by Enid Blyton
«I shan't tell them», said Elizabeth. «It's a secret – and a secret I can't possibly tell. Oh dear! I always seem to be getting into trouble, and this time I really didn't mean to.»
Nora would not listen to any more. She sent Elizabeth to catch up Helen and Belinda. Poor Elizabeth! She simply did not know what to do. She couldn't tell her secret, because then she would have to own up that she was buying things for Joan, and pretending that they came from Joan's mother. And the Meeting would be angry with her just when she was being good and enjoying herself! «Well – never mind – Joan will have a good birthday, anyhow», said Elizabeth, thinking of the cake and the book. «How surprised she will be!»
Chapter 18: Joan's Wonderful Birthday
«Joan, you will soon be eleven!» Elizabeth said at breakfast the next day, as she chopped the top off her boiled egg. «Gracious! You are getting old.»
Joan went red and said nothing. She hated anyone to talk about her birthday, because she knew there would be no cards or presents or cake for her. She was such a timid little mouse that she had no friends at all, except Elizabeth – and Joan was always feeling astonished that the bold Elizabeth should be her friend!
«I wonder if you'll have a cake?» went on Elizabeth, knowing perfectly well that Joan was going to, because she herself had ordered it! «I wonder what it will be like?»
Joan scowled at Elizabeth. She really felt angry with her. “How silly Elizabeth is, talking about my birthday, and if I'm going to have a cake, when she knows quite well that I don't want anything at all said about it” thought Joan.
She frowned at Elizabeth and signed to her to stop – but Elizabeth gaily went' on talking. «Let me see – it's Friday that's your birthday, isn't it, Joan? I wonder how many cards you'll have?»
«Joan didn't have a single one last year, and she didn't have a cake either», said Kenneth. «I don't believe she's got a father and mother.»
«Well, I have, then», said Joan, feeling quite desperate.
«Funny they never come and see you, not even at half-term, then», said Hilda, who liked to see Joan getting red.
«You be quiet», said Elizabeth suddenly, seeing that things were going too far. «What I'm surprised at is that your parents bother to come and see a girl like you, Hilda! If I had a daughter like you, I'd go to the end of the world and stay there.»
«That's enough, Elizabeth», said Nora, who pounced on Elizabeth very often since the little girl had refused to tell her her secret. Elizabeth said no more. She longed to say quite a lot, but she was learning to control her tongue now. Miss Scott would indeed not have known her! Nothing more was said about Joan's birthday just then, and after breakfast, as the girls were making their beds, Joan went up to Elizabeth.
«Please, Elizabeth», she said, «for goodness' sake don't say any more about my birthday. You make things much worse if you do – think how I shall feel when everyone watches to see what cards and presents come for me by the post, and I haven't any! You are lucky – you have two Grannies, and two Granpas, and Uncles and Aunts – but I haven't a single uncle, aunt, or granny! So it's no wonder I don't get many treats.»
«You are unlucky, Joan», said Elizabeth, in surprise. «Really you are. Well – I won't say any more about your birthday to the others, if you don't like it.»
But she longed to, all the same, for she kept hugging her delicious secret – Joan would have a wonderful cake, with eleven candles on, and cards, and presents too!
Nora was not kind to Elizabeth that week. She did not say any more to Elizabeth about her secret, but she had quite made up her mind to report her at the next Meeting. She thought Elizabeth was very deceitful and mean not to give up her money as everyone else did, and not to tell her what she had spent it on.
«After all, we gave her a fine chance to be as decent as possible, at the last Meeting», said Nora to herself. «We really did – and the funny thing is, I felt sure that Elizabeth would be worth that chance, and would do her best to keep our rules, and help the school, as we all try to do. But I was wrong. I don't feel as if I like Elizabeth a bit now.»
When Thursday came Elizabeth posted the three birthday cards she had bought. She could hardly go to sleep that night for thinking of Joan's pleasure in the morning! It really was lovely to give a surprise to someone.
Friday came. Elizabeth leapt out of bed, ran to Joan's bed, hugged her and cried: «Many happy returns of the day, Joan! I hope you'll have a lovely birthday! Here's a little present for you from me!»
Joan took the parcel and undid it. When she saw the red handbag inside, she was delighted – and she was even more thrilled when she found the comb, the handkerchief, and the sixpence. She flung her arms round Elizabeth and squeezed her so hard that Elizabeth almost choked! «Oh, thank you, Elizabeth!» she cried. «It's perfectly lovely. I did so badly want a handbag. I only had that little old purse. Oh, how I shall love using it! It's the nicest present I have ever had.» There was another surprise for Joan before she went down to breakfast. Hilda slipped into the bedroom with a lace-edged handkerchief for Joan. She had felt rather ashamed of herself for teasing Joan the day before, and had taken one of her best hankies to give for a present.
Joan was thrilled – in fact, she was so thrilled that a bright idea came into Elizabeth's head. She flew down to the playroom to see if Harry was there. He wasn't – but she could hear him practising in the music-room.
«Harry! Harry!» cried Elizabeth, rushing up to him, and startling him so much that his music fell to the floor. «Will you do something for me?»
«Depends what it is», said Harry, picking up his music.
«Harry, it's Joan Townsend's birthday», said Elizabeth. «You know you said you'd give me one of your rabbits, don't you, and I said it wasn't any good, because I was going at half-term – well, would you please give it to Joan instead, because you can't think how pleased she is to have presents!»
«Well – », said Harry, not quite sure about it.
«Go on, Harry, do say yes – be a sport!» begged Elizabeth, her blue eyes shining like stars. It was very difficult to refuse Elizabeth anything when she looked like that. Harry nodded.
«All right», he said. «What shall I do – bring the baby rabbit in at breakfast-time?»
«Oooh!» said Elizabeth, with a squeak of delight. «Yes! Do! Say, “Shut your eyes, Joan, and feel what I've brought you!” and then put it into her arms. What a surprise for her!»
«Well, I'll go and get it now», said Harry, putting his music away. «But she'll have to look after it herself, Elizabeth. It will be her rabbit.»
«I'll look after it for her», said Elizabeth, feeling delighted at the thought of mothering a baby rabbit each day. «Hurry, Harry!» Elizabeth went back to the bedroom. The breakfast bell rang as she was tidying her chest-of-drawers. She slipped her arm through Joan's, and they went downstairs together. They stopped at the letter-rack. There was one card for Elizabeth from Mrs. Allen – and in Joan's place were three envelopes, in which were the cards that Elizabeth had bought! Joan took them down, going red with surprise. She opened them. She took out the first card and read it: “With love, from Mother”. She turned to Elizabeth, her eyes shining.
«She's remembered my birthday!» she said to Elizabeth, and her voice was very happy. She was even more surprised when she found a card marked “With love, from Daddy” and she was delighted with Elizabeth's card.
«Fancy! Three cards!» said Joan, so happy that she didn't notice that the writing on the envelopes was the same for all three. She went into breakfast, quite delighted.
And on her chair was an enormous cardboard box from the baker, and a small neat parcel from the book-shop; Joan gave a cry of astonishment. «More presents! Who from, I wonder?» She opened the little parcel first, and when she saw the book about birds, and read the little card, her eyes filled suddenly with tears. She turned away to hide them. «Look», she whispered to Elizabeth, «it's from my mother. Isn't it lovely of her to remember my birthday! I d
idn't think she would!» Joan was so happy to have the book, which she thought came from her mother, that she almost forgot to undo the box in which was the enormous birthday cake.
«Undo this box, quickly», begged Elizabeth. Joan cut the string. She took off the lid, and every one crowded round to see what was inside. When they saw the beautiful cake, they shouted in delight. «Joan! What a fine cake! Oooh! You are lucky!»
Joan was too astonished to say a word. She lifted the cake out of the box, on its silver board, and stood it on the breakfast-table. She stared at it as if it was a dream cake. She couldn't believe it was really true.
«I say!» said Nora. «What a cake! Look at the candles – and the sugar roses! And look at the message on it – “A happy birthday for my darling Joan!” Your mother has been jolly generous, Joan – it's the biggest birthday cake I've seen.»
Joan stared at the message on the cake. She could hardly believe it. She felt so happy that she thought she would really have to burst. It was all so unexpected and so surprising.
Elizabeth was even happier – she looked at her friend's delighted face, and hugged herself for joy. She was glad she had spent all Uncle Rupert's pound on Joan. This was better than having a birthday herself – much, much better. Something that Miss Scott had often said to her flashed into her head.
«It is more blessed to give than to receive» Miss Scott had said, when she had tried to make Elizabeth give some of her toys to the poor children at Christmas-time.
“And Miss Scott was quite right!” thought Elizabeth, in surprise. “I'm getting more fun out of giving these things, than if I was receiving them myself!”
«Everybody in the school must share my birthday cake», said Joan in a happy, important voice, and she lifted her head proudly, and smiled around.
«Thanks, Joan! Many happy returns of the day!» shouted everybody.
And then Harry came in and cried: «Joan! Shut your eyes and feel what I've got for you!» In amazement Joan shut her eyes – and the next moment the baby rabbit was in her arms. She gave a scream and opened her eyes again She was so surprised that she didn't hold the rabbit tightly enough – and it leapt from her arms and scampered to the door, through which the teachers were just coming to breakfast. The rabbit ran all round them, and the masters and mistresses stopped in astonishment.
«Is this a rabbit I see?» cried Mademoiselle, who was afraid of all small animals. «Oh, these children! What will they bring to breakfast next?»
«I'm so sorry», said Harry, catching the rabbit. «You see, it's Joan's birthday, and I was giving her one ot my rabbits.»
«I see», said Miss Best. «Well, take it out to the hutches now, Harry, and Joan can have it again after breakfast.»
«Oh, Elizabeth! I'm so happy!» whispered Joan, as they sat down to their eggs and bacon. «I can't tell you how happy I am!»
«You needn't tell me», said Elizabeth, laughing. «I can see how happy you are – and I'm glad!»
Chapter 19: Joan Gets a Shock
Joan had a wonderful birthday. She laughed and chattered in a way that no one had ever seen before. The little girl became quite pretty with happiness, and when she cut her birthday cake, and gave a piece to everyone in the school, her face was a picture!
“Nobody could possibly look happier” thought Elizabeth, eating the delicious cake. “Goodness! That baker certainly did make Joan's cake well. It's gorgeous!” That evening, after supper, Elizabeth asked Joan to come and help her plant the lettuce seeds she had bought, but Joan shook her head.
«I can't», she said. «I'd love to, Elizabeth – but I've got something important to do.»
«What is it?» asked Elizabeth, rattling the seeds in her packets.
«Well – I've got to write and thank my mother and father for their cards, and the lovely cake and the book», said Joan. «I must do that tonight.»
«Oh», said Elizabeth in dismay. She turned away biting her lip and frowning. “Good gracious!” she thought. “I didn't think of Joan writing to say thank you. Whatever will her mother think when she gets Joan's letter, thanking her for things she hasn't sent? Will she write and tell Joan she doesn't know anything about them – and what will poor Joan do then?” Elizabeth went out to the garden, thinking hard. Now she had made a muddle! Why hadn't she thought of Joan writing to her mother? It was silly of her. Joan was going to be very unhappy – and perhaps angry – when she found out the truth.
“Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea after all” said Elizabeth to herself. “Bother! Why do I do things without thinking first? I wonder if Joan's mother will be angry with me for pretending those cards and the book and the cake were from Joan's parents. I don't feel happy about it any more. I feel dreadful.” She went to give John Terry the seeds. He was delighted.
«Good!» he said. «Just what I wanted. I plant a new row of lettuce every week, Elizabeth, and then we have new lettuces growing in different sizes, so that each week I have a fresh row to pull. Did you like the lettuces we had for tea yesterday? Those were out of the frames. I was rather proud of them.»
«They were simply lovely, John», said Elizabeth, still busy thinking about Joan. She simply couldn't imagine what would happen and she felt worried.
She helped to plant the lettuce seeds, but John scolded her because she sowed them so thickly. «I thought you knew something about gardening!» he said. «Do you want the lettuces to come up like a forest?»
«Sorry, John», said Elizabeth. «I was thinking about something else.»
«You haven't been naughty, I hope?» asked John, who liked Elizabeth, and was always pleased when she came to help him in his garden. «I hope you won't get ticked off at the Meeting again. You've had enough of that!»
«I'm afraid I shall be!» said Elizabeth, sighing. She was worried about that too – she was sure Nora would report her for spending a whole pound – and whatever would she say about it? She wasn't going to give away her secret, and let everyone know that it was she, and not Joan's parents, who had sent the cake and the book.
Things were suddenly getting very difficult.
Joan was very happy for two days – and then she got a letter from her mother that took away all her happiness.
Elizabeth was with Joan when she found the letter at tea-time in the letter-rack. «Oh! Mother has written very quickly to answer my letter», said Joan happily, and she took the letter down. She tore it open and stood reading it.
Then she turned very pale and looked with wide, miserable eyes at Elizabeth. «Mother says – Mother says – she didn't send me a card – she forgot», said Joan in a trembling voice. «And – and she says she didn't send me a cake – or that book – and she can't understand why I'm writing to thank her. Oh, Elizabeth!» Elizabeth didn't know what to do or say. She put her arm round Joan and took her to the playroom. No one was there, for everyone had gone in to have tea. Joan sat down, still very white, and stared at Elizabeth.
«I don't understand it», said poor Joan. «Oh, Elizabeth – I was so very happy – and now I feel dreadful! Who could have sent those things – if it wasn't my mother?» Still Elizabeth couldn't say a word. How could she say she had done it? Her kindness now seemed like a cruel trick. Poor Joan!
«Come in and have some tea», said Elizabeth at last, finding her voice. «You look so pale, Joan. Come and have some tea – it will do you good.»
But Joan shook her head. «I'm not hungry. I couldn't eat anything», she said. «Let me alone. You go in to tea without me. I want to be alone – please, Elizabeth. You are kind and sweet to me, but I don't want anybody just now. I'm going out for a walk. I'll be better when I come back.» Joan slipped out of the playroom.
Elizabeth stared after her, unhappy and worried. Joan had gone out alone – without anyone, which wasn't allowed. Elizabeth simply didn't know what to do. So she went in to tea, very late, and was scolded by Nora.
«You're late, Elizabeth», snapped Nora. «You'll have to go without cake today.» Elizabeth slipped into her place and said
nothing. As she ate her tea, she noticed that the room was getting very dark indeed.
«There's a good old storm blowing up», said Harry. «My goodness – look at that rain!»
«Splendid!» said John. «I badly need it for my broad beans and peas!» But Elizabeth did not think it was splendid. She was thinking of poor Joan, out for a walk all alone in the storm. A roll of thunder sounded, and lightning flashed across the window.
«Joan hadn't even got a hat on», said Elizabeth to herself. «She'll be soaked! If only I knew which way she had gone I'd go and meet her with a mackintosh. Oh dear, everything's going wrong!» She could hardly eat any tea. When the meal was over, she ran to the playroom and then to the bedroom to see if Joan was back. She wasn't. Elizabeth looked out of the window. She felt very ashamed and guilty.
“I meant to be so kind – and all I've done is to give Joan a dreadful shock, make her very unhappy, and now she's out in this dreadful thunderstorm!” thought Elizabeth.
For a whole hour Elizabeth watched for Joan to come back. The thunder gradually rolled itself away and the lightning stopped. But the heavy rain went on and on, lashing down on the new leaves of the trees, and making a noise like the waves breaking at sea.
At last Joan came back. Elizabeth saw a small dripping figure coming in through the garden-door. She rushed to Joan at once.
«Joan! You're simply soaked through! Come and change at once.» Water dripped off Joan's dress, for the rain had been tremendous. The little girl was soaked through to the skin. She was shivering with cold.
«Oh, poor Joan», said Elizabeth, dragging her friend upstairs. «You'll catch a dreadful cold. Come on, you must change into dry things straight away.» On the way up, the two girls met the matron of the school, who looked after them when they were ill, and who bandaged their arms and legs when they hurt themselves. She was a fat, jolly woman, and everyone liked her, though she could be very strict when she liked.