Frances is sent from her small Welsh village and warm, loving family to Maidenhurst School for Girls for education and a little smoothing out of her tomboy edges. There she makes friends, unwittingly makes enemies, has plenty of adventures, gets into trouble and develops 'crushes' on teachers and older girls in the school. She also teaches some of her school mates the meaning of 'honour' and courage. Written in 1925, the word 'love' as used by Frances and other characters when referring to teachers or older girls simply means a wish to emulate or intense admiration, being a common expression of the time.