06 by Last Term at Malory Towers Read Free Book Online

that Mother wants too.'"
    '1 said, shut up,' said Sally, again. 'We don't want to hear this. It doesn't reflect any credit on you, Gwen. It's beastly.'
    'Oh, you're rather a prig, Sally, aren't you?' said Gwen, with her little affected laugh. 'Anyway, you wouldn't have the courage to stand up to your father, fin sure.'
    'You don't have to "stand up" to your parents if you pull together,' said Sally, shortly.
    'Do go on, Gwen,' said Maureen, from tier corner of the room. 'It's so interesting You sound so grown-up!'
    Gwen was surprised at this tribute from Maureen, but very pleased. She didn't see that Maureen was encouraging her to go on simply so that she might make herself a nuisance and a bore to everyone. Maureen could see how disgusted the others were. She was rather disgusted herself. Although she was very like Gwen, she did at least love her parents.
    Let Gwen go on and on! she thought. Horrid creature! She's showing herself up properly!
    And so Gwen went on, talking to Maureen, repeating the unkind things she had said to her father, exulting in the victory she had won over him.
    'I went on till I got my way,' she said. 'I stayed in bed one whole day and Mother told him I'd be really ill if f went on like that. So Daddy came upstairs and said, "Very well. You can have your way. You're right and I'm wrong. You can go to Switzerland to school.'"
    Nobody believed that her father had said this. Nobody said anything at all except Maureen.
    'What a victory, Gwendoline,' she said. 'I het you were all over your father after that.'
    'I would have heen if he'd have let me,' said Gwen, looking a little puzzled. 'But he went all grieved and sad, and hardly spoke to any of us. Except sometimes to Miss Winter. He was putting it on, of course, to make me feel awful. But I didn't. Two can play at that game, 1 thought, so I went cool too. I hardly even said good-bye to him when he drove the car away at the beginning of term. You've got to stand up to your parents when you get to our age!'
    Darrell stood up suddenly. She felt really sick. She thought of her own father, Mr Rivers - kindly, hard¬working surgeon, devoted to his wife and two daughters. How would he feel if she, Darrell, suddenly 'stood up' to him, and spoke cruel words, as Gwen had to her father?
    He'd he heart-broken! thought Darrell. And I'm sute Mr Lacey felt the same. I expect he loves Gwen, even if she is beastly and selfish. How could she behave like that?
    She spoke to Gwen, and the tone of her voice made everyone look up.
    'Gwen, I'd like a few words with you,' said Darrell. 'Come on up to my study, will you?'
    Gwen was surprised. What did Darrell want with her? She felt like refusing, and then got up. She was rather afraid of the forthright Darrell.
    Darrell led the way to her study. She had remembered Miss Grayling's words. Could she possibly say something now, this very minute, to influence Gwen, and show her where she had gone wrong? Darrell felt that she might. She felt so strongly about the matter that she was certain she could make Gwen see her point.
    'Sit down in that arm-chair, Gwen,' said Darrell.
    I want to say something to you.'
    'I hope you're not going to preach at me.' said Gwen.
    You've got on that kind of face.'
    'Well, I'm not going to preach,' said Darrell, hoping that she wasn't. 'Look here, Gwen - I can't help feeling terribly sorry for your lather about all this.'
    Gwen was amazed. 'Sorry for my father] Why? What's it to do with you, anyway?'
    'Well, you've told us so often about this family row ol yours, that I, for one, can't help feeling that it is something to do with me now,' said Darrell. '1 mean. - you've made me share in all that bickering and rows and upsets, and 1 leel almost as if I've been a spectator.'
    Gwen was silent for once. Darrell went on.
    'I'm not going to say a word about who's right or who's wrong, Gwen,' said Darrell, earnestly. 'I'm not going to criticize anyone. I just say this. From what you've told me you've made