Part 9 (1/2)
Diana, looking at the exeat list which hung in the hall, shook her head at sight of her own name scored through with a blue pencil.
”Just to think that removing my boots and stockings for ten short minutes should have cut me off from going to Glenbury,” she philosophized. ”I was only 'laving my feet', as the poets say. Nymphs always did it in cla.s.sical times. Indeed, I don't suppose they ever had boots and stockings to take off, so they could paddle as they pleased.”
”They had a warmer climate in Greece,” sniffed Wendy, who had a bad cold in her head as the result of her paddling; ”and I suppose they were accustomed to it. If there is anything you want particularly in Glenbury, Magsie's going, and I expect she'd get it for you.”
”I don't know whether she could.”
”What is it you want?”
Diana hesitated, then whispered in Wendy's ear:
”Three packets of Turkish cigarettes.”
”O-o-o-oh!”
Wendy's eyes were wide. Diana nodded determinedly.
”But what do you want them for?”
”That's my own business.”
”You surely don't _smoke_!”--in a horrified voice.
”I don't want them for myself--I'll tell you that much.”
”For whom are they, then?”
”I shan't tell you!”
”Magsie would never dare to bolt into a tobacconist's and buy cigarettes.”
”I was afraid she wouldn't,” said Diana sadly.
”And you'd better be careful yourself if you go to Glenbury next exeat day. Toddlekins would draw the line at cigarettes. You wouldn't like to get expelled?”
”I don't know that I'd very much care,” sighed Diana.
She revenged herself for her enforced seclusion by clumping noisily about the pa.s.sages, till Miss Todd, hearing the racket, dropped a significant hint as to the necessity of compulsory felt slippers for girls who had not learnt to walk lightly. So, fearing that the Princ.i.p.al might really carry out this threat, Diana betook herself to the garden, and expended her superfluous energy on a fast and furious set of tennis.
Having lost three b.a.l.l.s, she left Vi and Peggy to look for them, and, still in a thoroughly bad temper, strolled round the corner of the house. On the front drive she saw a sight that set her running. Exactly opposite the door stood the car of her cousin, Mrs. Burritt. It was empty, but the chauffeur, at the top of the steps, was in the very act of handing two envelopes to the housemaid.
”Anything for me, Thompson?” cried Diana eagerly.
”Yes, miss. Letter for you, and one for Miss Todd,” replied the man, touching his cap.
Diana seized hers from Edith, the maid, devoured its contents, and clapped her hands.
”I'll be ready in five minutes, Thompson!” she exclaimed, and fled indoors.
Half-way down the corridor she nearly ran into Miss Todd, emerging from her study with an open letter in her hand.