Head Girl of the Chalet School
Key Facts (Possible Spoilers)
School Facts:
The Headmistress is Mademoiselle LaPattre
The School is in Tyrol
Series Characters whereabouts:
Jo Bettany is in the Fifth Form
Robin Humphries is a Junior of eight
Cornelia Flower is a new arrival at the school, aged "about fourteen"
Peggy Bettany is a 13-month old baby still with her parents, Dick and Mollie, in India.
Bride Bettany is born Mary Bridget in India - at this stage her parents are calling her "Biddy"
Grizel nearly doesn't become Head Girl after running off Tiernjoch-style to see the Falls at Schaffhausen during the pre-school trip with Miss Maynard. Despite Miss Maynard's doubts, Madge feels it is right to give Grizel a second chance.
In their first Prefects meeting, Irish Deira O'Hagen and Grizel have an altercation resulting in Deira burning Grizel's music manuscript book and with it her Grandmother's last letter. During an organised snowfight, Deira mistakenly thinks Grizel has hit her with a snowball and returns fire with the nearest object to hand which hits Grizel on the head, knocking her unconscious. No permanent harm is done and Grizel and Deira make up their quarrel.
During a holiday trip to Salzburg with Evadne Lannis's father, Grizel, Jo, Evadne and Robin have yet another narrow escape, this time from a burning hotel where they come across "Frau Berlin" (first met in THE SCHOOL AT THE CHALET).
Since PRINCESS OF THE CHALET SCHOOL, Matron Lloyd, "Matey", has arrived on the staff.
There are two engagements among the Old Girls at the beginning of the book: Gisela Marani, aged twenty, is engaged to Dr Gottfried Mensch and Wanda von Eschenau, aged nineteen, is engaged to a young officer, Friedel von Gluck. It is at their betrothal party that Marie first hears about the caves.
Madge and Jem have their first child, David James, in the Summer Term and Bernhilda Mensch becomes engaged to Kurt von Eschenau at the end of the book.
contributed by Jo Marshall-Collins, England __ working from a paperback edition