02 Jo of the Chalet School Read Online Free Page B

was by no means as fluent as Joey’s and she often had to pause before she got the right words. ‘I’ll do the bathing for you. See, here comes Marie with your tub.
    Marie, with a broad smile, appeared between the curtains, carrying a wooden tub and a large jug of hot water. ‘ Grüss Gott, mein Fraulein,’ she said to Juliet. Then, as she looked at the baby, ‘ An, das Engelkind!
    Grüss Gott, mein Liebling! ‘
    ‘ Guten Morgen ,’ replied the Robin politely.
    She was not at all overcome by being called an angel-child, and Juliet gathered from her chatter as she was tubbed and dressed that pet-names and tender words had been a matter of course in her little life. Just as the little frock of pink woollen material was slipped over her head there came a tap at the door, followed by the entry of Miss Bettany, come to see how her new pupil was faring. ‘Good-morning, girls,’ she said as she came into the room. ‘Well, Robin, so you are dressed? – That was kind of you, Juliet. Run along and finish your own dressing now, dear, or you will be late. Robin can come downstairs with me.’
    The Robin slid her hand into the slender one held out to her. ‘Good-morning, Mademoiselle. Juliet has been so good to me, and Zoë and Grizelle are kind too.’
    Miss Bettany nodded her head. ‘Of course! Come along now, dear. The others will come presently.’
    She led the child away, and presently Joey, helping to hang out the plumeaux over the balcony railings so that they might be aired, saw them going down to the lake together, the Robin chattering at breathless speed.
    ‘She’ll be baby now,’ she said. ‘Won’t Amy be thankful?’
    ‘Shriek for joy, I should think,’ laughed Grizel. ‘It’s just as well. She might have been jealous. I say, Joey! Look! There’s those girls we saw yesterday. They’re staring at the Chalet like anything! See them, Juliet? Don’t the look topping – I mean jolly?’
    ‘Awfully jolly, agreed Juliet. ‘I wonder if they’re thinking of coming here to school? They’re staring hard enough.’
    The three hung out the plumeaux , watching the two Italian girls with such interest that they never heard the bell ring, and Miss Maynard had to come to fetch them. ‘Now then, you people,’ she observed cheerfully from the door, ‘don’t you want any breakfast this morning? Whatever are you doing?’1
    They turned round, all very red at being caught like this. ‘Miss Maynard, I’m so sorry!’ cried Juliet. ‘We never heard the bell.’
    ‘So it seems,’ returned Miss Maynard dryly. ‘Well, are you coming?’
    They followed her meekly downstairs, and into the Speisesaal, where the Robin was making short work of a bowl of hot milk before she attacked her roll and honey.
    ‘Why are you three so late?’ demanded Miss Bettany as they came in.
    ‘We were watching those girls,’ explained Joey as she slid into her seat.
    ‘Which girls? Do you mean those two you talked about yesterday?’
    ‘Yes. They were standing on the lake-path, by the bushes, and staring at the Chalet like – like anything.’
    Madge Bettany was interested. Really?’
    ‘Yes. Oh do you think they might be coming here?’ implored Grizel, nearly overturning her coffee in her eagerness.
    ‘My dear girl, how should I know? Be careful, Grizel! You nearly had your coffee over then!’
    ‘I’m sorry!’ Grizel pushed it farther away from the edge of the table. ‘But do – you think just perhaps ?’
    Her head-mistress burst out laughing. ‘My dear child, I have no idea! They would hear about us, of course, at the Kron Prinz Karl, and that would probably account for their interest.’
    ‘It would be gorgeous if they did!’ Juliet contributed her share to the conversation. ‘How many would it make us, Madame?’
    ‘Over thirty.’
    ‘Oo-oh, how decent! I do hope they come!’
    ‘Wouldn’t it be magnificent?’

    Miss Bettany laughed again. ‘You’re startling the Robin. She won’t understand such wild