CHAPTER VII
"NOT PLAYING THE GAME!"
Irene had the traditional quick temper which accompanies red hair. On being released she made a bee-line for Monica's study, but, as was to be expected, it was empty. For a minute or so she stood in the middle of the little room, struggling to control the wave of anger and indignation that shook her. Her gaze travelled slowly round the room, passed over the dreadful notices that covered the walls, and finally rested on a letter lying on the mantelpiece and addressed in very black square handwriting to Miss M. Carr.
Irene picked it up and turned it over. The envelope had been torn open and she could catch a glimpse of the letter inside, written in the same black, square caligraphy. Till now, Irene, though of a hot-tempered, rather jealous disposition, sometimes doing and saying things in the heat of the moment which she afterwards regretted, had never been tempted to do anything actually dishonest. She hesitated as she turned the envelope over, but the temptation was overwhelming. In another moment she had pulled out the letter, opened it and was swiftly scanning the written lines:
"Dear Monica (it ran),
"You mustn't be surprised to hear from me, for I promised when you left I would write, and when I heard you were at St. Etheldreda's from one of the girls who has a young cousin there I just made up my mind I would write straight away.
"How on earth did you get into a school like St. Etheldreda's? This girl who has a cousin there says they are a dreadfully goody-goody lot. Did they know you were expelled from Fairhurst? Couldn't have done, I suppose. What a joke on them! Do write and tell me about it. You ought, you know, for I was the only girl here who would chum up with you. We were the two black sheep together, weren't we, though I would never dare do half the naughty things you did quite openly, for fear of being found out. Secretly I admired your audacity and defiance enormously. I am in the Lower Fifth now, so I have to be a lot more sedate and proper. People will soon begin to think I am quite a model character. What form are you in?
"Do you realize we are still in the same county, and what is more our schools are both competing for the Hockey Shield? If we both knock out all the teams in our respective districts we may meet in the Final. Doesn't that make you smile? I think St. Etheldreda's stands a very good chance of winning that shield. You defeated Stavely High School, I saw, and they are as good as any school in this county. We played them in a friendly game a fortnight ago and only drew.
"Do you still hate rules and regulations and persons in authority as much as ever? If you are the same as you were here, don't you think it would be fun to put a little spoke in their wheel—I mean, in St. Etheldreda's hopes of winning the shield? I know how clever you are and how full of ideas always. I should love to see if you could pull it off—I know I couldn't.
"Write and tell me what you think of this idea. Also please write soon.
"Your one-time friend,
"Lilian."