Verity Sparks, Lost and Found Read Online Free PDF

Kilda’s very fashionable. What does your father do?”
    What
did
Papa do? “He’s in business,” I said.
    “My father owns one of the largest properties in the Western District. How old are you?”
    “I’m nearly fourteen,” I said.
    “I’m fifteen.” She sat on my bed and inspected my scarf and then my gloves. “These are smart.”
    I didn’t think much of her manners, but I said, “Thank you.”
    “You have very nice things.” She put down the gloves and held up my hat. “Is this new?” Before I could answer, she walked over to the chest of drawers. “What’s in here?”
    She pointed to my jewellery box. I didn’t have any jewellery to speak of – just my lucky piece – but it was a good place to keep things I didn’t want to lose, like the trunk key, my buttonhook and any special letters. She opened the lid, poked around and then picked up an envelope. “What’s this?”
    “It’s from my father,” I said. When he’d left me at Hightop House that afternoon, just before he’d headed to the docks, Papa had tucked an envelope into my hand. I’d opened it after the carriage had disappeared around the bend in the drive. There was a pound note inside, and in Papa’s bold, upright script, a letter of farewell. By now he’d be on board ship. When the tide was right, the steamer would go through Port Phillip Heads and begin its voyage along the coast to Sydney and then Brisbane.
    “What does it say?” Before I could stop her, she began to read. “
My dearest daughter, good wishes and of course, all my love
–”
    Without comment she refolded it, put it back and fished out the lucky piece on its silk cord. But I’d had enough of her prying ways. I held out my hand and after a few seconds, she dropped it onto my palm. She then went back to my hat.
    “Very nice,” she said, trying it on in front of the mirror. “By the way,” she added casually, “I’m Head Girl.”
    Was I meant to be impressed? “I’m sorry,” I said. “I don’t know what that is.”
    “The Head Girl,” she said, rolling her eyes as if she was talking to an idiot, “is a Senior who is entrusted by the principal with keeping discipline among the younger ones. Like Lottie, Hattie and Emma.”
    “I see.”
    “The school is grouped into Juniors and Seniors. Though we all share the same dining room, upstairs each group has its own separate sitting room and sleeping areas. Those three little bugs are supposed to stay in their own part of the school.”
    “Oh,” I said. Lottie would be so disappointed, but at least I knew she wouldn’t be lonely without me. She’d made two good friends already.
    I heard a bell ringing and then suddenly the sound of feet in the passage outside.
    “It’s teatime,” said Jessie. “Miss Deane asked me to fetch you.” She jumped off the bed and put her arm through mine. “I’ll show you the way. I’m hungry, aren’t you?”
    “Yes, I–” But Jessie interrupted me. I could see she was a very interrupting sort of person.
    “Come on,” she said as she steered me along the passage and down the stairs. “You can sit with me.”
    “I promised I’d sit with Lottie.”
    “Surely you don’t want to sit with those insects!”
    “I promised,” I said.
    Jessie let go my arm. “Suit yourself then,” she said. “See if I care.” And she flounced off ahead of me.
    Hmm, I thought. If my social success depended on a friendship with Jessie McGryll, I might just have to be a failure.

5
FRIENDS AND OTHERS
    The dining hall was a large room, lit now in the late afternoon by gas lamps, and decorated with framed engravings. I had a quick look. More blood and gore. I guessed the Colonel was responsible for that part of the decoration. With over thirty girls sitting down to tea, the noise was overwhelming.
    I looked for Lottie. So did Jessie.
    “Her table’s full,” she said with an air of triumph. “Here are the Seniors. Move over, Emily. Make room for Verity.”
    “Sit here, next