15 Half-term
Half-term came and went. It was brilliant weather and the parents thoroughly¹ enjoyed themselves wandering over the school grounds and down by the sea.
The enclosed garden, set in the hollow square in the middle of the four-towered building, was very popular. It was crammed² with hundreds upon hundreds of rosebushes, and the sight and scent³ of these filled the fathers and mothers with delight.
“I’m glad Malory Towers is at its very best my last half-term,” Darrell said to her mother, as she took her to see the roses. “I shall always remember it like this. Oh, Mother, thank you a thousand times for choosing this school for me. I’ve been so happy here.”
Her mother squeezed her arm. “You’ve done very well indeed at Malory Towers,” she said. “All the mistresses have been telling me how much they will miss you, and what a help you’ve always been. They are glad you have a sister to follow in your footsteps!”
Gwen went by with her mother and Miss Winter. “My last half-term!” she was saying. “Fancy, my next half-term will be in Switzerland. I’m sure I shall be much happier there than I’ve ever been here.”
Gwen’s father had not come. Gwen was glad. “I was afraid he might come and spoil everything,” she said to her mother. “He was so horrid⁴ to us last holidays, wasn’t he?”
“He would have come,” said Miss Winter. “But he’s not well. He hasn’t really been well for some time, Gwen. You should have written to him this term, you know. I really do think you should.”
“It’s not your business,” said Gwen, coldly. “Honestly you can’t always tell whether Daddy isn’t well, or is just bad-tempered⁵, can you, Mother? Anyway, we shan’t miss him today.”
“Where’s Maureen?” asked Mrs. Lacy. Maureen, so like Gwen, with her fluffy⁶ golden hair and big, pale-blue eyes, was quite a favourite with Mrs. Lacy and the old governess. But Gwen wasn’t going to have anything to do with Maureen that day! Maureen “sucked up” to Gwen’s people and they just loved it.

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