CHAPTER VI
French Leave
The sheaves of rushes were duly carried into the church, and stackedartistically in the deep window-sills, where they gave somewhat theeffect of a harvest festival. The girls were eager to lay bundles ofthem in the particular pews occupied by the school, but the verger, wholooked askance at the whole business, and whose wife was hovering aboutwith a broom to sweep up bits, vetoed the suggestion so emphaticallythat the Vicar, wavering with a strong balance towards ancient custom,hastily and regretfully decided in the negative. Neither would Miss Toddallow them to be strewn upon the schoolroom floor, although Dianaventured to suggest the advisability of practical study of mediaevalmethods.
"There are some things best left to imagination," replied the Principaldryly. "For instance, there would be no need to dispense with forks, andlet you hold mutton bones with your fingers at dinner, in order todemonstrate fourteenth-century manners, nor to bleed you every time youhad a toothache, to test ancient practices of medicine. If you're sovery anxious to skip a few hundred years, I have, in an old Herbal, aprescription to cure 'swimming in ye heade and such like phantasies'. Itconsists mainly of pounded snail-shells, mixed with boiled tansy andsnippings from the hair of an unbaptized infant born between Easter andMichaelmas. Any one who wishes has my permission to try it."
"No, thank you!" said Diana, screwing up her mouth. "Unless," she addedhopefully, "I might go out and gather the tansy. We saw some growing onthe way to Fox Fell."
"There's a fine clump at the bottom of the garden, so you needn't go outof bounds to get it," replied Miss Todd, glancing at her pupil with eyesthat clearly saw through all subterfuges.
The Principal was determined that Diana and Wendy, having deliberatelybroken a rule, should suffer the just consequences, and she did notintend to remit one jot or tittle of the punishment she had inflicted."Bounds" at Pendlemere were sufficiently extensive to allow ampleexercise, and any farther excursions must be deferred till the end ofthe appointed fortnight.
Diana, looking at the exeat list which hung in the hall, shook her headat sight of her own name scored through with a blue pencil.
"Just to think that removing my boots and stockings for ten shortminutes should have cut me off from going to Glenbury," shephilosophized. "I was only 'laving my feet', as the poets say. Nymphsalways did it in classical times. Indeed, I don't suppose they ever hadboots and stockings to take off, so they could paddle as they pleased."
"They had a warmer climate in Greece," sniffed Wendy, who had a bad coldin her head as the result of her paddling; "and I suppose they wereaccustomed to it. If there is anything you want particularly inGlenbury, Magsie's going, and I expect she'd get it for you."
"I don't know whether she could."
"What is it you want?"
Diana hesitated, then whispered in Wendy's ear:
"Three packets of Turkish cigarettes."
"O-o-o-oh!"
Wendy's eyes were wide. Diana nodded determinedly.
"But what do you want them for?"
"That's my own business."
"You surely don't _smoke_!"--in a horrified voice.
"I don't want them for myself--I'll tell you that much."
"For whom are they, then?"
"I shan't tell you!"
"Magsie would never dare to bolt into a tobacconist's and buycigarettes."
"I was afraid she wouldn't," said Diana sadly.
"And you'd better be careful yourself if you go to Glenbury next exeatday. Toddlekins would draw the line at cigarettes. You wouldn't like toget expelled?"
"I don't know that I'd very much care," sighed Diana.
She revenged herself for her enforced seclusion by clumping noisilyabout the passages, till Miss Todd, hearing the racket, dropped asignificant hint as to the necessity of compulsory felt slippers forgirls who had not learnt to walk lightly. So, fearing that the Principalmight really carry out this threat, Diana betook herself to the garden,and expended her superfluous energy on a fast and furious set of tennis.Having lost three balls, she left Vi and Peggy to look for them, and,still in a thoroughly bad temper, strolled round the corner of thehouse. On the front drive she saw a sight that set her running. Exactlyopposite the door stood the car of her cousin, Mrs. Burritt. It wasempty, but the chauffeur, at the top of the steps, was in the very actof handing two envelopes to the housemaid.
"Anything for me, Thompson?" cried Diana eagerly.
"Yes, miss. Letter for you, and one for Miss Todd," replied the man,touching his cap.
Diana seized hers from Edith, the maid, devoured its contents, andclapped her hands.
"I'll be ready in five minutes, Thompson!" she exclaimed, and fledindoors.
Half-way down the corridor she nearly ran into Miss Todd, emerging fromher study with an open letter in her hand.
"Where are you going, Diana?"
"Cousin Cora's asked me for the night! She's sent the car for me. Mycousin Lenox is there on leave!" panted Diana.
"So I understand from Mrs. Burritt's letter, but I certainly cannotallow you to go."
"Not go?"
Diana's face was a study.
"I had no authority from your father and mother to allow you to acceptinvitations."
"But I _know_ they'd let me! Oh, Miss Todd, I simply _must_!"
"That's for me to decide, Diana, not you, and I say 'no'."
Mistress and pupil looked at each other squarely. Miss Todd's mouth wasset in a firm line. Evidently she considered that she was fighting acampaign against Diana, and she meant to carry this outpost. Diana hadthe sense to realize her defeat. She drooped her lashes over her eyes.
"May I send a note to Cousin Cora?" she asked in a strangled voice.
"You can if you wish, and I'll write to her myself, and explain that itis against our rules."
Murmuring something that sounded dangerously like "Strafe rules!" Dianadarted upstairs for blotting-pad and fountain-pen. She frowned hardwhile she scribbled, thumped the envelope as she closed it, then randown to give it into the personal charge of the chauffeur. She wouldhave added some comments for his benefit, had Miss Hampson not beenstanding upon the doorstep.
"You're not coming, miss?" enquired Thompson civilly, but with evidentastonishment.
"_No!_" grunted Diana, turning indoors and clumping down the hall pastMiss Todd's study with footsteps heavy enough to justify the demand forfelt slippers.
She was too angry at the moment to mind what happened, and thePrincipal, who was wise in her generation, allowed her to stamp byunchallenged.
At tea-time, at preparation, at evening recreation, and at supper Dianasat with a thunder-cloud on her face. When she went to bed it burst. Shesquatted in a limp heap on the floor and raged at fate.
"I'm sorry, but you're really making a most fearful fuss!" said Loveday,whose sympathy and sense of fitness were playing see-saw. "It's one ofthe rules of the school that we don't go away for odd holidays. We mayhave Friday to Monday at half-term, but even Mrs. Gifford never letanyone off in the middle of the week to stay a night. You're only servedthe same as everybody else. Why can't you take it sporting?"
"You don't understand!" wailed Diana, mopping her moist cheeks.
"Do get up from the floor, at any rate. It looks so weak to be huddledup like a bundle of rags. You haven't brushed your hair yet. Don't be aslacker, Diana!"
Thus morally prodded, Diana rose dejectedly, put on her bedroomslippers, and took the hair-brush which her room-mate handed. She didnot like to be called a slacker, particularly by Loveday. The atmospherewas not altogether harmonious: she felt as if their thoughts wererunning round in circles, and had not yet met at a mutual angle ofcomprehension.
"Loveday doesn't understand me--she thinks me a spoilt cry-baby!" shekept repeating to herself, and the mere fact of realizing that attitudein her companion prevented her from trying to explain the situation.Hair-brush drill proceeded in dead silence, only broken by an occasionalgasping sigh from Diana, which echoed throug
h the room about ascheerfully as a funeral dirge. Loveday stared at her once or twice as ifabout to make a remark, but changed her mind; she dawdled about theroom, opening drawers and rearranging her possessions. When at last shewas ready to put out the light she paused, and turned to the othercubicle. Diana lay quietly with her nose buried in the pillow. Lovedaybent over her and dropped a butterfly kiss on the inch of cheek visible.
"Poor old sport! Was I rather a beast?" she said; then, hearing MissBeverley's patrol step in the passage, she dabbed the extinguisher onthe candle and hopped hastily into bed.
All night long Loveday had uneasy and troubled dreams about Diana. Theymet and parted, and quarrelled and made it up; they did ridiculous andimpossible things, such as crawling through tubes or walking on roofs;they were pursued by bulls, or they floated on rivers; yet always theywere together, and Loveday, with a feeling of compunction and no senseat all of the ridiculous, was trying with a sponge to mop up Diana'soverflowing rivers of tears that were running down and making pools on aclean table-cloth. She awoke with a start, feeling almost as if thesheets were damp. Stealthy sounds came from the next cubicle, and thecandle was lighted there.
"What's the matter, Diana?"
"S-h-s-h!"
"Aren't you well?"
"Yes, I'm all right."
"What is it, then?"
As a grunt was the only answer, Loveday got up and drew aside thecurtains. Her room-mate was ready dressed, and was in process of combingher light-brown locks and fixing in a slide.
"What the dickens are you up to, child?" ejaculated Loveday inamazement.
Diana turned quickly, pulled Loveday down on to the bed, flung an armround her, and laid a fluffy head on her shoulder.
"Oh, _do_ be a sport!" she implored.
"But what do you want to do?"
"Look here--it's like this! I'm such a duffer at explaining, or I'd havetold you last night. My cousin, Lenox Clifford, has come over to Englandwith the American contingent. He has just thirty-six hours' leave, andhe rushed over to Petteridge to see the Burritts. Lenox and I werebrought up together; I've stayed whole months with them when Uncle Carrhad a ranch in New Mexico. It was Lenox who taught me to ride, and tofish, and to row, and to skate. There's no one in the world so clever asLenox! It's his birthday to-day. It was for him I wanted to get thosecigarettes--I thought he'd like them in camp. I couldn't think ofanything else to send him that he could pack among his kit. Well, he'sgoing off this week to the front, and, as likely as not, he'll be killedright away, and I'll never see him in this world again. It makes mecrazy to think of it. He's only ten miles away, and I mayn't even saygood-bye to him. Lenox, who's called me his 'little indispensable' eversince I was four! If he was killed, and I hadn't had one last word withhim, I'd break my heart. Yes, I would! You English girls are socold--you laugh at me because I feel red-hot about things."
"We're not cold really. I didn't understand," said Loveday. "You nevertold me all this about your cousin. Does Miss Todd know he's just offfor the front?"
"Cousin Coralie said so in her letter. That's what made me so furious. Iwouldn't have asked to go to Petteridge just for the sake of a holiday;but when it's a case of seeing Lenox, perhaps for the last time, I'mdesperate. Rules are cruel things!"
"I do think Miss Todd might have made a special exception," saidLoveday, hugging the agitated little figure that clung to her. "I'msure Mrs. Gifford would have let you go. It's because Miss Todd is new,and also because, when once she's said a thing, she sticks to it. Youwere kept to 'bounds'."
"I know. But, Loveday, I'm going to break them this morning. I must saygood-bye to Lenox whatever happens. I'm going to cycle over toPetteridge--now don't talk, for I've planned it all out. I can climbdown the ivy, and I left Wendy's bicycle outside last night on purpose.I shall be back by half-past seven."
The audacity of the proposal nearly took Loveday's breath away.
"But--but----" she remonstrated.
"No buts," said Diana, getting up and putting on her tam-o'-shanter.
"But, you silly child, you'll never do it in the time, and they won't beup when you get to Petteridge."
"Won't they? I rather guess they will! I told Cousin Cora I was comingto breakfast at six o'clock, and they must send me back in the car,bicycle and all."
"Did you put that in the letter you sent by the chauffeur?"
"Yes. Miss Todd didn't ask to read it. I reckon they'll have a nicelittle meal waiting. If I can manage to slip in here before the gongsounds for prayers, nobody need know a word about it except you,Loveday, and I trust you not to tell."
"It's frightfully against my conscience," faltered Loveday doubtfully.
"Oh! Suppose you had a brother or a cousin of your own who was going outto the front, wouldn't you want to say just one word of good-bye?Especially when you hadn't seen him for a year! It isn't as if I weredoing anything that Father and Mother would be angry about. And CousinCora will send me back in the car."
"It really is red-tape of Miss Todd," murmured Loveday yieldingly.
"Then you'll promise? Oh, good! What a sport you are! Help me on with mycoat. No, I don't need a scarf--it's quite warm. I must take my watch,though."
The girls drew aside the curtains and looked out of the window. It wasonly about half-past four; the stars were shining, and there was a thin,horned moon hanging in the east, its radiant rim turned towards the spotwhere the day would break. No hint of dawn was yet in the air, thoughcurlews were calling from the meadows by the lake. Bushes and gardenpaths were plainly distinguished in the starlight.
"It'll be light soon," said Diana, "and, at any rate, I can see quitewell enough to ride. I shall just enjoy spinning along."
"Be careful going down hills," urged Loveday. "By the by, you're on theearly practising-list this morning--had you forgotten?"
"Oh, kafoozalum! So I am! Suppose Bunty comes to see why the piano'ssilent? Well, I can't help it! I'm going! Do the best you can for me,won't you?"
The close ivy which grew up the side of the house had stems as thick astent-posts. Diana let herself down over the sill, found a footing, anddescended hand over hand with the agility of a middy. Wendy's bicyclewas leaning against the wall at the bottom. She took it, and wavedgood-bye to Loveday, then walked along the side-path that led to thegate. A minute later she was free-wheeling down the hill that ledthrough the village in the direction of Petteridge Court. Loveday,shaking her head, went back to bed.
"I'm thankful I'm not a prefect, or I should have felt bound to stopher," she reflected. "If I'd had a brother or a cousin whom I hadn'tseen for a year, and who was just off to the front, I declare I'd havedone it myself. I don't blame her! But there'll be a row if Buntydoesn't hear her scales going."
Exactly at a quarter to eight o'clock a Daimler car whisked through thevillage, and stopped by the gate of Pendlemere Abbey. A small figurehopped from it, and the chauffeur handed out a bicycle, then drove awayat full speed. Girl and bicycle crept through the laurels to the sidedoor, whence the former fled upstairs like a whirlwind. From theintermediates' room came the strains of the Beethoven sonata with whichLoveday was at present wrestling. Diana, wrenching off coat and hat inher bedroom, paused to listen.
"Bless her!" she muttered. "She's actually gone and taken my place! Whatan absolute trump she is!"
It was not until morning school was over that the confederates had theslightest chance to compare notes.
"Well, did you see him?" asked Loveday, when at last they met in theirbedroom to brush their hair for dinner.
Diana's eyes filled with tears.
"Yes, and Cousin Cora said she was glad I came. She lost her own boy,you know--he went out with the American Red Cross, and was killed when aZepp. bombed the hospital. That's two years ago now. I wouldn't havemissed saying good-bye to Lenox for worlds. I'd quite a nice ride toPetteridge. It got light directly, and the hills looked beautiful in thedawn. Loveday, you did my practising for me!"
"Not exactly _for_ you! I took your ha
lf-hour, and you must take mineinstead, from half-past four till tea-time."
"Right-o! But did Bunty come in?"
"Yes; and I told her I wanted to go out with Nesta this afternoon. So Ido."
"You don't think anybody suspects?"
"Not a soul!"
Diana came close, and laid a hand on her room-mate's arm.
"Loveday, I'll never forget what you've done for me to-day--_never_! IfI ever get the chance to do anything for you in return, you bet I'll doit, no matter _what_ it costs me! You've been a real mascot. There isn'ta girl in the school who'd have played up better, certainly not amongthe seniors. I do think you're just ripping! Did Bunty look _very_surprised to see you at the piano?"
"She did, rather; but I asked her if Nesta and I might have an exeatthis afternoon to go to the Vicarage. Mrs. Fleming gave us an openinvitation, you know, to come and see her sketches."
"What a brain! You really are too lovely!" chuckled Diana.
A harum-scarum schoolgirl Page 6
