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Authors: Last Term at Malory Towers
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thought June, eyeing Amanda aggressively. Actually Amanda, finding June so exasperating, was debating whether or not to change her mind about offering to coach her. She decided to go on with it. She couldn't bear the idea of Moira sneering at her if she didn't.
'Look here. June,' she began, abruptly. 'I've been watching you.'
June was startled. 'Watching me!' she said, on the defensive at once. 'What for? I'm no! aware thai I've been worth watching - I've been fairly harmless lately.'
'Don't talk in that silly way/ said Amanda. 'I've been watching you at tennis and swimming. You could be good. In fact you could be better than anyone in the second form c?r the third form. And if you worked at your games, instead of playing the fool, you'd soon beat anyone in the fourth form too/
June gaped. This was so very extraordinary and unexpected that she couldn't think of a word to say.
Amanda went on.
'So I propose to coach you myself, June. I've told sally and Darrell and Moira my views about you, and ! ve said I could make you good enough to put you in the second tennis team and second swimming team before the end of the term. 1 want to prove that I'm right.'
Still June stared at Amanda, overcome with astonish¬ment. She couldn't understand Amanda picking her out like this. June had no illusions about herself - she knew she could be outstanding if she tried - but it was too much trouble to try! Still, it was very very flattering to be told all this!
'Well?' said Amanda, impatiently. 'Why don't you say something? I propose to begin coaching you right away ■his afternoon, if possible.'
June hesitated. She was torn between two alternatives. She disliked Amanda, and wanted to throw her offer back in her face, because it had something hard and condescending about it. On the other hand - what lun to lord it over the other second-formers, and tell litem that Amanda, from the great sports school, Trenigan Towers, had actually picked her out from all the vu her lower-formers - and considered it worth while to spend a great deal ol time on her!
All right,' said June, at last. 'Did Sally say I could have special coaching from you?'
Amanda gave a snort. 'Don't be silly. And I think you might at least show a spark of gratitude. I'm going to give :;p a lot of my time to you/
'Well - you're really only doing it to prove yourself : ight, aren't you ?' said June, with her devastating l^)arpness. 'Not because you're reaily interested in me? : don't mind. It suits me, if it suits von!'
\manda restrained her tongue with an effort, ft
wouldn't do to put this cheeky youngster in a hostile mood at the beginning, or there would he no co¬operation between them, and no good results. But how- she did dislike her!
'Very well,' said Amanda, crisply. 'We'll have the whole thing on a business basis. / want to prove I'm right, atid you want to he in the second school teams. At least, I imagine you do. It would be a tremendous thing tor a second-former.'
'All right,' said June, in her maddeningly casual way.
'But there's just one thing you must understand,' said Amanda, 'or the whole thing's off. You have jolly well got to tome at the times f set for coaching in swimming and tennis. Got that?'
'That's fair enough,' said June. And so the bargain was struck between them, a cold sort of bargain with no liking in real interest on either side, June went off jauntily What a shock for the other second-formers to hear her news!
As soon as she appeared in the second-form common-room the others called out to her.
'What was it, June? What did she want you for?'
'How many lines have you got to learn (his time?'
'Did you cheek her? What did you say?'
'She sent for me because she said she wanted to coach me in tennis and swimming,' announced June.
This was so astonishing to the others that they were struck into silence. Felicity gasped.
'Amanda - coaching yew, June! Whatever for?'
'Well, she appears to think I could be in the second tennis team and the
'Look here. June,' she began, abruptly. 'I've been watching you.'
June was startled. 'Watching me!' she said, on the defensive at once. 'What for? I'm no! aware thai I've been worth watching - I've been fairly harmless lately.'
'Don't talk in that silly way/ said Amanda. 'I've been watching you at tennis and swimming. You could be good. In fact you could be better than anyone in the second form c?r the third form. And if you worked at your games, instead of playing the fool, you'd soon beat anyone in the fourth form too/
June gaped. This was so very extraordinary and unexpected that she couldn't think of a word to say.
Amanda went on.
'So I propose to coach you myself, June. I've told sally and Darrell and Moira my views about you, and ! ve said I could make you good enough to put you in the second tennis team and second swimming team before the end of the term. 1 want to prove that I'm right.'
Still June stared at Amanda, overcome with astonish¬ment. She couldn't understand Amanda picking her out like this. June had no illusions about herself - she knew she could be outstanding if she tried - but it was too much trouble to try! Still, it was very very flattering to be told all this!
'Well?' said Amanda, impatiently. 'Why don't you say something? I propose to begin coaching you right away ■his afternoon, if possible.'
June hesitated. She was torn between two alternatives. She disliked Amanda, and wanted to throw her offer back in her face, because it had something hard and condescending about it. On the other hand - what lun to lord it over the other second-formers, and tell litem that Amanda, from the great sports school, Trenigan Towers, had actually picked her out from all the vu her lower-formers - and considered it worth while to spend a great deal ol time on her!
All right,' said June, at last. 'Did Sally say I could have special coaching from you?'
Amanda gave a snort. 'Don't be silly. And I think you might at least show a spark of gratitude. I'm going to give :;p a lot of my time to you/
'Well - you're really only doing it to prove yourself : ight, aren't you ?' said June, with her devastating l^)arpness. 'Not because you're reaily interested in me? : don't mind. It suits me, if it suits von!'
\manda restrained her tongue with an effort, ft
wouldn't do to put this cheeky youngster in a hostile mood at the beginning, or there would he no co¬operation between them, and no good results. But how- she did dislike her!
'Very well,' said Amanda, crisply. 'We'll have the whole thing on a business basis. / want to prove I'm right, atid you want to he in the second school teams. At least, I imagine you do. It would be a tremendous thing tor a second-former.'
'All right,' said June, in her maddeningly casual way.
'But there's just one thing you must understand,' said Amanda, 'or the whole thing's off. You have jolly well got to tome at the times f set for coaching in swimming and tennis. Got that?'
'That's fair enough,' said June. And so the bargain was struck between them, a cold sort of bargain with no liking in real interest on either side, June went off jauntily What a shock for the other second-formers to hear her news!
As soon as she appeared in the second-form common-room the others called out to her.
'What was it, June? What did she want you for?'
'How many lines have you got to learn (his time?'
'Did you cheek her? What did you say?'
'She sent for me because she said she wanted to coach me in tennis and swimming,' announced June.
This was so astonishing to the others that they were struck into silence. Felicity gasped.
'Amanda - coaching yew, June! Whatever for?'
'Well, she appears to think I could be in the second tennis team and the
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