She stopped when she saw Joan. «Good gracious!» she said. «Wherever have you been to get into that state, you silly child?»
«She's been out in the rain», said Elizabeth. «She's awfully cold, Matron. She's going to put on dry things.»
«I've got some of Joan's things airing in my hot cupboard», said Matron. «She'd better come along with me. Gracious, child, what a sight you look!» Joan went with Matron. She was hurriedly stripped of her soaking clothes, and Matron rubbed her down well, with a rough towel. Joan said nothing at all, but stood looking so sad and miserable that Matron was worried. «I think I'd better take your temperature», she said. «You don't look right to me. Put this warm dressing-down round you for a minute. I'll get the thermometer.»
She sent Elizabeth away. The little girl went off to the music-room to practise, feeling very upset. She practised her scales steadily, and somehow it comforted her. She went to look for Joan at supper-time, but she was nowhere to be seen.
«Haven't you heard?» said Belinda. «Joan's ill! She'd got a high temperature, and she's in bed in the San.» The San, or sanatorium, was where any boy or girl was put when they were ill. It was a cheerful, sunny room, built apart from the school. So Joan was there, ill! Elizabeth's heart sank. She felt that it was all her fault.
«Cheer up! She'll be all right tomorrow, I expect», said Belinda, seeing Elizabeth's dismayed face.
But Joan wasn't all right. She was worse! The doctor came and went with a grave face. It was dreadful.
“I know what would make Joan better” thought Elizabeth, in despair. “If only her mother could come and see her, and love her a bit – Joan would be quite all right! Her chill would go, and she'd be happy again.” Elizabeth sat and wondered what she could do. Then an idea came into her head. She would write to Joan's mother! She would tell her of the presents she had given to Joan pretending that they were from Joan's mother. She would tell her how much Joan loved her mother, and wanted her to think of her and remember her – and she would beg her to come and see Joan because she was ill! Elizabeth jumped up. She ran to Joan's writing-paper, which she kept on a shelf in the playroom. In it she found the letter from Joan's mother, and Elizabeth copied the address for herself. Then she slipped the letter back.
«Now I'll write to Mrs. Townsend», said the little girl. «It will be the most difficult letter I've ever written – but it's got to be done. Oh dear – what an awful lot of trouble I'm going to get into!»
Chapter 20: More Trouble!
Elizabeth sat down to write to Joan's mother. She bit the end of her pen. She began twice and tore the paper up. It was very, very difficult.
It took her a long time to write the letter, but at last it was done, and put in the box to be posted. This is what Elizabeth had written:
Dear Mrs Townsend,
I am Elizabeth Allen, Joan's friend. I am very fond of Joan, but I have made her unhappy, and now she is ill. I will tell you what I did.
You see, Joan told me a lot about you, and how she loved you, and she said she didn't think you loved her very much because you hardly ever wrote to her, and you didn't remember her birthdays. It is awful not to have your birthday remembered at school, because most people have cards and a cake. Well, I had a pound from my Uncle Rupert, and I thought of a good idea. At least, I thought it was a good idea, but it wasn't, I ordered a big birthday cake for Joan, with a loving message on it – and I got cards and wrote in them “With love, from Mother” and “With love, from Daddy” and sent them. And I got a book and pretended that was from you too.
Well, Joan was awfully happy on her birthday because she thought you had remembered her. You can't think how happy she was. Then she wrote to thank you for the things. I quite forgot she would do that – and of course you wrote back to tell her that you hadn't sent them. Joan got a dreadful shock, and she went out for a walk by herself and a thunderstorm came. She was soaked through, and now she is very ill.
I am very unhappy about it, because I know it is all my fault. But I did really mean to make Joan happy. What I am writing for is to ask you if you could come and see Joan, and make a fuss of her, because then I think she would be so glad that she would soon get better. I know you will be very angry with me, and I am very sorry.
Elizabeth Allen
That was Elizabeth's letter, written with many smudges because she had to stop and think what she wanted to say, and each time she stopped she smudged her letter. She licked the envelope, stamped it, and left it to be posted. What would Joan's mother say? If only she would come and see Joan and put things right for her; it would be lovely – but goodness, she would be very, very angry with Elizabeth! Elizabeth missed Joan very much. The next day she went to ask Matron if she might see Joan, but Matron shook her head.
«No», she said. «The doctor says no one must see her. She is really ill.» Elizabeth went to find John. He was putting sticks in for his peas to climb up. Every spare moment he spent in the school garden. That was the nice part of Whyteleafe School – if you had a love for something, you could make it your hobby and everything was done to help you.
«John», said Elizabeth, «Joan is ill. Do you think you could spare me some flowers for her?»
«Yes», said John, standing up straight. «You can pick some of those pink tulips if you like.»
«Oh, but they are your best ones, John», said Elizabeth. «Aren't you keeping them for something special?»
«Well, Joan's being ill is something special», said John. «Pick them with nice long stalks. Slit the stalks at the end before you put them into water – the tulips will last a long time then.» Elizabeth just had time to pick the tulips, find a vase, and run to Matron with it before the school bell went. Matron promised to give the flowers to Joan. Elizabeth shot back to the classroom, and was only just in time.
«Don't forget it's the School Meeting tonight» Belinda said to Elizabeth at the end of school that morning.
«Bother!» said Elizabeth in dismay. She had forgotten all about it. «I don't think I'll come. I know I'm going to get into trouble.»
«You must come!» said Belinda, shocked. «Are you afraid to?»
«No», said Elizabeth fiercely. «I'm not afraid to! I'll be there!» And she was, sitting angrily on a form beside Harry and Helen, knowing perfectly well that Nora was going to report her as soon as possible.
“Well, if she does, I shan't give Joan's secret away” thought Elizabeth. “They can punish me all they like – but if they do I'll start being naughty again! Worse than ever!”
Of course Nora reported Elizabeth almost at once. She stood up and spoke gravely to Rita and William, the two Judges. «I have a serious report to make», said Nora. «It is about Elizabeth. Although we gave her every chance to be good and helpful last week, I am sorry to say that she has been mean and deceitful. She went down to the village this week, and took with her a pound-note to spend, instead of putting it into the money-box to share out. She spent the whole pound and would not tell me anything about it.» Everyone stared at Elizabeth in surprise.
«A pound!» said Rita. «Twenty shillings – spent in one afternoon. Elizabeth, is this true?»
«Quite true», said Elizabeth sulkily.
«Then it's too bad!» cried Eileen. «We all put our money into the box and share it out and we gave Elizabeth extra money for a record – but she puts her money into her own purse, the mean thing!»
Everybody thought the same. The children began to talk angrily. Elizabeth sat silent, looking red and sulky.
Rita hammered on the table. «Quiet!» she said. Everyone was silent. Rita turned to Elizabeth. «Stand up, Elizabeth», she said. «Please tell me what you spent the pound on – you can at least let us judge whether or not you spent the money well.»
«I can't tell you what I spent it on», said Elizabeth, looking pleadingly at Rita. «Don't ask me, Rita. It's a secret – and not my own secret, really. As a matter of fact, I quite forgot that I ought to put my money into the box, and then ask for what I wa
nted. I really did forget.»
«Do you think we would have allowed you to spend the money on what you bought?» asked Rita.
«I don't know», said Elizabeth, rather miserably. «All I know is that I wish I hadn't spent it on what I did! I was quite wrong.»
Rita felt sorry for Elizabeth. «Well», she said, «you used the money wrongly and you know it – if you had only kept our rule, we should have known whether or not to let you have the money to spend as you did. Don't you see what a good idea our money-box is, Elizabeth?»
«Yes, I really do, Rita», said Elizabeth, glad that Rita was speaking kindly to her.
«Well, now listen, Elizabeth», said Rita, after talking with William for a while, «we will be as fair as we can be to you about this, but you must trust us and tell us what you wanted the money for, first. If we think it was for a very good purpose, we shall say no more about it, but ask you to remember the rule another time.»
«That's very fair of you, Rita», said Elizabeth, almost in tears. «But I can't tell you. I know now that I did something wrong with the money – but there's somebody else mixed up in the secret, and I simply can't say any more.»
«Who is the other person in the secret?» asked Rita. «I can't tell you that, either», said poor Elizabeth, who had no wish to bring Joan in. After all, it wasn't Joan's fault at all, that this had happened.
«Have you told anybody about this secret?» asked Rita.
«Yes, one person», said Elizabeth. «It's a grown-up, Rita.»
«What did the grown-up say when you told her?» asked William.
«She hasn't said anything yet», said Elizabeth. «I told her the secret in a letter, and she hasn't answered my letter yet. I only wrote it yesterday.»
William, Rita, and the monitors spoke together for a little while. Everyone was puzzled to know what to do. It was a very serious matter, and somehow it had to be dealt with.
«The Beauty and the Beast aren't here tonight», said Nora, looking towards the back of the room. «They are worried about Joan Townsend being ill. Only Miss Ranger and Mr. Johns are here. If the others were here we could ask them for advice again – but somehow I feel I'd like to settle it without asking Miss Ranger or Mr. Johns.»
«I think I know what we'll do», said William at last. «We'll leave the matter until Elizabeth has had an answer to her letter.»
«Good», said Rita. She hammered on the table. «Elizabeth», she said, «we are going to leave the matter until you have had an answer to your letter. Will you please come to me and tell me when you have?»
«Yes, Rita», said Elizabeth gratefully. «I think the person I wrote to will be very, very angry with me, and I wish I could tell you all about it, but I can't.»
«Well, it seems to me as if Elizabeth is being punished quite enough without us saying anything more», said William. «We'll leave it for a day or two. Then please go to Rita, Elizabeth, and tell her what answer you have received.»
Elizabeth sat down, glad that things were not worse. She thought the children were very fair and just. She hadn't even been punished! When the two shillings were given out to everyone, Elizabeth put hers back into the box. «I won't have it this week», she said. «I'll do without it.»
«Good girl», said William. There was a nicer feeling in the room at once. Everyone felt that Elizabeth had tried to make up a bit for her mistake.
After the Meeting, Elizabeth went to ask how Joan was. The Matron came to the door of the San and shook her head.
«She's not any better», she said. «She's worrying about something, the doctor says – and she even says she doesn't want to see her mother, though we have asked her if she would like us to send for her!»
«Oh», said Elizabeth, and ran away in dismay. Now Joan didn't want to see her mother – and Elizabeth had written to ask her to come! «I always seem to do the wrong thing!» said Elizabeth to herself. «I wish I could go and tell Rita everything – then perhaps she could help me – but I can't do that without giving Joan away. She would hate to think that anyone knew her cake didn't come from her mother after all! Oh dear! Whatever is going to happen? I wish Mrs. Townsend would hurry up and write to me.»
Chapter 21: Joan's Mother Arrives
Two days later Joan was seriously ill, and the Matron and doctor were very worried indeed.
«We must send for her mother», said Miss Belle at once.
«The child begs us not to send for her», said Matron in a puzzled voice. «It is very strange. I hardly know whether it would be good for Joan to see her – she seems so much against having her mother sent for.»
«Well», said Miss Best, «the mother ought to come, for her own sake, if not for Joan's. She would be very angry if we did not send for her. We can tell her that Joan is behaving rather queerly about her. It may be her illness that is making her think funny thoughts.»
But Mrs. Townsend arrived before she was sent for! She had received Elizabeth's queer letter, and had packed a bag, and taken a train to Whyteleafe the same day. Elizabeth saw the taxi coming up through the archway of the school wall, but she did not know that Mrs. Townsend was inside it. She did not see her get out, pay the man, and ring the bell.
Mrs. Townsend was shown into the headmistresses' drawing-room at once. Miss Belle and Miss Best were most astonished to see her.
«I've come about Joan», said Mrs. Townsend. She was a small, sad-looking woman, beautifully dressed, and with large eyes just like Joan's. «How is she?»
«Not any better, I'm afraid», answered Miss Belle. «But how did you know she was ill?» she asked in surprise.
«I had a letter from a girl called Elizabeth Allen», said Mrs. Townsend. «A very queer letter – about Joan's birthday. Did she tell you anything about it?»
«No», said Miss Belle, even more surprised. «I know nothing about it. May we see the letter?»
Mrs. Townsend gave the two mistresses Elizabeth's smudgy letter. They read it in silence.
«So that is what Elizabeth wanted the money for!» said Miss Best, her lovely smile showing for a moment. «Well! Children are always surprising – but Elizabeth is the most astonishing child we have ever had – so naughty and yet so good – so defiant, and yet so kindhearted and just!»
«I understand now why Joan keeps saying that she doesn't want you to be sent for, Mrs. Townsend», said Miss Belle. «She is ashamed, poor child, because she thought you had sent her those presents – and now she finds you didn't – and she is bewildered and hurt.»
«I think perhaps I ought to explain a few things to you», said Mrs. Townsend. «I must explain them to Joan too.»
«Yes, please tell us anything that will help us with Joan», said Miss Best.
«Well», said Joan's mother, «Joan had a twin, a boy called Michael. He was the finest, loveliest boy you ever saw, Miss Best. His father and I couldn't help loving him more than we loved Joan, because we both wanted a boy, and we didn't care much for girls. He was brave and bonny and always laughing – but Joan was always rather a coward, and beside Michael she seemed sulky and selfish.»
«Don't you think that might have been because you made such a fuss of the boy, and perhaps rather left Joan out?» asked Miss Belle. «She may have been jealous, and that does queer things to a child.»
«Yes – you may be right», said Mrs. Townsend. «Well – when they were three, both children fell ill, and Michael died. And because we loved him so much, we both wished that – that...»
«That Joan had been taken and Michael had been left to you?» said Miss Best gently. «Yes, I understand, Mrs. Townsend – but you did a great wrong to poor Joan. You have never forgiven her for being the only child left. Does Joan know she had a twin?»
«She soon forgot», said Mrs. Townsend, «and we didn't tell her as she grew older. I don't think she knows even now that she ever had a brother.»
«Well, Mrs. Townsend, I think you should tell Joan this», said Miss Best firmly. «She loves you very much, and is miserable because she can't understand why you don
't seem to love her.»
«I do love her», said Mrs. Townsend. «But somehow it is difficult to show it to Joan. When I got this queer little letter, telling me how somebody tried to buy Joan presents, pretending to be me, I felt dreadful, I felt I must come and see my poor little Joan at once.»
«Come and see her now», said Miss Belle. «Tell her what you have told us. Joan will understand, and once she is sure of your love, she will not mind how little you show it! But it shouldn't be difficult to love a child like Joan – she is so gentle and kind.»
«And what about Elizabeth?» asked Mrs. Townsend. «I must speak to her. I think she must be a very kind child, to try to make Joan happy.»
«Go and see Joan first», said Miss Best.
So Mrs. Townsend was taken to the San. She opened the door and Matron beckoned her in, seeing at once that she was Joan's mother.
«She's asleep», she whispered. «Come over here and sit by the bed till she wakes.»
Mrs. Townsend sat beside the bed. She looked at Joan. The little girl was thin and pale, and her sleeping face was so unhappy that her mother couldn't bear it. She leant over Joan and kissed her gently on the cheek.
Joan awoke and stared up. Her large eyes grew larger as she saw her mother. She looked at her for a moment and then spoke. «Are you really here? Was it you who kissed me?»
«Of course», said Mrs. Townsend, with tears in her eyes. «Poor little Joan! I was so very sorry to hear you were ill.» Joan's mother put her arms round her little girl and hugged her. Joan flung her arms round her mother's neck in delight.
«Oh, Mother! I didn't want you to come! But now I'm so happy!»
«I'm sorry I didn't remember your birthday, darling», said Mrs. Townsend. «I think we've got a few things to say to one another. Why didn't you want me to come?»
«Because – because – oh, because I didn't think you would be pleased that somebody pretended to be you and sent me things», said Joan. «I was afraid of seeing you.»