The Naughtiest Girl in the School (20 page)

Joan was looking very pretty and very happy. Her mother had gone, leaving behind her a big box of velvety peaches, a tin of barley sugar, and some books. But best of all she had left Joan a promise that never, ever would she let Joan think she was forgotten again.

“It’s all because of you, Elizabeth,” said Joan, offering her friend a barley sugar to suck. “Oh, Elizabeth-do please stay on at Whyteleafe. Don’t make me unhappy by leaving, just as I’ve got to know you!”

“There are plenty of other people for you to make friends with,” said Elizabeth, sucking the barley sugar.

“I don’t want them,” said Joan. “They would seem feeble after you, Elizabeth. I say-have you been looking after my rabbit for me?”

“Of course,” said Elizabeth. “Oh, Joan, it’s the dearest little thing you ever saw! Really it is. Do you know, it knows me now when I go to feed it, and it presses its tiny woffly nose against the wire to welcome me! And yesterday it nuzzled itself into the crook of my arm and stayed there quite still time the school bell rang and I had to go.”

“Harry came to see me this morning and he said he wishes you were not leaving, because he wants to give us two more baby rabbits, to live with my tiny one,” said Joan. “He said they could be between the two of us.”

“Oh,” said Elizabeth, longing for the two rabbits. “Really, if I’d known what a nice place Whyteleafe School was, I’d never have made up my mind to leave it!”

She had to go then, because it was time for her music-lesson. She rushed to get her music. Richard was in the music-room, waiting for her with Mr. Lewis.

The two were getting on well with their duets. Richard was pleased with Elizabeth now, for he knew that she really loved music, as he did, and was willing to work hard at it. They played two duets very well indeed for Mr. Lewis.

“Splendid!” he said. “Elizabeth, I’m pleased with you. You’ve practiced well since your last lesson, and got that difficult part perfect now. Now-play Richard your sea-piece that you love so much.”

Elizabeth was proud to play to Richard, for she thought him a wonderful player. She played her best. Mr. Lewis and Richard listened without a word or a movement till she had finished.

“She ought to play that at the school concert at the end of the term,” said Richard, when the piece was ended. “It’s fine!”

Elizabeth glowed with pleasure. She liked praise from Richard even more than praise from the music-master.

“That’s what I suggested to her,” said Mr. Lewis, sitting down at the piano and playing some beautiful chords. “But she doesn’t want to.”

“I do want to!” cried Elizabeth indignantly. “It’s only that I’m leaving soon.”

“Oh-that silly old story again,” said Richard in disgust. “I thought better of you, Elizabeth. You can stay here if you want to-but you’re just too jolly obstinate for words. Your music may be good-but I don’t think much of your common sense.”

He stalked off without another word, his music rolled under his arm.

Elizabeth felt half angry, half tearful. She hated being spoken to like that by Richard.

“I expect Richard is disappointed with you because I know he hoped that you and he would play the duets in the concert this term,” explained Mr. Lewis. “He’ll have to play them with Harry now-and though Harry likes music, he’s not a good player.”

Elizabeth finished her music-lesson without saying very much. She was thinking hard. She was in a muddle. She wanted to stay-and she wanted to go, because her pride told her to keep her word to herself, and leave.

She went out to do some gardening when her lesson was over. She and John had become very friendly indeed over the garden. Elizabeth did not mind working hard with John, and he was pleased.

“So many of the others like to pick the flowers, and trim the hedges when they feel like it,” he said, “but hardly anybody really works hard. When the tiny plants have to be bedded out, or the kitchen garden has to be hoed, who is there that offers to do it? Nobody!”

“Well, aren’t I somebody?” demanded Elizabeth. “Don’t I come?”

“Oh yes-but what’s the use of you?” said John. “You’re leaving soon, aren’t you? You can’t take a real interest in a garden that you won’t ever see again. If you were going to stay I would make all my plans with you-I believe Mr. Johns would let you take part-charge of the garden with me. It really would be fun.”

“Yes-it would,” said Elizabeth, looking round the garden. “Are you the head of the garden, John?”

“Yes-under Mr. Johns,” said John. “Nobody needs to garden unless they like, you know-but if it’s anyone’s hobby, as it is mine, they are allowed to spend most of their spare time here. I’ve had charge of the garden for two years now, and it’s pretty good, don’t you think so?”

“Oh yes, I do,” said Elizabeth, looking round it, “It’s lovely. I could think of lovely things for it too, John. Don’t you think a row of double pink hollyhocks would be nice, looking over that wall?”

“Fine!” said John, standing up from his hoeing. “Fine! We could get the seeds now and plant them-and we could set out the new little plants this autumn, ready to flower next summer, Let’s ask for money for the seeds at the next Meeting, shall we?”

“Well-you can, if you like,” said Elizabeth. “I’m afraid it will be my last Meeting, John.”

“Your last Meeting!” said John scornfully, and he dug his hoe into the hard ground as if he were digging it into a Meeting. ‘What a feeble goose you are, Elizabeth.”

“Feeble!” cried Elizabeth angrily. “I like that! Just because I’m keeping my word and sticking to what I said, you call me feeble.”

“Well, it is feeble to give up everything you like so much here-your gardening-your riding-your friend -and your music-just because you’re too proud to climb down and change your mind,” said John. “I’m disappointed in you.”

Elizabeth stamped off in a rage. She hated to be called feeble. It was the one thing she had always thought that she wasn’t.

She went to the swings. There was no one else there. Elizabeth sat on the highest swing and began to sway to and fro. She thought very hard.

“Now let’s get things clear in my own mind,” said Elizabeth to herself. “First of all-I didn’t want to come here, and I vowed to myself, to Mummy and Miss Scott that I’d get sent home as soon as possible. Well, I got the Meeting to say I could leave at half term, and I was jolly pleased. I’d got what I wanted!”

Elizabeth swung high, and the swing creaked as it went to and fro.

“Yes-I’d got what I wanted,” said Elizabeth. “I needn’t even stay a term at this horrid, hateful school. That was what I called it.  And now I find it isn’t horrid or hateful. I can’t help being happy here. The others seem to like me now that I’ve given up being so awful. I have a friend who is longing for me to stay and will be unhappy when I go. I’ve disappointed Richard, who wants to play with me at the concert. I’ve disappointed Mr. Lewis. John is angry with me because I don’t like his garden enough to stay-though really I do like it awfully. And Harry wants to give me those lovely rabbits.”

She swung even higher as her thoughts sped along.

“And why am I going? Now I’ll just be really honest with myself. I’m not going because I’m unhappy. I’m very happy now. I’m going simply because I can’t bear to change my mind and say I’m wrong. I’m too proud to say I’ll stay, when I’ve said I’ll go. I’m not strong enough to change my mind, and own up I’m wrong!”

Elizabeth slowed down the swing and put her feet on the ground. She frowned and looked at the grass. She had never thought so hard in her life.

She spoke to herself sternly. “Elizabeth Allen, you’re feeble! Richard is right and Harry is right. You’re feeble! You’re a coward! You don’t dare to stand up at the next Meeting and say you’re too happy to leave! You aren’t strong enough to change your mind! You’re proud and silly! Elizabeth Allen, I’m ashamed of you!”

Elizabeth spoke these words to herself more sternly than anyone had ever spoken to her, She stopped for a moment, thinking deeply.

“But am I really so silly? Am I really so feeble? Can I really spoil my happiness here, and Joan’s too, by being so stupid and proud? No, I can’t! I’m stronger than I thought. I can change my mind! I will change my mind! What did William say? He said that only the strongest people could change their minds when they saw they were wrong-it was the feeble ones who couldn’t!” She began to swing again.

“Well, I’m strong!” she sang, as she swung. “I can change my mind! I can say I’m wrong! Elizabeth Allen, you’re not such a poor thing as I thought! Just wait till the next Meeting-and I’ll give them the biggest surprise they’ve ever had!”

The little girl laughed as she swung. She felt very happy. She was no longer obstinate and proud. She was strong enough to change her mind.

“I wish the next Meeting would come soon!” she said to herself. “What a shock I shall give them!”

CHAPTER 24

A Surprise for the School

The last Meeting before half term met at the same time as usual in the gym. Everyone was there except Joan, who was in the San. rapidly getting better.

            Elizabeth sat on her usual form, between Harry and Belinda, feeling rather excited. What a surprise she was going to give everyone! The ordinary business of the Meeting went through as usual. Money was taken from the box, but none was put in. Most of the children were expecting money from their parents when they saw them at half term, and the next week the box would be very full again! A few complaints were made, and one or two reports. Doris, who owned the guinea-pigs, beamed when her monitor reported that she had not forgotten her pets once.

And, said the monitor, they look the finest guinea-pigs Ive ever seen now.

Good, said Rita. See that they keep like that. Doris!

Then Elizabeths turn came, at the end of the reports. Rita knocked on the table with the mallet, and everyone was silent.

I havent much to say about Elizabeth Allen this week, said Rita. But I must just say this-both William and I know now why Elizabeth spent so much money and what she spent it on. We are quite satisfied about it, and we hope that the jury and the rest of you will accept our word when we say that we can only say that we are satisfied, and not tell you anymore. Elizabeth was wrong to do what she did, but she was right not to tell us about it. Now the matter has come right, and we have no more to say.

Wait, Rita, said William. We have more to say! This is the Meeting at which we were to ask Elizabeth if she wanted to leave us-it is our half term Meeting. Well-we are keeping our word to you, Elizabeth. If you want to go, and you have made up your mind to do so, we give you our permission. Miss Belle and Miss Best will tell your parents, and if they agree, you may go back with them when they see you tomorrow.