The girls had been most amused to see the family photograph, for, although Mrs Forsyth was quite a pretty woman, it was clear that Violet had inherited her looks from her father, for he had the same small eyes and snub nose.
Violet had also brought a number of dresses to school with her and, as she hung her school uniform in her wardrobe, Daffy caught a glimpse of one hanging up. It was a pale pink party dress, festooned with frills and ribbons, and the girl couldn’t think why Violet had brought it to school with her. And suddenly a wicked idea came to her.
As soon as Violet went to the bathroom, she gathered the others round and explained it to them.
‘Oh, I say!’ chuckled Ivy. ‘What a super idea, Daffy!’
‘Marvellous!’ said Katie, clapping her hands together in glee. ‘You are naughty, Daffy, but so funny.’
Even Faith, the quiet head-girl, giggled, though all the girls made themselves look perfectly serious when Violet returned.
‘Our first Saturday at Malory Towers tomorrow night,’ said Daffy, climbing into bed. ‘I must say, I’m looking forward to tomorrow evening.’
‘Why, what’s happening tomorrow evening?’ asked Violet, a puzzled look on her face.
‘Don’t you know?’ said Katie. ‘On Saturday evenings, everyone dresses up for supper. I’m going to wear the yellow dress with the satin bows that Mother made for me in the holidays. What about you, Daffy?’
‘I shall wear my blue one, with the lace collar,’ Daffy said. ‘It really is beautiful. Violet, you simply must wear your pink party dress. I bet that you’ll look lovely in it.’
Violet, quite unaccustomed to compliments from Daffy, looked at her a little suspiciously, but, as the others launched into descriptions of the imaginary dresses they intended to wear, her suspicions vanished and she became caught up in the excitement.
The first formers talked until long after lights out, and poor Faith simply didn’t know how to stop them. At one point she ventured to say, ‘No more talking, please, girls.’ But her voice was so quiet that the laughter and chatter of the others quite drowned it out. In fact, they were making so much noise that no one heard footsteps approaching, or the door open. It wasn’t until the light was suddenly switched on, making everyone blink, that the first formers realised Mam’zelle Dupont, who was on duty that night, had entered.
‘Ah, méchantes filles!’ she cried. ‘You are very bad, to be talking after the lights have gone out. See how you disturb the poor little Daphne?’
Daffy, who had swiftly become one of Mam’zelle’s favourites, was blinking and rubbing her eyes, a very disgruntled look on her face. No one would have guessed that she was the one who had been making most noise!
Mam’zelle certainly didn’t, and she turned to Faith now, saying sternly, ‘Faith, it is not right that you allow these bad girls to disobey the rules! As head-girl, it is your duty to see that they behave properly, and you have failed.’
‘Sorry, Mam’zelle,’ mumbled Faith, looking very downcast indeed.
The others began to feel a little uncomfortable. They had quickly realised that Faith was too weak to be a good leader, and had taken advantage of this. But no one wanted to get the girl into trouble.
Ivy spoke up, saying, ‘We are all sorry, Mam’zelle. It wasn’t Faith’s fault, truly it wasn’t.’
‘No, she did tell us to be quiet,’ said Maggie, who slept in the bed next to Faith and had heard her halfhearted attempt to remonstrate with them. ‘But we took no notice.’
‘Ah, you are all wicked girls, except for the dear Daphne, who has been trying to sleep,’ said Mam’zelle, wagging her finger.
Faith felt that it was little unfair that Daffy, who had talked more than all the others put together, was the only one not to be scolded, but she would not dream of sneaking on the girl. Why, that was quite unthinkable!
‘I do not want another sound from this dormitory tonight,’ said Mam’zelle. ‘I shall be back later, and if there is any noise you will all get extra French prep next week.’
No one wanted that, so as soon as the door closed behind Mam’zelle, everyone snuggled down under the bedclothes, and, as they were really very tired, it wasn’t long before everyone dropped off.
Saturday dawned bright and sunny, and it was unusually warm for the time of year.
‘I might go for a dip in the pool,’ said June, at the breakfast table. ‘Anyone care to join me?’
‘I’d love to come,’ said Felicity with a sigh. ‘But I suppose I had better do some studying.’
Miss Oakes happened to walk by the sixth formers’ table at that moment, and overhead this.
‘Felicity,’ she said. ‘I insist that you go for a swim. In fact, I insist that all of you Higher Certificate girls take some time off today, for I know how hard you have been working. I positively forbid you to study!’
The girls were very pleased to hear this, for they really did feel in need of relaxation, and, as Pam said, ‘We can’t possibly disobey our form-mistress. I’ll join you for that swim, June.’
In the end, most of the sixth formers went to the pool. Amy and Bonnie, who hated any kind of exercise, went off to Amy’s study for a good gossip, while Julie and Lucy went horse-riding. Alice refused to get changed and get into the pool, saying that she wasn’t a very good swimmer, but she went along with the others and sat at the side, watching them.
The girls had a very pleasant time indeed, the strong swimmers like Felicity, Susan and June doing as many lengths as they could, while others, like Delia and Nora, preferred to paddle around in the shallow end.
But their peace was rudely shattered when they were joined by a group of first formers.
‘Hallo, Felicity,’ said Daffy. ‘Do you mind if we join you? Miss Potts said that we might swim today, as the weather is so lovely.’
The sixth formers could hardly say no, as Miss Potts had given her permission, but the pool suddenly seemed rather overcrowded with a dozen or so giggling, excited first formers splashing around.
Violet Forsyth, who looked most ungainly in her swimming costume, stood uncertainly on the edge. She couldn’t swim and was afraid of the water. The girl would much rather be indoors, but unfortunately she had made the mistake of boasting about her swimming-pool at home. Somehow the boasting had got out of hand and turned into downright lies.
The first formers had come down to see the pool on their first day and, while the others had been in raptures over it, Violet had merely shrugged, and said in a bored manner, ‘I suppose it’s all right, but it’s nowhere near as nice as our pool at home.’
‘Oh, do you have your own swimming-pool?’ Katie had asked, pretending to sound most impressed. ‘How marvellous!’
Encouraged by this, Violet had gone on to tell the listening girls about the marvellous garden parties her parents held in the summer, where all the guests swam in the pool.
‘I’ll bet you’re a wonderful swimmer, Violet,’ Daffy had said admiringly.
And foolish Violet, who loved nothing more than being the centre of attention, had got quite carried away, and told the first formers of how she swam several lengths in the pool every day, when the weather was warm enough.
But Daffy noticed now that the girl hung back and didn’t venture too close to the edge – hardly the behaviour of someone who felt quite at home in the water. Besides, if Violet swam every day, as she claimed, surely she wouldn’t be so plump, thought Daffy.
It was quite true that Violet had a swimming-pool at her home, but the girl never used it. And now she was regretting her boasting, for she had been quite unable to get out of going down to the pool with the others, and soon her lie would be exposed in front of them all.
‘Come on, Violet!’ Daffy called out. ‘Jump in!’
Violet had no intention of jumping in, but she realised that she couldn’t stand shivering on the edge forever. So she walked gingerly down the steps, fervently hoping that, amongst such a crowd, no one would notice that she wasn’t actually swimming.
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But Daffy’s sharp eyes were watching, and she smiled to herself as she saw Violet clinging to the side in the shallow end.
Some of the sixth formers didn’t care to share the pool with the boisterous youngsters and got out. Soon only Felicity, Susan and June were left, and they had to call the first formers to order on several occasions.
Violet, who had been barged into by Maggie and splashed by Ivy, had had quite enough of the pool, and decided to slip away and get dressed. No one seemed to have noticed that she wasn’t joining in with the swimming, and, with luck, the weather would turn cold soon, so she wouldn’t have to come down to the pool again. She had got away with it!
But Violet was quite mistaken, for Daffy spotted her getting out of the pool, and followed her.
‘Not going in already, are you?’ she asked. ‘You haven’t even been in the deep end yet.’
‘I think I’m getting a cold,’ said Violet, turning red. ‘It’s probably best if I don’t swim any more today.’
Daffy grinned to herself, knowing that the girl hadn’t swum at all. But she looked most concerned, and said, ‘I daresay you’re right. Listen, Violet, when you have changed, would you mind coming back to the pool and throwing some pennies into the water, so that I can dive for them?’
Since she had nothing better to do, and didn’t really feel like sitting in the common-room on her own, Violet agreed.
The girl was soon back at the pool, fully dressed, and she stood at the side, close to Alice, calling out, ‘Daffy, I have some pennies in my pocket when you are ready.’
Daffy climbed out of the pool and up on to the lowest diving board. Standing poised on the edge, she shouted, ‘Throw one in now, Violet!’
Violet obliged, and Daffy did a beautiful dive into the water, causing June to say to Susan, ‘That kid dives jolly well! I shall have to bear her in mind for the swimming competition next summer.’
‘Yes, she’s a strong swimmer, too,’ said Susan, as Daffy swam to the side of the pool and stretched her arm up so that Violet could take the penny back from her.
Violet bent forward to take the coin from Daffy, feeling rather nervous, for she didn’t like being so close to the edge.
And suddenly, the girl felt Daffy’s hand close round her wrist in a firm grip, there was a tug on her arm, and Violet felt herself being pulled towards the deep water. Instinctively, she flailed about with her free hand, trying to find something to hold on to. Alas, the only thing was poor Alice! Somehow, Violet managed to seize her ankle as she was falling into the water, and the whole thing was like some terrible chain reaction, as, with a squeal of terror, Violet fell into the pool, and Alice fell in right behind her.
Violet sank like a stone, and although Alice could swim a little, she didn’t like the deep end, and the weight of her clothes was dragging her down.
June and Susan, taking in all that had happened in a glance, went to the aid of the two girls at once. Felicity, at the other end of the pool, didn’t realise what was happening at first, but as soon as she heard the commotion she swam down to the deep end and helped Susan get the shocked Alice to the surface and out of the pool.
‘Are you all right, Alice?’ asked Felicity, as the girl sat down on the ground, gasping for air.
Quite unable to speak, Alice could only nod, and Susan said, ‘Let her get her breath back, then we had better get her to Matron. Violet, too.’
‘Here are your glasses, Alice,’ said Felicity, who had found them at the edge of the pool. ‘They must have slipped off when you fell in.’
Alice took them from her, and, in the split second before she put them on, Felicity felt that little stirring of recognition again. Then, once Alice’s glasses were on her nose again, it vanished. Felicity gave herself a little shake, telling herself sternly that she was making far too much out of it, and it was as June had said – Alice merely reminded her of someone. There were far more important things to think about now, anyway.
It had taken all of June’s strength to pull Violet to the surface, for the girl was plump and heavy. Felicity helped June to get her out of the pool, and they laid her on the ground.
Violet was still, her eyes closed, and, for a moment, Daffy thought that her heart would stop in fright. It had only been a prank, she had just meant to scare Violet, not do her any harm.
Then, to Daffy’s tremendous relief, the girl opened her eyes and began to sob noisily.
‘Well, there can’t be much wrong with her if she can cry so loudly,’ said June drily. Then she turned to Daffy and said sternly, ‘That was a very dangerous prank, which could have had serious consequences if we sixth formers hadn’t been around.’
Daffy’s knees trembled, for she was a little in awe of the games captain.
‘Whatever do you mean, June?’ asked Felicity, quite astonished. ‘Surely you aren’t suggesting that Daffy pushed Violet and Alice in.’
‘She didn’t push Violet, she pulled her,’ said June grimly. ‘I saw her. Poor Alice just happened to get in the way.’
‘It’s true, Felicity,’ said Susan, seeing her friend’s look of disbelief. ‘I saw Daffy deliberately pull Violet into the water as well.’
Felicity was quite speechless, so June said, ‘Whatever were you thinking about, Daffy, to pull a girl who can’t swim into the deep end? You must have known how dangerous it was.’
‘We didn’t know that Violet couldn’t swim,’ piped up Katie, in defence of her friend. ‘She is always bragging to us about her swimming-pool at home, and telling us what a marvellous swimmer she is.’
Daffy said nothing, for she had realised that Violet couldn’t swim, yet she had plunged her into the deep end anyway. June was quite right – she hadn’t stopped to think how grave the consequences could have been.
Fortunately for Daffy, however, June had now turned her attention to the still-sobbing Violet, who was sitting up now. June said firmly, ‘Do stop crying! Violet, is this true? Did you lead the girls to believe that you could swim?’
With the eyes of the first form upon her, Violet turned red and kept her eyes down, as she muttered, ‘Yes.’
‘Well, what a foolish thing to do!’ said Felicity scornfully. ‘I hope that you see now, Violet, what trouble lies can lead to.’
‘How was I to know that that mean beast Daffy would pull me in?’ cried Violet, feeling that it was rather too bad that she was getting a share of the blame as well.
‘Daffy will be punished, you may be sure of that,’ said Felicity. Then she glanced at June, saying, ‘But I think that a few extra swimming lessons for Violet may be in order?’
‘Exactly what I was thinking,’ said June with a grim smile. ‘Violet, please come to my study this afternoon and we will make out a time-table.’
Poor Violet groaned inwardly, but she did not dare disobey June. She would find a way of paying Daffy Hope back for this.
‘And you, Daffy, will come to my study this afternoon,’ said Felicity, sounding unusually annoyed, for she felt very disappointed in Daffy. ‘Where I shall give you a suitable punishment.’
‘Yes, Felicity,’ said Daffy, looking and sounding very subdued indeed.
But, now that she knew that Violet was going to be all right, Daffy felt quite unworried. She felt certain that Felicity, who had known her family for years, would not come down on her too hard.
In fact, Violet had come off very much worse, for, as well as her unexpected dip in the pool, she now had to face the prospect of extra swimming lessons with June!
As Felicity, Susan and June bore the two dripping wet girls off to Matron’s room, Daffy smiled to herself.
Everything was going her way! She was ruling the roost in the first form, and had convinced most of the mistresses that she was a good, sweet girl. Pulling the wool over Felicity’s eyes would be too easy for words!
5
Daffy in trouble
‘Good heavens!’ exclaimed Matron, getting up from her chair as the little group entered her room. ‘Whatever has
happened?’
‘An accident at the swimming-pool, Matron,’ said Felicity. ‘Alice and Violet fell in.’
Violet seethed, for it had been no accident and she opened her mouth to say so. Then June gave her a nudge, and a stern look of warning. Violet knew at once what June was trying to tell her – that it wasn’t done to sneak.
And Violet didn’t really want to be sent to Coventry by the rest of her form, for it was pleasant to have people to boast to, even though the others never seemed very impressed. So she said nothing, and decided that she would find some other way of getting even with Daffy Hope.
Matron was bustling about now, putting the kettle on and giving the two girls blankets.
‘Go into the little bathroom there and get out of those wet things at once,’ she said briskly. ‘Then wrap those blankets around yourselves while I make some nice, hot tea. When you have both warmed up a little I shall check that you have suffered no ill effects.’
Clutching their blankets, Alice and Violet trooped off to the bathroom, and Matron turned to the others.
‘An accident, you say?’ she said, sounding most suspicious. ‘Well, I expect the first formers to fool around by the swimming-pool, but I am most surprised to find a sixth former involved.’
‘Alice really did get knocked in by accident, Matron,’ said Susan. ‘She wasn’t fooling around.’
‘Well, I’m pleased to hear it,’ said Matron. ‘Now, don’t stand there dripping all over my floor! Off you go, and get changed.’
The three girls were still in their swimming costumes, for they had wanted to get Alice and Violet to Matron’s room as quickly as possible.
Now they were beginning to feel a little chilly themselves, so they sped off back to the changing-rooms.
‘I could do with a nice, hot cup of tea myself,’ said Felicity as they dressed. ‘Let’s all go back to my study and I’ll put the kettle on.’