by Anne Digby
Rebecca giggled as she came back into the room.
'If he thinks I'm beautiful he should hang around till he sees Ingrid,' she told Sue.
'The Swedish car?' queried Sue, casually. She'd tossed her violin case on to the corner bed, the one next to Tish's, and was now bouncing lightly up and down on the mattress. 'Springs are a bit funny. Wonder who had it last year?'
'I shall have the bed in this corner, yes?' said Mara. 'Next to you, Rebecca.' She jumped up and down on it. 'Perfect!'
'Isn't this a brilliant arrangement!' exclaimed Elf, looking out through the doorway of the adjacent two-bedded room. There was a doorway but no door. 'All together. I'm letting Margot have the long thin bed –'
'And,' said the black girl, appearing at her shoulder, smiling, 'I'm letting her have the short fat one.'
The six friends laughed and talked and sometimes squealed as they sorted out their luggage and argued over drawers and hanging space. They were supposed to be unpacked before the bell went for tea. At one stage Aba looked in to see them: 'You lot still together? So are we. We've got two rooms leading off each other, a double and a single – we all want the single!'
'So the three As are together and that's just one single left,' Rebecca calculated, when the Nigerian girl had gone. 'The one right on its own at the end of the corridor. I expect she'll like that.'
'Who?' asked Mara.
'The Swedish car,' interposed Sue. She was intrigued by the sound of the new girl.
'Hey! I've still got some chocolate!' said Tish, later.
They'd unpacked now and put their trunks in the corridor. They sat around on the beds in the larger room, all six of them, munching chocolate and just enjoying being together again.
Sue took her violin from its case and idly scraped the bow across the strings. Mara winced. 'Needs some rosin, Sue.' Sue got out the rosin and started to apply it, humming. Tish knelt on her bed and leant out of the window. 'It's going to be a balmy evening. Mmm. It's lovely at the back, overlooking the hens and Mrs Barry's washing. Peaceful.'
'More peaceful altogether up here,' Rebecca suddenly realized, now they'd all quietened down. She was lying on her back on her bed, hands behind her head, staring at a fly walking across the ceiling. 'It was all coming and going on the ground floor. Telephone, TV on in the common room, people always clattering up and down stairs.'
'Oh, sure,' said Margot, mimicking a nose-in-the-air face. 'The air's much more rarefied up here. We're Fourth Years now!'
'And we can disturb them now,' giggled Elf. 'Those insignificant little Thirds down there!'
It was a moment of contentment. The six felt very pleased with life as they waited for the bell to summon them to main school for tea. They listened to the clock on Sue's bedside locker ticking loudly.
And then they heard footsteps outside.
There was a knock. The door opened.
'Good afternoon, girls.'
They all scrambled up as the housemistress came into the room – 'Good afternoon, Mrs Barrington.'
Rebecca noticed that Mrs Barry was carrying an enormous expensive-looking tan and yellow suitcase. Strapped to the outside was a pair of long white leather ice-skating boots, with gleaming silver blades below. It was an odd, rather exotic, sight on a warm September afternoon.
The housemistress deposited the large case in the middle of the room.
'This is Ingrid's luggage.' She glanced behind her.. 'Come in, please, Ingrid.'
The six stared first at the luggage, then at each other.
'I'd like you to meet Ingrid Larsson,' smiled Mrs Barrington. 'She's from Sweden –'
The girl in the blue suit walked in, very erect. A shaft of light played on her hair, making it shine, almost halo–like. She was even more beautiful, at close quarters. She was unsmiling, but not in an unfriendly way. Although the same age as the rest of them, she looked very cool and grown up. She reminded Rebecca of a famous model.
'How do you do,' said Ingrid, in careful, perfect English, spoken without an accent.
'Hi,' said Sue, the first to break the awkward silence. 'How do you like England?'
Ingrid graciously inclined her head in Sue's direction. 'I like it very much, thank you. It has been a very warm day, don't you think?'
'Now girls,' Mrs Barrington said, in a jolly tone of voice. 'One of you will have to move, I'm afraid. Ingrid is going into Four Alpha with you, although she's only with us for a term. Her father's attached to the Swedish Embassy here, just for four months. As the whole idea is to improve her English, we want her in with a crowd.'
Silence.
'One of you will have to move out. There's the single free, at the end of the corridor.' She looked round at their blank faces and laughed. 'What's the matter? The new Fourth Years usually fight like cat and dog to get that one.' She glanced at Ingrid, before taking her leave. 'All right? I'll leave you to sort it out among yourselves. Oh, someone had better look after Ingrid properly for the first few days of term – Rebecca?'
'Er – yes, Mrs Barry,' said Rebecca. It had all been quite casual. 'Of course.'
Her first feeling was a natural one: relief. If she were supposed to be looking after Ingrid, then she could hardly be the one who had to get out of the room!
But then who?
As the door closed behind the housemistress, leaving Ingrid Larsson standing there in the middle of the room with her luggage, there was a strained silence.
Margot and Elf glanced at each other then sidled quietly off, through the opening and into their own room. If there had been a door, they would certainly have closed it.
'Sneaky!' muttered Tish, looking at Mara, sympathetically.
Mara just gazed at Tish, helplessly.
Sue started to hum, sat back down on the bed with the rotten springs and picked up her violin. She pushed her spectacles up her nose and then scraped her bow across the E string, which made a very high-pitched squeaky sound. 'Hmm, needs tuning,' she said. She busied herself adjusting the key of the E string, bringing her legs up on to the bed and tucking them beneath her, laying claim to her corner in clear terms.
Ingrid just stood there. It was embarrassing.
Tish flicked some imaginary dust off her bedside locker.
Rebecca carefully adjusted the little frame with the picture of Robbie, on hers.
Mara looked desolate.
Sue tried the E string again. It made a terrible noise, even worse than before.
'That is very interesting,' said the Swedish girl. 'You play the violin in the bedroom –?'
Mara's face suddenly lit up, with hope. It was quite unmistakable.
'Perhaps –' she blurted out. 'Maybe it would be nice for Sue if –'
Sue looked at Mara, coolly.
'I like the violin very much,' said Ingrid Larsson, impassively. 'It is a very beautiful instrument.'
'Yes,' said Mara. Her shoulders slumped.
They could all hear the clock ticking again.
It was left to Tish to break the silence.
'Come on, Mara. You know what they say? Last in – first out.'
'Exactly!' exploded Sue.
'Of course,' said Mara, bowing to the inevitable. 'It is only fair, I'll get my trunk and move all my things. To – to the single room.'
The rest of the six helped Mara move.
It was a shame, but nothing could be done about it.
'Cheer up, Mara,' said Rebecca putting an arm round her shoulders. 'It's a lovely little room, and it won't change anything. Look, you lucky thing, you've got your own electric kettle! And anyway, it's only for a term.'
'A term!' wept Mara. 'A whole term.'
Ingrid Larsson couldn't have been more concerned.
'I feel very bad about this, Rebecca. To find that I am splitting up old friends –'
'Oh, it's not your fault, Ingrid,' said Sue.
'Of course not,' agreed Rebecca.
Tish merely muttered:
'What's wrong with your English, anyway? Sounds al
l right to me.'
But fortunately at that moment the tea bell sounded and, as far as Rebecca could tell, the remark was drowned.
FIVE
NEWS FOR REBECCA
Of course, Mara soon cheered up. At tea, over in the dining hall in main school, the other five made a great fuss of her.
The truth was that, with the exception of Tish, they were all feeling conscience-stricken now – all wondering if they were the one who should have offered to move, whatever the rights and wrongs of the situation. Even Sue. They'd hated seeing Mara so upset.
Rebecca, in fact, offered now.
'Oh, dear Rebecca, of course not!' said Mara. She was quite cheerful again and had asked for a second helping of scrambled eggs. 'I like my little room! Besides, Mrs Barry has told you to look after Ingrid. You are the last person who can move!'
'Well, that's what I thought at first,' said Rebecca, with a puzzled frown. 'But she doesn't seem to want to be looked after. In fact, she told me so.'
It was true. The new girl didn't seem to need anybody. She seemed remarkably cool and poised and self-sufficient. Rebecca had been most impressed by it. For a start she'd refused to let Rebecca escort her to the dining hall.
'Thank you, no. I have already taken tea.'
'But at least come and see where it is. And I'll introduce you to some of the other girls in Four Alpha. You don't have to eat anything if you're not hungry. We can eat yours!'
'You are very kind, but no. There are some things I would like to do. I must unpack my luggage and put all in good order.'
'Well, look, I'll meet you back here after tea, then,' Rebecca had suggested. 'I'll show you over the old building – it's really lovely, eighteenth century! And round the grounds and –'
'You are kind. You are trying to look after me. But that is not necessary. My evening is quite planned. I shall arrange my things and then I shall take a long bath and do my exercises. And after that I shall change into a plain outfit such as the trousers and go down the stairs and watch the television. It is down the stairs, yes? In the public room.'
'The common room.'
'The common room?' For the first time Ingrid had looked interested in what Rebecca was saying. 'You say the common room? Thank you, Rebecca. Thank you very much.'
Now, in the dining hall, Mara's warm brown eyes were fixed upon Rebecca.
'Even if Ingrid doesn't need looking after, you aren't going to move for me. None of you are, so that is that!'
'There's no point, anyway,' shrugged Tish, with her usual realism. 'It's you who should feel sorry for us, Mara, not the other way round. It's not going to be the same now we've got Ingrers in with us, so it doesn't make much odds who moves!'
At the end of the tea she said to Rebecca:
'What a shock, after all our rush to get the rooms, as well!'
'At least she doesn't seem to need me!' said Rebecca, wryly. 'Not exactly the clinging sort, is she?'
But all that was going to change.
After tea the six friends walked across the grounds to the school's sports centre. Some trees were already taking on their autumn tinges, dark gold, deep yellow, soft russet. Rebecca felt happy to be back. Tomorrow lessons would start and there would be all the hurly-burly of timetables and prep and activities, but this evening was their own.
The hockey nets were already up and some energetic Second Years were racing up and down East Pitch, practising passes. Inside the sports centre, on the big green baize board in the main foyer, Miss Willis had put up various typewritten notices.
'Yes, here it is – it's up,' said Sue eagerly. 'Lovely and blank, I'm glad to say!'
The notice said:
FOURTH YEAR HEAD OF GAMES
Nominations below, please, with at least five supporting signatures. We have a heavy programme of middle school hockey fixtures this term and have also entered Trebizon for a National Seven-a-Sides (Under-15) – a new event to be staged at Queensbury Collegiate in December.
Please, therefore, make your nomination by 6p.m. Sunday, prior to formal appointment of your new Head in the gym at 6.30 p.m. In the event of more than one nomination, an election will take place at that time and voting will be by a show of hands.
Sara Willis
The six read the announcement right through.
'Seven-a-sides!' exclaimed Sue. 'That's interesting!'
Tish then told them all about it, but not about the 'master plan'. She sent Rebecca a warning glance and Rebecca remembered, with a feeling of excitement, that she and Sue were going to see the secret list, later!
'Sounds fun,' said Elf, though she and Margot and Mara weren't strong on hockey.
'Sounds terrific,' said Sue, thoughtfully. She missed playing in the Second Eleven, because of her music. 'David's done that.'
'Well, let's get Tish's name up so she can choose a good team then!' said Margot, taking a pen from her pocket. She wrote in large block capitals ISHBEL ANDERSON (Tish's proper name) and then they all signed in turn, underneath.
'Hey, don't take up so much room, or there won't be space for any other nominations,' said Tish.
'I rather hope there won't be any,' said an amused voice, behind them. 'You girls are really quite old enough to decide these things in a civilized way without a lot of razzmatazz and having to hold an election.'
Miss Willis had suddenly appeared from her small office. It opened off the main foyer of the sports centre. She looked crisp in a dark blue track suit, although her fair curly hair needed combing as usual.
'Please don't think I'm undemocratic, girls. You can have an election if you really must! May I grab you for a minute, Rebecca? Like to come into my office?'
'We don't want an election, Miss Willis!' Margot called out with a grin as the games teacher led Rebecca towards her office.
'Anything but!' said Elf, sanctimoniously.
'If anyone's daft enough to stand against Tish, that's their look out!' added Sue. She had once done so – and learnt her lesson! 'We'll be in the sports hall, Rebecca – okay?'
'See you!' said Rebecca. Her heart was thudding a little as she followed Sara Willis into the office. What was this going to be about – her tennis?
It was. And it was exciting news.
'The county have got all your competition results through and computed them. Those results have jumped you right into the A Squad – Under-14 girls. You're in at number five.'
'Number five!' gasped Rebecca. 'I knew I'd done well, but even so –'
'Get to number four and you'll have the chance to play for the county. You've been hoping for that for so long! You'll have to do it by Christmas, of course. After that, you go back down the ladder again.'
Rebecca nodded. Although her fourteenth birthday had been in the summer, she was classed as Under-14 until 31 December. After that she would be classed as an Under-16 and, against tougher opposition, would have to work for her county ranking all over again, in the new category.
'Oh, I must get to number four!' exclaimed Rebecca.
'I'm sure they'll want you to have a match,' smiled Miss Willis. 'Well done. But it's next year we have to look to. You'll have your usual county tennis training at Exonford this term –'
'Is it still Sunday fortnights?' Rebecca asked.
'Yes,' said Miss Willis. 'But it's not enough. I want to see you bridge the gap, now! You haven't much longer as an Under-14. Miss Darling is willing to give you private coaching. Would your parents be willing to pay for that?'
'I'll write to them!' exclaimed Rebecca. 'I'll write and ask them! This minute!'
'Off you go, then.' Sara Willis looked at Rebecca with friendly twinkly eyes. 'They'll be glad to hear your news. I wish I'd known yesterday and I could have phoned them in London. In the meantime, we'll take it they agree – and I'll ask Miss Darling to sort something out.'
'Oh, thanks, Miss Willis!'
Flushed with excitement Rebecca ran across to the big glass doors that led into the sports hall, intending to tell the others her
news. But she saw that they were now in the middle of a game of badminton. She'd tell them later. First, she'd run back to the boarding house and write to her parents at once.
She hurried all the way back to Court House, then stopped inside the front door to get her breath back. Running in the boarding house was against the rules. She made her way steadily along the hall, towards the staircase. The common room door was open and she heard a high, tinkling laugh.
It was a lovely laugh, as delicate as sleigh bells, and she didn't recognize it.
She peered into the common room and saw Ingrid Larsson – she was actually laughing!
Ingrid was standing with her back to the window, talking to somebody out of Rebecca's line of vision. She wore beautifully tailored velvet slacks of a burgundy colour, with matching waistcoat and a white blouse with full sleeves and lacy ruffles at the throat. She looked very elegant. Her face was alight with laughter.
'What happened then?' she asked, with a fresh peal.
Rebecca was fascinated. She turned and started to walk up the stairs, wonderingly.
Then, reverberating from inside the common room she heard another laugh, much deeper.
She recognized it at once.
SIX
TISH WORRIED
'Robbie!' Rebecca called out in delight. 'Robbie?'
She turned and came running back down the stairs and he immediately appeared from the common room.
'Rebeck!'
'Robbie!'
She jumped down the last three stairs and he caught her in a great bear hug.
'I didn't expect to see you again before Saturday!' laughed Rebecca with pleasure. 'What are you doing here?'
'Waiting outside the dining hall, waiting over here! Where have you been? Ingrid here's been looking after me –' Ingrid had appeared in the hall. 'In fact I'd have given you up by now and gone back to Garth with my dam' tennis racket, except Ingrid told me to wait and made me a good cup of coffee!'
'I was sure you would come soon, Rebecca.'
Rebecca glanced at the Swedish girl, gratefully. She had hidden depths. But –
'Tennis racket, Robbie?' How was she supposed to know!
'Yes!'
'Let me fetch it!' said Ingrid, helpfully, disappearing into the common room and then returning with Robbie's racket. She gave it to him. 'Soon now it will be getting dark, yes?'
