Chapter 21
Susan and Stacie were chatting quietly about the Chaletian when Madge returned to fetch Susan to the salon.
"Susan may come back later," she said, smiling at their disappointed faces. "Stacie needs to rest now." Privately, she decided that if her husband agreed, Stacie should be carried out to spend some time with the others later on that evening. Her talk with Susan appeared to have done her good. Her cheeks were flushed faintly pink and her eyes were shining. Susan too, looked much happier. There was a light in her eyes that had not been there before. Madge saw it and wondered what had happened, not knowing of the turmoil that Susan had been in before she spoke to Stacie. Now that she had seen her and spoken to her, that terrible weight of guilt had finally lifted.
The two of them entered the room, where Jack, Peter and Edmund had joined the others. Lucy looked up at their entrance and noted that the shadow had gone from Susan's eyes. She guessed that Stacie had something to do with it and rejoiced that she seemed to be back to normal.
"Just imagine Su!" cried Lucy. "Juliet was just telling us all of the time when some of your own, err partners in crime, as it were, decided to boil the clock!"
"What?" exclaimed Susan, "what do you mean?"
"Just that," laughed Grizel, who then proceeded to relate the tale to Susan of Evadne and Co's attempts to set the school clock to rights. Susan rocked with laughter at the tale. By now she was firm friends with Evadne, and it sounded just like something her friend would get mixed up in.
The weekend proved to be an enjoyable one for all. Lucy and Susan relaxed in the company of the older girls, who made every effort to make them feel at home. That first evening, Stacie had been carried out and laid on an invalid's couch and the assembled company had outdone themselves to entertain her. Grizel had been prevailed upon to play the piano for the others and Stacie lay back and listened with enjoyment. The softening of Grizel's personality had had other effects and she now played with real feeling. Her musical training in Florence had truly honed her skills, and her music delighted her listeners.
Stacie then shyly requested that Lucy might sing for them. Word of Plato's delight in the new girl's voice had rapidly spread around the school and she had not had the chance to hear Lucy sing. With much shyness, for it seemed as though every eye was upon her, Lucy rose and went to the piano. With Grizel accompanying she sang a couple of ballads that Mr Denny had taught the girls that term. The others listened spellbound. Glancing sideways at Jack, Peter saw that he was gazing at Lucy with what Peter privately classed as "the soppiest of soppy expressions". Had anyone else been watching it would have given away Jack's feelings, but no-one else had noticed and in a few moments Jack had his features under control again. Peter sighed. All at once he was keenly feeling the responsibility of being the older brother of two extremely attractive younger sisters!
Finally, Juliet called for a game to round off the evening. They decided upon Charades, with Susan drawing up a chair to Stacie's side and partnering her for the game, so that she should not be left out. The game continued until midnight, when Madge suddenly noticed the time and sent them all to bed with expressions of horror. She was afraid that the excitement might have been bad for Stacie but was gratified to see the healthy colour and happy expression on the girl's face.