Upper Fourth at Malory Towers Read Online Free PDF

North Tower's house-mistress, if she should change Betty Hill over to North Tower, as Betty's parents had actually written to ask if she would.
    “I can manage Alicia alone,” said Miss Potts, “or even Betty alone—but to have those two together in one house would be quite impossible. I should never have a moment's peace—and neither would Mam'zelle.”
    “I agree with you,” said Miss Grayling. So a letter was sent to Mr. and Mrs. Hill regretting that it was impossible to find room for Betty in North Tower. Still, Alicia and Betty managed to be very firm friends indeed, although they were in different towers, meeting in class each day, arranging walks and expeditions together—and planning various wicked and amusing jokes and tricks.
    The North Tower fourth-formers went eagerly to their classroom after Prayers. They wanted to choose their desks, and to sort out their things, to look out of the window, clean the blackboard, and do the hundred and one things they had done together so often before.
    The twins stood and waited till the other girls had chosen their desks. They knew enough not to choose till then. By that time, of course, there were very few desks left—only those for two East Tower girls who were still not back, and for Clarissa Carter, and for themselves.
    “We'll sit together, of course,” said Connie, and put her books and Ruth's on two adjoining desks. They were, alas, in the hated front row, but naturally all the other rows had been taken, the back row going first. It was the only row really safe enough for whispering, or for passing a note or two.
    Darrell looked out of the window, and wondered if Felicity had been to see Miss Grayling yet. She must ask her, when she saw her at Break. Miss Grayling saw all the new girls together, and what she said to them always impressed them, and made them determine to do their very best. Darrell remembered clearly how impressed she had been, and how she had made up her mind to be one of the worthwhile people of the world.
    “I wonder who will be head-girl this term,” said Alicia, interrupting Darrell's thoughts. “Jean's gone up, so she won't be. Well—I bet I shan't be! I never have, and I don't expect I ever will. The Grayling doesn't trust me!”
    “I expect Sally will be,” said Darrell. “She was head of the second when we were in that form, and a jolly good head she made—though as far as I remember, you didn't approve at all, Alicia!”
    “No, I didn't,” said Alicia, candidly. “I thought I ought to be head. But I've got rid of silly ideas like that now. I see that I'm not fitted to be head of anything—I just don't care enough.”
    Part of this was just bravado, but quite a bit of it was truth. Alicia didn't care enough! Things were so easy for her that she had never had to try hard for anything, and so she didn't care. “If she had to work jolty hard at lessons, as I have to do,” thought Darrell, “she'd care all right! We value the things we have to work hard for. Alicia does things too easily.”
    Gwendoline had chosen a seat in the front row! Everyone was most astonished, Alicia eyed her wonderingly. Could she be sucking up to Miss Williams? No, nobody in the world could do that. Miss Williams simply wouldn't notice it! Then what was the reason for Gwendoline's curious choice?
    “Well, of course !” said Alicia, suddenly, and everyone gazed at her in surprise.
    “Of course what?” said Betty.
    “I've just thought why dear Gwendoline has chosen that front seat,” said Alicia, maliciously. “At first I thought she'd gone out of her senses, but now I know!”
    Gwendoline scowled at her. She was really afraid of Alicia's sly tongue, and she thought it quite likely that Alicia had hit on the correct reason.
    But Alicia did not enlighten the class just then. She smiled sarcastically at Gwendoline and said, “Dear Gwen, I won't give you away—you realty have a very Honourable reason for your choice, haven't you? “
    Nobody