by Anne Digby
'Rebecca must have seen something!' exclaimed the Greek. 'She went back to find her umbrella. She must have seen them!'
The enormity of it began to sink in and his face darkened. The principal replied:
'If so she appears to have handled the situation extremely well. Mr Tarkus sounds a worried man. He's begging the school not to go to the police.'
'They could have hurt Mara!' Mr Leonodis was suddenly beside himself with anger, pacing up and down the sitting room. 'They could have hurt her - all of us! Why should two boys do that? The father must have put them up to it. He must want the land very badly!'
'He does.'
Mr Leonodis stopped pacing and became calm.
'You will go to the police? You will press charges?'
'Difficult,' said Miss Welbeck. She looked troubled. 'It might not be easy to prove. Both girls would have to appear in court. You, too, no doubt. All most unpleasant...'
Mr Leonodis nodded. He looked at his watch. He had to be away! He couldn't miss that plane.
'And your Appeal. How short of the target are you?'
'Quite short. Some more money has been pledged since we recirculated the Old Girls. But we still fall short.'
'By how much?'
She told him.
'I'll arrange with my bank a promissory note,' said Mr Leonodis. 'The money will have to come out of my personal funds. I do not care who gets the land as long as it is not that man. I am prepared to spend just enough to ensure that he is thwarted. Not a penny more.'
'Understood,' replied Miss Welbeck, as they shook hands. She kept quite calm in the face of this wonderful and totally unexpected development. 'I shall see to it that your instructions are followed to the letter, Mr Leonodis.'
Later, when she told the senior mistress of his generosity, Miss Gates nodded sagely.
'He fell in love with Mulberry Island on sight? So it was his yacht the seniors saw!'
'Not at all! Just people out on a cruise, one imagines.'
'Oh. Rather early in the season.'
'Mr Leonodis saw nothing of the island, Evelyn. It was hidden under a blanket of rain. His reasons for wanting to help us are different again!'
She told the senior mistress what had happened.
The same evening she reported events to her dear friend Colonel Peters, a school governor. He was first outraged, then delighted.
'A Greek drama, Madeleine! But without the tragic ending.'
'Yes, George. Something fell out of the sky for us, literally. Deus ex machina.'
'What a character the man is! Have you informed his daughter of the outcome?'
'Yes, I told her at once - and Rebecca Mason, who spotted the culprits. The silly girl had gone back to find her umbrella. She was absolutely wringing wet when I drove over to Court House to speak to them! Now both girls are begging permission to have a picnic in the cove, followed by a barbecue on the island. Over Commem weekend. When the French girls arrive. They're quite in love with the idea. Might it be possible?'
'Perhaps. No chance of the sale being through by then. But if our offer's been accepted and the paperwork's under way, Ruddocks might have a word with the executors and see what they say.'
Before he left, Colonel Peters arranged a meeting of the Appeal sub-committee for Sunday, with a view to submitting a formal offer for the land on Monday through Silvers, the school's solicitors.
'What a pity it's the weekend and Silver & Silver are closed!' said Miss Welbeck impatiently.
'They can get the offer to Ruddocks first thing Monday,' he assured her. Then he chuckled. 'Remarkable. Leonodis doing this simply to punish Tarkus.'
'He was extremely angry.'
'Don't blame him. Nevertheless it's fortunate for us that there are no other bidders on the horizon. One assumes that if there were - and one of them were to top Tarkus's offer - we couldn't in all conscience accept Leonodis's gift.'
'In all conscience we could not. But we don't even have to think about such a possibility, George. We have a clear field. If anyone else were interested in the land, they'd have shown their face by now.'
'Quite.'
'Oh, George!' Miss Welbeck's considerable delight suddenly overwhelmed her. 'Isn't this splendid! The Willoughbys are going to be so relieved and so is poor Jock Armstrong. And it's wonderful for the school. We must nurture the island and share it with other people. We'll plant some more trees. Perhaps we could introduce red squirrels there. Wouldn't that be fun?' She smiled. 'Oh, I do hope nothing goes wrong.'
That's what Miss Gates was hoping, too.
***
'I just wanted to keep my father the sweet!' explained Mara, laughing with excitement. 'That was the only thing I could think about!'
'Not the sweet, Mara,' said Fiona Freeman.
Mara was working so hard on her French at the moment that her almost flawless English was slipping occasionally, especially when excited. She was certainly excited tonight. She and Rebecca had taken the other four to Moffatt's and over endless bottles of cola and bags of crisps they discussed the day's drama. Jenny and Fiona were in there, too, celebrating the fact that they had no more exams till Wednesday; so had to be included.
'Yes! Yes! I was trying to get him in a good mood, Fiona! That was all I could think about! I was sure the landslip was real. Not for one minute did I think to look up there and see how it happened. But Rebecca did! Oh, Rebecca. So clever! So brave!'
'I wasn't brave. I was lucky!' laughed Rebecca. 'And I wasn't clever. I was stupid. I was so dim it was unbelievable. I should have realized it might not be Ginge! And if I had realized I'd have been much too scared to chase them.'
'Lucky you didn't then,' said Elf.
'And lucky you didn't tell Miss Welbeck all the gory details,' grinned Tish. 'She'd have had a fit.'
'Miss Welbeck was in a wonderful mood. Wasn't she, Rebecca?' Mara clapped her hands together. 'And now it is all settled! The headland and Mulberry Island will belong to the school for ever and ever. And the sweet little field, down to the cove. Mr Tarkus will not ever be allowed to build in front of the castle his ugly holiday bungalows or...or...his...'
'..fish and chip shop on the island?' suggested Sue.
'Chinese takeaway?' added Margot.
They all laughed.
'Fancy your remembering to ask Miss Welbeck about Commem weekend!' said Jenny then, looking pleased. 'We all thought that plan was a dead duck! What did she say, again?'
'If it can possibly be managed, it will be,' replied Rebecca. 'She can't promise, because it's so soon. But she'll try.'
'Yes, she will try her very best!' agreed Mara. 'Oh! Christelle thinks it is such a good plan!'
'All right if I tell Anne-Marie?' asked Jenny, looking at Rebecca.
'Why not? You can tell her we're working on it!' Rebecca paused. 'Jen, you couldn't ask her to tell Emmanuelle, could you? I know I'm not going to have time to write again.'
She was suddenly feeling very tired. Her next batch of exams lay ahead and she was going to spend most of the weekend revising. Biology hadn't gone too well this morning.
And the school tennis tournament was hotting up. Quarter-finals tomorrow. It was fun to be playing some tennis again. She was surprised to find how well she was playing. Everybody was saying it would be her against Alison Hissup in the Final.
I'd really like Emmanuelle to see me play, thought Rebecca. And if I get to the Final, then she will.
She must find time to ring Cliff over the weekend, though. Find out how his GCSEs were going and tell him what had happened today! How she'd mistaken Matthew Tarkus of all people for Ginge again. And how brilliantly it had all turned out! She'd have to tell him the school was going to be buying the land and to keep it confidential. Cliff would find it really, really amazing that his friend Ginge had played such an important role in the whole drama! A role played in absentia.
But, as for Emmanuelle, there was no need to write.
They'd be seeing each other in two weeks' time!
<
br /> Emmanuelle would be coming to Trebizon.
As she lay in bed that night, Rebecca went through it all in her head. She closed her eyes. Her French pen friend's programme for the week at school was now beautifully planned. From Commem on. All the things they would do together. Wasn't it great, Sue getting to the music Finals? Wasn't it wonderful that Ginge had a car? And the disco at Caxton High on the last night!
She was going to make sure Emmanuelle had a lovely time.
'You look as though you're about to fall asleep with the light on, Rebeck!' exclaimed Tish, popping into the cubicle to say good night. 'Tired?'
'Exhausted!' replied Rebecca.
Tish perched on the end of the bed for a moment.
'One-girl action committee while the rest of us were sitting a boring old maths paper! You might have saved a bit of the mystery for us. I feel deprived.'
'Hard luck!' laughed Rebecca. Then she made a face. 'It wasn't all that much fun! It was the worst moment of my life when Mara's father's car shot straight past me. I shouted and waved but I suppose the driver didn't recognize me. I was all wet and bedraggled. Horrible!'
'It all turned out right in the end,' smiled Tish.
Rebecca felt as though she might be getting a cold.
'I've had my fill of mysteries for this term,' she stated firmly.
But there was another mystery to come, much more complicated and much more difficult to solve.
It was to do with Emmanuelle.
EIGHT
EMMANUELLE'S LOVELY DAY
'Rebecca!' shrieked Emmanuelle in delight, clutching carrier bags and elbowing her way off the coach. 'I am HERE!'
'Emmanuelle!'
The two fair-haired girls threaded towards each other, through the throng, then embraced warmly.
'Re-becc-a!'
'Em-man-u-elle!'
It was early morning. Commemoration Day had dawned brightly. The west country was enjoying a spell of perfect midsummer weather. The air was soft and balmy, birds twittering everywhere in the school grounds.
'Is this really where you all live? It is beautiful!' exclaimed Emmanuelle, staring up at Court House. 'Will I be sleeping in this big house?'
'You will!' confirmed Rebecca. 'Let's get your luggage, I'll give you a hand. You've got the Fourth Year floor, just below ours. They've all cleared off to Wales to make room for you!' The Fourths had left the day before for a week's Outdoor Activities. 'We've bagged Jen's old room for you, so you and Anne-Marie can share. It's a two-bedder. It's in the front!' She pointed up to a first floor window. 'Look - that's your room - up there!'
'But you're not allowed to talk French to each other,' said Jenny, coming up with Anne-Marie. She was smiling. 'English only.'
'Some hopes!' said Rebecca, and they all laughed.
There was a long and exciting day ahead. She was pleased to see that the French girls looked perfectly fresh, having slept on the overnight crossing from Roscoff, the coach from Plymouth now dropping them off at the different boarding houses. Here, on the big gravelled forecourt in front of Court House, all was bustle and din. Mrs Barrington was chatting to Madame Bouvier, the French teacher in charge of the Court House group. She'd be sleeping in the Barringtons' private wing of the house. Mara and Christelle were talking volubly to each other. Tish was dutifully humping Sandrine's suitcase towards the front porch for her. Sue had linked arms with Ariane; Margot and Elf were standing with Coralie and Marie-Laure in the queue by the luggage compartment.
'You look so well, Rebecca!' said Emmanuelle, as they walked round the coach and joined the queue themselves. 'Your exams - they are all over, yes?'
'Yes!' replied Rebecca. 'At long last.'
She'd done her best, her very best. She could do no more. Her GCSEs were behind her, the results unknown; something for the future.
This was the present. Emmanuelle had arrived at Trebizon. She intended to enjoy every moment.
And to see to it that Emmanuelle did, too.
Commemoration Day had its ups and downs, was not as totally enjoyable as planned, as far as Rebecca herself was concerned. No matter how carefully you planned things, she decided ruefully, there was always the unexpected.
But to her great satisfaction, Emmanuelle seemed to take to Trebizon like a duck to water (which made her subsequent behaviour all the more extraordinary). She appeared to have a marvellous day.
She loved her room, she said. She was bowled over by Trebizon's beautiful grounds. She insisted that the long Founder's service in the morning was Majestic, Rebecca! No, no, no! Not boring at all! She thought the cold buffet lunch afterwards delectable, as the crowds thronged round the laden tables on the dining hall terraces.
'Am I allowed some more chocolate gateau, Rebecca? Before the sunshine melts it all away!'
And she was very excited about Commem Ball. After lunch they went up to her room and she tried on her dress, twirling round in it. Would it do? she asked anxiously.
"You look fabulous!' said Rebecca.
Emmanuelle was also pleased and impressed that Rebecca had reached the final of the school tennis cup. The match was to be played at four o'clock. 'Will the boys be here in time to watch you? Cliff and Ginge?'
'They're hoping to see the end of it,' said Rebecca. 'The ball doesn't start till seven but Cliff says they'll try and come really early, in time to see a bit of the match.' She laughed. 'He says there are strict limits to how long he's prepared to be stuffed inside a monkey suit!'
'Monkey suit?'
'Dinner suit! He's hired one.'
'Will Ginge wear a dinner suit, as well?'
'No. Town band uniform. Wait till you see. Really impressive. Jenny will introduce you if I'm still playing when they arrive.'
But it was when she was shown the sea that Emmanuelle's enthusiasm for Trebizon reached its peak. As they came through the dunes, out on to the sand, she caught her breath.
'Oh, Rebecca! You live in paradise here! You never told me.'
The sweeping bay looked magnificent today. The tide was far out and the pale yellow sands stretched to the distant rim of blue water, sparkling in the sun. Some local children were building sandcastles. A few First Years were paddling, silhouettes dancing in the spray, Harry keeping a watchful eye as ever. The school malibu boards were piled by his shack, not in use. There were no big rollers today. A few townspeople were out windsurfing in the bay, though, all the little sails - red, purple, orange, blue - zigzagging across the water.
'Windsurfers!' exclaimed Emmanuelle, in delight. 'But you told me the school does not do that, Rebecca. Where have they come from?'
'People hire the boards in Vennick Cove. Looks fun, doesn't it.'
'It is fun. Every year when we go to the Cote d'Azur I windsurf all the time! I have my own sailboard. You do not know what fun you are missing, Rebecca!'
After that they walked right to the end of the headland and round the corner so that the cove, and Mulberry Island, came full into view. Emmanuelle felt exactly the same way about the island as Rebecca.
'It is magical. The trees...and a little house! It looks so mysterious, Rebecca. I want to go there right now! Why, we could almost walk there!'
At low tide only a narrow strip of water separated it from the mainland. Rebecca laughed and explained that on very rare occasions, when there was a freak low tide, the sea rolled back and you really could reach it on foot.
'It happened last summer. We ran there, Tish and Sue and I. But then we got trapped. We had to spend the night in the ruined cottage!'
'Oh, what wonderful fun!'
'Miss Welbeck didn't think so!'
Emmanuelle turned to face her, bubbling over with anticipation.
She now asked the question that Rebecca had been dreading.
'So that is where we shall have the barbecue tomorrow night? That is the place Jenny wrote about to Anne-Marie?'
Rebecca's face clouded over. And she broke the news.
It had been a bitter disappointment.
/> She and Mara had been along to see the school secretary every day this week, nagging for news. How was it going, all the legal stuff? Had Miss Welbeck been able to get permission yet, in time for the weekend?
Mrs Devenshire had simply stonewalled. Then on Friday, yesterday, Miss Welbeck herself had summoned them.
'I'm sorry to disappoint you, girls. I'm afraid it's out of the question. We've tried to hurry things along but these things move slowly. Much more slowly than any of us would wish. We are not in a position to pre-empt.'
There was something about the set of her face that blocked further questions. The girls left her study feeling deeply frustrated. The school would own the land, sooner or later, but they weren't allowed to use it just when they most wanted to. Stupid!
After they'd gone, Miss Welbeck telephoned Colonel Peters.
'Still no news, George? We're quite sure that Tarkus has dropped out of the bidding?'
'Without question, Madeleine. But still no word that our bid's been accepted. Most puzzling.'
'Poor Jock Armstrong will miss the summer season, at this rate. He still can't find anywhere else and it's the man's livelihood. It's terrible that we should all be held up like this.'
'Disgraceful. I don't know what Ruddocks think they're playing at.'
Emmanuelle gazed at the island wistfully, unable to hide her disappointment. Just for a moment. But then she hurriedly put an arm round Rebecca's shoulders.
'Cheer up! What does it matter? Where shall we have the barbecue now?'
'Just on the beach. It's such a shame. Cliff and Ginge were really looking forward to boating over to the island. We all were!'
'The beach will be wonderful fun! And the picnic lunch? We can still go into the cove for the picnic?'
Emmanuelle craned her neck, peering round into Mulberry Cove. It looked interesting, with caves at the back. And the castle high above it! But Rebecca was shaking her head.
'Miss Welbeck says no. The tide comes up too quickly. Now they've fenced off the headland, we can't get back that way. She says better to cancel the picnic and have lunch at school.'