The fifth formers looked rather shocked at this, and Pam said gravely, ‘That’s a very serious accusation, Julie. Do you have any reason for saying this?’
‘Well, Millicent’s purse went missing not so long ago,’ said Julie. ‘And it was never found.’
‘I think that we should tell Pam what we know,’ put in Amy. ‘After all, we said that we were going to once half-term was over anyway.’
Pam looked at Amy in surprise, and said, ‘What are you talking about, Amy? Do you know something about the things that have gone missing?’
Quickly, Julie and Lucy told the others of how they had found Delia searching in Millicent’s bag.
‘And Bonnie and I caught her looking in Millicent’s desk,’ said Amy. ‘Shortly before the purse disappeared.’
‘It didn’t disappear, it was stolen!’ said June, scornfully. ‘Just as Susan’s chocolates have been. And it looks as if dear Delia is the thief.’
‘You really should have told me all of this before, girls,’ said Pam, looking very upset indeed, for she hated to think that there was a thief in the fifth form.
The others felt the same, and were disappointed in Delia, for most of them had grown to like her.
‘I know that we should,’ said Lucy. ‘But we didn’t want to put a damper on half-term, so thought that we would wait until the fun was over.’
‘Well, it’s certainly over now,’ said Nora glumly. ‘This has really brought us all down to earth with a bump.’
‘What are you going to do, Pam?’ asked June. ‘Tackle Delia?’
‘Not just yet,’ said Pam, who had been looking thoughtful. ‘I may have to, eventually, of course, but for now I think that we should all just watch her.’
‘What’s the good of that?’ scoffed June. ‘If Delia feels that she is being watched, she won’t attempt to steal anything and we shall never catch her out.’
‘Well, we will have to make sure that she doesn’t know we are watching her,’ said Pam firmly. ‘We must all do our best to act normally when she is around, and be friendly to her. That way she won’t suspect that we are on to her, and may slip up.’
‘I don’t agree,’ said June stubbornly. ‘If we speak to Delia now, she may own up and tell us where she has hidden the things she has stolen. I daresay that she has spent poor Millicent’s money by now, but she can’t possibly have eaten all of Susan’s chocolates.’
‘Well, it seems that we have a difference of opinion,’ said Pam. ‘So the only way to settle things is to vote. Would all those of you who are in favour of tackling Delia please raise your hands?’
Amy’s hand shot up at once. Millicent, Julie, June and Lucy also raised theirs.
‘That makes five of you,’ said Pam. ‘And who thinks that it would be better just to watch and wait?’
Of course, Pam herself put her hand up. So did Susan and Felicity, Nora and Bonnie. Freddie hesitated. June was her friend, and June wanted to get the whole thing out in the open. But Freddie couldn’t quite believe that the pleasant-natured Delia was a thief. Once Freddie would have followed June’s lead, but she had grown up quite a bit since those days, and now she decided that she must be true to herself and what she believed. If June took offence, then perhaps their friendship wasn’t as strong as Freddie thought. So she put her hand up as well, and Pam said, ‘Six. That means that we do as I suggest.’
‘Gillian isn’t here,’ Amy pointed out. ‘She hasn’t had the chance to vote.’
‘As Gillian is friendly with Delia, I think it’s safe to assume that she would have voted with us,’ said Felicity.
‘Yes, and perhaps it would be best to keep Gillian in the dark,’ said Susan. ‘We don’t want her warning Delia that she is under suspicion.’
‘Quite right,’ said Pam. ‘June, I trust that you will abide by what has been decided?’
‘Of course,’ said June, looking surprised. ‘Though I don’t agree with it.’
‘I realise that,’ said Pam. ‘The trouble is, June, that when you feel strongly about something, you rather have a tendency to go your own way when it comes to dealing with it.’
June flushed, for there had been several occasions in lower forms when she had confronted fellow pupils and accused them of something – sometimes wrongly. But June was older, and a little wiser, now, and didn’t like being reminded of her conduct then.
‘I can assure you that I have learned my lesson, Pam,’ she said a little stiffly.
Pam was glad to hear it.
Just then, Delia and Gillian came in, both of them laughing and chattering happily.
Looking at the two of them, Felicity thought how much happier both of them seemed, now that they had become friends. Delia, in particular, had a sparkle in her eyes and a rosy glow to her open, honest face. For that was exactly what it was, thought Felicity, watching the girl closely, and feeling ever more certain that she couldn’t be the thief.
But someone in the fifth form certainly was. And if it wasn’t Delia, just who could it be?
10
Who is the thief?
The fifth formers stuck to their word and watched Delia carefully. When she volunteered to stay behind and tidy up the classroom for Miss James, Felicity and Susan hid themselves behind a pillar outside the classroom, and watched.
Delia was most conscientious, humming softly to herself as she wiped the blackboard, then she carefully put away the pile of books on Miss James’s desk. The girl picked up a crumpled ball of paper that had fallen on the floor and dropped it in the wastepaper bin, then she went round the room making sure that all the chairs were neatly pushed under the desks. But at no time did she open any of the desks, or do anything remotely suspicious.
When her work was done, she moved towards the door, and Felicity and Susan slipped quietly away.
‘Well,’ said Felicity, as the two of them walked down the corridor. ‘If Delia really is the thief, that would have been the perfect opportunity for her to go hunting in all of our desks, looking for things to steal.’
‘Yet she didn’t take it,’ said Susan thoughtfully. ‘I always found it hard to believe that old Delia was a thief, and now I find it even harder. I suppose we had better go and report to Pam.’
Pam was sitting on the grass in the sunshine, along with Nora, June and Freddie, and she looked up as Felicity and Susan approached.
‘Well?’ she said. ‘Anything to report?’
‘Not a thing,’ said Felicity, sitting down next to the girl. ‘Delia simply tidied up, but she didn’t go in any of the desks.’
‘I spied on her when she was alone in the common-room the other day,’ said Freddie. ‘And she didn’t try to take anything then, either. The only time that she went to the cupboard was to put her knitting away.’
‘Another ideal opportunity wasted,’ said Susan. ‘I really do think that Delia is innocent, and that we are on the wrong track.’
‘Well, I don’t,’ said June, in her forthright way. ‘I believe that she knows we are on to her, and that is why she is behaving herself at the moment. As soon as we drop our guard and stop watching her all the time, things will start to disappear again. Mark my words!’
With that, June got to her feet and said, ‘Well, I’m off to tennis practice. Anyone coming?’
Freddie got up, and Felicity said, ‘Susan and I will be there in a few minutes. I just want to sit and enjoy the sunshine for a little while.’
The four girls sat in comfortable, companionable silence for a few moments, enjoying the feel of the warm sun on their faces, then Susan suddenly said, ‘You know, in a way I’m sorry that we didn’t catch Delia trying to steal something.’
‘Whatever do you mean?’ asked Nora, startled. ‘I thought that you liked Delia.’
‘I do,’ answered Susan. ‘But now that it is looking as though Delia may not be the thief, it means that everyone else in the fifth form is under suspicion.’
‘Exactly what I was thinking,’ said Pam, sounding very troubled. ‘Not a ple
asant thought, is it?’
‘Gosh!’ exclaimed Nora, looking dismayed. ‘I hadn’t thought of that. How horrible!’
‘It is horrible,’ said Felicity. ‘And it makes it even more important for us to clear this up and catch the thief as soon as possible.’
‘Well, if any of you have any ideas of how we could do that, I’d be jolly glad if you would share them with me,’ sighed Pam. ‘For I’m stumped!’
But the others couldn’t think of anything either, and at last Susan jumped up, saying, ‘Come on, Felicity. Let’s go and get some tennis practice in. Perhaps a little exercise will get our brains moving!’
Gillian was also at the tennis-courts, for now that half-term was over, she was working just as hard as before.
It seemed that the break had done her good, for the dark shadows beneath her eyes had lightened, and she was playing against her opponent, a West Tower girl, with renewed energy and determination.
‘Good show, Gillian!’ yelled June from the sidelines, as the girl sent a ball whizzing past the other girl. Then she turned to Felicity and Susan, saying, ‘Ah, good, you’re here. How would you like a game of doubles against Freddie and me?’
The two girls agreed to this eagerly, and took their places on the court. Felicity and Susan had played together so often that they knew one another’s game very well indeed, and it stood them in good stead, for they beat their opponents comfortably.
Felicity, knowing how June hated to be beaten at anything, felt a little apprehensive as the four of them walked to the net to shake hands. But, to her surprise, June was grinning broadly.
Seeing the look of astonishment on Felicity’s face, June laughed, and said, ‘Are you wondering why I’m so pleased, Felicity? Well, it’s because this proves that I have chosen exactly the right pair to represent us in the doubles against Summerfield Hall. I couldn’t be more pleased to be beaten, for I know that you and Susan will do us proud in the tournament.’
Felicity and Susan felt pleased as well. Why, June really was learning the meaning of team spirit!
‘Gillian is going to do well, too,’ said June, looking across at the girl, who had finished her game and was sitting on the grass. ‘I admit that I was a little worried about her, but now she’s back on form and fighting fit.’
Gillian certainly felt fighting fit, and thought that it was marvellous what a couple of days’ relaxation could do.
And it was just as well that she felt rested and refreshed, for there was another orchestra rehearsal the following day. With that in mind, Gillian took herself off to one of the music-rooms to practise. But Delia, with Mrs Weaver’s words in mind, went after her, calling, ‘Where are you going, Gillian?’
‘To play my violin,’ answered Gillian. ‘Come with me if you want. You can listen, and tell me what you think.’
Delia agreed at once, for she loved music. And she could keep an eye on Gillian, too, and make sure that she wasn’t overdoing it.
There was a rapt expression on Delia’s face as she perched on a stool and listened to Gillian play. Soon the girl was swaying from side to side again as she lost herself in the music, almost falling off her stool at one point!
Then Gillian began her solo, and, unable to stop herself, Delia began softly singing the words that she had written to accompany the tune. Now it was Gillian’s turn to listen, and, as she did, her fingers gradually stopped moving, until the only sound that filled the room was that of Delia’s sweet voice.
At first Delia didn’t realise that Gillian had stopped playing, and continued to sing. Then she became aware that she was no longer being accompanied, and her voice died away.
‘Sorry,’ she said gruffly, looking rather self-conscious. ‘I just got carried away. Don’t know what came over me!’
‘Heavens, don’t apologise!’ cried Gillian. ‘Why, it sounded marvellous. I had no idea that Millicent wrote words as well.’
Delia hesitated, then decided that she didn’t want to mislead Gillian, who had been a true friend to her.
So, rather reluctantly, she confessed, ‘Actually, Millicent didn’t write the words. I did.’
Gillian gave a gasp, and exclaimed, ‘You dark horse, Delia! You’ve been telling us that you’re such a duffer, and all the time you have been hiding this wonderful talent for song-writing.’
‘I would hardly call it a talent,’ said Delia, turning red at this unaccustomed praise. ‘It was just a little rhyme that I jotted down at the first rehearsal.’
‘Nonsense!’ said Gillian. ‘The words are simply beautiful, and they fit the music perfectly. And you have such a lovely singing voice.’
‘Do I?’ said Delia, looking most astonished.
‘Yes,’ said Gillian firmly. ‘So sweet and pure. I know! Why don’t we go down to the common-room and you can sing for the others? They will be absolutely amazed! I’ll bring my violin and accompany you.’
But poor Delia was far too nervous and lacking in confidence to even think of such a thing. And she was more than half inclined to believe that Gillian was only praising her so extravagantly because she was her friend. Why, she often used to sing at her aunt’s house, as she helped with the daily chores, and the reaction she got from her aunt and cousins was quite different.
Her mean-spirited cousins had told her that she sounded like a parrot squawking, while her aunt had sternly ordered her to be quiet, as the racket Delia was making was giving her a headache.
The fifth formers probably wouldn’t be so unkind, for they were well brought-up, polite girls. But how dreadful it would be if they laughed at her behind her back.
‘I really couldn’t!’ said Delia, shaking her head and looking terrified. ‘My voice isn’t good enough, and I would feel so nervous that it would shake terribly.’
Gillian disagreed wholeheartedly with this, but realised that if she tried to push Delia into performing for the others it would simply make her more scared. Lack of confidence was at the root of the girl’s problem, she realised, and Gillian’s mouth pursed as she thought that Delia’s strict aunt and beastly cousins were responsible.
As Delia’s friend, she really ought to do something about building the girl’s confidence, but she had taken on so much herself that it would be difficult to find the time. Suddenly a thought occurred to her, and she said, ‘Delia, I shan’t try and persuade you to sing for the others, but if you would sing along with me sometimes when I rehearse, I really think that it would help me.’
‘Really?’ said Delia, surprised and pleased.
‘Really,’ said Gillian, solemnly. ‘And who knows, perhaps you can think of some more words that you can set to the music. That would be super!’
‘All right then, I shall,’ agreed Delia, thinking that this was something that she would enjoy doing, and that she would feel quite comfortable singing for Gillian, and even letting her see any words she composed, for she knew that her friend would not make fun of her.
So Delia sung until she was hoarse, and when she couldn’t sing any more, she sat and listened to her friend playing.
Gillian played the same few bars over and over again, for there was one note that she simply couldn’t get right, no matter what. By the end of it, she had managed to get the note right, but she was looking pale and strained again.
Delia noticed this, and could have kicked herself. She had promised Mrs Weaver that she would look after Gillian, and make sure that she didn’t tire herself out. And she had been so carried away with her singing that she had failed, and let Mrs Weaver down.
Heavens, they must have been up here in the music-room for simply ages!
In fact it was almost ten o’clock, and the others were all getting ready for bed when Delia and Gillian went to the dormitory.
‘Where have you two been?’ asked Felicity.
‘In one of the music-rooms,’ answered Gillian, with a yawn. ‘Delia has been listening to me practise my violin.’
Millicent looked at the girl with approval, saying, ‘That’s what
I like to see! A bit of dedication and hard work.’
June was less pleased, for she didn’t like to see any member of the tennis team working hard for anyone other than herself. But June saw how tired and pale Gillian looked, and held her tongue.
At last everyone settled down, and Pam turned the lights out. There was no need, of course, for her to remind everyone of the no-talking rule, for as fifth formers the girls would not have dreamed of disobeying it.
One by one, the girls dropped off to sleep. Gillian was first, for she was completely exhausted. And Delia was last, for she had a lot to think about. Her feelings were mixed, for, on the one hand, she felt ridiculously pleased at the way Gillian had complimented her on her singing and the words that she had written to Millicent’s tune. On the other, she couldn’t help feeling that she hadn’t done a very good job at getting her friend to spend more time relaxing, and less on tennis and music.
Well, tomorrow was a new day, and Delia vowed that she would work in earnest towards keeping the promise she had made to Mrs Weaver.
11
The thief strikes again
There was a shock in store for Amy the following morning. The girl’s mother had given her a very expensive bottle of French perfume at half-term, which she had displayed proudly on her bedside cabinet. All of the fifth formers had been allowed to sniff at it, but no one had been allowed so much as a dab of the scent, for, as Amy had said, in her haughty way, ‘Mummy went to a great deal of trouble to get it for me. It’s very expensive, you know, and quite difficult to get hold of.’
‘I should put the stopper back in, at once, Amy,’ June had said gravely. ‘Otherwise the scent will escape and all you will be left with is a bottle of liquid with no smell at all.’
‘Rubbish!’ Amy had said, though she had looked a little doubtful.
‘It’s perfectly true,’ Freddie had said, with a completely straight face. ‘My aunt once had a bottle of perfume, and she forgot to put the stopper back in, and the following day the smell had all gone! My aunt was frightfully upset, of course, for it was a birthday present from my uncle, and she had to throw it away.’