Chapter 17. The Leisure Hours

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_ CHAPTER XVII. THE LEISURE HOURS

School-life began in real earnest, and school-life at Aylmer House was so stimulating, so earnest, so invigorating, that all that was best in each girl was brought to the fore. There was an admirable time-table, which allowed the girls periods for play as well as the most suitable hours for work. In addition, each day there were what were called the "leisure hours." These were from five to seven o'clock each evening. The leisure hours began immediately after tea, and lasted until the period when the girls went to their rooms to dress for dinner. During these two hours they were allowed to do precisely what they pleased.

Mrs. Ward was most particular that no teacher should interfere with her girls during the leisure hours. From the very first she had insisted on this period of rest and absolute relaxation from all work. Work was strictly forbidden in the school from five to seven, and it was during that period that the queens of the school generally exercised their power. Aneta then usually found herself surrounded by her satellites in one corner of the girls' own special sitting-room, and Maggie was in a similar position at the farther end. Aneta's satellites were always quiet, sober, and well-behaved; Maggie's, it is sad to relate, were a trifle rowdy. There is something else also painful to relate--namely, that Merry Cardew cast longing eyes from time to time in the direction of that portion of the room where Maggie and her friends clustered.

The girls had been about a fortnight at school, and work was in full swing, when Kathleen, springing from her seat, said abruptly, "Queen, I want to propose something."

"Well, what is it?" asked Maggie, who was lying back against a pile of cushions and supplying herself daintily from a box of chocolates which her adorers had purchased for her.

"I want us all," said Kathleen, "to give a party to the other queen and her subjects; and I want it to be about the very jolliest entertainment that can be found. We must, of course, ask Mrs. Ward's leave; but she is certain to give it."

"I don't know that she is," said Maggie.

"Oh, she is--certain sure," said Kathleen. "May I go and ask her now?"

"Do you dare?" said Rosamond Dacre, looking at Kitty's radiant face with some astonishment.

"Dare!" cried Irish Kitty. "I don't know the meaning of anything that I don't dare. I am off. I'll bring you word in a few minutes, girls." She rushed out of the room.

Janet Burns looked after her, slightly raising her brows. Rosamond Dacre and the two Roaches began to sound her praises. "She is sweet, isn't she?"

"Yes," said Clara; "and I do so love her pretty Irish brogue."

"Mother tells me," said Janet, who was Scotch, "that Irish characters are not much good--they're not reliable, I mean."

"Oh, what a shame!" said Matty Roache.

"I don't think we need discuss characters," said Maggie. "I don't know a great deal about the Irish, but I do know that Kitty is a darling."

"Yes, so she is--one of the sweetest girls in the whole school," said Molly Tristram, who was quite as excited as Kathleen herself with regard to the party scheme.

Meantime Kitty found herself tapping at Mrs. Ward's private door. Mrs. Ward said, "Come in," and the pretty girl, with her great dark-blue eyes and wild-rose complexion, entered abruptly.

"Well, Kathleen?" said Mrs. Ward in her pleasant tone.

"Oh, please, Mrs. Ward, I've come with such a lovely scheme."

"And you want me to help you?"

"Oh yes, please, do say you will before I let you into the secret!"

"I can't do that, dear; you must just tell me what is in your mind, and be satisfied with my decision. The only thing that I can assure you beforehand is that if it is a workable scheme, and likely to give you great pleasure, I will do my best to entertain it."

"Then we're certain to have it--certain," said Kathleen.

"It was I who thought of it. You will forgive me if I speak out just as plainly as possible?"

"Of course, Kathleen dear."

"Well, you know you are the head-mistress."

"That is scarcely news to me, my child."

"And people, as a rule," continued Kathleen, "respect their head-mistress."

"Dear me," said Mrs. Ward with a smile, "have you come here, Kathleen, to say that you don't respect me?"

"Respect you!" said Kathleen. "We do a jolly lot more than that. We adore you! We love you! You're--you're a sort of--of mother to us."

"That is what I want to be," said Mrs. Ward with fervor, and she took the girl's hand and smoothed it gently.

"I often want to hug you, and that's a fact," said Kathleen.

"You may kiss me now if you like, Kitty."

"Oh, Mrs. Ward!" Kitty bent down and bestowed a reverent kiss on that sweet face.

"I have permitted you to kiss me, Kitty," said Mrs. Ward, "in order to show you that I sympathize with you, as I do with all my dear girls. But now, what is the matter?"

"Well, the fact is this. We want, during the 'leisure hours' to give a party."

"Is that all? Do you all want to give a party?"

"Our side wants to give a party, and we want to invite the other side to it."

"But what do you mean by 'our side' and 'the other side'?"

"Oh, Mrs. Ward! you know--of course you know--that Aneta and Maggie divide the school."

"I know," said Mrs. Ward after a pause, "that Aneta has considerable influence, and that Maggie also has influence."

"Those two girls divide the school," said Kathleen, "the rest of us follow them. As a matter of fact, we only follow our leaders in the leisure hours; but as they come every day a good deal can be done in that time, can't it?"

"Yes," said Mrs. Ward, and her tone was not exactly cheerful. "On which side are you, Kitty?"

"Oh, dear Mrs. Ward, of course, on Maggie's! Do you think that a girl like me, with all my spirit and that irresistible sort of fun always bubbling up in me, could stand the stuck-ups?"

"Kitty, you have no right to speak of any girls in the school by such an offensive term."

"I am sorry," said Kitty. "I ought not to have said it to you. But they are stuck-ups; they really are."

"And what do you call yourself?"

"Oh, the live-and-let-live--that's our title. But it's only quite among ourselves, and perhaps I ought not to have said it."

"I will never repeat what you have told me in confidence, dear. But now for your request?"

"Well, we of Maggie's set want to invite the Aneta set to a sort of general party. We should like it to be on the half-holiday, if possible. We want to give them a right royal entertainment in order to knock some of their stuck-upness out of them. We wish for your leave in the matter."

"You must describe your entertainment a little more fully."

"I can't; for we haven't really and truly planned it all out yet. But I tell you what we'll do. If you give us leave to have the party, we will ask Queen Aneta and her satellites if possible this very evening, and then we'll submit our programme to you. Now, may we do this, or may we not?"

"Who sent you to me, Kathleen?"

"I came of my own very self, but of course the others approved. We have no intention of doing shabby things in the dark, as they do in some schools. That would be unfair to you."

Mrs. Ward thought a little longer. "I will give you the required permission," she said, "on one condition."

"Oh, Mrs. Ward, darling! what is that?"

"You can have your party on Saturday week, and I will give you from early in the afternoon until bedtime to enjoy it."

"Oh, Mrs. Ward, you are too angelic!"

"Stop a minute. You may not care for it so much when I have finished what I have got to say."

"What is it, dear Mrs. Ward?"

"It is this: that you ask me too as one of your guests."

"Oh! oh!" said Kathleen. Her expressive face changed from red to white and then to red again. Her eyes brimmed over with laughter, and then as suddenly filled with tears. "But would you--would you like it?"

"Yes, and I don't want to destroy your pleasure; but I presume you will have a sort of supper or an entertainment which will include refreshments. Let me assist you with the expense of your supper, and may I be present at it as one of your guests? I will promise to leave soon after supper, and not to appear until supper. How will that do?"

"Oh, it would be just, heavenly! It will give such distinction. I know the girls will love it."

"I think I can make myself pleasant to you all," said Mrs. Ward, "and I should like to be there."

"But as to paying anything, Mrs. Ward, you will come as our guest, and you know we have most of us plenty of money. Please, please, let us do the entertaining."

"Very well, dear, I will not press that point. I hope I have made you happy, Kathleen."

"Oh! you have--very, very happy indeed. And Saturday week is to be the day?"

"Yes, Kathleen."

Kathleen bent down, took one of Mrs. Ward's hands, and kissed it. Then she skipped out of the room and flew back to her companions. They were waiting for her in a state of suppressed eagerness.

"Well, Kathleen--Kitty--Kit, what's the news?" asked Maggie.

Room was made for Kathleen in the center of the group.

"We have won! We may do it!" she said, speaking in a low tone. "Oh, she's--she's like no one else! I don't know how you will take it, girls; but if you're not just delighted you ought, to be. Why, what do you think? She wants to come herself."

"Mrs. Ward!" said Maggie in amazement.

"Yes, just to supper. She says she will come--she wishes to come--that we're to invite her; in fact, she makes it a sine qua non. She will go away again after supper, and we're to have the whole glorious day, next Saturday week, from two in the afternoon until bedtime. Oh, sha'n't we have fun!"

"Yes, of course," said Maggie. "It's much better even than I thought. I will write the letters of invitation immediately."

"But why should you write a whole lot of letters?" said Kathleen. "You are one queen. Write to the other queen and mention that Mrs. Ward is coming."

There was nothing like the present time for making arrangements; and Maggie wrote on a sheet of headed note-paper provided for her by her satellites the following words:

"Queen Maggie presents her compliments to Queen Aneta, and begs for the pleasure of her company with all her subjects on Saturday the 15th of October, to an entertainment from three to nine o'clock. She hopes that the whole school will be present, and writes in the names of her own subjects as well as of herself.

"P.S.--Mrs. Ward has most kindly promised to attend."

This letter was subjected to the approval of the group of girls who surrounded Maggie. It was then addressed to "Queen Aneta," and Kathleen crossed the room with it and dropped it, there and then, into Aneta Lysle's lap.

It caused very deep amazement in the hearts of all the girls who belonged to Aneta's party, and it is highly probable that they might have refused to accept the invitation but for that magical postscript, "Mrs. Ward has most kindly promised to attend." But there was no withstanding that patent fact, as Mrs. Ward knew very well when she made the proposal to Kathleen.

After a lapse of about twenty minutes, Cicely Cardew crossed the room and laid the answer to Maggie's note in her lap:

"Queen Aneta and her subjects have much pleasure in accepting Queen Maggie's invitation for the 15th inst."

"Hip, hip, hurrah!" cried Kathleen. "The thing's arranged, and we'll have about the jolliest flare-up and the most enticing time that girls ever had at any school." She sprang from her seat, and began tossing a book which had lain in her lap into the air, catching it again. In short, the subjects of the two queens broke up on the spot and chatted gaily together, and Maggie and her subjects could not be induced to say one word of what was to take place on the 15th of October.

"It is wonderful," thought Aneta to herself. "Why does Mrs. Ward come? But, of course, as she comes we must all come." _

Read next: Chapter 18. The Treasure

Read previous: Chapter 16. Bo-Peep

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