New Term at Malory Towers

  Malory Towers

  St Clare’s

  1 The Twins at St Clare’s

  2 The O’Sullivan Twins

  3 Summer Term at St Clare’s

  4 The Second Form at St Clare’s

  5 The Third Form at St Clare’s (written by Pamela Cox)

  6 Kitty at St Clare’s (written by Pamela Cox)

  7 Claudine at St Clare’s

  8 Fifth Formers of St Clare’s

  9 The Sixth Form at St Clare’s (written by Pamela Cox)

  Malory Towers

  1 First Term at Malory Towers

  2 Second Form at Malory Towers

  3 ThirdYear at Malory Towers

  4 Upper Fourth at Malory Towers

  5 In the Fifth at Malory Towers

  6 Last Term at Malory Towers

  7 New Term at Malory Towers (written by Pamela Cox)

  8 Summer Term at Malory Towers (written by Pamela Cox)

  9 Winter Term at Malory Towers (written by Pamela Cox)

  10 Fun and Games at Malory Towers (written by Pamela Cox)

  11 Secrets at Malory Towers (written by Pamela Cox)

  12 Goodbye Malory Towers (written by Pamela Cox)

  Written by Pamela Cox

  Based on characters and stories created by Enid Blyton

  Copyright

  New Term at Malory Towers first published in Great Britain 2009

  by Egmont UK Limited

  239 Kensington High Street

  London W8 6SA

  ENID BLYTON® text copyright © 2009 Chorion Rights Limited

  All rights reserved

  Text by Pamela Cox

  Cover illustration copyright © 2009 Nicola Slater

  The moral rights of the author and illustrator have been asserted

  A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher and copyright owner.

  Visit our web site at www.egmont.co.uk

  First e-book edition January 2010

  ISBN 978 1 4052 49676

  Contents

  Cover Page

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Chapter 1: Back to Malory Towers

  Chapter 2: New friends and an old enemy

  Chapter 3: The first night

  Chapter 4: The new head-girl

  Chapter 5: A shock for Felicity

  Chapter 6: The new girls settle in

  Chapter 7: A dirty trick

  Chapter 8: Secrets and tricks

  Chapter 9: Vanishing cream

  Chapter 10: Half-term

  Chapter 11: Trouble in the third form

  Chapter 12: A shock for Amy

  Chapter 13: Mrs Dale springs a surprise

  Chapter 14: A bad time for Felicity

  Chapter 15: Veronica in trouble

  Chapter 16: Veronica gets a chance

  Chapter 17: A happy end to the term

  Back to Malory Towers

  ‘Darrell, are you and Sally absolutely sure that you don’t want to come with Daddy and me when we drive Felicity to school?’ asked Mrs Rivers as she buttered a slice of toast.

  ‘Absolutely sure,’ said Darrell firmly. ‘I think that seeing dear old Malory Towers and knowing that I don’t belong there any more would make me burst into tears, to be honest. Do you feel the same, Sally?’

  Darrell’s friend, Sally Hope, who was staying with the Rivers family for a few days, nodded. ‘Exactly the same. I would like to go back and see the old place one day, but not yet. The memories of all the fun we shared and the friends we made are just too fresh.’ Sally sighed heavily. ‘I can’t believe that our schooldays are over and we shall never go back to Malory Towers again.’

  ‘You poor old things,’ said Mr Rivers, looking up from his newspaper. ‘Really, anyone would think that the two of you had nothing left to look forward to. But you’re both off to university soon and a whole new chapter is beginning for you.’

  ‘I know, and I’m really looking forward to starting university,’ said Darrell. ‘But it won’t be as much fun as school.’

  ‘I expect it will be fun, but in a different way,’ put in her younger sister, Felicity. ‘Just think, you’ll have your own rooms, and no lights-out, and I bet you’ll both be invited to lots of parties and dances, and –’

  ‘And, who knows, we may even get a little studying done,’ said Sally, with a laugh. ‘It’s going to be jolly hard work as well, young Felicity, so there’s no need to sound quite so envious.’

  ‘Oh, I’m not envious, Sally,’ Felicity assured her, pushing her porridge bowl away. ‘I absolutely love being at Malory Towers, and I can’t wait to get back there.’

  ‘And I suppose your eagerness to return to school has nothing to do with the fact that you’ll be able to shake off Bonnie Meadows at last?’ said Darrell slyly. ‘My word, the poor girl won’t know what to do with herself when you’re gone.’

  ‘Latch on to somebody else, hopefully,’ said Felicity, with a groan. ‘That girl has absolutely ruined my holiday. With all the towns in the country to choose from, why did her parents have to move here?’

  ‘Felicity!’ protested Mrs Rivers. ‘That’s not very nice. Especially as the poor girl obviously thinks the world of you.’

  Felicity, who was getting a little tired of hearing the new neighbours’ daughter referred to as a ‘poor girl’, rolled her eyes and said, ‘No, she doesn’t. Not really. She’s just grateful to have some company of her own age, for a change. I’m sure she would have been just the same with anyone who had been kind to her.’

  ‘That’s the trouble, Felicity – you were too kind to her,’ said Darrell. ‘You need to be firm with people like Bonnie.’

  ‘I know,’ said Felicity with a sigh, thinking that downright Darrell would have had no trouble in brushing Bonnie off. ‘But I just couldn’t bring myself to be unkind to her – in spite of the fact that she’s such a drip!’

  ‘That’s what comes of wrapping children in cotton-wool,’ remarked Mr Rivers. ‘It would do young Bonnie the world of good to be sent to a school like Malory Towers, where she could mix with other girls and learn to stand on her own two feet.’

  ‘But I thought that Bonnie was too sickly and delicate to go to school?’ said Mrs Rivers.

  ‘She may have been when she was younger,’ said Mr Rivers, folding up his newspaper. ‘But there’s absolutely nothing wrong with her now – apart from an over-anxious mother, of course.’

  ‘And Daddy ought to know,’ said Darrell, referring to the fact that Mr Rivers was a highly respected member of the medical profession.

  ‘Of course,’ said Mrs Rivers. ‘But I can’t help feeling a little sorry for Mrs Meadows. It must have been dreadfully worrying for her when Bonnie was ill, especially with Mr Meadows being away so much. I suppose it’s only natural that she’s got into the habit of being over-protective.’

  ‘Mother, do we have to spend my last precious moments at home talking about Boring Bonnie?’ asked Felicity plaintively. ‘Isn’t it bad enough that she’s been my shadow for the last few weeks?’

  ‘All right, dear, we shan’t mention her again,’ said Mrs Rivers. ‘Now, are you absolutely sure that you haven’t left anything out of your trunk? And is your night case all packed and ready?’

  ‘Yes, I’ve double-checked and I haven’t forgotten anything,’ answered Felicity.

  ‘Good,’ said Mr Rivers, pushing his chair back and getting to his feet. ‘In that case, I shall go and start loading up the car and we’ll
be off.’

  ‘I suppose I shall have to learn to stand on my own two feet as well,’ said Felicity with a sigh. ‘Now that I shan’t have my big sister at school to look out for me. I shall be so lonely!’

  Darrell laughed. ‘Somehow I think you’ll learn to stand on your own two feet very well. And as for being lonely – well, every time I tried to speak to you at school you were surrounded by your friends, so I daresay you’ll be fine.’

  ‘I’m so looking forward to seeing the others again,’ Felicity said. ‘Susan, and Pam, and Julie…’

  ‘And June?’ asked Sally with a quizzical look.

  ‘Yes, even June,’ laughed Felicity. ‘I know that she can be troublesome, and outspoken, and downright wicked at times – but she’s jolly good fun and she does make me laugh.’

  Just like her cousin, Alicia, thought Darrell. ‘Well,’ she said. ‘So long as she doesn’t involve you in any of her crazy schemes, and get you into trouble.’

  ‘I really think that June is beginning to change,’ said Felicity thoughtfully. ‘Remember how she knuckled down to games practice last term? And don’t forget that she saved Amanda’s life!’

  ‘Yes, June proved that she has good stuff in her,’ said Sally. ‘And no one could doubt her bravery. But she’s one of those people who will always work hard if something interests her, or if she wants to prove a point to someone else. Once she loses interest, or has made her point and doesn’t need to try any more – then watch out! Because when June is bored or has nothing to focus her attention on, that’s when she starts stirring things up!’

  Exactly like Alicia, thought Darrell, grinning to herself as she remembered some of her friend’s more outrageous pranks.

  Felicity laughed. ‘Yes, you’re right, Sally. Actually, I hope June doesn’t change too much. I couldn’t bear it if she went all goody-goody on us!’

  ‘I don’t think there’s much danger of that,’ said Darrell drily.

  ‘June sounds a very strange girl, I must say,’ said Mrs Rivers, who had been listening with interest. ‘But it does seem that she has many good qualities – and Malory Towers is certainly the place to bring them to the fore.’

  All three girls agreed heartily with that, but there was no time to discuss the matter any further, for Mr Rivers appeared in the doorway and said, ‘Felicity, I’ve put your trunk and night case in the car. All I need now is you and your mother, and we can leave.’

  Felicity leaped up excitedly to get her hat and coat, then Darrell and Sally walked with her and Mrs Rivers to the door. But, alas for Felicity, as they stepped outside, Bonnie Meadows was walking up the garden path, determined not to let her new friend go without saying goodbye. She was a pretty girl, small and very dainty, with enormous, soft brown eyes, brown curly hair and a little rosebud mouth. She also had an air of fragility and helplessness – or, as Felicity liked to call it, goofiness – about her.

  ‘Oh, Felicity, I’m so glad that you haven’t left yet!’ she cried in her lisping, little-girl voice. ‘I know that we said goodbye yesterday, but I did so want to come and see you off, and Mummy knew that I wouldn’t be able to rest if I didn’t get my way, so here I am!’

  A snort from behind her made Felicity turn, to see her sister and Sally standing there with idiotic grins on their faces. She glared fiercely at them, then turned back to Bonnie and, in a rather too-bright voice, said, ‘Yes, here you are! Well, Bonnie, it’s been simply lovely spending the hols with you, but Daddy’s waiting and…Oh, Bonnie, please don’t cry!’

  But it was too late. Tears had already welled up in Bonnie’s big eyes, her bottom lip jutted out and, to Felicity’s great embarrassment, she began to sob loudly. An expression of horror on her face, Felicity looked round at Darrell, who at once took charge of the situation. She came forward and put an arm round Bonnie’s shoulders, saying briskly, but kindly, ‘Come along now, Bonnie, there’s really no need for all these tears. Before you know it the holidays will be here and Felicity will be home again. And I’m sure she’ll write to you, often, won’t you, Felicity?’

  ‘What? Oh, er – yes, of course. Every week,’ said Felicity, casting an anxious look towards the car, where her father was impatiently drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. ‘Now, I really must go, Bonnie, or I shall be late on my first day back.’

  She gave the girl a pat on the shoulder, then turned to her sister and said, ‘I’ll write to you, as well, Darrell. You will write back, won’t you, and tell me all about how you’re getting on at university?’

  ‘Of course,’ promised Darrell with a smile. ‘Now off you go, or poor Daddy will simply explode! Say hello to dear old Malory Towers from Sally and me, won’t you?’

  Felicity ran to the car, Darrell’s and Sally’s goodbyes and Bonnie’s cry of, ‘I shall miss you so much, Felicity!’ following her.

  ‘Goodbye, Darrell! Goodbye, Sally!’ called Felicity, sticking her head through the open window as her father started the car. ‘Goodbye, Bonnie! I’ll write to you soon.’

  Then they were off – back to Malory Towers.

  The journey was a long one, and to Felicity, eager to be back with her friends, it seemed to go on forever. Mrs Rivers had packed a picnic lunch and they found a pleasant spot overlooking the sea to stop and eat, but Felicity was so excited, and so impatient to resume the journey, that she could only manage a couple of sandwiches.

  They drove on for another hour, then the car rounded a bend in the road and Felicity cried, ‘There it is – Malory Towers! I can see it!’

  Felicity felt a warm glow of pride as she looked at the school – her school. Standing at the top of a cliff, Malory Towers was certainly a magnificent building, its four towers – one at each corner – making it look almost like a castle. Mr Rivers drove on, along a steep, narrow road and through a big, open gateway into the grounds of the school, which was thronged with excited, chattering girls and groups of parents. He had hardly brought the car to a stop before Felicity had the door open and was off, racing across the lawn.

  ‘Felicity!’ called her mother. ‘You haven’t got your night case. Felicity, come back!’

  But it was no use. Felicity was now part of a group of laughing, gossiping third formers, all of them busy exchanging greetings and catching up on news.

  ‘Look everyone, it’s Felicity! Did you have good hols?’

  ‘Hallo, Nora! Goodness, don’t you look brown?’

  ‘I say, isn’t that Pam over there, with her people? Pam, come and join us!’

  ‘Have the train girls arrived yet? My word, isn’t it super to be back?’

  It certainly was super, thought Felicity happily, looking round at all her friends. There was the big, good-natured Pam, the scatterbrained but humorous Nora, and horse-mad Julie, who had brought her pony, Jack Horner, to school with her. And now a slim girl, with short, light-brown hair and a turned-up nose, joined the third formers – Felicity’s best friend, Susan. She slipped her arm through Felicity’s and said, ‘Shall we take our health certificates to Matron and find our dormy? Then perhaps we’ll have time to go down and take a look at the pool before supper.’

  ‘Good idea,’ said Felicity. ‘I say, where is my night case? Oh goodness, I’ve left it in the car. And I’d completely forgotten about Mother and Daddy! Wait here a moment, Susan, while I just go and say goodbye to them.’

  With that, Felicity dashed off, back to where she had left her parents.

  ‘Ah, so you’ve finally remembered us,’ said her father, a humorous twinkle in his eye as she raced over to them.

  ‘Sorry, Daddy, I was just so excited to see the others again,’ gabbled Felicity, her words tumbling out. ‘Susan’s here, and Nora, and Julie’s back, and she’s brought her pony, and –’

  ‘We quite understand, dear,’ said Mrs Rivers, with a smile. ‘I’m just glad that you like life at school so much.’

  ‘Like it? I love it!’ said Felicity ecstatically, hugging her mother.

  Mrs Rivers hugged her back and said
, ‘Now, you will write once you’ve settled in, won’t you? Just to let us know how you’re getting on. And we’ll be over to see you at half-term, of course.’

  Having finished her goodbyes, Felicity grabbed her night case, and she and her friends entered the North Tower and made their way to Matron’s room. Each tower at the school was like a separate house, each with its own dormitories, dining-room and Matron, and the girls came together in the main building for lessons. The girls from the different towers generally got along very well with each other, but there was a good deal of friendly rivalry, and every girl was intensely proud of her own tower, convinced that it was quite the best in the school.

  There was a strange girl in Matron’s room, handing over her health certificate, and the others looked at her curiously. She was striking, rather than pretty, with a long, aquiline nose, very straight, shiny fair hair and grey eyes, which were fringed with thick dark lashes that contrasted starkly with her pale hair. She would have been very attractive, but for her haughty, slightly disdainful expression. ‘As though she has a bad smell under her nose,’ as Susan remarked later. The third formers wondered who she was, but before their curiosity could be satisfied, Matron turned to greet them, saying with her beaming smile, ‘Ah, more third formers! Well, girls, it’s very good to see you all back again and I hope none of you is going to give me any trouble this term. I don’t want any of you falling ill or having accidents. And, above all – no midnight feasts.’

  ‘As if we would, Matron,’ said Nora, with an innocent, wide-eyed look. ‘We’re going to be the best-behaved third form in the history of Malory Towers.’

  ‘Apart from June, perhaps,’ said Julie, with a laugh. ‘I say, where is June? Have you seen her yet, Matron?’

  ‘No, but I’ve no doubt she’ll turn up, just like a bad penny,’ replied Matron wryly. ‘It’s a wonder she and her cousin, Alicia, haven’t turned my hair grey between them. Now, girls, let me have your health certificates – and woe betide anyone who has forgotten hers!’