Third Year at Malory Towers Read Online Free PDF

big stables,” said Wilhelmina. “Daddy keeps racehorses too. I say—I've never been to boarding school before. Is it awful? If it is I shall saddle Thunder and ride away.”
    Jean stared at Wilhelmina and wondered if she meant all this. She decided that she didn't. She laughed and pulled Wilhelmina along to the cloakroom, because she had to wash ink off her hands before dinner. Miss Potts would be sure to spot them if she didn't!
    “Malory Towers is a jolly fine school,” said Jean. “You'll like it.”
    “Shall I be able to ride Thunder each day?” asked Wilhelmina, staring round the big cloakroom where girls were chattering and laughing as they washed. “I tell you, I wouldn't have come if they hadn't let me bring Thunder. I shall have to look after him too, even if it means missing some of my lessons. He would hate anyone else looking after him.”
    “Haven't you ever been to school before?” asked Belinda, who had been listening to all this with interest.
    “No. I shared the tutor that three of my brothers had,” said Wilhelmina. “There wasn't a school near at all. We live miles out in the country. I expect I shall be at the bottom of the form.”
    Belinda liked this outspoken girl. “I bet you won't,” she said, and cast her eye round to see if Gwendoline was about. Yes, she was. “Not while Gwendoline Mary is in the form, anyway!”
    “Don't be beastly,” said Gwendoline, cross at having fun poked at her in front of a new girl.
    “It will all seem a bit queer to you at first,” said Jean. “If you've been even to a day school before it helps—but never to have been to school at all—well, you're sure to feel a bit strange, Wilhelmina.”
    I say—would you mind very much if I asked you something?” said Wilhelmina, staring hard at Jean.
    “What?” said Jean, wondering what was coming. The others came round to listen. Wilhemina looked round at them all.
    “Well,” she said, “I've never in my life been called Wilhelmina. Never. It's a frightful name. Everyone calls me Bill. After all, people call William Bill for short, don't they? So my brothers said they'd call me Bill, short for Wilhelmina! If you all start calling me Wilhemina I shall be miserable. I shan't feel I'm myself.”
    In the usual way if a new girl asked for a nickname, she would have been laughed at, or told to think again. Nicknames were only given when people knew you well and liked you. Gwendoline Mary opened her mouth to say this but Belinda spoke first.
    “Yes. We'll call you Bill. It suits you. Wilhelmina's a nice name for some people, but not for you. You really are a Bill. What do you say, Darrell—and Jean?”
    “Yes,” they agreed at once. They couldn't help liking this sturdy, freckled girl with her short hair and frank smile. She was Bill. They couldn't possibly call her anything else.
    “Well, thanks awfully,” said Bill. “Thanks most awfully. Now I can forget I was ever christened Wilhelmina.”
    Mavis and Gwendoline Mary looked as if they didn't approve of this at all. Why should a new girl get a nickname at once, just because she wanted it? Daphne looked disapproving too. How could any girl want a boy's name? And how could anyone like to wear her hair as short as Wilhelmina and get so many freckles? Why, Daphne couldn't bear it if she got so much as a single freckle!
    Zerelda came into the cloakroom, her hair still done properly, without the big roll on the top of her head. Jean looked at her.
    “Gracious, Zerelda! You do look different—about ten years younger! I bet Miss Williams was mad with you, wasn't she?”
    “She was mad all right,” said Zerelda. “Really queer, I mean! I'm quite scared of her. I'd rather have your Miss Peters. I say—who in the big wide world is this?”
    She stood and stared in the utmost wonder at Bill, who looked back, quite unabashed. The two took in one another from top to toe.
    “Are you a boy or a girl?” enquired Zerelda. “Gee, I wouldn't know!”
    “My