Part 6 (2/2)

As soon as her lips were on his he closed his eyes, and he groaned as the kiss deepened. ”Laura...” he said, the start of a protest, but his arms went around her and she clung to him.

It was insanity. Anyone could have walked past.

She felt the heat of him again, tasted him. She wanted to drown in him. He returned the kiss in full measure.

”It wasn't just you,” she said as she broke away.

He sat on the edge of the desk, and looked directly at her. She remained standing, and their eyes were at the same level.

”Is this what you want?” he asked.

For a second she was terrified, but there was only one answer. She could barely whisper.

”Yes.”

”I'm not a schoolboy, Laura. I can't have a relations.h.i.+p with you on those terms. It's all or nothing.”

He was trying to scare her, to put her off. He wanted her to be the one to decide against this, to run away.

To spare them both.

But the sight of him, the smell of his skin, the thought of his hands on her, the thought of just being with him overtook her.

”It's still yes.”

He stood and brought her to him again, kissing her more tenderly this time. It was gentle, exploring her, his tongue intertwining with hers, promising what was to come.

Then he broke off and became more businesslike. ”Where are you going for exeat this weekend?”

”To Margery's.”

”Can you cancel? Come and stay with me. When everyone's leaving, come to the cottage. I'll be there before you as I don't have a cla.s.s at the end of the day.”

What was she going to tell Margery?

”Okay.”

”If you can't manage it or you change your mind it's okay. Just let me know.”

”I won't change my mind.”

The rest of the week pa.s.sed agonisingly slowly, in a different kind of limbo. Laura was carrying this huge secret but she had to sit through German cla.s.ses with him as normal. A couple of times when he glanced at her she thought she saw a question in his eyes. He was uncertain as well. They were both getting into something unknown.

Margery was very disappointed when Laura withdrew from their plans. Laura managed to imply, without actually stating it, that she was instead going to stay with Mr and Mrs Jones, the guardian couple in town.

”I can't think why you want to visit them all of a sudden. Yes I do. It's a boy, isn't it?”

Laura felt ashamed for deceiving Margery. ”Sort of.”

”It either is or it isn't. It's that boy from St Duncan's, the one you write to. I hope he's worth it.” Margery was still bitter over the Pudding.

”I really am sorry Margery. I can't fully explain.”

”What you mean is that you don't think I'll understand.”

Laura vowed to herself that she would tell Margery eventually. She hated keeping secrets this important from her friends. But she had no choice. The risk one was thing. But her own conflicted emotions also held her back. Until she had figured out her own feelings she couldn't bring herself to tell them.

Teresa Hubert, who always had an eye for stirring the pot, noticed that Margery was glum and withdrawn. She didn't care for Margery at all but thought there might be advantage in extending friends.h.i.+p.

Margery was not quite so easily won. Teresa had been spiteful towards her since the fourth form so she didn't trust her at all.

Sidling up to her between cla.s.ses one morning Teresa tried to open a conversation. ”What are you doing for exeat? Did you invite Laura again?”

It wasn't any of Teresa's business but Margery was piqued by Laura's change of plans. ”No, she had to stay with her town guardians.”

”How odd,” said Teresa, scenting opportunity. ”She always stays with you, doesn't she?”

Margery knew when Teresa was digging and didn't rise to the bait. Even if Laura had flaked out on her she was still her friend.

”What are you wearing to the formal?” Teresa asked, changing the subject. She strongly suspected that Margery wouldn't have anything appropriate. Whenever they were in mufti - out of school uniform - Margery always looked very frumpy.

”I haven't decided yet.”

”I expect that Susie Clarke will wear something tarty. She's quite a slag, isn't she?”

Margery was not yet loyal enough to Susie to defend her to the fullest, particularly as she had felt shut out by her friends.h.i.+p with Charlotte. And recently she seemed as thick as thieves with Laura.

”I really wouldn't know,” she said, not taking a position.

Teresa smiled nastily, and left.

Charlotte was starting to excel at hockey. Something had clicked with her, mentally and physically, and she had gone from being a good player to exceptional.

Unbeknownst to Miss Partridge it was Charlotte's dalliance with the St Duncan's boys that had triggered the change. Julian, the boy who had flirted with her, was the school rugby captain. He had even written to her a couple of times which had been flattering though she suspected she wasn't the only iron in his fire.

Charlotte was naturally compet.i.tive. Julian's attention not only gave her confidence but it made her want to match his success.

It was a wild dream for a Lower School girl to make the First Eleven hockey team though it had been achieved in the past. And the Seconds were certainly achievable even if the current team was composed entirely of sixth formers.

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