Strangers at the Abbey

by Elsie J. Oxenham

  “She’s pretty, of course, even without paint splashed all over her,” Jen said grudgingly.

  “She looks much nicer without it. But she doesn’t believe that. Have you had your lesson in make-up yet?”

  Jen grinned. “There hasn’t been time. I shall make her show me some day. But you needn’t worry; I’m not going in for it. I’d like to see Father’s face, if I arrived home all permed and painted and powdered!”

  “I wouldn’t like to see you permed and painted,” Joan told her. “You look much nicer as you are.”

  “Rykie doesn’t think so.”

  “The opposite point of view, Jenny-Wren.”

  “The O.P.V. I’ll remember,” Jen laughed. “You don’t like her wanting to be an actress, do you?”

  “I wouldn’t say that,” Joan said, considering her words carefully. “If she really has a gift, she must use it, and we must help her to make the most of it. But I don’t feel sure about it yet.”

  “She’s sure!”

  “Oh, yes! She’s convinced of it. But it may be only schoolgirl excitement at the thought of being in films; there’s a lot of glamour about Hollywood!”

  “Rather! Quite half the girls at school want to get on the pictures.”

  “Rykie may be just another. And she wants to be like Belle. We can’t tell yet whether it’s the real thing with her or not. If it’s only stage-struck thrills, she’ll get tired of it and she’ll have wasted her time. That’s why I feel so sure she must have another year or two at school.”

  “To find out if it is real or not,” Jen assented. “If she could have been Jaques we’d have seen how good she is; or isn’t!”

  “Yes, it would have helped a lot. Perhaps we’ll have another chance to see what she can do. It’s too early to say whether she should go on the stage or not. After she’s had a few weeks at school we’ll consult Miss Cameron, who will know all about her elocution and so on by that time. If Rykie turns out to be really keen, and if she shows promise of having a real gift, be sure we shall do all we can to help her on her way.”

  “Rykie’s jolly lucky to have you to look after her.”

  “Go to sleep, Jenny-Wren! Don’t think any more about Rykie to-night,” Joan commanded.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  RYKIE GOES TO SCHOOL

  The ex-Queen, Muriel, looked with interest at the new girl when Jen introduced her, after Rykie had been interviewed by the headmistress. “I hear you are keen on acting,” she said pleasantly. “I asked Jen Robins to bring you to me, as I’m secretary of the Dramatic Society. We’re preparing a play for the end of the term; perhaps we can use you.”

  “I’ve been in lots of plays.” Rykie did not believe in leaving things to chance.

  “Then you won’t have stage-fright. I expect you’ll be very useful. Come to the library after school; I’ll collect our members and you can read something and show us what you can do. We can judge a good deal from your voice and expression.”

  “My voice is all right,” Rykie assured her.

  Muriel raised her brows. “We’ll see,” she said. “Are you any good at Shakespeare?”

  “Oh, yes! I’ve done heaps. I’m good at blank verse.”

  “Well, come along at four o’clock. We’ll judge for ourselves.”

  “May I come too?” Jen asked. “We’ll be going home together. I’ll have to wait for her.”

  “Come, if you like. You don’t want to join us, do you?”

  “Oh, no, thanks! I’m not keen, and I’ve heaps to do.”

  Muriel laughed. “Just as well not to do too much,” she said, and sent them off. “Well, for cool and complete self-assurance, this Rykie thing beats anyone I’ve ever seen!” And she found Nesta, Beatrice, Aileen and others who were in the play and asked them to come to pronounce judgement on the new child’s powers.

  Rykie showed no shyness as the girls of her form gathered round. Yes, she came from Scotland; no, she did not go in much for games—she only cared about acting. Of course she was joining the Dramatic, and she hoped to be put into the play.

  “My sister’s an actress, and she’s just flown to Hollywood. She’s going into films,” she said proudly.

  This caused a storm of questions and an obvious feeling that the new girl was an acquisition to the form and would be worth cultivating. The class swarmed round, interested and eager, and Rykie enlarged on Belle’s gifts and achievements and on her own ambitions.

  Jen strolled away to join her friends. “I’m not needed! But I really ought to have stayed to listen; she’s telling them heaps more about Belle than she’s told us at home. I suppose we weren’t excited enough, or we didn’t ask the right questions. Perhaps she’s making it all up to thrill the girls! But that’s mean; I expect it’s true enough. I wonder how the Dram will like her! I thought Muriel looked a bit odd. She’s so quiet and keeping-in-the-background herself—so like her Speedwell flowers as Queen!—that it must have seemed queer to hear Rykie swanking about Shakespeare; for she did swank! Muriel thinks she’s a weird specimen. But they’ll want to use her, if she’s really good.”

  She looked for Rykie at dinner-time, but saw she was still not needed. Rykie had made friends, and was talking and laughing noisily in the midst of a cheerful group of fourteen-year-olds.

  Jen shrugged her shoulders and joined Nesta and Beatrice at their end of the table.

  “What about your new girl, Jen?” Nesta asked. “Do you like her?”

  “She’s all right. I haven’t had much to do with her yet. I was here all day yesterday, and she only came late the night before.”

  “Seems odd she should be Joan’s cousin,” Beatrice remarked. “She’s not much like her.”

  “She’s not a scrap like Joan. She’s just the opposite.” Jen’s eyes gleamed at a sudden memory. “Shove up, old Beetle, and make room for me. I’m not going to be her nurse; she’s looking after herself jolly well.”

  “She’s very pretty,” Nesta began.

  Jen’s eyes lit up again. “She’s all right now! Now that she’s clean.”

  “Clean! What on earth do you mean?”

  “She arrived all paint and powder, like an actress. Joan sent her to wash before she would let Mrs. Shirley see her. Her nails were disgusting, like a shopgirl’s, and I told her so.”

  “Jen! Not really? A kid like that?”

  “A good thing you cleaned her up before you brought her here,” Beetle said austerely. “The Head would have had three fits.”

  “Don’t spread it round the school! But she wouldn’t mind. She likes being like that; she thinks Joan and Joy are terribly old-fashioned because they don’t make up. She’s inclined to look down on us all, except Joy; she admires Joy, because she’s the heiress. The rest of us are too dowdy and stodgy for words,” Jen said airily.

  “What a little ass!” Nesta exclaimed.

  “Don’t expect her to look up to you because you’re the Queen. She thinks that’s all childish, and Joan and Joy are silly to dress up and be in the procession.”

  “What a thing to bring to school, Jenny-Wren! And what an odd cousin for Joan!” Beetle grinned.

  “Joan’s very much upset about her. You’re going to have her in the play, you know, so you’ll see a lot of her.”

  “I thought all the parts were fixed?”

  “She’ll get one somehow! If there’s a play going, she won’t be left out. I suppose I ought not to talk about her like this,” Jen said, with sudden contrition. “But it’s such a relief to tell somebody! You two won’t pass it on, will you?”

  “We’ll keep the horrid truth to ourselves and let the rest find out.”

  “Good old Beetle! I knew you would. Joan feels she has to make allowances and find excuses for her, so I can’t say half as much as I’d like, at home. I just had to let out to somebody.”

  “Poor you! Are you getting too much of her already?” Nesta asked.

  “Not at school,” Jen laughed. “I meant to stand by her, but she’s made it
quite plain that I’m not needed. If you two will comfort me and let me explode now and then, I can bear it.”

  “Muriel wants us to stay after school and hear her read, or something.”

  “I’m coming to see what happens. Yes, it’s all right; Muriel said I might. I’m afraid Rykie thinks she’s rather wonderful,” Jen sighed. “I dare say she is; I don’t know anything about it. But I wish she wouldn’t go about telling everybody she’s something quite out of the ordinary!”

  “Jen, she didn’t! She couldn’t!”

  “It sounded like it. Muriel looked upset, I thought. I hope it will be all right this afternoon. She’s determined to be in that play!”

  “I don’t see how she can be. I don’t believe there’s a part left. They can’t put anyone out for her,” Nesta said.

  “She couldn’t expect that, however much of an idiot she is.”

  “I don’t know about that, Beetle. She seems to expect a lot. I believe she thinks she’s a genius. It would do her tons of good to be told she isn’t up to the standard of the Dramatic! But I’m terribly afraid she’ll be too good.”

  “She must seem queer and out of place at the Abbey,” Nesta suggested.

  “She’s a complete and absolute stranger. Even Joan thinks so,” Jen said sadly. “She isn’t one of the family in the least, and she isn’t trying to fit in. Aren’t they being rowdy over there? They’ll find themselves flung out, if they go on like that.”

  “She’s setting them off. I’ve been watching them,” Beetle said grimly. “Your stranger is going to be frightfully popular. Those kids will love her, if she stirs them up like this. She’s a shrieker, all right, but we won’t tell the rest. They may not think of it.”

  “Please don’t! I oughtn’t to have said it. She is noisy when she’s with other kids, but she’s not like that at home. They’ve finished; they’re going out. Thanks be! Now we’ve got rid of them,” Jen said fervently.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  A CHALLENGE TO THE DRAMATIC

  Rykie was radiant and excited when Jen met her after school to take her to the library. She had been a success with her new companions, and at an afternoon elocution class she had been praised and held up as an example. A part in the play was the only thing left to wish for.

  “Come on!” Jen said brusquely, alarmed by the eager, determined eyes.

  “I expect they’ll like me. Everybody else does,” Rykie announced.

  Jen gave a grunt of disapproval. “Jolly bad for you!”

  “Everybody except you Abbey people,” Rykie grinned. “But you don’t any of you understand.”

  “We don’t appreciate you properly,” Jen retorted. “It’s awkward, when you’ve got to live with us. You’d better ask Joan if you can be a boarder. But I hope you won’t,” she added hurriedly.

  “They’d send you too, wouldn’t they?” Rykie turned on her. “Tell me straight! Are you really just staying with them, or are you there to be company for me—supposed to be?”

  “Bit of both,” Jen snapped. “It’s easier for them to have two; anyone can see that. Here’s the library. Rykie, for goodness’ sake, don’t swank too much!”

  Rykie laughed and pushed past her and entered. She shot a quick look round the group of girls, and then strode forward and addressed Muriel, the only one she knew.

  “ ‘A fool, a fool! I met a fool i’ th’ forest,

  A motley fool!—a miserable world!—

  As I do live by food, I met a fool,

  Who laid him down and bask’d him in the sun,

  And rail’d on Lady Fortune in good terms,

  In good set terms—and yet a motley fool.’

  Is that any use? Shall I go on to the end?”

  Muriel and the rest gazed at her. This was no recitation. It was Jaques himself, exulting in his discovery of the philosophic fool. Rykie’s voice was ringing and clear, and she obviously had no shyness; she spoke the blank verse well.

  By the doorway Nesta seized Jen’s arm and pulled her down beside her. Beetle’s face was black and angry.

  “Horrid little pig!” she muttered.

  “How could she?” Nesta whispered. “How could she do it? How could anybody——?”

  “She did it very well,” Jen murmured. “It was showing off, and I asked her not to swank, but——”

  “You don’t understand!” Nesta wailed softly, while Beetle growled again and watched Muriel, who was staring anxiously at Aileen Carter. “That’s Jaques’s first big speech from As You Like It—his first bit of blank verse! She couldn’t say more plainly that she wanted the part. How could she do it?”

  “Aileen will never do it like that,” Beetle groaned. “It was a simply beastly thing to do. And she looks so pleased with herself! I could slap her!”

  “Oh! I didn’t know what she was saying. I haven’t read the play lately. How ghastly!” Jen raged. “I call that super-swanking. I wish they’d fling her out!”

  “They can’t. They must think of the play. She’s far better than Aileen will ever be. I wonder what they’ll do?”

  In complete consternation the rest of the actors stared at Muriel and then at Aileen.

  “Shall I say the other big speech—‘All the world’s a stage’?” Rykie asked.

  “No, thank you. We’ve heard enough. You’re quite good, but I’m afraid we haven’t a big enough part left in the play to satisfy you. You wouldn’t want a small part. The principals are all chosen.” Muriel’s tone was definitely frosty.

  “Oh, but—but if I’m good enough, you can’t leave me out. You must think first of the play!” Rykie protested hotly. “I’ve had a lot of experience and people have always been pleased.”

  “Couldn’t we hear her in Jaques’s big speech?” It was Aileen, the chosen Jaques, who spoke.

  Muriel gave her a startled glance. “Do you want to hear any more?”

  “No, but I think we ought to let her show us how she would do it.”

  “Yes, we’d better hear her,” said the girl who was to be Touchstone.

  “Right! Go on!” Muriel said curtly to Rykie.

  Delightedly believing herself appreciated at last, Rykie launched out into the great speech.

  “She’s too good!” Nesta said unhappily in Jen’s ear. “This is putting everybody in an awful hole. I don’t know what they’ll do.”

  “Why did you bring her here, Jen?” Beetle groaned.

  “I wish to goodness I hadn’t! I didn’t want to lug her round!”

  The elder girls were looking at one another again. Then with one accord they gazed at their poor secretary.

  Muriel was a quiet girl, who could never have raised her voice in public. But she had high ideals and she was conscientious; if anybody could deal with this difficult situation she was the one.

  Aileen Carter was about to speak when Muriel checked her. “In a moment, Aileen. Rykie, you speak out well and your voice is good, and you can say blank verse. I’m sure you’ll be useful to us in the future; we won’t forget you. But I hardly think we can put you in this play; we’ve given out all the parts. We’ll talk it over, and if we find we can use you we’ll let you know. That’s as much as I can say just now. Thank you for showing us what you can do; you’re not at all bad. Now you and Jen had better run along; you’ve a long ride and I’m sure you want your tea.”

  Rykie shot a look at her, understanding the situation perfectly. “Thanks!” she said lightly. “I’ll be at school to-morrow, if you should want me. Come on, Jen!”

  “Can you and Beatrice stay for a few minutes, Nesta?” Muriel asked.

  “They don’t want to, but they know they must. They’d much rather escape,” Rykie grinned, as Jen closed the door.

  Jen turned on her. “It was a perfectly beastly thing to do! I’m sick to death of you, and so are Nesta and Beetle. I rather think all the rest feel the same.”

  “What on earth’s the matter with you?” Rykie asked indignantly.

  “You did your very best to tak
e that part from Aileen, when you knew it had been given to her. How would you like it if somebody did that to you?”

  “Which was Aileen?”

  “The dark girl sitting next to Muriel.”

  “I’m better than she is,” Rykie said complacently. “I know that, by the way they all looked at her. They were wondering what to do about it. I expect they’re talking it over now. Jen, don’t be an ass! If I’m best in the part they’ll have to give it to me. The play matters more than one girl’s feelings.”

  “That’s their business, and I’m sorry for them,” Jen said curtly, as they went to fetch their cycles. “I wouldn’t like their job. But what bothers me is that you should have been such a horrible pig—such an utter outsider—as to stalk in and start spouting Aileen’s part at them. Didn’t you know anything else?”

  “Oh, heaps! But those speeches were fresh in my mind. I’d rubbed them up.”

  Jen gave her a look of loathing. “You meant to do it. You were trying to pinch Aileen’s part. You’re hopeless! You don’t seem to see!”

  “I had to do the best I could for myself!” Rykie was stirred to self-defence. “It’s best for the play, too. It’s you who don’t seem to see! The play’s the thing that matters. If I can help I must tell them so. It will be good for the school.”

  “And do you think it’s worth while, on your first day, to make yourself loathed by the girls who are keenest on acting, just for the sake of a part in a play?”

  “Loathed? What rot! They’ll love me, if I make the play a success.”

  “They won’t,” Jen told her definitely. “Not after to-day. They may feel they have to put you in and chuck poor Aileen out; I don’t know anything about that. They may say you’re good. But they’re not going to like you. They feel you swank and show off. You can be as good as you like, as Jaques, but they won’t forget how you grabbed the part. I saw the way they looked at you.”

  “They’ll get over it! And anyway, I shan’t worry. You’re making an awful fuss,” Rykie said lightly.

  Jen’s lips set grimly. She rode off, saying no more.