4th Grade of Excitement

Chapter 3 – Arrival of the Twins

  “Well, Miss?” said Esther, with a chuckle. “What was the matter with you?”

  “Oh, Mother fell ill, that’s all. Sorry for being such an idiot. By the way, when do we get to know if we’re in the sport’s team or not? I’m not bragging, but I do play tennis and swim well.”

  “Yes,” agreed the girls.

  Just then, the sport’s captains, Sadie and Annabeth, talked about the problem.

  “Esther, of course!” said Sadie, brushing her bushy hair to one side, “for swimming and doubles tennis and singles tennis too.”

  “Yes,” Annabeth replied. “What about the other swimming team member, the other doubles tennis player, and the reserves for singles and doubles and swimming?”

  “Let’s look down the list,” suggested Sadie. The captains stopped at Alice’s name. “That kid’s good. I’ll put her down for swimming, singles reserve and doubles.”

  Annabeth nodded. “Reserves for doubles should be Carlotta and Elsie. Both of them would be perfect. And they can be reserves for the swimming and singles, too, with Carlotta ahead of Elsie.” Annabeth paused. “But Alice, I’ve heard complaints of her distracting the other players. Do you think she’ll be all right?”

  “Oh, yes,” replied Sadie. “She seems to be turning over a new leaf lately.”

  “I’ll go and talk to the girls,” said Annabeth, getting up to go.

  “Esther, Carlotta and Elsie, could you come out for a minute?”

  Alice’s heart sank. She did so want to play for the best school that she knew of.

  “Oh, and you too, Alice.”

  Alice jumped to her feet and ran out.

  “Now, you girls are going to be in the sports team. Yes, you too Alice! Now, Esther, you’re going to be in the swimming team, singles tennis and doubles tennis. Elsie, you’re second reserve for swimming, doubles, and third reserve for singles. Carlotta, you’re first reserve for swimming and doubles, and second reserve for singles. Alice, you’re in for swimming, doubles and first reserve for singles! Congratulations, kids! Well done!” said Annabeth. The girls were red like beetroots now.

  Alice was overcome with joy.

  “Thank you, Annabeth, and give our thanks to Sadie, too. We’ll do our very best!” she said.

  Annabeth’s eyes twinkled. “Training starts on Friday. I’ll give the timetable to you on Thursday. It is hard work, kids! Don’t be mistaken that it’s a game!” She waved goodbye and left.

  “Well!” said Andrea, who loved sports as much as Carlotta, and wanted to be in the teams too. “What good luck!”

  Esther smiled. “Well, girls, it’s going to be good, playing in the teams, but no one should envy me!”

  Alice was happy at her boarding school. She thought it the best school, too. She missed Evelyn and Alexis terribly, so she wrote to her mother about them coming.

  Dear Mummy,

  I really enjoy this school. I hated it at first, but I was an idiot then. I really want to stay on, and say thank you to Daddy that he chose this school.

  Alice bit her pen and went on.

  I’ve heard that Alexis and Evelyn are doing well with Miss Cornwallis. They can probably come here too. They’ll like it. I know they will. Please, do let them come. Then Nancy and Mandy can see them too. I see them twice a week on the playing field.

  Mummy, I wasn’t much good at lessons and was far behind the learning standards when I first came, but Miss Kellie, my teacher, and Alicia and Elsie and Esther and Celine all helped me, and now I’m lined up in second with Celine, while Esther is first. The school can do a lot for me, I can foresee.

  But I’ve got better news still. I’ve been chosen to play for the school, in the swimming team, first reserve for tennis singles, and in doubles tennis! I feel honored to represent the school and play for it. Esther is head girl, and she’s in the swimming team, and tennis singles and doubles too! She’s awfully nice. She did special coaching at night, just for me. Elsie and Alicia are nice in mind too. Carlotta and Andrea are always up to tricks, but I promise I won’t get too wild! Bianca and Ava are quiet little girls, but Ava can fly off the handle sometimes! Celine Tebbits, the one I was talking about, is new, like me. The girls all like her. Most of them like me too!

  Regards,

  Alice Amanda Brigham-Jones

  She sent the letter. On Wednesday, a junior girl came to the classroom.

  “Please could Alice Amanda Brigham-Jones see Miss Caty?”

  Alice got up, her knees shaking. Her mother hadn’t finished her operation yet, and she wasn’t sure she could get through it well or not. They did it with a risk. She now felt sure her dear mother was dead. Tears came to her eyes, and as she went out, the girls all felt sorry for her. Miss Kellie gave her a warm smile – the warmest one since she turned over a new leaf.

  But, six minutes later, Alice ran into her classroom, and flung her arms around Esther, whom she saw as her best friend.

  “Esther! Mummy’s come through the operation nicely! And Evelyn and Alexis are coming the day after tomorrow!” Suddenly, she remembered where she was. Esther smiled a wide smile.

  “Now you will be able to do a marvelous Maths oral test,” said Miss Kellie, with a twinkle in her black beady eyes.

  “Of course,” said Alice, gleaming with delight. “I’ll for once be lined up with Esther, I hope!”

  Break came. As the girls chattered happily, Alice went to the senior part to find Nancy and Mandy. But she could only find Rita, Nancy’s best friend.

  “Where’s Nancy, Rita?”

  “Aww, you kid! She went to find you!”

  “Did she? Well, I’ll go now. Thanks a lot, Rita!”

  At last Alice found Nancy and Mandy.

  “I say! Where were you! We were so worried,” said Nancy, punching her sister in the arm.

  “Oh, shush! I went to find you two! Well, you know? Evelyn and Alexis are coming!”

  “What?” asked Mandy. “What did I just hear?”

  “Why, great! I’ve missed those kids for ages. Mandy, you know little Alice darling never lies!” mocked Nancy, remembering the past Alice, haughty and snooty. “Well! How nice! Hey, Alice, I need to go, OK? See you later.”

  Alice did not like to own up that she saw Esther as her best friend. She was sure Esther didn’t like to know that. But she felt she simply must tell someone, so she spoke to Elsie one day about it.

  “What’s the matter?” asked Elsie. “What’s the matter, old girl?”

  “Oh, do you think Esther would be humiliated if she knew I saw her as my best friend? I hope she won’t mind. I’d be so lonely if I had no one really like my best friend.”

  “Idiot!” replied Elsie, rolling her black beady eyes. “Cowardly idiot! Utterly idiotic!” Elsie chuckled.

  “So you think she wouldn’t mind?” asked Alice, solemnly.

  “No!”

  Before Alice could go to Esther, a sound of a car pulling up the lane startled Alice.

  Alice squealed with delight, and took her heels with her as she flew downstairs. Esther, Elsie, Alicia, Celine, Carlotta, Andrea, Janet, Jennifer, Bianca, Ava and a few others followed.

  Outside the garden gates stood a fifty-ish looking man and two redheads, with dark eyebrows, rosebud mouths, small ears, glassy eyes and long legs. The two little girls were not really beautiful, but their dark skin and eyebrows made them rather striking.

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