22 Daphne Owns Up
Immediately after tea that day the second form were told by Miss Parker that they were to go to their common-room and wait there.
“Why?” asked Belinda, in surprise.
“You’ll see,” said Miss Parker. “Go along now. Someone is waiting there for you.”
They all went, and rushed pell-mell into the common-room, wondering what the mystery was. Mary-Lou was there, looking a little scared, wrapped in her dressing-gown. Matron had carried her down.
And Daphne was there, fully¹ dressed! The girls rushed at her. “Daphne! You’re a heroine! Daphne! Well done! You saved Mary-Lou’s life!”
Daphne did not answer. She sat there and looked at them, rather white in the face, and did not even smile.
“What’s the matter?” asked Gwendoline.
“Sit down, all of you,” said Daphne. “I’ve got something to say. Then I shall go away and you won’t see me again.”
“Good gracious! Why all this melodrama²?” asked Jean, disquieted³ by Daphne’s tragic⁴ voice.
“Listen,” said Daphne. “You’ve got to listen. I’m the thief. I took those things. I’ve been sent away from two schools already for much the same thing. Miss Grayling knew that, but she wanted to give me another chance. So I came here. I told you lies—especially Gwen. We haven’t a yacht. We haven’t three or four cars. I told you I’d never been to school before because I didn’t want anyone to find out I’d been expelled. I hadn’t enough money to pay for some of the subs. Jean wanted, and how could I say that, when you all thought my father was a millionaire? So I took money and purses. And I took jewellery too, because I like pretty things and haven’t nearly enough myself.”
She paused. The faces round her were shocked and horrified⁵. Gwendoline looked as if she was about to faint. Her grand friend with her millionaire father! No wonder Daphne had never asked her to stay for the holidays. It was all lies.
“You all look shocked. I knew you would be. Miss Grayling said I was to come and confess to you myself, and you would judge me. I can see you judging me now. I don’t blame you. I’ve judged myself, too, and I hate myself! I let you accuse Ellen wrongly, I let you . . .”

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