The School at Skelton Hall
Spoilers
Late one night the Quintet make their way into the attics, determined to solve the mystery in the east wing. A skylight provides easy access on to the roof and they make their way to above an open window next to the one where they'd seen the lights. Harrie produces a mountaineering rope and Sally, as she is the smallest, is selected to be lowered first over the parapet.
The girls manage to get in through the window and follow the sounds of sobbing to a bedroom where they find Della Grey, a girl about their age. Della, an orphan, met with a riding accident and injured her spine. Now she is convinced that she will never walk again and refuses to see anyone but her Grandfather and Nurse.
The girls secretly cross the roof and visit Della as often as possible. Her guardians are surprised at the improvement in her health and spirits, but Della refuses to meet the girls openly and makes them promise not to tell anyone else about her.
When Sally is caught, she refuses to explain the situation and break her promise to Della, so is confined to the San. The Quintet cannot let Della know what has happened and Della thinks the girls do not like her any more and falls ill. In her delirium she calls for 'Sally from next door'. Della's grandfather asks Miss Skelton if Sally can come to Della, to sit by her sick bed. Miss Skelton sends Sally immediately, then calls the rest of the Quintet to her office for a full explanation, which leads to a severe, but fair, punishment.
Della rapidly recovers to the point where she can sit up and there is hope that she will walk again. She invites Lower IV to an end-of-term party and looks forward to joining them at Skelton Hall next term.
contributed by Claire Smerdon, Canada __ working from a 1963 (2nd impression) hardback edition