Read 03 The Princess of the Chalet School for Free Online Page B

thoroughly impertinent and insubordinate.’
    ‘Go to your room, Elisaveta,’ Miss Maynard waited, and Elisaveta meekly turned and went off to her room. ‘I will see her in private, Matron. In the meantime, I must go and attend to something. She will be better for being left alone for the present.’
    ‘Yes; if she is locked in!’
    The mistress shook her head. ‘We never lock the girls in at this school.’ Her mind went back to an event which had occurred in the first term of the Chalet School, when Grizel Cochrane, the most insubordinate girl they had had there, had not been locked in. That had nearly cost her own life as well as that of Joey Bettany, but there had never been any question of deviating from the custom of trusting the girls to the very end.
    ‘There will be no thought of locking in Elisaveta or any other girl,’ said Miss Maynard. ‘Madame would not allow it. And while I remember, Matron, would you please call the headmistress “Madame,” as we all do. It is her own wish.’
    Matron flounced out of the room, muttering something about ‘such rubbish!’
    ‘What a woman!’ exclaimed Miss Wilson. ‘What are you going to do with the child, Maynie?’
    “Try to make her see reason,’ replied Miss Maynard. ‘I want her version of the story.’
    ‘Better get Joey’s as well,’ suggested Miss Carthew. ‘There must have been a scene of sorts to make Elisaveta go for anyone like that. She always looks as though she was scared of her own shadow.’
    ‘I might,’ agreed Miss Maynard. ‘Yes; I think I’ll do that first.’
    She went out of the room, and up to the Yellow dormitory, where she was pretty sure of finding Joey, since Matron had been finding fault with her for untidiness. As she reached the door, she heard the harsh voice saying, ‘Put that drawer right at once, and you can take an order-mark for leaving it in such a disgraceful condition. I don’t make any differences for the Head’s sister, as you may just as well realize! Every time I find your drawers in a mess like this I shall punish you, so remember!’
    The mistress entered the room, to find Joey with a mutinous expression on her face turning out the contents of a drawer that looked as if it had been well stirred up with a stick. There had certainly been some grounds for Matron’s complaint!
    ‘May I speak to Joey, Matron?’ asked Miss Maynard.
    ‘Yes, Miss Maynard. And I wish you would speak to her about her untidiness while you are about it!’
    replied Matron vigorously. ‘Just look at that drawer!’
    ‘It is disgraceful,’ said Miss Maynard sternly. ‘When I have finished with you, Joey, you must come back and put everything in its proper place. I will come and inspect it myself before you go to bed. Now come with me.’
    Joey followed her out of the room and into the little bedroom across the landing which was hers. Miss Maynard gave her a chair, and perched herself on the bed. ‘Joey, what was the cause of Elisaveta’s being so rude to Matron?’
    Joey twisted her fingers together, and stared at the ground.
    ‘Come, Joey! I want to know. Elisaveta much apologise to Matron, of course, but I want to know why she was so rude.’
    ‘It was my fault, I suppose,’ said Jo at length. ‘My drawer was untidy, and Matron was angry, and she said
    – things. Then Elisaveta got angry too, and she said Matron hadn’t the – the instincts of a lady, or she wouldn’t have said such things – it was only canaille who spoke so. Matron was wild , and she carted her off to Mad – I mean, my sister, and – and that’s about all.’
    ‘What did Matron say that made Elisaveta interfere?’ asked Miss Maynard, her eyes on Jo’s face.
    Jo suddenly flushed. ‘I’m not going to repeat such a thing,’ she said. ‘It’s an insult to Madge to even think of it!’
    ‘Was it the same sort of thing as I heard her saying when I came to find you?’ asked the mistress.
    Joey sat dumb.
    ‘Tell me, Joey,’ insisted Miss