“Yes, Elizabeth,” he said, pleased. “You will be one of my best pupils. I must ask you to change your mind about leaving us soon-it will be a pleasure to me to teach you that sea-piece.” Elizabeth felt pleased and proud. But she shook her head. “I’m afraid I shan’t stay,” she said, “They’ve taken my money away so that I can’t run away, but I’m going to be so horrid that they’ll have to send me away!” “What a pity!” said Mr. Lewis. He looked at his watch again. “Play me something else,” he said. “I’ve a little more time.” At the end of the lesson Mr. Lewis showed Elizabeth the name of the sea-piece he had played. “There is a most beautiful gramophone record of it,” he said.
“Why don’t you ask for some money to buy it at the next Meeting? Everyone would love the record in the playroom, and I know they haven’t got it.” “I’d love to get it,” said Elizabeth, “Then I could hear it whenever 1 wanted to. But 1 know the Meeting wouldn’t give me any money! Why, they’ve even not let me have the two shillings everyone else has.” “Dear dear,” said Mr. Lewis, smiling. “You must really be a very bad little girl-and yet you play my piano like an angel !” “Do I really?” said Elizabeth in delight-but the music-master had gone, leaving Elizabeth to put away her music and shut the piano.
Elizabeth soon found out that there were many pleasant things that the children of Whyteleafe were allowed to do. Every other day they were allowed to go down to the village in twos, to buy sweets, toys, books, and anything they wanted. They were also allowed to go to the cinema once a week, provided that they paid for themselves.
They could go riding every day, and this Elizabeth simply adored, for there were rolling hills and commons around the school, on which it was perfectly lovely to gallop. Elizabeth rode very well indeed, for she had had her own pony for years.
Then, on two evenings a week, the music-master gave a little concert to those children who really loved music. The concert was from half-past seven to eight, after supper, and Mr. Lewis gathered round him about twelve boys and girls who loved to hear the beautiful music he drew from his piano. Sometimes he played the violin too, and Elizabeth longed to learn to play it when she heard Mr. Lewis drawing the bow across the strings of his fine violin.
On another evening there was a small dance, beginning at half-past seven, for an hour. Elizabeth loved dancing too, and when she saw the notice on the notice-board, she was pleased.
No wonder the children were happy at Whyteleafe! There seemed always something lovely to look forward to, something exciting to do. Helen and Belinda, the other new girls, soon settled down well, made firm friends with one another, and were very happy. The two new boys also made friends, Once Joan tried to make friends with Elizabeth, but the little girl made a rude face and turned away.
As the days went on, Elizabeth kept to her plan. She took every chance of being naughty and rude, till everyone was tired of her. She spent most of the mornings outside the door of the classroom because Miss Ranger could not have her in the room as she disturbed the class so much.
One morning she caught the school cat and put it inside Miss Ranger’s desk before anyone entered the room. When Miss Ranger opened the lid, the cat jumped out, and Miss Ranger squealed in fright. Everyone giggled. They knew it was Elizabeth, of course.
Another time Elizabeth put the classroom clock ten minutes fast, and Miss Ranger stopped the lesson too soon. When Miss Ranger found out, she was angry.
“As you all have missed ten minutes of your arith~ metic lesson,” she said, “I am going to give you two extra sums to do for your preparation time this after~ noon.” The class was angry with Elizabeth. “You wait till the next Meeting!” said Ruth. “There’ll be some fine complaints about you there!” “I don’t care,” said Elizabeth. And she didn’t.
One afternoon after tea Elizabeth wanted to go and see the village of Whyteleafe. She went to Nora, her monitor, and asked her for permission to go and look at the shops in the village.
“Yes, you can go.” said Nora. “But get someone to go with you. We are only allowed to go in twos,” Elizabeth went to Ruth. “Will you come with me to the village?” she asked. “1 want to look at the shops.” “No thanks,” said Ruth, “I don’t want to go with anyone like you! I don’t know how you might behave in the road. I might be ashamed of you.” “I know how to behave in the road,” said Elizabeth crossly.
“Well, you don’t know how to behave at school!” said Ruth, and walked away.
Elizabeth asked Belinda. But Belinda shook her head. “I don’t want to go,” she said.
Helen wouldn’t go either, nor would Joan. Elizabeth didn’t like to ask any of the boys, because they always laughed at her when they saw her coming.
“Here’s the bold had girl!” they said to one another. And soon poor Elizabeth began to be known as the Bold Bad Girl! Elizabeth went back to Nora. “Nobody will go with me,” she said.
“It serves you right,” said Nora. “You can’t go if nobody will go with you. We are not allowed to go alone.” “Well, I’m going alone!” said Elizabeth to herself. And she slipped out of the school door, down the steps, round to the right, and through the big archway! Down the hills she ran to see the village.
She had a lovely time looking into all the shops. She looked longingly into the sweet-shop and wished she had some money to buy some toffee. She looked into a music-shop and wondered if they had the gramophone record of the sea-piece she loved. She looked into the toy-shop-and good gracious! Coming out of it was Rita, the Head Girl of Whyteleafe School! Now what was naughty Elizabeth to do?
CHAPTER 9.
Rita has a Job for Elizabeth.
ELIZABETH had no time to run away. Rita came out of the shop almost on top of her. She smiled at the little girl-and then she saw that she was alone. Her smile faded, and she looked stern.
“Surely somebody is with you?” she asked.
“No,” said Elizabeth.
“But, Elizabeth, you know by now that no one is allowed in the village by herself,” said Rita. “You must always come with somebody. Why didn’t you?” “Because nobody would come with me,” said Eliza~ beth. “I did ask a whole lot of them,” “Well, you had better come with me now,” said Rita. “I am alone, because the girls of the top class are allowed to shop by themselves. So walk along with me.” Elizabeth was just going to say that she didn’t want to, when she saw what lovely kind eyes Rita had. Rita was looking at her, and Elizabeth thought she was the kindest-looking girl she had ever seen-even nicer than Eileen. So she walked along by Rita in silence.
“You know, Elizabeth, it is strange that no one would go with you,” said Rita. “Doesn’t anybody at all like you?” “No,” said Elizabeth. “Don’t you remember, Rita, that I told you I was going to be as horrid as could be so that I could go home? Well, everybody thinks I am very horrid, so nobody wants to talk to me or walk with me.” “And are you really horrid?” asked Rita.
Elizabeth looked up. She was surprised that Rita should talk to her kindly, after having found her out in disobedience. But Rita did not look angry, only very understanding and wise.
Elizabeth thought for a moment. Was she really horrid? She remembered all the governesses she had had. She remembered that Miss Scott wouldn’t stay with her. Perhaps she really and truly was a horrid girl.
“I don’t know,” she said at last. “I believe I am horrid really, Rita. I make myself horrider than I truly am-but all the same. I believe I can’t be very nice.” “Poor little Elizabeth!” said Rita. “I wonder what has made you grow so horrid? You look such a nice little girl, and when you smile you are quite different. I do feel sorry for you.” A lump suddenly came into Elizabeth’s throat, and tears into her eyes. She blinked the tears away angrily. Now Rita would think she was a baby! “Don’t feel sorry for rue,” she said. “I want to be horrid, so that I can go home.” “Couldn’t you try to be nice for a change, and just give yourself a chance?” asked Rita.
“No,” said Elizabeth. “I shan’t be sent home if I am nice. I simply must be as bad as I can be.” “But you will make yourself very unhappy,” said Rita. “And you will make other people unhappy too.” “Shall I?” said Elizabeth in surprise. “Well, I don’t mind making myself unhappy, if I can get what I want in the end-but I don’t want to make other people unhappy. I think I am a horrid girl, but Rita, I wish you’d believe me when I say that I really don’t mean to make the others unhappy.” “Well, listen, Elizabeth.” said Rita, walking all the time hack towards the school, “there is someone in your room who isn’t very happy. Have you noticed it? You might at least do what you can to make things nicer for her.” “Who is it?” asked Elizabeth in surprise.