"When the Head Girl earns my respect then I will shake her hand"
Harriet looked out of the window of her room overlooking the playing field at the front of Abbey Mount School. The lacrosse team was playing Botley Manor Girls and Abbey Mount was winning...again. Ever since Poppy More had replaced her as team captain they had won again and again. The girls showing an energy and skill that they had never shown when she was their captain. Poppy More...always Poppy More; Ever since she had arrived at the start of term she had been a thorn in her side, never showing her the respect that as Head Girl she was entitled to by right; Playing pranks on teachers and on her, pushing her aside from Freddie, taking away his attention. Making everyone like her...God she how she hated Poppy Bloody More! It was time to finally get her out and return things at Abbey Mount to how they were meant to be. Poppy wanted out of Abbey Mount anyway so she would be simply assisting her departure really...Poppy was an annoying little insect that needed stamping on.
Suddenly Harriet felt very alone in the room. Jane and Charlotte had stayed in the team after she had been dropped as captain and it was clear they both liked Poppy. Her maid Isabel was almost the team mascot now! Mrs Kingsley forever giving praise and attention to the team; Praise that she had never shown to her...The first time she had won a game as captain Kingsley had replaced her for Poppy telling the assembly the news almost as an afterthought, humiliating her in front of everyone...Everything was ruined and it was all Poppy's fault. She had earned the position of Head Girl through her spotless discipline and academic record; enforcing the schools rules and upholding the system and if that had made her unpopular then so be it: Now though she felt very alone at Abbey Mount...
Harriet turned away from the window and walked out of her room heading towards the school library. She needed to draw up a plan to remove that annoying nuisance Poppy. As she walked up the corridor she met Mrs Kingsley "Harriet, I was just thinking about you, would you care for a walk in the grounds? I do feel we should talk" "Yes of course Mrs Kingsley I would be delighted" Harriet followed Mrs Kingsley outside onto the school grounds and pointed to the playing field "The girls are playing well I see. I have noticed Harriet that you don't play lacrosse any more? I am surprised as I know how much you enjoy the sport" Mrs Kingsley stopped and looked at Harriet directly in the eye "May I ask why?"
Harriet replied with a nervous laugh "Mrs Kingsley! I...I...just felt that a change was needed that was all" Mrs Kingsley raised her eyebrows and sighed before walking on "Really Harriet? And there was me thinking it was you being upset at being dropped as captain" Mrs Kingsley walked on followed by Harriet who felt a growing sick feeling "I know exactly why you left the team and I am disappointed in you" "Mrs Kingsley? I don't understand?" Mrs Kingsley walked on with a determined stride "Miss Reese-Withers told me that she had never seen the girls play as well as when Poppy came on after Jennifer "Took ill" as she called it. Against your wishes I might add. The girls followed Poppy as if she was their captain and not you. I know you took your replacement as a personal slight but it was for the good of Abbey Mount. As captain, Harriet, you never won a game; Poppy on the other hand has taken our team further than anyone since 1977!" Mrs Kingsley stopped and turned to face Harriet.
"Harriet you are the Head Girl of this school and you are diligent in your duties but the position is not just about upholding school rules. It is about setting an example of behaviour to the other girls especially the juniors. It is about leadership. Throwing a sulk is not setting an example! Neither is being petulant! That is not displaying leadership. I don't expect you and Poppy to be friends, you are both very different people but I do expect, no I demand that you to show her respect for the fine job she is doing as captain. Just as I know you would demand it from her." Harriet stood trembling, never before had Mrs Kingsley spoken to her in such a way. Mrs Kingsley pointed at the badge pinned on Harriet's lapel "And furthermore "Respect" isn't about having a badge on your blazer. It is about what is behind the badge that counts. Being the Head Girl is not a licence for you to bully and belittle those girls you don't approve of. That stops you understand me Harriet? It stops."
Mrs Kingsley walked on in silence and then stopped and faced a now flushed and trembling Harriet "During the last assembly I called up each team member to show them how proud the school is of them. You remained silent and that silence has echoed through the school. I didn't like what I saw and it has added to the doubts I have had about your suitability as Head Girl for some time. How do you think Jane and Charlotte must have felt? They aren't just your deputies they are your roommates, your friends I had thought. Your personal animosity towards Poppy is a private matter between yourselves but I will not tolerate it undermining this school. I know that rivalries happen between the girls here but I am concerned this feud it is far going beyond that. Again I do not expect you to be friends but I do expect you to at least respect each other, especially from you Harriet. Especially from you"
Harriet finally snapped "Mrs Kingsley! Poppy is just an awful bitch! I hate her! I hate her! Ever since she came here she has spoiled things! I cannot allow her to turn this school upside down. I cannot let her ruin everything for me! She started it Mrs Kingsley! She started it!" Mrs Kingsley replied softly "Another outburst like that Harriet and I will dismiss you right here and now...Poppy has had her difficulties since coming here I know but look at her now? She fills this school with fun and a zest for life. She is a true Abbey Mount Girl but the question I am asking myself more and more is; Are you? What are the values we stand for eh? Scholarship; Loyalty; Fellowship; Do you really live up to those values Harriet?" Mrs Kingsley paused "If Poppy can change for the better then perhaps you can; You need to Harriet. For if you do not and you continue your feud with Poppy or seek to hurt her in anyway then I will break you. Put no doubt in your mind on that"
Mrs Kingsley looked the trembling Harriet in the eye and added softly "Being Head Girl means thinking about Abbey Mount and not about yourself; I have known you since your first day; There is much good in you Harriet, you are highly intelligent, confident and authoritative: The First Years are in awe of you. You are a force for order at Abbey Mount that I value. Any shortcomings you have as Head Girl are mine as your headmistress. We should have had this chat sooner but I am glad that now we understand each other and together we can move on. For sake of Abbey Mount" Harriet fought back her tears "I will Mrs Kingsley I promise you" "I don't doubt that you will Harriet" Mrs Kingsley took a final look around the grounds "What a lovely evening; It was nice walking with you now I really must get on" Mrs Kingsley patted Harriet on the arm and turned back towards the school building.
Harriet looked at Mrs Kingsley as she walked away. When she was out of view she collapsed on the bench. It was awful! She had tried so hard as Head Girl. Stalking the corridors with Jane and Charlotte behind her seeking out rule breakers, upholding standards of good behaviour, upholding the rigid system that had made Abbey Mount great, the juniors jumping when she growled! Every girl's head turned towards her. Out of respect...Only now she wasn't so sure. When she had told her parents about being replaced as lacrosse captain her father's reaction was only to ask if Poppy had been a success and if so to give her all the support she needed. Everything at Abbey Mount was coming apart.
"Harriet are you okay? We have been looking for you for hours" Harriet walked into her room and saw Jane and Charlotte standing there "Did you win?" "Yes! We are in the County Final! " said the two girls together. Harriet felt sick to her stomach "I am glad; I really pleased for you. I...I have been thinking that I haven't been much of a friend to either of you and I am sorry...I should be sorry about many things me thinks" Jane and Charlotte looked at each other; this was not the Harriet they were used to at all. They were so careful never to talk about the team successes in front of Harriet, wary of her changes of mood, quick temper and her loathing of Poppy. Sharing a room with Harriet since Poppy had arrived at Abbey Mount was like treading on eggshells. But this was a very different Harriet. All her force and swagger had gone. Harriet looked shattered and vulnerable.
Harriet sat on her bed and sighed "Everyone at Abbey Mount hates me don't they? Jane and Charlotte looked at each other "Well...Not hated exactly..." Charlotte began "All the Head Girls before you were very quiet girls and everyone liked them but you aren't like that" Jane looked sharply at Charlotte adding "You uphold the system Harriet. You make sure the girls keep to the rules and they respect you and yes they fear you too. We walk behind you and we feel that as well" Charlotte nodded "You believe in Abbey Mount but you want to be at the centre of attention all the time. Poppy More is the only girl I have ever known here who has ever stood up to you and you just can't handle it. It has carried on from there. I don't think you are a bad person Harriet but you hate Poppy"
Harriet finally asked what had gnawed at her for weeks "Fredster...Freddie has never liked me at all has me?" Harriet looked from Jane to Charlotte "He doesn't have a crush on me at all" and sat down on her bed her head in her hands. Charlotte and Jane both sat down on either side of her "No Harriet he doesn't" said Jane "We didn't want to see you hurt, we wanted to make you feel good about yourself. That is what Charlotte and I have been doing for ages now and to be honest we are both tired of it really. Freddie likes Poppy and not you. We saw them kiss at the Social and we promised to say nothing to you" Harriet began to cry "I have been a fool. I will change; I want to change" Jane and Charlotte both put their arms around the shaking Harriet "You are our Head Girl" said Jane taking Harriet by the hand "We are loyal to you and we will help you"
After a while Harriet stopped crying, dried her eyes and stood up straightening her uniform "I am going to see the rest of the team and tell them how pleased I am of them. I am also going to find Isabel; I have been horrid towards her and I want to say sorry. I may even speak to Little Miss USA but that might be a little bit harder!" Harriet and the girls laughed. Harriet moved towards the door and then turned and walked to her dressing table. She stood for a moment looking at the pictures of Freddie that covered it and then tore them off, screwing them into a ball and putting it into the bin. She then walked out like the Harriet Bentley of old; Head erect shoulders back, back straight like a ramrod. When the door closed and the sound of her footsteps died away Charlotte said to Jane "I thought we couldn't stand Harriet?" Jane "So did I but Harriet seems changed and I like it. Me thinks we should help her" Charlotte smiled "Me thinks so too!"
Harriet walked through the Abbey Mount building. She saw Miss Reese- Withers talking with Mr Nellis who upon seeing Harriet rapidly moved away "I just wanted to say well done for bringing the team to the finals Miss Reese-Withers. You must be very proud" "Thank you Harriet! That is very gracious of you to say that. I know you were hurt by the change of captaincy but it was for the best" Harriet swallowed "Yes I see that now and I am sorry for well...being childish about it; I wasn't any good as captain and the girls needed better" Miss Reese-Withers smiled sadly "No Harriet you just needed a better teacher than me; We both needed to learn that from Poppy More...Come back to play, I know you aren't friends but you enjoy the game so play it" Harriet nodded and walked away.
Harriet walked to the First Years girls rooms. As she walked up the corridors girls moved from her path. Harriet stopped with one girl and then another asking them about their day. As she walked on she didn't see the beaming smiles on the girls she had spoken too. She walked on to see Isabel with three of her friends. A look of fear went to the ginger haired freckled features of Isabel, Harriet winced inwardly seeing it "I don't want to disturb you but I wanted to say that...well I know that I have been horrid with you and I am sorry" Isabel gasped "Harriet...thank you" "I meant it Isabel: You are not my slave and I shouldn't have treated you as one. I hope you can forgive me" Isabel smiled and the two girls exchanged the briefest of hugs. Harriet felt tears come to her eyes again and she walked away watched by four open mouthed First Year girls.
Harriet composed herself and walked again at her steady gait down the corridor. In the common rooms where the girls could relax outside of school hours Harriet walked up to the lacrosse players in the team and shook hands and exchanged hugs. She told each girl of her pride in their success and laughed at her own failure as captain. Each time Harriet felt the better for doing it. Finally she reached the room occupied by Poppy, Kate, Josie, Drippy and Kikki. Harriet hesitated. This was not going to be easy at all.
"Come in" Harriet recognised Drippy's voice and she stepped inside. Poppy and her three roommates stopped talking "What do you want Harriet?" asked Poppy "I heard the news of you all reaching the County final and I wanted to say how pleased and proud I am" The four girls looked at each other and the awkward silence grew until Kate finally said softly "Thank you Harriet. I think that must have been very hard for you" Harriet laughed dryly "More than you will ever know Kate. I was a horrid captain I know that now. Possibly I make a better player but anyway that is what I wanted to say" Harriet turned away and then walked to Poppy. She felt the familiar feeling of hate rise through her when she looked at Poppy but she remembered Mrs Kingsley's words as well "I also wanted to say to you Poppy...that you are a far better captain than I ever was and that I apologise for well...I apologise for everything between us" Poppy looked at Harriet open mouthed without replying. Harriet looked around at the four girls and said "I am sorry" and left. As she walked away "Harriet" she turned and saw Poppy standing by the door "Harriet...You can't help being you and I can't help being me" The two girls looked at each other until Harriet gave the briefest of smiles and nodded before walking away.
"Do you think she meant all that?" asked Drippy "Yes I think she did" said Kate, Poppy nodded "I am so used to thinking of her as my enemy" "God that was brave" said Kate "Telling everyone what a failure you have been. Harriet is proud and that would have hurt her" "Aye she is that but I am proud of her" The girls turned to see Matron standing by the doorway "And that Poppy More was very gracious of you" Matron smiled then turned away quickly "Lights out girls!"
Mrs Kingsley sat at her desk and examined the school caretakers report on the state of the school buildings. The wiring in particular needed replacing particularly in the kitchens. She would put out an appeal to the parents who hopefully would dig deep. The next big occasion was the County lacrosse final which were being held at Abbey Mount. She would get Harriet to make a speech to the parents appealing for funds. Harriet made Mrs Kingsley think of their walk in the grounds: She hadn't meant to be so brutal with her but it seemed to have done the trick. Harriet going among her old teammates to praise their success had raised everyone's opinion of her; her relationship with Poppy had certainly improved from the previous open hostility. Now they just either ignored each other or spoke with icy politeness. As much as Harriet irritated her she wanted her to do well; the previous obnoxious arrogance appeared to have gone. The pompousness remained but she could cope with that. She felt that she had lanced a boil by speaking so directly with Harriet about her attitude to Poppy. Obviously Freddie was a factor but it was a personality clash also. Mrs Kingsley didn't exactly approve of Freddie being fought over by girls at the school but Poppy was a nice girl and certainly more to her taste than Harriet. She wondered what would have happened if she hadn't got involved? Would Harriet and Poppy had made peace or would something terrible have happened between them? Mrs Kingsley mused and closed the report; God willing the school wouldn't burn down.
Harriet woke up; ever since her walk with Mrs Kingsley she had trouble sleeping. Today she had heard of Poppy going on a date with Freddie. The whole school had heard! She had purposely kept her encounters with Freddie formal but it hurt so much. Jane and Charlotte had stood up for her when Drippy had made a remark during practise poking fun at her resulting in Poppy stepping in to stop it. She got out of bed deciding she would have a glass of water. She put on her dressing gown and quietly left the room. Hopefully she would avoid Drippy on one of her night time raids on the kitchen freezer. As she walked down the corridor she glanced out of the window; The kitchen was on fire! Harriet quickly went back up the corridor and hit the fire alarm with her elbow, she then went back to her room and shook Jane, Charlotte and Isabel awake "We need to take charge of the juniors and get them out! Remember if we stay calm so will they. Isabel? You go to the quad. We will join you directly"
Harriet, Jane and Charlotte walked calmly towards the juniors rooms. Each girl knocked on the rooms they passed. Kate and Poppy ran up to the Harriet "Kate, we will get the juniors out, you take charge of the others" As the stream of girls passed by Harriet mentally began counting them out as she spoke calmly "Walk slowly girls, no need to rush. All will be fine. The fire engines are on their way". When the last girl passed by Harriet nodded to Jane and Charlotte "You two go to the quad. I will stay here for any stragglers" Jane gasped and Harriet patted her on the arm "Go! The girls will need organising on the quad" Harriet waited alone listening to the sound of sirens. She could smell smoke but all was silent in the hall of Abbey Mount. She had done her duty. She turned and walked slowly to the quad.
The quad was in turmoil. Hundreds of girls milling about with none of the teachers in control; Harriet's voice cracked like a whip "Silence! Girls get into lines. Get into your forms!" she spotted Mrs Kingsley "All Juniors are accounted for Mrs Kingsley!" "Thank you Harriet!" Mrs Kingsley began taking the register of the older girls "Jennifer Logan?" Silence "Come on girls has anyone seen Drippy?" Silence Harriet opened her "DRIPPY IS IN THE FREEZER!" the same time as Poppy More. The two girls looked at each other. Poppy ran into the burning kitchen followed by several fire-fighters. The girls surged forward "Girls! Stay in your lines!" Harriet's voice rang out. The girls stayed silent as Poppy led a sobbing Drippy out of the kitchen. As Poppy walked by Harriet she looked at Harriet and nodded; Mrs Kingsley patted Harriet on the arm " Let's get the girls back to bed shall we? Oh and Harriet? I am very proud of you this night!"
Mrs Kingsley stood at the front of the assembly "The fire was an accident and though the damage was considerable Abbey Mount will continue. I am proud of how we all responded to the fire but I want to commend two girls in particular. Can Harriet Bentley and Poppy More please come up" Harriet stood up and followed by Poppy joined Mrs Kingsley on the stage "Harriet you showed leadership in raising the alarm and organising the safe evacuation of the juniors; Poppy you risked your life to save a friend. You are both Abbey Mount girls to be proud of" The assembled girls began to clap. Poppy moved to face Harriet smiled, put out her hand and said in a clear voice "When the Head Girl earns my respect then I will shake her hand" Harriet remembered the words from her first encounter with Poppy. It all seemed so silly now. She put out her hand to meet Poppy's. The handshake turned into an embrace with both girls in tears. Kate stood up to followed by the entire assembly, each girl standing up to clap and cheer the crying Harriet and Poppy, the noise growing in volume. Mrs Kingsley stood back and smiled "Well, Well" she whispered.