Erna and Jackie came tearing up the stairs. "Hello, Signorina! Hello, Flip!" "Pill, mon choux, it's good to see you!" Jackie cried as Signorina went on up the stairs. "When did you get here? Isn't it wonderful to be back?" "Flip, meine süsse!" Erna shouted. Perhaps it was not wonderful, but neither was it terrible. A group of them congregated in the corridor, since Miss Tulip was downstairs and could not reprimand them. They all talked at once, laughing, shouting, telling each other about the holidays. Gloria could not wait to show them the black lace and silk pajamas Emile had sent her for New Year, nor to tell them about Flip's visit to the school chalet with Paul. "You should _see_ Pill's boy friend," she shouted, "you should just _see_ him!" "That child? We saw him," Esmée said in a disinterested voice. "Out the window the day the hols began? Don't be a dreep, Es. He's no child. You're just jealous. Pill brought him to the chalet for lunch and he's dreamy, positively dreamy, isn't he Sal?" Sally grinned and nodded. "He really is. I never thought Pill had it in her. She must have a whopper of a line after all." "All I can say is hurrah for Flip," Maggie Campbell said. "I'd hate to see Esmée get her claws into someone as nice as that." Esmée turned angrily towards the laughing Maggie but Jackie broke in, "I went to six plays and two operas. What did you do, Esmée?" Esmée announced languidly, still with a baleful eye on Maggie, that she had gone out dancing every night and worn a strapless evening gown. "Strapless evening gown my foot," Jackie whispered inelegantly to Flip. "She'd look gruesome in a strapless evening gown." Solvei had spent the holidays skiing with her parents. "I bet _I_ could teach you to ski, Flip," she said. Oh, horrors, Flip thought. What shall I do if she really wants to try? Later that evening Erna pulled Jackie and Flip out of the Common Room and onto the icy balcony, whispering, "I have something to tell you but it's a secret and you must promise never to tell a soul." "Cross my heart and hope to die," Flip said, thrilled to be included in a secret that Erna was sharing with Jackie. "Jure et crâche," Jackie said, and spat over the balcony, imitating the tough boys on the city streets. Erna was satisfied. "Well, it's something I learned during the holidays," she started. "Maybe you know it already, Flip. It's about Madame Perceval." Jackie grabbed Erna's arm. "Don't tell me it's the story of Percy's past!" She almost shrieked. Erna nodded. "You're _sure_ you won't tell anybody?" "I said jure et crâche, didn't I?" And Jackie spat over the balcony again. Unfortunately in her excitement she had not seen Miss Tulip walking below, and the matron jumped as a wet spray blew past her face. "_Who_ is up on the balcony!" she exclaimed. "Please, it's only us, Miss Tulip," Jackie called down meekly.