Lotte wrote:
Also, while Matron Besly is a petty egomaniac, and I'm not surprised the kids prank her, she is right to point out that Joey is naturally pale anyway and it's not exactly going to be obvious to her that Joey is ill. Matey has known Joey for ages, Matron Besly hasn't.
Matey is ridiculous there. How was Matron Besly supposed to know that Jo had toothache? She wasn't a mind reader.
It's one of those books -
Eustacia is another - in which none of the staff handle things very well. Matron Besly shouldn't have had such a go at Jo, or made up her own rules, but either Matey or Miss Wilson should have explained her duties and their limits to her properly.