Read Online Upper Fourth at Malory Towers by Enid Blyton - Free Book Online
Authors: Enid Blyton
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to change over, Darrell,” explained Gwen, still in a meek voice. She saw that Darrell was annoyed, and decided to offer to change back again. Then surely Darrell would say all right, keep next to Clarissa!
“But, of course, if you'd rather I didn't sleep next to Clarissa—though I only wanted to help her—” said Gwendoline, in a martyr-like voice.
“Oh, stay there,” said Darrell, who could never bear it when Gwendoline put on her martyr-act. So Gwendoline, rejoicing inwardly, did stay there, and was able to whisper what she thought were comforting words to Clarissa at night. She was too far away from Darrell's bed to be heard—and in any case Darrell, usually tired out with work and games, slept very quickly, and heard nothing.
Clarissa thought Gwendoline was really the kindest girl she had ever met—not that she had met many, however! Feeling lonely and strange, she had welcomed Gwendoline's friendliness eagerly. She had listened to endless talks about Gwendoline's uninteresting family, who all seemed to be “wonderful” according to Gwen, and yet appeared to the listening Clarissa to be uniformly dull!
She said very little about her own family, though Gwendoline questioned her as much as she dared, longing to hear of Rolls Royces and yachts and mansions. But
Clarissa merely spoke of their little country house, and their “car,”—not even “cars”, thought the disappointed Gwendoline.
As Clarissa had a weak heart, and did no games or gym, she hadn't much chance to get together with the other girls. She either had to rest at these times, or merely go to watch, which she found rather boring. So she looked forward eagerly to the times she could be with Gwendoline, who was practically her only companion.
That is, till Darrell really took the matter in hand! Seeing Gwendoline's fair head and Clarissa's auburn one bent together over a jigsaw puzzle one fine evening, when everyone should have been out of doors, she made up her mind that something really must be done!
She went to Mavis. After all, Mavis had no real friend, she just made a threesome with Daphne and Mary-Lou. She could quite well spare some of her time for Clarissa.
“Mavis,” said Darrell, “we think that Clarissa is seeing a bit too much of darling Gwendoline Mary. Will you try and get Clarissa to yourself a bit and talk to her?”
Mavis was surprised and pleased. “Yes, of course, Darrell,” she said. “I'd love to.” Secretly she thought that the small, bespectacled Clarissa was quite well paired off with Gwendoline—but if Darrell thought otherwise, then it must be so! So obediently she went to try to prise Clarissa away from the close-clinging Gwen.
“Come down to the pool with me, Clarissa,” she said, smiling pleasantly. “I'm not bathing today—but we'll go and watch the others. They want someone to throw in pennies for them to dive for.”
Clarissa got up at once. Gwendoline frowned. “Oh, Clarissa—you can't go just yet.”
“Why? We've nothing much to do,” said Clarissa, surprised. “You come, too.”
“No. I feel rather tired,” said Gwendoline, untruthfully, hoping that Clarissa would stay with her. But she didn't. She went off with Mavis, rather flattered at having been asked by her. Clarissa had not much opinion of herself. She thought herself dull and plain and uninteresting, and indeed she certainly appeared so to most of the girls!
Darrell beamed at Mavis. Good old Mavis! She was doing her best, thought Darrell, pleased. But poor Clarissa didn't have much of a time with Gwendoline afterwards!
Gwendoline was rather cold, and gave her very short, cool answers when she returned from the pool. Clarissa was puzzled.
“I say—you didn't really mind my going off with Mavis for a bit, did you) “ she said at last.
Gwendoline spoke solemnly. “Clarissa, you don't know as much about Mavis as I do. She's not the sort of girl your family would like you to be friends with. Do you know what she did last
“But, of course, if you'd rather I didn't sleep next to Clarissa—though I only wanted to help her—” said Gwendoline, in a martyr-like voice.
“Oh, stay there,” said Darrell, who could never bear it when Gwendoline put on her martyr-act. So Gwendoline, rejoicing inwardly, did stay there, and was able to whisper what she thought were comforting words to Clarissa at night. She was too far away from Darrell's bed to be heard—and in any case Darrell, usually tired out with work and games, slept very quickly, and heard nothing.
Clarissa thought Gwendoline was really the kindest girl she had ever met—not that she had met many, however! Feeling lonely and strange, she had welcomed Gwendoline's friendliness eagerly. She had listened to endless talks about Gwendoline's uninteresting family, who all seemed to be “wonderful” according to Gwen, and yet appeared to the listening Clarissa to be uniformly dull!
She said very little about her own family, though Gwendoline questioned her as much as she dared, longing to hear of Rolls Royces and yachts and mansions. But
Clarissa merely spoke of their little country house, and their “car,”—not even “cars”, thought the disappointed Gwendoline.
As Clarissa had a weak heart, and did no games or gym, she hadn't much chance to get together with the other girls. She either had to rest at these times, or merely go to watch, which she found rather boring. So she looked forward eagerly to the times she could be with Gwendoline, who was practically her only companion.
That is, till Darrell really took the matter in hand! Seeing Gwendoline's fair head and Clarissa's auburn one bent together over a jigsaw puzzle one fine evening, when everyone should have been out of doors, she made up her mind that something really must be done!
She went to Mavis. After all, Mavis had no real friend, she just made a threesome with Daphne and Mary-Lou. She could quite well spare some of her time for Clarissa.
“Mavis,” said Darrell, “we think that Clarissa is seeing a bit too much of darling Gwendoline Mary. Will you try and get Clarissa to yourself a bit and talk to her?”
Mavis was surprised and pleased. “Yes, of course, Darrell,” she said. “I'd love to.” Secretly she thought that the small, bespectacled Clarissa was quite well paired off with Gwendoline—but if Darrell thought otherwise, then it must be so! So obediently she went to try to prise Clarissa away from the close-clinging Gwen.
“Come down to the pool with me, Clarissa,” she said, smiling pleasantly. “I'm not bathing today—but we'll go and watch the others. They want someone to throw in pennies for them to dive for.”
Clarissa got up at once. Gwendoline frowned. “Oh, Clarissa—you can't go just yet.”
“Why? We've nothing much to do,” said Clarissa, surprised. “You come, too.”
“No. I feel rather tired,” said Gwendoline, untruthfully, hoping that Clarissa would stay with her. But she didn't. She went off with Mavis, rather flattered at having been asked by her. Clarissa had not much opinion of herself. She thought herself dull and plain and uninteresting, and indeed she certainly appeared so to most of the girls!
Darrell beamed at Mavis. Good old Mavis! She was doing her best, thought Darrell, pleased. But poor Clarissa didn't have much of a time with Gwendoline afterwards!
Gwendoline was rather cold, and gave her very short, cool answers when she returned from the pool. Clarissa was puzzled.
“I say—you didn't really mind my going off with Mavis for a bit, did you) “ she said at last.
Gwendoline spoke solemnly. “Clarissa, you don't know as much about Mavis as I do. She's not the sort of girl your family would like you to be friends with. Do you know what she did last
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