Mary-Lou of the Chalet School

Mary-Lou Trelawney is a week late starting the autumn term at the Chalet School, after the sudden illness and death of her grandmother. She is also now a senior at the school and her long-established Gang is breaking up now that its members are scattered across different forms. Joey Maynard asks her to tackle new girl Jessica Wayne whose family circumstances have made her very unpleasant to live with.

The staff hold a Feast of St Nicholas evening to entertain the girls, but the school is disappointed to hear that there will be a carol concert this year instead of the traditional Christmas play.

Towards the end of term the girls go out for the usual winter sports. Emerence Hope deliberately disobeys orders and takes her toboggan right to the top of the slope, above where a submerged pine tree has fallen. Emerence’s panic as she careers down the hill very nearly results in a tragedy for the School.

 Lisa Townsend has written a brilliant short story, ‘Darkest before Dawn’.

There were major cuts in the Armada paperbacks.

 Mary-Lou of the Chalet School is set in the same term as Millies of the Chalet School

(added to website 3 May 2024)