Betty Vivian A Story of Haddo Court School   By: L. T. Meade (1854-1914)

A Story of Haddo Court School

By MRS. L. T. MEADE

Author of

"The Harmon Girls," "The Princess of the Revels," "Aylwyn's Friends," "The School Queens," "Seven Maids," Etc.

[Illustration]

A. L. BURT, COMPANY, PUBLISHERS NEW YORK

CONTENTS

Chapter Page

I. YES OR NO 3 II. WAS FANNY ELATED? 14 III. GOING SOUTH 25 IV. RECEPTION AT HADDO COURT 36 V. THE VIVIANS' ATTIC 49 VI. A CRISIS 64 VII. SCOTCH HEATHER 80 VIII. A NEW MEMBER 91 IX. STRIVING FOR A DECISION 104 X. RULE I. ACCEPTED 120 XI. A SPECIALITY ENTERTAINMENT 133 XII. A VERY EVENTFUL DAY 137 XIII. A SPOKE IN HER WHEEL 151 XIV. TEA AT FARMER MILES'S 169 XV. A GREAT DETERMINATION 180 XVI. AFTERWARDS 194 XVII. A TURNING POINT 224 XVIII. NOT ACCEPTABLE 234 XIX. "IT'S DICKIE!" 246 XX. A TIME OF DANGER 254 XXI. A RAY OF HOPE 266 XXII. FARMER MILES TO THE RESCUE 282 XXIII. RESTORATION 290

BETTY VIVIAN

CHAPTER I

YES OR NO

Haddo Court had been a great school for girls for many generations. In fact, for considerably over a century the Court had descended from mother to daughter, who invariably, whatever her husband's name, took the name of Haddo when she became mistress of the school. The reigning mistress might sometimes be unmarried, sometimes the reverse; but she was always, in the true sense of the word, a noble, upright, generous sort of woman, and one slightly in advance of her generation. There had never been anything low or mean known about the various head mistresses of Haddo Court. The school had grown with the times. From being in the latter days of the eighteenth century a rambling, low old fashioned house with mullioned windows and a castellated roof, it had gradually increased in size and magnificence; until now, when this story opens, it was one of the most imposing mansions in the county.

The locality in which Haddo Court was situated was not very far from London; but for various reasons its name will be withheld from the reader, although doubtless the intelligent girl who likes to peruse these pages will be easily able to discover its whereabouts. Haddo Court, although within a measurable distance of the great metropolis, had such large grounds, and such a considerable area of meadow and forest land surrounding it, that it truly seemed to the girls who lived there that they were in the heart of the country itself. This was indeed the case; for from the Court you could see no other house whatsoever, unless it were the picturesque abode of the head gardener or that of the lodge keeper.