by Anne Digby
'It certainly will. Thanks, Ingrid. Want to play, Rebecca?'
What a question! She rushed upstairs and collected her tennis shoes, a box of balls and a racket, while Robbie waited below. She felt a surge of happiness. She would write to her parents, later, but in the meantime some tennis against Robbie was too good to miss. He was such a strong player, one of the few people around that Rebecca could really pit herself against, especially with Joss away in California. She knew too that rugby was the only thing he lived for at the moment, so she was very touched that he'd decided to give up his first evening back at Garth like this.
'Ingrid wants to come and watch you play, Rebecca,' said Robbie, as she returned downstairs.
'If you like!' Rebecca smiled at Ingrid, pleasurably taken aback. 'I hope you won't be bored.'
On the way to the staff tennis court, which Rebecca was allowed to use in the winter terms, she poured her news out to Robbie. Ingrid seemed determined not to intrude on them in any way and she made a point of walking a little way behind them, rather than alongside. It was sweet of her, Rebecca thought, although quite unnecessary.
'Clever Beck,' said Robbie, putting his arm round her shoulders, and holding her quite close as they walked along. 'I'm not in the least surprised. And I'm glad the school's decided to get behind you, this winter.' He put on a solemn face. 'I can get on and play rugby and stop feeling guilty.'
'Oh, Robbie!' Rebecca glanced up into his humorous brown eyes, affectionately. 'You've been terrific, and you know it!'
After they had played two strenuous sets of tennis the sun sank behind the school's clock tower, throwing the tennis court into deep shadow. They played on, however, until dusk made it impossible to see the ball.
'I'd better dash now!' Robbie exclaimed. 'I'll go and collect my bike –'
'Here is your bike, Robbie!' said a voice. 'It was getting late so I have been to the boarding house and brought it to you.'
Ingrid was wheeling Robbie's cycle along the path towards them. They had actually forgotten all about her and hadn't even noticed her slip away.
'Thanks, Ingrid!' exclaimed Robbie. 'That's really helpful!'
'You have lights?'
'Of course!' he laughed. Astride his bike, he switched them on. Then he twisted round to speak to Rebecca. 'You're coming on Saturday, aren't you? Match starts at 3 p.m.'
'I'll try and get on the GCSC bus – otherwise I'll cycle,' said Rebecca.
He started to pedal away.
'Robbie!' she called after him.
'Yes?' He halted, looking back.
'Shall I bring Biffy with me?'
'You'd better!' He laughed, but he looked pleased. 'You better had bring Biffy. I don't want to lose!'
'Who is Biffy, please?' asked Ingrid, as they walked back to Court House together.
'He's a sort of lucky mascot, just something Robbie knows about,' said Rebecca, slightly embarrassed. Biffy, in fact, was a well–worn teddy bear that Rebecca had found at home in the summer holidays. She'd been given him when she was three. She'd got into the habit of taking Biffy with her to tennis competitions this summer and getting Robbie to hold him while she played. The 'mascot' had brought her remarkably good luck. Both she and Robbie now regarded Biffy as a special friend.
They walked on in silence.
'What is the GCSC bus, please?' asked Ingrid, as they reached Court House.
'Oh that. It's just a nickname, really. The Garth College Supporters' Club bus.'
'Nickname? What is a nickname?'
Rebecca explained that and then went on to explain that Mr Douglas, their chemistry master, was a rugby enthusiast who liked to follow the fortunes of Garth's First XV. He took his minibus to their matches every Saturday afternoon and often on a Wednesday afternoon as well, which was the other match day. The bus was usually filled with girls who shared his enthusiasm.
'So it's nicknamed the GCSC bus,' Rebecca ended.
'Will you go many times to watch Robbie?' asked Ingrid as they stood in the hall. She looked up the stairs. 'It is late now, yes? Let us go up.'
Apparently, instead of preferring to be alone, Ingrid was now positively seeking her company. It was baffling. Rebecca didn't think it was particularly late and she could hear her friends laughing together in the common room, above the noise of the TV set. She was longing to tell them her news.
However, she went upstairs with Ingrid, instead.
Once inside the room, the Swedish girl picked up the photo of Robbie that stood on Rebecca's bedside locker. She relaxed her facial muscles sufficiently to give Rebecca a really beautiful smile. 'I saw his picture, so when he came here tonight I knew he was very special to you. That was why I was so worried when he did not want to wait for you.'
It was a rather brutal way of putting it. However –
'It was nice of you to make him coffee and everything,' Rebecca confessed.
'And will you go and watch him, every week?' asked Ingrid, returning to the subject of rugby.
Rebecca decided that she'd misjudged Ingrid. Beneath the cool, self-sufficient exterior she seemed to want to be friendly.
'I think he'd like me to, but I can't,' Rebecca confided in the Swedish girl. 'The trouble is there's going to be so much on this term. There's all my tennis for a start –'
'But that is very important, Rebecca! You are such a good player!' Ingrid said, her face lighting up. She looked quite radiant. 'I have been meaning to say this to you. You are lucky to have such talent. I do not play myself, but I would like to come and watch you play in matches.'
'Well, you can if you want,' said Rebecca, surprised and taken aback by such sudden effusiveness. To change the subject she asked Ingrid about her ice skates, which were now hanging on the end of her bed. 'You know there's an ice rink at Exonford? A coach goes there on Saturday afternoons.'
Ice skating was something Rebecca had never tried herself but a few of the girls at Trebizon went quite often.
'Yes. My father found that out!' said Ingrid. 'That is my sport, you see, Rebecca. Ice skating. I would like to go very much, but I would not like to go alone. Would you come with me?'
'Well, if I can,' said Rebecca, once again surprised. 'But –'
'Let us talk about Robbie again,' said Ingrid, curling up on her bed, while Rebecca sat on the edge of hers, alongside. 'You say you have the tennis for a start. What other things–'
Rebecca was beginning to find Ingrid's interest in her quite difficult to resist.
'Well, maybe hockey, too –'
'You are good at hockey as well?' exclaimed Ingrid, admiringly. Neither of them heard the door open.
'You are going to be put in a team?'
'I think Tish is going to put me in something!' confided Rebecca. 'When she's made Head of Games –'
'For heaven's sake shut up, Rebecca!'
Rebecca spun round. Tish was standing in the doorway, looking worried. Sue was just behind her.
'Hallo, Ingrid!' said Sue, quickly smoothing things over. 'Hallo, Rebecca! Saw you playing tennis! What did Miss Willis want you for –?'
But Ingrid appeared to notice nothing amiss. Now that the other two had arrived, she seemed to switch off. It was as though a curtain had suddenly dropped down in her mind. While Rebecca told the others all her tennis news and they clapped her on the back, Ingrid merely picked up a book, glanced at it idly, then put it down and yawned.
She then got off the bed. She took her nightclothes out from under the pillow, and then bent down to collect various exotic-looking containers from her locker. Bath oil. Face cream. Moisturizer. Skin toner. Talcum powder. All the most expensive varieties.
She glided out of the room, without even looking at Tish and Sue.
'I shall take a bath now.'
The door closed behind her.
'Hasn't she already had a bath?' asked Sue.
'Looks like she's having another,' said Tish, somewhat acidly. Then she turned to Rebecca. 'You weren't telling her, were you? About the seven-a-sid
es? You are a fool!'
'I shouldn't think she had any idea what Rebecca was talking about,' commented Sue. 'I certainly didn't! What's going on?'
Rebecca waited for Tish to explain, but she had gone silent.
'The list, Tish!' Rebecca reminded her. The three of them were alone together, at last. 'You know – the master plan! You can show us now – me and Sue. You promised you would. Come on, I'm sorry I put my foot in it, but she's gone now.'
Tish looked uneasy. Rebecca had the distinct impression that she had something on her mind. That she wasn't as pleased with her plan as she had been before and didn't want to show it to them any more.
But, of course, she had to!
'Master plan?' said Sue, her eyes big and round, behind her glasses. 'Tish, what is all this? I can't stand the suspense! Come on – show it to us, then – whatever it is!'
'Oh, all right then,' said Tish.
She still looked worried.
SEVEN
A FATAL FLAW
Tish took a thick sheet of blue paper out of her bedside locker. There was typewriting on it.. She knew how to type and often used her sister's old typewriter at home.
It was the 'master plan'.
As Rebecca and Sue studied it carefully, they were at first surprised. It was, as Tish had said, controversial. It took the form of a public announcement although, of course, it was only pretend.
At home in the summer holidays, carried away with excitement, Tish had typed the whole thing out properly, as though she had already been made the Head of Games! It looked very official.
It was all rather exciting.
'I can see why you've put Rebecca in,' said Sue handsomely. 'That makes sense! And Eleanor, well she's just brilliant! With Joss back home to play centre forward, the forward line-up is going to be fantastic.'
'But why's Sue only a sub?' asked Rebecca. 'She's better than me.'
Rebecca looked at the sheet of paper again –
'Not as fit though!' Sue said wryly. 'That's the reason, isn't it, Tish?'
Tish nodded.
'On the day we'll bring in subs all the time, you can in sevens – every time a goal's scored,' she said. 'You three subs are great players and you'll get plenty of action, but you won't have to run yourselves into the ground like the rest of us.'
'Won't have to come to all the practices, either,' agreed Sue. 'And, as far as I'm concerned that matters! We've got the House Music Cup this term and the Christmas Concert – oh, Tish, this is exciting! I do miss being in the teams sometimes!'
'But what about all the girls who are in the teams?' asked Rebecca, worriedly. Maybe the list was a bit too controversial! 'Apart from keeping Jenny in goal, you've dropped all our best defence players completely.'
'Joanna and Robert won't like it, Tish,' Sue warned. 'And I can't say I blame them.'
Joanna Thompson and Roberta Jones had played at right and left back in that famous team that had won the Junior Gold Cup and had stayed in school teams ever since. They were rock–solid defence players – it was difficult to get anything past those two.
'Laura's marvellous, of course,' mused Rebecca, 'and Aba's pretty good, too. But they both play wing half positions. They'd hate being backs anyway. And Jo and Robert will be furious!'
'Then they'll have to be furious!' said Tish, slightly on edge. 'They'd be hopeless, both of them. Much too slow for sevens. They'd drop dead with exhaustion. It's completely different playing back in sevens – much more running about – but Laura and Aba can do it, I know they can! I mean, look at the speed of them!'
The Nigerian girl and the girl in Tavistock House were two of the school's champion runners.
Rebecca and Sue soon realized that Tish had thought the whole thing out with great care and that her strategy was the right one. It had to be a very fast, fit, goal-scoring combination to survive such a tournament. A fast, attacking team that could stand the pace in what was a much more open game than conventional hockey. But with stamina as well.
'It's no use winning the opening rounds and then fading out later in the day!' said Tish. 'I mean, we want to go all the way through to the final and win, don't we!' She was quite elated again, for she could see that she'd convinced Rebecca and Sue. 'I think we can win, especially with Joss as well. I don't think even Queensbury can beat us!'
Then suddenly she subsided.
'So what's wrong, Tish?' asked Sue.
'You've convinced us!' said Rebecca. 'What more do you want?' Rebecca was by now very impressed with Tish's master plan.
'It's got a fatal flaw,' said Tish.
'Fatal flaw?' exclaimed Sue. 'What? You mean putting your two best friends in looks –'
'No, worse than that. Can't you see what's wrong?' asked Tish, giving a weak smile.
They pored over the list of names, wonderingly. But Rebecca was struck by that weak smile.
Tish had smiled like that quite recently. When? Suddenly she remembered. It was when she'd looked at the new House List, downstairs, and something had taken her by surprise.
'Oh, flip!' said Rebecca. 'Now I get it!'
'What?' shrieked Sue. 'I've looked at every single name and I can't see what's wrong –'
'They're all in Court House!' said Rebecca. 'That's it, isn't it, Tish? All except Laura Wilkins.'
Tish nodded. 'And Joss, of course,' she said.
'What, the three Third Years as well?' exclaimed Sue. 'Eleanor and Wanda and Sheila –'
'Yes,' said Tish, ruefully. 'I had no idea until I saw the new House List. But it looks bad, doesn't it?'
They thought about it for a while, hands cupping chins.
'Aren't there any changes you could make?' asked Sue, nervously. 'I mean, what about Judy Sharp – she's in Norris –'
'Her ankle would never hold out,' said Tish glumly.
'Verity Williams, then!' suggested Rebecca. 'She's in Tavistock, with Laura. She's reliable –'
'Too cautious,' said Tish.
'Marjorie Spar?' asked Sue. 'She's in Chambers. Marjorie's good – lots of flair –'
'And lots of music practice, even more than you!' Tish pointed out. 'Doing two instruments now, isn't she? Honestly, d'you think I haven't racked my brains?'
They digested the situation. Tish really had got it all worked out.
'Well,' Rebecca said at last. 'If it's all Court House, it's all Court House. It's just an unfortunate coincidence. You can explain that –'
'Later on,' said Sue, cautiously. 'After you've been made Head of Games.'
Tish immediately brightened up. 'Do you think they will accept it? Given time?'
'Given plenty of time,' said Rebecca. 'Yes.'
'Better not go showing that piece of paper around, Tish,' said Sue. 'Not yet.'
'Don't worry!' exclaimed Tish. 'I didn't even want to show you two once I realized –'
The door burst open and Ingrid walked back into the room, all glowing and peaceful after her bath. 'Quick, put it away!' hissed Sue.
Ingrid was looking at them. It made Tish nervous. She quickly folded up the blue sheet and stuffed it back in her locker. 'Stop staring!' she said.
'I was just looking at the clock,' said Ingrid, impassively. 'I am very tired now. Is it not time for all to go to bed?'
*
Over in Tavistock, in Room 8, they were drinking cocoa. Sarah Archer and Anne Brett, from Four Gamma, and Tara Snell, Verity Williams and Laura Wilkins, from Four Beta. The centre of attention was Laura Wilkins.
She was a long-legged red-haired girl, with a snub nose and freckles. As well as being pretty and exceptionally good at athletics and hockey, she also had a sweet temperament, and so was very popular all round.
'Oh, come on, Laura,' said Sarah Archer. 'Let's put you down!'
'Tish Anderson's lot have put her down already!' said Tara.
'And tried to scrawl all over the notice so there's no room for anyone else,' added Anne.
Laura just smiled and said: 'I think Tish would be better than me.'
<
br /> 'But don't you think Court ought to be taught a lesson?' asked Verity. 'They're so full of themselves. I think it was really mean the way they put Aba Amori up against you last term!'
'They try to win everything!'
'Well, I'd like to have been Head of Games in the summer term, I must admit,' said Laura. 'But Aba won and so that's just history. When it comes to hockey, I think it would be better for Tish to be in charge. I haven't got a clue about this seven-a-sides business, for a start –'
'Shouldn't think she has, either!' scoffed Tara. 'I expect she'll just put her friends in the team.'
'It's probably already fixed!' laughed Anne Brett. 'They have fantastic parties up at Queensbury.'
'Look, let's forget it,' Laura said, kindly but firmly. 'Tish was Head of Games that time we won the Junior Gold Cup, and that's good enough for me. Apart from Joss Vining, she's the best.'
They drank their cocoa in silence after that, disappointment written all over their faces.
'You really won't be standing, then?' Verity said, at last.
'No, I suppose not,' said Laura. 'Not if Tish is standing.'
Ingrid went to bed first, and Margot and Elf went next. They'd been along the corridor with Mara, who'd been getting depressed all over again. But now they were tired, so they came through and said goodnight to Rebecca, then disappeared into their room.
Tish and Sue had gone off to get washed and changed into their night things. Rebecca, already in her dressing gown, was sitting by her locker scribbling a quick letter to her parents.
'There!' she said, licking the edge of the airmail form and sticking it down.
'When will the lights go out?' asked Ingrid anxiously. She was lying on her back in bed, gazing at the ceiling. She had been doing some deep breathing exercises. 'For the clear skin and the clear eyes it is necessary to have ten hours' sleep.'
'Won't be long now,' said Rebecca, smiling to herself. 'Tish and Sue'll be back in a minute.'
Ingrid turned her head on the pillow and glanced at the picture of Robbie on Rebecca's locker.
'Robbie Anderson is the brother of Titch, yes?' said Ingrid. She pronounced Tish that way.