The Naughtiest Girl in the School (9 page)

“Well, you can’t be quite so horrid as everyone thinks you are then.” said Joan.

“I think I am rather horrid, but I do make myself much worse,” said Elizabeth. “You see, I mean to be sent back home as soon as possible.”

“That will make your mother very unhappy,” said Joan. “It is a great disgrace to be expelled from school, sent away never to come back. You are very queer you love your mother, and she loves you, and you want to go back to her and yet you are willing to make her very unhappy. I don’t understand you. I’d do anything in the world for my mother, and she doesn’t love me at all. I try to make her proud of me. I do everything I can for her, but she doesn’t seem to bother about me. You’re as bad as you can be, and I expect your mother will love you all the same. It isn’t fair.”

“No-it doesn’t seem fair,” said Elizabeth, thinking hard. She was glad her mother wasn’t like Joan’s. She made up her mind to be very nice to her mother when she went back home, to make up for making her unhappy by her behavior at school.

“You see, Elizabeth, the other girls see me waiting for letters every day, and they laugh at me behind my back, and think my parents must be very queer people,” said Joan. “And I do hate that too. Last term I sent some letters to myself, just so that I should have some but the others found out and teased me dreadfully.”

“It’s a shame,” said Elizabeth, “Joan, don’t worry so. Perhaps things will come right, Couldn’t we be friends, please? Just whilst I’m here. I don’t mean to be here for long, but it would be nice to have somebody for a friend for a little while.”

“All right,” said Joan, and she took Elizabeth’s hand. “Thank you for coming to me tonight, I’m so glad you’re not as horrid as I thought. I think you’re very nice.”

Elizabeth slipped back to her own bed, her heart feeling warm and glad. It was good to have a friend. It was lovely to be thought very nice. No boy or girl had ever said that of Elizabeth before.

“I won’t let the others laugh at Joan!” thought Elizabeth fiercely. “She’s my friend now! I shall look after her she’s just like a timid mouse.”

To the astonishment of everyone the two girls soon became fast friends. They went down to the village together. Joan spent some of her two shillings on sweets, which she shared with Elizabeth. Elizabeth helped Joan with her sums during preparation in the afternoon, for Joan was bad at arithmetic and Elizabeth was quick.

Joan asked Elizabeth many questions about her father and mother. She was never tired of hearing how wonderful they were, and the presents they gave Elizabeth, and the fuss they made of her.

“What are they like to look at?” asked Joan.

“I could show you their photographs, but Nora locked them up her box, by the window,” said Elizabeth.

“Well, fancy letting them stay there, when all you’ve got to do is to say you’re sorry and that you know how to count,” said Joan, remembering what had happened. “Goodness-I wouldn’t let my mother’s picture stay in that dirty old box!”

“I shan’t apologize to Nora,” said Elizabeth sulkily. “I don’t like her interfering creature.”

“She’s not,” said Joan. “She’s a good sort. Sometimes I think you are an awful baby, Elizabeth. Only a baby would talk like that.”

“Oh, so you think I’m a baby, do you?” cried Elizabeth, flaring up in a rage, and tossing her curls over her shoulder. “Well, I’ll just show you!”

Nora was coming into the bedroom at that very moment. She was astonished to find Elizabeth flinging herself almost on top of her, shouting loudly: “Nora! I’m sorry about those things you put in the box. I know how to count and I’ll show you I can put six things on my chest-of-drawers.”

“Good gracious! Don’t deafen me,” said Nora. “All right-you can have them back.”

Nora unlocked the box, took out all Elizabeth’s things, and gave them to her.

“You’re an awful goose, you know,” she said, half-scolding, half-kindly. She had been pleased to see that Elizabeth had really tried to make friends with someone at last.

Elizabeth proudly put her photographs on her chest, and showed them to Joan. The bell went for tea and they had to go downstairs before Elizabeth had finished saying all she wanted to. As they passed the hail letter-rack, Elizabeth glanced up to see if there were any letters for her.

“Goody! A letter from Mother and one from Daddy too and this looks like one from Granny!” said Elizabeth. She took them down. Joan had no letters at all.

“Hallo, Joan! Still glooming over the letter-rack as usual!” called Helen’s voice, “I’m sure I don’t know what you’d do if ever you did find a letter there one day! Jump through the roof, I should think!”

Joan went red and turned away. Elizabeth saw that she was hurt, and she jumped round on Helen.

“I suppose you think you’re funny!” she shouted.

“Well, perhaps you’d like to know that Joan had four letters and a card this morning, and she didn’t jump through the roof, she’s not quite such a cuckoo as you are!”

Helen was so astonished to hear Elizabeth sticking up for anyone that she couldn’t say a word. Elizabeth made a rude face at her, tucked her arm through Joan’s, and walked off with her.

Joan turned to Elizabeth, “What an awful story you told!” she said. “I didn’t have any letters today, and you know I didn’t.”

 “Yes, I know,” said Elizabeth, “It was a story but I really couldn’t help it, Joan. You looked like a timid mouse that’s been clawed at by a cat, and I felt like a dog that wanted to bark something horrid at the cat!”

Joan threw back her head and laughed.

“You do say the funniest things, Elizabeth!” she said. “I never know what you will say or do next.”

Nobody ever did know what Elizabeth would take into her head to do or say. The days were slipping by now, and another week had almost gone.

Elizabeth enjoyed her work, for she had a good brain and things came easily to her. She enjoyed the riding lessons, the gym, the painting, the walks, the concerts, and above all, her music lessons. She liked cricket, and she was getting quite good at tennis.

She had to keep reminding herself that she mustn’t enjoy these things. She must really be naughty, or she wouldn’t be sent home in disgrace. So every now and again she was very naughty indeed.

One morning she did every single thing wrong in her class. She wrote badly and spelt every word wrong. She got all her sums quite wrong. She spilt ink over her neat geography map. She whistled and hummed till she drove Miss Ranger quite mad.

Miss Ranger had been told to be patient with naughty Elizabeth, and she tried to be. But even the children became angry with her, although at first they giggled and laughed and thought she was funny

“I shall report you at the Meeting tomorrow,” said a boy at last. He was a monitor, and had the right to report anyone. “I’m sick of you. You disturb everyone.”

“And I shall report you too!” said Nora that afternoon. “Three times you’ve not gone to bed at the right time this week. Last night you even came up later than I did! And look at this-you’ve spilt ink over your blue bedside rug. That will have to be cleaned.”

“Well, I’m not going to clean it,” said Elizabeth rudely. “I’ll make it a bit worse, just for fun!” And the naughty little girl tipped up some more ink over another part of the rug.

Nora stared at her in disgust.

“You’re too silly for words,” she said. “Well, you’ll be sorry at the Meeting tomorrow!”

“Pooh! That’s all you know!” said Elizabeth.

CHAPTER 11

The Meeting Punishes Elizabeth

The Meeting the next day was at the same time as before. All the children went, and once again the two Judges, Rita and William, sat at the big table, and the twelve monitors, the Jury, sat at the smaller table. Other teachers were there too, this time, besides Miss Belle and Miss Best. They sometimes came to hear what was being done at the Meeting, although they never interfered, Rita hammered on the table for quiet. Elizabeth sat looking sulky. She knew quite well that she would be scolded and punished, and she kept telling herself that she didnt care. But one week at Whyteleafe School had made her see that it really was a splendid school and she couldnt help feeling rather ashamed of her behavior.

Well, it cant be helped. They wont send me home unless I behave badly, she kept saying to herself.

Has anyone any more money to put into the Box? asked William. He looked at a sheet of paper. Jill Kenton and Harry Wills have received money this week and have already put it in. Has anyone else any?

Nobody had. Nora, give out the two shillings to everyone, please, ordered William.

Nora began to give out the money. She even gave it to Elizabeth, who was most surprised. She had quite thought that, owing to her behavior, she would get no money at all. She made up her mind to buy some peppermints and some toffee and share them with Joan. She whispered this to her friend, who was sitting beside her.

Thank you, whispered back Joan, I shall want most of my money to buy stamps this week, so I shall love to share your sweets!

Does anyone want extra money? asked William. George got up and spoke.

We need a new cricket ball for a practice game, he said. We lost ours in the shrubbery.

You must look for it again before you get the money, said William. Come to me tomorrow.

George sat down. Queenie got up.

Could I have some money to buy a birthday present for somebody? she asked. Its my old nurses birthday this week, and Id like to send her something. Half a crown will do nicely. Half a crown was given to Queenie.

Id like a new garden spade, said John Terry, standing up. Im afraid it will cost rather a lot, though.

Mr. Warlow, the games master, got up and spoke for John, I should just like to say that in my opinion John deserves a new spade, he said. He is the best gardener in the school, and I believe the peas we had for dinner today were due to his hard work.

Johns spade was passed at once.

Give him the money, said William. How much is it, John?

Im afraid it is twelve shillings and sixpence, said John. Ive asked at three shops and the price is the same in each. Twelve shillings and sixpence was handed out. John sat down, blushing with pleasure.

Other things were asked for. Some were granted and some were refused. Then came the complaints and grumbles.

Any reports or complaints? asked Rita, knocking on the table for silence.

I want to report Harry Dunn for cheating, said a monitor firmly.

There was a buzz at once. Everyone knew Harry Dunn, a sly-faced boy in the class above Elizabeths. He sat on his form, looking red.

Cheating is awful! said William, shocked. We havent had a proper case of that here for three terms.

Dont give him any money to spend for the rest of the term! called someone.

No. Thats a silly punishment for cheating, said William at once. It wouldnt stop him and would only make him angry.

There was a loud discussion about Harry. Rita banged on the table with her hammer.

Quiet! she said. I want to ask Harry something. Harry, what lesson do you cheat in?

Arithmetic, said Harry sulkily.

Why? asked William.

Well, I missed five weeks last term, and I got behind in my arithmetic, said Harry. My father doesnt like me to be bad at arithmetic, and I knew Id be almost bottom if I didnt cheat. So I thought Id better cheat, and copy Humphreys sums. Thats all.