The remainder of the day dragged unbearably. Mary had fewer problems with the French verbs than she expected, and was pleased when M. Casseau singled her out to congratulate her on her excellent French accent. Most of the other girls seemed not to care that she was already two teachers’ pet, on only the third day of term, and she felt that she really had been accepted as one of the fifth form. However, Ros was missing from the tea table, and Mary found herself sitting next to Gloria.
‘So, what does your father do, actually, Mary? Is it really top secret?’
‘Yes. I’m afraid I can’t tell you what he does, I’m sworn to secrecy.’
‘Is he a spy, then?’
Mary considered the question for a moment. As she had absolutely no idea what her father’s work was, only that he was missing for several months throughout the year, she felt that it would be safe to go along with this idea.
‘Yes, I suppose you could day he is a spy.’
‘Does he have a gun?’
‘I don’t think so!’ Mary said with a little smile. Gloria scowled.
‘He can’t possibly be a spy if he doesn’t have a gun! All spies have them. Haven’t you seen the films?’
‘Yes, of course I have!’
‘I don’t believe you’re telling the truth at all. I think your father is probably locked away in jail for murder or something!’
Mary stared at the other girl in astonishment, and felt her eyes fill with tears. She was spared any further embarrassment by the arrival of Miss Tibbs, who had seen and heard the whole incident.
‘Gloria Bancroft, you will apologise to Mary at once!’ she boomed. The whole of the refectory fell silent. ‘Mr Hamilton is indeed a representative of Her Majesty’s government, and I will thank you to keep a civil tongue in your head.’
‘So he is a spy!’ Gloria whispered.
‘Miss Bancroft!’ Miss Tibbs snapped, her face like thunder.
‘Sorry, Miss Tibbs. Sorry, Mary. I apologise for doubting you. Are you sure you can’t tell us anything about his work?’
‘Miss Bancroft!’ Miss Tibbs said exasperatedly, and Gloria reluctantly returned to her tea. When Miss Tibbs had left the refectory, Gloria started up again.
‘Come on Mary, why won’t you tell us?’
‘Yes, do tell us, Mary!’ cried Jennifer. Mary sighed.
‘Very well, I’ll tell you everything I know, because he doesn’t tell me that much. He goes all over the world. I’m sure he doesn’t carry a gun, though of course he probably wouldn’t tell me if he did. He’s gone for several months at a time, and my Mother always goes with him. As far as I know his work isn’t that dangerous, but then I don’t suppose they’d tell me if it was, because I should start to worry. I’m sorry, that’s about all I can tell you.’
‘I’ll ask Daddy,’ Jen said abruptly. ‘He knows all sorts of people. He’ll know.’
Mary panicked – but only for a moment. ‘As far as I know he doesn’t travel under his own name,’ she said, and again it wasn’t really a lie. As far as she knew, he didn’t. But then, she just didn’t know.
Jennifer shrugged her shoulders. ‘Oh, well, if you want to keep secrets from your roommates..... hey! Didn’t I see a parcel for you in the janitor’s office, Mary?’
‘I don’t know. Is there?’
‘Yes, a big one. A cardboard box. Come on, let’s go and collect it.’
Mary, Jen and Gloria strolled through the school corridors to the janitor’s office, arm in arm, and despite their intense questioning over tea, Mary felt happier than she had since the start of term. It seemed she had been accepted!
‘Where is Ros, by the way?’ she asked.
‘In the infirmary. Matron says she has a temperature,’ Jen replied.
‘Dear me. Do you think she may have caught a cold or something?’
‘She’ll be up and about tomorrow,’ Gloria said. ‘Ah, there you are, James. I believe you have a package for Miss Mary?’
‘There is a package, yes.’ James was white-haired and middle-aged, very tall and strong, with a weather-beaten face and a slight limp which he had got during the war. He rarely, if ever smiled, but he was extremely fond of all the girls in the school, with one or two exceptions.
He handed the package to Mary, and she recognised the handwriting immediately as belonging to her Aunt Lucy. Her face lit up at once.
‘Thank you, Mr Punchard!’ she cried, smiling happily. ‘You know what this is – a cake! One of Aunt Lucy’s famous Victoria sponges!’
‘A midnight feast – hurrah!’ cried Gloria. ‘We’ll pinch a cake knife from the refectory and eat it after lights out!’
And that’s exactly what they did. It was Miss Eggleton’s job, as housemistress, to patrol the dormitories in her care, switching off the lights at ten o’clock. The three girls had not been allowed to visit Ros in the infirmary just in case she had something infectious, and so, after the lights went out, they curled up in bed and drifted off to sleep. It was Mary who woke them, at a minute after midnight. She had switched on a torch and carefully opened the package to reveal the glorious sponge cake. Gloria rubbed her eyes, taking a minute or so to remember why she had been woken. Jen was awake instantly, and she and Mary set to work slicing the cake.
‘We’d better save a piece for Ros,’ Jen whispered, and Mary duly agreed. She handed a piece to Gloria, who was still not properly awake. It was at that moment that they heard a sound outside.
‘Switch off the torch!’ Jen hissed. ‘We must see what’s going on!’ Mary duly obeyed, and the three girls scrambled to the window.
‘Look, it’s a fox!’ Gloria whispered, and sure enough they saw the unmistakable outline of a small animal with a large bushy tail darting across the lawn away from the Abbey. Mary looked to the right and saw a wisp of pale blue smoke rising from the Abbey. ‘Come on!’ she said, pulling the curtain quickly. ‘We’d better finish this cake!’
