In the common room-which Daisy insisted was called the calefactory-where the staff congregated before dinner (called supper during term) everyone welcomed me and told me how everything was conducted.
It was Eileen who explained to me about Daisy's determination that we should never forget we were in an abbey, and that was why instead of having a common room we had a calefactory.
"You may if you wish refer to it as the calefactorium. Either term is permissible. It is the apartment which was used by the monks when they wanted to get a little warmth. Poor things, they must have been frozen half the time. Underneath were the flues which gave it a little heat ... hence the name. You can imagine them all hastening here when they had a few moments in which to relax, just as we do. There you see history repeating itself."
"I'll remember," I said.
The others talked about lessons and pupils and I was able to have a word with Mademoiselle Dupont.
"Oh," she cried, throwing her hands into the air. "I am happy because I am no longer with those naughty girls. Charlotte Mackay ... Eugenie Verringer ... they talk and laugh ... and I believe have feasts in their bedrooms. The others join them. I hear them laughing and whispering ... And I pull the bedclothes over my ears and I do not hear them."
"You mean you allowed them to do that!"
"Oh, Mees Grant, it is the only way. Charlotte .. . she is the one who will say what is to be ... and Eugenie ... she is another."
"If that is allowed to go on, they'll be managing the whole section."
"It is so, alas," said Mademoiselle sadly.
Her expression was one of condolence but she could not hide her pleasure in having escaped.
I was very uneasy, but at the same time I couldn't help a slight feeling of exhilaration. Perhaps I liked a battle. Aunt Patty had always said I did, although I had never had the occasion to face one with her and Violet. But once or twice over some domestic trouble my fighting spirit had shown itself. "Determination to win is a good friend providing you use it only when necessary," Aunt Patty had said. "But don't forget such good friends can become enemies, like fire for instance."
I did remember; and I was going to teach those girls a lesson other than those they would learn in the classrooms.
The routine did not change-assembly, prayers, supper; and then dismiss.
There was a hubbub in the washing cubicles and after that retirement to rooms and "lights out".
I had decided to make it a cule that I visited the girls last thing and said good night to them making sure that they were all where they should be and ready for slumber.
I knew there was something wrong when I entered Teresa's room for she looked unhappy- and I guessed it was on my account. Caroline looked very meek lying in her bed; and I said good night to both girls.
Gwendoline Grey and Jane Everton were also in their beds and although they lay quietly, almost demure, they had an air of waiting.
I went into Charlotte's room where I knew I should find trouble, and how right I was! Charlotte was in one bed, Eugenie in the other.
I said in a voice which could be heard in all the other bedrooms: "Eugenie, get out of that bed at once and go back to your own."
Eugenie shot up in bed and I was aware of her angry dark eyes glaring at me. "This is my bed, Miss Grant. It was my bed last term."
"But not this," I said. "Get up at once."
Charlotte was looking at Eugenie urging her to rebellion.
"Where is Patricia?" I said. I looked into the next room. She was in one bed, Fiona in the other. They both looked alarmed.
I said: "Get out of that bed, Patricia."
She did so at once.
"Put on your slippers and dressing-gown." She obeyed meekly.
I went with her into the next room. "Now, Eugenie, get out of Patricia's bed and go back to your own."
"Mademoiselle ..." began Charlotte.
"This is no concern of Mademoiselle's. She is no longer in charge. I am and I will be obeyed." "You are not really grown-up yourself."
"Don't be insolent. Did you hear me, Eugenie?" She looked at Charlotte and without meeting my eyes muttered: "I'm not going."
I felt inclined to pull her out by force. If Charlotte came to her aid, the two of them might overcome me; and in any case violence was out of the question.
I remembered something Teresa had said. They were crazy about horseriding - and in particular Charlotte.
"I think you are," I said. "I am going to start from now and the longer you remain in that bed the longer will be your detention. We are studying Macbeth this term and for the number of minutes you stay in that bed you will be detained and learn that number of lines from the play. The detention will take place during riding lessons, so that any disobedient girl will not join the others."
Charlotte shot up in bed.
"You can't do that," she said.
"I can assure you I can."
"Miss Hetherington ..."
"Miss Hetherington has given me permission to take what action I consider necessary. We are starting from now. If you do not get out immediately, Eugenie, you and Charlotte will begin your detention during tomorrow's riding time."
This was important. I could feel the tension. I had to be firm now or lose the battle. I wondered what Daisy would say about curtailing lessons for which the girls' parents paid highly.
I stood looking at them.
Charlotte's love of horses won the day.
She looked sullenly at Eugenie and said: "You'd better go ... for now ..."
Eugenie got out of bed. The curtailing of riding would be as much a tragedy for her as it was for Charlotte.
As she dashed past me, I said: "For now ... and the rest of the term ... if you want to enjoy your riding. Now Patricia, get into your bed, and let me hear no more talking. Good night, girls."
In the next room Eugenie was lying with her face to the wall and Fiona gave me an apologetic look as she returned my good night.
I went back to my bed. Victory. But I was trembling.
Marcia
I WAS rather surprised that I had won so easily for when I made my rounds after there was no more trouble. The girls were in their right beds and although Charlotte ignored me and Eugenie was a trifle sullen, I found the others quite charming; and Teresa made it clear that she was my slave.
I knew that Charlotte taunted her with being a toady and that Eugenie showed her clearly that she despised her, but oddly Teresa-no doubt because she felt she was sure of my support-had developed a little more boldness and seemed to be able to deal with their taunts.
I found lessons stimulating. I had a subject very dear to my heart - English literature - and it was very interesting for me to read my favourite Jane Austen and the Shakespeare plays with closer attention than I had given them before, to read them with the girls, to dissect them, and search for hidden meanings. I had four classes a week on this subject and therefore took all the girls in the school at some time, which meant that Charlotte and Eugenie were in two of the classes. Charlotte refused to work, and Eugenie-who was a year or so younger and very much under her influence-tried not to, but I was amused to discover that she had a genuine love of literature and could not entirely suppress her interest. Teresa was there trying very hard to please me. I was really enjoying it.
The social classes were less successful, I imagined.
We discussed all sorts of subjects and the girls had to learn how to walk and act gracefully-just as we had at Schaffenbrucken. It was all rather amusing.
I enjoyed the sessions in the calefactory. Some times Daisy joined us there. We were more free and easy when she was not present, of course. I learned that the Hon. Charlotte-as she was ironically referred to-was considered to be a universal bête noire. "Clogs to clogs," said Miss Parker who prided herself on her frank speaking. "I should be very pleased to see the Hon. Charlotte in hers." Teresa was a mouse, they said. A silly timid little thing.