Kitty at St Clare's recap

Kitty Flaherty arrives at St Clare's with her goat, McGinty, as building work forces the second and third forms into shared quarters. Their feud leads to a nighttime fire-bell prank, an anonymous report, and the suspension of head girl Jennifer Mills. Alison eventually reveals that she told Margaret Winters the plan and finds the photographs Margaret used as proof. Meanwhile, Amanda Wilkes secretly blocks Pat and Isabel's letters out of fear of losing Isabel's friendship, but confesses and is forgiven. Kitty and Grace later expose Margaret's attempt to destroy the kitchen garden and blame McGinty. Jennifer is restored as head girl, Barbara Thompson becomes deputy, and Margaret remains at school without her former standing. Amanda makes peace with Helen and will join the second form next term. The forms reconcile, while Kitty and McGinty leave for Kilblarney at the end of term.

Previously: Pat and Isabel are twins and established pupils at St Clare's. Their returning school circle includes Janet Robins, Alison, Bobby, Carlotta, Hilary, and other classmates. Miss Theobald is the headmistress, while Mam'zelle teaches French. These pupils and staff begin the new term with their existing school relationships already in place.

So far this book: Isabel returns to St Clare's without Pat, who is recovering from a broken arm. Jennifer Mills begins the term as head girl and games captain, while Alison admires sixth former Margaret Winters despite warnings about her conduct. New pupil Amanda Wilkes joins the third form and immediately describes a hostile relationship with her second-form stepsister, Helen. Another newcomer, Kitty Flaherty, arrives with her goat, McGinty. Miss Theobald allows McGinty to live in the old stables under Kitty's supervision. Building work then forces the second and third forms to share sleeping and common-room space. Margaret becomes deputy head girl, shows favouritism toward Alison, and repeatedly penalises Kitty. Isabel grows close to Amanda while Pat is away, but Amanda secretly withholds letters between the twins. Tension in the shared quarters becomes an open feud after quarrels over noise and authority. Alison also takes over personal jobs for Margaret, deepening her loyalty to the older girl.

The feud escalates through practical jokes. After the second form makes apple-pie beds, the third form sabotages hockey practice, causing the second form to receive extra coaching. Pat returns, but she and Isabel are cold toward one another because each believes the other stopped writing. Kitty devises a nighttime fire-bell prank that leaves the second form locked outside. Before it happens, Alison tells Margaret the full plan. Jennifer discovers the missing pupils and helps them return without reporting them. An anonymous informant later supplies Miss Theobald with proof, leading to Jennifer's suspension for concealing the breach and punishment for the second form. Janet, Hilary, Pat, and Isabel then confess the third form's responsibility. Their form receives confinement and extra preparation, while the second form's penalty is lifted. Janet and Grace end the feud and agree to help Jennifer, but the informer remains unidentified. Suspicion falls on Margaret, while Alison keeps silent about sharing the plan and Amanda continues hiding the twins' letters.

Alison finds photographs and negatives of the fire-bell incident in Margaret's study, strongly linking Margaret to the anonymous report. She admits to both forms that Margaret learned the plan from her. Because the girls cannot yet prove who took the photographs, Grace arranges to duplicate the negatives while Kitty begins planning a further test. A separate deception also comes to light. Janet follows Amanda to the stables and catches her trying to destroy Pat and Isabel's withheld letters by feeding them to McGinty. Required to face the twins, Amanda confesses that loneliness and fear of losing Isabel led her to block their correspondence. Pat and Isabel forgive her, reconcile with each other, and keep her wrongdoing private. Gladys Hillman and Carlotta challenge Amanda and Helen over their hostility as stepsisters. News that their parents are expecting a baby gives Amanda and Helen common ground, and their relationship begins to improve.

Miss Theobald decides that Amanda will remain with the second form next term rather than advance, a change Amanda accepts now that she and Helen are becoming friends. Kitty feeds Margaret a false story that McGinty becomes uncontrollable during a full moon, then provokes her into seeking revenge. During a joint midnight feast, Kitty watches Margaret lure McGinty into the kitchen garden. When the overfed goat refuses to eat the plants, Margaret destroys them herself and leaves him there to take the blame. Kitty photographs the act, returns McGinty safely to his stall, and works with Grace to prepare the evidence. Their pictures are inserted into Mam'zelle's slideshow and expose Margaret before the school, including her attempt to blame McGinty. Miss Theobald does not punish Kitty for leaving her dormitory to protect him. Margaret is allowed to remain for her final term, but loses Miss Theobald's trust and any claim to leadership. Jennifer Mills is restored as head girl, with Barbara Thompson as deputy, and the second form receives its new common room.

The term ends with the main disputes settled. Margaret Winters has been exposed as the person who tried to frame McGinty by wrecking the kitchen garden, and Miss Theobald also learns of her part in the report that displaced Jennifer. Margaret stays at St Clare's for her final term but no longer holds the school's confidence. Jennifer is head girl again and Barbara Thompson is her deputy. Pat and Isabel have repaired their relationship and understand that other friendships do not weaken their bond. Amanda and Helen are now close, look forward to their expected sibling, and will be in the second form together next term while the current third form advances. The second form's move to its new common room closes the accommodation conflict. On the last day, Kitty's parents arrive early after misreading her letter. Kitty brings McGinty to make his farewells, then leaves St Clare's with him for Kilblarney. Amanda and Helen meet their parents together, and the remaining girls depart for the holidays.

Margaret Winters is publicly exposed for trying to frame McGinty for the destruction of the kitchen garden, and her earlier role in the fire-bell report is also brought to Miss Theobald's attention. Margaret remains at St Clare's for her final term after her parents intervene, but loses the head-girl position and Miss Theobald's trust. Jennifer Mills is restored as head girl, with Barbara Thompson as deputy. Pat and Isabel have reconciled after Amanda admits hiding their letters, and Amanda is also reconciled with Helen. Amanda will remain with the second form next term while Pat, Isabel, and their classmates advance. The second form moves into its new common room, ending the accommodation dispute. Kitty Flaherty and McGinty are cleared of the garden damage, then leave with Kitty's parents for Kilblarney. The other pupils depart for the holidays with the term's main conflicts resolved.