1 New girls gir ls at Malory To Towers ‘Isn’t it marvellous to be going back to Malory Towers?’ said Felicity Rivers excitedly, to her riend !usan "lake# ‘$nd to think we’ll be going u% into the ith orm& 'aven’t the years (ust lown by?’ ‘)es,’ agreed !usan# ‘!ometimes it seems like only yesterday that we were starting out as irst ‘)es,’ ormers#’ Felicity had been staying with !usan or a ew days, and now Mrs "lake was driving them back to school# First, though, they had to sto% to collect a new girl, who was also going to be in the ith orm, on the way# ‘Mother, what did you say the new girl was called?’ asked !usan# ‘Millicent Moon,’ answered answered Mrs "lake# ‘I met her mother when wh en I went out o ut to tea the other day, and she seemed very %leasant indeed#’ ‘)es, ‘)e s, but what is Millicent like?’ asked !usan im%atiently# ‘*ell, I don’t know, dear, or I didn’t meet her,’ said Mrs "lake# ‘!he wasn’t there# The amily ‘*ell, have been living in France Franc e or the last year, you know, and Millicent was studying at a music academy there#’ ‘I wonder i she will be as eccentric ecc entric as my sister +arrell’s riend, Irene?’ said said Felicity, with a grin# ‘Remember her, !usan?’ ‘)es, she was great un,’ said !usan# ‘$ sim%ly brilliant musician, but com%letely absentminded ‘)es, when it came to normal, everyday ever yday matters# I say, won’t it it be marvellous or us i Millicent turns out to be as mad as Irene?’ "ut when Mrs "lake %resently sto%%ed the car outside a neat house, the girl who ste%%ed out didn’t look at all mad or eccentric# $nd she didn’t look as i she would be much un either, thought Felicity and !usan, eeling a little disa%%ointed# Millicent Moon was tall and slim, with long, straight dark hair, intense dark eyes and a %ale, serious ace# 'er mother and ather walked to the car with her, Mr Moon bringing Millicent’s trunk with him, and Mrs "lake ste%%ed out o the car to greet them# The three grownu%s chatted or a ew moments, while Millicent stood aside, an aloo ex %ression on her ace# Inside the car, Felicity said to !usan, ‘!he looks awully serious#’
‘-erha%s she is (ust nervous,’ said said !usan# ‘It must be hard changing chang ing schools in the ith orm, when most o the others have known one another or years, and all have their own riends#’ ‘)es,’ ‘)e s,’ agreed Felicity# Felicity# ‘*e must do everything we can to make Millicent eel at home#’ !o, when the new girl’s trunk was stowed saely in the boot, and Millicent hersel sli%%ed into the back o the car beside Felicity and !usan, she received a warm welcome# ‘'allo, Millicent,’ said !usan, with a broad smile# ‘.ice to meet you# I’m !usan, and this is my riend, Felicity# Felicity#’’ Felicity greeted the girl too, and said, ‘I ho%e you’re going to like it at Malory Towers# Towers# I there is anything you want to know, kno w, (ust (ust ask !usan and me#’ Millicent gave a little smile, and, as Mrs "lake started the ca r, said, ‘Thank you# I’m sure that I shall be ha%%y, as long as I can %lay my music, and kee% u% with my lessons# Music is my lie, you see#’ Felicity and !usan looked rather startled at this, or Millicent sounded so very dramatic, and !usan said, ‘There are several girls in our orm who take music lessons, but none o them are what you could call great musicians# I must say, it will be (olly nice to have someone in the orm who can bash out a ew tunes on the %iano in the commonroom, when we eel like having a dance#’ .ow it was Millicent’s Millicent’s turn to look startled, and Felicity said, ‘-erha%s ‘-erha%s Millicent doesn’t %lay the %iano#’ ‘/h, I do,’ said Millicent coolly# ‘$nd the violin# $nd the har%# $nd the lute# "ut I am used to %laying classical music, and not dance tunes#’ Then Millicent turned her head to look out o the window and ell silent, while F elicity and !usan %ulled wry aces at one another# $s Millicent evidently wasn’t in the mood or conversation, the other two g irls began to talk about their riends at Malory Towers, Towers, !usan saying, ‘!ylvia won’t be coming back this term# 'er %eo%le are moving to !cotland, and she is going to day school there#’ ‘I shall miss old !ylvia,’ said Felicity, with a sigh# ‘I didn’t much care or her at irst, but she turned out to be 0uite a good sort#’ ‘I could do with a nice easy time, this term,’ said !usan# ‘*e all worked so hard at % assing !chool 1ert in the ourth that I think we deserve a good rest#’ ‘+id everyone in your orm %ass, dear?’ asked !usan’s mother#
‘-erha%s she is (ust nervous,’ said said !usan# ‘It must be hard changing chang ing schools in the ith orm, when most o the others have known one another or years, and all have their own riends#’ ‘)es,’ ‘)e s,’ agreed Felicity# Felicity# ‘*e must do everything we can to make Millicent eel at home#’ !o, when the new girl’s trunk was stowed saely in the boot, and Millicent hersel sli%%ed into the back o the car beside Felicity and !usan, she received a warm welcome# ‘'allo, Millicent,’ said !usan, with a broad smile# ‘.ice to meet you# I’m !usan, and this is my riend, Felicity# Felicity#’’ Felicity greeted the girl too, and said, ‘I ho%e you’re going to like it at Malory Towers# Towers# I there is anything you want to know, kno w, (ust (ust ask !usan and me#’ Millicent gave a little smile, and, as Mrs "lake started the ca r, said, ‘Thank you# I’m sure that I shall be ha%%y, as long as I can %lay my music, and kee% u% with my lessons# Music is my lie, you see#’ Felicity and !usan looked rather startled at this, or Millicent sounded so very dramatic, and !usan said, ‘There are several girls in our orm who take music lessons, but none o them are what you could call great musicians# I must say, it will be (olly nice to have someone in the orm who can bash out a ew tunes on the %iano in the commonroom, when we eel like having a dance#’ .ow it was Millicent’s Millicent’s turn to look startled, and Felicity said, ‘-erha%s ‘-erha%s Millicent doesn’t %lay the %iano#’ ‘/h, I do,’ said Millicent coolly# ‘$nd the violin# $nd the har%# $nd the lute# "ut I am used to %laying classical music, and not dance tunes#’ Then Millicent turned her head to look out o the window and ell silent, while F elicity and !usan %ulled wry aces at one another# $s Millicent evidently wasn’t in the mood or conversation, the other two g irls began to talk about their riends at Malory Towers, Towers, !usan saying, ‘!ylvia won’t be coming back this term# 'er %eo%le are moving to !cotland, and she is going to day school there#’ ‘I shall miss old !ylvia,’ said Felicity, with a sigh# ‘I didn’t much care or her at irst, but she turned out to be 0uite a good sort#’ ‘I could do with a nice easy time, this term,’ said !usan# ‘*e all worked so hard at % assing !chool 1ert in the ourth that I think we deserve a good rest#’ ‘+id everyone in your orm %ass, dear?’ asked !usan’s mother#
‘)es, everyone,’ answered !usan# ‘2ven .ora and $my, ‘)es, $my, who were both 0uite certain that they would ail#’ ‘3une sailed through, o course,’ said Felicity, Felicity, a touch o envy in her tone# ‘!he hardly did any an y studying at all, yet she still managed to get g et excellent marks#’ ‘Ty%ical o 3une&’ laughed !usan# ‘I say, she will have to settle down a bit now that she is a ith ‘Ty%ical ormer, won’t she?’ ‘)es, I think it’s going to be harder or 3une than or any o us,’ said Felicity, thoughtully# ‘!he’s so ond o %laying (okes and tricks, but that kind o thing is 0uite out o the 0uestion when one becomes a ith ormer#’ ormer#’ !usan was about to re%ly to this th is when suddenly a low, tuneul humming illed the car# Felicity and !usan looked at one o ne another, startled, as they wondered what it could be, then they realised that it was coming rom Millicent# The girl had her eyes closed and her head back as she hummed, then, (ust as suddenly as it had started, the sound sto%%ed, and Millicent o%ened her eyes and began rummaging in her schoolbag# !he realised that the others were staring at her, and gave a laugh# ‘!orry,’ she said# ‘It’s ‘!orry,’ ‘It’s (ust that a new tune has come to me, and I must write it down at once, while it’s resh in my mind#’ !he %ulled a %en and notebook rom her bag, and began (otting down a series o musical notes, while Felicity and !usan watched, ascinated# ‘There&’ she said at last, in satisaction# ‘I shall try that out later# )ou )ou did say that there was a %iano in the commonroom, didn’t you?’ ‘*ell, the old ith ormers had one,’ said Felicity# ‘!o it should still be there, unless Miss ‘*ell, 4rayling has had it moved#’ ‘4ood,’ said Millicent# ‘.ow, do tell me more about Malory Towers#’ .ow that she had written down her new tune, Millicent seemed much more amicable, and chatted %leasantly with Felicity and !usan throughout the rest o the (ourney# It was a very long drive indeed, and at twelve o’clock Mrs "lake sto%%ed the car and took the girls or lunch at a restaurant# $terwards, the three o them all elt rather slee%y, and conversation in the car tailed o as both Millicent and ! usan closed their eyes# Felicity remained awake, though, or although she elt tired, she was excited too# It was so marvellous to be going back to her beloved Malory Towers, Towers, and she sim%ly couldn’t wait to see all the others again# !catterbrained .ora, and her riend, the %lacid, goodnatured -am# Then there were 3ulie and 5ucy, who always brought their horses, 3ack and !andy, back to school with them# .ot orgetting
$my, "onnie, Freddie 6 and 3une, o course& *ho could orget 3une, with her bold, mischievous ways? -erha%s there would be other new girls, too, thought Felicity, as the car went on its way, getting closer and closer to Malory Towers# *hat un that would be& *hen they were almost there, !usan woke u%, rubbing her eyes beore she turned to grin at Felicity# ‘$lmost there&’ she said excitedly# Then Millicent stirred, and sat u%, yawning# ‘*e’re nearly there, Millicent,’ said Felicity excitedly# ‘/nce we turn this corner you will be able to see Malory Towers# 5ook, there it is& 7% on the clito%#’ ‘'eavens, it looks like a castle&’ exclaimed Millicent, looking u% at the big building, with its our towers# ‘'ow magniicent# I eel sure that I shall be ins%ired to write some marvellous music in such a setting#’ Millicent had gone all intense again, and Felicity and !usan exchanged glances, trying not to laugh, while Mrs "lake rowned at them in the driving mirror# $t last the car came to a halt in the driveway, and the three girls looked out to see do8ens o girls, all chattering away together, greeting riends and saying goodbye to %arents# Felicity could see .ora and -am in the distance, and she longed to lea% out o the car and run across to them# "ut she was a sober, serious ith ormer now, so she got out o the car in a digniied manner, and waited %atiently with !usan and Millicent while Mrs "lake o%ened the boot and got their things out# ‘+o have a good term, all o you,’ said Mrs "lake, giving !usan a hug# ‘$nd I shall see you at halterm, dear#’ Then the three girls made their way across the lawn, and ound that -am and .ora had been (oined by 3une and Freddie# ‘'allo there& 'ad good hols?’ ‘My goodness, isn’t it grand to be back?’ ‘I can’t believe that we are ith ormers now&’ ‘$nd who’s this? $ new girl?’ ‘/h yes, this is Millicent Moon,’ said Felicity# ‘Millicent, meet -am, .ora, 3une and Freddie#’
The others greeted the new girl with interest, then !usan said, ‘There’s something dierent about you this term, 3une#’ ‘Is there?’ said 3une, looking rather startled# ‘I can’t think what#’ ‘I know what it is&’ cried !usan# ‘)ou have an air o dignity about you#’ ‘)es,’ agreed Felicity, her eyes twinkling# ‘)ou look ar more serious and res%onsible than you did last term# 5ike a %ro%er ith ormer&’ ‘I was (ust thinking that mysel,’ said .ora, (oining in the un# ‘I say, 3une, %erha%s Miss 3ames will make you head o the orm now that you’ve gone all serious and grownu%#’ 3une gave a snort and said, ‘!erious and grownu%? Me? *hat nonsense& $s or Miss 3ames making me head o the orm, why, she’s more likely to choose "onnie or $my&’ The others laughed at the thought o little "onnie, or the haughty $my, becoming headgirl, and .ora said, ‘I wonder who she will choose? .ot me, that’s or sure#’ ‘*ell, we will ind out tomorrow,’ said -am# ‘I say, who’s that over there? $nother new girl?’ The others looked, and saw a %lum%, air girl, with round, grey eyes and a rather bewildered ex%ression, standing alone# ‘-oor thing,’ said Freddie# ‘!he looks rather lost# !hall we go and say hallo?’ !o the grou% o ith ormers went across to the new girl and Felicity said, ‘'allo there# )ou’re new, aren’t you? *hat orm are you in?’ ‘I’m in the ith orm, .orth Tower,’ answered the girl, smiling shyly# ‘My name’s +elia .orris# $re you all ith ormers too?’ ‘)es,’ answered !usan# ‘$nd we are all in .orth Tower, so you had better come along with us to Matron#’ +elia bent to %ick u% her night case, and as she did so it lew o%en, her belongings s%illing out everywhere# ‘/h my gosh&’ said +elia, bending down to cram them in again higgledy%iggledy# ‘'ow silly o me# My aunt is always telling me how careless and clumsy I am#’ ‘*ell, that’s not very kind o her,’ said the outs%oken 3une, and Felicity gave her a nudge, beore stoo%ing to hel% the new girl collect her scattered things# ‘*ell, my aunt isn’t very kind, sometimes,’ said +elia, turning red# ‘!he was awully glad when my grandmother decided to %ay the ees or me to come to boarding school#’
!he sounded rather orlorn, and some o the others elt sorry or her# !usan asked kindly, ‘+o you live with your aunt?’ ‘)es, and my two cousins,’ answered +elia, closing her night case irmly# ‘My ather 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, or they never made me eel very welcome#’ ‘*hat a shame&’ said the kindhearted -am, touched# ‘I daresay you will be glad to be away rom them#’ +elia nodded and said, ‘Though I can’t really blame them or being im%atient with me at times# I’m such a duer&’ The others didn’t know 0uite what to say to this, and were relieved when "onnie and $my (oined them# The two newcomers were introduced to the new girls, then Felicity said, ‘*ell, I su%%ose we had better take our health certiicates to Matron# 4ot yours, +elia? $nd you, Millicent? 4ood, well, o we go then#’ The ith ormers troo%ed o to Matron’s room, where they ound her busily ticking things o on a list# !he looked u% as the girls entered, and her %lum% ace broke into a smile# ‘'allo, ith ormers,’ she said# ‘My goodness, how strange it eels to be saying that to you& It seems like only yesterday that you came in here as giggling, irres%onsible irst ormers#’ ‘)es, but all that is behind us now, Matron,’ said 3une, %utting on a very grave ex%ression# ‘)ou see beore you a grou% o very sober, res%onsible individuals indeed#’ Matron laughed, and said, ‘'mm, as ar as you are concerned, 3une, I will believe that when I see it# .ow, do you all have your health certiicates?’ /ne by one, the girls handed them over, a%art rom +elia, who o%ened her night case and began %ulling everything out# ‘+elia, what are you doing?’ asked !usan# ‘)ou’ve only (ust %ut everything back in&’ ‘I can’t ind my health certiicate,’ said +elia# ‘I’m 0uite sure that it is in here somewhere#’ ‘*ell, it had better be, my girl,’ said Matron sternly# ‘/r it’s 0uarantine or you, and I am sure you don’t want that#’ +elia certainly didn’t want that, and began searching more rantically# $t last the health certiicate was ound, tucked inside one o her sli%%ers, and she handed it over with a sigh o relie#
Matron took it and said, ‘/ you go now# )ou are all in the same dormitory, along with 3ulie and 5ucy, and another new girl called 4illian *eaver#’ ‘$nother new girl&’ exclaimed .ora, as they let Matron’s room and made their way to the dormitory# ‘I wonder what she is like?’ The ith ormers soon ound out, or when the y reached their dormitory 3ulie and 5ucy were already there, and with them was a slim girl, with narrow green eyes and long, %ale auburn curls# !he was very attractive indeed, and the others looked at her with interest# ‘'allo, you lot&’ cried 3ulie# ‘*e’ve been back or ages, and we’ve got 3ack and !andy all settled in nicely#’ The others greeted them, then 5ucy said, ‘This is 4illian *eaver, who is (oining our orm# $nd I see we have two more new girls&’ There was a lurry o introductions, then Felicity said ha%%ily, ‘*ell, here we are, all back together again or a new term# I wonder what it will bring?’
2 The first day There was (ust time beore tea to show the new girls round a bit# The ith ormers looked in at their new commonroom, beore going down to the stables, to greet 3ack and !andy# +elia and Millicent seemed rather nervous o horses and admired them rom a distance, but 4illian %atted their velvety mu88les and made a great uss o them# ‘+o you ride, 4illian?’ asked 3ulie# ‘$ little,’ said the girl# ‘"ut I don’t have much time or it, with my other interests#’ ‘/h?’ said 5ucy# ‘$nd what are they?’ ‘*ell, I sim%ly love tennis,’ said 4illian# ‘$nd I see that the courts here are su%er, so I’m ho%ing to do well at that this term# $nd I %lay the violin, too, and that takes u% a lot o my time#’ Millicent’s ears %ricked u% at this, and she said, ‘I am a musician mysel, and %lay several instruments, including the violin# 'ave you taken any music exams?’ ‘/h, no,’ said 4illian, looking 0uite alarmed at the thought# ‘I sim%ly %lay or un#’
Millicent, who took her music very seriously indeed, looked rather disa%%roving at this, but the others rather liked 4illian, and Freddie took he r arm, saying, ‘5et’s go and take a look at the swimming%ool beore tea# There’s (ust time#’ "oth 4illian and Millicent went into ra%tures over the beau tiul, natural swimming%ool, which was hollowed out o rocks and illed by the sea# ‘5ovely&’ exclaimed 4illian# ‘I sim%ly can’t wait to go or a swim in there#’ ‘'ow beautiul,’ said Millicent, in her low, dramatic voice# ‘It makes me eel like com%osing a tune, all about the wildness and beauty o the sea#’ ‘+oes it?’ said the orthright 3une, sounding unim%ressed# ‘It makes me eel like diving in ully clothed, but as I’m a ith ormer now, I su%%ose I shall have to restrain mysel#’ 3ust then the bell went or tea, and -am cried, ‘4ood, I’m sim%ly starving# 1ome along, everyone&’ The ith ormers looked around as they entered the big diningroom, giving rather su%erior smiles as they saw the lower orms, who all had a mistress seated at the head o their table# The ith and sixth ormers, however, were (udged to be grownu% enough to su%ervise themselves at mealtimes, and ate alone# ‘My word, this looks good,’ said !usan, rubbing her hands together, as the girls took their seats# ‘1old ham, tomatoes, %otatoes cooked in their (ackets 6 and ruit salad with cream or aters# !crum%tious&’ $s the ith ormers tucked in, the old girls %ointed out various mistresses to the new girls# ‘That’s Mam’8elle Rougier over there, at the second ormers’ table,’ said Felicity# ‘/ne o our French mistresses# !he can be awully badtem%ered, so it’s best not to get on the wrong side o her#’ ‘$nd there is Mam’8elle +u%ont, our other French mistress,’ said Freddie# ‘!he’s awully good hearted, though she has a hot tem%er at times# $nd she’s a most marvellous %erson to %lay tricks on, or she is so easy to take in#’ ‘.ot that we shall be %laying tricks on her, o course,’ said !usan, in a loty tone# ‘*e shall leave that sort o thing to the lower school#’ ‘I can’t see Miss 3ames anywhere,’ said .ora, %eering round# Then she turned to the new girls, and said, ‘Miss 3ames is our orm mistress# I don’t know her awully well, but she seems 0uite a good sort#’
‘I think that she is coming back later tonight,’ said -am# ‘!o we will meet her %ro%erly or the irst time tomorrow#’ ‘$nd where is the music master, or mistress?’ asked Millicent# ‘*ell, not all o the girls take music lessons,’ ex%lained Felicity# ‘!o we have someone who comes in several times a week and gives lessons# 'er name is Miss 3ohnston and she’s su%%osed to be awully good#’ ‘)es, I took %iano lessons with her or a while back in the second orm,’ said -am# ‘!he’s a ine teacher#’ Millicent didn’t look im%ressed by this, and gave a sni# ‘I daresay I shall be above the standard that she is used to teaching,’ she said, rather haughtily# ‘"ut as I have learned (ust about all there is to learn, %erha%s it doesn’t matter so very much# $s long as I can ge t my %ractice in, that is the most im%ortant thing#’ The ith ormers exchanged glances, and 3une said smoothly, ‘-erha%s you will be able to teach Miss 3ohnston a thing or two, Millicent#’ The others grinned, but Millicent, a%%arently unconscious o any sarcasm, seemed to see this as a com%liment, and smiled# ‘*ill you be taking music lessons, 4illian?’ asked 5ucy# 4illian shook her auburn curls, and said, ‘.o, I sto%%ed taking lessons last year# I have brought my violin to school with me, and I love %laying it, but, as I said, it is (ust or un#’ !eeing that +elia looked rather let out, Felicity turned to her and said kindly, ‘*hat about you, +elia? +o you have an y ama8ing talents? $re you marvellous at games, or do you %lay an instrument, or anything?’ ‘.o,’ said +elia rather bleakly# ‘I’m araid there’s nothing marvellous about me# I’m no good at games, I have no talent or music, and I’m not even very clever at my lessons# I’m (ust a com%lete duer#’ .ora %atted the girl on the back, and said, ‘1heer u%& I’m (olly %leased to have you here, or it means that you may be bottom o the orm once in a while, instead o me#’ The others laughed at this, even +elia hersel, and !usan murmured to Felicity, ‘$t least she has a sense o humour, and can take a (oke# !he seems 0uite nice, although she doesn’t have much conidence in hersel#’ ‘$nd Millicent has too much&’ said Felicity# ‘I think I like 4illian best, out o the three new girls# !he seems natural, and riendly, and good un#’
The ith ormers were allowed to go to bed when they %leased, within reason, and all o them elt very grownu% and were determined to take advantage o this# "ut most o the girls had had very long (ourneys, and it wasn’t long beore some o them began to yawn# ‘I think that I shall go u% soon,’ said .ora# ‘/therwise I shall never be able to con centrate in class tomorrow#’ !everal o the others elt the same, and got to their eet, and !usan said to Millicent, ‘$re you coming to bed?’ Millicent, who was engrossed in a news%a%er that she had ound on the table, said rather absently, ‘I shall stay u% a little while longer, I think#’ ‘*hat’s that you’re reading?’ asked -am, curiously# ‘It certainly seems to have got your attention#’ Millicent looked u%, and said, ‘$ctually it’s an article about a com%etition to ind the best school orchestra in the country# $nd there is an entry orm here too# I was (ust wondering i I could %ersuade Miss 4rayling to let me get u% a Malory Towers orchestra and enter# *hat do you think?’ The others thought that this sounded like an extremely exciting idea, and Felicity said, ‘I should think that Miss 4rayling would be very interested indeed# It’s certainly worth asking her, Millicent#’ ‘9ery well,’ said Millicent, removing the %age she had been reading rom the news%a%er and olding it careully# ‘I shall ask her tomorrow, then#’ "y ten o’clock all o the ith ormers were tucked u% in bed, most o the m ast aslee%# /nly Millicent and +elia seemed to be having trouble in settling down# Millicent’s head was ull o dreams o winning the school orchestra com%etition, o bringing glory to Malory Towers and o having her name s%oken with awe by the others# +elia’s eelings were mixed# !he elt ha%%y to be away rom her means%irited aunt and s%iteul cousins, but was anxious about whether she would it in at Malory Towers# !he liked the girls, who all seemed very riendly and (olly, and had certainly done their utmost to make her eel welcome# "ut she was worried that she wouldn’t be ab le to kee% u% with them at lessons, or games# I only she had a s%ecial talent, like Millicent, or 4illian, she might eel like a more worthwhile %erson# "ut %oor +elia was not gited at all# $t last, though, she ell aslee%, as did Millicent, and soon the only sound coming rom the dormitory was -am’s gentle snoring#
$ter breakast on the irst morning, the new girls had to go and see Miss 4rayling, the wise and kindly 'ead mistress o Malory Towers# 4illian, Millicent and +elia all elt very nervous as they stood beore her, thinking that she looked rather stern# "ut then Miss 4rayling’s ace broke into a lovely smile, and the three girls relaxed a little as she s%oke to them one by one, asking their names# Then Miss 4rayling gave the little s%eech that she gave to all the new girls at the beginning o term, and the three o them listened intently, eeling very stirred by her words# $t last the 'ead inished, saying, ‘)ou may go to your classroom now, and %lease remember what I have said throughout your time at Malory Towers#’ The girls nodded solemnly, and 4illian and +elia turned towards the door# "ut Millicent lingered, and said rather hesitantly, ‘May I ask you something, %lease, Miss 4rayling?’ ‘/ course,’ said the 'ead# ‘*hat is it, Millicent?’ Millicent told the 'ead about the school orchestra com%etition, %leased that she seemed to be listening with as much interest as the girls had listened to her s%eech earlier# $t last Miss 4rayling said, ‘I must say that it sounds like a very g ood idea# *e have several very talented musicians at Malory Towers, rom various orms, and it would be good or them all to work together at something# )es, Millicent, you have my %ermission to get an orchestra together and enter it into the com%etition# I suggest that you %ut something u% on the noticeboards, then any girl who is interested can %ut her name down#’ ‘Thank you, Miss 4rayling,’ said Millicent, the smile that she gave making her ace look much less grave than usual# ‘I shall do my very best to make sure that we win#’ ‘I am sure that you will,’ said the 'ead# ‘"ut even i you don’t, I ho%e that everyone who takes %art will learn something o value rom the ex%erience#’ Millicent was rather %u88led by this# *hat on earth was the %oint o entering a com%etition (ust to learn something rom it? !he was going to go all out to make sure that the Malory Towers orchestra 6 her Malory Towers orchestra 6 won, or that was the whole %oint# / course, she didn’t say this to Miss 4rayling, but went along to the classroom with her he ad ull o %lans# The other girls were already seated, and Millicent took the only seat that was let, in the ront row, with 4illian and +elia# Miss 3ames had not yet arrived, and 3une said, ‘+id you ask the 'ead about the com%etition, Millicent?’ ‘)es, and she’s given %ermission,’ said Millicent, looking and sounding more excited than the girls had yet seen her# ‘4illian, you must let me hear you %lay you r violin, or there may be a %lace or you in the orchestra# $nd -am, didn’t you say that you could %lay the %iano?’
‘)es,’ answered -am, looking rather doubtul# ‘"ut I don’t know that I’m good enough to %lay in an orchestra#’ ‘*ell, we’ll soon see,’ said Millicent# ‘I am going to %ut something u% on the noticeboard a little later, and I will be holding auditions or anyone who is interested#’ ‘To be honest, I don’t know whether I want to be in the orchestra,’ murmured -am to .ora# ‘I rather ancied a nice, easy term#’ ‘*ell, (ust lu your audition,’ said .ora# ‘Then Millicent won’t want you#’ 3ust then Miss 3ames’s ootste%s could be heard a%%roaching, and the girls ell silent, while !usan got u% to hold the door o%en or the mistress# ‘Thank you, !usan,’ said Miss 3ames, with a smile# ‘-lease sit down, girls#’ The girls sat, and looked at Miss 3ames curiously# !he was tall and thin, with curly grey hair and ha8el eyes# +elia thought that she looked kind, and elt much more comortable# ‘*ell, beore we get down to the business o making out timetables, there are one or two matters I need to tell you about,’ said the mistress# ‘First o all, I am sure that you are all eager to know who is to be head o the orm# This is something that I discussed with Miss -otts and Miss *illiams, who was your orm mistress last year, and I took their advice beore making my decision#’ Miss 3ames had, in act, had a very long discussion with the two mistresses# ‘!usan "lake was head o the orm last term,’ Miss *illiams had said# ‘$nd very good she was too# I believe that Felicity Rivers was an excellent headgirl in the third orm as well#’ ‘2ither o them would be a good choice,’ Miss -otts, the head o .orth Tower, had said# ‘"ut I have a very strong eeling that Miss 4rayling may make one o them 'ead 4irl when they go u% into the sixth next year# $s you know, the 'ead 4irl o the sixth will be 'ead 4irl o the whole school# !o it seems to me that someone else should have the honour this year#’ Miss 3ames had nodded, and ran her eye over the list o names in ront o her# ‘.ora *oods,’ she had said aloud# ‘.o&’ Miss -otts and Miss *illiams had said at once# ‘.ora is a dear girl,’ said Miss *illiams# ‘"ut a com%lete scatterbrain#’ ‘I think that you can also rule out $my and "onnie,’ said Miss -otts# ‘.either o them has the makings o a leader#’
‘3une?’ suggested Miss *illiams# ‘$h, now 3une most deinitely is a leader,’ said Miss -otts# ‘Though she is not always very kind at times# "esides, Miss 4rayling and I have other %lans or 3une#’ Miss *illiams and Miss 3ames exchanged curious glances, but Miss -otts would no t be drawn, and went on to say, ‘Freddie will always ollow 3une’s lead, so I don’t think that she would be a good headgirl either# That leaves -am, 3ulie and 5ucy#’ ‘$ll nice girls, with good characters,’ said Miss *illiams# ‘"ut 3ulie and 5ucy are so horsemad that there is very little time or anything else in their lives, and I don’t think that either o them would be very wholehearted about being head o the orm#’ ‘-am was headgirl in the second orm,’ said Miss -otts# ‘$ll o the g irls like, trust and res%ect her#’ ‘*ell, it looks like -am will be head o the ith orm, then,’ said Miss 3ames# .ow Miss 3ames made the announcement in class, and all o the ith ormers were delighted# 'ad they been in a lower orm, there would have been an outbreak o cheering and cla%%ing, but as ith ormers they were more restrained, saying, ‘*ell done, -am, old girl#’ ‘)es, (olly good choice#’ ‘)ou’ll make a ine headgirl#’ ‘/h gosh&’ said -am, eeling 0uite overwhelmed# ‘3ust as I was saying that I ancied an easy term#’ "ut, o course, she was as %leased as %unch, and sim%ly couldn’t wait to write to her %arents and tell them the good news# Miss 3ames smiled, and said, ‘I have something else to tell you, as well# $s you know, Ruth 4rainger, the games ca%tain, let Malory Towers last term# $s there is no one in the sixth orm who is really good enough to take her %lace, the new ca%tain is going to be someone rom the ith orm 6 3une&’ For a moment 3une thought that she hadn’t heard %ro%erly, or surely Miss 3ames couldn’t have said that she was to be games ca%tain o the whole school ? "ut the others were beaming at her, congratulating her, and Freddie was cla%%ing her on the back, so it must be true& 3une was both astonished and delighted, or it had never occurred to her that she would ever be given a %osition o res%onsibility at Malory Towers# It was true that she was ar and away the best s%ortswoman in the school# "ut she also had a re%utation or being bold, mischievous and downright wicked at times&
Miss -otts had said as much to Miss 4rayling when they had talked about the matter, and Miss 4rayling had said, ‘*ell, it is time or 3une to %ut her tricks and (okes behind her, and learn how to be a res%onsible young woman# There is no doubt at all that she has the drive and determination to succeed, and I eel that this could be the making o her#’ $nd it seemed that 3une was going to make the most o the o%%ortunity oered to her, or she was already turning over various %lans in her mind# The Malory Towers teams were going to win every tennis match they went in or# !he would arrange extra coaching or the lower orms, and %ick out any %romising youngsters# $nd woe betide any slackers& 2ven %eo%le like "onnie and $my, who sim%ly loathed games, would have to toe the line# "ut there was no time to think about that now, or Miss 3ames was s%eaking again, saying, ‘/ course, it is a very big res%onsibility or one %erson alone, so Felicity and !usan will hel% you#’ Felicity and !usan exchanged excited glances, both o them wishing or a moment that they were back in the irst orm so that they could let out a yell& 4oodness, what a term this was going to be&
3 A clash of wills ‘*ell, what a morning it’s been&’ exclaimed Felicity, as the ith ormers went out into the resh air at breaktime# ‘-am head o the orm, 3une head o games or the whole school, and Millicent has been given %ermission to get u% an orchestra#’ ‘*here is Millicent?’ asked !usan, looking round# ‘/h, she’s gone o to write out a notice, so that %eo%le will get to know about the auditions she is holding,’ said .ora# ‘I must say she’s awully keen# 'ow abou t you, 3une? I’m sur%rised that you haven’t started making out lists o teams yet, or %utting u % notices about %ractice times#’ 3une laughed, and said, ‘*ell, I have a lot more to think about than Millicent# $ll she has to do is listen to %eo%le %lay, and decide whether they are good enough or not# $ter that, it is sim%ly a matter o rehearsing# I have to arrange matches and %ractices, decide on %layers and reserves, coach %eo%le, and do my best to bring all the slackers u% to scratch&’ ‘*ell, thank goodness you have two willing hel%ers,’ said 3ulie# ‘)es, I think the three o us will work together well,’ said 3une, grinning at Felicity and !usan# ‘-erha%s we can %ut our heads together in the commonroom later, and decide how w e are going to go about this?’
Felicity and !usan nodded eagerly, then 3une turned to 4illian and said, ‘I you are as good at tennis as you say, you might get a %lace on one o the teams# It’s tennis next lesson, so I shall be watching you careully#’ .ot only did 3une get the o%%ortunity to watch 4illian, she actually %layed against her# $nd she soon saw that the new girl was as good as her word, or 4illian was a marvellous %layer and very nearly beat 3une# $nd, or once, 3une didn’t mind, or she was absolutely thrilled to have ound someone who could %lay tennis so well# ‘)ou’re a certainty or the team&’ said 3une, in the changingroom aterwards# ‘3ust make sure that you kee% your %ractice u%#’ ‘'eavens, I am in demand&’ said 4illian, with a laugh# ‘Millicent wants me to try out or her orchestra, and now you want me to %lay tennis#’ ‘*hat it is to be %o%ular&’ laughed Freddie# ‘*hat are you going to do, 4illian?’ ‘*ell, it’s 0uite obvious that 4illian will choose to %lay tennis,’ said 3une# ‘*ho wants to %lay in a stuy orchestra, when they can be out in the resh air#’ 7nortunately, Millicent overheard this, and said stily, ‘There will be nothing stuy about the Malory Towers orchestra, 3une# I sim%ly can’t imagine why 4illian would want to waste her time knocking a ball back and orth, when she could be using her talent or something worthwhile#’ 3une o%ened her mouth to retort, but "onnie interru%ted to say, ‘Millicent, you haven’t even heard 4illian %lay yet# )ou only have her word or it that she is any good#’ This was very true, and Millicent said, ‘*ell, there is a little s%are time beore lunch# *hy don’t you go and etch your violin, 4illian, and you can %lay or us in the commonroom now?’ !o 4illian s%ed o to get her violin rom the dor mitory, while the others gathered ex%ectantly in the commonroom# *hen the new girl came back, she had loosened her long curls rom the ribbon that had been tying them back, and when Freddie asked why, 4illian said, ‘I always wear my hair loose when I %lay the violin# It makes me eel more artistic somehow#’ Then the girl %laced the violin under her chin and began to %lay# $nd what a %erormance she gave& The ith ormers listened, enthralled, as 4illian %layed, her bow darting o ver the strings, her en(oyment clear, as beautiul music illed the room# It was 0uite clear that 4illian had not exaggerated at all, and was a irstclass violinist# *hen she inished, the girls cla%%ed and cheered like mad# ‘!im%ly beautiul&’ ‘To%hole& 4illian, you’re a marvel#’ ‘Millicent, you sim%ly must %ut her in the orchestra#’
‘I shall,’ said Millicent, %leased to have ound someone so talented# /nly 3une said nothing# !he, too, had been im%ressed by 4illian’s %laying, but she badly wanted the girl to be on one o the tennis teams, and she had no intention o allowing Millicent to steal her away# ‘*ell, 4illian, it looks as i you must make a choice,’ said -am# ‘)es, I su%%ose I must,’ said 4illian, with a grimace# ‘I you don’t mind, 3une and Millicent, I should like to think about it or a while#’ ‘*ell, don’t think about it or too long,’ said Millicent, rather coolly# ‘I need to choose my orchestra, and lick it into sha%e# There is no time to waste#’ 3une, watching Millicent closely, decided that the girl was going to be a bit o a slavedriver, and could see that she ran the risk o making hersel very un%o%ular with her orchestra i she %ushed them too hard# !he hersel said %leasantly, ‘/ course, 4illian, you take your time# There’s no hurry or you to make u% your mind, and I want you to be sure that you have made the right choice#’ The rest o the ith orm stared at 3une hard# They knew her very well indeed, and i 3une wanted something badly, she didn’t give u% without a ight# *hen the ith ormers went into the diningroom or lunch, it seemed that word had got around that 3une was the new games ca%tain, or many o the younger girls nudged one another and whis%ered as she walked by# 'annah, o the second orm, came u% to her, and said shyly, ‘1ongratulations, 3une# *e second ormers are sim%ly thrilled that you are our new games ca%tain#’ ‘Thanks, kid,’ said 3une, in her usual careless way, though she was secretly delighted and rather touched by this# ‘)ou’re 'annah, aren’t you? I remember watching you %lay last year, when you were in the irst orm# I ho%e that you are going to try out or one o the teams this term, or you were %retty good#’ 'annah, so overwhelmed that she was 0uite unable to s%eak, merely nodded, beore rushing back to her table to tell the second ormers that the great 3une had asked her to try out or one o the teams# Millicent, meanwhile, had watched the little by%lay with a sour ex%ression, and wondered i she would be able to ins%ire the same devotion in her orchestra# !he had certainly stirred %eo%le’s interest, or many girls, rom dierent orms and dierent towers, %ut their names on the list that she had %inned u%, and Millicent decided to hold auditions on the irst !aturday o the term#
$uditions were being held in the big hall, and the rest o the ith ormers went along to watch# ‘There’s nothing better to do,’ said 3une, looking at the gloomy weather outside the window, and sighing# ‘I had %lanned to hold tennis %ractice or the lower orms, but it’s going to %our down any minute#’ The ith ormers had to sit right at the back o the hall, or it seemed that hal o the school had decided that watching the auditions would be a %leasant way to while away a rainy aternoon# Millicent ste%%ed on to the stage, a list o names in her hand, and she called out, ‘-am, would you like to sit at the %iano and go irst?’ -ulling a ace at .ora, -am walked to the ront o the hall, where the %iano stood, and sat down at it# !he %layed a sim%le %iece o music that she knew well, and, although she had intended to %lay a ew wrong notes and s%oil her chances o getting into the orchestra, ound that she couldn’t, as the music took hold o her# It was a %leasant %erormance, and the listening girls cla%%ed, but Millicent merely said, ‘.ot bad# 'annah +ixon, you %lay the %iano, don’t you? 5et’s see i you can do any better#’ 3une, sitting next to Freddie, gas%ed as 'annah o the second orm got u%, and whis%ered, ‘Millicent is doing this on %ur%ose& !he heard me telling 'annah that I wanted her to %ractise hard at her tennis, and this is her way o getting back at me# I bet you anything you like that she %icks 'annah to be in her %recious orchestra&’ ‘)es, but you can’t blame Millicent entirely,’ Freddie whis%ered back# ‘'annah must have %ut her name on the list in the irst %lace#’ ‘.ot necessarily,’ said 3une# ‘-am didn’t %ut her name down, but Millicent badgered her into %laying anyway#’ ‘1an whoever is whis%ering %lease be 0uiet?’ said Millicent shar%ly# ‘It really is very rude when 'annah is waiting to begin#’ Millicent knew very well that it was 3une who was whis%ering, but there was an unwritten rule among the ith ormers that they did not ind ault with one another in ront o the younger girls# "ut although Millicent hadn’t named her, 3une was annoyed# Really, Millicent would do well to remember that she was a new girl& 'annah %layed very well indeed, and Millicent gave her a word o %raise when she inished her %iece# ‘9ery good,’ she said# ‘I shall certainly consider you as our %ianist, 'annah, though I can’t say anything deinite until I have heard the others#’
!everal more musicians took to the stage, %laying a variety o instruments# /ne girl %layed the lute, another the trum%et, and yet another the cello# There were several more %ianists, too, as well as our or ive violinists# Then 4illian got u%, holding her v iolin, and Millicent said, ‘There is no need or you to audition, 4illian, or I heard you %lay the other day#’ ‘I know, but I am in a musical mood today, and elt like %laying my violin anyway, so I thought that I would %lay the tune that I %layed in the commonroom the other day#’ To everyone’s sur%rise, Millicent smiled and said, ‘*ell, that will certainly be a treat or everyone# I know that tune, so i you don’t mind, I will accom%any you on the %iano#’ ‘For all her boasting about what a wonderul musician she is, I’ve never heard Millicent %lay anything,’ murmured -am to .ora# ‘.ow we shall see how good she really is#’ $s it turned out, Millicent was very good indeed # !he and 4illian held the watching girls s%ellbound, and several o the younger girls ound tears starting to their eyes, the music was so lovely# *hen they inished, everyone got to their eet and cla%%ed so hard that Felicity thought they would raise the roo& 2ven 3une had to admit grudgingly, ‘!he certainly %lays the %iano brilliantly# In act, she is so brilliant that I wonder she doesn’t give hersel the (ob as %ianist in her orchestra# Then she can leave 'annah out o it#’ The same thought occurred to -am, but when she suggested it to Millicent ater the auditions were over, the girl said, ‘I can’t, or I shall be conducting, you see# I learned how to do that at the music academy, and while we have several good %ianists, I doubt i there is anyone here who knows how to conduct#’ This was very true, so it seemed that one o the girls who had auditioned would have to become the orchestra %ianist# -am elt 0uite conident that she would not be chosen, or she had been outshone by several other girls, including young 'annah# !eeing Millicent hunched u% over a table in the commonroom that evening, busily writing some kind o list, Felicity called out, ‘'ave you decided who is to be in the orchestra yet, Millicent?’ ‘I have decided on several %eo%le, but there are one or two that I haven’t 0uite made u% my mind about,’ said the girl# ‘I am going to decide by tomorrow, then we shall be able to call the irst rehearsal# 4illian, you are in 6 i you want to be# "ut you really must let me know by tomorrow#’ ‘'ave you decided what %iece you are going to %lay?’ asked !usan, looking u% rom the book she was reading# ‘)es, I am going to teach the girls a com%osition o my own,’ answered Millicent, sounding rather smug# ‘I wrote it last term at the music academy, and my teachers there thought that it was 0uite outstanding#’
Then Millicent s%otted 3une looking at her with dislike, and said, ‘*hat bad luck that you couldn’t hold your tennis %ractice earlier, 3une# That’s the beauty o music, you see# .o matter what the weather, one can still %lay#’ 3une bit back a shar% retort, made her ex%ression %erectly bland, and said airily, ‘It doesn’t matter# The weather will im%rove soon, and then my tennis %ractices will go ahead# The youngsters do so en(oy s%ending as much time as %ossible in the resh air during the summer months#’ $s it ha%%ened, the weather cleared the very next day, and the girls awoke to bright sunshine# Immediately ater breakast, 3une %ut a notice on the board to say that she would be holding tennis %ractice or the lower school at two o’clock# $nd, when the time came, she, Felicity and !usan were delighted to see that there was a good turn out# The lower school had always looked u% to 3une, admiring her boldness, her outs%oken manner, and her re%utation or %laying tricks# .ow that she was their games ca%tain, many o them almost worshi%%ed her# 'annah was there, and 3une greeted her with a smile, saying, ‘I’m glad to see you here, 'annah# *hen I saw you %laying the %iano or Millicent yesterday, I was araid that you might have decided to (oin the orchestra instead o %laying tennis or the school#’ ‘*ell, I %ut my name on Millicent’s list as soon as she %inned it u%, and that was beore you told me that I might have a chance o getting on to the team, 3une#’ 'annah looked u% at the bigger girl and said, ‘/ course, I would much rather %lay tennis, i you think that I am good enough, and i Millicent does want me or her orchestra I am going to say no#’ 3une was delighted to hear this, and she gave 'annah a cla% on the shoulder# $s the second ormer walked away to take her %lace on the court, Felicity came u% to 3une, and said, ‘)ou look %leased with yoursel#’ ‘I am,’ said 3une# ‘'annah has told me that she would rather %lay tennis than be in Millicent’s orchestra#’ ‘I see,’ said Felicity# ‘$nd are you %leased because you have a good %layer or the lowerschool team, or because you have got one over on Millicent?’ 3une laughed, and said, ‘"oth# +on’t worry, Felicity, I know what you’re thinking, an d I don’t intend to let my dislike o Millicent interere with any decisions I make as games ca%tain# "elieve it or not, I am taking my res%onsibilities very seriously#’ Felicity was %leased to hear this, and she and !usan elt heartened to see 3une taking so much trouble over the youngsters# 3une gave a word o %raise here, and criticised there# "ut, Felicity noticed, whenever 3une made a criticism, she always told the girl she was talking to how to %ut matters right#
‘*ho would have thought it&’ said !usan, as she watched 3une showing a little irst ormer how to serve# ‘-erha%s 3une is mellowing in her old age#’ ‘I think the act that these kids look u% to her no end hel%s,’ said Felicity# ‘They really do adore her, and 3une is basking in it# I (ust ho%e that she doesn’t get a swollen head&’ ‘I don’t think that she will,’ said !usan# ‘3une is too downright to let all this heroworshi% go to her head# My word, some o these kids are (olly good& 5ook at little Maggie there# !he might be tiny, but she’s (olly ierce#’ 3une came over to them then, a smile on her ace as she said, ‘!ome %romising %layers out there, don’t you think?’ ‘That’s exactly what I was (ust saying,’ said !usan# ‘*e certainly have %lenty o talent to choose rom when it comes to the lowerschool team#’ ‘*e should do well with the u%%erschool team as well,’ said 3une# ‘)ou two will be %laying, o course#’ "oth girls gas%ed and looked at one another with shining eyes, then Felicity said, ‘3une, you don’t have to %ut us in the team sim%ly because we are hel%ing you with your games ca%tain’s duties, you know#’ ‘I’m not,’ said 3une# ‘I’m choosing you because you ha%%en to be two o the best %layers in the school#’ ‘Thanks&’ said !usan, 0uite taken aback at this unex%ected %raise rom 3une# ‘I des%erately want 4illian, too,’ said 3une, her eyes narrowing# ‘I shall be so disa%%ointed i she takes u% Millicent’s oer o a %lace in the orchestra instead# I wonder i she has made her mind u% yet?’ 4illian had, and she announced her decision in the commonroom that very evening# ‘3une,’ she said# ‘I have decided that I would like to take u% your oer o a %lace on the u%%er school team#’ 3une’s ace lit u% and she was 0uite unable to hel% shooting a look o trium%h at Millicent, who looked as glum as could be# "ut 4illian hadn’t inished, or she went on, ‘$nd Millicent, I should also like to %lay the violin in your orchestra, i I may#’ 2veryone looked most sur%rised, and it was let to -am, as head o the orm, to say, ‘"ut 4illian, you can’t %ossibly do both& *hy, you’ll wear yoursel out com%letely and you won’t be able to concentrate on your lessons#’
‘"ut I am being oered the chance to have un doing the two things that I love most, so how can I %ossibly choose one over the other?’ said 4illian# ‘+on’t worry about me, -am, or I shall be %erectly ine#’ ‘I ho%e so,’ said -am, sounding extremely doubtul# ‘"ut i it becomes too much or you, 4illian, you will sim%ly have to give one u%#’ 3une glanced across at Millicent, and their e yes met in a hostile look# 3une was thinking that i 4illian was going to give anything u% it would be the violin# $nd Millicent was thinking that i 4illian had to eventually make a choice, she was determined that the girl was going to choose her orchestra&
4 An interesting rehearsal *hat with one thing and another, lie was very busy at Malory Towers# Millicent had chosen the girls who were to be in her orchestra, and had given them all co%ies o the %iece o music she had written# !he had asked 'annah to be the %ianist, but, eeling a little nervous, 'annah had said haltingly, ‘I eel very honoured that you have asked me, Millicent, but I have decided to work hard at my tennis or 3une, instead#’ Millicent had looked at 'annah so coldly that the second ormer’s knees shook, and she eared that she was about to get a scold# "ut Millicent merely said, ‘9ery well, 'annah, i that is your decision# I ho%e that you have made the right choice#’ Then she had gone o to ind $nne, a ith ormer rom !outh Tower, and asked her i she wo uld like to %lay the %iano instead# $nne had been absolutely thrilled, and so grateul or the o%%ortunity that Millicent cheered u% a bit# $nd she was urther gratiied when she walked by the little music rooms that the girls used or %ractising in, and heard her own com%osition being %layed# $ll o the musicians were working very hard indeed, and Millicent really didn’t see how Malory Towers could ail to win the com%etition# +elia came along the corridor as Millicent stood ou tside one o the musicrooms, listening to $nne rehearsing her %iano solo, and she said, ‘Is that the music that you wrote, Millicent? My word, you really do have a git# 'ow I envy you# $ll everyone seems to talk ab out at the moment is tennis, or the orchestra, but I can’t contribute anything because I’m ho%eless at games and no good at music# *hy, when I sing at home, my aunt says it sounds like a cat yowling#’ Millicent wasn’t much given to considering anyone else’s eelings, but there was something so wistul in +elia’s tone that she elt rather touched, and said kindly, ‘*ell, there are other ways you could be involved, you know, +elia# I could certainly do with someone to assist me at rehearsals, to make notes and so on#’
‘Really?’ said +elia, her ace lighting u%# ‘*ould you trust me to do that, Millicent?’ ‘/ course,’ said Millicent# ‘.ow listen, +elia, the irst rehearsal is on Tuesday, ater tea, in the hall# !o (ust you come along and I’m sure that I will ind %lenty or you to do#’ +elia nodded eagerly, and both girls went their se%arate ways, +elia thrilled to think that she was going to %lay a %art in the orchestra’s success, and Millicent eeling that she had done something very good and virtuous# 3une, somewhat to her own sur%rise, was thoroughly en (oying coaching the youngsters at tennis# The u%%er school were more o a challenge, however, and in the end she abandoned her %lans to make %eo%le like $my and "onnie attend regular %ractices# ‘I really don’t know why you bother,’ said Felicity, one day, ater watching a long and ruitless argument between 3une and "onnie, which had ended with the latter latly reusing to come to %ractice# ‘)ou are never going to make a tennis %layer out o "onnie, or $my, or that matter, so you may as well give u%#’ "ut 3une was extremely stubborn when she had set her mind to something, and continued to badger $my and "onnie# ‘!he’s so %ersistent&’ $my com%lained# ‘'onestly, "onnie, sometimes I eel like giving u% and going to her wretched tennis %ractice (ust so that she will leave me alone#’ "ut "onnie could be stubborn too, and she shook her head, saying, ‘*e mustn’t give in to 3une, or she will become even worse# I shall come u% with a %lan to make her leave us alone#’ In act it was 3une hersel who gave "onnie an idea# !he had been ins%ecting the white tennis dresses that the Malory Towers girls wore when they %layed matches aga inst other schools, and discovered that some o them were very shabby indeed# ‘'ems coming down, %ockets ri%%ed and holes in seams,’ she com%lained in the commonroom one evening# ‘I can’t send our teams o to %lay in those& *e’ll be a laughing stock&’ "onnie, who had been listening intently, a%%roached 3une later, and said, ‘I want to make a bargain with you# I will re%air all o the tennis dresses and make them as good as new#’ 3une’s eyes lit u%, and she said, ‘*ould you really do that? "onnie, you’re an angel#’ ‘)es, but I want something in return,’ said "onnie, beore 3une got too carried away# ‘)ou are to leave $my and me alone, and not try to get us to %lay tennis#’ 3une looked down into "onnie’s sweet little ace, and gave a reluctant laugh# ‘)ou can be every bit as determined as me when you want something, can’t you?’ she said# ‘/r when you want to get out o something& *ell, it really would be a hel% to me i you would mend the dresses, "onnie# I su%%ose, in your way, you will be doing your bit or the team#’
!o the bargain was struck, and "onnie, sticking to her side o it, began work on the dresses at once# .ot only did she re%air hems and mend seams, with her neat, tiny stitches, but she %ainstakingly embroidered the initials M and T, or Malory Towers, on the %ocket o each dress, in dee% orange# 3une was thrilled, and cried, ‘"onnie, you’re marvellous& /ur % layers will look as neat as new %ins now, and I shall be %roud to watch them %lay#’ "onnie acce%ted the %raise graciously, but really she had thoroughly en(oyed working on the dresses, or needlework was her avourite %astime# Millicent, who had elt extremely (ealous o the smart tennis dresses that 3une’s teams would be wearing, overheard this# $ll o the orchestras in the com%etition would be wearing their school uniorms, but Millicent had been trying to think o something that would make the Malory Towers girls stand out# .ow she had a sudden brainwave, and she turned to "onnie, saying, ‘I have a %ro(ect or you, "onnie, i you’re willing#’ ‘*hat is it?’ asked "onnie curiously# ‘*ell,’ said Millicent# ‘It occurred to me that it would be nice i each member o our orchestra had a %ennant to hang rom her music stand# -erha%s 6 ’ ‘)es,’ interru%ted "onnie excitedly, her creative mind gras%ing the idea at once# ‘I see exactly how they should look& Triangular %ennants made rom orange abric, with the letters M and T embroidered in brown, so that the colours match the school uniorm# 'ow does that sound, Millicent?’ ‘That sounds su%er&’ said Millicent, who hadn’t got as ar as thinking about the colours# ‘"onnie, would you be able to do that? I you can, I shall owe you a avour#’ / course, "onnie was only too %leased to hel% out, or she was thrilled to have a new %ro(ect to work on, and she always liked being in a %osition where someone owed her a avour# !o "onnie elt as i she was really doing rather a lot to hel% both 3une and Millicent# $las or %oor +elia, however: her eorts to assist Millicent did not get o to a good start# The orchestra held their irst %ro%er rehearsal together in the b ig hall, and +elia made sure that all the music stands had a co%y o Millicent’s score there, ready and waiting# ‘Thank you, +elia,’ said Millicent, as she led the orchestra into the hall# ‘.ow, what I would like you to do is sit at the side there, and (ot down any comments and suggestions I make in a notebook# 5ater I shall be able to read them back and make any im%rovements that are needed to the score# !ee?’ +elia nodded eagerly, and took her seat, notebook and %en at the ready#
Millicent stood in ront o the orchestra, baton in hand and conducted# "ut, when the music sto%%ed, she had a great many criticisms to make, or this was the irst time that the orchestra had %layed together, and, naturally, mistakes were made# +elia was most assiduous in recording all o Millicent’s remarks# ‘$nne&’ said Millicent shar%ly# ‘)ou %layed two wrong notes in your solo# )ou really must try to do better& $nd 3anet, you came in ar too late# $ mistake like that could cost us the com%etition# $s or the violins, it was sim%ly dreadul& 4illian was the only one o you who %layed %erectly# I suggest that you all s%end some time rehearsing together#’ The girls knew only too well that they had made mistakes, but they rather resented Millicent’s highhanded attitude# ‘I don’t mind having my mistakes %ointed out,’ muttered 3anet# ‘"ut she could be a little more %olite and %leasant about it#’ 'elen, one o the violinists, nodded in agreement and whis%ered, ‘I do think she’s awully hard on us# $ter all, it is the irst time that we have all %layed together# !he can’t ex%ect us to be %erect&’ "ut it seemed that this was exactly what Millicent did ex%ect# !he made $nne %lay her %iano solo again, and when the girl %layed the same two wrong notes, Millicent scolded her so harshly that she was almost reduced to tears# ‘*hat a %ity that 'annah didn’t want to be %ianist,’ Millicent remarked scathingly# ‘$t least she would have taken the trouble to learn the music beore turning u% or rehearsal#’ $nne, who hadn’t realised that 'annah had been irst choice, elt very u%set indeed# For a moment she considered walking o, but she so badly wanted to be a %art o the orchestra, and had already written to her %arents about it# !o %oor $nne swallowed her %ride, and sta yed where she was# "ut many o the others sent silent glances o sym%athy $nne’s way, and glared at Millicent# 7nortunately or them, Millicent, who could be very thickskinned at times, didn’t even notice# *hen the orchestra %layed the %iece or the second time, it sounded much better, to +elia’s untrained ear# ;uite beautiul, in act# Millicent did not agree, and continued to criticise and suggest im%rovements, but +elia, who had become 0uite lost in the music, com%letely orgot to write them down# The %iece that Millicent had com%osed was called ‘!ummer !erenade’ and, as she listened, +elia thought that it really did ca%ture the essence o summer %erectly, making her think o %icnics, and walks along the beach# ;uite suddenly, words began to orm in her head, that itted in with the music, and, turning hastily to the back o the notebook +elia began to (ot them down# Millicent, glancing across, saw the girl scribbling away, and elt satisied that the was doing her (ob %ro%erly#
"ut +elia’s sudden burst o creativity ended, and she closed the notebook as Millicent lowered her baton and s%oke to the orchestra# ‘"etter, but not good enough&’ she said, a stern ex%ression on her ace# ‘I ex%ect you all to %ractise until you are %erect beore the next rehearsal#’ The only %erson who came in or unstinted %raise was 4illian, and 3anet remarked rather b itterly, ‘/ course, the two o them are in the same orm and the same tower, so Millicent is bound to avour her# I ex%ect that the two o them are riends#’ In act, 4illian had decided that she didn’t like Millicent much at all# !he thought the girl h igh handed and rather humourless, and hadn’t cared or some o the unkind remarks that she had made to the others# !he really doesn’t know how to get the best out o %eo%le, thought 4illian, as she %ut her violin away# $ll that Millicent has done is make everyone eel terribly nervous, or now we all know that we are in or a tongue lashing i we make a mistake# +elia, who had remained behind to collect the scores that had been let on the music stands, went across to 4illian and said a little shyly, ‘)ou %layed awully well, 4illian#’ 4illian smiled# !he liked the rather sweetnatured, awkward +elia# ‘Thank you,’ she said# ‘Though I can’t hel% wishing that Millicent had %raised some o the others as much as she %raised me# I have a eeling that her shar% tongue is going to cause %roblems#’ ‘I think that she (ust wants everything to be %erect,’ said +elia# ‘!he has her heart set on winning this com%etition, you know, and I su%%ose that she eels a lot rests on her shoulders, as she wrote the music as well#’ ‘I daresay you’re right,’ said 4illian# ‘"ut I do wish that she wasn’t 0uite so intense and serious#’ +elia was 0uite right about Millicent# !he wanted d es%erately to lead Malory Towers to victory in the orchestra com%etition, and i they could win %laying her very own com%osition, it would be a huge eather in her ca%# "ut some o the %layers sim%ly weren’t u% to scratch, and it was u% to her, Millicent, to see that they im%roved# !he went u% to +elia in the commonroom that evening, and said, ‘I say, +elia, do you have that notebook? I intend to go through it this evening, so that I can see where all the weak s%ots are#’ +elia handed over the notebook, but Millicent wasn’t able to read it that evening, ater all, or Matron %ut her head round the door and cried, ‘Millicent Moon& I have a %ile o your mending here, which needs to be un%icked and done again#’ Millicent, who didn’t like mending at all, turned red and said, ‘!orry, Matron# I’m not very good at sewing, and I’m araid I rushed it, rather#’
‘*ell, you will do it again this evening,’ said Matron, sternly# ‘$nd this time, Millicent, %lease do it careully, or I shall ins%ect it tomorrow#’ *ith that, Matron handed Millicent the %ile o mending, and shut the door behind her# Millicent scowled# "low Matron& !he had so wanted to go through that notebook tonight# !he wondered i "onnie could be %ersuaded to do the mending or her, and glanced across at the girl# "ut "onnie was busily engaged in embroidering one o the %ennants or the orchestra, and Millicent decided that was ar more im%ortant than her mending# ‘'ow I hate sewing&’ she said aloud, ho%ing that one o the girls would take %ity on her and oer to do it or her# "ut no one did, or they h ad all noticed that Millicent oten used the excuse o being a musical genius to get out o doing other, more mundane tasks# +elia wondered i she should oer, though sewing wasn’t one o her talents, and she o %ened her mouth to s%eak# "ut -am caught her eye and gave a small shake o the head, and +elia subsided# ‘*ell, Millicent,’ said Felicity, who was doing a (igsaw with !usan# ‘It rather looks as i you are going to have to do your own mending, doesn’t it?’ ‘*e never had to do our own mending at the music academy,’ said Millicent crossly, getting out her workbasket# ‘It is such a waste o time, when I could be working on my %iece or the com%etition#’ ‘)ou’re getting ar too wra%%ed u% in this com%etition, i you ask me,’ said -am# ‘$nd the mistresses are starting to notice it too# I overheard Miss 3ames telling Miss -otts that she is not very %leased with you, or you don’t %ay attention in class#’ ‘"e careul, Millicent,’ warned 3une# ‘I Miss 4rayling thinks that your involvement with the orchestra is aecting your classwork, she may change her mind an d make you %ull out#’ Millicent was 0uite horriied at that thought# !he would have to be very careul indeed, and at least try to look as i she was %aying attention in class# )et the very next second, she decided that she would take the notebook into French with her tomorrow, and sli% it inside the %ages o the book that the orm was reading with Mam’8elle +u%ont# Mam’8elle was so easy to ool that she would never s%ot a thing&
5 Millicent in trouble Mam’8elle +u%ont was in a good mood when she walked into the ithorm classroom the ollowing morning# !he had had a good night’s slee% and elt well rested, the sun was shining,
and she liked these ith ormers# They were good, h ardworking girls, even 3une, who had been such a bad girl when she was lower down the school# .ora, one o Mam’8elle’s avourites, was holding the door o%en or her, and the French mistress smiled, and said, ‘ Merci, .ora# Asseyez-vous, s’il vous plait #’ The ith ormers took their seats, and Mam’8elle beamed round, saying, ‘-lease o%en your books, and we will continue reading this soexcellent story# Ma chère Felicity, you will begin %lease#’ $s Felicity began reading, Millicent o%ened her book, into which she had already sli%%ed the notebook# The girl was soon lost in her world o music as she began to read the notes that +elia had written, in her large, untidy handwriting, and she was able to shut out everything around her# 4illian, who sat beside Millicent, saw what the girl was doing, and thought her very silly indeed# Millicent was going to get into serious trouble i she wasn’t careul# "ut 4illian couldn’t very well say anything to her without attracting unwelcome attention rom Mam’8elle# !o Millicent remained engrossed in her music, while the rest o the class read the French book, and no one but 4illian noticed a thing# 7ntil Mam’8elle said, ‘Millicent, you will read now, %lease#’ / course, Millicent didn’t even hear Mam’8elle, not even when the French mistress re%eated her instruction# The rest o the ith ormers looked at one another, %u88led, and 4illian gave Millicent a nudge# Then, to her ama8ement, and the ama8ement o everyone else in the room, Millicent suddenly let out a roar# 4illian was extremely startled, or she had barely touched the girl# "ut it seemed that Millicent’s anger was not directed at her, or the girl stood u% an d yelled, ‘+elia, you idiot& *hat on earth has ha%%ened to the notes that you were su%%osed to be making? )ou have only written down the remarks that I made ater the irst runthrough, then there is nothing&’ The ith ormers stared at Millicent in astonishment, while %oor +elia looked most taken ab ack# "ut the most sur%rised %erson in the class was Mam’8elle hersel, who sim%ly couldn’t believe her ears# Mam’8elle did not care or Millicent, or the girl %aid scant a ttention in class, and acted as i French did not matter 6 as i nothing mattered, in act, exce%t her music# $nd now she dared to disru%t the class with this outburst o tem%er# Mam’8elle’s good mood suddenly vanished, and she cried angrily, ‘'ow dare you behave like this in my class, Millicent&’ Millicent continued to ignore Mam’8elle, who was growing redder and angrier by the second, and carried on with her tirade at +elia, whose knees were now shaking# The ith ormers had no idea what was the matter with Millicent, whom they thought had g one 0uite mad, but as the girl was taking no notice at all o Mam’8elle, -a m took a hand in the aair#
!he walked across to Millicent and took the girl irmly by the arm, saying shar%ly, ‘Millicent, control yoursel at once& )ou are behaving like a irst ormer, and i you are not careul Mam’8elle will send you to Miss 4rayling# +o behave, or heaven’s sake#’ The threat o being sent to the 'ead seemed to sna% Millicent out o her rage, or she blinked suddenly and ell silent# Mam’8elle, taking advantage o the sudden silence, ste%%ed towards her and said, ‘Vous êtes insupportable, Millicent& Méchante ille! )ou will be %unished or this extraordinary behaviour#’ ‘I beg your %ardon, Mam’8elle,’ gas%ed Millicent, araid now, and deciding that the wisest course o action was to a%ologise %rousely to the angry French mistress# ‘I sim%ly don’t know what came over me#’ Mam’8elle was moving closer, and, in horror, Millicent glanced down at the French book on her desk# I the French mistress s%otted the notebook there, she would certainly be sent to the 'ead, and all her dreams o winning the com%etition would be shattered# "ut the notebook was gone& For 0uickthinking 4illian, seeing disaster looming or Millicent, had 0uickly snatched the notebook away as Mam’8elle a%%roached, and hidden it in her satchel# !he had no way o inorming Millicent o this, though, or Mam’8elle was scolding the girl roundly, in a mixture o French and 2nglish, and all that Millicent could do was hang her head and ho%e that her %unishment would not be too severe# The others watched in ascination, torn between guilty en(oyment at seeing Millicent get into a row, and embarrassment that a ith ormer should have behaved in such a way# 'ad they been in the irst or second orm, this would have bee n a very exciting interlude in their day, but as ith ormers they elt slightly ashamed o Millicent# /nly 3une, who saw Millicent as a rival, watched with unalloyed glee, though she would not have admitted this to the others, and made her ex%ression %erectly grave# $t last Mam’8elle seemed to run out o steam, an d came to a halt, her chest heaving as she glared angrily at Millicent# /nce again 4illian nudged her, hissing, ‘$%ologise again, ass& It’s your only chance o staying out o trouble#’ Millicent did so, in a very meek manner, stammering slightly and with downcast eyes, and when she %ee%ed at Mam’8elle through her eyelashes, she was relieved to see that the French mistress looked a little calmer# "ut Mam’8elle still elt angry with Millicent or her extraordinary outburst, and could not let it %ass# ‘)ou will stay behind at breaktime, and I shall give you a %unishment,’ said Mam’8elle sternly# ‘$nd think yoursel lucky, Millicent, that I do not send you to Miss 4rayling&’
Millicent did consider hersel lucky, and heaved a sigh o relie# Mam’8elle would be sure to dish out some %erectly horrid %unishment, but i she had sent Millicent to the 'ead it might have ended with her having to %ull out o the com%etition# $t breaktime, everyone but Millicent went out into the resh air, and the ith ormers clustered round +elia# ‘*hat on earth was that all about?’ asked Felicity, curiously# ‘Millicent seemed angry with you, +elia, but I can’t think why&’ ‘I was su%%osed to note down all her remarks during the last rehearsal,’ ex%lained +elia, rather doleully# ‘"ut halway through I sort o lost mysel in the music and com%letely orgot to write anything down#’ +elia didn’t say that she had been busily (otting down her own words to set to the music, or she elt certain that the others would laugh at her# !he elt hot as it suddenly occurred to her that Millicent might ind the silly little rhyme written in the back o the no tebook, and she made u% her mind that she must get hold o it and tear the %age out# Millicent had a shar% tongue, and would %robably make un o her# / course, +elia didn’t know that the notebook was now in 4illian’s %ossession# ‘*ell, anyone can make a mistake,’ said !usan, giving +elia a %at on the shoulder# ‘1heer u%& Millicent is the one at ault, or she should not have shouted at you like that in ront o everyone#’ ‘$nd she shouldn’t have been reading that notebook in the French lesson,’ said -am, disa%%rovingly# ‘I shall be having words with dear Millicent later#’ Millicent ound that the ith ormers were rather cool towards her or the rest o the day, but sim%ly couldn’t understand why# The orchestra and the com%etition were all im%ortant to her, and, although she could have kicked hersel or letting her anger getting the better o her in class, she really didn’t see that there was anything wrong in her treatment o +elia# The girl had made a terrible mistake, and, in Millicent’s view, she had thoroughly earned a good scolding# -am s%oke to her in the commonroom that evening, saying rather scornully, ‘.ot the kind o behaviour one ex%ects rom a ith ormer, Millicent# It is 0uite bad enough that you were working on your music, instead o concentrating on your French, but that little outburst o yours was sim%ly disgraceul#’ Millicent turned red, and, becoming deensive, said, ‘I don’t see that there is any need or you to tick me o in ront o the whole orm, -am#’ ‘*ell, you yelled at +elia in ront o all o us,’ said -am, 0uite reasonably# ‘I really don’t see the dierence# $nd I think that you owe her an a%ology#’ ‘I shan’t a%ologise&’ said Millicent, growing even redder# ‘+elia is an idiot#’
"onnie, standing next to +elia, saw that the girl looked close to tears, and %ursed her li%s# !uddenly she went across to her workbasket and %icked u% the %ennants she had been working on# !he had com%leted two, but the others were halinished, and she walked across to Millicent, thrusting them at her# ‘'ere you are&’ she said# ‘)ou can inish them o yoursel#’ Millicent looked sim%ly labbergasted, her mouth o%ening and closing, and she stammered, ‘"ut, "onnie, I can’t sew& )ou know that I can’t& )ou %romised that you would do this or me#’ ‘*ell, I’ve changed my mind,’ said "onnie, her little nose wrinkling in distaste# ‘I don’t like the way that you s%oke to +elia, and I don’t like you&’ Millicent, who had always thought o "onnie as a rather weak, childish character, looked most taken aback, while the others watched with grins on their aces# They knew that "onnie had a very obstinate streak in her nature, and unless Millicent made amends she would not back down# Millicent looked at the aces around her, some o them scornul, some o them grinning at her discomort# 4illian was looking at her as i she didn’t like her very much at all, while 3une had a trium%hant little smirk on her ace# !uddenly Millicent realised that, i she reused to a%ologise to +elia, 4illian could decide to leave the orchestra altogether, and she would lose her best violinist# I she made the a%ology sound sincere enough, %erha%s "onnie would also reconsider, and inish making the %ennants# !o Millicent swallowed her %ride, and, trying to sound as sincere as %ossible, said, ‘)ou are all absolutely right, I have been very unair to +elia# I so badly want the orchestra to %erorm %erectly that I sometimes get carried away#’ Then she ste%%ed towards +elia, holding out her hand, and said, ‘-lease acce%t my a%ology, +elia, old girl#’ +elia, who bore no malice and (ust elt relieved to be orgiven, sei8ed Millicent’s hand at once, and said, ‘/ course I acce%t your a%ology, Millicent# $nd I ho%e that you will acce%t mine or being so stu%id and orgetul during rehearsal#’ ‘*hat an ass +elia is&’ whis%ered 3une to Freddie# ‘It won’t hurt Millicent to humble hersel or once, and admit that she is in the wrong# "ut +elia has to go and a%ologise too and s%oil it&’ Millicent, although she didn’t eel like it at all, smiled brightly, then looked round at the others, saying contritely, ‘I am sorry that my behaviour in Mam’8elle’s class disgraced the orm# )ou may be sure that it won’t ha%%en again#’ ‘$%ology acce%ted,’ said -am# ‘.ow let’s say no more about it#’ !o the ith ormers went back to their various activities, and "onnie took back the %ile o sewing, which Millicent had %laced on a chair#
‘$s you have a%ologised to +elia, I shall carry on making the %ennants,’ she said graciously# ‘"ut my services are only on loan to you, Millicent, and a re%eat o such behaviour means that I shall reuse to carry on sewing the %ennants# $nd next time I shan’t give you another chance#’ 1hastened, Millicent went and sat alone in a corner, to read the French %oem that Mam’8elle had given her as a %unishment# !he would much rather have been working at her music, but Millicent was well aware that she had had a lucky esca%e today, and didn’t want to %ush Mam’8elle too ar, in case she sent her to the 'ead# Rather reluctantly, the girl decided that she had better start to %ay attention in class, or she needed to devote all o her ree time to the orchestra# $nd i she ke%t earning beastly %unishments like this, she wouldn’t have any ree time# ‘4illian&’ 3une called out suddenly# ‘I’m organising a tennis %ractice or the ith and sixth ormers on !aturday aternoon# )ou’ll come, won’t you?’ ‘)ou bet&’ answered 4illian, with enthusiasm# The others oten marvelled at 4illian’s seemingly boundless energy, or she managed to it in her orchestra rehearsals and tennis %ractice 6 not to mention lessons and %re% 6 without eeling at all worn out# ‘I don’t know how you do it&’ .ora said to her now# ‘'onestly, 4illian, it makes me tired (ust to look at you sometimes#’ ‘That’s because you’re la8y,’ 3une teased# ‘"ut 4illian knows that good, hard %ractice brings rewards# Freddie, I want you there on !aturday, too, my girl# $nd you two, Felicity and !usan#’ Millicent looked u% rom her %oem, a rown on her ace, and said, ‘3ust a minute& 3une, 4illian can’t %ossibly %lay tennis on !aturday aternoon, or I was %lanning to schedule another orchestra rehearsal then#’ ‘'ard luck,’ said 3une, with an unsym%athetic shrug# ‘I got in irst, so I’m araid there’s not an awul lot you can do about it#’ Millicent elt her tem%er rising, but, as she was already in the ith orm’s bad books, she tried to s%eak calmly, saying, ‘4illian can %lay tennis at any time, but I don’t have many o%%ortunities to get the orchestra together as a whole#’ ‘My dear Millicent, I’m araid that really isn’t my %roblem,’ said 3une coolly# ‘I 4illian wishes to be on one o the teams, which she assures me she does, it is vital that she attends %ractice so that I can com%are her standard o %lay with the others#’ Millicent’s air o calm was ast deserting her, but at that moment 3ulie interru%ted, to say, ‘I shouldn’t bother arguing about it, Millicent, or the sixth orm has already booked the hall on !aturday aternoon# They are holding some sort o d ebate#’
‘*ell, that would seem to settle that, then&’ said 3une, 0uite unable to kee% the note o trium%h out o her voice# !he added kindly, ‘.ever mind, Millicent, %erha%s you can book the hall or !unday, instead#’ !cowling angrily at 3une, Millicent lung down her book, her good intentions o learning the French %oem vanishing# The orchestra sim%ly had to rehearse this weekend, es%ecially ater their %oor showing yesterday, and all that mattered to her now was that she booked the hall or !unday aternoon# ‘*ell&’ said !usan, as Millicent rushed out o the room# ‘It seems as i you are in or a (olly busy weekend, 4illian# *hat with tennis on !aturday and music on !unday&’ ‘I shall have no ree time at all,’ 4illian realised suddenly# ‘I wanted to do some sho%%ing, or I need some new shoelaces, and I so wanted to buy some chocolate, but I shan’t have time now# $nd I wanted to write some letters to my amily an d riends at home, too#’ ‘*ell, 4illian,’ said .ora# ‘I can’t hel% you with your letters, I’m araid, but -am and I are %lanning on going into the town on !aturday, so we can easily get you the things you want#’ ‘Thanks,’ said 4illian grateully# ‘That’s most awully kind o you#’ "ut she had been looking orward to visiting the little sho%s in town hersel# $nd it still didn’t solve the %roblem o how she was to ind the time to write her letters home# For the irst time, 4illian began to wonder i she had bitten o more than she could chew&
6 The missing notebook !aturday was a blisteringly hot day, and those ith ormers who were taking %art in the tennis %ractice groaned# ‘*e shall all be like lim% rags by the time we are inished,’ com%lained Freddie# "ut 3une wasn’t to be deterred, and said, ‘I’ll ask 1ook i we can have some (ugs o lemonade to take down to the courts with us# That will reresh us in between games#’ !o at two o’clock shar%, the girls troo%ed down to the tennis courts to beg in their %ractice# Felicity and !usan %layed doubles against 4illian and Freddie, which 3une watched with a critical eye, beore going o to %lay singles with one o the sixth ormers# Freddie wasn’t 0uite as good a %layer as Felicity or !usan, or her tennis could be a little erratic# "ut 4illian more than made u% or her aults, running all over the court and chasing every ball# +es%ite their best eorts, Felicity and !usan were beaten, and, aterwards, the our girls sat on the grass drinking lemonade as they watched 3une %laying the sixthorm girl# The big sixth
ormer was obviously suering rom the heat and tiring badly, but 3une looked as cool as a cucumber, her movements agile and nimble# ‘3une’s (olly good, isn’t she?’ remarked 4illian# ‘It’s no wonder that she was made games ca%tain, or she is so strong and determined#’ ‘)ou’re not so bad yoursel,’ said Felicity# ‘I think that you and 3une are %retty evenly matched#’ ‘I seem to tire more easily than 3une,’ said 4illian, whose normally %ale com%lexion had turned %ink rom the heat# ‘I elt ull o beans when we began %laying, but by the end I elt as i I had been run ragged#’ ‘*ell, I’m not sur%rised,’ said Freddie, si%%ing her lemonade# ‘I was o my game today, and you had to make u% or me#’ ‘$re you sure that you aren’t overdoing things, 4illian?’ asked !usan, concerned# ‘)ou’ve taken an awul lot on, agreeing to be %art o the orchestra and a member o the tennis team#’ ‘I shall be ine,’ said 4illian, %utting a hand to her mouth to stile a yawn# ‘It’s (ust that the heat has exhausted me today# I said that I could do both, and I intend to stick by my word#’ 3une, coming o court ater running rings around the sixthorm girl, (oined the others on the grass and %oured hersel a glass o lemonade# ‘3ust what I needed,’ she said, ater taking a long gul%# ‘4illian, you %layed marvellously, and I have decided that you, 2lsie 'orton o the sixth and me are going to be our singles %layers or the u%%erschool team against !ummerield 'all# Felicity and !usan, I would like you to %lay doubles# $nd Freddie<’ ‘+on’t tell me,’ said Freddie, with an air o gloom# ‘I’m the reserve#’ ‘!orry, old thing,’ said 3une, giving her a wry smile# ‘"ut, as games ca%tain, I sim%ly must %ick the best %layers# )ou don’t really mind, do you?’ Freddie didn’t, or although she would have loved a %lace on the team, she knew only too well that her %lay was erratic, and 3une would have been a %oor ca%tain i she had chosen the girl over better %layers, sim%ly because she was her riend# ‘/ course not,’ she said# ‘$t least I get a da y out and a ride on the team bus, i we are %laying at another school#’ !atisied that Freddie was not u%set, 3une was in a very good mood indeed# !he now had (ust the team she wanted, as ar as the u%%er school was concerned, and she had a very good idea who she was going to %ick or the lowerschool team too# 2verything was alling neatly into %lace&
Millicent, meanwhile, was ar rom ha%%y, or she had lost her notebook# The girl still did not realise that 4illian had %icked it u%, and had assumed that it must have allen into her o%en satchel while she was distracted by Mam’8elle# "ut Millicent had turned out her satchel and it was nowhere to be seen# Millicent had searched through her desk, and looked in the commonroom, too, but the book seemed to have vanished into thin air# !cratching her head, Millicent decided that she might as well give u%, or she was never going to ind the notebook# -erha%s it was (ust as well that +elia hadn’t made many notes, ater all, or they would have been lost# Millicent made u% her mind that she would get a new notebook, and this time she would (ot down her own notes, instead o trusting the (ob to that oolish +elia# !omeone else who wanted to get hold o the notebook was +elia, or the girl didn’t want Millicent s%otting her ‘silly little rhyme’, as she thought o it, and making un o it, %erha%s in ront o the others# !o, 0uite unaware that the book was in 4illian’s %ossession, +elia thought that Millicent still had it, and went in search o it# !he %assed Millicent on her way to the commonroom, and noticed that the girl was carrying her %urse, but didn’t have her satchel with her# +elia’s heart lea%t# *as it %ossible that Millicent had let her bag unattended in the commonroom? Millicent had, and, what was more, no one was about, or most o the girls were outside en(oying the ine day# The bag was on an armchair, and +elia bent over it, looking over he r shoulder every so oten, as she riled through it# The girl had no intention o stealing the book, or all that she wanted was to tear out that one %age# "ut her search was ruitless, and, (ust as she was astening the satchel u% again, +elia heard a noise behind her, and turned to see 3ulie and 5ucy in the doorway# "oth girls had (ust been en(oying a ride, and they were looking orward to a 0uiet sitdown now# ‘'ello, +elia,’ said 5ucy# Then she rowned# ‘Isn’t that Millicent’s bag?’ +elia wasn’t noted or her 0uick thinking, and she lushed and stammered, as she said, ‘2r 6 yes, that’s right# I 6 I noticed that it had come undone, and thought that something might all out#’ $nd, with that, she %ushed %ast the two girls and made her way down the corridor, her ace a iery red# ‘*ell&’ said 3ulie, astonished# ‘*hat do you make o that?’ ‘+elia certainly seemed lustered, didn’t she?’ said 5ucy# ‘I say, 3ulie, you don’t think that she was u% to no good, do you?’
‘!tealing, you mean?’ gas%ed 3ulie# ‘!urely not& *hy, +elia has always seemed a very decent sort to me#’ ‘)es, to me, too,’ said 5ucy# ‘"ut you can’t deny that her behaviour was awully sus%icious#’ ‘I su%%ose it was,’ said 3ulie, biting her li%# ‘"ut here comes Millicent# !he will be able to tell us i anything is missing rom her bag# I say, Millicent& 'ave a look in your bag, and tell us i anything has been taken#’ !tartled, Millicent said, ‘*hy? *hat has ha%%ened?’ ‘*ell, we caught someone messing around with it,’ said 5ucy# ‘!o you had better check it#’ ‘*ell, i anyone was ater anything in my satchel, I su%%ose it would be my %urse,’ said Millicent# ‘$nd I had that with me, or I had (ust been to ask -am and .ora i they could get me a notebook while they were in town# !till, I su%%ose I had better make sure nothing is missing#’ ;uickly, Millicent o%ened the bag and went through it# $t last, she said, ‘.o, everything is here# The only thing I can’t ind is my notebook, but that went missing several days ago# That’s why I asked -am and .ora to get me a new one#’ 3ulie and 5ucy both elt very relieved, until Millicent asked, ‘*ho was the girl that you caug ht meddling with it?’ The two girls exchanged glances# .either o them wanted to mention +elia’s name, es%ecially as it looked as i she hadn’t taken anything, ater all, so 3ulie said, ‘I didn’t get a good look at her, did you, 5ucy? !he ran out %ast us as soon as she knew we had s%otted her#’ ‘That’s right,’ said 5ucy# ‘!he looked as i she could have been a irst or second ormer#’ ‘*ell, o all the nerve&’ gas%ed Millicent# ‘The cheek o those kids& *ell, I’ll (olly well make sure I don’t leave my satchel lying around again#’ ‘-hew&’ said 5ucy, lo%%ing down into a chair, as Millicent went out again# ‘That was close# Thank goodness we ound out that +elia wasn’t trying to take anything, ater all#’ ‘*ell, we can’t be too sure about that, 5ucy,’ said 3ulie, looking thoughtul# ‘-erha%s she was ater Millicent’s %urse# "ut Millicent had the %urse with her, so i +elia is a thie, it may be that she was (ust out o luck#’ 4illian was 0uite unaware o all the drama that was taking %lace surrounding the notebook# The girl had com%letely orgotten that she had ever %icked it u%, and it lay discarded now, in the bottom o her satchel# 'er ingers even brushed against it when she reached in her bag or her comb, in the changingroom, ater tennis# "ut 4illian did not notice, nor remember that the book was there, as she went into tea with the others#
-am and .ora weren’t there, as the two o them had decided to have tea in town, a %rivilege that the two to% orms were allowed# ‘I bet they’ve gone to that nice little teasho%,’ said Felicity, rather enviously# ‘The one that does the lovely little sandwiches, and those delicious choco late cakes#’ ‘*ell, we are not doing too badly,’ said !usan, s%reading a%ricot (am thickly on to a slice o bread and butter# ‘This (am is su%er# $nd we’ve got coee instead o tea, which makes a %leasant change#’ ‘I could do with a cu% o coee to kee% me awake,’ said 4illian, %utting her hand u% to her mouth to stile a yawn# ‘That game o tennis has 0uite worn me out#’ Millicent overheard this, and she said rather shar%ly, ‘I do ho%e you’re not going to be too tired to concentrate on the rehearsal tomorrow, 4illian# $s you are the best violinist, you have 0uite a com%licated solo to learn#’ ‘I shan’t let you down,’ said 4illian stily, nettled by Millicent’s tone# ‘I have been %ractising the solo all week#’ ‘That’s true,’ said 5ucy# ‘3ulie and I %assed one o the musicrooms yesterday aternoon, and there was old 4illian scra%ing away at her violin or all she was worth# I must say, it sounded (olly good# +id you really write that yoursel, Millicent?’ Trying not to look too %leased at this, Millicent answered, ‘/ course#’ ‘*ell, you’re very talented,’ said 3ulie# ‘$nyone would think that it had been written by a real com%oser#’ The others laughed at this, and, much to their sur%rise, Millicent (oined in# !he 0uite u nderstood what 3ulie meant, and she was %leased at the com%liment, es%ecially as she elt that most o the ith ormers didn’t really like her very much# ‘The whole %iece took me sim%ly ages, and it was so diicult that I almost gave u% at times,’ Millicent said# ‘"ut once I had inished, and knew that I had created something worthwhile, it was worth all the hard work# !ometimes I think tha t I en(oy com%osing more than %laying#’ Felicity looked at Millicent, and thought how dierent she was when she was talking honestly about something that she loved# 'er ace looked more o%en, and less intense, somehow, and her rather dramatic tone o voice was lighter# ‘'ave you always been musical?’ she asked curiously# ‘/h yes, or music is in my blood, you know,’ answered Millicent# ‘My mother was a concert %ianist, and she taught me how to %lay the %iano when I was 0uite small# I took to it at once, and it was obvious even then that I had a git#’
!uddenly the girl gave a rather selconscious laugh, and said, ‘That sounds awully conceited, doesn’t it, but I truly don’t mean it to#’ ‘I su%%ose that you were a musical genius rom the moment you could walk, too, 4illian?’ said !usan# ‘I would hardly call mysel a genius,’ said 4illian, with a grin# ‘I can’t %lay a variety o instruments, as Millicent can, and i someone asked me to com%ose a tune I wouldn’t know where to start# I do so love %laying my violin though#’ That was the dierence between the two girls, thought Felicity# $s ar as Millicent was concerned, music was the be all and end all# "ut she took it so very seriously that she didn’t seem to get a great deal o %leasure rom it# 4illian, however, took great (oy in her music, and th is made her %erormances very s%ecial, or everyone listening elt her enthusiasm and shared in it# -am and .ora returned to school soon ater the others had let the teatable, and (oined them in the commonroom# ‘'allo, everyone&’ called out -am# ‘My word, we’ve had a su%er time# $ s%ot o sho%%ing, then a most marvellous tea#’ ‘4illian, I have your shoelaces here,’ said .ora, rummaging in her bag# ‘$nd the choco late you asked or#’ ‘$nd here is your book, Millicent,’ said -am, handing the girl a notebook identical to the one she had mislaid# ‘Thanks,’ said Millicent# !he looked round the room to see i +elia was there, and, seeing that she was absent, said, ‘I shan’t trust that idiot o a +elia to make notes in it though# I shall do it mysel rom now on#’ ‘/h, +elia’s not a bad sort,’ said !usan# ‘!he means well#’ 3ulie and 5ucy heard this, and exchanged glances# ‘I wonder what !usan would think i she knew that we had caught +elia looking in Millicent’s bag earlier,’ murmured 3ulie# ‘)ou’re not going to tell her, are you?’ whis%ered 5ucy, looking rather alarmed# ‘I mean to say, we have no %roo that +elia was doing anything wrong# It may have been (ust as she said, and she was merely astening the bag u%#’ ‘I shan’t say anything to !usan, or anyone else, yet,’ said 3ulie# ‘"ut I shall be kee%ing an eye on +elia#’
+elia came into the commonroom (ust then, and at once she s%otted the notebook in Millicent’s hand# / course, +elia wasn’t to know that it was a brandnew one, and she assumed that it was the one that contained her rhyme# Millicent sli%%ed the book into the %ocke t o her school dress, and +elia’s mind began to race# I only there was a wa y o getting hold o it or a moment# It would only take a matter o seconds to ind the %age with her scribbled words on and tear it out# +elia’s chance came at bedtime that evening# Millicent had changed into her %y(amas and, while she was in the bathroom brushing her teeth, -am noticed that she had carelessly lung her dress on the bed# ‘I do ho%e that Millicent intends to hang her dress u%,’ said -am# ‘!he’s awully untidy, and it makes things un%leasant or the rest o us i we have to slee% in a messy room#’ ‘I’ll hang it u% or her,’ oered +elia, %icking the dress u%# $s she smoothed it down, she could eel the notebook, still in the %ocket, and her heart lea%t# +elia was (ust about to sli% her hand into the %ocket, when she realised that 3ulie was watching her, an odd ex%ression on her ac e# ;uickly, +elia moved her hand away, her ace turning red, as she realised that she must look most sus%icious# ‘5ucy&’ said 3ulie in a low voice# ‘+id you see that?’ "ut 5ucy, who had been dee% in conversation with Freddie, hadn’t seen a thing# ‘*ell, +elia oered to hang Millicent’s dress u% or her,’ ex%lained 3ulie# ‘$nd she was (ust about to %ut her hand in the %ocket, until she saw me watching her and sto%%ed#’ ‘'eavens&’ said 5ucy, in dismay# ‘'er behaviour is awully strange, I must say, but no one in the orm has had anything stolen, so we can’t really tackle her about it# $ll that we can do is kee% watching her#’ +elia had another o%%ortunity to eel in the %ocket o Millicent’s dress the ollowing day, when the girl let her school dress lying on the bed again# This time she was alone in the dormitory, and she sei8ed her chance# "ut, to +elia’s dismay, the book was no longer there# Millicent must have moved it elsewhere, or saekee%ing# 'ow annoying& -erha%s it was in Millicent’s desk? $s it was !unday, there were no lessons that day, so +elia thought that it would be a %erect o%%ortunity to sli% into the classroom unnoticed, and take a %eek# "ut her luck was well and truly out, or she was caught in the act yet again 6 this time by "onnie and $my# 1autiously, +elia lited the lid and %eered in, moving things very careully and %utting them back in exactly the same %lace, so that Millicent would not notice that someone had been in there# "ut there was no sign o the elusive notebook# / course, +elia thought suddenly, there was a rehearsal later today, so Millicent was bound to have the notebook on her, %robably in her bag# *hich meant that she, +elia, had absolutely no chance o getting her hands on it until the
rehearsal was over# !he %ut the lid down, then gave a terriic start# For $my and "onnie had entered the classroom, and were giving her very strange looks indeed& ‘*what are you doing here?’ she stammered# ‘I wanted a book rom my desk,’ said $my coldly# ‘$nd what exactly are you doing, +elia?’ ‘I er 6 I thought I heard a knocking sound,’ she said to the two girls, her cheeks beginning to burn# ‘$nd it seemed to be coming rom inside Millicent’s desk#’ ‘*ell, I can’t hear anything,’ said "onnie, thinking +elia’s ex%lanation very lame indeed# ‘+id you ind anything in there?’ ‘.o, nothing at all,’ said +elia, with a nervous little laugh# ‘I daresay my ears were %laying tricks on me#’ ‘I daresay,’ said $my, with a sni# ‘"ut I must tell you, +elia, that it really isn’t the done thing to go %oking around in another girl’s desk without her %ermission, you know#’ ‘)es, I realise that,’ said %oor +elia, turning even redder# ‘.ormally I wouldn’t think o doing such a thing# It’s (ust that<’ ‘)ou thought you heard a knocking sound,’ "onnie said, as +elia’s voice tailed o# "onnie and $my exchanged meaningul glances# .either o them believed +elia’s story or a moment, and thought that her manner had been very sus%icious# $nd both o them would dearly have liked to know what she was really u% to#
The term goes on The orchestra’s rehearsal that aternoon went very well indeed# There were still odd mistakes, and the occasional wrong note, but on the whole the girls %layed beautiully# There was only one girl who wasn’t u% to the standard o the others, and, strangely enough, that girl was 4illian# $lthough she had s%ent a great deal o time rehearsing her violin solo in one o the little music rooms, she %layed badly, and without her usual %assion# "ut Millicent, or once, held her tongue and did not scold# !he noticed that 4illian looked rather %ale and tired, and guessed that the girl was inding it a strain attending both the re0uent tennis %ractices and %ractising her music# It was on the ti% o her tongue to tell 4illian that she would have to choose between the two# "ut then, thought Millicent, the girl might choose tennis, and that would leave her without anyone to %lay the violin solo# .o doubt one o the others could
learn it, but 4illian was ar and away the best violinist in the school, and Millicent didn’t want to lose her# "ut her decision to let the girl o lightly did not go down well with the rest o the orchestra# ‘I was scolded or %laying one wrong note,’ grumbled $nne# ‘$nd when %oor 3anet lost her %lace, I 0uite thought that Millicent was going to throw the baton at her&’ ‘)es, but she didn’t say a word to 4illian, and she %layed dreadully,’ said 3essie rom 2ast Tower# ‘It’s outandout avouritism#’ Millicent, 0uite unaware o the illeeling brewing, ra%%ed shar%ly on her music stand with her baton, and said, ‘*ell, most o you %layed a little better today, but you are still not u% to com%etition standard# -lease s%end as much time as you can %ractising your %arts, %articularly those o you with solos# I think that rom now I shall hold two rehearsals a week, instead o one, otherwise we shall never be ready#’ There were groans at this, and some o the girls muttered under their breath# ‘I wish that I had never (oined the beastly orchestra,’ said 3anet, with a scowl# ‘I thought that it would be un, but this is too much like hard work#’ ‘It wouldn’t be so bad i we got a word o %raise now and again,’ said 3essie# ‘Millicent should take a lea out o 3une’s book# 3une works her tennis %layers hard, but she encourages them with %lenty o %raise, and knows how to get the best out o them#’ 3une certainly did# 'el%ed by Felicity and !usan, she was coaching some o the irst and second ormers that aternoon, and it was clear that the youngsters sim%ly adored her# ‘"ecoming games ca%tain has really brought out a soter side in 3une,’ said Felicity, watching with a%%roval as the girl sat on the grass talking to some o the younger girls# ‘I was a little araid that the %ower might go to her head,’ said !usan# ‘"ut it hasn’t at all, I’m %leased to say#’ 3ust then, 3une got u% and came over to the two girls, and said, ‘I think it’s time that we decided who to %ut into the lowerschool team#’ ‘)oung 'annah must certainly %lay,’ said Felicity# ‘!he has worked so hard, and come on in lea%s and bounds#’ ‘I agree,’ said 3une# ‘!o has little 1hristine# !he and +orothy %lay very well together, so I think that we should %ick them or the doubles#’ ‘"arbara and =athleen o the irst orm are very good too,’ %ut in !usan# ‘-erha%s we could choose one o them to %lay singles, and the other as reserve#’
!o it was agreed that =athleen would be in the team and "arbara would be reserve, and the ith ormers went across to the younger girls to give them the news# There were whoo%s and yells rom those who had been chosen, while the others cheered and cla%%ed them on the back# !ome o those who hadn’t got a %lace on the team looked disa%%ointed, but 3une noticed this and said, ‘3ust because you haven’t been chosen this time doesn’t mean that you will never %lay or the team# )ou have all tried your best and I eel very %roud o you, and want you to kee% u% your %ractice# +on’t orget that I shall be arranging some exhibition matches or halterm, and I shall need some go od %layers or those#’ This cheered the disa%%ointed girls enormously# "eing chosen or the halterm matches wasn’t "uite as good as %laying or the school, but a tremendous honour, all the same# The ith ormers bum%ed into 4illian, who had (ust come out o rehearsal, as they went back into the school, but the girl seemed 0uite %reoccu%ied and barely noticed them, until !usan said, ‘*hat’s u%, 4illian? 'ave you sent us all to 1oventry, or something?’ 4illian blinked, then said, ‘$wully sorry, !usan# I didn’t mean to ignore you, but I was in a world o my own#’ ‘$re you 0uite all right?’ said Felicity, noticing how %ale and strained the girl looked# ‘/ course,’ said 4illian, %inning a bright smile to her ace# ‘3ust a little tired, that’s all# I didn’t slee% very well last night, but I’m sure that I’ll make u% or it tonight, and I shall be as right as rain tomorrow#’ ‘*hy don’t you go or a walk outside?’ suggested 3une# ‘That will blow the cobwebs away# It’s a glorious day, and i you get some resh air that will hel% you to slee% well tonight#’ ‘5ater, %erha%s,’ said 4illian# ‘I must go and %ractise my solo irst, or I do so want it to be %erect#’ ‘!he is doing ar too much, and tiring hersel out,’ said Felicity, as the girl walked away# ‘I she carries on like this, 3une, she won’t be it to %la y tennis or be %art o the orchestra#’ ‘*ell, it was her own decision to do both,’ said 3une# ‘I would be more than ha%%y i she decided to leave the orchestra and concentrate on her tennis#’ "ut Felicity was ar rom ha%%y, and she sought out -am, the ca lm, sensible head o the orm# -am listened to what Felicity had to say, an unusually serious ex%ression on her ace, and, at last, she said, ‘I’m going to tackle 4illian about this business# 'er health and her work are both going to suer i she carries on as she is#’ ‘*ell, you will %robably ind her in one o the musicrooms,’ said Felicity# ‘!he seems to s%end most o her time in there, or on the tenniscourts#’
!o -am went o to ind 4illian, and soon heard the sound o a violin coming rom one o the rooms# "ut surely that couldn’t be 4illian, or the %layer seemed uncertain and hesitant, with many wrong notes coming rom the instrument& ;uietly, -am %ushed o%en the door, and, much to her sur%rise, discovered that the violinist was 4illian# !he hadn’t heard -am come in, and there was a rown o intense concentration on her ace as she scra%ed the bow across the strings# -am, watching her, thought how dierent she looked rom the (oyous, musicloving girl who had %layed or them in the commonroom# .ow 4illian looked as i she was undertaking a rather un%leasant chore# -am gave a little cough and ste%%ed into the room# 4illian immediately looked u%, her bow becoming still, and said, ‘'allo, -am# +id you want me? /nly I’m rather busy, you see, or I sim%ly must %ractise this solo#’ ‘I’d like to talk to you, 4illian,’ said -am, the serious ex%ression on her ace so dierent rom her usual calm, serene one that 4illian elt 0uite alarmed# ‘I haven’t done anything wrong, have I?’ asked 4illian, rather anxiously# ‘.o, you haven’t done anything wrong,’ answered -am, coming urther into the room# ‘"ut I a m very worried about you, and so are some o the others#’ ‘Really?’ said 4illian, looking most astonished# ‘*ell, I don’t know why you should be, -am#’ ‘The thing is, 4illian, that we eel you are overdoing things a bit, what with all your tennis %ractice and the orchestra rehearsals,’ said -am# ‘)ou look awully tired, and when I watched you %laying (ust then, it seemed to me that you weren’t en(oying it at all#’ ‘.onsense, -am&’ said 4illian, giving a little laugh, which, to -am’s ears, sounded rather strained# ‘I adore both music and tennis, so by choosing to %lay in the team and the orchestra, I really am having the best o both worlds# I I looked a little tense when I was %laying, it’s because this violin solo is awully diicult#’ ‘-erha%s you are inding it diicult because you’re exhausted,’ suggested -am# ‘I am a little tired,’ admitted 4illian# ‘*ell, or goodness’ sake, orget about both your music and your tennis or a bit and (ust relax, and read a book or something#’ 4illian really didn’t want to do this, or she was determined to master her solo beore the next rehearsal, and couldn’t aord to waste any time# "ut she liked the kindhearted -am, and could see that the girl genuinely had her best interests at heart# "esides, thought 4illian, i she went against -am now, and insisted on carrying on with her %ractice, the headgirl would worry about her even more and kee% a close watch on her, and %erha%s even talk 3une or Millicent into dro%%ing her# That would never do, or although 4illian really was inding it ar more o a strain
than she had antici%ated to it in both tennis and music, she was determined to stick to her word# !o she smiled at -am, began to %ut her violin in her case, and said, ‘-erha%s you’re right, and I do need a break# I’ll go and sit in the sun and read my book or a while#’ !o -am went o, ha%%y that she had talked some sense into 4illian# The headgirl wasn’t to know that 4illian only stayed outside or about ten minutes, then, as soon as she was sure that the coast was clear, sneaked back u% to the musicroom to %lay her violin once more& The other new girl, +elia, was at a bit o a loose end, meanwhile, and rather bored# !he was still 0uite des%erate to get her hands on Millicent’s notebook, but the girl had it with her in the commonroom and was writing something down in it# +elia ha d sat and watched her or a while, ho%ing that Millicent might go away and leave it lying around# Then she, +elia, would be able to whi% out that silly rhyme she had written and destroy it, beore Millicent had the chance to ridicule her# "ut Millicent did not move, continuing to scribble away in the notebook, and soon she realised that +elia was watching her and became exas%erated# ‘*hy do you kee% staring at me all the time?’ she sna%%ed# ‘It’s most annoying# +on’t you have anything better to do?’ +elia didn’t answer, or the truth was that she didn’t have anything to do# !he liked the ith ormers, and most o them seemed to like her, but +elia had no %articular riend o her own, so she tended to get a little let out sometimes# Millicent and 4illian didn’t have s%ecial riends either, but both o them had interests and activities to occu%y their time, where %oor +elia had nothing# Fortunately, Felicity and !usan came into the commonroom in time to overhear Millicent’s remarks# Felicity saw +elia’s rather downcast ex%ression, and said kindly, ‘I say, +elia, why not come or a walk with !usan and me? *e were thinking o %o%%ing over to see "ill and 1larissa#’ +elia cheered u% at this, and asked curiously, ‘*ho are "ill and 1larissa?’ ‘They are two old girls who run a riding school not very ar rom here,’ ex%lained !usan# ‘They were in the same orm as Felicity’s older sister, +arrell#’ ‘)es, they’re (olly good sorts,’ said Felicity# ‘+o come, +elia, or we haven’t had a chance to introduce you to them yet#’ It was very %leasant to eel wanted, so +elia agreed at once, and went o ha%%ily with Felicity and !usan# "ill and 1larissa were very %leased to see the three girls, and made them welcome# Then they had a ine time watching some children having ridinglessons and %etting all the horses# +elia was a little nervous o them at irst, but once she realised they weren’t going to bite her, or kick
out at her, she soon relaxed# Felicity and !usan were good com%any, and she liked the two older girls, "ill and 1larissa, and +elia en(oyed hersel very much indeed# "y the time they made their way back to Malory Towers, the girl elt in such high s%irits that she began to hum cheerully to hersel# The tune that she hummed was 4illian’s violin solo rom ‘!ummer !erenade’ and, almost without realising it, +elia ound hersel sotly singing the words that she had written to accom%any it# ‘*hat is that song you’re singing, +elia?’ asked Felicity curiously# ‘I don’t think that I’ve heard it beore#’ +elia could have kicked hersel, or she hadn’t realised that Felicity and !usan had sto%%ed talking and were listening to her silly little song# / course, +elia didn’t want to admit that she had written the words hersel, or the others were sure to laugh at her, so she said, ‘I don’t know# It must have been something that I heard on the radio and it (ust got stuck in my head#’ ‘I shall have to listen out or it,’ said Felicity# ‘It’s awully good#’ ‘)es,’ agreed !usan# ‘It really ca%tures the s%irit o summer, somehow#’ $nother girl might have elt %roud at this, b ut not +elia, who hadn’t come in or a great deal o %raise in her lie# !he merely thought that the two girls were ca%tivated by the tune, rather than the words, and that was to Millicent’s credit# ‘!ing a little more 6 louder, this time,’ said Felicity, but +elia turned red and shook her head, saying, ‘I can’t remember any more o the words# $nd I’m sure that my singing voice isn’t very %leasant to listen to# 5et’s talk instead# I say, it’s coming u% to halterm soon, isn’t it? *on’t that be un?’ Felicity and !usan acce%ted the change o sub(ect, !usan saying, ‘I sim%ly can’t wait& +addy may not be able to come, but Mother will# !he has %romised to take me to a restaurant or a sla% u% meal#’ ‘My %arents are both coming,’ said Felicity, ha%%ily# ‘I’m so looking orward to seeing them again# 'ow about you, +elia? *ill your %eo%le be coming?’ ‘I doubt i my aunt will bother,’ said +elia# ‘.ot that I %articularly want to see her anyway, or my cousins# My ather will be on leave rom his shi%, though, so he is coming#’ Felicity and !usan noticed how +elia’s eyes shone when she s%oke o her ather, and knew that she must love him very much# ‘It must be awully diicult or you,’ said Felicity, earnestly# ‘'aving to live away rom your ather most o the time#’
‘)es, but he has to earn a living,’ said +elia with a sigh# Then she brightened, and added, ‘$nd it does make the times that we are together so much more s%ecial# *hen he comes home on leave Father likes to s%end as much time as %ossible with me, and we do so much together#’ ‘+oes he know that you are unha%%y at your aunt’s?’ asked Felicity curiously# +elia shook her head irmly, and said, ‘.o, or it would only worry him i he knew, and then he wouldn’t be able to concentrate on his (ob# "esides, there’s no %oint in making a big uss about it, or as long as Father is at sea there really isn’t any alternative# $nd I su%%ose things could be worse# It’s not as i my aunt illtreats me, or starves me, or anything like that# It’s (ust that I know she would rather I wasn’t there, and my cousins eel the same#’ Felicity and !usan said nothing, but both o them elt rather sorry or +elia# They admired her, too, or having the strength o character to acce%t her situation without com%laining, or the sake o the ather she adored# ‘I think that’s (olly sensible o you, +elia,’ said Felicity# ‘$nd I don’t su%%ose that your ather will be at sea orever, so it will all be worth it in the end#’ ‘.o, he %lans to ind a (ob on shore in a year or so,’ said +elia# ‘Then I shall be able to live with him all the time# In the meantime, I can’t tell you how ha%%y I am to be at Malory Towers, or it is much nicer than going to day school with my horrid cousins# The only thing I miss is not having a riend o my own#’ ‘*ell, you’re 0uite welcome to tag along with Felicity and me sometimes,’ said !usan# ‘Though I 0uite understand what you mean, or it is nice to have a s%ecial riend o your own#’ ‘*hy don’t you try to %al u% with 4illian, or Millicent?’ suggested Felicity# ‘They are both on their own as well#’ ‘I don’t think that Millicent eels very riendly towards me since I orgot to take notes at h er rehearsal,’ said +elia rueully# ‘$nd 4illian is always so busy that she doesn’t seem to have time or any real riendshi%s#’ ‘*ell, %erha%s she should make time,’ said Felicity# ‘I think that it would do her good to think about something besides her music and her tennis#’ ‘Felicity is 0uite right,’ said !usan# ‘*hy don’t you try and make riends with her, +elia, and take her out o hersel a bit? It would do both o you the world o good#’ ‘$ll right, then, I shall&’ said +elia, eeling a lot more cheerul suddenly# ‘/ course, I don ’t know i it will work, or i 4illian will even want to be riends with me, but I shall certainly try#’
! A new friendshi" +elia was as good as her word, and, the ollowing aternoon, when 4illian was looking or someone to %ractise her serve on, she sei8ed the o%%ortunity# ‘Felicity and !usan are both hel%ing 3une to coach the youngsters, and Freddie has %romised to %lay with 'elen 3ones o the ourth orm,’ com%lained 4illian# ‘.ow what am I to do, or I do so need to %ractise#’ ‘*ill I do?’ asked +elia# ‘I %robably shan’t return many o your serves, or I’m ho%eless at tennis, but you are very welcome to %ractise on me#’ 4illian, who knew that +elia always tried to avoid %laying tennis because she was araid o showing hersel u%, elt very grateul indeed, and said, ‘*hy, thank you, +elia# 1ome on, let’s go and get changed, and bag a court#’ In act, +elia did manage to return a ew o the other girl’s serves, or 4illian was o her game a little that day# +elia, however, had no idea o this, and began to eel that she wasn’t 0uite as bad at tennis as she had always thought# ‘*ell&’ she exclaimed, as she and 4illian got changed aterwards# ‘*ho would have thought that I could get so many o your serves back?’ +elia sounded so %leased with hersel that 4illian didn’t have the heart to tell her the truth# Instead, she orced a smile and said lightly, ‘I you %ractise a little more, I daresay 3une will soon be giving my %lace on the team to you&’ +elia laughed at this, and said, ‘I don’t know about that# I say, 4illian, how about %o%%ing into town or a s%ot o tea? *e can get a bus (ust along the road, and it would make a %leasant change rom school tea#’ 4illian hesitated# !he badly wanted to get in hal an hour’s violin %ractice beore tea, and there wouldn’t be time i they were to catch the bus# !he said as much to +elia, adding, ‘"esides, I’m broke# I had to buy a birthday %resent or Mother last week, and I’m down to my last ew %ence#’ ‘My treat,’ said +elia# ‘I’m %retty well o at the moment#’ 4illian looked sur%rised at this, or +elia was one o the girls who had very little money# It wasn’t that her ather was %oor, or he regularly sent money to +elia’s aunt or her# "ut her aunt
was sometimes a little orgetul about sending it on to +elia, which meant that the girl had very little to s%end on hersel# ‘My grandmother sent me a nice, big %ostal order the other day,’ +elia said now# ‘$nd it’s no un going o and having tea on my own, so I’d be (olly grateul i you would come with me#’ The ex%ression in +elia’s eyes reminded 4illian o a riendly, eagerto%lease %u%%y, and somehow she couldn’t bring hersel to snub the girl# Instead, she sli%%ed her arm through +elia’s, and said, ‘.onsense& I’m the one who should be grateul to you or such a treat# Thanks, +elia#’ +elia turned 0uite red with %leasure, and the two girls went o together to catch the bus# -am noticed that they were missing at teatime, and said with a rown, ‘I 4illian is missing her tea so that she can %ractise the violin, or %lay tennis, I shall be cross with her#’ ‘I think that she’s gone out with +elia,’ said 3ulie# ‘5ucy and I saw them waiting at the bus sto% along the road when we came back rom our ride earlier#’ Felicity and !usan exchanged %leased glances# It seemed that +elia had taken their advice and was going out o her way to beriend 4illian# ‘It will be (olly good or both o them,’ said Felicity# ‘I really ho%e that they hit it o#’ ‘$nd that will only leave Millicent without a riend o her own,’ said !usan# ‘$lthough she doesn’t seem to need one, or she is so wra%%ed u% in her music#’ ‘2ven Millicent must have times when she needs someone to talk to, and conide in,’ said Felicity# ‘"ut really, it’s 0uite her own ault that she doesn’t have one, or she isn’t the easiest o %eo%le to get on with#’ +elia and 4illian, meanwhile, were getting along like a house on ire# For the irst time in weeks, 4illian’s head wasn’t ull o music scores or tennis shots, as she and +elia chattered away together# +elia really could be very unny at times, thought 4illian, as the two girls sat in the little tea sho% easting on the most delicious crum%ets, dri%%ing with melted butter, and little scones, warm rom the oven, illed with (am and cream# ‘Thank you so much or inviting me, +elia,’ said 4illian, as the two o them inished their tea# ‘I’ve had a su%er time and it has really taken me out o mysel#’ ‘*ell, I’m (olly glad to hear it,’ said +elia a little gruly, eeling very %leased that 4illian had en(oyed hersel so much# !he took a ive %ound note out o her %urse and got u% to go and %ay the bill, but as she did so, she knocked 4illian’s bag on to the loor, sending the contents everywhere# ‘/h, dear&’ she wailed# ‘I’m so clumsy#’
‘+on’t worry,’ laughed 4illian, as the two girls crouched down to %ick everything u%# ‘$nyone can have an accident, and there’s no harm done#’ There had been a bag o sweets in the bag, and they had rolled all over the loor, and as 4illian scrabbled around %icking them u%, +elia s%otted something that made her give a little gas%# Millicent’s notebook& "ut what on earth was it doing in 4illian’s bag? There was no time to %u88le over that (ust now, though# *hile 4illian was looking the other way, +elia grabbed it and sli%%ed it into her %ocket, giving a sigh o relie# $s soon as she had a moment to hersel, she would tear out the %age that she needed, then she would leave the book somewhere Millicent would be sure to ind it# +elia elt horribly guilty as she and 4illian made their wa y back to Malory Towers, or she was an honest girl and she didn’t like being in %ossession o something that didn’t belong to her# !he sim%ly couldn’t think what 4illian had been doing with Millicent’s notebook, but the sooner it was back in the hands o its rightul owner, the better# +elia sli%%ed u% to the dormitory when she and 4illian got back to the school, relieved to ind that it was em%ty# !witly she ri%%ed out the %age at the back, crum%ling it u% and stuing it in one o her drawers# Then she %laced the notebook on Millicent’s bedside cabinet# .o doubt Millicent would wonder how it had got there, but that couldn’t be hel%ed& 4illian wasn’t in the commonroom when +elia (oined the others, and the girl guessed that she must be shut away in one o the little musicrooms, %laying her violin# There was a low hum o noise in the commonroom 6 nothing like the hubbub that the lower orms created, or the ith ormers would certainly have considered it be neath their dignity to make such a racket# Instead it was rather a %leasant, soothing noise, thought +elia, o girls in lowvoiced, riendly conversation, while the radio %layed sot music in the background# 5ittle did she know that the %eace was about to be rudely shattered& ‘I say, Millicent&’ said .ora# ‘I hate to ask, but are you able to let me have that ive shillings I lent you the other day? I need to buy some new stockings, or even Matron agrees that the ones I have are beyond re%air&’ Millicent looked u% rom the music score she had been working on, and said, ‘/ course# !orry, .ora, it com%letely sli%%ed my mind, but you can have it back now#’ Millicent rummaged in her bag or her %urse, then she gave a little cry# ‘It’s gone&’ she said# ‘My %urse is gone#’ ‘It can’t be,’ said !usan# ‘1heck in your %ockets#’ Millicent stood u% and elt in her %ockets, but the missing %urse wasn’t there# ‘"low&’ she said, rowning# ‘I had a ew %ounds in there, too, or my mother had (ust sent me some money#’ ‘$re you sure it’s not in the dormitory?’ said Felicity# ‘-erha%s it’s in your cabinet#’
Millicent ran u%stairs to take a look, and was back within minutes# ‘.o %urse, but I did ind this,’ said Millicent, brandishing the notebook that +elia had let on her cabinet earlier# ‘I lost it several weeks ago, and now it has suddenly turned u% again#’ ‘'ow 0ueer&’ said -am, who had begun to eel rather uneasy# 'ow she ho%ed that Millicent’s %urse would turn u%, or i it didn’t that might mean that there was a thie in the ith orm# +elia turned very red when Millicent %roduced the notebook, and lowered her eyes, ho%ing that none o the others were looking in her direction, or she elt that she must look very guilty indeed# "ut some o the girls were looking at her# 3ulie and 5ucy, who had caught +elia going through Millicent’s bag, and $my and "onnie, who had seen her looking in the girl’s desk, were watching her with sus%icion# *hen +elia turned red and looked down, $my and "onnie exchanged meaningul glances, while 3ulie nudged 5ucy and murmured, ‘3ust look at +elia’s ace& The %icture o guilt#’ ‘Millicent, when did you have your %urse last?’ asked -am, taking charge o the situation# ‘Think careully#’ Millicent thought, and said, ‘I had it yesterday morning, or one o the sixth ormers came round to collect or Miss -otts’s birthday %resent, and I %ut a shilling in#’ ‘That’s right,’ said "onnie# ‘I saw you, and I remember that you %ut your %urse in your bag aterwards#’ ‘!o it could have been taken any time ater that,’ said Felicity# ‘Millicent, was your bag out o your sight at any time?’ ‘/nly when I went to bed,’ said %oor Millicent, who was looking very u%set now# ‘I let it here, in the commonroom#’ ‘/h, Millicent, how silly&’ said -am# ‘)ou should always take it u% to the dormitory with you#’ ‘I know,’ said Millicent rather shee%ishly# ‘I usually do, but I sim%ly orgot last night#’ ‘*ell, I su%%ose there is still a chance that it will turn u% somewhere,’ said Felicity, trying to sound cheery, though she didn’t eel very ho%eul# ‘-erha%s, but in the meantime I can’t %ay .ora back,’ said Millicent# ‘I’m awully sorry, .ora# I shall write to Mother, o course, and ex%lain what has ha%%ened# !he will send me some more money, and I shall give it to you as soon as I c an, but I’m araid that I won’t get it or a while#’ ‘+on’t worry about that,’ said .ora# ‘I’m only sorry that you r %urse has gone missing# $nd I shall be sorry when Matron sees me going around in holey stockings and gives me a row&’
The others laughed at that, and -am said, ‘I will lend you the mone y to buy some new stockings, .ora# *e can’t have you disgracing the ith by wearing ragged ones#’ The girls began to talk about other things, or no one 0uite liked to mention the one thing that was on all their minds in ront o everyone 6 the %ossibility that there was a thie in the ith orm# !ome o the girls discussed it among themselves, though, and $my remarked to "onnie, ‘Things look black or +elia#’ ‘I su%%ose they do,’ said "onnie# ‘!he doesn’t strike me as dishonest, I must say, though her behaviour was most %eculiar the day we caught her in Millicent’s desk#’ 3ulie and 5ucy, standing nearby, overheard this, and 3ulie moved closer to "onnie, saying in a low voice, ‘*hat was that, "onnie? +id I hear you say that you had caught +elia in Millicent’s desk?’ ‘)es,’ said "onnie# ‘It looked as i she was searching or something#’ 5ucy gave a low whistle, and said, ‘*ell, 3ulie and I ound her looking in Millicent’s bag not very long ago# !he came u% with some tale to ex%lain it away, but it wasn’t very convincing#’ ‘'ow beastly that this should ha%%en now, (ust as we are all looking orward to halterm next weekend,’ said 3ulie, looking worried# ‘+o you think that we should tell -am that we sus%ect +elia?’ asked $my# ‘$s headgirl, she really ought to be inormed, or she is the one who will have to decide what to do#’ ‘I think that we should wait until ater halterm,’ said "onnie# ‘/therwise it will %ut an awul dam%er on what should be a ha%%y time#’ ‘I agree,’ said 5ucy# ‘5et’s (ust kee% it between the our o us or now# $nd we had better kee% a careul eye on +elia in the meantime, and see i anyone else’s belongings disa%%ear#’ ‘I say&’ said 3ulie, suddenly# ‘+idn’t +elia and 4illian have tea in town together this aternoon? It would be interesting to know where +elia ound the money to %ay her share, or she always seems to be broke#’ ‘-erha%s 4illian treated her,’ suggested "onnie# ‘*ell, we can ask her,’ said $my# ‘'ere she comes#’ 3ust then 4illian came into the commonroom, looking no thing like the ha%%y, careree girl who had gone to tea with +elia that aternoon#
The strained ex%ression was back on her ace, and she looked very %ale# "ut 3ulie, intent on inding out what she wanted to know, didn’t even notice this, and called out, ‘'i, 4illian& 1ome here a moment, would you?’ "onnie, knowing that 3ulie wasn’t the most tactul o souls, ste%%ed orward and said, ‘$re you all right, 4illian? )ou look awully tired#’ ‘I’m ine,’ 4illian assured her brightly# ‘+id you want something, 3ulie?’ 3ulie o%ened her mouth, but, once more, "onnie orestalled her, saying, ‘*ell, it’s no wonder that you’re tired, with all the activities that you do# 4o ing out or tea with +elia must have been a %leasant break or you#’ 3ulie, who had been rather %ut out by "onnie %ushing hersel orward, suddenly realised what the girl was doing# !he was leading u% to the 0uestion tactully, rather than being blunt, and %erha%s causing oence# $nd, by using such tactics, she was likely to get a great deal more out o 4illian, thought 3ulie, staring at little "onnie with admiration# ‘/h, yes, we had a marvellous time,’ 4illian was saying now# ‘$nd a su%er tea& I was so grateul to +elia or inviting me#’ ‘!he’s such a thoughtul girl,’ said "onnie, smiling sweetly at 4illian# ‘!o gen erous with her time#’ ‘$nd with her money,’ said 4illian# ‘I’ve s%ent all o my %ocket money this week, so +elia treated me# *asn’t that kind o her?’ ‘It certainly was,’ said "onnie# ‘2s%ecially as %oor +elia never seems to have very much money#’ ‘*ell, it was (olly lucky or me that she had (ust received a %ostal order rom her grandmother,’ said 4illian# ‘/therwise I shouldn’t have had such a s%lendid treat#’ ‘*ell done, "onnie,’ murmured 5ucy, %atting the girl on the back, as 4illian moved away# ‘)ou handled that %erectly#’ ‘I should say&’ agreed 3ulie# ‘*hy, you didn’t even have to ask 4illian who had %aid or tea, or she volunteered the inormation#’ ‘It was sim%ly a 0uestion o leading her in the right direction,’ said "onnie modestly# ‘$nd now we know the truth# +elia received some money rom her grandmother#’ "ut the others weren’t convinced, 3ulie saying darkly, ‘'mm# *ell, I think it’s rather a coincidence that +elia ha%%ens to be in unds (ust as Millicent’s %urse goes missing#’ ‘I agree,’ said $my# ‘I shall certainly be kee%ing an eye on my belongings rom now on#’
‘$nd I shall be kee%ing an eye on +elia,’ said 5ucy# ‘*e all should# I know that we have agreed not to say anything to -am and the others until ater halterm, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t watch +elia, and make sure that she doesn’t get the chance to steal anything else#’ ‘*ell, we don’t know or certain that +elia is the cul%rit,’ said "onnie, looking unusually grave# ‘$nd I, or one, would like to make absolutely sure that we have our acts right beore we start making accusations#’ ‘)ou’re 0uite right, o course,’ said 5ucy# ‘$nd I would never dream o accusing +elia, or anyone else, or that matter, without %roo# $ll I am saying is that it won’t do any harm to watch her#’ ‘I su%%ose not,’ said "onnie# ‘"ut we must be careul that +elia doesn’t realise what we are u% to, or i it turns out that she is the %erson who took Millicent’s %urse, we don’t want to %ut her on her guard#’ +elia, meanwhile, 0uite unaware that she was under sus%icion, was turning over some rather disturbing and unwelcome thoughts in her own mind# !he was remembering how Millicent’s notebook had been in 4illian’s %ossession, and was wondering how the girl had come by it# 'ad 4illian taken it rom Millicent’s bag? $nd, i so, was it %ossible that the girl had taken the %urse as well? +elia elt very troubled indeed, or she liked 4illian very much, and the thought that the girl might be a thie was horrible# +elia had so en(oyed the time they had s%ent together, and had been secretly ho%ing that the two o them might become close riends# "ut, i 4illian turned out to be dishonest, that would be 0uite im%ossible# 3ust then, 4illian hersel came over and sat down next to +elia, a smile o genuine riendshi% on her rather white ace# +elia was unable to sto% hersel smiling back and, as she did so, she realised something# I she wanted to be a true riend to 4illian, she had to be loyal and believe in her# $nd, looking into the girl’s o%en, honest ace, +elia’s sus%icions ell away# / course 4illian wasn’t a thie& *hy, she (ust couldn’t be, or surely she, +elia, couldn’t %ossibly like her so much i she was dishonest# /ddly enough, Millicent hersel was the %erson who seemed least aected by the loss o her %urse# !he had 0uickly %ut it out o her mind, or an idea o how she could im%rove 4illian’s violin solo had suddenly come to her, and she was now sitting at the big table working on her score# !he had been u%set to discover it missing, o course, and sorry that she could not %ay .ora back, or she had been brought u% to believe that one should %ay one’s debts %rom%tly# "ut she would be seeing her %arents at halterm, which was only a ew days away, and they would see that she was in unds again# There were ar more im%ortant things in lie than money, anyway, thought Millicent, everishly scribbling down notes# !uch as music# .ow, i something ha%%ened to sto% her working at that, it really would be a disaster#
# $alf%term The whole school was thrilled that it was halterm, though o course the more digniied ith and sixth ormers did not show their excitement in the riotous way that the younger girls did# 1oming out o the diningroom ater breakast on !aturday morning, Felicity and !usan were almost knocked over by a noisy grou% o irst ormers, all rushing to their commonroom so that they could watch or their %eo%le to arrive# ‘!low down, you kids&’ said Felicity sternly# ‘It might be halterm, but that is no excuse to go tearing around the corridors like mad things#’ Miss -otts, walking by in time to overhear this, smiled to hersel# !he could remember having to re%rimand young Felicity Rivers or exactly the same rowdy behaviour when she had been a irst ormer, eagerly awaiting the arrival o her %arents# ‘!orry, Felicity,’ chorused the irst ormers# ‘!orry, !usan#’ $s the younger girls walked away at a more measured %ace, !usan said rather wistully, ‘*hat a thing it is to be a irst ormer# I can remember when we were (ust like those k ids, and elt so excited about halterm that we could hardly kee% still#’ ‘*ell, I eel (ust as excited now as I did when I was a irst ormer,’ admitted Felicity, with a grin# ‘/ course, I have to kee% it inside now that I’m a ith ormer, but when I think about seeing Mother and +addy again, and the marvellous time we have ahead o us, I could dance or (oy&’ ‘*hat a %ity that we are too old and sensible to do (ust that,’ laughed !usan# ‘I would love to see the aces o the younger girls i they saw us ith ormers dancing a (ig all the way to the commonroom#’ Mam’8elle, who ha%%ened to come round the corner at that moment, caught the tail end o this remark and gave a little start# ‘$h, non, !usan&’ she said, with a rown# ‘)ou must remember that you are a sosensible ith ormer now, and behave with dignity at all times# I the dear Miss 4rayling were to come along and catch you dancing (igs around the school she would be most dis%leased#’ ‘)es, Mam’8elle,’ said !usan meekly, though her eyes twinkled# ‘+on’t worry, Mam’8elle,’ said Felicity solemnly, taking !usan’s arm# ‘I shall escort !usan to the commonroom, and make sure that she behaves as a ith ormer should#’
/nce the little French mistress was out o earshot, the two girls burst into laugh ter, and !usan said, ‘+ear old Mam’8elle& Trust her to get the wrong end o the stick#’ The rest o the ith ormers were in the commonroom waiting or their %eo%le to arrive, all exce%t +elia, who had been called to Miss 4rayling’s room# ‘I say,’ said $my to "onnie# ‘)ou don’t think that Miss 4rayling has ound out about +elia taking Millicent’s %urse, do you?’ ‘For heaven’s sake, kee% your voice down, $my&’ hissed "onnie, looking 0uickly over her shoulder to make sure that no one was close enough to overhear# ‘'ow can Miss 4rayling %ossibly know that, or we aren’t even certain o it ourselves yet# $nd I don’t think that Millicent re%orted the loss to Matron, so I doubt very much that Miss 4rayling even knows that it’s missing#’ "ut +elia certainly looked very down in the dum%s about something when she returned to the commonroom, and 4illian went across to her, saying kindly, ‘*hat’s u%, old girl? +on’t tell me that Miss 4rayling gave you a row?’ ‘.o, nothing like that,’ said +elia rather doleully# ‘"ut she did give me some disa%%ointing news# )ou see, my ather is still overseas, so he won’t be able to come and see me or halterm# Miss 4rayling had a telegram rom him a short while ago#’ The ith ormers were very sorry to hear this, even $my, 5ucy and 3ulie, who were all more than halconvinced that +elia was a thie# ‘*hat a shame&’ said -am# ‘"ut %erha%s your aunt and cousins will come instead#’ ‘I doubt it,’ said +elia, with a brave attem%t at a smile# ‘To be 0uite honest, I ho%e that they don’t, or I don’t like them and they don’t like me# I would rather s%end halterm on my own than in their com%any#’ ‘*ell, you shan’t s%end it on your own,’ said 4illian irmly# ‘)ou are going to come out with me and my %eo%le#’ +elia’s grey eyes lit u% at this, and she cried, ‘/h, 4illian, that is decent o you& $re you sure that your %arents won’t mind me tagging along?’ ‘/ course not,’ said 4illian# ‘They will be %leased to know that I have made a riend#’ $ warm glow came over +elia at this# 4illian had said that she was h er riend& $nd that made the girl more convinced than ever that 4illian couldn’t have taken Millicent’s %urse, or i she had, then she, +elia, must be a %retty %oor (udge o character# ‘There are some %arents arriving,’ said 3une, who was standing b y the window with Freddie# ‘I say, they’re mine& Most unlike them to get here so early# 1ome on, Freddie&’
Freddie, whose own %arents were unable to come, was looking orward to a lively day out with 3une, her %arents and one o her brothers# $s the two girls went out o the commonroom, -am and .ora moved across to take their %laces at the window# ‘There are several cars arriving now,’ said .ora# ‘1an’t say that I recognise any o the %arents# 'al a minute, though& $my, that’s your mother# I didn’t recognise her at irst, or she has a sim%ly enormous hat on, but then she looked u% and I knew who she was at once#’ There was no mistaking $my’s mother, or she was very beautiul indeed and always wore the most ex0uisite clothes# 1ars arrived thick and ast ater that# 3ulie’s %eo%le turned u% next, then .ora’s, and then Millicent’s# The girls noticed that Millicent looked very like h er mother, or Mrs Moon had the same dark eyes, long ace and intense ex%ression# 'er ather, however, looked rather (olly, and -am remarked under her breath, ‘I can’t imagine what he has to look (olly about, though, living with Millicent and her mother# I don’t su%%ose that it’s much un&’ "ut Millicent looked very %leased to see her %arents, her serious ace breaking into a wide smile that 0uite transormed it# !oon all o the %arents had arrived, and Felicity was thrilled to be with her mother and ather once more# ‘*ell, darling,’ said Mr Rivers, giving Felicity a hug, then ste%%ing back to take a good look at her# ‘"eing a ith ormer obviously suits you, or you look very well indeed#’ ‘)es, and I do believe that you’ve grown a little taller since the holidays,’ said Mrs Rivers, sli%%ing her arm through Felicity’s# ‘I don’t know about that,’ laughed Felicity# ‘Though I %robably look a little older, what with all the res%onsibility o being a wise, sensible ith ormer&’ +elia, too, was en(oying hersel, or, although she missed her ather, 4illian’s %arents had gone out o their way to make her eel welcome# ‘I do like your mother and ather so much,’ said +elia to 4illian, as the two o them went o to get cu%s o tea or Mr and Mrs *eaver 6 and themselves, o course# ‘)our mother is so %retty and kind# $nd your ather reminds me very much o my own, or he has exactly the same sense o humour#’ 4illian, o course, was delighted at this %raise o her %arents# The girl seemed much more like her old, careree sel today, or she was looking orward to s%ending a ha%% y time with her
%eo%le and her riend# *hat was more, there would be no time or her to %ractise either tennis or music today, or even to think about them, and 4illian had to admit that the break was very welcome# The morning seemed to %ass in a lash, or there were mistresses to talk to, and dis%lays o needlework and art to look at# Then, o course, the girls had to show the %arents their common room and dormitory, not to mention the grounds, which always looked ver y beautiul at this time o year# /nce the %arents had seen and admired everything, it was time to go out or lunch# !ome %arents, like $my’s and "onnie’s, took their daughters out to hotels or restaurants# /thers, like 3ulie’s and Felicity’s, had brought magniicent %icnics with them, which they took to the beach# Mr and Mrs *eaver took 4illian and +elia to a very nice restaurant, where they had a most delicious lunch# /ver %udding, while 4illian chatted to her ather, Mrs *eaver s%oke to +elia, her warm, charming manner making it easy or the girl to relax# !oon +elia was coniding ar more than she had intended to Mrs *eaver# 4illian’s mother listened sym%athetically, and laid her hand over +elia’s, saying, ‘-oor child& It must be terribly diicult living where you know you are not really wanted#’ ‘*ell, I eel much ha%%ier now that I am at Malory Towers,’ said +elia# ‘It means that I only have to s%end the holidays with my aunt and my cousins#’ Mrs *eaver looked thoughtul or a moment, then, at last, she said, ‘)ou must come and stay with us or %art o the holidays# .ot i your ather is home, o course, or I know that you will want to s%end time with him# "ut i he is still at sea, then you will be most welcome, a nd I know that 4illian would like to have you#’ For a moment +elia was 0uite s%eechless, but at last she managed to stammer out her thanks# Mrs *eaver smiled, and said, ‘*ell, my dear, there is a little something that you can do or me in return#’ ‘/ course,’ said +elia at once, eeling 0uite %re%ared to do anything or this kind and sym%athetic woman# Mrs *eaver glanced u% and, seeing that 4illian and her ather were still dee% in conversation, she lowered her voice, and said, ‘I would like you to kee% an eye on 4illian or me# !he has told me all about the tennis team and the school orchestra, and I eel that she is overworking# !he seems ha%%y enough at the moment, but I know my daughter, and she has lost some o her s%arkle#’ +elia nodded gravely, and said, ‘Many o us ith ormers eel the same, Mrs *eaver# "ut 4illian sim%ly can’t be %ersuaded to give u% one or the other# I shall do my best to try and make sure that she doesn’t overdo things, though, you may be sure#’
In act, +elia elt most honoured that Mrs *eaver had entrusted her with the task o looking ater 4illian, and she meant to do her h er utmost to kee% her word# "ut there was no need to kee% an eye on the girl at halterm, or 4illian seemed determined to %ush everything to the back o her mind and have un# $ll o the ith ith ormers en(oyed their hal term break enormously, eeling tired but ha%%y when it came to an end on !unday evening# ‘My word, what a su%er weekend,’ said -am with a contented sigh, as she settled down in an armchair# ‘*asn’t ‘*a sn’t it (ust?’ agreed Freddie# ‘3une, your brother is an absolute scream&’ ‘"ack to the grindstone tomorrow,’ groaned .ora# ‘*hy does d oes halterm always ly by b y so 0uickly?’ ‘)ou need cheering ‘)ou che ering u%, .ora,’ said !usan, getting to her eet# ‘$nd I know (ust the thing& My %arents brought me a box o chocolates yesterday, rom rom my grandmother, and I think that now is the time to o%en them#’ !usan went across to the big cu%board cu% board in the corner o the room and %ulled o%en the door# Then she gave a little cry# ‘*hat’s u%?’ asked Felicity, alarmed# ‘My chocolates&’ said !usan# ‘They’re gone&’ -am and Felicity went over to (oin her, -am saying, ‘They must be there& 1hocolates don’t (ust vanish into thin air# air#’’ ‘*ell, I %ut them on that shel, and you can see or yoursel that they ‘*ell, the y are not there now, -am,’ said !usan, looking rather u%set# ‘I’ll bet someone has moved them,’ said Felicity, Felicity, rummaging around in the cu%board# ‘I was looking or a book in here the other day, and someone had knocked it on to the loor#’ "ut though she hunted high and low, the chocolates were nowhere to be ound, and -am said, ‘-erha%s someone has hidden them or a (oke#’ ‘.ot a very unny one,’ said Freddie# ‘I was looking orward to one o those chocolates#’ ‘I can’t think that anyone would have done that,’ said said 3une# ‘Rather a irstormish sort o %rank to %lay, i you ask me#’ ‘)es, it is, rather,’ said 3ulie# !he glanced ‘)es, glan ced switly round the commonroom, saw that +elia and 4illian were absent, and added, ‘I don’t think that !usan’s chocolates have been hidden# I think that they have been stolen&’
The ith ormers looked rather shocked at this, and -am said gravely, ‘That’s a very serious accusation, 3ulie# +o you have any reason or saying this?’ ‘*ell, ‘*e ll, Millicent’s %urse %urse went missing not so long ago,’ said 3ulie# ‘$nd it was never ound#’ ‘I think that we should tell -am what we know,’ %ut in $my# ‘$ter ‘$ter all, we said that we were going to once halterm was over anyway#’ -am looked at $my in sur%rise, and said, ‘*hat are you talking abo ut, $my? +o you know something about the things that have gone missing?’ ;uickly, 3ulie 3ulie and 5ucy told the others o how they had ound +elia searching in Millicent’s bag# ‘$nd "onnie and I caught her looking in Millicent’s desk,’ said $my# $my# ‘!hortly beore the %urse disa%%eared#’ ‘It didn’t disa%%ear, it was stolen&’ said said 3une, scornully scornully## ‘3ust as !usan’s chocolates have hav e been# $nd it looks as i dear +elia is the thie#’ ‘)ou really should have ‘)ou hav e told me all o this beore, girls,’ said -am, looking very u%set indeed, or she hated to think that there was a thie in the ith orm# The others elt the same, and were disa%%ointed in +elia, or most o them had grown g rown to like her# ‘I know that we should,’ said 5ucy# ‘"ut we didn’t want to %ut a dam%er on halterm, so thought that we would wait until the un was over#’ ‘*ell, it’s certainly over now,’ said ‘*ell, said .ora glumly# ‘This has really brought us all down to earth with a bum%#’ ‘*hat are you going g oing to do, -am?’ asked asked 3une# ‘Tackle +elia?’ ‘.ot (ust yet,’ said -am, who had been looking thoughtul# ‘I may have to, eventually, o course, but or now I think that we should all (ust watch her#’ her#’ ‘*hat’s the the good o that?’ scoed scoed 3une# ‘I +elia eels that she is being be ing watched, she won’t attem%t to steal anything and we shall never ne ver catch her out#’ ‘*ell, we will have to make sure that she doesn’t know we are watching her,’ said -am irmly# ‘*ell, irmly# ‘*e must all do our best to act normally when she is around, and be riendly to her# That way she won’t sus%ect that we are on to her, and may sli% u%#’ ‘I don’t agree,’ said 3une stubbornly# ‘I we s%eak to +elia now, she may own u% and tell us where she has hidden the things th ings she has stolen# I daresay that she has s%ent %oor Millicent’s money by now, but she can’t %ossibly have eaten all o !usan’s chocolates#’
‘*ell, it seems that we have a dierence ‘*ell, d ierence o o%inion,’ said -am# ‘!o the only way to settle things is to vote# *ould *ould all those o you who are in avour o tackling +elia %lease raise your hands?’ $my’s hand shot u% at once# Millicent, 3ulie, 3une and 5ucy also raised theirs# ‘That makes ive o you,’ said -am# ‘$nd who thinks that it would be better (ust to wa tch and wait?’ / course, -am hersel %ut her hand u%# !o did !usan and Felicity, .ora and "onnie# Freddie hesitated# 3une was her riend, and 3une wanted to get the whole thing out in the o%en# "ut Freddie couldn’t 0uite believe that the %leasantnatured +elia was a thie# /nce Freddie would have ollowed 3une’s lead, but she had grown u% 0uite a bit since those days, and now she decided that she must be true to hersel and what she believed# I 3une took oence, then %erha%s their riendshi% wasn’t as strong as Freddie thought# !o she %ut her hand u% as well, and -am said, ‘!ix# That means that we do as I suggest#’ ‘4illian isn’t here,’ $my %ointed out# ‘!he hasn’t had the chance to vote#’ ‘$s 4illian is riendly with +elia, I think it’s sae to assume that she would have voted vo ted with us,’ said Felicity Felicity## ‘)es, and %erha%s it would be best to kee% 4illian in the dark,’ said !usan# ‘*e don’t want her ‘)es, warning +elia that she is under sus%icion#’ ‘;uite right,’ said -am# ‘3une, I trust that you will abide by what has been decided?’ ‘/ course,’ said 3une, looking sur%rised# ‘Though I don’t agree with it#’ ‘I realise that,’ said -am# ‘The trouble is, 3une, that when whe n you eel strongly about something, you rather have a tendency to go your own way when it comes to dealing with it#’ 3une lushed, or there had been several occasions in lower orms when she had conronted ellow %u%ils and accused them o something 6 sometimes wrongly# "ut 3une was older, and a little wiser, now, and didn’t like being reminded o her conduct then# ‘I can assure you that I have learned my lesson, -am,’ she she said a little stily# stily# -am was glad to hear it# 3ust then, +elia and 4illian came in, both o them laughing and chattering ha%%ily# ha%% ily# 5ooking at the two o them, Felicity thought how much ha%%ier both o them seemed, now that they had become riends# +elia, in %articular, had a s%arkle in her eyes and a rosy glow to her o%en, honest ace# For that was exactly what it was, thought Felicity, watching the girl closely, and eeling ever more certain that she couldn’t be the thie#
"ut someone in the ith orm certainly was# $nd i it wasn’t +elia, (ust who could it be?
1& 'ho is the thief( The ith ormers stuck to their word and watched +elia careully# *hen she volunteered to stay behind and tidy u% the classroom or Miss 3ames, Felicity and !usan hid themselves behind a %illar outside the classroom, and watched# +elia was most conscientious, humming sotly to hersel as she wi%ed the blackboard, then she careully %ut away the %ile o books on Miss 3ames’s desk# The girl %icked u% a crum%led ball o %a%er that had allen on the loor and dro%%ed it in the waste%a%er bin, then she went round the room making sure that all the chairs were neatly %ushed under the desks# "ut at no time did she o%en any o the desks, or do anything remotely sus%icious# *hen her work was done, she moved towards the door, and Felicity and !usan sli%%ed 0uietly away# ‘*ell,’ said Felicity, as the two o them walked down the corridor# ‘I +elia really is the thie, that would have been the %erect o%%ortunity or her to go hunting in all o our desks, looking or things to steal#’ ‘)et she didn’t take it,’ said !usan thoughtully# ‘I always ound it h ard to believe that old +elia was a thie, and now I ind it even harder# I su%%ose we had better go and re%ort to -am#’ -am was sitting on the grass in the sunshine, along with .ora, 3une and Freddie, and she looked u% as Felicity and !usan a%%roached# ‘*ell?’ she said# ‘$nything to re%ort?’ ‘.ot a thing,’ said Felicity, sitting down next to the girl# ‘+elia sim%ly tidied u%, but she didn’t go in any o the desks#’ ‘I s%ied on her when she was alone in the commonroom the other day,’ said Freddie# ‘$nd she didn’t try to take anything then, either# The only time that she went to the cu% board was to %ut her knitting away#’ ‘$nother ideal o%%ortunity wasted,’ said !usan# ‘I really do think that +elia is innocent, and that we are on the wrong track#’ ‘*ell, I don’t,’ said 3une, in her orthright way# ‘I believe that she knows we are on to her, and that is why she is behaving hersel at the moment# $s soon as we dro% our guard and sto% watching her all the time, things will start to disa%%ear again# Mark my words&’
*ith that, 3une got to her eet and said, ‘*ell, I’m o to tennis %ractice# $nyone coming?’ Freddie got u%, and Felicity said, ‘!usan and I will be there in a ew minutes# I (ust want to sit and en(oy the sunshine or a little while#’ The our girls sat in comortable, com%anionable silence or a ew moments, en(oying the eel o the warm sun on their aces, then !usan suddenly said, ‘)ou know, in a way I’m sorry that we didn’t catch +elia trying to steal something#’ ‘*hatever do you mean?’ asked .ora, startled# ‘I thought that you liked +elia#’ ‘I do,’ answered !usan# ‘"ut now that it is looking as though +elia may not be the thie, it means that everyone else in the ith orm is under sus%icion#’ ‘2xactly what I was thinking,’ said -am, sounding very troubled# ‘.ot a %leasant thought, is it?’ ‘4osh&’ exclaimed .ora, looking dismayed# ‘I hadn’t thought o that# 'ow horrible&’ ‘It is horrible,’ said Felicity# ‘$nd it makes it even more im%ortant or us to clear this u% and catch the thie as soon as %ossible#’ ‘*ell, i any o you have any ideas o how we could do that, I’d be (olly glad i you would share them with me,’ sighed -am# ‘For I’m stum%ed&’ "ut the others couldn’t think o anything either, and at last !usan (um%ed u%, saying, ‘1ome on, Felicity# 5et’s go and get some tennis %ractice in# -erha%s a little exercise will get our brains moving&’ 4illian was also at the tenniscourts, or now that halterm was over, she was working (ust as hard as beore# It seemed that the break had done her good, or the dark shadows beneath her eyes had lightened, and she was %laying against her o%%onent, a *est Tower girl, with renewed energy and determination# ‘4ood show, 4illian&’ yelled 3une rom the sidelines, as the girl sent a ball whi88ing %ast the other girl# Then she turned to Felicity and !usan, saying, ‘$h, good, you’re here# 'ow would you like a game o doubles against Freddie and me?’ The two girls agreed to this eagerly, and took their %laces on the court# Felicity and !usan had %layed together so oten that they knew one another’s game very well indeed, and it stood them in good stead, or they beat their o%%onents comortably# Felicity, knowing how 3une hated to be beaten at anything, elt a little a%%rehensive as the our o them walked to the net to shake hands# "ut, to her sur%rise, 3une was grinning broadly#
!eeing the look o astonishment on Felicity’s ace, 3une laughed, and said, ‘$re you wondering why I’m so %leased, Felicity? *ell, it’s because this %roves that I have chosen exactly the right %air to re%resent us in the doubles against !ummerield 'all# I couldn’t be more %leased to be beaten, or I know that you and !usan will do us %roud in the tournament#’ Felicity and !usan elt %leased as well# *hy, 3une really was learning the meaning o team s%irit& ‘4illian is going to do well, too,’ said 3une, looking across at the girl, who had inished her game and was sitting on the grass# ‘I admit that I was a little worried about her, but now she’s back on orm and ighting it#’ 4illian certainly elt ighting it, and thought that it was marvellous what a cou%le o days’ relaxation could do# $nd it was (ust as well that she elt rested and rereshed, or there was another orchestra rehearsal the ollowing day# *ith that in mind, 4illian took hersel o to one o the musicrooms to %ractise# "ut +elia, with Mrs *eaver’s words in mind, went ater her, calling, ‘*here are you going, 4illian?’ ‘To %lay my violin,’ answered 4illian# ‘1ome with me i you want# )ou can listen, and tell me what you think#’ +elia agreed at once, or she loved music# $nd she could kee% an eye on 4illian, too, and make sure that she wasn’t overdoing it# There was a ra%t ex%ression on +elia’s ace as she %erched on a stool and listened to 4illian %lay# !oon the girl was swaying rom side to side again as she lost hersel in the music, almost alling o her stool at one %oint& Then 4illian began her solo, and, unable to sto% hersel, +elia began sotly singing the words that she had written to accom%any the tune# .ow it was 4illian’s turn to listen, and, as she did, her ingers gradually sto%%ed moving, until the only sound that illed the room was that o +elia’s sweet voice# $t irst +elia didn’t realise that 4illian had sto%%ed %laying, and continued to sing# Then she became aware that she was no longer being accom%anied, and her voice died away# ‘!orry,’ she said gruly, looking rather selconscious# ‘I (ust got carried away# +on’t know what came over me&’ ‘'eavens, don’t a%ologise&’ cried 4illian# ‘*hy, it sounded marvellous# I had no idea that Millicent wrote words as well#’ +elia hesitated, then decided that she didn’t want to mislead 4illian, who had been a true riend to her#
!o, rather reluctantly, she conessed, ‘$ctually, Millicent didn’t write the words# I did#’ 4illian gave a gas%, and exclaimed, exc laimed, ‘)ou ‘)ou dark horse, +elia& )ou’ve )ou’ve been telling us that you’re such a duer, and all the time you have been hiding this wonderul talent or songwriting#’ ‘I would hardly call it a talent,’ said +elia, turning red at this unaccustomed %raise# ‘It was (ust a little rhyme that I (otted down at the irst rehearsal#’ ‘.onsense&’ said 4illian# ‘The words are sim%ly beautiul, and they the y it the music %erectly# %e rectly# $nd you have such a lovely singing voice#’ ‘+o I?’ said +elia, looking most astonished# ‘)es,’ said 4illian irmly# ‘!o sweet and %ure# I know& *hy don’t we go down to the common ‘)es,’ room and you can sing or the others? They will be absolutely ama8ed& I’ll bring my violin and accom%any you#’ "ut %oor +elia was ar too nervous and lacking in conidence to even think o such a thing# $nd she was more than hal inclined to believe that 4illian was only %raising her so extravagan tly because she was her riend# *hy, *hy, she oten used to sing at her aunt’s aunt’s house, as she hel%ed with the daily chores, and the reaction she got rom her aunt and cousins was 0uite dierent# 'er means%irited cousins had told her that she sounded like a %arrot s0uawking, while her aunt had sternly ordered her to be 0uiet, as the racket +elia was making was giving her a headache# The ith ormers %robably wouldn’t be so unkind, or they were well broughtu%, %olite girls# "ut how dreadul it would be i they laughed at her behind her back# ‘I really couldn’t&’ said said +elia, shaking her head and looking terriied# ‘My voice isn’t good enough, and I would eel so nervous that it would shake terribly#’ 4illian disagreed wholeheartedly with this, but realised that i she tried to %ush +elia into %erorming or the others it would sim%ly make make her more scared# 5ack o conidence was at the root o the girl’s %roblem, she realised, and 4illian’s mouth %ursed as she thought that +elia’s strict aunt and beastly cousins were res%onsible# $s +elia’s riend, she really ought to do something about building the girl’s conidence, but she had taken on so much hersel that it would be diicult to ind the time# !uddenly a thought occurred to her, and she said, ‘+elia, I shan’t try and %ersuade you to sing or the others, but i you would sing along with me sometimes when I rehearse, I really think that it would h el% me#’ ‘Really?’ said said +elia, sur%rised and %leased# ‘Really,’ said ‘Really,’ said 4illian, solemnly# ‘$nd who knows, %erha%s you can think o some more words that you can set to the music# That would be su%er&’
‘$ll right then, I shall,’ agreed +elia, thinking that this was something that she wo uld en(oy doing, and that she would eel 0uite comortable singing or 4illian, and even letting her see any words she com%osed, or she knew that her riend would not make un o her# !o +elia sung until she was hoarse, and an d when she couldn’t sing any more, she sat and listened to her riend %laying# 4illian %layed the same ew bars over and an d over again, or there was one note that she sim%ly couldn’t get get right, no matter what# "y the end o it, she had managed to get the note right, but she was looking %ale and strained again# +elia noticed this, and could have kicked hersel# !he had %romised Mrs *eaver that she would look ater 4illian, and make sure that she didn’t tire hersel out# $nd $nd she had been so carried away with her singing that she had ailed, and let Mrs *eaver down# 'eavens, they must have been u% here in the musicroom or sim%ly ages& In act it was almost ten o’clock, and the others were all getting ready or bed when +elia and 4illian went to the dormitory dormitory## ‘*here have you two been?’ asked Felicity# ‘In one o the musicrooms,’ answered 4illian, with a yawn# ‘+elia has been listening to me %ractise my violin#’ Millicent looked at the girl with a%%roval, saying, ‘That’s what I like to see& $ bit o dedication and hard work#’ 3une was less %leased, or she didn’t like to see an y member o the tennis team working hard or anyone other than hersel# "ut 3une saw how tired and %ale 4illian looked, and held her tongue# $t last everyone settled down, and -am - am turned the lights out# There was no need, o course, or her to remind everyone o the notalking rule, or as ith ormers the girls would not have dreamed o disobeying it# /ne by one, the girls dro%%ed o to slee%# 4illian was irst, or she was com%letely exhausted# $nd +elia was last, or she had a lot to think about# 'er eelings were mixed, or, on the one hand, she elt ridiculously %leased at the way 4illian had com%limented her on her he r singing and the words that she had written to Millicent’s tune# /n the other, she couldn’t hel% eeling that she hadn’t done a very good (ob at getting her riend to s%end more time relaxing, and less on tennis and music# *ell, tomorrow was a new day, and +elia vowed that she would work in earnest towards kee%ing the %romise she had made to Mrs *eaver# *eaver#
11 The thief strikes again There was a shock in store or $my the ollowing morning# The girl’s mother had given her a very ex%ensive bottle o French %erume at halterm, which she had dis%layed %roudly on her bedside cabinet# $ll o the the ith ormers had been allowed to sni at it, it, but no one had been allowed so much as a dab d ab o the scent, or, as $my had said, in her haughty way, ‘Mummy went to a great deal o trouble to get it or me# It’s very ex%ensive, you know, and 0uite diicult to get hold o#’ ‘I should %ut the sto%%er back in, at once, $my,’ $my,’ 3une had said gravely# ‘/therwise the scent will esca%e and all you will be let with is a bottle o li0uid with no smell at all#’ ‘Rubbish&’ $my had said, though she had looked a little doubtul# ‘It’s %erectly true,’ Freddie had said, with a com%letely straight ace# ‘My aunt aun t once had a bottle o %erume, and she orgot to %ut the sto%%er back in, and the ollowing day the smell had all gone& My aunt was rightully u%set, o course, or it was a birthday %resent rom my uncle, and she had to throw it away#’ $my was never "uite "uite sure sure when 3une and Freddie were %ulling her leg, but, to be on the sae side, she had %ut the sto%%er back in the scent bottle at once, and %laced it careully on her cabinet# The others had known that 3une and Freddie were having a (oke, and had smiled to themselves, even "onnie unable to hide a grin at her riend’s conused ex%ression# This morning, $my, $my, who always took a great deal o care over her a%%earance, was sitting on the edge o the bed, brushing her silky blonde hair, when her eye ell u%on the cabinet, and she gave a little shriek# There were several ith ormers in the dormitory, and they (um%ed, -am saying, ‘For goodness’ sake, $my, must you you s0ueal like that? *hatever is the matter?’ ‘My %erume&’ cried $my, $my, looking very distressed# ‘It’s gone&’ 2veryone gathered round at once, "onnie saying, ‘$re you sure that it hasn’t allen on the loor, $my?’ The ith ormers began to hunt or the missing %erume bottle, looking under beds and behind cabinets# "ut there was no sign o it# ‘*here can it have gone&’ asked $my, $my, who really was very u%set, or ex%ensive %ossessions can it meant a great deal to the girl#
‘I should think that it has gone to the same %lace as Millicent’s %urse and !usan’s chocolates,’ said 3une, in a hard little voice# ‘The thie has struck again&’ ‘Then we must tackle her,’ said $my# ‘It’s one thing to take a box o chocolates, or a %urse with only a ew %ounds in it, but that %erume is most exclusive, and 6 ’ ‘/h, do be 0uiet, $my,’ said Felicity, exas%erated# ‘It isn’t the value o the things that have been stolen that is im%ortant# It is the act that we have a thie among us#’ ‘;uite right,’ said -am, well aware that, as headgirl, it was u% to her to take some action# "ut she couldn’t think 0uite what to do, or it really was a very tricky situation# 3une, though, had very deinite ideas, and she said, ‘+elia must be hiding the things somewhere# -erha%s they are in her cabinet# I vote we take a look#’ "ut -am said irmly, ‘.o# I reuse to do something so sly and underhand# "esides, we have all been watching +elia, and she hasn’t taken anything, although she has had several chances#’ ‘*ell, someone has the stolen things,’ said $my# ‘$nd there’s no denying that a bedside cabinet would make a (olly good hiding %lace#’ ‘9ery well,’ said -am# ‘$ter breakast we shall all come to the dormitory, and I shall ask everyone to o%en their bedside cabinets, so that we can see what is in there# +oes everyone agree that that is air?’ The others nodded solemnly, and went to (oin the rest o the ith orm or breakast# !li%%ing into her seat, Felicity stole a glance at +elia, sitting across the table next to 4illian# The girl was tucking into toast and marmalade, looking relaxed and ha%%y as she chattered to her riend, and Felicity thought that surely +elia could not look like that i she was hiding a guilty secret# $t last the meal was over, and 3ulie and 5ucy got to their eet# ‘*e’re o or a ride,’ said 5ucy# ‘It’s a beautiul day, and we don’t want to miss a second o it#’ ‘'old on a minute, %lease,’ said -am# ‘I would like you all to come u% to the dormitory or a ew moments#’ Those girls who hadn’t been %resent when it was discovered that $my’s %erume was missing exchanged %u88led glances, and 3ulie said, ‘*hy, -am?’ ‘I shall tell you when we get there,’ re%lied -am# ‘It won’t take long, and I would be very grateul i you all do as I ask#’
!o the ith ormers troo%ed back u%stairs, and, once they were in the dormitory, -am said, ‘1an you all stand by your cabinets, %lease#’ The girls did as they were asked, -am standing by hers as well# Then she said, ‘I would like you all to o%en the doors so that we can see what is inside#’ ‘*hy?’ asked 4illian, looking rather bewildered# ‘*ell, 4illian,’ said -am# ‘I hate to say this, but it a%%ears that we have a thie in the ith orm# $s you know, Millicent’s %urse disa%%eared a while ago, then !usan’s chocolates, and now $my’s %erume has gone# It’s %ossible that the thie has hidden the things in her cabinet, so we are going to check all o them# +oes anyone ob(ect?’ .o one did, and 3une, looking hard at +elia, was orced to admit to hersel that i the girl was %utting on an act, it was a (olly good one# !he looked very shocked indeed, but not at all guilty, and was among the irst to %ull o%en her cabinet door# There was nothing in there, o course, but her own belongings, and as -am went along looking inside all the cabinets, it soon became a%%arent that no one was hiding anything# $t last she said, ‘Felicity, will you look in my cabinet, %lease, then I can %ut mysel in the clear as well#’ Felicity did as she was asked, %eering into -am’s cabinet, and moving a ew things so that she could get a good look# ‘.ot a thing,’ she said, when she had inished her search# ‘.ot that I ex%ected -am, o all %eo%le, to be hiding stolen goods#’ The girls all elt secretly rather relieved that nothing had b een ound in the dormitory, yet uneasy that the thie was still at large# ‘$ bit o a waste o time, really,’ said 3une to Freddie aterwards# ‘The thie has obviously ound a saer hiding %lace, and we are no closer to unmasking her#’ $my, o course, was most dis%leased, and she stalked u% to -am, saying crossly, ‘I think that we ought to re%ort the matter to Miss 4rayling# *hoever took my %erume sim%ly can’t be allowed to get away with it# The 'ead must call the %olice, and 6 ’ ‘My dear $my, I am 0uite sure that the %olice have more im%ortant matters to deal with than your missing %erume,’ said -am coolly# ‘"esides, i the %olice are called it will mean bad %ublicity or the school, and the 'ead won’t want that i it can be avoided#’ ‘Then what is to be done?’ demanded $my# ‘I don’t know,’ admitted -am, with a sigh#
‘I have an idea,’ said "onnie, coming orward# ‘Then by all means let’s hear it,’ said -am# "onnie glanced round, to make sure that no one else was in the room but the three o them# The others had all gone, and as "onnie elt 0uite certain that neither -am nor $my was the thie, she was able to s%eak reely# "ut irst, "onnie took something rom her cabinet, and held it out to show the other two# It was a large brooch, s%arkly, shiny and glittery, and $my wrinkled her long nose in distaste, saying, ‘*hat an awul thing& Really, "onnie, I always thought that you had good taste#’ "onnie laughed, and said, ‘;uite hideous, isn’t it? My aunt gave it to me or my birthday, and I would be most grateul i someone would steal it, or I couldn’t %ossibly wear it#’ ‘*hat are you suggesting, "onnie?’ asked -am, with a rown# ‘*ell,’ said "onnie, her eyes dancing im%ishly# ‘I I was to leave this lying around somewhere, surely the thie won’t be able to resist it# It’s not %articularly valuable, but it looks as i it might be#’ ‘)es, but I don’t see what good it would do,’ said -am# ‘/ur thie would be certain to take the brooch, but it won’t hel% us to ind out who she is#’ ‘$h, but it will,’ said "onnie# ‘5ook&’ !he held out her hand, and -am and $my saw that her ingers were covered with glitter# ‘It comes o, see?’ said "onnie# ‘$nd although it seems to rub o the brooch 0uite easily, it tends to stick to the ingers unless you wash you r hands thoroughly#’ ‘!o once the brooch has been taken, all we have to do is look at everyone’s hands&’ said $my excitedly# ‘My word, "onnie, what a su%er idea&’ ‘It is a good idea&’ said -am, looking %leased# ‘"ut are you sure you don’t mind risking your brooch, "onnie?’ ‘.ot at all,’ said "onnie, with a smile# ‘The thie is 0uite welcome to it# I shall %ut it on to% o my bedside cabinet, where she can’t hel% but notice it#’ ‘)es, it does rather draw one’s attention,’ said $my, with a shudder# ‘It s%arkles so much that I daresay we shall still be able to see it when the lights are out&’ "onnie went to wash the glitter rom her ha nds, then she and $my went o to the commonroom together, while -am sought out .ora and bore her o or a walk along the clis#
$s it was !unday morning, the girls were busily engaged in their own activities# 3ulie and 5uc y, o course, were out riding, Millicent was %oring over her music, and 3une, hel%ed by Freddie, was making out a list o %ractice times or the lower school# Felicity and !usan were hel%ing in the school garden, and even 4illian was en(oying a little resh air, or +elia, mindul o her %romise to the girl’s mother, had insisted that she come outside or a stroll around the gardens# 4illian had been reluctant at irst, saying retully, ‘I really should be % ractising my music, or there is a rehearsal this aternoon#’ ‘)ou s%ent most o yesterday evening %ractising,’ +elia had %ointed out, her tone o voice unusually irm# ‘I think it would do you much more good to s%end a little time outdoors, then you will turn u% or rehearsal rereshed, and with a clear head#’ 4illian had been orced to admit that there was something in that, and said, ‘It do es seem a shame to be coo%ed u% indoors on such a beautiul day# 9ery well, +elia, I’ll come with you#’ $nd the two girls had whiled away a %leasant cou%le o hours idly strolling about the grounds, %assing the time o day with Mam’8elle +u%ont, admiring the beautiul blooms in the 'ead’s garden, and sim%ly sitting on the grass chatting ab out this and that# ‘*ell, what a nice, %eaceul morning it has been&’ said 4illian ha%%ily, as she and +elia made their way to the diningroom or lunch# ‘I would never have guessed that sim%ly doing nothing could be such un#’ +elia laughed, and said, ‘I do wish that I could come and watch the rehearsal this aternoon# I shall be 0uite at a loose end#’ ‘*ell, come along then,’ said 4illian# ‘-erha%s it will hel% me to %lay better i I can see a riendly ace#’ ‘I can’t,’ said +elia, with a grimace# ‘)ou know that Millicent has banned anyone who isn’t actually in the orchestra rom attending rehearsals#’ ‘)es, but I think that she only said that because some o the younger girls who came to watch were ooling about, and distracting the orchestra,’ said 4illian# ‘!he knows that no ith ormer would behave like that, so I am 0uite sure she won’t ob(ect i you want to sit and watch#’ Millicent didn’t ob(ect, or she didn’t want to u%set 4illian, and had noticed how riendly she and +elia had become# !o she smiled brightly, and said, ‘/ course, +elia is most welcome to sit and watch# I know that she can be trusted not to distract anyone#’ "ut there were discontented mutterings rom some o the orchestra members as +elia took a seat at the ront o the hall#
‘My riend Meg would have liked to come and watch us rehearse,’ said =athy, o the third orm# ‘"ut Millicent sim%ly wouldn’t hear o it#’ ‘I should have liked to bring one or two o the 2ast Tower girls along or su%%ort, too,’ said $nne, scowling# ‘Millicent said no to that as well# It (ust isn’t air& There is one rule or 4illian, and another or the rest o us#’ ‘)et Millicent ex%ects us to %lay our hearts out or her,’ said 3anet# ‘*ell, I think it’s about time she gave something back#’ ‘)es, it really is diicult to do something wholeheartedly when we are being treated so unairly,’ said 3essie# ‘I, or one, am beginning to wish that I had never %ut my name down to (oin this beastly orchestra#’ ‘;uiet, %lease, everyone&’ said Millicent shar%ly# ‘5et’s begin the rehearsal# I would like you to %lay the whole %iece through, rom beginning to end#’ ‘*hat i someone makes a mistake?’ called out 3anet# ‘I you have been %ractising as you should, there shouldn’t be any mistakes,’ said Millicent briskly# ‘'owever, i anyone does %lay a wrong note, I want her to ignore it and carry on# *hat I am trying to do today is to get an idea o how the whole thing will sound#’ !o the orchestra %layed ‘!ummer !erenade’ all the way through, and it sounded so beautiul that even Millicent was %leased, and managed a ew words o %raise# ‘I can hear that you have been %ractising hard,’ she said, with a smile# ‘*ell done#’ Then she glanced at her watch, and said, ‘$s you have done so well, I think that you deserve a short break# *e will start again in iteen minutes#’ *ith that, Millicent swe%t rom the room# !ome o the orchestra ollowed her, keen to get a breath o resh air, while others sat on the chairs in the hall, sim%ly glad o a rest# ‘*ell, wonders will never cease&’ said 3essie# ‘Fancy Millicent allowing us a break&’ ‘$nd she %raised us,’ said $nne# ‘ All o us, not (ust 4illian# *ell, i Millicent kee%s this u%, I daresay it won’t be so bad being in the orchestra, ater all#’ "ut $nne had s%oken too soon, or the rehearsal, which had started so %romisingly, was to end in disaster# $ ew minutes beore the orchestra were due to take their %laces again, =athy’s riend Meg, along with several o her ellow third ormers, %ee%ed into the hall# !eeing that Millicent was not %resent, they ventured in, and the rather cheeky Meg asked, ‘*here’s the slavedriver?’
=athy giggled, and answered, ‘!he’s given us a wellearned break and gone o or a walk#’ ‘)es, and I think it might be a good idea i you kids disa%%ear beore she comes back,’ said 4illian# ‘7nless you want one o Millicent’s scolds#’ ‘-ooh&’ scoed Meg, orgetting or a moment that she was talking to a ith ormer# ‘I see that your riend is allowed to watch the rehearsal, 4illian#’ 4illian’s eyes lashed angrily, and she said, ‘'ow dare you s%eak to me like that? $%ologise at once&’ Meg scowled, and hesitated or a moment, then, as she saw 4illian reach into her %ocket or the %unishment book that all the ith and sixth ormers carried with them, she blurted out, ‘I’m sorry# I didn’t mean to sound rude#’ $ll would have been well, and the third ormers would have let 0uietly, but (ust then Millicent returned, and, on s%otting the youngsters, went ‘u% in the air’, as =athy %ut it# ‘=athy, didn’t I tell you that no one was allowed to watch the rehearsal without my %ermission?’ she sna%%ed# ‘I don’t take kindly to being disobeyed# )ou kids, clear o at once&’ .ow Meg, who had (ust been thinking hersel lucky to have esca%ed a %unishment or cheeking 4illian, elt nettled# *hy did Millicent have to be so autocratic and un%leasant all the time? !he glanced round at the rest o the third ormers, all o whom were eyeing Millicent a%%rehensively, and waiting to take their lead rom Meg# $nd Meg knew that she would go u% in her orm’s estimation no end i she stood u% to the bossy Millicent# ‘*hy should we leave?’ she asked deiantly# ‘I’m sure that we have as much right to be here as +elia#’ There were murmurs o agreement rom the third ormers, and Millicent said, ‘+elia is a ith ormer, and can be relied on to behave# 7nlike you youngsters# .ow %ush o, beore I dish o ut %unishments to the lot o you&’ ‘3ust as we were ho%ing that Millicent had turned over a new lea,’ murmured 3anet to $nne and 3essie# ‘I thought it was too good to be true#’ "ut Meg, with the admiring eyes o her orm u%on her, wasn’t giving u% without a ight, and began to argue with Millicent# Thoroughly exas%erated, Millicent %ulled out her %un ishment book, 0uickly wrote something on one o the %ages, then ri%%ed it out and handed it to the urious Meg# ‘There&’ she said# ‘$nd let it be a lesson to you to show a little res%ect to your elders&’
Meg was shocked when she looked at the %iece o %a%er and saw that she had been given a hundred lines, but it was worth it when she saw the admiration on the aces o her riends# ‘.ever mind, Meg,’ whis%ered =athy, who elt 0uite urious with Millicent# ‘I’ll do ha l o them or you#’ ‘"e 0uiet, =athy, and get to your %lace, %lease,’ said Millicent shar%ly# ‘$nd once your riends have bu88ed o, you can %lay your %art again, or I noticed several wrong notes earlier# -erha%s i you s%ent more time %ractising, and less ooling around with your riends, you would be a better musician#’ -oor =athy’s ace burned, or she knew that Millicent was deliberately trying to humiliate her in ront o her orm# !he glanced round at her riends, saw their sym%athetic glances, and something inside her sna%%ed# ‘9ery well,’ she said coldly# ‘I I am such a %oor musician, Millicent, %erha%s you had better ind someone else to take my %lace#’ $nd, beore the astonished eyes o the orchestra, =athy %icked u% her trum%et and stalked towards the door# !he was ollowed by her riends, all o them delighted that she had made a stand# Millicent, however, was thoroughly dismayed, and called out, ‘=athy, wait& )ou can’t (ust leave the orchestra like that& I shall re%ort you to Miss 4rayling#’ ‘)ou can’t,’ retorted =athy in a tight little voice# ‘I (oined the orchestra o my own ree will, and I am leaving o my own ree will# .either you, Millicent, nor Miss 4rayling hersel, can orce me to continue#’ $nd Millicent was let 0uite s%eechless, or once, because she knew that =athy was right# "low, now what was she to do? The com%etition was only our weeks away, and now she, Millicent, had to ind another trum%et %layer who could learn the music in such a short time# $nd Millicent had to admit that, in s%ite o her harsh words, she would never ind another one as good as =athy#
12 Mutiny in the orchestra Millicent did ind another trum%et %layer, but the girl was a irst ormer who hadn’t been %laying or very long and wasn’t u% to =athy’s standard# $nd it seemed that Millicent had learned nothing rom her mistakes, or at the next rehearsal she was so badtem%ered that 3essie also resigned rom the orchestra, leaving another ga% to be illed#
‘These kids have no staying %ower,’ Millicent com%lained to $nne, when the rehearsal was over# ‘They sim%ly can’t stick at anything#’ $nne, who had been on the verge o walking out hersel on more than one occasion, said nothing# Millicent was so thickskinned that she sim%ly couldn’t see that i only she would treat her orchestra with a little more res%ect and kindness she would get better results# 3essie had %layed the cello, and Millicent knew that there were only two other girls in the school who %layed that instrument 6 5i88ie, o the third orm and "elinda o the ourth# $s 5i88ie was the better %layer, Millicent a%%roached her irst# "ut, out o loyalty to h er riend =athy, 5i88ie latly reused to be %art o the orchestra# ‘.o thanks,’ she said shortly# ‘I don’t want to give u% my ree time only to be shouted at and humiliated, as %oor =athy was# $nd now you have driven 3essie away too# I you’re not careul, Millicent, you won’t have an orchestra let to conduct&’ Millicent smarted at 5i88ie’s words, but they sank in, and she made u% her mind to be a little less hard on the %layers# "elinda, who had heard about 3essie’s resignation, and also knew that Millicent had asked 5i88ie to re%lace her, wasn’t at all %leased to be third choice# "ut, with 5i88ie’s words in mind, Millicent was unusually humble when she s%oke to the girl, and soon "elinda ound hersel eeling sorry or the ith ormer and agreed to take 3essie’s %lace in the orchestra# The ith orm knew o Millicent’s troubles, o course, or word travelled ast, but ew o them had much sym%athy to s%are or her# They thought that she only had hersel to blame# "esides, they had other things to worry about, or the thie had struck again# -oor .ora was most u%set to discover that he r watch, which had been a %resent rom her %arents, had gone missing# $nd 3ulie was very %u88led indeed when her %urse disa%%eared# ‘It was em%ty,’ she told some o the others, as they sat on the lawn one sunny aternoon# ‘.ot so much as a %enny in it, or I’m 0uite broke until my %eo%le send me some money next week#’ ‘*hy on earth would someone steal an em%ty %urse?’ said !usan# ‘-erha%s the thie didn’t realise it was em%ty when she took it,’ said Felicity# ‘*ell, that will have been one in the eye or her,’ said -am, with satisaction# ‘4osh, wouldn’t I have loved to see her ace when she o%ened your %urse, 3ulie, only to ind nothing there&’ ‘)es, but everyone in our orm knew that you were broke, 3ulie,’ said 5ucy, who had been looking thoughtul# ‘)ou were com%laining about it in the commonroom only the other night, remember?’
‘That’s right,’ said 3une# ‘$nd you were com%laining (olly loudly, too, so we all heard you&’ ‘.ot all o us,’ said Freddie# ‘/nly those o us who were in the commonroom that evening#’ ‘5et’s think,’ said .ora# ‘It was Friday evening# *ho was missing?’ ‘+elia and 4illian,’ said Felicity# ‘4illian had gone to %ractise her violin, and +elia went with her#’ ‘Millicent was missing, too,’ said 3une# ‘I remember her saying that she ha d been so wra%%ed u% in her com%osing and orchestra rehearsals that she was 0uite neglecting her %ractice, so she went o to one o the musicrooms as well#’ ‘I think we can rule out Millicent,’ said !usan# ‘!he’s hardly likely to take her own %urse#’ ‘7nless she is trying to throw us o the scent,’ said "onnie# ‘*hat do you mean?’ asked -am# ‘*ell, Millicent may have been %retending that she had her %urse stolen,’ answered "onnie# ‘!o that we wouldn’t sus%ect her o being the thie#’ ‘*ell, in that case I could be the thie too,’ said $my# ‘I wasn’t in the commonroom when 3ulie said that she had no money, or Matron had sent or me# !o I could easily have %retended that my %erume had been stolen, then taken 3ulie’s %urse#’ "ut no one seriously sus%ected $my# The girl had her aults, but she wasn’t dishonest# "esides, $my’s %arents were wealthy, and she always had as much mone y as she wanted, so there was no need or her to steal# )et the one thing that seemed to hold no attraction or the thie was "onnie’s s%arkly brooch# It had lain untouched on her bedside cabinet or several days now, and, lowering her voice, "onnie murmured to $my, ‘It’s so ugly that no one even wants to steal the beastly thing&’ ‘*ell, at least we know that our thie has good taste,’ said $my, with a laugh# ‘!he took my ex%ensive %erume, yet won’t touch your horrid little brooch&’ ‘)es, it’s a %ity,’ said "onnie# ‘For that would have tra%%ed her nicely# I only we could ind something a little more tasteul that we could catch her out with#’ $my sna%%ed her ingers suddenly# ‘"ut we can&’ she said# ‘The thie has my %erume, "onnie# $nd what is the use o stealing a bottle o %erume i one isn’t going to wear it#’ ‘/ course&’ said "onnie, her eyes lighting u%# ‘*ell done, $my# -erha%s all we have to do is ollow our noses# *e’ll concentrate on Millicent, +elia and 4illian or now, as they are the three who were absent when 3ulie was talking about having no money#’
Millicent was extremely irritated that evening when "onnie sat down next to her in the common room that evening and began to sni noisily# The girl was reading a book about great com%osers, and "onnie was ruining her concentration# $t last she lung she book aside, and said crossly, ‘"onnie, must you do that?’ ‘!orry, Millicent,’ said "onnie, giving another loud sni# ‘I think I have a cold coming on#’ ‘*ell, or heaven’s sake use a handkerchie&’ said Millicent# ‘/r better still, go and sit somewhere else#’ "onnie was inished with Millicent anyway, or all she had been able to smell was the aint scent o soa% and talcum %owder# ;uite %leasant, but nothing like the strong, distinctive scent o $my’s %erume# !he went across to (oin her riend, who had (ust been s%eaking to +elia and 4illian, and was now looking rather glum# ‘*ell, neither +elia nor 4illian are wearing my %erume,’ $my sighed# ‘$ll I could smell on 4illian was sham%oo, and +elia didn’t seem to smell o anything at all# 'ow about Millicent?’ ‘.o, Millicent wasn’t wearing your %erume either,’ said "onnie# ‘$lthough, now that I come to think o it, the thie might think it was too risky to use the %erume at school# !he might have decided to take it home and wear it during the hols#’ $my didn’t look at all %leased at this thought, but brightened when "onnie said, ‘1heer u%& There are still several weeks to go beore we break u%, which leaves %lenty o time or the thie to sli% u%# !o there is still a chance that you may get your %erume back untouched#’ "ut the thie didn’t sli% u% over the next ew days# -am lost her best ountain %en, and 3une was sim%ly urious when a tie%in that she had bought or her ather’s birthday was taken# 3une always hated the thought o anyone getting one over on her, and she took the thet very hard indeed# ‘I’ll ind out who it is, you see i I don’t&’ she vowed to Freddie# ‘$nd when I do, my gosh I’ll make her sorry#’ ‘)es, but what on earth would a schoolgirl want with a tie%in?’ asked Freddie, %u88led# ‘I mean to say, it can’t be any use to her at all#’ ‘-erha%s the thie means to give it to her ather as a %resent,’ said 3une grimly# ‘)ou know, 3une, I don’t oten agree with $my, but %erha%s she is right and we ought to re%ort this to the 'ead,’ said Freddie# ‘It really is going too ar now, with something vanishing almost every day#’ 3une heartily agreed that the thie was going too ar, and getting much too sure o hersel, but she still elt reluctant to re%ort the matter to Miss 4rayling# Much better, she thought, i the ith
orm could have the satisaction o catching the thie themselves, and then hauling her beore the 'ead& !omething very sur%rising ha%%ened the ollowing day# The girls had (ust gone down to breakast, but, as she reached the bottom o the stairs, "onnie realised that she had orgotten her handkerchie, and, as she had the beginnings o a horrid summer cold, went back u% to the dormitory to etch it# $nd then what a shock she got& For the brooch that she had %ut out to catch the thie was gone& The girl almost 0uivered with excitement, or she had 0uite given u% ho%e o the thie alling into her tra%# "ut now it seemed that she had# $nd it would be an easy matter, at the breakast table, to take a look at everyone’s hands and see whose was covered in the telltale glitter# "onnie couldn’t be certain whether the brooch had been there when she had woken u%, or she had orgotten to look# It could have been taken overnight, or %erha%s someone had sneaked it o the cabinet while the ith ormers were getting ready or breakast# That would hav e been an easy matter, or there was always a lot o toing and roing irst thing in the morning, with girls in and out o the bathroom all the time# 'astily, "onnie stued her handkerchie into her %ocket and made her way down to the dining room, where she sli%%ed into her seat, between -am and $my# ;uickly, she whis%ered to both girls, telling them what had ha%%ened# They were most astonished, and -am said in a low voice, ‘*ell, it looks as i we are about to catch our thie#’ ‘"ut what i she has washed the glitter o her hands?’ whis%ered $my# ‘It’s awully hard to get o,’ said "onnie# ‘.o matter how you scrub# *hen I handled it the other day I still had little s%ecks stuck to my ingers the next day#’ ‘I say, +elia&’ said -am, raising her voice# ‘-ass the marmalade, would you?’ +elia did so, and -am took the o%%ortunity to take a good look at her hands# They were s%otless, and -am turned to "onnie and $my, giving a 0uick shake o her head# /ver breakast the three girls had an o%%ortunity to ins%ect the hands o all o the ith ormers, even those that they were certain were 0uite innocent# "ut, by the time the meal was over, they were no urther orward, or none o the ith ormers had so much as a s%eck o glitter on her hands# ‘*ell, I’m baled&’ said -am, as she let the diningroom with "onnie and $my# ‘"onnie, are you absolutely certain that the brooch was in its usual %lace when you went to bed last night?’ ‘$bsolutely,’ said "onnie with a irm little nod# ‘"ut I can’t be sure whether it disa%%eared overnight, or this morning#’
‘!o much or our tra%&’ said $my disconsolately# ‘*hat a letdown#’ ‘.ot entirely,’ said "onnie with a smile# ‘$t least I have got rid o that dreadul brooch&’ -am laughed at that, and said, ‘*ell, at least something good has come out o this awul business or you, "onnie# "ut the thie is still running rings round us# I’m araid that, i we can’t clear this matter u% ourselves very soon, we really will hav e no choice but to re%ort it to Miss 4rayling#’ "onnie’s cold seemed to grow steadily worse during the irst lesson, which was French# Mam’8elle +u%ont noticed that the girl, who was o ne o her avourites, was snee8ing rather a lot# ‘$re you ill, ma petite?’ she asked, kindly# ‘/h, it’s (ust a little cold, Mam’8elle,’ said "onnie, smiling bravely# ‘.othing to worry about#’ Then she gave the most enormous snee8e, so loud that Freddie, sitting next to her, said aterwards that it almost blew her %a%ers o the desk# ‘#iens! ‘ cried Mam’8elle, 0uite alarmed# ‘This is no little cold, ma chère "onnie, this is a great big cold, or it makes you do a great big snee8e# )ou must go to Matron at once&’ "onnie wasn’t very thrilled at the thought o going to Matron, whose remedy or colds was a large dose o extremely nastytasting medicine# "ut she did so hate having a cold, or it made her nose red and her eyes water# !o, looking rather brave and %athetic, she smiled wanly at Mam’8elle, and walked rom the classroom# Matron was scolding a rather sullen looking irst ormer when "onnie oun d her in the !an, saying in her brisk, nononsense voice, ‘1ome now, Ruth, don’t be such a baby& The sooner you take your medicine, the sooner you can get out o here and go back to your class#’ 3ust then, "onnie gave another loud snee8e, and Matron turned shar%ly, saying, ‘4oodness me, not another one with this troublesome summer cold that’s going round& *ell, "onnie, %erha%s you can set an exam%le to young Ruth here, and take a dose o medicine without com%laining#’ ‘/ course, Matron,’ said "onnie, glancing at Ruth, who looked as i she was about to burst into tears at any second# "onnie didn’t eel very ha%%y either, but she certainly wasn’t going to let hersel, or her orm, down by making a uss in ront o a irst ormer# !o "onnie swallowed the s%oonul o medicine that Matron gave her in one gul%, even managing not to grimace at the un%leasant taste# ‘.ot too bad at all,’ she said, smiling at Ruth# ‘+o you know, I think that I eel better already#’ 'eartened by this, Ruth screwed u% her courage and also swallowed a s%oonul o the medicine, but she ailed to hide her disgust as well as "onnie had, and screwed u% her ace#
‘'ere,’ said Matron, reaching into a big glass (ar on her desk# ‘'ave a barley sugar to take the taste away#’ Ruth acce%ted the sweet eagerly, and went o back to her class, while "onnie said to Matron, ‘$ren’t you going to oer me a barley sugar, Matron?’ ‘1ertainly not&’ cried Matron# ‘I kee% them or the younger girls, but certainly don’t hand them out to ith ormers#’ Then her ace creased into a smile, and she said, ‘/h, very well, "onnie# $s you hel%ed me get Ruth to take her medicine, I su%%ose you have earned one#’ Matron handed the girl a sweet, and that was when "onnie noticed something very strange indeed# !omething that shocked her so much that she could hardly believe her eyes# For Matron’s ingers were s%eckled with glitter&
13 A shock for )onnie "onnie elt so stunned that, aterwards, she was 0uite unab le to remember saying goodbye to Matron, or walking back to the classroom# "ut, somehow, she ound hersel back at her desk, suddenly aware that everyone was looking at her in concern# ‘$re you all right, "onnie?’ asked Freddie anxiously# ‘)ou look awully %ale#’ Mam’8elle, too, was worried about her avourite, and cried, ‘$h, what is Matron thinking o to send you back to your lesson in this state? )ou should be in bed, in the !an&’ ‘/h no, I am 0uite all right, Mam’8elle,’ said "onnie, %ulling hersel together# ‘It’s (ust that the medicine Matron gave me tasted so very horrid that it 0uite u%set me#’ Mam’8elle seemed satisied with this ex%lanation, and "onnie did her very best to concentrate, though it was very diicult# 'ow on earth was she to tell the ith orm that their kindly, beloved Matron was a thie? $nd would they even believe her? $t breaktime "onnie dragged a very sur%rised $my into a corner o the courtyard and, having looked all around to make sure that they could not be overheard, said in a low voice, ‘I have something to tell you#’ ‘I knew that something was wrong when you came back rom seeing Matron,’ said $my, with satisaction# ‘*hat is it?’
$nd then $my listened, o%enmouthed, as her riend told o her shocking discovery# $my had no great liking or Matron, who had 0uickly si8ed her u% as vain and s%oilt, but even she ound it almost im%ossible to believe that she was a thie# ‘"onnie, you sim%ly must have made a mistake,’ she said at last# ‘'eaven knows Matron is not my avourite %erson, but no one could doubt her honesty#’ ‘*ell, that’s what I thought,’ said "onnie rather sadly, or she had always had a sot s%ot or the nononsense, yet kindly, Matron# ‘"ut I saw the glitter on her hands with my own eyes#’ ‘*ell, you will have a hard (ob convincing the others that Matron is a thie,’ said $my heavily# ‘They all think that she is too wonderul or words#’ ‘I know,’ sighed "onnie# ‘2ven though I saw the evidence I only hal believe it mysel# I shall have to tell the others# I shan’t accuse Matron, or say that she could be the thie# I shall sim%ly say that she had glitter on her hands, which is the truth, and I shall leave it to the ith ormers to reach their own conclusions#’ ‘I su%%ose that is the best thing to do,’ said $my# ‘*hen will you tell them?’ ‘This evening, when we are all together in the commonroom,’ said "onnie# ‘It’s going to be (olly un%leasant, so I’d rather get it over with as soon as %ossible#’ !o, when the ith ormers gathered in the commonroom that evening, "onnie looked round to make sure that everyone was %resent# There was the usual bu88 o chatter, some o the girls listening to music on the radiogram, others reading and all o them looking ha%%y and contented# 2xce%t or "onnie, who was miserably aware that she was soon about to wi%e the smiles rom their aces# The girl had wracked her brains throughout the day to think o another ex%lanation as to why Matron’s ingers had been s%eckled with glitter, but hadn’t been able to come u% with anything# !he cleared her throat rather nervously now, and was (ust about to ask or everyone’s attention when someone ra%%ed smartly at the door# Then it was %ushed o%en and Matron hersel entered# $s the girls made to get to their eet, she said in her usual, brisk way, ‘!tay where you are, girls# .o need to get u%, or what I have to say will only take a moment# This morning, (ust ater you went down to breakast, I did a 0uick ins%ection o your dormitory#’ ‘'eavens, Matron,’ said -am, looking alarmed# ‘+on’t say that someone orgot to make her bed#’ ‘.o, I am %leased to say that everything was as neat as a new %in,’ said Matron# ‘2xactly as I should ex%ect rom ith ormers# There was only one thing out o %lace, and it was this#’ Matron reached into the big %ocket o her starched, white a%ron and %ulled something out# !he stretched out her hand, and "onnie and $my exchanged startled glances, or in her %alm lay something which s%arkled and glittered#
‘My brooch&’ cried "onnie# ‘$h, it is yours&’ said Matron, handing it to "onnie# ‘I wondered i it might be, or I ound it on the loor, in between your bed and $my’s#’ !o that was what had ha%%ened, thought "onnie# The brooch must have allen on to the loor, and while the girls were making their way downstairs, Matron had done a 0uick dormitory ins%ection, and her shar% eyes had s%otted it# In the time it had taken "onnie to realise she had orgotten her handkerchie and walk back u%stairs to etch it, Matron had %ocketed the brooch and made her way back to her own 0uarters# ‘I should have asked you about the brooch when you came to my room earlier, but it went right out o my mind,’ said Matron# ‘'ere you are, and take better care o it rom now on, "onnie#’ !he handed the brooch over, then looked down at her hands, saying, ‘My goodness, how the glitter comes o& I shall have to go and wash my hands now#’ "onnie sighed with relie as the door shut behind Matron, then -am came over and said in a low voice, ‘!o Matron had your brooch all along& I 0uite thought the thie had taken the bait, but now it seems that we are (ust as much in the dark as ever#’ ‘)es, and I have this horrid little brooch back,’ said "onnie, sounding glum# ‘I wonder i I shall ever get rid o it?’ "onnie was unusually 0uiet and lost in thought or the rest o the evening, as she occu%ied hersel with her sewing# .ormally she and $my would chatter together as she worked, b ut tonight "onnie didn’t seem to have much to say or hersel# $t last the silence grew too much or $my, and she said, ‘*hatever is the matter with you, "onnie? I should have thought that you would have been %leased to learn that Matron isn’t the thie#’ ‘/ course I’m %leased,’ said "onnie# ‘"ut you know, $my, I really don’t eel awully %leased with mysel at the moment# )ou see, I knew, in my heart, that Matron would never steal anything rom any o us girls# "ut because I had seen the evidence 6 or what I thou$ht was evidence 6 I was %re%ared to ignore my better (udgement and orget everything that I know to be true about Matron’s character# It (ust goes to show that it’s best to have aith in what you believe#’ $my was much struck by this, and looked at her little riend with new res%ect, or "onnie sounded so wise and knowledgeable# ‘I really eel that I have learned something very im%ortant today,’ said "onnie, a very solemn look in her big, brown e yes# ‘$nd it is something that I shall never orget#’ "ut someone who didn’t seem to have learned anything in her dealings with %eo%le was Millicent#
!he held another orchestra rehearsal on !aturday aternoon, and this time things went badly wrong# Millicent was not in the best o moods, or she had %lanned to start the rehearsal at two o’clock, but had had to %ut it o until ater tea# This was thanks to 3une, who had already %ut 4illian down or tennis %ractice at two o’clock, and latly reused to change it# Millicent did her best to convince 4illian that it was ar more im%ortant to rehearse or the com%etition than %lay tennis, but her eorts were in vain, or 4illian said irmly, ‘I can’t let 3une down, Millicent# !he %ut me down or tennis %ractice beore you arranged the rehearsal, you know# "ut I don’t want to let you down either, so i you can (ust hold the rehearsal later I can attend both#’ Millicent had done this, but with very bad grace indeed# !omehow the girls always seemed to eel more tired and less attentive ater tea, and Millicent knew that they would not be at their best# 'er tem%er was not im%roved when she entered the hall to overhear $nne talking to "elinda# ‘I think it’s (olly brave o you to take 3essie’s %lace,’ $nne was saying# ‘The rest o us who have been in the orchestra rom the start didn’t know what we were letting ourselves in or when we %ut our names down# "ut now word o Millicent’s bad tem%er and highhanded manner has got around, so you do know# $nd you still let her talk you into it&’ "elinda gave a rather nervous laugh, and said, ‘I’m not sure whether I am being brave or oolish, but no doubt I shall soon ind out#’ 3ust then the two girls heard a loud cough behind them, and turned, startled, to see that Millicent had come in# "oth o them turned red, ho%ing devoutly that the girl hadn’t heard what they were saying# "ut, as the rehearsal went on, it became clear that Millicent had heard# !o, $nne thought that she was badtem%ered and highhanded, and had tried to turn the new cello %layer against her& *ell, she was in or a shock# $nd, much to the sur%rise o the orchestra, Millicent was sweetness itsel to "elinda, although the girl %layed a great many wrong notes# ‘)ou have only had a ew days in which to learn the music,’ she said kindly# ‘I am sure that you will be 0uite as good as 3essie was, once you have %ractised a little more#’ $nne, however, came in or a great deal o criticism, much o it unair# Millicent elt very sore with $nne, or she thought it most im%ro%er o her to have s%oken disres%ectully to one o the younger girls# This was very true, and $nne was regretting having done so# In act, she had already made u% her mind to go u% to Millicent and a%ologise to her ater the rehearsal# "ut that
was beore Millicent decided to humiliate her in ront o the entire orchestra, and in a very short time all o $nne’s good intentions had vanished# *hen Millicent made her %lay the same %assage over and over again, $nne suddenly decided that nothing, not making her %arents %roud, not even winning the com%etition or the glory o Malory Towers, was worth %utting u% with this or# +eliberately, and with great relish, $nne brought her hands down hard o n the keys, making a loud, discordant sound that caused the others to wince and cover their ears# Then she %layed the %assage through or the inal time, her ace %erectly serious as she %ur%osely struck all the wrong keys# The noise that $nne made was 0uite dreadul, but her ex%ression and attitude were so solemn, as though she were some great concert %ianist, that the others couldn’t sto% laughing# Millicent listened as though she couldn’t believe her ears, at irst, then, when she realised that $nne was ooling, she lew into a ine rage& ‘$nne, sto% that at once&’ she cried, 0uite white with anger# ‘)ou are making a mockery o the whole thing&’ "ut $nne took no notice and carried on %laying 6 and the rest o the orchestra carried on laughing& / course, this was really very childish behaviour rom a ith ormer, and $nne realised this, but there was (ust something about Millicent that made one want to behave childishly& $t last the music 6 i one could call it music, thought Millicent 6 came to an end# $nne’s ingers became still on the keys, and the laughter o the rest o the orchestra ebbed away as they looked at Millicent standing beore them, silent and urious# "ut the girl wasn’t silent or long# ‘Fine behaviour or a ith ormer, I must say&’ she said, her voice 0uivering with anger# ‘$nd a ine exam%le to set the younger members o the orchestra# In act, $nne, I shall have to consider whether I can allow you back ater this#’ ‘/h, really?’ said $nne in rather a haughty manner# ‘*ell, let me save you the trouble, Millicent# I wouldn’t carry on %laying in your beastly orchestra or the world&’ 4illian, who hadn’t (oined in the others’ laughter at $nne’s antics, ste%%ed in to say, ‘$nne, %lease think careully# I you have a bone to %ick with Millicent that is between the two o you, but by resigning you are letting down the orchestra and the whole school#’ ‘*ell, you would say that, 4illian&’ retorted $nne# ‘Millicent never %icks on you as she does on me, or you are her avourite and can do no wrong in her eyes# .o, I am sorry, but my mind is made u%#’
‘9ery well, then, go,’ said Millicent, coldly# ‘I shall,’ said $nne, getting u% rom the %iano and stalking towards the door# ‘+o you know, I believe that I might take u% tennis, instead# It will be a %leasant change to s%end time with someone like 3une, who has the 0ualities that make a good leader#’ This was an unortunate remark, or Millicent, who elt intensely (ealous o 3une, and the way that she ins%ired such loyalty among the girls, bristled# $nd, although she did not betray it, Millicent elt extremely alarmed as $nne walked out# It had been diicult enough to re%lace =athy and 3essie, but inding a good %ianist at this late stage would be almost im%ossible# Then Millicent suddenly remembered that $nne hadn’t been her irst choice# )oung 'annah had, but that beastly 3une had got in irst and nabbed her or the tennis team# *ell, thought Millicent, with sudden resolve, she was going to (olly well change 'annah’s mind, and get her to dro% tennis and %lay or the orchestra instead# That would be one in the eye or 3une, and or $nne, too, when she saw how well the orchestra was doing without her, and how much better 'ann ah was# Millicent looked round at the orchestra now# !ome o them looked a%%rehensive, some gleeul# The girl knew that she was not going to get anything worth listening to out o them now, and decided to abandon the rehearsal or the time being# Far better, she thought, to concentrate her eorts on getting a really irstclass %ianist# That would give everyone’s s%irits a boost& $ll o the girls were %leased to inish early, no one more so than 4illian# !he had come straight to rehearsal rom a very energetic tennis %ractice, and elt 0uite exhausted# $nd very soon it would be time or %re%& $h well, at least there was time or a 0uiet sitdown in the common room irst# Millicent, meanwhile, was lucky enough to bum% into 'annah in the corridor, and lost no time in trying to win the girl round# ‘'annah,’ she said# ‘I have been meaning to congratulate you on getting into the tennis team# )ou must be very %roud#’ 'annah, who knew that Millicent had been dis%leased with her or turning down a %lace in the orchestra, was rather taken aback by this, and stammered, ‘*why, thank you, Millicent#’ ‘My loss is 3une’s gain,’ said Millicent with a laugh# ‘I do ho%e that she isn’t working you too hard#’ ‘/h no,’ said 'annah, her eyes shining# ‘3une is sim%ly marvellous, always oering hel% and encouragement so that somehow one wants to do one’s best or her# It doesn’t seem like hard work at all#’ /nce again Millicent elt the amiliar stab o (ealousy, but she 0uelled it, saying brightly, ‘'ow nice& I like to think that I have instilled the same s%irit into my orchestra#’
'annah, who, along with the rest o the school, had heard the tales o Millicent’s autocratic attitude and bursts o tem%er, rather doubted this, but didn’t dare say so# ‘I may as well tell you this, 'annah,’ said Millicent, leaning orward in a conidential manner# ‘For you are sure to hear it sooner or later# I have had to ask $nne to resign her %lace in the orchestra#’ This was almost true, thought Millicent, or she had told $nne that she would have to consider whether she could have her back or not# 'annah, o course, elt enormously lattered at being conided in by one o the bigger girls and, her eyes growing big, said, ‘'eavens, Millicent& *hatever will you do now, without a %ianist?’ ‘*ell, between you and me, 'annah, $nne sim%ly wasn’t u% to the (ob,’ said Millicent with a sigh# ‘I decided that i I couldn’t have a irstrate %ianist I would rather have no one at a ll# / course, it means that I am going to have to do an awul lot o rewriting, but that can’t be hel%ed#’ The girl %aused or a moment, as though thinking dee%ly, then said, ‘*hat a %ity that you can’t do as 4illian is doing, and %lay tennis or 3une, and the %iano or me# !till, I su%%ose there aren’t many girls who have 4illian’s energy and commitment#’ 3ust then a grou% o 'annah’s riends came along, so Millicent said goodbye and went on her way# !he (udged that she had said 0uite enough to set 'annah thinking, anyway# Millicent knew that the girl had a com%etitive streak, and wouldn’t relish being unavourably com%ared to 4illian# Really, Millicent thought, she had been 0uite clever in the way she had handled the situation# 'annah was sure to want to %rove hersel, and would soon come running to Millicent almost begging or a %lace in the orchestra# $ll she had to do was sit back and wait&
14 *elia makes a disco+ery Millicent was 0uite right, or her words brought 'annah’s com%etitive streak to the ore# The second ormer watched 4illian at tennis %ractice, a ew days later, and noticed that the girl seemed to be a little o her game# !he also overheard Felicity saying to 3une, ‘4illian really doesn’t look at all well# I wouldn’t be a bit sur%rised i she’s suering rom exhaustion#’ ‘/h, don’t be so melodramatic&’ 3une had scoed# ‘!he’s (ust a little tired, that’s all# $ good, long slee% tonight and she will be absolutely ine#’ Felicity wasn’t so sure, and nor was 'annah# !he began to think that it would be 0uite a eather in her ca% i she, a mere second ormer, could succeed where a ith ormer had ailed# !o, ater tea, 'annah went in search o Millicent and told her that she would be ha%%y to %lay the %iano or her# Millicent, o course, was thrilled and made a great uss o 'annah, which %leased
the girl enormously# !o much, in act, that she began to get a little swollenheaded and, when she returned to the secondorm commonroom, couldn’t resist boasting a little# ‘It’s diicult to be so much in demand,’ she said, with a little toss o her head# ‘"ut both 3une and Millicent are relying on me, so I must do my best not to let them down# /r the school, o course, or I am doing all o this or the honour o Malory Towers#’ The downright second ormers, however, weren’t ooled by this, and 'ilda, the headgirl, said scornully, ‘-ooh& )ou’re doing this or your own glory, my girl# )ou like the idea that you are >in demand, as you call it, and are en(oying setting two o the ith ormers at loggerheads#’ ‘*hat nonsense&’ said 'annah, though her cheeks turned a little %ink# ‘"esides, 3une and Millicent aren’t at loggerheads# 'ow can they be, when 3une doesn’t even know yet that I am going to be in the orchestra#’ ‘/ho&’ cried 'ilda# ‘!o 3une doesn’t know yet? *ell, she’s going to be none too %leased when she inds out, you mark my words&’ 'ilda was 0uite right# Millicent took great delight, that evening, in telling 3une that 'annah was going to %lay %iano in the orchestra# 3une was very dis%leased, or, although she would not admit it to any o the others, she had seen the toll that being involved in both %ro(ects was taking on 4illian# !he had held her tongue, or she had ho%ed that 4illian would see sense and resign rom the orchestra# "ut gradually she had come to realise that 4illian was the kind o %erson who stuck to her word and, i she said that she would do a thing, (olly well did it& $nd now here was one o the younger girls 6 and another o her star %layers 6 trying to co%y her& 3une had no intention o letting Millicent see that she was annoyed, though, and said with a smile, ‘I ho%e that she works as hard or you as she does or me, Millicent# I know that you have a talent or getting the best out o %eo%le# -eo%le like =athy, and 3essie, and $nne
‘I know,’ said 3une, with a sigh# ‘$nd I can’t risk that, or without them Malory Towers hasn’t a ho%e o winning the tennis tournament#’ ‘-erha%s you and Millicent could reach a com%romise,’ suggested Freddie# ‘)ou could have 4illian, and she could have 'annah, or viceversa# $t least then you both end u% with someone irstrate#’ "ut 3une was ar too stubborn to agree to any kind o com%romise, and she was 0uite certain that Millicent was too# In act, both girls were ar more alike than they cared to admit# 3une was irmly convinced that her tennis tournament was ar more im%ortant than Millicent’s little com%etition# $nd Millicent thought that tennis was (ust a silly game, unlike music, which was lasting and brought %leasure to so many %eo%le# /ne thing the two girls did have in common was their determination to bring glory to their school# Freddie, glancing rom one to the other, thought that i they had both be en on the same side they would have been a ormidable orce indeed# *hat a %ity that the y were enemies instead& Millicent sle%t well that night, or she decided that it was oolish to let 3une needle her# Instead, she decided to think o the good things that had ha%%ened that day# !he had lost $nne, but had got 'annah 6 the girl she had really wanted 6 in her %lace# The youngster was going to have to %ut in a lot o %ractice to learn the music in time, but that was good too, or it meant that she would have less time to s%end on tennis# $nd 3une wouldn’t like that at all& 3une took a little longer to get to slee%, or she was turning over various % lans in her mind to get 4illian and 'annah to leave the orchestra and concentrate solely on their tennis# 'annah would be relatively easy, she decided, or the girl admired her, 3une, enormously# $ll she had to do was take an interest in one o the other youngsters, and hint that 'annah’s %lace in the team was at risk i she s%ent too much time rehearsing with the orchestra# 'annah would soon all into line, or she thought a great deal more o 3une’s good o%inion than she did o Millicent’s# /nce she had arrived at this decision, 3une elt a lot easier in her mind and soon dro%%ed o# 9ery soon all the ith ormers were aslee% 6 a%a rt rom one# -oor +elia was eeling very troubled, or that very morning she had received a letter rom 4illian’s mother# Mrs *eaver had written@ % was "uite concerned when % saw how ill &illian looked at hal-term' % eel so much happier now that % know that &illian has a $ood riend, who will watch over her and make sure that she won’t overdo thin$s# "ut although +elia had watched over 4illian, she hadn’t been able to sto% her rom doing exactly as she %leased# !ometimes +elia would broach the sub(ect, rather tentatively, but 4illian would always brush it aside, her manner becoming bright as she insisted that she was 0uite well and en(oyed having %lenty to occu%y her time# $nd +elia wasn’t a strong enough character to %ush
the matter# !he sat u% in bed suddenly, hugging her knees# $ shat o moonlight shone through a crack in the curtains, and she could see all o the ith ormers aslee% in their beds# +elia sighed sotly, wondering what the others would do in her %osition# I Felicity was worried about !usan, she would tell her so, straight out, thought +elia# !he certainly wouldn’t allow hersel to be brushed o, and nor would !usan i anything was the matter with Felicity# It was the same with -am and .ora, 3ulie and 5ucy, and $my and "onnie# .one o them would be araid o taking the bull by the horns, even i it meant the risk o causing oence, or alling out# "ecause they knew that their riendshi%s would survive, and even grow stronger as a result# That was the trouble, thought +elia# !he was too araid o %ushing 4illian away altogether, and losing her# "ut then, i she could lose her so easily, %erha%s their riendshi% wasn’t worth having# *ith these thoughts churning around in her head, +elia lay down again and, at last, ell into an uneasy and itul do8e# $ sound woke her, some hours later, and her eyes lew o%en# "linking, she sat u% and saw that the door was o%ening, a dark sha%e silhouetted there# In the middle o the night, all sorts o horrid, cree%y thoughts illed +elia’s mind, and she wondered i she should yell, and wake the others# Then the sha%e closed the door and advanced into the room, and +elia elt weak with relie as the shat o moonlight ell on it, and she realised that it was only 4illian# !he must have been to the bathroom, thought +elia, and whis%ered, ‘4illian& $re you all right?’ "ut 4illian had climbed back into bed and gone straight o to slee% again# *hich, thought +elia, (ust %roved how exhausted she was# The girl mentioned the incident to 4illian the ollowing morning, as they dressed# 4illian laughed, and said, ‘'eavens, I must hav e been worn out, or I don’t remember getting out o bed at all& *hy, I must have gone to the bathroom in my slee%#’ ‘)ou always seem worn out these days,’ said +elia# ‘$nd I can’t sa y I’m sur%rised#’ /nce again 4illian laughed, and brushed her riend’s words aside, but this time +elia was determined not to let the matter dro% so easily# !he o%ened her mouth to s%eak, but beore she could do so, Freddie suddenly cried, ‘I say& The thie has struck again& I bought mysel a new hairslide when I went into town the other day, and it has com%letely vanished#’ ‘$re you sure it hasn’t (ust allen on the loor, as "onnie’s brooch did the other day?’ asked Felicity# ‘I know how careless you are with your things, Freddie#’ ‘.o, or I %ut it in the drawer o my cabinet when I took it out last night,’ said Freddie# ‘That’s right,’ said 3une# ‘I saw you#’
‘It seems that our thie is getting des%erate,’ said $my with a sni# ‘First she goes or %urses, and things like watches and brooches 6 not to mention my ex%ensive %erume 6 and now all she can ind to take is a chea% hairslide#’ ‘+o you mind?’ said Freddie# ‘It might (ust be a chea% hairslide to you, $my, but I s%ent the last o my %ocket money on it# *hat’s more, I don’t have another one, and Miss 3ames will %robably send me out o the class or having untidy hair#’ Fortunately Felicity was able to %revent this disaster rom bealling Freddie, b y lending her a hairslide o her own# "ut the most recent thet %ut everything else out o the girls’ heads or the moment, and the chance or +elia to tackle 4illian was lost# -am was very concerned, or as head o the orm she elt that it was u% to her to do her utmost to catch the thie, or at least sto% her, and so ar her eorts had met with no success at all# ‘I Freddie %ut her hairslide in her drawer, that means that it must have been taken overnight, when we were all aslee%,’ she said# ‘Right rom under our very noses# $nd yet not one o us woke u% and saw or heard a thing#’ ‘-erha%s it isn’t someone rom our orm at all,’ suggested !usan# ‘It could be someone rom another dormitory sneaking in here, and into our commonroom#’ ‘*ell, I su%%ose that’s %ossible,’ said -am# ‘Though I can’t think who would have such a grudge against the ith orm# I have made a decision though# I the thie hasn’t sli%%ed u% and been caught by the end o the week, I am going to Miss 4rayling#’ .o one elt very ha%%y about this, or the girls always liked to deal with such matters themselves, i they could# "ut they were orced to admit deeat on this occasion, and agree that there was nothing else they could do# +elia, meanwhile, was very thoughtul, and very troubled# For she had woken u%, and she had seen something# !he had seen 4illian, out o her bed# "ut the girl had been nowhere near Freddie’s cabinet# In act, she had been coming into the dormitory rom the landing# $h yes, said a troublesome little voice in +elia’s head, but su%%ose 4illian had already taken Freddie’s hair slide beore you woke u%? !u%%ose that she hadn’t been to the bathroom at all, but had gone out to hide the hairslide somewhere, beore sli%%ing back in? +eterminedly, +elia hushed the voice# 'ow could she even think such a thing about her best riend? $nd then, the little voice %i%ed u% again, there was the business o Millicent’s notebook being in 4illian’s bag# "ut +elia had never asked or an ex%lanation# -erha%s i she had done so at the time, 4illian would have been able to clear the matter u%, and these horrible doubts wouldn’t kee% %o%%ing u%# ‘'orrid, isn’t it?’ said a voice in her ear suddenly, making her (um%# +elia turned to ind 4illian standing behind her# ‘I say, are you all right?’ asked 4illian, rowning# ‘)ou look awully serious#’
‘/h, I was (ust thinking about all these thets,’ said +elia, turning a little red# ‘That’s enough to make anyone look serious&’ ‘)es, that’s (ust what I was saying,’ said 4illian# ‘-oor Freddie& I know that she hasn’t lost anything valuable, but it must eel horrible to think that someone has been in your drawer, and gone through all your belongings# 7gh& It 0uite gives me the cree%s#’ +elia was cheered by this, or surely 4illian couldn’t have s%oken with such conviction i she really had been the thie# !miling, she sli%%ed her arm through the girl’s, and said, ‘5et’s try to %ut it out o our minds or a while# $h, there’s the breakast bell# I’m starving&’ ‘Me too,’ said 4illian# ‘I shall need a good breakast, or I mean to get some extra tennis %rac tice in this aternoon# I was 0uite o my game yesterday#’ ‘-erha%s you were o your game because you have been %ractising too hard,’ suggested +elia rather timidly as they made their way downstairs# ‘There’s no such thing as %ractising too hard,’ said 4illian, %ulling a wry ace# ‘*hen it comes to tennis or music, it really is a case o %ractice makes %erect#’ ‘/ course,’ said +elia# ‘"ut surely even the most dedicated s%ortswoman or musician needs some time to relax#’ ‘)ou’re absolutely right,’ said 4illian, and +elia elt her heart lit# Then it sank again, as 4illian added, ‘$nd the time to relax is when the tournament and the orchestra com%etition are both over# $h, you wait, +elia, you will see a dierent side to me then, I %romise you# I shall become so la8y that I’ll make .ora look %ositively energetic#’ -erha%s, thought +elia, 4illian really did know best a ter all# !he seemed 0uite cheerul this morning, and the dark shadows beneath her eyes were less %ronounced, although she had had a disturbed night# *hen 3une heard that she was %lanning to get some extra tennis %ractice in, she %atted 4illian on the back and exclaimed, ‘That’s what I like to see& $ bit o enthusiasm# 4ood or you, 4illian#’ $nd, in +elia’s mind, that settled it# 2veryone said what a marvellous games ca%tain 3une was, and the whole school knew how well she looked ater her %layers# !o i 3une thought it was all right or 4illian to kee% u% the %ace she had set hersel, it must be# The lower school were also having tennis %ractice that day, and 3une made a %oint o singling out "arbara, the reserve# !he %raised the girl extravagantly, a%%lauding her every shot, so that "arbara soon began to eel 0uite overwhelmed# -oor 'annah, on the other hand, ound hersel almost ignored, though she was %ractising very hard indeed and really %laying very well# $ter her game had inished, 'annah, eeling rather hurt, went u% to 3une and said hesitantly, ‘3une, have I oended you in some way?’
‘/ course not,’ said 3une brightly# ‘*hat makes you think that, 'ann ah?’ ‘*ell, it’s (ust that I %layed my very hardest today, yet you didn’t even seem to notice#’ ‘I did notice,’ said 3une# ‘$nd o course I am very %leased# "ut you see, 'annah, I have decided that I need to %ay more attention to "arbara, as it is likely that she will be %laying in one o the matches now# !he is not as good as you, and doesn’t have your conidence#’ ‘"arbara may be %laying in one o the matches?’ said 'annah, not liking the sound o this# ‘I don’t understand, 3une# I thought that she was to be reserve#’ ‘)es, she is# "ut now that you have decided to %lay in Millicent’s orchestra, I have to be %re%ared or the act that you may ind it too much,’ said 3une# ‘/h, but I shan’t&’ said 'annah, dismayed# ‘Really, 3une, I wouldn’t have taken it on i I had thought it would be too much or me#’ ‘I’m 0uite sure that you wouldn’t,’ said 3une with a smile# ‘"ut you see, 'annah, the res%onsibility o choosing the best %layers or the team doesn’t lie with you# It lies with me# $nd i % think that your commitment to the orchestra is interering with your tennis, then I may have no choice but to re%lace you#’ -oor 'annah elt so u%set that she could barely s%eak# *hy, she had written to her %arents and grand%arents to tell them that she was %laying in the tournament, and they had written back, all o them telling her how %roud they were# I 3une were to dro% her now it would be too bad& ‘1heer u%, 'annah,’ said 3une# ‘I haven’t dro%%ed you yet# $nd even i I do, why, you will still have the honour o %laying in the orchestra# / course, you will (ust be one o many, and the real glory 6 i you win 6 will be Millicent’s# .ow, i you were to win your tennis match, it would be your victory, and yours alone#’ 1lever 3une gave 'annah a ew moments to digest this, then she called out, ‘/h, (olly well %layed, "arbara& 'annah, do excuse me, while I go and s%eak to "arbara#’ 'annah was let alone, and she thought hard# 3une’s words had hit home, as the girl had known they would# The honour o the school was very im%ortant, but how marvellous it would be to have a slice o the glory all to hersel, thought 'annah# $nd, i she won her singles match, that is what she would have# !he glanced across at "arbara, who was hanging on 3une’s every word, staring u% at her with an adoring ex%ression# /h, she sim%ly couldn’t bear it i the girl took her %lace on the team, and got what she so badly wanted hersel& 'annah’s mind was made u%# .ow came the diicult bit 6 inorming Millicent o her decision&
15 A most "eculiar night
The atmos%here in the ithorm classroom was not at all %leasant during % re% that evening# $s 5ucy remarked to 3ulie, ‘)ou could cut the air with a knie#’ The reason, o course, was that 'annah had told Millicent o her decision not to %lay %iano in the orchestra ater all# Millicent had been sim%ly urious, and had been very cold indeed to 'annah# 3une, on the other hand, was delighted when 'annah sought her out and told her that she had decided to devote hersel to tennis# ‘I’m very %leased to hear it,’ 3une had said with a wide smile# ‘I didn’t relish the idea o losing one o my best %layers to Millicent# I eel sure that you have made the right decision, 'annah# "ut then, I always knew that you would, or you’re a very bright kid#’ These words o %raise were very %leasant to hear, and 'annah elt more convinced than ever that she had been right to leave the orchestra, though she still elt a little u%set at letting Millicent down# The next %erson to seek 3une out was Millicent# !he ound her down by the tennis courts, along with Felicity, !usan, Freddie and 4illian, and all ive girls knew rom the ex%ression on Millicent’s ace that she was in a tem%er# The girl wasted no time in getting to the %oint, saying angrily, ‘)ou mean beast, 3une& 'ow dare you lure 'annah away rom me?’ ‘5ure?’ re%eated 3une, with a sot laugh# ‘5et me assure you, my dear Millicent, there was no luring necessary# 'annah is 0uite ca%able o reaching her own decision, and that is exactly what she did#’ ‘)es, with a little hel% rom you, no doubt,’ sna%%ed Millicent# ‘)ou are determined to sabotage my eorts to win the orchestra com%etition#’ ‘/h, don’t talk nonsense,’ said 3une, beginning to lose %atience now# ‘I ho%e that you do win the com%etition, but not at the cost o my tennis tournament#’ ‘*ell, I’m hardly likely to win without a %ianist,’ said Millicent bitterly# ‘In act, we might as well %ull out#’ ‘1ome now, Millicent,’ said Felicity, beginning to eel a little sorry or the girl# ‘There are several girls in the school who can %lay %iano, and I’m sure that there is still time or someone to learn the music# )ou’ll ind someone#’ ‘)es, someone thirdrate,’ said Millicent bitterly# ‘'annah and $nne were by ar the best %layers in the school#’ ‘$nd you’ve lost them both,’ said 3une, in a light drawl that made Millicent long to shake her#
3ust then -am came u%, and seeing Millicent’s angry ex%ression and 3une’s mocking one, her heart sank# ‘*hat’s u%?’ she asked, dreading the answer# "ut Millicent’s eyes suddenly lit u%, and she almost %ounced on -am, sei8ing her arm# ‘'ey&’ shouted -am# ‘!teady on, Millicent&’ ‘!orry,’ said Millicent, slackening her gri%# ‘-am, I’ve (ust remembered that you %lay the %iano# 'ow would you like to be in the orchestra?’ ‘4ood idea,’ said 3une, with a grin# ‘-am, Millicent was (ust saying that she was looking or a thirdrate %ianist&’ ‘3une, do be 0uiet&’ said Felicity, seeing that Millicent looked as i she was about to ex%lode again# "ut the girl calmed hersel and said evenly, ‘$ctually, I said that I eared I might have to make do with a thirdrate %ianist# Then I remembered you , -am# +o say that you will do it#’ -am looked into Millicent’s intense, earnest ace and saw at once how much the com%etition meant to her# ‘9ery well,’ she said at last# ‘I will do it, or the sake o the school# "ut %lease understand this, Millicent# I will not be bullied or humiliated by you# $ny o that kind o thing, and I shall resign at once# Is that clear?’ ‘$bsolutely,’ said Millicent, eeling very relieved indeed# -am wasn’t the best %ianist in the school, but she was better than no one# $nd %erha%s Millicent could rewrite things a little, so that she didn’t have 0uite such a com%licated solo to learn# ‘*ell, all has ended ha%%ily,’ said 3une, smiling# ‘Millicent has ound her thirdrate %ianist, and -am has the satisaction o knowing that she was only third choice#’ Millicent shot 3une a %oisonous glare and stalked o, while -am said amiably, ‘)ou know, 3une, i we weren’t in the ith orm I would scrag you#’ 3une laughed at this, while !usan said, ‘I ho%e you know what you’ve let yoursel in or, -am#’ The easygoing -am shrugged, and said, ‘*ell, it’s as I said to Millicent# $ny nonsense and I shall clear o# 'ow do you ind her, 4illian?’ ‘*ell, I know that she can be very harsh to some o the others,’ said 4illian# ‘"ut she’s never been un%leasant to me#’ ‘.o, because she is araid that you will leave her high and dry,’ said 3une# ‘$nd she can’t aord to lose anyone else#’
‘)es, as it is she’s scra%ing the bottom o the barrel, having to suer me as %ianist,’ said -am drily# ‘$h well, never mind,’ said 3une, a wicked s%arkle in her eyes# ‘I daresay she will tell the others to %lay more loudly so that they drown out all your wrong notes# /uch, you beast& That hurt&’ The others laughed, as -am %layully %unched 3une in the shoulder# !he really was very good natured, thought 4illian, (oining in the laughter# Then, all o a sudden, a great wave o tiredness seemed to wash over her, as it oten did these days, and she %ut a hand over her mouth to stile a yawn# ‘$n early night or me tonight, I think,’ she said# ‘I should think so,’ said -am# ‘I went %ast one o the musicrooms last night and heard you %ractising until almost ten o’clock# )ou were singing, too# I must say, you have the most beautiul voice#’ 4illian looked %u88led or a moment# !he hadn’t been singing, and she certainly didn’t have a beautiul voice 6 ar rom it& Then she remembered that +elia had been with her, and had sung along to the music# The girl had added some more words to the little song she had written and had wanted to see how they sounded# $nd they had sounded ine, sung in +elia’s melodic, lilting voice# "ut +elia still irmly reused to believe that she had any talent at all, and 4illian knew that she would not want the others to know that it was she who had been singing# !o she said, 0uite truthully, ‘/h, my voice is nothing s%ecial, -am#’ ‘)ou’re too modest,’ said -am# ‘)ou really must sing or the girls in the commonroom one evening#’ ‘-erha%s,’ said 4illian, making u% her mind to develo% a sore throat at the earliest o%%ortunity# 4illian really did eel 0uite exhausted, and she sur%rised the others by going to bed at eight o’clock that evening# ‘'eavens&’ said "onnie# ‘Fancy going u% to bed early when you don’t have to#’ ‘I’ll come with you,’ said +elia# ‘)ou don’t have to,’ said 4illian# ‘!tay u% and chat with the others i you want to#’ "ut +elia insisted that she elt tired as well, so the two girls said goo dnight to the others and made their way u% to the dormitory# In act, +elia had made a %lan# !he intended to get to slee% early, and wake u% a ew hours later, (ust to see i anyone did come into the dormitory and try to steal anything#
4illian ell aslee% as soon as her head touched the %illow, and as soon as she had dro%%ed o, +elia set her little alarm clock or one in the morning and %laced it under her own %illow# / course, it might be that the thie would not strike tonight, in which case +elia was in or a long, lonely and very boring night# "ut that was a chance she would have to take, and i the thie did come in it would all be worth it# 9ery soon +elia was aslee% too, and the rest o the ith ormers were careul to make as little noise as %ossible when they came u% a cou%le o hours later, so as not to disturb the slee%ing girls# !oon all was 0uiet, and remained so until one o’clock, when +elia’s alarm clock went o# !he woke at once and sli%%ed her hand under the %illow to sto% the muled ringing# Then the girl sat u% and looked round, relieved to see that no one else had heard it, or everyone was ast aslee%# 'al an hour cre%t by very slowly indeed, and +elia wished that she had a torch, so that she might have read under the covers# $t last, more or something to do than because she really wanted it, she went to the bathroom to get a glass o water# $nd while she was in there, she heard the unmistakable sound o ootste%s on the land ing# +elia waited until she heard them going downstairs, then, very sotly, she o%ened the bathroom door and %ee%ed out# )es, someone was walking down the stairs# !omeone wearing s%otted %y(amas, and with a very distinctive head o red hair# 4illian& +elia’s heart sank# !urely she hadn’t woken u% in the ho%e o catching the thie only or it to turn out to be her best riend? "ut she could think o no other reason or 4illian to be wandering around in the middle o the night# !he waited or the girl to reach the bottom o the stairs, then %added soundlessly ater her, kee%ing her distance and staying in the shadows# +elia watched as 4illian went into the commonroom, her heart thum%ing so loudly that she was sure the girl must be able to hear it& "ut 4illian was intent on whatever she was doing, and didn’t so much as glance round# +elia hid hersel in an alcove (ust along the corridor and waited and listened# 4illian was muttering something to hersel, and +elia strained to hear what it was# It sounded as i she was saying, ‘*here is it? *here is it?’ over and over again# 'ow odd& *hat on earth could she be looking or? $ ew moments later 4illian emerged# !he was carrying something, +elia saw, and the girl had to sto% hersel rom gas%ing out loud when she saw what it was# $ delicate little embroidered s%ectacle case that "onnie had made or her aunt’s birthday# "onnie had only inished it last night, and had %ut it in her needlework box, which she ke%t in the commonroom cu%board# "ut what on earth did 4illian want with it? !he didn’t even wear s%ectacles# +elia shook hersel# *hat did that matter? *hat was more im%ortant, and dee%ly shocking, was the discovery that 4illian, her dearest riend, was the thie# /h dear, now what was she to do? !omeone else had woken u% in the ithorm dormitory# Felicity, disturbed by a sudden, loud snore rom !usan, in the next bed, had woken with a start and, ater trying unsuccessully to get back to slee% again, sat u% and rubbed her eyes# That was when she noticed that two o the beds
were em%ty# /ne was +elia’s, but whose was the other? /h yes, 4illian’s, o course# "ut where on earth could the %air o them be? !urely 4illian hadn’t been so oolish as to go an d %ractise her music at this hour, and had %ersuaded +elia to go with her? I one o the mistresses caught them they would be in big trouble, and it would relect badly on the whole orm# Felicity glanced across at -am, and debated whether to wake her# "ut the headgirl was slee%ing so soundly that she didn’t have the heart# Instead, Felicity climbed out o bed, %ut on her sli%%ers and decided to try and track down the absentees hersel# Fortunately she didn’t have ar to go, or wh en she got downstairs she could see 4illian 0uite clearly# "ut what on earth was she doing? 7nder the stairs was a big cu%board, which was used or storing all sorts o odds and en ds# 4illian had o%ened the door, and a%%eared to be %utting something in there, Felicity saw, eeling com%letely bewildered# *hat very %eculiar behaviour& +elia suddenly a%%eared behind 4illian, so intent on what her riend was doing that she didn’t even notice Felicity standing in the shadows# +elia moved closer to 4illian, and %eered into the cu%board, giving a gas% as she saw what else was in there# .ora’s watch, !usan’s chocolates, $my’s %erume 6 all the things that had been taken rom the girlsrecently# -oor +elia elt 0uite sick# 'ow could she have been so mistaken in her reading o 4illian’s character? !he would have to tell the others, o course# It was only air# Then they would all get their things back, and the orm as a whole would decide what was to ha%%en to 4illian# ‘4illian&’ she hissed, standing right behind the girl# "ut 4illian didn’t turn round# In act, she didn’t even seem to know that +elia was there at all# Instead, she was inside the cu% board, arranging all o the stolen things into a neat %ile# Felicity had been watching all this with a %u88led rown on her ace, and she ste%%ed out o the shadows, making +elia (um%# ‘Felicity&’ she gas%ed# ‘/h, you did give me a right#’ ‘.ever mind that,’ said Felicity# ‘+elia, what on earth is going on here?’ ‘!ee or yoursel,’ said +elia sadly, indicating the %ile o stolen belongings in the cu%board# .ow it was Felicity’s turn to gas%, but beore she could ask or an ex%lanation, 4illian turned round, a strange smile on her ace# ‘I’ve ound it,’ she said# ‘I (ust ho%e that I remember where I %ut it tomorrow#’
There was a 0ueer, glassy look in her eyes, and she seemed to be staring straight through the two girls# It sent shivers u% and down +elia’s s%ine, and she said, ‘!to% it, 4illian& )ou’re talking nonsense#’ ‘*ait a minute&’ said Felicity, realisation dawning on her# ‘+elia, she’s slee%walking& I don’t believe that 4illian knows we are here& I remember when I was in the irst orm, there was a girl in the dorm next door who used to do it# !he came into our dorm a ew times, and it was (olly rightening at irst, until we realised what she was doing#’ ‘/h&’ said +elia, her brow clearing# ‘*e had better wake her u%, then#’ ‘.o, don’t do that,’ said Felicity 0uickly# ‘I remember Matron telling us that you should never wake slee%walkers# The shock can do them terrible harm#’ ‘Then what do we do?’ asked +elia# ‘*e sim%ly guide her back to bed,’ said Felicity# ‘)ou take one arm, +elia, and I will take the other#’ 4illian %roved 0uite unresisting, and the two girls got her out o the big cu%board, then shut the door# Then they led her back u%stairs and to her own bed, watching in astonishment as she climbed in, and went straight o to slee% as though nothing had ha%%ened# ‘*ell&’ whis%ered +elia# ‘*hat a very strange night this has been#’ ‘9ery strange,’ agreed Felicity in a low voice# ‘$nd it’s not over yet# 1ome with me, +elia#’ ‘*here are we going?’ asked the girl# ‘To the bathroom,’ said Felicity# ‘*e need to discuss this, and I don’t want to disturb the others#’
16 Things are cleared u" The two girls ti%toed to the bathroom and shut the door sotly behind them# Then Felicity turned to +elia, and said, ‘$m I to understand that 4illian took those things?’ ‘It looks like it, I’m araid,’ said +elia, and ex%lained how 4illian had come out o the common room with "onnie’s s%ectacle case# ‘!he was muttering to hersel all the time she was in there,’ +elia said# ‘!omething that sounded like, >*here is it?, over and over#’ ‘This is a strange business,’ said Felicity# ‘"ut there is one good thing that has come out o it#’
‘/h?’ said +elia, 0uite unable to think what it could be# ‘/ course,’ said Felicity# ‘4illian must have been taking those things while she was slee%walking# !o although she is the thie, she’s not really a thie, because she didn’t know that she was stealing#’ ‘)es&’ said +elia, looking much ha%%ier suddenly# ‘I say, Felicity, the others will see it that way too, won’t they? I mean to say, they won’t want to haul %oor 4illian u% beore the 'ead, will they?’ ‘I am 0uite certain that they won’t,’ said Felicity# ‘/nce they know the whole story they will see that 4illian wasn’t to blame# $nd they will be (olly glad to get their things back, too#’ +elia seemed reassured by this, and la%sed into thoughtul silence or a ew moments# $t last, she said, ‘!lee%walking isn’t a good thing, is it, Felicity?’ ‘.o, it’s not,’ said Felicity, looking very grave# ‘I believe that it usually means the suerer is troubled about something, or is overdoing things#’ ‘*ell, %oor old 4illian has been doing ar too much,’ said +elia, eeling very guilty indeed# ‘I (ust wish that I had been irmer with her, and tried harder to get her to relax# "ut I’m araid I’m not very good at being irm with %eo%le#’ The girl looked so orlorn that Felicity elt touched, and she gave her a %at on the shoulder, saying, ‘*ell, 4illian is one o those %eo%le who sticks to a decision once she has made her mind u%# )ou mustn’t blame yoursel, +elia, or %eo%le like that are very hard to move# I know that -am tried s%eaking to her too, and she ailed to make any im%ression on her#’ Felicity %aused or a moment, then went on, ‘"ut I am araid that the slee%walking %uts a dierent com%lexion on things# 4illian must be made to listen to reason, and I think that we will have to call in someone in a %osition o authority to talk to her#’ ‘Miss 4rayling?’ said +elia, looking rather scared# ‘I was actually thinking o Matron,’ said Felicity# ‘!he has had ex%erience in these matters, you know# I remember how well she took care o 3enny, the girl who started slee%walking when we were in the irst orm#’ ‘/ course&’ said +elia, brightening# ‘Matron is (ust the %erson#’ ‘*ell, you and I will go to her tomorrow, +elia,’ said Felicity decidedly# ‘!he will know what to do or the best, you may be sure#’ .ow that they had decided on a course o action, the two girls suddenly elt tired, and Felicity gave a yawn#
‘'eavens, what a night&’ she said# ‘1ome along, +elia, we’d better get some slee%, or it will be time to get u% beore we know it#’ !o the two girls cre%t back into their dormitory, and, as 4illian had earlier, ell aslee% at once# $ter breakast the ollowing morning, there was hal an hour beore the irst lesson began# Felicity and +elia had %ut their heads together in the dormitory that morning and made a %lan# $s soon as breakast was over, +elia said to 4illian, ‘'ow about a 0uick walk in the grounds beore Maths?’ 4illian had agreed to this, and, once the two girls were out o the way, Felicity said, ‘I would like you all to come with me, %lease# I have something to show you#’ The ith ormers were rather startled at this, and .ora said, ‘*hat is it, Felicity? $ sur%rise?’ ‘In a manner o s%eaking, yes,’ said Felicity# ‘+o come along, everyone, and you’ll see#’ Felicity led the curious ith ormers to the big cu%board where 4illian had hidden their things, and she %ulled o%en the door# There was a moment’s astonished silence, then the astonished cries o the girls illed the air# ‘My %urse&’ ‘$nd mine& $nd .ora, there is your watch#’ ‘My %erume is here,’ said $my in delight# ‘$nd it looks as i it hasn’t been used at all#’ ‘Felicity, how did you discover this?’ asked -am, looking bewildered# ‘+o you know ho w they came to be here, and who the thie is?’ ‘)es, I do,’ answered Felicity and, as 0uickly as %ossible, she told the others the story o how she and +elia had discovered 4illian slee%walking last night# $s she had ex%ected, the ith ormers were most sym%athetic, and didn’t blame 4illian at all or her actions# ‘I (ust eel relieved that there is a sim%le ex%lanation, an d that we know there isn’t a thie in the ith orm,’ said .ora# ‘)es, it’s a weight o all our minds,’ said Freddie# ‘It really was horrible eeling that there might be a thie in our midst#’ ‘-oor 4illian,’ said !usan# ‘I should think she will be absolutely mortiied when she discovers that it was she who took our things 6 even though she did it in her slee%&’
‘*ell, I don’t want her to ind out (ust yet,’ said Felicity# ‘$t breaktime +elia and I are going to tell Matron about 4illian’s slee%walking, or I really eel that this is something we can’t deal with ourselves#’ ‘)es, you’re 0uite right,’ said -am# ‘9ery well, we shan’t say a word to 4illian, and we shall all have to try and behave 0uite normally towards her until Matron has seen her#’ This wasn’t easy, o course, or the girls elt so sorry or 4illian that they went out o their way to be extra nice to her# !o much so, that the girl began to wonder what she had done to deserve it& $nd the two who were nicest o all were 3une and Millicent, or both o them elt a little guilty, knowing that it was largely their ault that 4illian was so overworked that she had begun slee%walking# -am too elt a little guilty, or she had known that 4illian was tired, and doing ar too much# True, she had tried to s%eak to 4illian about it, bu t when the girl brushed her concerns aside, %erha%s she, -am, as headgirl, should have gone to Matron or Miss 3ames and let them deal with it# $t breaktime Felicity and +elia went o to tell Matron the extraordinary story o 4illian’s slee%walking, though they let out the %art about her taking their things# Matron listened, her ex%ression becoming more serious as the tale went o n, and when the girls had inished she said gravely, ‘)ou did the right thing in coming to me, girls# This is a very serious matter, and must be dealt with beore 4illian exhausts hersel com%letely#’ +elia looked rather anxious, and said, ‘I’m araid that she will be angry with Felicity and me or going behind her back like this#’ ‘.ow, don’t you worry your head about that,’ said Matron, kindly# ‘I daresay she may eel annoyed with you at irst, but once she has had a good rest and eels better, she will soon realise that you did it or her own good#’ Matron got to her eet# ‘.ow I had better go and ind 4illian, and break the news to her that she has been slee%walking# Then I’m going to tuck her u% in bed in the !an#’ ‘!he won’t like that, Matron,’ said Felicity# ‘!he won’t have any say in the matter&’ said Matron with a grim smile# ‘I had better tell Miss 4rayling all about it, as well, or it won’t do to kee% her in the dark#’ Indeed it wouldn’t, or the 'ead took a keen interest in the welare o all the girls, and would certainly want to be ke%t inormed o 4illian’s %rogress# 4illian was very sur%rised when Matron a%%roached her in the courtyard and said, ‘4illian, may I have a word with you in my room, %lease?’ ‘/ course, Matron,’ said 4illian, looking rather %u88led# ‘Is something the matter?’
‘.o, but we need to have a little talk,’ Matron said, laying a irm but gentle hand on 4illian’s shoulder and leading her away# The others elt very subdued when they went into their French lesson, and Mam’8elle +u%ont, noticing how listless they seemed, elt 0uite concerned abo ut them, and gave the ith ormers a very easy time indeed# 4illian did not return to class that day and, ater tea, an anxious +elia went to Matron’s room in search o news# ‘!he is slee%ing now,’ said Matron# ‘$nd I’m ho%ing that she will go right through until morning#’ ‘*hen will she be able to come back to class, Matron?’ asked +elia# ‘.ot or a ew days, I’m araid,’ said Matron# ‘$nd when she does, she must give u% this nonsense o being in the tennis team and the school orchestra# /h yes, I know all about that,’ said Matron, smiling a little at +elia’s sur%rised ex%ression# ‘4illian and I had a very long talk earlier# !he has known or some time that she has been overdoing things, but didn’t know how to get out o it without letting either 3une or Millicent down# *ell, the outcome is that she will have to let the %air o them down, or she is in no it state to take on any extra activities#’ ‘/h dear,’ said +elia, looking very unha%%y# ‘I do eel that I am %artly to blame or this, Matron, or I %romised 4illian’s mother that I would kee% an eye on her# I’m araid that I haven’t done a very good (ob#’ ‘*ell, I’ve no doubt you did your best,’ said Matron, kindly# ‘"ut you could hardly orce 4illian to give u% one o her commitments#’ ‘.o, but it’s (olly lucky that you managed to talk some sense into her,’ said +elia# ‘I can’t think how you got her to listen to you#’ Matron laughed at this, and said drily, ‘*ell, +elia, I have a great many years’ ex%erience in dealing with stubborn, strongwilled girls# 4illian soon realised that she had met her match in me& .ow, o you go and you may come and visit 4illian tomorrow# Tell the others that they may come too, but no more than two at a time#’ +elia went o to relay this news to the ith ormers# They were all %leased to learn that 4illian would be able to return to class in a ew days, but 3une and Millicent were dismayed to learn that they had both lost their star %layer# ‘"ut 4illian must %lay in the orchestra&’ cried Millicent, a look o horror on her ace# ‘I sim%ly can’t manage without her# *e have already had so many setbacks, and now this#’ ‘I that isn’t (ust like you, Millicent,’ said Felicity scornully# ‘-oor 4illian is ill, and all that you can think about is your %recious orchestra#’
Millicent lushed, and said, ‘/ course I’m concerned about 4illian, and I want her to get well as much as any o you# I can’t hel% worrying about my orchestra, though#’ ‘$nd what about you, 3une?’ said !usan# ‘I su%%ose you’re retting about who is going to take 4illian’s %lace in the tennis tournament#’ ‘.othing o the sort,’ said 3une, coolly# In act, she was (ust as bitterly disa%%ointed as Millicent, but was clever enough not to betray it to the others# ‘Freddie is reserve, so she will take 4illian’s %lace#’ $ cheer went u% at this, or everyone liked the che erul, goodnatured Freddie, and all were %leased that her chance had come to shine# Freddie hersel turned 0uite %ink with %leasure, and said, ‘.ow don’t make me %ractise too hard, 3une, or % shall exhaust mysel too, and end u% in the !an with 4illian#’ +elia, armed with a large bar o chocolate and the good wishes o the others, went o to visit 4illian the ollowing morning# !he elt a little a%%rehensive at irst, or she was araid that 4illian might be angry with her or going to Matron# "ut, much to her relie, the girl greeted her with a warm smile, saying, ‘+elia, how lovely to see you& My word, is that enormous bar o chocolate or me? 'ow su%er&’ $s she sat down on the edge o the bed, +elia was relieved to see that her riend looked much better ater a good, long slee%, the colour beginning to return to her cheeks and the dark shadows beneath her eyes much less %ronounced# The two girls chatted about this and that or a while, then +elia said, rather hesitantly, ‘4illian, I do ho%e that you aren’t annoyed with me or s%eaking to Matron ab out you# "ut I really was awully worried, and didn’t know what else to do#’ ‘*ell, I was a bit cross with you at irst,’ admitted 4illian# ‘"ut now that I eel well rested I am seeing things more clearly, and realise that you have done me a avour# I had begun to see that I was overdoing things, but I’ve always been a sticker, and couldn’t bring mysel to say to either 3une or Millicent that I wanted to %ull out# I thought that everyone would think I was weak, and couldn’t kee% to my word# "ut then you and Felicity caught me slee%walking, and once Matron told me what I had been doing, I knew that I sim%ly couldn’t go on like this without making mysel really ill# )ou’re a (olly good riend, +elia#’ ‘Thanks,’ said +elia, rather gruly# ‘I only wish that I h ad been irmer with you earlier on# )our mother asked me to kee% an eye on you, you know, at halterm# I eel as i I’ve let her down a bit#’ ‘.othing o the sort,’ said 4illian, %utting her hand over +elia’s# ‘It was all my own stu%id ault or not taking any notice o you# I knew what you were trying to do, in your own gentle way, but I was so sure that I knew what was best or me, I (ust brushed your worries aside# $nd you are so lacking in conidence that you let me#’
This was certainly true, and +elia nodded# ‘*ell,’ said 4illian, ‘rom now on, i you have anything to say to me I want you to tell me straight# 2ven shout at me, i need be, and, even i I don’t agree with what you say, I shall take notice o you&’ ‘I don’t know i I shall shout,’ laughed +elia# ‘"ut I shall certainly tell you what’s on my mind# *hich reminds me, we have cleared u% that business o the ithorm thie#’ ‘Really?’ said 4illian, her eyes growing wide# ‘*ho was it?’ ‘*ell, the thing is, 4illian,’ said +elia, ‘it was you#’ 4illian, o course, looked com%letely taken aback, and, 0uickly, +elia rushed on, ‘)ou didn’t take things intentionally# *e all know that you would never do that# "ut you were doing it while you were slee%walking# Felicity and I caught you in the act#’ $nd +elia ex%lained everything to an astonished 4illian, who listened o%enmouthed# ‘*ell&’ she said, once the girl had inished# ‘'ow very %eculiar# My goodness, the others must be urious with me#’ ‘/ course they aren’t, silly,’ said +elia# ‘They all know 0uite well that you couldn’t hel% it# It really was 0ueer, 4illian, when you were rummaging about in the commonroom in your slee%# )ou ke%t saying, >*here is it?, as though you were looking or something#’ ‘+id I?’ said 4illian, looking very sur%rised# ‘I wonder what it could have been# I have absolutely no recollection at all o slee%walking, or o taking anyone’s things, or o looking or anything& I am glad that the others don’t hold it against me# I bet that 3une and Millicent aren’t too %leased that I’m going to be out o action, though#’ ‘Millicent certainly isn’t,’ said +elia, %ulling a ace# ‘3une seemed to take it 0uite well, though# !he is %utting Freddie in your %lace#’ ‘4ood old Freddie&’ said 4illian, %leased# ‘+elia, wouldn’t it be un i we could get a %lace on the coach and go along to cheer the team on? I might not be able to %lay, but it would be nice to go and watch#’ +elia thought that this was a very good idea indeed, and (ust the thing to s%eed u% 4illian’s recovery# !he went straight to 3une, and %ut the idea to her# ‘)es, it will be nice i we can take some o the Malory Towers girls along to cheer us on ,’ said 3une# ‘I have already booked a coach or the team, so I shall see i we can get another one to take the girls who want to come and watch#’
The second hal o the term was %assing very 0uickly, and there was only a week let until the tennis tournament, and two weeks until the o rchestra com%etition# Freddie, determined to do her very best or the school, was working hard at her tennis, and, although 4illian’s illness had been a blow, 3une elt certain that her team would make her %roud# "ut Millicent was not so conident in her orchestra# !he gave 4illian’s solo to Fay, one o the second violins, and, although the girl %layed every note correctly, she lacked 4illian’s ire and %assion# The same could be said o -am, who rarely made a mistake, but wasn’t a natural musician, as some o the others were# ‘.either o them do my music (ustice,’ thought Millicent, who was beginning to think seriously about %ulling out o the com%etition altogether# The dream that she had had o bringing glory to Malory Towers by winning the com%etition with a irstclass orchestra was beginn ing to sli% away# Many o the to% musicians had let, and Millicent was orced to admit that it had been largely her ault# !he had driven away $nne, 3essie and =athy# $nd i only she had been a little more sensitive and understanding with 4illian, and noticed that the girl wasn’t well, she might not have become ill either# )es, Millicent was learning some hard lessons in the last ew weeks o term# I only she had learned them earlier, how much easier her time at Malory Towers might have been&
1 A big chance for *elia The day beore the tennis tournament, the heavens o%ened# *alks and horserides were cancelled, tennis and swimming were out o the 0uestion, and the girls grew very bored indeed coo%ed u% indoors# 3une got %ermission rom Miss 4rayling to use the tele%hone in her study, so that she could s%eak to the games ca%tain o !ummerield 'all, and, reluctantly, both girls agreed that the tournament must be %ost%oned until the ollowing !aturda y# ‘The same day as the orchestra com%etition,’ said 4illian, when 3une made her announcement# ‘It’s (ust as well that I’m not %laying in either, otherwise I would have to s%lit mysel in hal#’ Millicent was not at all %leased about this, and elt as i 3une was trying to steal her thunder# !he could (ust %icture the tennis team returning home trium%hant next weekend, while the orchestra came home dis%irited and em%tyhanded# 3une, seeing the girl’s sour ex%ression, and correctly guessing her thoughts, laughed and said, ‘+on’t blame me, Millicent# )ou can hardly hold me res%onsible or the rain, you know&’
Fortunately the rain cleared a cou%le o days later, and the girls were able to resume the outdoor activities they loved so much# 4illian, although she was no longer involved, went along to watch some o the tennis %ractices, and was %leased to see that Freddie was on to% orm# ‘It makes me eel better about letting you down,’ she said to 3une# ‘)ou didn’t let me down,’ said 3une, with her usual rankness# ‘I let you down, 4illian, or I knew that you were working too hard, yet I let you carry on %ushing yoursel because I so badly wanted you or the team#’ ‘*ell, I’m en(oying taking things easy now,’ said 4illian# ‘+elia is making sure that I don’t overdo it#’ +elia was, though she raised no ob(ection when 4illian asked Millicent i she could sit in on the rehearsal the ollowing day# ‘/ course,’ said Millicent# ‘I only wish that you were %laying, or Fa y is nowhere near as good as you#’ Then she added hastily, ‘.ot that I am trying to %ersuade you to take her %lace, or I know that you have been ordered to rest# $nd I don’t want Matron ater me#’ 5istening to Fay %lay her solo, 4illian had to agree with Millicent# !omehow the whole orchestra seemed listless and lacklustre, the girl thought# They needed something to lit and ins%ire them# 2vidently Millicent thought so too, or, as the orchestra took a break, she sat down beside 4illian and said des%ondently, ‘*e don’t have a ho%e o winning at this rate#’ $ sudden thought struck 4illian, and she clutched Millicent’s arm, saying excitedly, ‘Millicent& Is there anything in the com%etition rules that says you can’t have a singer in your orchestra?’ ‘I don’t think so,’ said Millicent# ‘*hy?’ ‘I have an idea,’ said 4illian, lea%ing to her eet# ‘I’ll be back in a minute#’ $nd, leaving a %u88led Millicent to stare ater her, 4illian went o in search o +elia# !he ound the girl in the commonroom, and cried, ‘+elia, come with me, at once&’ ‘1ome where?’ asked +elia, looking a little alarmed# ‘To the hall,’ answered 4illian, taking her arm# ‘)ou are going to save Millicent’s orchestra#’ ‘Me?’ s0ueaked +elia# ‘'ow?’ ‘)ou are going to sing with them,’ said 4illian, %ulling +elia out o the door#
"ut +elia came to a dead sto% at this, saying, ‘.o& 4illian, I couldn’t %ossibly# *hy, I would be sim%ly terriied&’ ‘)ou can,’ 4illian told her irmly# ‘Think o the honour o the school# Think how %roud your ather will be# $nd think how sick your aunt and cousins are going to look when they ind out that you do have a talent, ater all#’ +elia laughed at that, but said, ‘It’s one thing to sing along when you’re %laying your violin, 4illian, but 0uite another to sing in ront o a hall ull o %eo%le# My voice isn’t good enough#’ ‘It is,’ insisted 4illian# ‘)ou have a beautiul voice, but, as I have told you beore, no conidence# *ell, my girl, now is the time to look inside yoursel and ind some conidence# Millicent needs you&’ Millicent looked very sur%rised when 4illian returned with +elia, and she wasn’t very im%ressed on being told that the girl was going to sing along to the violin solo# +elia was a com%lete duer, everyone knew that# $nd she hersel admitted that she had no talent or anything# !till, the rehearsal couldn’t get much worse, so Millicent allowed 4illian to have her way, and a very scared +elia took to the stage# !he was so nervous that her knees shook as she took her %lace beside Fay# "ut then the o%ening bars o the violin solo started, and something strange ha%%ened# The music seemed to take her over com%letely, so that +elia orgot about Millicent, 4illian and the rest o the orchestra# $nd as she o%ened her mouth and began to sing, Millicent gave a gas%# +elia most certainly did have a talent& $ marvellous talent# The rest o the orchestra listened, s%ellbound, as +elia’s voice illed the room, %ure and clear# $s or Fay, she seemed ins%ired, and %layed as she had never %layed beore# *hen the song ended, there was silence or a ew moments, then thunderous a%%lause broke out, everyone getting to their eet to cla%, and those girls who were closest to +elia %atting her on the back# ‘My word&’ cried Millicent# ‘)ou are a dark horse, +elia# That was sim%ly beautiul# Fay, you %layed su%erbly as well#’ ‘That’s because +elia’s song somehow brought the music to lie or me,’ said Fay, grinning with %leasure# ‘That settles it, then,’ said Millicent, irmly# ‘+elia, you must sing with us at the com%etition#’ The orchestra, along with 4illian, agreed voc ierously with this and +elia, overwhelmed and delighted at being the centre o attention, ound hersel agreeing# 1ertainly her sweet, sim%le song seemed to have breathed new lie into the orchestra, or the rest o the rehearsal went swimmingly#
$terwards, in the commonroom, 4illian couldn’t wait to tell everyone the news, and +elia was %ersuaded to sing her song again or the ith ormers# They listened, enthralled, then, or the second time that day, +elia was on the receiving end o a round o ra%turous a%%lause# ‘$bsolutely marvellous&’ ‘)ou’ll bring the house down at the com%etition&’ ‘My goodness, +elia, have you any other hidden talents we ought to know about?’ ‘That’s the song I heard you sing once beore,’ said Felicity# ‘)ou told me that you had heard it on the radio#’ ‘*ell, that wasn’t 0uite true,’ said +elia, lushing a little# ‘I wrote the words mysel, and set them to Millicent’s music#’ The girl turned to Millicent# ‘In act, I began writing them at that irst rehearsal, when I was su%%osed to be making notes or you#’ ‘$nd I was so angry with you,’ said Millicent, with a groan# ‘'eavens, i only I had known the way things were going to turn out, I would have encouraged you, instead o ticking you o# I always wondered why there was a %age missing rom the back o my old notebook, and now I know why&’ +elia gave a selconscious little laugh, and said, ‘)ou’ll never know the trouble I went to, to get hold o that notebook, Millicent# I was so araid that you would read my words and make un o them#’ Millicent turned red at this, eeling a little ashamed, or she %robably would have made un o +elia# 'eavens, what a lot o mistakes she had made this term, and all o them in her dealings with %eo%le# *ell, she was going to make an eort to be a lot more kind and considerate in uture# ‘$ha&’ cried 3ulie suddenly# ‘That’s what you were doing the day 5ucy and I caught you looking in Millicent’s bag& )ou were trying to ind the notebook&’ ‘$nd you must have been looking or it when $my and I ound you going through Millicent’s desk,’ said "onnie# ‘*ell, what a relie to have that cleared u%& / course, I never really thought that you were the thie#’ The ith ormers ell silent all o a sudden, everyone look ing at +elia, who had turned rather %ale# ‘)ou thought that I was the thie?’ she said, in a low voice# ‘*e did sus%ect you, yes,’ said -am, deciding that it was best to be honest# ‘)ou must understand how it looked,’ said 5ucy# ‘Things suddenly started going missing around the same time as you started going through Millicent’s things#’
‘)es, it did look most sus%icious,’ %ut in $my# ‘I su%%ose it must have,’ said +elia# ‘I never had the slightest idea that you thought I might be the thie# $nd all because I didn’t want Millicent to ind the words that I had written&’ ‘*ell, I orgive you or going through my things,’ said Millicent, cla%%ing +elia on the back# ‘2verything turned out all right in the end# There was no thie, and I have gained a beautiul song and a marvellous singer or the orchestra# 3ust out o curiosity, though, where did you ind that notebook? I had been hunting high and low or it or sim%ly ages, then as soon as I bought a new one it sim%ly a%%eared on my cabinet#’ ‘4illian had it in her bag,’ said +elia# ‘+id I?’ said 4illian, looking most sur%rised# ‘)es, it ell out that day we were in the teasho%,’ said +elia# ‘I su%%ose you must have taken it one night when you were slee%walking, and or some reason you hid it in your bag, instead o the cu%board#’ ‘*ait, I remember now&’ exclaimed 4illian, cla%%ing a hand to her brow# ‘I sli%%ed it into my bag in French, Millicent, the day you got into a row with Mam’8elle# I thought that i she s%otted it on your desk you would have got into even more trouble, so I hid it, meaning to give it back to you later# Then I sim%ly orgot that I had it&’ ‘I thought I was su%%osed to be the scatterbrain o the ith orm&’ laughed .ora# ‘*ell, we certainly seem to be clearing u% a ew mysteries lately,’ said 3une# ‘The thie that never was, the disa%%earing notebook and +elia’s hidden talent&’ 2veryone laughed at that, and Millicent said, ‘I, or one, am very glad that +elia’s hidden talent has been discovered# !he has certainly given the orchestra a new lease o lie#’ 3une looked slyly at Millicent, then she turned to +elia and said smoothly, ‘I say, +elia, I don’t su%%ose you’re secretly a marvellous tennis %layer, are you? .ow that Freddie’s on the team I could do with another reserve#’ /utraged, Millicent glared at 3une# Then she saw the twinkle in the girl’s eyes and burst out laughing# 3une laughed too, then she held out her hand and said, ‘)ou and I have had our dierences this term, Millicent, but I wish you the best o luck in the com%etition on !aturday# It will be too marvellous or words i you win it or Malory Towers#’ ‘$nd I ho%e that your team wins the tennis tournament,’ said Millicent warmly, taking 3une’s hand# ‘My goodness, wouldn’t it be wonderul i we both came back to school victorious?’
"ut when !aturday came, Millicent’s victory looked in doubt# In act, it seemed as i she and her orchestra would not be able to enter the com%etition at all& The tennis team were standing in the driveway, waiting or the coaches that would take them and the s%ectators to !ummerield 'all# The %layers looked very smart indeed in their s%otless white dresses, and when the orchestra came out, wearing their summer uniorms, 3une exclaimed, ‘4osh, I wish Miss 4rayling could see us now& +on’t we all look ne at and tidy&’ Miss 4rayling did see the girls, or she came out to oer a ew words o encouragement, accom%anied by Miss 3ames and Mam’8elle +u%ont# ‘I shall be very %roud o you all i you win,’ she said, with her lovely smile# ‘"ut I shall still be %roud o you i you lose, or I know that you will do your very best, and that is what is im%ortant#’ ‘$h, yes,’ said Mam’8elle, beaming at the assembled girls# ‘$nd how smart you all look, is it not so, Miss 3ames?’ ‘)es, indeed,’ said Miss 3ames, with a smile# ‘$nd now I see that your coaches are coming, so we will leave you to it# 4ood luck, everyone&’ $s the three mistresses made their way back inside, Millicent suddenly gave a groan and cried, ‘/h my gosh&’ ‘*hat is it?’ said 4illian, looking at her in alarm, or the girl was as white as a sheet# ‘/h, Millicent, don’t say that you are ill& 'ow is the orchestra to manage without a conductor?’ ‘I’m not ill,’ said Millicent in a 0ueer, tight little voice# ‘I’ve (ust realised that I have orgotten to book a coach or the orchestra#’ ‘Millicent, %lease tell me that you are (oking,’ said -am, dismayed# ‘'ow on earth could you have orgotten something as im%ortant as that?’ ‘I was so wra%%ed u% in rehearsing, and getting the music right, that it went com%letely out o my head,’ said the girl in a hollow tone# ‘*ell, that’s it, I’m araid# *e can’t enter the com%etition and that’s all there is to it#’ Millicent could almost eel the wave o disa%%ointment that washed over the girls# !he elt bitterly disa%%ointed too, and very angry with hersel# 'ow could she have been so stu%id? "ut 3une, who had overheard, said, ‘*ait a minute& Millicent, we have two coaches 6 one or the team and one or the girls who were coming to watch# It means that we will have to leave the s%ectators behind, but why don’t you take our second coach?’
‘3une, would you really do that or us?’ said Millicent, hardly daring to believe that she had heard the girl correctly# ‘)es,’ said 3une# ‘)our com%etition is in the next town to our tennis tournament, so the driver will only have to go a little arther# .ow buck u%, and get your instruments on board#’ The girls who had been ho%ing to watch the tennis were disa%%ointed at having their day out s%oiled, o course, but they took it well, and stood aside to let the orchestra get on# 4illian was going with them, or +elia elt 0uite sick with nerves an d had insisted that she would not be able to %erorm unless her riend came along too# ‘I elt 0uite relieved when Millicent said that she hadn’t booked the coach,’ +elia conided to 4illian, as they took their seats# ‘For it meant that I wo uldn’t have to sing# .ow I eel sick again#’ ‘)ou’ll be ine,’ said 4illian, giving her arm a s0uee8e# ‘I mean to try and get a seat in the ront row when the com%etition starts, so i your nerves get the better o you, you can look at me, and %retend that you are singing (ust or me#’ "ut the big town hall where the com%etition was taking %lace was %acked, and 4illian had to settle or a seat near the back# ‘/h dear,’ she thought# ‘I do ho%e that +elia will be all right#’ / course, +elia wasn’t the only member o the orchestra who elt nervous, or several o them could almost hear their knees knocking as they waited backstage or their turn to come# Millicent too was very anxious, but she hid it well, knowing that it was her (ob to try and have a calming inluence on the others# The com%etition began, and 4illian, in the audience, watched as one orchestra ater another %erormed# !ome o them were very good indeed, some not so good# "ut none o them had a singer, and 4illian elt sure that, i her riend could only hold her nerve, her voice would win the com%etition or Malory Towers# $t last it was their turn, and 4illian elt her heart beat a little aster as Millicent led the girls on to the stage# 2ach girl carried one o the colourul little %ennants that "onnie had made, and as they took their %laces they hung them rom the music stands# Then the %erormance began, and it went very well indeed, the audience en(oying it enormously# Then came the violin solo and +elia, who had been standing in the shadows, walked to the ront o the stage# !he glanced switly along the ront row or a glim%se o 4illian, but, o course, she couldn’t see her# $s luck would have it, though, there was a man in the ront row who looked very like her own, dear ather, and +elia decided that, i her nerves overcame her, she would %retend to be singing or him# "ut, once again, as soon as she began to sing, the sick, luttery eeling in her stomach vanished, and +elia gave a marvellous %erormance# *hen she had inished, the audience cla%%ed or so
long that it was several minutes beore the rest o the orchestra could continue %laying the rest o the %iece# "ut Millicent didn’t mind the holdu% at all, or the s%ontaneous burst o a%%lause %roved (ust how well +elia had done# $nd the whole orchestra received a standing ovation, once they had sto%%ed %laying# 4illian, o course, cla%%ed louder than anyone, eeling absolutely delighted, or none o the other orchestras had got one# Malory Towers had won, she was certain o it&
1! A wonderful end to the term Meanwhile, things were also going well or the tennis team# The (uniors had only lost one o their matches, while Felicity and !usan had scored a comortable victory over their o%%onents in the doubles# Freddie, too, had %layed her heart out, and the others had cheered until they were hoarse when she narrowly beat her o%%onent# ‘*ell done, Freddie&’ yelled 3une, cla%%ing her on the back as she came o the court# ‘I doubt i 4illian hersel could have %layed better#’ $nd now it was the inal match, with 3une %laying the ca%tain o !ummerield 'all# The two were very evenly matched, or although the !ummerield girl was much b igger than 3une and had a very %owerul serve, she was less agile# The o%%osing ca%tain won the irst set, and 3une the second# The two girls were e0ual in the third set, when disaster struck# 3une, running orward to return her o%%onent’s service, stumbled and ell heavily, twisting her ankle# The !ummerield games mistress dashed on to the court as 3une gave a little cry o %ain, and administered irst aid# ‘*ell, it’s certainly not broken,’ she said, ater gently eeling the an kle# ‘-robably (ust a bad s%rain# 'ard luck on you, though# I’m araid that the match will have to be abandoned#’ "ut 3une wasn’t standing or that& ‘.o,’ she said irmly, getting gingerly to her eet# ‘I intend to %lay on#’ ‘*ell, you’ve %lenty o %luck, I’ll say that or you,’ said the games mistress# ‘9ery well, but i that ankle is causing you too much %ain, or heaven’s sake say so, beore you do any more damage&’
3une’s ankle was very %ainul indeed, but she was determined to see the match through# $nd she did, with gritted teeth, but as she could only hobble it was 0uite im%ossible or her to return some o her o%%onent’s shots, and she lost# ‘.ever mind, old thing,’ said Felicity, in the changingroom aterwards# ‘Miss 4rayling will still be %roud o you, or you %layed your very best#’ ‘The unny thing is that I don’t mind,’ said 3une, sounding most sur%rised# ‘It really is 0ueer, or you know how I hate to lose at anything# )ou, !usan and Freddie all %layed s%lendidly, and so did the lower school# !o in s%ite o my wretched ankle, we have won the tournament and that seems to be all that matters#’ ‘3une, I do believe that you’ve ound that team s%irit we knew was hiding inside you somewhere&’ said !usan# ‘+o you know, I think you’re right&’ said 3une, much struck# ‘Fancy that& $lthough I su%%ose, as I’m games ca%tain, team s%irit is 0uite a good th ing to have#’ ‘I would say it was essential,’ said Felicity# ‘.ow come along, or we have to be %resented with the cu%, then we had better get you back to Malory Towers so that Matron can take a look at your ankle and bandage it u%#’ The kitchen sta at Malory Towers, aware that today was a very s%ecial occasion, had %re%ared an extradelicious tea# 3ulie and 5ucy, walking %ast the diningroom, glanced in, their eyes lighting u% as they saw all the good things being laid out by the sta# ‘Fruit cake, chocolate cake, sandwiches o every kind 6 and my goodness, those scones look delicious,’ said 3ulie# ‘*ell, I daresay that both the tennis team and the orchestra will be (olly hungry when they arrive back,’ said 5ucy# ‘I do ho%e that they have good news and this turns out to be a celebration tea#’ The tennis team arrived back irst, 3une and Freddie holding the cu% alot between them, and a rousing cheer went u% as they entered the commonroom# ‘3olly good show&’ cried .ora# ‘+o sit down and tell us all about it#’ The two girls were glad to %ut the big cu% down on the table, or it was very heavy, and 3une hobbled towards the nearest armchair# ‘*hat on earth has ha%%ened to you, 3une?’ asked "onnie# ‘!%rained my ankle,’ said 3une, with a grimace# ‘I su%%ose I should go and see Matron, but let us tell you all about the tennis tournament irst#’
Matron, however, had other ideas, and a ew minutes later she a%%eared in the doorway o the commonroom, saying in her brisk way, ‘3une, I hear that you’ve hurt your ankle# 1ome with me at once, %lease#’ ‘"ad news travels ast,’ said Felicity# ‘'ow did you hear about it, Matron?’ ‘The games mistress at !ummerield tele%honed to tell Miss 4rayling about it,’ answered Matron# ‘!he thought you might need a bandage, and rom the looks o it she was right, or your ankle is swelling already#’ ‘"ut, Matron, I was (ust about to tell the girls about our marvellous victory,’ %rotested 3une# ‘$h yes, I heard that you had won the tournament as well,’ said Matron, her ace creasing into a smile as she looked at the big cu% standing on the table# ‘1ongratulations&’ ‘Thank you,’ said 3une# ‘Matron, I’ll be along in ten minutes or so, when I’ve had a chat with the others#’ ‘)ou will come now,’ said Matron, in a tone that warned 3une she would be unwise to argue# ‘)ou might be a ith ormer, but when it comes to your health I still know best#’ 4rumbling a little, 3une lim%ed along behind Matron, leaving Felicity, !usan and Freddie to tell the ith ormers all about the tennis tournament# Matron did her work very thoroughly indeed, and by the time 3une got back to the commonroom, the orchestra had returned# $nother cu% stood next to the one that the tennis team had won, and the beaming smiles on the aces o Millicent, 4illian, +elia and -am told their own story# ‘2veryone %layed s%lendidly,’ Millicent was saying, as 3une walked in# ‘$nd as or +elia, she sang magniicently#’ ‘$ double celebration&’ said 3une, %atting Millicent on the back# ‘'ow marvellous&’ 3ust then the bell went or tea, and, as the girls made their way downstairs, 4illian said to +elia, ‘I’m awully %roud o you, you know#’ ‘Thanks,’ said +elia, turning %ink# ‘I’m rather %roud o you, too#’ ‘Me?’ said 4illian, with a laugh# ‘"ut I haven’t done anything&’ ‘/h yes, you have,’ said +elia# ‘For one thing, you gave me the conidence to sing in ront o %eo%le# $nd I really think that you have been an absolute brick today# )ou should have been taking %art in the tennis and the com%etition, and you ended u% doing neither# "ut you haven’t com%lained once#’
‘*ell, I’m not all that sorry, to be honest,’ said 4illian# ‘I was thinking the other day, you see, about my slee%walking# +o you remember telling me that I was saying, >*here is it?’ +elia nodded, and 4illian went on, ‘*ell, I think that what I was searching or was my sense o un# $s soon as I started %ractising in earnest, all o the un went out o tennis and music or me, and they became a chore# I shall never let that ha%%en again#’ $nd 4illian never did# $s the term drew to a close, she occasionall y %artnered one o the others at tennis, or %layed a dance tune on her violin in the commonroom, but only or amusement# Millicent, too, seemed like a dierent %erson now that the co m%etition was over# The girl was much less intense, and (oined in the others’ un and conversations without looking as i her mind was elsewhere# ‘My music will always be im%ortant to me,’ she said one day, when .ora commented on this# ‘"ut I’m going to make time or other things too# I’m going to try and have a break rom it until I go back to the academy next term#’ ‘/h, are you leaving us?’ said Felicity, sur%rised# ‘)es, I only ound out mysel this morning,’ said Millicent# ‘My ather is going back to work in France, so Mother and I are going with him, and I shall be going back to the academy#’ ‘*e shall miss you,’ said -am, who liked this ne w, careree Millicent much better than the old one# ‘*ell, I shall miss all o you,’ said Millicent, genuine regret in her tone# ‘$nd dear old Malory Towers# I have learned a lot here, mostly about mysel#’ ‘)es, not all o the lessons Malory Towers has to teach can be learned in the classroom,’ said !usan# ‘My goodness, you do sound wise and learned,’ said 3une# ‘3ust as a ith ormer should# Though I must say, it’s about time#’ 7nortunately, !usan then ruined the eect by throwing a cushion at 3une, who %rom%tly threw it back, only to hit "onnie instead# !he retaliated at once, and soon most o the orm was involved in a very undigniied cushion ight# .o one heard the door o%en, or saw Miss 3ames %ee% in# The mistress retreated at once, extremely startled# *ell, really& The ith ormers were always so good and wellbehaved in class, and always set such a good exam%le to the younger ones# *ho would have guessed that they chose to s%end their ree time in such an unseemly manner? "ut Miss 3ames’s li%s twitched as she walked away# They might be near the to% o the school, but they were still young girls ater all, and entitled to let o a little steam#
$t last it was the last day o term, and as the ith ormers %acked, +elia was called to Miss 4rayling’s oice# The others were a little concerned, 4illian in %articular looking very anxious and %acing u% and down the dormitory# ‘I say, 4illian, you’ll wear the car%et out i you kee% doing that,’ said Freddie# ‘+o calm down# I’m sure it can’t be bad news or +elia#’ It wasn’t, or the girl looked the %icture o ha%%iness when she returned to the dormitory# ‘4uess what?’ she said excitedly# ‘My ather is coming home on leave today, or a whole month& 'e is on his way here now to collect me#’ ‘That’s sim%ly wonderul,’ said -am# ‘I’m so %leased or you, +elia#’ ‘)es, you won’t have to s%end all o your hols with your horrid aunt and cousins now,’ said .ora# ‘!he won’t have to s%end any time with them,’ said 4illian ha%%ily, giving her riend a hu g# ‘+elia is coming to stay with us or the rest o the hols#’ ‘+elia, %romise me that you will kee% u% with your singing when I am gone,’ said Millicent, who was busily going round writing down everyone ’s names and addresses, and making %romises to kee% in touch# ‘I shall,’ said +elia# ‘It gives me such %leasure#’ ‘$nd it gives everyone else %leasure too,’ said Felicity# ‘*hat a marvellous git to have#’ $t last the ith ormers were all %acked, and the y made their way down to the big hall, with their night cases# ‘*hat a racket&’ said "onnie, screwing u% her ace as they reached the bottom o the stairs# Indeed it was& 4irls yelled, mistresses shouted as they tried to kee% order, the %arents who had arrived early looked bewildered, and everyone ke%t tri%%ing over the bags and cases that were lying around everywhere# Mam’8elle +u%ont was much in evidence, or she always liked to say goodbye to all the girls, and she beamed when she saw two o her avourites, .ora and "onnie, coming down the stairs# ‘$h, mes petites&’ she cried, %utting an arm around each o them# ‘)ou have come to say goodbye to your old Mam’8elle# !oon you will be gone rom Malory Towers# !oon you will be at home with your loving %arents# !oon you will have orgotten all about your school, and the mistresses# !oon 6 ’
‘Mam’8elle, we will be back beore you know it,’ said .ora, a little alarmed# +ear old Mam’8elle took these arewells so very seriously, and at the moment she looked as i she might burst into tears# "onnie, noticing that the mistress’s eyes looked sus%iciously moist, %ulled her handkerchie rom her %ocket, and something else lew out at the same time, landing at Mam’8elle’s eet# That wretched brooch& Mam’8elle, who had a great liking or ornate (ewellery, s%otted it at once and stoo%ed to %ick it u%# ‘$h, how ex0uisite&’ she said, holding it in her hand# ‘"onnie, you must take great care o it, or I am sure that it must be a amily heirloom#’ ‘/h no, (ust a %iece o costume (ewellery,’ said "onnie# ‘$s a matter o act, I’ve never worn it, or I don’t care or it very much#’ ‘"ut it is so %retty&’ said Mam’8elle, looking at "onnie as i she was 0uite mad# ‘'ow can you dislike it?’ ‘3ust bad taste on my %art, I ex%ect,’ said "onnie, her eyes dancing# ‘I kn ow, Mam’8elle& !ince you like it so much, why don’t you kee% it? )ou can wear it in the holidays and it will remind you o us girls#’ Mam’8elle cheered u% enormously at this, thanking "onnie %rousely# Then she gave each girl a hug, in turn, beore %inning the brooch to her blouse and going o to dis%lay it %roudly to the other mistresses# ‘*ell done, "onnie,’ said .ora# ‘)ou managed to sto% Mam’8elle rom becoming too sentimental#’ ‘$nd I got rid o that ugly brooch,’ said "onnie ha%%ily# ‘Two birds with one stone#’ !oon most o the girls who were being collected by their %arents had gone, and the big hall became em%tier, as only the train girls were let# $nd at last the big coaches arrived to take them to the station, Felicity and !usan walking down the ste%s o the school together# ‘$nother term over,’ said !usan# ‘$nd what an eventul term it’s been#’ ‘'asn’t it (ust&’ said Felicity# ‘)ou know, !usan, now I always eel a little more sad at the end o each term than I used to when we were lower down the school# I su%%ose it’s because I know that it won’t be so very long beore we say goodbye to Malory Towers orever#’
