Morcove’s Character Analyses

By Sylvia Reed

Miss Cunliffe (Mabel Denver)

Morcove has had many temporary Mistresses over the years.  About the worst would have to be Miss Josephine/Julia/Catherine Kitten, a bogus Fourth Form Mistress.  Read all about her in the Morcove section on the Friardale Website.  She features in SO 710-714 Pam New Form Captain and SO 715-720 Miss Kitten’s Secret.

A very close second would have to be the outwardly lovely Miss Cunliffe (Mabel Denver), who went to school with Miss Redgrave.  She is another of Horace Phillips’ villainesses who have exquisite beauty, hiding their deadly rattlesnake type personality deep inside.  Miss Cunliffe has a pathological and unreasoning hatred for Miss Redgrave, and is also a master of deception.  She appears in SO 346-350 Boarded Out at Barncombe published between 24 September and 22 October, 1927.  (SGOL 603 The Scheming Mistress of Morcove) published 2 September, 1937.  

Miss Cunliffe, as described by Keith Bates: For example, in Boarded Out In Barncombe, in addition to the usual Morcovians, we have a fascinating portrait of the tyrannical temporary mistress Miss Cunliffe who is so caustically vile that, when speaking, it's almost like she's spitting out formic acid onto the very pages I'm reading.

Note:  As mentioned previously, Miss Somerfield seems unusually harsh in her treatment of Miss Redgrave in this story.  After all, it isn’t the first time Miss Redgrave has taken charge of girls placed out on billet - a couple of related stories are SO 88-93 Old Priory (SGOL 145 When Morcove Moved) and SO 241-246 Turned Out of Morcove (SGOL 415 Turned Out of Morcove).  But she is being deceived by the lovely Miss Cunliffe, and Miss Somerfield’s better judgement is thrown out of the window, and she doesn’t take into account Miss Redgrave’s previous superb service given to herself and Morcove.  Happily though, justice does prevail and Miss Redgrave goes on to give outstanding service until she marries and leaves in SO 414-419 The Morcove Wedding (SGOL 653 The Wedding at Morcove).  What happens to Miss Cunliffe after she storms away from Modena in Barncombe, is unknown.

Whilst their studies – including Study 12, are being demolished and renovated into larger establishments, Betty, Polly, Paula, Naomer, Dolly, Helen, Madge and Tess are sent to board at Modena, a high class boarding house owned by Scots Mrs Mackay – to be affectionately known by the girls as the Mackay.  Miss Redgrave is placed in charge of the Modena contingent, and so an auxiliary mistress is employed to help with the rest of the Fourth at Morcove.  (It is not explained how she actually came to get the posting.)  Most of the Fourth, with the exception of Cora of course, are quite envious but happy for the girls.  Cora is very friendly with Cissy Norton, Polly’s awful cousin, and she quickly realises that with the renovations going on, she and Cissy will be able to come and go almost freely without being discovered.  Cissy herself is beginning to realise that it’s not all fun and games being with Cora, and that in her innermost thoughts she really would like to be with Polly and the Study 12 Coterie.  Polly is increasingly uneasy at the influence Cora has over Cissy.  Miss Redgrave settles the girls – to become known as the Morcove ‘detachment’ in at Modena, and then goes to meet the new mistress at Barncombe railway station, and introduces herself - SO 346 The Last of Study 12!:

Only now did they take a good look at each other, and, as their eyes met, Ruth was conscious of the other girl giving a violent start.

“Your name?” asked the fresh arrival.

“Didn’t I tell you?” laughed the other.  “It’s Redgrave.”

“Ruth Redgrave – isn’t that it?”

“Yes – why?  But how strange you should be able to guess!  Have we met before?” was Miss Redgrave’s bewildered exclamation.  “I – I don’t remember you or your name.  And yet now I look at you closer –“ She paused, suddenly trembling agitatedly.

“We were at school together” the newcomer said, with a suddenly dry smile.  “You could not be expected to know me by the name I bear today.  Some other time I’ll tell you why it’s changed.”

Miss Redgrave moved closer, giving a still keener scrutiny to the other’s perfect features, and then she recoiled as if stung.

“Mabel Denver!”  she said under her breath.  “You are Mabel Denver?”

“I am, and now you remember – don’t you?”

It was said in a tone that held an extreme bitterness surviving after the lapse of many years.  It was said with a smile that was bitter – unforgiving.  Mabel Cunliffe was certainly going to impress Morcove as being a most charming young lady.  Only for this moment or so was she looking unkind – dangerous!  Phillips doesn’t let the reader into know any more than this at the time - unlike he sometimes does.  Miss Cunliffe goes onto Morcove with her luggage, and Miss Redgrave returns to Modena.  That evening, Cora and Cissy come to Modena with a note for Miss Redgrave from Miss Cunliffe.  They have quickly ingratiated themselves with Miss Cunliffe.  They are very envious of the luxurious surroundings and amenities at Modena, which is on the High Street, right in the middle of the salubrious part of Barncombe, and scheme to get themselves placed there.  They display their ‘don’t care’ attitude to Polly and Betty.  Betty meanwhile, has noticed Miss Redgrave doesn’t seem very happy since she came back to Modena from meeting the new mistress.  To try and clear her head, Miss Redgrave goes for a walk, and stays out longer than she intends.  After leaving Modena, Cora and Cissy go on to an illicit theatre visit, and Miss Somerfield, in Barncombe for a committee meeting at Barncombe Castle, spies them both.  She also comes across Miss Redgrave, who is walking worriedly, and asks her how long she has been out, leaving the girls unchaperoned, and that she has seen two girls.  Miss Redgrave assures Miss Somerfield that it wouldn’t be part of the ‘detachment’.  Miss Somerfield returns to Morcove and then questions Miss Cunliffe, who also says that it couldn’t have been ‘her’ girls back at Morcove.

That night, Miss Cunliffe goes out and meddles with Morcove’s bus, which prevents Miss Redgrave and the ‘detachment’ from attending school for her first full day at Morcove – and so, Miss Cunliffe’s machinations have begun!

Next morning, Miss Redgrave is beside herself to learn that the girls cannot get to school, due to the breakdown, and then later onto Stormwood School for an arranged hockey match.  She wonders uneasily but correctly, if Miss Cunliffe has played a part in this misfortune.  Miss Somerfield doesn’t think hiring a bus is viable due to the considerable expense of re-housing the girls, and so details an elated Miss Cunliffe to take sole of the Fourth until the bus is repaired.  SO 346 The Last of Study 12!:

“So little did Miss Somerfield guess the nature of this silken-voiced charming young lady, who had come to Morcove yesterday.”

Miss Cunliffe quickly makes herself popular with the Fourth, and singles Cora out to captain the hockey team at Stormwood, seeing that the ‘detachment’ are stranded in Barncombe.  The Fourth aren’t too happy with this decision, however don’t let on to Miss Cunliffe of Cora’s character, preferring for her to find out herself.  Meanwhile, the ‘detachment’ take matters into their own hands and hire bicycles to ride out to Stormwood.  Miss Redgrave knows and trusts her girls, so gives permission.  Miss Redgrave walks to Morcove to see Miss Somerfield.  Miss Somerfield censures her, when the telephone rings with the advice that one of the ‘detachment’ – Dolly - has come off her bike and is injured.  SO 346 The Last of Study 12!:

“Here’s a nice thing!”  broke from Miss Somerfield agitatedly as she hung up the receiver at the end of the call.  “One of your girls has hurt herself, all through riding a faulty bicycle.  It is Dolly Delane.  A sprained ankle, they think.”

“Never!  Oh, Miss Somerfield –“.

“There has been this accident, anyhow, and a serious one it is,” spoke on Miss Somerfield sternly.  “All because you, Miss Redgrave, have failed in your duty!  I can’t help feeling angry; it is enough to make one cross.  For such a thing as this, Miss Redgrave, I think I should suspend you!”

After the debacle, the ‘detachment are back at Modena, discussing the events of the day, Dolly’s accident, plus their shock at seeing Cora captaining the defeated term.  Miss Cunliffe, seeing that she is gaining the upper hand, goes on to convince Miss Somerfield that perhaps Miss Redgrave should not have such a close circle of girls at Modena, and suggests splitting them up, and that Cora and Cissy should replace two of the girls.  And so Cora and Cissy go to Modena, and their lawlessness continues until they are finally caught by Miss Redgrave on a misdemeanour and sent back to Morcove.  They are gated by Miss Somerfield, and although there seems to be no softening on her part for Miss Redgrave, she realises that she should never have split up the original contingent of girls.  This action displeases Miss Cunliffe, who is making herself extremely popular with the Fourth, whilst at the same time arrogantly but cleverly ignoring the ‘detachment’ from Modena in class time.   Naturally of course, Betty & Co, cotton on pretty quickly, but feel they are honour bound to say nothing.  Cora and Cissy aren’t pleased either, by being caught out, and it isn’t long before they are railing against authority whilst scheming of how they can get out.  By this time, Miss Cunliffe has sussed out Cora and Cissy completely, and realises what value they could be to her.  Whilst at the same time – especially Cora, notices little things in Miss Cunliffe’s temperament, how she is treating the Modena girls, and that she seems to have a vendetta against Miss Redgrave.

Miss Cunliffe then plans her next move and sets a trap for Miss Redgrave by setting up a false meeting.   Miss Redgrave learns that the meeting is to be at Morcove, and she sets off – to wait and wait and wait, in vain. She deceives Miss Somerfield by saying that Miss Redgrave has set up a meeting at Modena, and that she needs to go into Barncombe for this meeting.  So she sets off into Barncombe, where she lies in wait, to entrap.  Cora, bored with being confined to bounds borrows a bicycle and rides into Barncombe to buy cigarettes and chocolates.  As she passes Modena, she is brazen enough to wave to Polly, who is looking out of the window, wondering what is keeping Miss Redgrave out so late.  Polly doesn’t let on that she sees Cora and feels she must warn her that she could be caught.  Polly is also worried that her wayward cousin Cissy may be involved, so she dashes out – goes as far as the cinema – and is caught, not by Miss Redgrave, but by the loitering Miss Cunliffe.

Miss Somerfield investigates the incident, but cannot come up with an answer to the mixed up and confusing information regarding the meetings.  Miss Cunliffe wastes no time by insinuating that the Modena girls could have set up the incident themselves.  Miss Redgrave rushes to the defence of the ‘detachment’.  Miss Somerfield decides upon a plan of action in switching the two mistresses – Miss Cunliffe to go to Modena and Miss Redgrave staying at Morcove.  Miss Cunliffe again, is elated.  When she arrives at Modena, the Mackay is shocked to see how she treats the girls.  This is about the last time the Mackay is featured in the story.  Betty is beginning to realise that there is a little more to Miss Cunliffe than on the surface, and that she seems to be scheming against Miss Redgrave and angling for a permanent position herself at Morcove.

Although she is elated, Miss Cunliffe, is also smarting because her plans aren’t panning out as quickly as she hoped, and Naomer’s thoughts on the situation are regaled in SO 347 Boarded Out At Barncombe!:

“Not so easy to do as I hoped, it seems!”  was her sullen murmur to herself.  “Never mind, if I keep on – And so I will, too.  If I could not bring her down in the old days, I will manage to bring her down somehow – now!”

“Ah, bah, that Miss Cunliffe – I detest her!  I zink she zink we zink all the world of Miss Redgrave.  And so she zink we not zink enough of her!”

Miss Cunliffe reigns the ‘detachment’ at Modena with a vicious intent, whilst her hypocrisy is uppermost at Morcove, with the rest of the Fourth, Miss Somerfield and even Miss Redgrave.  The ‘detachment’ – away from the eyes of Miss Somerfield, come in for a reign of terror - stealthily swooping on them when they least expect it; twisting innocent situations out of all proportion; handing out punishments and enforcing strict discipline on them, including forcing them to walk crocodile style.  She knows that they won’t complain to the higher authority.  Cora and Cissy receive blatantly preferential treatment behind Miss Somerfield’s back.  Cora, dancing as high as the stars, ill treats Judy. 

One day, Lady Evelyn makes a surprise visit to the ‘detachment’ at Modena, and she is asked to stay for tea.  As is known, she is tremendously friendly with Morcove and in particular, the Study 12 Coterie.  Lady Evelyn has been away for a while, and wants to catch up on all the latest.  Betty introduces Lady Evelyn to Miss Cunliffe, and explains the situation.  Miss Cunliffe quickly intervenes with a refusal and that Miss Somerfield should be consulted.  This doesn’t go down to well with Lady Evelyn, and quick to sum up Miss Cunliffe, sides with the girls and flouts Miss Cunliffe in a superbly polite way.  She goes on to ask them to tea at the Castle on their next halfer.  Miss Cunliffe is furious!  Lady Evelyn goes through the right channels – only because of Miss Cunliffe’s stance, and naturally permission is given.  She advises the ‘detachment’ after school the next day that the visit is approved, and a car will be sent for the girls, so Miss Cunliffe needn’t worry about accompanying them.  Lady Evelyn also tells the girls that Miss Redgrave – who is an old friend of hers, is also attending.  Well!  SO 347 Boarded Out At Barncombe!:

“Barncombe Castle!”  cried Helen, throwing up a cushion and catching it.  “Best of all, Miss Redgrave will be there.”

“Nasty knock for Miss Cunliffe, that!”  chuckled Betty.  “You could tell by her face –“

Next day, Miss Cunliffe works out another scheme - setting a trap that may prevent the girls from going to Barncombe Castle.  She whips up a caricature of herself and then causing a fuss by insisting there is an investigation.  Miss Redgrave advises her to sensibly ignore it, but Miss Cunliffe goes to Miss Somerfield and tries to get her to intervene, but to no avail.  This may be the first situation where Miss Somerfield is displeased with Miss Cunliffe. Cora and Cissy are envious of the proposed tea, and Cora especially, would dearly love to be an accepted part of Lady Evelyn’s circle of Morcove girls.  They decide to ride to Barncombe, call at Modena on some pretext or other, and then continue on up to the Castle.  Miss Cunliffe, is still determined to put a spanner in the works to prevent the ‘detachment’ going to tea with Lady Evelyn.  When the Barncombe Castle car comes for the girls, she refuses to let them go.  The ‘detachment’ are furious, and whilst ‘smarting’ at the treatment of them by Miss Cunliffe, Cora and Cissy arrive at Modena on the pretext of asking Polly for her parent’s address so that Cissy can write to them.  Miss Cunliffe is having misgivings about refusing to allow the girls to go, thinking she may have gone too far again.  She speaks to Cora and Cissy, telling them that the ‘detachment’ are not going after all, and gives the reason that she thinks they are unwell.  Cora is quite surprised but even more elated at this, and Miss Cunliffe can see that.  She writes a note for Lady Evelyn and gives it to Cora to take on to the Castle.  On arrival, Cora throws her weight around with the footman, who won’t let her and Cissy into the Castle.  This throws Cora into a rage, however Cissy is rather relieved that they won’t be seeing Lady Evelyn after all.  (This makes wonderful reading, as does on several other occasions where Cora’s advances are rebuffed!)  Lady Evelyn is not satisfied with Miss Cunliffe’s note and goes herself to collect the girls.  Miss Cunliffe is beside herself with rage.  During that tea at Barncombe Castle, which goes off with a bang, Betty, seeing Miss Redgrave look really unhappy during an unguarded moment, manages to get a word with her, regarding her obvious unhappiness since Miss Cunliffe came on the scene.  SO 348 Morcove’s Misfortune:

“I will tell you, Betty, on the understanding that you tell none but your chums at Modena.  Mabel Cunliffe and I were at school together, although she bore a different surname then.  She was always trying to beat me at work, games – everything.  I never set myself to outdo her as if she were a rival who had challenged me.  I think I was rather a plodder, but, anyway, I seemed to get on whilst she failed.”

“And she took it in the wrong spirit?”

“You know what you have had to put up with from Cora Grandways time after time,”  the Form-mistress exclaimed sadly.  “I had to go through just the same, Betty, in my schooldays at the hands of Mabel Denver – for that was her name at that time.  She hated me in the old days, and she hates me still.  I have done nothing to deserve it.  That I could declare with my last breath.  But some girls, they are like that.”

On another morning, Miss Cunliffe plays a nasty cat and mouse game with the girls, therefore depriving them of their breakfast.  Polly stands up to Miss Cunliffe’s game, and walks out, ending up at The Creamery with Naomer and Paula and they have breakfast there.  On the way to Morcove on the bus, Miss Cunliffe, realising she may have gone a bit far in her treatment, says nothing to the girls of The Creamery visit.  She is brooding about not getting Miss Redgrave dismissed as quickly as she thought she would.  Upon arrival at Morcove she is glad though, so see Miss Redgrave looking unhappy, and is quick to show her strict disciplinarian tactics in front of Miss Somerfield as the girls are getting off the bus.  Miss Somerfield is pleased with Miss Cunliffe’s show of discipline with the ‘detachment’ and has a conversation with her.  Miss Cunliffe lightly suggests that perhaps Miss Redgrave has been a bit indulgent with the girls - SO 349 Suspended From the School!:

“It was, I feel convinced, the best thing to do – best for Miss Redgrave herself.  Had the special conditions induced the girls to be a bit unruly, she would have been greatly tempted to make allowances.  Not that she is lax, I am sure, but only that she likes to see every girl – happy.  But then so do you, of course!”

(Of course, Miss Somerfield makes a grave mistake here, but she is being deceived by the silken voice of the outrageously beautiful and dangerous Miss Cunliffe!) 

Miss Cunliffe racks her brains for further inspiration during the day, and then decides to go out at night – leaving the girls on their own, in the hope of catching them deciding to go out themselves.  She eventually sees two girls near the Creamery, and waits to pounce on them as they return back to Modena, however they go the other way and she realises that they are Cora and Cissy and does nothing.  She thinks that this ‘outing’ could be to her advantage, and so next day casts around to discover how they are actually coming and going without discovery – which she does, via the scaffolding erected around the renovations.  As she ponders, she thinks she can finally work it so as to bring Miss Redgrave down once and for all.  She goes out again at the same time on the following two evenings, leaving the ‘detachment’ to themselves, and Betty is suspicious, thinking that she may be setting up a trap for them.  The girls discuss this, but stay put.  Miss Cunliffe is cunning enough whilst lurking here and there, not to leave herself out to be caught like the innocent Miss Redgrave was whilst she went for her fateful stroll.  The third night of her ‘vigil’ in setting up her trap against Miss Redgrave brings results, with Cora and Cissy coming along into Barncombe.  Cissy is starting to feel uneasy about these illicit visits into Barncombe, however goes along with Cora’s whims.  Miss Cunliffe hires a bicycle and rides out to Morcove and hides herself until Cora and Cissy return to Morcove.  When they are almost in the vicinity of the scaffolding, Cora and Cissy see a shadowy figure and Cissy almost falls to pieces.  They are both surprised though, when the figure – whom they guess must be Miss Redgrave, just vanishes into the night.  Next morning, both girls are starting to breathe easier, when suddenly Miss Cunliffe comes into Cora’s study and strikes, saying she has seen them in Barncombe out of bounds last night.  They are both extremely surprised and apprehensive because of Miss Cunliffe’s suddenly altered attitude to them, after such indulgence.  She also quickly asks them if Miss Redgrave knows.  Cora – although apprehensive, is quick on the uptake to realise that it couldn’t have been Miss Redgrave who saw them, and that it must have been Miss Cunliffe herself.  She quickly tells Miss Cunliffe though, that Miss Redgrave DID see them.  Always so ready to capitalise on any situation threatening those whom she doesn’t like!  Thus is Miss Cunliffe’s plot - to ‘expose Miss Redgrave and her supposed laxity’ in front of Miss Somerfield with two of the Fourth – albeit Cora and Cissy, as witnesses.  She marches Cora and Cissy to Miss Somerfield’s room and authoritatively calls out to Miss Redgrave to accompany her, and she then tells Miss Somerfield that she saw Cora and Cissy in Barncombe.  Miss Somerfield is placed in an untenable position.  SO 349 Suspended From the School!: 

“They have admitted it,” continued Miss Cunliffe.  “I taxed them with it the moment I got here this morning.  I would have preferred to have nothing to say about it to you, as they are girls under Miss Redgrave’s charge; but it seems that Miss Redgrave intended to say nothing herself.”

Miss Somerfield was left astounded, incredulous – not a little indignant, too – by the words.  She looked at Miss Redgrave, standing pale and mute, and then at the auxiliary mistress.

“That is a very serious thing to say about your colleague, Miss Cunliffe!  It is tantamount to a charge of gross neglect of duty!”

“But what would you have had me do?”  protested Mabel Cunliffe composedly.  “Surely this school is not run on a hushing-up policy?”  She smiled.  “I know you too well, Miss Somerfield, by now.  You wish discipline to be enforced.”

“Most certainly!  But Miss Redgrave here enforces discipline!”

“It is very disagreeable for me,”  deplored Mabel Cunliffe.  “But my position is this.  I cannot hope to keep my girls under control at Modena, when girls in the school itself are able to break bounds, their mistress turning a blind eye –“

“Miss Cunliffe, you are repeating,” exclaimed the headmistress rather warmly; “these two girls were out of bounds last evening –“

“With Miss Redgrave’s knowledge!”

Once again the headmistress looked astounded.  After staring at Mabel Cunliffe in a shocked way, she turned to the other junior mistress. 

“Is there any justification for this, Miss Redgrave?”

“None whatever!” burst from Ruth indignantly.

“Miss Cunliffe, either you must substantiate your words, or your position in Morcove School must be relinquished at once.  On what grounds have you felt compelled to suggest that Miss Redgrave has winked at these girls’ bad behaviour?”

“I am most willing to explain; then perhaps you will understand,”  said Mabel Cunliffe virtuously,  “why I had no alternative but to make the statement.  Just now, I asked these two girls if Miss Redgrave knew that they had been out of bounds.  I meant by that, had Miss Redgrave caught them in the act, and was she already dealing with the matter?  They looked so flustered and confused.  I pressed them on the point, and then Cora here admitted that Miss Redgrave did know.  She saw them.  Yet Miss Redgrave had not taken any steps about it at all.”

The headmistress turned to Cora and Cissy.

“Is this so?”  she asked sternly.  “Miss Redgrave saw you?”

“Ye – yes, Miss Somerfield.”

“Explain!  Tell me everything!”

And so they did.  Miss Somerfield believes there is nothing worse than a Mistress to complain about another Mistress, and she thinks Miss Cunliffe may have had reason.  So of course Miss Cunliffe is triumphant, whilst Miss Redgrave is beside herself with worry, and can see how she is trapped by her enemy.

“Oh, I can’t stand this!”  was the anguished cry wrung from Ruth Redgrave.  “If it is to be believed that I have been playing for popularity, trying to show how lax I could be, as compared with others –“

“It is either that,” Miss Somerfield stated with pained conviction, “or else, as I prefer to think, your firmness has broken down.  In any case, it will not do at a school like Morcove.”

Miss Somerfield gates Cissy and Cora for the rest of the term, and suspends Miss Redgrave.  The girls see her as she walks dejectedly past them.  The ‘detachment’ immediately see something is wrong, and they sense that Miss Cunliffe is involved.  Betty runs after Miss Redgrave, who tells her that she is leaving.  She urges Miss Redgrave to tell Miss Somerfield the truth, however Miss Redgrave tells her that she doesn’t believe in retribution.  They are upset and dumbfounded, and even more so when they learn that Miss Cunliffe is to be Fourth Form Mistress, assisted by Ethel Courtway, and that Miss Cunliffe is still to be their chaperone at Modena.  Polly goes to Miss Somerfield for an explanation, but there is none forthcoming.

Miss Cunliffe ingratiates herself with the Fourth more than ever, and even shows a softening towards the ‘detachment’, who are having none of it.  There is a lot of talk going around regarding Miss Redgrave’s dismissal.  Polly is puzzled about many aspects of what they have learnt, especially about Miss Redgrave being seen in the grounds – as the story goes.  She comes to the realisation that it must have been Miss Cunliffe herself, due to the evenings they have been left to their own devices.  So the ‘detachment’ swear that they are going to get to the bottom of things, and prove Miss Redgrave’s innocence.  Miss Cunliffe picks up on the ‘detachment’s’ stance as regards Miss Redgrave, and quickly returns to her original autocratic, nasty treatment of them behind the scenes.

Nemesis though, is finally catching up with Miss Cunliffe but she doesn’t know it yet!  She has made a simple but fatal mistake, as is revealed in the last of the series, SO 350 The Righting of Miss Redgrave.

One day shortly after the departure of Miss Redgrave, the ‘detachment’ are out walking in crocodile fashion as usual, forced upon them by Miss Cunliffe.  They are on the outskirts of Barncombe and they unexpectedly come across Miss Redgrave as she comes out from a villa near them.  Miss Redgrave is visibly upset to see them, whilst Miss Cunliffe is not amused..  Polly and Naomer ‘break ranks’ to try and catch up with Miss Redgrave, which infuriates Miss Cunliffe even more, and she unleashes her spite upon them there and then.  Back at Modena, she orders them to ignore Miss Redgrave if they see her again and at Morcove, she keeps up the surreptitious bullying.  Cora and Cissy openly jeer at the ‘detachment’ during one of these punishment sessions in front of Miss Cunliffe, and nothing is said at all.  It is all just getting too much.  At Morcove Betty writes her letter to Redgrave, advising her that she and the girls are going to do all they can to help her.  She manages to post it that afternoon just after they arrive back at Modena.  Miss Cunliffe spies Betty posting the letter, interrogates her, and finally resorts to violent behaviour, by hitting Betty about the head and pushing her around.  Betty doesn’t react at all.

Miss Redgrave is quite overwhelmed when she reads the letter from Betty.  SO 350 The Righting of Miss Redgrave:

The injustice that had been done her might never be set right.  In Mabel Cunliffe, Miss Redgrave had an inveterate enemy, a girl with a grudge, and that girl had known how to scheme until her hated rival had been ousted.  And now that the scheme had been successful, how could one say if it would ever be undone!

The morning after Miss Redgrave gets the letter, she goes out and waits for the bus to go past, to acknowledge receipt of the letter to the ‘detachment’.  The girls are excited at seeing her, and Miss Cunliffe ‘s attitude is of black ice.  Miss Redgrave is once again shocked to see how Miss Cunliffe treats the ‘detachment’ and wonders what Miss Somerfield would say if she knew.  But Miss Redgrave, being the fine upright person that she is, won’t entrap Miss Cunliffe.

That same morning, Morcove’s bus driver has to stop at White’s Garage and Cycle Shop to pick up a part for Miss Somerfield’s car.  White’s Garage, well known to Morcove, also hires out cars and bicycles.  Miss Cunliffe tells the ‘detachment’ that she is going into the bookshop to look at some books, and that they are to behave.  Polly however, thinks it’s a good idea to go in to White’s and ask about hiring bikes, and in a round about way, if Miss Cunliffe recently hired a bicycle.  She is told that she did, and then the proprietor remembers that a bicycle pump wasn’t returned with the bike which Miss Cunliffe hired, and asks Polly if she can pass on the message regarding the pump.  She gets back on the bus, to be censured by Miss Cunliffe and so she cannot relate the exciting news to the rest of the ‘detachment’.  Later that morning, Miss Cunliffe shows the Form a couple of books she has purchased as an incentive for good behaviour.  Betty later jokes to the ‘detachment’ that Cora will get the prize.  Paula hits the nail on the head regarding this hypocrisy. SO 350 The Righting of Miss Redgrave: 

At “break,” Betty had an immediate comment to make upon Miss Cunliffe’s “latest.”

“We know, of course, who will get the first book – Cora Grandways!”

“As likely as not,” grinned Polly.

“Dweadful!”  groaned Paula. “And Miss Cunliffe is the one who accused Miss Wedgwave of twying to make favourwites!”

Polly also lets the others know what she discovered at Whites, and then, the ‘detachment’ are pounced upon by Miss Cunliffe, wanting to know why they are apart from the rest of the girls, and they are punished yet again.  Betty notices that Miss Cunliffe goes to stand in a particular place, close to where Cora and Cissy ‘saw Miss Redgrave’ on the night that she was set up by Miss Cunliffe.  Cora and Cissy come past the ‘detachment’ and name call.  Cora remarks to Miss Cunliffe who has come back towards the girls that the renovations are going along well.  Miss Cunliffe jokingly remarks back that there will be no more illegal ways to leave the building.  Cora laughingly implies that perhaps they have been ‘punished enough’ and can she make allowances for them?  Miss Cunliffe indulgently says she will see what she can do, as she knows how Cora and Cissy have aided her goal.  On the way back to Modena from Morcove, the bus calls into White’s again, with a note and payment for the job done for Miss Somerfield’s vehicle.  Mr White comes out to the bus and asks Miss Cunliffe regarding the pump. SO 350 The Righting of Miss Redgrave:

“I was going to ask you, miss; you haven’t by any chance found the pump belonging to that bicycle you hired?”

“Oh – er – no”

“It was missing, you remember, the last time you hired the machine,”  the garage proprietor said affably.  ‘If you do come across it – thank you!”

And bowing, he returned to his office.

In her corner of the private ‘bus, Miss Cunliffe was biting a lip during the short run to the other end of the High Street.  The girls noticed her frowning looks, but attributed them to resentment at Mr White’s being so fussy about a mere half-crown cycle pump.

She was irritable with them when they got indoors, but seemed too bothered about something to carry on the actual campaign of harshness.  More surprising still, shortly after tea, when the early twilight was giving place to dark night, she suddenly announced that she was going for a walk.

The ‘detachment’ discuss Miss Cunliffe’s strange behaviour, and they think that this time, it’s not a trap, and Polly exclaims that she could be out, looking for the missing bicycle pump.  So they decide to follow, and Betty, Polly, Helen and Madge are the ones to do so, whilst the others hold the fort at Modena.  They go along to Whites, who can rustle up four bicycles for them to hire, and also advise them that one has been hired by Miss Cunliffe.  The girls keep at a safe distance from Miss Cunliffe, whom they can see far ahead, her bicycle lamp wavering.  They become uneasy, and so turn off their lamps and go along as fast as they can.  Meantime, Miss Cunliffe is also uneasy, as she discovers that there are four lights behind her, although she is unsure if she is actually being followed.  She hides herself and her bike and decides to wait until the four lights so past.  Meantime the four girls, still uneasy, decide to leave their bikes and cut across country until they reach Morcove.  Both parties cannot work out why each has not seen the other.  Miss Cunliffe decides it is best for her to just return to Barncombe, and return the bike.  She learns that four bicycles have been hired out to four girls, and so she goes back to Modena to await the return of the four girls.  Tess, one of the contingent left back at Modena, is astounded to see Miss Cunliffe returning, and that she is back before Betty, Polly, Helen and Madge.  Miss Cunliffe comes in and demands to know where the other four girls are, even though she tells them she knows where they are.  She warns them that they could be expelled for aiding and abetting, and so she makes them sit down with her until the four return.  Finally, Betty arrives, and Miss Cunliffe swoops down on them with her vitriol.  Betty refuses to say where they have been. SO 350 The Righting of Miss Redgrave:

“It has come to this, has it,”  Miss Cunliffe said fiercely.  “You dare me to do my worst?  You think you can go before the headmistress, in the morning, and yet get off, because of some trumped-up excuse that you will not reveal to me to-night?”  She laughed.  “You are making a big mistake!  Miss Somerfield does not listen to tittle-tattle.  She does not wish her scholars to break bounds, to play at amateur detective!”

Polly quickly adds that Miss Cunliffe seems to know exactly what they have been up to, and then Betty lets on that when they returned their bikes, they also returned the missing bicycle pump, which gives Miss Cunliffe an electric shock, rendering her temporarily speechless.  Paula is ecstatic, cottoning on to what is happening, whilst Polly and Helen relate exactly where the pump was found.  Betty then lets on that Mr White at the garage knows that the pump was lost on the night that Cissy and Cora were out and about.  Miss Cunliffe, having had the upper hand right from the beginning, is finally silent.  Getting desperate now, she begins her well practised hectoring tactics, but Betty is a match for her saying there is another witness, and asks her to come in from outside.  It is Ethel Courtway.  SO 350 The Righting of Miss Redgrave:

With dramatic suddenness she was across the threshold of the room – this tall, dignified senior who, since the dismissal of Miss Redgrave, had been appointed to help Miss Cunliffe with the Fourth Form.  They had been sharing a good deal of the work in the last few days; but there was little to suggest the friendly colleagues about either of them now.

Miss Cunliffe, cornered now, increases her hectoring with the accusation that the four girls are pulling the wool over Ethel’s eyes.  Betty, quick off the mark, replies that it is not the case, and that Ethel has caught them in the school grounds.  Ethel intervenes for the first time, saying that the girls had nothing to say in their self defence about why they were in the grounds, and that she threatened to take them straight away to Miss Somerfield unless they told her what has been going on, so of course they had no option.  And the trump card is, that Ethel joined them in the search for the bicycle pump and witnessed it being found.  Ethel then has a few more words to say, and that she is going to go back to Morcove to let Miss Somerfield know everything.  SO 350 The Righting of Miss Redgrave:

“And, like a sport,”  burst forth Polly admiringly,  “Ethel started to help us in our search!  She was with us when we found the pump –“

“I was,”  nodded Morcove’s Head Girl impressively.  “And when I get back to Morcove, presently, I mean to lay the matter before the head-mistress.  It can be proved, now, that Miss Redgrave was wrongfully dismissed.  What’s more, Miss Cunliffe, you yourself caused that wrong to be done –“

Miss Cunliffe slams her way out of the room and goes to her own room.  The ‘detachment’ are over the moon, and just want to go straight around to Miss Redgrave’s lodgings to tell her the good news.  Ethel gives them permission.  SO 350 The Righting of Miss Redgrave:

“You’re saved – SAVED!”  Polly fairly yelled.  “You’ll be asked to return to Morcove in the morning!”

And they told her the glorious news.  It was but a few minutes ago that they had been fetching a deathly pallor to Mabel Cunliffe’s face by what was being said.  Now there was just as great a pallor in Ruth Redgrave’s countenance, but she had gone as white in the face as this only from shock. 

Miss Redgrave, overwhelmed, bursts into tears but quickly assumes her true professional though genteel character though, and listens intently to what the girls have to say, although she is beside herself with joy.  Her first thought though, is for Miss Cunliffe’s welfare.  SO 350 The Righting of Miss Redgrave:

“You may have wondered why I gave her the chance to continue for a single week at Morcove School when I knew the enmity she bore me.  You may wonder still more how I can feel like trying to get her proved guilt overlooked.  It is all for the same reason!  Ever since we were at school together she has been a grief to her widowed mother.  The girl so disgraced the family name that her mother even reverted to the name she bore before marriage.  That is why Mabel Denver, as she was in the old days, is Mabel Cunliffe today.  I hoped, for the mother’s sake, that under that name Mabel was wanting to make good.  Morcove was a splendid chance for her –“

Madge remarks that she has thrown that chance away, and in the end, all for nothing.  Miss Redgrave then accompanies the girls back to Modena, and sees Miss Cunliffe about to leave, with her luggage.  SO 350 The Righting of Miss Redgrave:

“Mabel, don’t go like this!”  the chums heard their own beloved mistress entreat earnestly.  “Wait until the morning, and I will plead with Miss Somerfield!  Once before, you left a school in deep disgrace.  I will tell her what it will mean for you if –“

But Miss Cunliffe doesn’t wait, hurls vitriol anew, and then leaves.  There are celebrations far into the night at Modena.

Next morning, the ‘detachment’ eagerly await the early morning arrival of Miss Redgrave at Modena so that she can accompany them to Morcove.  Miss Redgrave is welcomed back, full explanations are eventually given to the entire Morcove community by Miss Somerfield, and the Fourth Form are given a day’s holiday.