temper yet?' asked Darrell's father, with a twinkle in his eye. Darnell went red.

  'Well—I did once,' she said. 'And after I'd made up my mind I wouldn't too!'

  'Oh, Darrell—you didn't lose it badly, I hope,' said her mother anxiously.

  Emily answered for Darrell. 'Oh, she just gave a most exasperating girl some jolly good slaps in the pool! You could almost hear them up at the Towers!'

  'DarrelP.' said her mother, shocked. Darrell grinned.

  'I know. Awful of me, wasn't it. I shan't do it again. I've got my temper well in hand now.'

  'We've all wanted to do a bit of slapping where that particular girl is concerned,' said Emily, 'so secretly we were rather pleased!'

  They all laughed. Darrell felt so happy that she was sure she would never lose her temper again in her life! What a pity a day like this had to come to an end!

  But it did come to an end. At about six o'clock the cars began to purr out of the big drive, and girls waved wildly. One by one their parents went, and the excited chattering died down. The girls went into their common rooms to talk over events of the day.

  After a while Darrell remembered the message she had for Sally Hope. She glanced round the common room. Sally wasn't there. Where was she? She seemed always to be disappearing!

  'Where's Sally Hope?' asked Darrell.

  '1 believe she's in one the music-rooms," said Katherine. 'Goodness knows why she wants to practice today, when

  everyone is let off lessons!'

  'I'll go and find her,' said Darrell, and walked off. She made her way to the music-rooms, where the girls did their practising each day. They were tiny rooms, containing only a piano, a stool, and a chair.

  Music came from two of them. Darrell peeped into the first one. Irene was there, playing softly to herself. She didn't even see Darrell. Darrell smiled and shut the door. Irene was certainly mad on music!

  She came to the other practice room, from which music was coming. It was not the entrancing melodies that Irene had been playing though, but plain five-finger exercises, played over and again, over and over again, in an almost angry manner.

  Darrell opened the door. Yes—Sally was there all right. Good. Darrell went in and shut the door. Sally turned round and scowled.

  'I'm practising,' she said. 'Get out.'

  'What's the matter with you?' said Darrell, feeling annoyed immediately. 'You don't need to jump down my throat like that. I've been trying fo find you all day. My mother wanted to speak to you.'

  'Well, I didn't want to speak to her,' said Sally, and began to thump out the irritating exercise again, up and down, up and down.

  ' Why shouldn't you want to speak to my mother?' cried Darrell, angrily. 'She had a message for you from your mother.'

  No answer. Up and down, up and down went Sally's fingers on the notes, more loudly than ever. Darrell lost her temper.

  'Stop playing!' she shouted. 'Don't be so horribly rude! Whatever's the matter with you!"

  Sally put the loud pedal down and crashed the notes more loudly than ever. Plainly she was not going to listen to a word.

  Darrell went near to her and put her mouth to her ear. 'Why did you say you haven't got a sister? You have, and that's why your mother couldn't come and see you! But she sent you her love and said...'

  Sally swung round from the piano, her face looking queer and white. 'Shut up!' she said, interfering little busybody! Leave me alone. Just because you've been w ith your mother all day long, and had her fussing round you, you think you can come and taunt me like this! I hate you!'

  'You're mad!' cried Darrell, and she struck her hand on the piano, making a queer sound of clashing notes. 'You won't listen when 1 want to tell you things. But you shall listen! Your mother told mine that you only write her funny wooden letters... she said...'

  i won't listen!' said Sally, in a choking voice, and got up from the stool. She pushed Darrell blindly away. But Darrell could not bear to be touched when she was in a temper, and she shoved back with all her might. She was strong, and she sent Sally flying across the little room. She fell across the chair, and lay there for a moment.

  She put her hand on her stomach. 'Oh, it hurts,' she said. 'Oh, you wicked girl, Darrell!'
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  Darrell was still trembling with anger as Sally stumbled out of the room. But almost immediately her rage went, and she was overwhelmed with horror. How could she have been so awful? Sally was queer and silly and horrid, it was true—but she, Darrell, had used her strength against her to hurt her. She had lost her temper all over again, after boasting to her parents only a little while ago that she never would any more.

  She ran to the door, eager to go after Sally and beg her pardon. But Sally was nowhere to be seen. Darrell ran back to the common room. No Sally there, either. She sat down in a chair and rubbed her hot forehead. What a scene! How disgusting! Why couldn't she manage her temper?

  'What's up?' asked Alicia.

  'Oh—nothing much. Sally was a bit difficult, that's all— and I lost my temper,' said Darrell.

  idiot!' said Alicia. 'What did you do? Slap her? Give her some broth without any bread?'

  Darrell couldn't smile. She felt near tears. What a horrid ending to such a lovely day! After all the excitement and now this sudden row, she felt quite exhausted. She was not all pleased when Emily came up with her sewing.

  ' I do think your people are nice,' began Emily, and started to chatter in a way she seldom did. How boring! Darrell wanted to tell Emily to be quiet. If she had been Alicia she would—but as a rule she was kinder than the sharp tongued Alicia, and did not like to hurt people's feelings. So she bore with Emily as patiently as she could.

  Mary-Lou watched her from the other side of the room. She wanted to come over and join Emily and Darrell. But Gwendoline was pouring out reams of family history to her, and she had to listen. Also she was a little afraid that Darrell might snub her if went across.

  Darrell watched for Sally to appear in the common room. Perhaps she could slip over to her then and tell her she was sorry. She was ashamed of herself now, and she could only put it right by telling Sally. Oh, dear! It was awful to have a temper that simply rose up out of the blue, before you even knew it was coming! What could you do with a temper like that?

  Sally didn't come back to the common room. Soon the supper-bell went and the girls filed into the dining-room. Darrell looked about for Sally again. But still she wasn't there. This was really very queer.