This was a very welcome suggestion indeed, and the three girls made their way to Felicity’s study. They passed Bonnie’s study on the way, and, as her door was open, they could see the girl hard at work inside, her curly head bent over a book as she scribbled down notes.
‘My word, Bonnie really is taking this seriously,’ said Susan. ‘I say, Bonnie! Didn’t you hear what Miss Oakes said? We are supposed to take today off.’
‘You can overdo it, you know,’ said June. ‘I thought that you and Amy were going to spend some time together?’
‘Well, we had a lovely chat while you were down at the pool,’ said Bonnie. ‘Then I thought that I could get a head start on you others by studying today while you are all enjoying yourselves.’
‘Well, not only has Miss Oakes forbidden it, but I forbid it, too,’ said Felicity with mock-sternness. ‘We really do need to relax every now and then, you know, Bonnie, then we can go back to our studying feeling refreshed.’
‘Yes, come along to Felicity’s study with us, and have a cup of tea,’ said June, taking Bonnie’s arm and pulling her up from her chair.
Amy, who was feeling very bored and lost without her little friend, came along then, and Felicity cried, ‘Amy! We are trying to persuade Bonnie not to work so hard, and would be very grateful if you would add your word to ours.’
‘I already have,’ said Amy, sounding rather disgruntled. ‘Really, Bonnie, I don’t see that taking one day off from your studies would do any harm. We could go into town after lunch and spend our pocket money. Then we could have tea in the little tea-shop. My treat.’
Bonnie’s eyes lit up at this, and she said, ‘That would be fun, I must say.’
‘Well, that’s settled, then,’ said June cheerfully, leading Bonnie from the room. ‘We are all having a day off, even you, Bonnie.’
‘Yes, come on, let’s get that kettle on, Felicity,’ said Susan. ‘I’m simply dying for a cup of tea.’
In the end there was quite a crowd in Felicity’s study, for Amy came along too, and they were also joined by Alice, who had been given a clean bill of health by Matron. Felicity had to perch on the window-sill, but she didn’t mind at all, for it was nice to be with her friends, and to laugh and joke with them.
Alice was the first to leave, saying that she had to write a letter to her parents, and, as the door closed behind her, Susan said, ‘Alice never says much about her parents, or her home life, does she?’
‘Well, she’s rather shy,’ said Felicity. ‘Perhaps we should ask her, and try to draw her out a little.’
‘It’s obvious that her parents are very wealthy,’ said Amy unexpectedly.
‘Is it?’ said June, surprised. ‘Not to me it isn’t. I mean to say, she doesn’t have any marvellous possessions, or boast about how rich her family are. Unlike some people.’
Amy, who knew that this was aimed at her, flushed. Her parents were very wealthy indeed, and she liked to make sure that people knew it.
‘Her clothes are very expensive,’ said Amy, rather stiffly. ‘I can tell, for some of them come from the same shops I get mine from. And she has a handbag in her wardrobe exactly like one I have at home. Mother bought it for my birthday last year, and it cost an awful lot of money.’
Amy knew about such things, so the others believed her words, and it made them even more curious about the new girl.
At last the others drifted away and only Felicity and Susan remained in the study.
‘What punishment are you going to give young Daffy Hope?’ asked Susan curiously. ‘I suppose that it’s difficult for you, what with your family and hers being such close friends.’
‘I have made up my mind that I will treat Daffy exactly as I would any of the other kids,’ said Felicity firmly. ‘It certainly wouldn’t be just or fair to show her any favouritism. She must apologise to both Violet and Alice, of course, and I shall forbid her to leave the school grounds next Saturday.’
‘If you ask me, she’s getting off quite lightly,’ said Susan.
‘Ah, but you see, the first formers are planning a picnic on the beach next Saturday, if the weather is fine,’ said Felicity, with a smile. ‘Imagine how young Daffy will feel, watching the others go off to enjoy themselves, while she has to remain at school alone.’
‘All right, I take that back,’ said Susan. ‘Daffy isn’t getting off lightly at all! Let’s just hope it makes her think twice before playing such a dangerous trick again.’
Daffy knocked on the door of Felicity’s study at three o’clock, and, on being told to come in, was surprised to see Alice and Violet there. And she didn’t like the malicious, slightly triumphant look that Violet gave her at all!
Felicity had asked the two girls along, for she wanted to be sure that Daffy apologised to them both. Alice had been a little reluctant, saying, ‘Oh, but Daffy didn’t cause me to fall into the water deliberately, Felicity. I should feel most uncomfortable if you made her apologise to me.’
But Felicity had stood firm. ‘The kid needs to learn to think about the consequences of her actions. You falling in was one of those consequences, and I insist that she says sorry to you,’ she had said.
Violet, of course, had needed no persuading, quite delighted to think that her arch-enemy would have to apologise to her under the stern eye of the Head Girl.
‘Daffy,’ said Felicity coolly. ‘I trust that you have now had time to think about your behaviour?’
Daffy, at her most demure, nodded and said meekly, ‘Yes, Felicity. It was very bad of me, and I shall never, ever do such a thing again.’
‘I am pleased to hear it,’ said Felicity. ‘Now, before I give you your punishment, I think that you have something to say to Alice and Violet.’
Daffy, realising at once what Felicity wanted her to do, wasn’t at all pleased! She didn’t mind saying sorry to Alice – indeed, she had intended to do so before Felicity had prompted her. But apologising to that hateful Violet, who was certain to gloat, was quite another matter.
But, glancing at Felicity’s determined expression, Daffy realised that she really didn’t have any choice in the matter.
‘Alice, I’m most awfully sorry,’ she said sincerely, looking up at the bigger girl. ‘I really didn’t mean for you to fall into the pool as well. I had no idea that Violet would grab hold of you like that.’
Alice accepted the apology graciously, then Daffy turned to Violet.
‘Dear Violet,’ she said, making her tone sickly-sweet. ‘I simply don’t know what came over me, and I hope that you, too, will accept my most sincere apologies. But some good has come out of it, for June is going to teach you to swim, and I know how much you will enjoy that.’
Of course, Daffy knew quite well that the girl was dreading the swimming lessons, and Violet, realising this, scowled at her. Felicity, however, noticed nothing amiss, and felt pleased that Daffy had apologised so sincerely and so readily.
‘Violet?’ she said.
Violet would have liked nothing better than to refuse Daffy’s apology, but she knew that it would earn her a scold from Felicity, so she accepted it rather stiffly, a sullen expression on her face.
‘Well,’ said Alice, looking rather relieved as she edged towards the door, ‘I shall go back to my study now.’
‘You can go too, Violet,’ said Felicity.
Violet, who had hoped that she would be able to stay and hear what Daffy’s punishment was to be, looked rather put out, but followed Alice from the room.
As the door closed behind the two girls, Felicity turned to Daffy, staring hard at the girl. Looking at the first former’s sweet face and innocent expression, it was hard to believe that she was capable of any mischief whatsoever. As far as Felicity was concerned, Daffy’s behaviour at the pool that morning was completely out of character, and hopefully the punishment she was about to dish out would ensure that it was not repeated.
Felicity got out the little punishment book that all the top formers carried with them, and wrote somet
hing on one of the slips in her neat handwriting. Then she tore it out and handed it to the first former.
Daffy took it, thinking what a bore it was that she would have to give up some of her free time to write out lines, or learn a poem or something. Then her face fell as she looked at the punishment slip.
‘But we first formers are going for a picnic next Saturday!’ wailed Daffy, looking at Felicity in dismay. ‘If I’m confined to school, that means I shall miss it.’
Felicity couldn’t help feeling a little sorry for the girl, but she was determined to stick to her word, and said crisply, ‘Well, perhaps you should have thought about that before pulling Violet into the swimming-pool! I am sorry, Daffy, but the punishment stands. You may go now.’
Scowling every bit as darkly as Violet had a few minutes earlier, Daffy left the study. She would have liked to slam the door behind her, but didn’t dare. Felicity might call her back and give her another punishment!
Halfway down the corridor, she stopped and looked at the punishment slip again, her mind racing. It wasn’t just the severity of the punishment that bothered her, but the fact that she had boasted to the others about how Felicity was a friend of the family, and would be sure to let her off lightly. Now she would lose face in front of the first form, and that silly Violet would crow over her like anything! Then a thought came to Daffy. There was no need to tell the others about her punishment, for if she went on the picnic Felicity would never know!
So when she joined the others in the first-form common-room, and they crowded round to ask what her punishment had been, Daffy laughed and said cheerfully, ‘Felicity let me off scot-free. Didn’t I tell you that she wouldn’t come down hard on me?’
‘That’s hardly fair,’ protested Ivy, frowning. ‘I’m sure if it had been one of us others we would have been punished.’
‘Well, I did have a small punishment,’ admitted Daffy. ‘I had to apologise to Her Highness. And to Alice, of course, but I didn’t mind that.’
‘It must have been dreadful saying sorry to Her Highness, though,’ said Katie, sympathetically. ‘No wonder she has been looking so smug!’
Violet, who was sitting in an armchair reading a book, overheard this and glared at Katie, who promptly stuck out her tongue at the girl.
Daffy pulled Katie aside, saying in a low voice, ‘Listen, Katie, I’m going to tell you something, but you mustn’t let any of the others know. Promise?’
‘Of course,’ said Katie at once. ‘You can count on me.’
Quickly Daffy told Katie that Felicity had forbidden her to go on the picnic, and Katie gasped, ‘Oh, no! I didn’t think that Felicity would be so harsh.’
‘Nor did I,’ said Daffy with a grimace. ‘But it doesn’t matter, for I’m going anyway. Felicity will never find out.’
‘I certainly hope not, for your sake,’ said Katie, torn between shock that Daffy was going to disobey the Head Girl and ignore her punishment, and admiration at her daring. ‘If she does, you’ll be for the high jump all right!’
‘Pooh!’ said Daffy, tossing her dark curls. ‘Who cares for Felicity and the rest of those stuffy sixth formers? I came to Malory Towers to have some fun, and that’s exactly what I intend to do!’
6
Trouble in the first form
There was more trouble for Violet at supper that evening. The first formers watched, trying hard to hide their smiles, as Violet got out her beautiful pink dress and laid it carefully on the bed.
The girl saw the others staring, and said, ‘Aren’t you going to get changed?’
‘There’s plenty of time,’ said Daffy. ‘I’m going to have a bath first.’
‘And I need to wash my hands,’ said Katie. ‘I don’t want to get dirty marks on my lovely party dress.’
‘I wonder if I have time to wash my hair?’ said Maggie.
The others had planned this carefully, for they wanted to make sure that Violet was the last to use the bathroom.
‘She always spends ages titivating herself,’ Daffy had said. ‘If we can time it so that she is in the bathroom when the bell goes for tea, the rest of us can be gone by the time she comes out, and she won’t realise that she is the only one who is dressed up like a dog’s dinner!’
Violet was rather disgruntled to be the last one in the bathroom, but there was little she could do about it.
‘Don’t take too long, Violet,’ called Ivy, as the girl, at last, made her way to the bathroom. ‘The rest of us are about to get into all our finery.’
But, of course, the first formers didn’t get into their finery at all! As it was a Saturday, they were allowed to wear their own clothes, but no one dressed for supper at all. All of the girls wore quite plain dresses, or jumpers with skirts or trousers.
‘Her Highness is going to stick out like a sore thumb,’ chuckled Katie, rubbing her hands together in glee.
‘Let’s make our way to the dining-room now,’ said Daffy. ‘We want to make absolutely certain that we are out of the way when Violet comes back in, or the whole trick will be ruined.’
So, when Violet entered the dormitory, just after the bell had sounded for supper, she was very surprised indeed to find it empty.
‘Mean beasts!’ she thought, slipping the flounced, frilly dress over her head. ‘They might have waited for me.’
But, as she admired herself in the mirror, Violet came to realise that, perhaps, it was a good thing the others had gone in to tea without her. She would be able to make a grand entrance, and every eye would be upon her.
And Violet was quite right, for every eye was upon her – but not for the reason she had hoped!Miss Potts, sitting at the mistresses’ table, was the first to spot the girl, and her jaw dropped.
The mistress had very little time for what she termed fripperies, and she frowned heavily. Really, what a silly girl Violet was, dressing up as if she were attending some grand party! Did she really think that by doing so she would make people admire her? Instead, she had made herself look quite ridiculous.
Then the sixth formers spotted her, and Freddie, taking a sip of tea, choked.
‘My word!’ gasped Gillian. ‘What a sight!’
A peal of laughter came from the first-form table, and June cast a sidelong glance at Daffy Hope. The girl’s eyes were brimming with mischief, a broad grin on her face as she gazed at Violet, before whispering something to Katie.
At once, June realised what had happened. Those wicked first formers had tricked Violet into making herself look silly. And if Daffy wasn’t at the back of it, she would be very surprised indeed!
Of course, the sixth formers no longer played such childish tricks, but, as June saw the dawning horror on Violet’s face, she couldn’t help wishing that she had thought of this one when she was younger, for it was really very funny.
Unsurprisingly, poor Violet didn’t think it was at all funny! She had walked into the dining-room with her head held high, looking very pleased with herself indeed. But it hadn’t take her long to realise that she was the only girl wearing a party dress, or to see the grins of amusement on the faces around her. The girl turned as red as a beetroot, wishing that the floor would open up and swallow her.
The shrewd Miss Potts, seeing the girl’s look of dismay and confusion, and the mirth of the first formers, also realised that Violet had somehow been tricked. She got to her feet.
‘Come along, Violet,’ she said, taking the girl’s arm and leading her across to the first-form table. ‘It is nice to see that one of my form has taken the trouble to make herself look nice. Ivy, you don’t appear to have brushed your hair at all! And Daphne, I see that you have already managed to spill tea over your skirt.’
This was said loudly enough for several people nearby to overhear, and June grinned to herself as Daffy turned red. Ah, the first former might be able to fool silly little Violet, but she would never get one over on Miss Potts!
Daffy had, indeed, turned red and, as Violet slipped into an empty seat beside Faith, and Mi
ss Potts went back to her own table, she muttered to Katie, ‘Potty didn’t really mean that about Violet looking nice, you know, for she has no time for people who fuss over their appearance. She only said it to try and make the rest of us feel small.’
‘You must admit that she’s jolly sharp, though,’ said Katie, looking at the mistress in awe. ‘She obviously realises that we were behind the whole thing.’
Violet, of course, was delighted that Daffy had found herself on the receiving end of Miss Potts’s sharp tongue. Her feelings were soothed still further when Faith, who felt a little guilty about the trick, said softly, ‘You really do look nice, Violet. Personally, I think it’s a pity that we don’t all get dressed up on a Saturday evening.’
Mam’zelle Dupont, at the head of the first-form table, also thoroughly approved of Violet’s appearance.
‘The good Miss Potts is quite right,’ she declared. ‘It is nice to see young people looking their best. Now, when I return to la belle France, and have dinner with my so-dear family, my nieces and nephews always wear their finest clothes. That is how it should be.’
And at once Mam’zelle launched into a string of anecdotes about her beloved nieces and nephews, which bored most of the first formers heartily, but which they were forced to listen to politely.
Violet, however, began to feel that the whole episode hadn’t been such a disaster after all. She was in the good books of both Mam’zelle and Miss Potts, and that horrid Daffy had been scolded as well. So Violet ate her supper quite happily, listening with the appearance of interest to Mam’zelle’s tales, and enjoying the disgruntled expressions on the faces of the others.
‘Well, that didn’t go quite as well as I had hoped,’ said Daffy glumly as the first formers left the hall. ‘And, worst of all, I feel as if Violet has somehow come out on top.’
‘Cheer up!’ said Katie, clapping her on the back. ‘It was jolly funny at first, when it suddenly dawned on Violet that she was the only one who looked as if she was going to a party. If only Miss Potts hadn’t interfered, all would have been well.’