01 The School at the Chalet Read Free Page B

Fareham; and I have to go to the Rectory. Hurry up now, and brush your hair, and be downstairs in ten minutes’ time.’
    She left the room, and Grizel did as she was bidden; but all the time that she was putting on the new blue travelling coat, and changing into her outdoor shoes, and wriggling her brown head into her scarlet tammy, she was murmuring softly to herself, ‘Only to-day left! Only just to-day! To-morrow will soon be here now.’
    She went on repeating it as she walked slowly downstairs. Mrs Cochrane caught the low murmur, and looked sharply at her.
    ‘Why are you talking to yourself, Grizel? Please don’t be so absurd.’
    Grizel coloured up furiously, but she said nothing. Walking demurely at her stepmother’s side, she went down the garden-path, which was already bordered with wallflowers and tulips, gaily a-nod in the spring breeze, and out into the street, where they met two of the girls from her old school.
    ‘You will want to say “good-bye” to your friends,’ said Mrs Cochrane graciously-she was always gracious in public. ‘I will wait for you at the Rectory; but don’t be long, as there are still one or two things I want to do.’
    She passed on, and Grizel was left with them.
    ‘It’s to-morrow you go, Grizel, isn’t it?’ said the elder of the two, a pretty fair child of fourteen, Rosalie Dene by name. ‘Aren’t you sorry to leave home?’
    Hitherto Grizels pride had kept her from making any revelations about home matters. Now, somehow, it didn’t seem to matter. She would not come home for more than a year, for she was to stay with the Bettanys all the summer.
    ‘Sorry?’ she said fervently. ‘I’m not sorry; I’m glad-glad, I tell you!’
    ‘Grizel!’ gasped Rosalie. ‘Glad to leave home and go right away!’
    ‘ ‘Tisn’t like your home,’ replied Grizel sombrely. ‘You’ve a mother!’
    ‘Well, but you have Mrs Cochrane, and I’m sure she’s awfully sweet to you.’
    ‘Yes, when there’s anyone there to see it,’ replied Grizel recklessly.
    The two schoolgirls stood in horrified silence. They did not know what to say.
    Grizel broke the spell. She held out her hand.
    ‘I must be going,’ she said briefly. ‘Goodbye. Write to me sometimes.’
    ‘Good-bye,’ said Rosalie flatly. ‘Of course I’ll write if you will.’
    ‘I’ll send you some postcards,’ responded Grizel. ‘Good-bye, Mary!’
    Mary, the other child, mumbled something in farewell, and then Grizel ran off, leaving them still staring after her.
    ‘Well!’ ejaculated Rosalie at last. ‘Did you ever?’
    ‘Never! ‘replied Mary with finality. ‘I didn’t think Grizel Cochrane was like that!’
    ‘I wonder what mother will say,’ said Rosalie thoughtfully.
    What Mrs Dene actually said when she heard her daughter’s story was, ‘Poor little dear! I hope she will be happy in Austria, then.’
    Meanwhile, Grizel hurried to the Rectory, where her stepmother was waiting for her, and took leave of the Rector and his sister, both of whom were fond of her. They had farewell gifts for her too, in the shape of a new Kipling and a big box of chocolates, and she said ‘good-bye’ to them with real regret. They had always been kind to her.

    After the Rectory visit, Mrs Cochrane took her into the town to do some shopping, and it seemed to the little girl that never before had they met so many acquaintances in one morning. Everyone was very kind, and wished her good luck and a pleasant journey. One or two told her that they envied her her visit to foreign countries, and most people begged for postcards. Grizel promised them to all and sundry, and all the time her heart was beating madly with delight to think that this was the last time for many a long month that she would be here. Then they went home to lunch, and after it was over, her stepmother dismissed her to the moors, where she ran about like a wild thing till the little silver watch on her wrist warned her that it was nearly tea-time,