Before Irene had finished spreading the letters on the table it was surrounded by a crowd of girls eagerly searching for their own names, while from others, who were unable to get close enough to see there came a chorus of inquiry.
One thought only was running like a flame through Irene's mind. Could she by any chance get a glimpse of the contents of Monica's letter? She waited by the table till most of the crowd had dispersed. At last she saw Monica, one of the late comers, saunter into the hall with Nat and, at a cry of "Letter for you, Monica. Aren't you going to claim it?" fetch her letter from the table. As she did so the prayer bell rang and Monica and Nat, with Irene close behind, joined the stream of girls hastening towards the assembly room.
Prayer bell rang at five to nine in order to give everyone time to be in her place for nine o'clock prayers. Then the girls filed off to their various classrooms and Irene watched Monica as, seated at her desk waiting for the entry of the mistress who was to take them for their first lesson, she tore open the envelope, hurriedly read the letter and, on Miss Moore's entry, thrust it inside her desk—the present style of frocks rarely provides anything in the way of pocket accommodation!
When the bell rang for the fifteen minutes' interval all the form left the room in groups of twos and threes, some to practise passing or shooting outside with a netball, some to stroll round the grounds chatting, many to partake of hot milk and biscuits. Irene stayed behind, under pretence of hunting for a mislaid book. Now, when the room was deserted by all except herself, was her chance. She opened Monica's desk, and after a hasty search found the letter thrust between two books. With the envelope in her hand she hesitated and glanced around guiltily, half inclined to put it back unread. Then came the insidious whisper that she owed it to the other girls, to the school, to read the letter and discover if the black sheep of St. Etheldreda's was plotting some fresh mischief against her fellow scholars. Spurred on by this thought she inserted her fingers in the envelope and drew out the letter. This time its contents were disappointing. They were brief and written very hurriedly:
"Dear Monica,
"Please excuse me for being so long in acknowledging your letter. Your idea about the telegram is really clever though quite simple. I shall be curious to see how it works. I suppose St. Etheldreda's girls are hoping to win the shield. So are our girls. Well, time will show!
"Supper bell, so I must finish. I will write a longer letter next time. The news may be more interesting then.
"With best wishes from,
"Lilian."
When she had finished reading this apparently quite harmless little letter Irene was conscious of a fervent wish that she had not meddled with it at all. She thrust it back into Monica's desk, and with cheeks that burned for some time afterward, slipped out of the classroom and rejoined her friends, who were partaking of milk and biscuits.