by Enid Blyton
«I don't like saying I'm sorry», said Elizabeth.
«Nobody does», said Nora. «But it's a little thing that makes a big difference. Go and try it, and see if I'm not right!»
Chapter 16: An Apology – and Another Meeting
Elizabeth went to find Harry. She noticed that everyone turned away as she came, and she was sad.
“They were all so friendly to me”, she thought. “And now I've been silly again, and they don't like me any more. I do wish I didn't lost my temper.” She didn't want to say she was sorry. She felt sure Harry would say something horrid, or would laugh at her. All the same, Elizabeth was truly sorry that she had called Harry a cheat. It was most unfair when the boy was doing his best to make up for his cheating.
And Elizabeth was just a little girl, although she did such funny things when she was in a rage.
Harry was playing with about eight other boys and girls in a corner of the garden. Elizabeth stopped and looked at them. They turned their backs on her. It was horrid.
«Harry!» she called.
«I don't want to speak to you», said Harry.
«But Harry, I want to say something to you in private», said Elizabeth, almost in tears.
«Say it in public, then, in front of everyone», said Harry. «It can't be anything important.»
«All right, then», said Elizabeth, going up to the group of children. «I've come to say I'm sorry for calling you a cheat, when I know you're not now – and – and I'm sorry for slapping you, Harry. Nora has explained things to me, and I feel different now.»
The children stared at her. They all knew how hard it was to apologise, especially in front of others, and they admired the little girl.
Harry went up to her. «That's decent of you», he said warmly. «You've got an awful temper, Elizabeth, but you're a good sort all the same.» Everybody smiled. Everybody was friendly again What a difference a little apology made! Elizabeth could hardly believe it. She suddenly felt that everything was perfectly all right, and she wanted to skip for joy.
«Come and see my rabbits», said Harry, slipping his arm through Elizabeth's. «I've got two, called Bubble and Squeak, and they've got three babies. Would you like one?»
Elizabeth had always longed for a rabbit. She stared at Harry in delight. «Oh yes!» she said. «Let me buy one from you.»
«No, I'll give you one», said Harry, who was a very generous boy, and was eager to make Elizabeth forget all about the quarrel. «I've got a little old hutch you can have for it. It will be ready to leave its mother about half-term.»
«Oh!» said Elizabeth, disappointed. «I shan't be here after that. I shall be going home, you know. I can't have the rabbit!»
The bell rang for school again, so she couldn't see the baby rabbit. She didn't want to, now, either, because she wouldn't be able to have it. What a pity she couldn't have it now and give it back to Harry at half-term! She asked Harry and Richard to come and listen to the new gramophone record that evening. It had come, and was, as Mr. Lewis said, very lovely. The three children sat and listened to it. They played it five times.
They were all fond of music, and Harry played quite well although his fingers were, as Richard had said, rather like a bunch of bananas! But he couldn't help that! «You know, Elizabeth, we have a marvellous concert at the end of the term», said Harry, putting the record on for the sixth time, and letting the sea-piece flood the room again. «It's a pity you won't be here for it. You could have played at it, and your parents would have been jolly proud of you.»
Elizabeth had a quick picture in her mind of herself playing the lovely grand piano at the concert, and her mother and father sitting proudly to listen to her. For the first time she really wished she was staying on at Whyteleafe School. «But it's no good», she said to herself quickly. «I've made up my mind, and that's that! I shan't stay a minute longer than half-term.»
After supper that night Mr. Lewis gave one of his little concerts. About nine children were in the music-room listening, all music-lovers. Mr. Lewis had asked Elizabeth to bring her new record for them all to hear, and the little girl proudly put it on Mr. Lewis's fine gramophone.
It was such fun to sit around, listening. When two of the children thanked Elizabeth for getting two shillings to buy such a fine record, Elizabeth nearly burst with pride and pleasure.
“It really is fun to share things” she thought. “I simply loved all the others listening to my record. How could I ever have thought it was horrid to share things? I didn't know much!”
Joan was not such a music-lover as Elizabeth was, but she came to the concerts to be with Elizabeth. Joan was much happier now that she had a friend – though, as she said, it was rather like being friends with a thunder-storm! You never quite knew what Elizabeth was going to do next.
Elizabeth looked forward to the next School Meeting. She knew now that it was the most important thing of the whole school week. She was beginning to see that each child was one of a big gathering, and that, because its behaviour brought good or ill to the school as a whole, each child must learn to do its best so that the whole school might run smoothly and happily.
This was a difficult thing for a spoilt only child to learn – but Elizabeth was not stupid, and she soon saw what a fine thing it was for the children to rule themselves and help each other. But she also saw that they would not be able to do this as well as they did, if they had not had excellent teachers, able to teach and guide the classes in the best way. “I see why everyone is so proud of Whyteleafe School now” said Elizabeth to herself. “I'm beginning to feel proud of it myself!”
Elizabeth enjoyed the next Meeting very much. Nora had said that she had nothing bad to report of her, and so Elizabeth had nothing to fear. She sat listening to the reports, complaints, and grumbles, and beamed with delight when she heard that Harry had been second in his class in arithmetic, and was now to be allowed to sit with the others again.
«Thank you», said Harry to William. «I shall never in my life cheat again, William.»
«Good», said William. Everyone knew that Harry meant what he said and they were as pleased about it as Harry himself. The boy was different to look at now, too – his sly face had gone, and his eyes looked straight at everyone. He and everyone else had seen and known his fault, and he and the whole school had conquered it – there was nothing to be ashamed of now! There was a report that Peter had carefully cleaned and newly distempered the wall which he had spoilt by scribbling.
«See that you don't have to waste your two shillings on buying distemper again», said William to Peter.
«I certainly won't», said Peter heartily. He had had to go without his weekly visit to the cinema, and had missed all his sweets for a week. He wasn't going to let that happen again! There was a complaint about a small girl called Doris. The monitor who complained of her was very angry.
She stood up and made her report. «Doris has two guinea-pigs», she said. «And on two days last week she forgot to feed them. I think they ought to be taken away from her.»
«Oh no, please don't», begged Doris, almost crying. «I do love them, really I do. I can't think how I came to forget, Rita, I've never forgotten before.»
«Has she ever forgotten before?» asked William.
«I don't think so», answered the monitor, who had reported Doris.
«Then it was probably quite a mistake, which will never happen again», said William. «Doris, pets trust us completely for their food and water, and it is a terrible thing to forget about them. You must write out a card and pin it over your chest-of-drawers to remind you. Print on it: “Feed my guinea-pigs”. Take it down after three weeks, and see that you remember without being reminded. If you forget again your guinea-pigs will be taken away and given to someone who will remember them.»
«I'll never forget again», said small Doris, who was very much ashamed that everyone should know she had forgotten her beloved guinea-pigs.
Nora reported that Elizabeth was behaving well, and
said no more. Another monitor complained that somebody had been picking and eating the peas out of the school garden.
But John Terry immediately got up and said that the boy who had taken the peas had gone to him, and had apologised and paid him a shilling for the peas he had eaten.
«Then we'll say no more about that», said William.
When the Meeting was over, Elizabeth went out to the garden to see Harry's rabbits. Harry was not there and the little girl looked at the furry babies running round the big hutch. As she was standing there looking, she suddenly remembered something. She had meant to ask for extra money at the Meeting – and she had forgotten! And what was the extra money for? It was to buy Joan a nice birthday present! Now Elizabeth would have to save her two shillings and buy it with that. She was cross with herself, for she had meant to ask for half a crown to buy Joan a little red handbag she had seen in the draper's shop.
Joan had said nothing to anyone but Elizabeth about her coming birthday. She hoped no one would notice it, because she knew she would have no cake to share with her friends, and no presents or cards to show. She became a timid Mouse once more, as her birthday came near, ashamed because nobody ever remembered her.
But a surprise was coming to Joan! And, of course, it was that Bold Bad Girl, Elizabeth, who planned it!
Chapter 17: Elizabeth Has a Secret
During the next week, a registered letter came for Elizabeth from her Uncle Rupert. She opened it – and stared in delight. There was a pound-note inside! «Twenty shillings!» said Elizabeth, in surprise. «Two hundred and forty pence! Ooooh! How kind of Uncle Rupert!» She read her uncle's letter. He said that he had just heard that she had gone to school, and had sent her some money to buy some nice things to eat.
«A whole pound!» said Elizabeth, hardly believing her eyes. «I can buy heaps of things with that! I can buy Joan a lovely present!» She went off to her bedroom to put the money into her purse. Plans began to form in her mind – wonderful plans! «Oh!» said Elizabeth, sitting on her bed, as she thought of the plans. «What fun! I shall go down to the village – and order a fine birthday cake for Joan! She will think it comes from her mother, and she will be so pleased!» Elizabeth went on thinking. «And I shall order the new book that Joan wants, and send that through the post too – and I'll put a card in “With love from Mother!” Then Joan won't be unhappy any more.» The little girl thought these were marvellous plans.
She didn't stop to think that Joan would find out sooner or later that the cake and the book were not from her mother. She just longed to give her friend a fine surprise.
She couldn't ask Joan to come down to the village with her, in case Joan found out what she was doing. So she asked Belinda.
«All right», said Belinda, «I want to buy some stamps, so I'll go after tea with you. Don't spend your two shillings all at once, Elizabeth!» All that day Elizabeth thought about the cake and the presents for Joan. She thought about them so much in the French class, that Mademoiselle got cross with her.
«Elizabeth! Three times I have asked you a question, and you sit there and smile and say nothing!» cried the French mistress, who was very short-tempered.
Elizabeth jumped. She hadn't heard the questions at all. «What was it you asked me, Mam'zelle?» she asked.
«This girl! She thinks she will make me repeat myself a hundred times!» cried Mademoiselle, wagging her hands about in the funny way she had. «You will listen to me properly for the rest of the lesson, Elizabeth, or else you will come to me for an extra half-hour after tea.»
“Gracious!” thought Elizabeth, remembering that she wanted to go shopping after tea. “I'd better stop dreaming and think of the French lesson.” So for the rest of the lesson she did her best, and Mademoiselle smiled graciously at her. She liked Elizabeth, and found her very amusing, though she sometimes wanted to shake her when she said: «Well, you see, Mam'zelle, you needn't bother about whether I shall be top or bottom in exams, because I'm not staying after half-term.»
«You are the most obstinate child I have ever seen» Mademoiselle would say, and rap loudly on her desk, half angry and half smiling.
After tea Elizabeth went to get her money and to find Belinda. Helen said she would come too, so the three of them set off.
«What are you going to buy, Elizabeth?» asked Helen curiously.
«It's a secret», said Elizabeth at once. «I don't want you to come into the shops with me, if you don't mind, because I really have got some secrets today. It's to do with somebody else, that's why I can't tell you.»
«All right», said Helen. «Well, we are going to have strawberry ice-creams in the sweet-shop. You can join us there when you have finished your shopping. Don't be too long.» Helen and Belinda went off to the sweet-shop, and sat down at a little marble-topped table there to enjoy their ice-creams. Elizabeth disappeared into the baker's shop.
The baker's wife came to see what she wanted. «Please, do you make birthday cakes?» asked Elizabeth.
«Yes, miss», said the woman. «They are two shillings and sixpence, five shillings, or, for a very big one with candles on, and the name, ten shillings.»
«Would the ten-shilling one be big enough for heaps of children?» asked Elizabeth, feeling certain that Joan would like to share the cake with everyone.
«It would be big enough for the whole school!» answered the woman, smiling. «It's the size people often order for Whyteleafe School.»
«Oh, good», said Elizabeth. «Well, will you make a cake like that for Friday? Put eleven candles on it, all different colours – and put “A happy birthday for my darling Joan” on it. Will there be enough room for all that, do you think?»
«Oh yes», said the woman. «I'll decorate it with sugar flowers, and make it really beautiful, and it shall have two layers of thick cream inside.»
«I'll pay now», said Elizabeth. «Oh, and will you please send it to Miss Joan Townsend, Whyteleafe School, on Friday morning, early?»
«Any message inside, miss?» asked the baker's wife, writing down the name and address.
«No», said Elizabeth. She took the pound-note out of her purse, and was just giving it to the shop woman when Nora came into the shop. She smiled at Elizabeth.
Then she looked round the shop. «Are you alone?» she asked. «Surely you didn't come down to the village by yourself?»
«Oh no, Nora», said Elizabeth, «I came with Helen and Belinda. They're waiting for me at the ice-cream shop.» The little girl paid for the cake, and received ten shillings change. Nora stared at the money, and looked puzzled. Elizabeth waved good-bye and went out. She went to the book-shop and ordered the book she knew Joan wanted. It was a book all about birds and cost five shillings. Elizabeth asked the shopman to send it by post, and to put inside a little card that she gave him. On the card she had written: “With love, from Mother”.
“Now Joan will think her mother has sent her a fine cake and a present!” thought Elizabeth, pleased to think of Joan's surprise. “I'll buy some birthday cards now.” She bought three nice ones. In one she wrote “With love, from Daddy” in the second she wrote “With love, from Mother” and in the last she wrote “With love, from Elizabeth” and added a row of kisses. She bought stamps for them, and put them safely in her pocket, ready to post on Thursday.
Then she went to buy the handbag she had seen in the draper's shop. She had four shillings left by that time, so she bought the red bag, paid for a red comb and a red handkerchief to put inside, and put the change into the little purse belonging to the bag! There was sixpence change, and Elizabeth thought it would be fun to put that in too.
Then she went to the ice-cream shop. Helen and Belinda were there, tired of waiting for her.
«You have been a time, Elizabeth», said Helen. «Whatever have you been doing? You can't possibly be so long spending only two shillings!» And then, for the first time, Elizabeth remembered that all money had to be put into the school money-box, and asked for! And she had spent a whole pound that after
noon, and hadn't even put a penny into the box. She frowned. Goodness, now what was she to do? How could she have forgotten?
“Well, perhaps it's a good thing I did forget” said Elizabeth to herself. “If I'd put the money into the big money-box, and asked for a pound to spend on somebody's birthday, I'm sure Rita and William wouldn't have given me so much. It is an awful lot to spend all at once – but I did so want to give Joan a fine birthday!” All the same, Elizabeth was rather worried about it. She had broken a rule – but she couldn't mend the broken rule because she had spent all the money! It was no use saying anything about it. The thing was done. And anyway Joan would have the finest surprise of her life! But Elizabeth had a very nasty surprise on her way back to school with Helen and Belinda. Nora ran up to them and said: «Elizabeth! I want to speak to you for a minute. Helen, you and Belinda can go on by yourselves. Elizabeth will catch you up.»
«What is it, Nora?» asked Elizabeth in surprise.
«Elizabeth, where did you get that money from that I saw you spending in the baker's shop?» asked Nora.
«My uncle sent it to me», said Elizabeth, her heart sinking when she knew that Nora had seen the money.
«Well, you knew the rule», said Nora. «Why didn't you put it into the money-box? You knew you could have out what you wanted, if you really needed it for something.»
«I know, Nora», said Elizabeth, in a small voice. «But I forgot all about that till I'd spent the money. Really, I did.»
«Spent all the money!» cried Nora in horror. «What! A whole pound! Twenty shillings! Whatever did you spend it on?» Elizabeth didn't answer. Nora grew angry. «Elizabeth! You must tell me! Whatever could you have spent a whole pound on in such a little time? It's a real waste of money.»
«It wasn't», said Elizabeth sulkily. «Please don't ask me any more, Nora. I can't tell you what I spent the money on. It's a secret.»
«You're a very naughty girl», said Nora. «You break a rule – and spend all that money – and then won't tell me what you spent it on. Well – you can tell the next Meeting, if you won't tell me!»
