Free Theatre Shoes by Noel Streatfeild Page A

what they call the Air Transport Auxiliary.”
    Sorrel moved her sweet to the side of her mouth.
    â€œHow old are they now?”
    â€œPauline will be twenty-two this December. Petrova is just twenty and Posy is eighteen this month. Have another sweet each.” The children bent over the box and chose carefully. Mark a marshmallow thing, Sorrel a toffee in two colours, and Holly a round sticky affair made of nuts. “Now listen carefully because this is where you come in. Pauline and Posy have both felt that they ought to be back in England doing something important, like Petrova. At least, I don’t suppose Posy thinks that, because Posy would dance if there were nothing but smouldering ruins left to dance on; but all the same, they would both like to help, and so they suggested something. They have sent me sums of money for two scholarships, Pauline’s for someone who shows promise in acting, and Posy’s for a dancer. I have not, so far, granted these scholarships; it is still the summer holidays and I was thinking of granting them next term, the money only reached me last month. I have no hesitation at all, Sorrel, in saying that I think Pauline would like her scholarship to go to you. It will pay all your fees and it will provide such clothes as we can manage, and, as well, they were both very particular about this, some pocket-money.” She looked at Holly. “I’m going to start Posy’s scholarship by giving it to you. I shall write and explain to her why. She asked me to find a little girl who was very clever at dancing. I can’t say that about you yet; perhaps if you work hard I shall be able to later on.” She leant forward and picked another sweet out of the box and put it in Mark’s mouth. “As for you, my friend, we shall have to see. But I should not wonder if we found a scholarship for you too.”
    Mark looked up. He spoke very indistinctly because of the sweet in his mouth.
    â€œWhat, from the one who flies?”
    Madame got up to show them that the interview was over.
    â€œI should not wonder. There was a very noticeable thing about the Fossil family, and that was the way they all stood together.”

CHAPTER VII
    THE FIRST DAY
    The children started at the Academy the very next day. Before they got home, Madame had telephoned Grandmother. Alice told them all about it when she brought up their lunch to the nursery.
    â€œSo you’re in, and scholarships too. We pretend we aren’t pleased, but are we? ‘Alice,’ we said, ‘look through my clothes and find something of soft satin, that’ll cut up into tunics for the little girls.’ ‘Half a cock linnet,’ I said, my mind running through our clothes; and then, all of a sudden, it came to me, our pink that we wore in the first act of that funny little play translated from French. Just as good as new it is. You won’t half look ducks in it.” She put a stew in front of Hannah. “When you take them to the Academy to-morrow, you’re to bring back the pattern and we’re to get down to it right away.”
    Hannah took the lid off the stew and sniffed it with a pleased smile.
    â€œI must say it’s a treat to eat something I haven’t cooked myself.”
    â€œMostly vegetables,” said Alice. “We’ll do better when you’ve got your meat coupons. Fancy,” she gave a luxurious sigh, “a scholarship from Pauline Fossil; that really is something, that is.”
    â€œHave you seen her on the pictures?” Sorrel asked.
    â€œHave I! I should say I have; lovely, she is. She was in that picture all about the Civil War the Americans had. You should have seen her at the beginning in a crinoline, and a big hat. Made your heart stand still. I don’t think I’ve ever missed her in anything yet.”
    Holly, who considered Posy her property, was jealous of all this talk about Pauline.
    â€œHave you seen Posy