5 The Arrival of Wilhelmina
Unfortunately the bell for the next class rang at that moment and the third-formers could not see what happened next. Would Miss Grayling come out to the horse-riders? How would Wilhelmina enter the Towers? Darrell imagined her riding up the steps and into the hall!
“Golly! Fancy riding to school like that,” said Alicia. “I suppose she’s going to keep her horse here. One or two girls do do that already. Bringing all her seven brothers too! What a girl!”
Nobody had been able to see clearly what Wilhelmina had looked like. In fact, it had been difficult to tell her from the boys, as they had all been in riding-breeches. The third-formers went to their classroom, discussing the new arrival excitedly. Wilhelmina promised to be a Somebody!
“I shall be scared of her,” said Mary-Lou.
“Don’t be silly,” said Mavis, who was always very scornful of Mary-Lou. “Why should you be scared of her? I just hate tomboys, and I’m sure she’s one. She’ll think of nothing but horses and dogs, and she’ll smell of them too. People always do when they’re mad on animals.”
“Miss Peters doesn’t,” said Darrell.
“Oh, Miss Peters!” said Mavis. “I’ll be glad when I’m out of her class. She’s too hearty¹ for anything!”
Darrell laughed. Miss Peters was rather hearty and loud-voiced. But she was a good sort, though not at all sympathetic to people like Mavis. Neither had she much patience with Alicia or Betty when they played any of their idiotic² tricks. In fact, she had looked with such disfavour on tricks in class that poor Alicia and Betty had almost given up playing any.
Wilhelmina didn’t turn up in the classroom that morning, but Jean found Matron waiting for her in the passage when the third form went out to get ready for dinner. With her was somebody who, except for the school tunic³, looked exactly like a boy!
“Jean,” said Matron, “you’re head-girl of the third, aren’t you? Well, look after Wilhelmina for me, will you, and take her down to dinner? She couldn’t come yesterday because she wasn’t out of quarantine. Here you are, Wilhelmina—this is Jean, head-girl of your form.”
“Hallo,” said Wilhelmina and grinned a boyish grin that showed big white teeth set very evenly. Jean looked at her and liked her at once.
Wilhelmina had hair cropped almost as short as a boy’s. It curled a little, which she hated. Her face was boyish and square, with a tip-tilted nose, a big mouth, and big, wide-set eyes of hazel-brown. She was covered with

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