01 The School at the Chalet (14 page)

‘Coffee? ‘ she said, in the low-German patois of the country. ‘Yes, I can give you coffee, very good, and bread-and-butter too.’

‘Have you any cakes?’ asked Herr Marani.

She shook her head. ‘Na; Kuchen, nein! Aber Marmelade,’ she added good-naturedly, seeing the disappointment on the four girlish faces. ‘Marmelade ist sehr gut.’

‘We will have that, then,’ decided Herr Marani.

She nodded. ‘Im Speisesaal-fünf minuten.’

She held up the five fingers of her left hand to emphasise her remark, and then ran off.

‘I always think it’s so funny to call jam “marmalade,” ‘ observed Grizel idly. ‘What a pretty girl, Herr Marani! But she looks quite Italian. Look! There are some more! What heaps of children!’ as four or five tow-headed urchins came shyly round the corner of the house to stare wide-eyed at the visitors.

‘All probably grandchildren of the innkeeper,’ said Gisela. ‘Sometimes three or four families will live together in a place like this. Papa, see! How near the mountains seem!’

‘It is only seeming,’ said her father. ‘Look, Josephine! That is the way you came to Innsbrück . There is the line, over there, across the river. And now, our five minutes are up. Let us go and see if our coffee is ready.’

Bette and Grizel ran on in front, bursting into the
Speisesaal
, only to draw up in amazed silence. There before them sat Frau Berlin, drinking coffee and eating bread at one of the tables!

She looked up as they entered, and her already purple face deepened in colour as she glared at them.

‘My only aunt!’ gasped Grizel, finding her voice at last.

Herr Marani was equally thunderstruck; but before anything else could be said, Frau Berlin heaved herself to her feet.

‘I will
mi
t English pig-dogs not eat!’ she announced in thunderous tones.

‘Well, we don’t want to eat with you!’ retorted Grizel before Gisela could stop her.

The woman glared at her in stupefied silence. Herr Marani put out a hand, and dragged the English child back with small ceremony.

‘Be silent!’ he said sternly. ‘Go outside, all four of you!’

However indulgent he might be in some ways, Gisela knew that her father insisted on obedience, so she hauled Grizel out into the open air, followed by Bette and Joey, who were half scared, half inclined to giggle.

‘Grizel!’ exclaimed the Head Girl when they were outside. ‘How could you speak so rudely! She has right to be annoyed now!’

‘I’m not going to be called ‘pig-dog” by any measly old German!’ retorted Grizel.

Gisela threw out her hands with a little gesture of helplessness.

‘You are an idiot, Grizel!’ remarked Joey casually. ‘You’re spoiling our fun by being so stupid! If you’d left it alone, she’d have been in the wrong; now it’s us!’

‘Well, you can let that fat old pig call you names if you like,’ flashed Grizel, ‘but I won’t! You aren’t a bit patriotic!’

‘How dare you say that!’ Joey was becoming heated now. ‘I’m as patriotic as you, but I’ve a little more common sense! If you’d held your tongue, she would have been in the wrong. But now you’ve been abominably rude and let us down! Patriotic! Huh! If that’s your patriotism, I’m glad I don’t possess any of it! A nice name she’ll give all English girls now, thanks to you being “patriotic”!’ She stopped for sheer lack of breath, and Gisela promptly interfered.

‘It is of no use to quarrel now. It is done, and it is a great pity, but it cannot be helped. Joey, will you come with me to gather some of those flowers? And Bette, perhaps you and Grizel will go the other way and see what you can find.’

‘Certainly,’ said Bette promptly. ‘Come along, Grizel!’

Grizel’s quick passion had died by this time, and she was feeling rather ashamed of herself, so she meekly followed Bette; while Gisela, taking no notice of Joey’s lowering expression, walked up the road, chatting easily about the flowers which grew in glorious splendour everywhere. By the time they returned to the
Gasthaus
in answer to Herr Marani’s call, the storm had blown over, and they were able to enjoy the excellent coffee,
Butterbrod
, and
Pflaume Marmelade
, which the pretty girl of the inn laid before them on a table outside. She also produced some apples, and they made an excellent tea. Herr Marani was, apparently, quite undisturbed by his encounter with Frau Berlin, whom they could see in the
Speisesaal
thunderously drinking her coffee, with her enormous back ostentatiously turned towards them. However, Grizel was not to get off quite so lightly, for when the meal was over, and they were gathering flowers to take back to Tiern See, their host called her to him.

‘Mein Kindchen,’ he said gently, ‘another time, please do not be so violent in your patriotism. There is no real harm done this time, but it has not made our little expedition the pleasanter, and I do not think Miss Bettany would like it.’

‘No,’ agreed Grizel meekly. ‘I’m sorry I was so rude, Herr Marani.’

‘Then we will forget,’ he said cheerfully. ‘Come, I will get you some of those ferns for your bouquet, and then we must return, or we shall be too late to catch our train, and I am sure you do not want to walk up the mountain-road from Spärtz.’

‘Don’t forget we must call for the picture and the china, Papa,’ said Gisela, as they were once more seated in the carriage, rattling down the mountain-side. ‘The others will wish to see what we have chosen.’

‘Of course,’ he said. ‘I can understand that.’

‘It’s getting hotter, isn’t it? ‘ remarked Joey. ‘There was a lovely fresh breeze up by the Alte Post, but down here it’s quite hot.’

‘That is because we are lower down,’ laughed Bette. ‘Onkel, did you see Herr Rittmeister von Eschenau yesterday? He had bought Wanda and Marie six books of English school-stories, all new. Wanda said she would lend them to us.’

‘Ah, that reminds me,’ said her uncle. ‘Josephine, Frau von Eschenau has told me that she wishes to send Wanda and Marie to the Châlet School. Do you think your sister will be able to have them for boarders?’

Joey’s face flushed as she said joyfully, ‘Oh, how gorgeous! I like Wanda and Marie so much; don’t you, Grizel? Yes, I’m sure she can have them. Oh, what splendacious news!’

‘We are growing! We’ll be a big school soon,’ said Grizel. ‘There are four more girls coming next term, and with Wanda and Marie, that will make us twenty-two, and there may be more yet!’

‘Are we going to live at Tiern See all the winter, Papa?’ asked Gisela.

‘Yes, I think so,’ he replied. ‘I shall spend the week with
Grossmutter
in town, and come for the Sunday.

Herr Mensch is going to do the same; and Bette, I think you are to live with us.’

Bette clapped her hands. ‘How delightful! Oh, Onkel Florian, I am so glad! It would have been so lonely in Innsbrück without you all!’

‘Hasn’t this been a day of happenings? ‘ said Joey presently as they reached the town. ‘Where do we go?

Down here? Oh, I do love Innsbrück! It is such a dear town!’

They retrieved their purchases and made for the station, where Herr Marani left them for a moment in order to buy a paper. As they stood in a little group waiting for him, Grizel suddenly uttered an exclamation.

‘Oh, see! Joey! Look! There is Captain Carrick over there!’

Her clear accents carried high above the other noises, and the man at whom she was pointing, in defiance of good manners, heard her, and turned. It was, indeed, Captain Carrick. Raising his soft hat, he came over to them.

‘Well, girls! Fancy seeing you here! I found I had to run into Innsbrück to go to the bank. I have left Mrs Carrick waiting for me in Munich. How is Juliet? She is not with you, I see.’

‘No; we came in to buy a birthday present for Miss Bettany,’ explained Grizel. ‘We are going back now.’

‘And so am I-going back to Munich. But your mention of Miss Bettany reminds me that I have a note for her from my wife- something about her summer frocks, I think. I wonder, Miss Joey, if you would mind taking it for me. I forgot to post it, and she will get it all the sooner.’

‘Oh, rather!’ Joey took the note, and then the Captain bade them ‘good-bye’ and strolled away.

‘Joey, you look puzzled,’ said Bette. ‘What is it?’

‘Nothing,’ said Joey briefly. ‘Here’s Herr Marani.’

They accomplished the rest of the journey without any further happening, and were met at Seespitz by Madge, Miss Maynard, Simone, Juliet, and the Stevens.

‘We thought we’d stroll round to meet you,’ explained Madge. ‘What lovely flowers! For me? Oh, thank you, girls!’

‘Madge, this is for you!’ said Joey, producing the note. ‘It’s from Captain Carrick. I saw him in Innsbrück , and he gave it to me to give to you, because he had forgotten to post it. He came in to go to the bank, and was going back to Munich to-night, he said.’

Madge’s black brows had been drawn together in a quick frown at the sound of the forbidden Christian name, but something in Joey’s tone checked her. She glanced irresolutely at the note.

‘Read it!’ urged Joey. ‘ Read it now, Madge!’

‘Oh, yes, Miss Bettany, please read it! ‘ echoed Juliet, who had gone suddenly white on hearing Joey’s news. ‘Yes, read it!’

With a murmured word of excuse, Madge opened the envelope, and began to read, a little puzzled frown on her face. Suddenly she gave vent to an exclamation.

‘Oh, how dreadful! What am I to do?’

Chapter 14.

Juliet, The Incubus.

At once they all closed round her-all, that is, save Juliet. She stood on the outside of the little circle, with white face and eyes full of dread. None of them noticed her; they were too much interested in Madge and the letter.

‘What is it?’ demanded Joey. ‘What’s the letter say?’

Madge, reading the closely written words on the sheet of thin, foreign paper, did not answer her, so Joey shook her arm slightly.

‘Madge, what is it?’

With an effort the elder girl pulled herself together, and realised the startled little crowd of children round her.

‘Never mind, Joey,’ she said sharply. ‘Miss Maynard, will you take the girls home, please? Tell Mademoiselle I shall be back presently. Herr Marani, I must have a man’s advice.’

‘Certainly, Fräulein. I shall be pleased to do anything for you that I can. Will you not come back with us?

It is difficult to talk business here. Gisela, you may go to Buchau with Bette, but make haste to return.’

The various parties set off, Miss Maynard taking the Châlet girls by the lake-road to Briesau, while Bette and Gisela struck off across the water-meadows in the direction of Buchau, on the opposite side of the lake, and Miss Bettany and Herr Marani turned towards Torteswald. No one even noticed that Juliet stayed where she had dropped in the long grass in a little heap, shaking with silent sobs.

Herr Marani left the subject of the letter severely alone until they reached the Villa Hubertus, a pretty wooden house just outside Torteswald. Arrived there, he put Madge in a chair on the verandah, and disappeared indoors, to return presently with a cup of coffee, which he insisted on her drinking before they discussed any business whatsoever.

‘You have had a shock,’ he said. ‘Drink the coffee, Fräulein.’

Miss Bettany drank it, and felt better. He took the empty cup from her, placing it to one side, and then sat down beside her.

‘And now, Fräulein, tell me what has troubled you in this letter.’

For answer, Madge held it out to him. ‘Will you read it?’ she said.

He took it from her, and read it slowly through.

‘Dear Miss Bettany,’ Captain Carrick had written,-‘Perhaps you will be surprised at what I am going to say. Possibly you will think and say very hard things about me. That is my misfortune. However, let me break to you at once the news that I am presenting you with my daughter Juliet. Circumstances over which I have no control force me to leave Europe at once with my wife. A sulky schoolgirl will only be an encumbrance to us, added to which I have very little money. At least you have been paid a term’s fees, and I dare say you can make the girl useful to you, and repay yourself for her food and clothes in that way.

‘If, in the future, I find myself able to afford to keep her again, I will send for her. Until you hear from me to this effect, she is in your hands and at your mercy.

‘I regret that I am forced to these measures, but I see nothing else for it. Of course, if you like, you can send her to the nearest orphan asylum; but I have more faith in your goodness of heart. For your own convenience, I may as well tell you that neither my wife nor I have any relatives, so search for them will be as useless as search for us. Juliet can tell you that much herself.-Au revoir!

‘Lindley F. C. Carrick.’

Herr Marani swore deeply in German when he had finished reading this heartless letter. Then, realising that Madge could understand him, he apologised hastily.

‘I crave your pardon, Fräulein. It is the callous impudence of this man! He is not worthy of the name of either “man” or “father!” That poor child, to be abandoned thus!’

At these words, a slight figure rose out of the bushes which came up to the edge of the verandah, and a sobbing voice said, ‘Miss Bettany! Oh, have they left me again?’

‘Juliet!’ cried her headmistress. ‘How did you come here?’

Herr Marani made three strides, and was off the verandah and beside the child in a moment. He gripped her by the arm and drew her in to Miss Bettany, who looked at the red-rimmed eyes in the white face with a softening glance.

‘What did you mean by “again”?’ demanded the Austrian.

Juliet flung herself down on her knees by Madge’s side.

‘Oh, I was so afraid when they made me a boarder!’ she sobbed. ‘They did it once before in the Hills; but that time the Head found them and made them take me back. Then we came here, and ever since he told me I was to be a boarder, I have been afraid they meant to leave me. In one way, I’d rather be with you, because you are kind to me. But oh, it is so dreadful to be thrown on people’s charity!’ she finished with a little dry sob.

Madge slipped an arm round her. ‘You poor kid!’