Part 14 (2/2)

”That was quite a stunning performance, Susanna. I really felt that you understood Donne's verse, his pa.s.sion, his sensuality.”

Susie had her own plans for Mr Peters though she didn't intend to put them into action just yet. But keeping him on the boil for now - or a light simmer at least - suited her needs.

”I was wondering if I should reference the typographical pun in some way?” she asked him.

The ”s” of ”suck'd” was printed as ” ” in Donne's era resulting in a deliberate visual obscenity.

Mr Peters wet his lips at the thought of Susie uttering such profane words. ”If you would like any extra help with your performance I would be only too happy to oblige,” he said.

He really was a disgustingly creepy old goat, but she treated him to a suggestive smile.

”I'll let you know Sir.”

23. In the night.

Grace Grant went to see Mrs Grayson about the situation with Susie and the geography teacher. To her frustration Mrs Grayson was rather dismissive.

”The problem is, Eleanor, that Susie's work is really exemplary. She's also ostensibly very well behaved. The reasons given for all the demerit points and detentions are just absurd.”

”You know as well as I do that there are many ways for a pupil to show insolence,” the headmistress said.

”I do. I don't disagree that Susie is likely deliberately infuriating Pat Ayers. But these endless detentions aren't fair, and they're not wise.”

Mrs Grayson had long known that Mrs Ayers was a problem. She was extremely unpopular with the girls but on the other hand she tended to get excellent results. Two girls had even won places at Cambridge last year following her personal tuition.

While the headmistress thought it was wiser to get results through respect rather than fear, she couldn't deny that Mrs Ayers got them. Personality clashes may have been common but the girls did at least have the option of changing to German if they truly couldn't bear her.

If only Susie had chosen German: but as a new girl she obviously hadn't been forewarned of the Geography teacher's bad temper.

Then of course there were the pranks. Since the foul-smelling curtains rumours of other ones had reached Mrs Grayson's ears. Did the Geography teacher suspect Susie Clarke was behind them?

”I'll keep an eye on things. And have a quiet word with Pat at the right moment,” she promised Grace Grant.

Friday, the eve of Susie's birthday, was bitterly cold. November frost had frozen the grounds and there were biting winds all day with rain setting in after supper. The thought of creeping out of a warm dorm in the middle of such a night to the unheated pavilion had minimal appeal.

”The cold will keep us alert. Besides we can hardly not show up with a carload of Dunks boys arriving,” Susie said.

”A carload?”

”I don't know, Darius said they'd bring some people over. He didn't say the number, just as many would fit.”

”He'd better be driving a mini then,” Charlotte said.

They had already scoped out the pavilion and stashed some provisions there. It was padlocked but there was a window with a faulty latch around the back. There was also no light and no heating.

”We can't use light anyway, it'll have to be something dim like torches or candles. And not many. We don't want to light the place up like a beacon.”

”What would someone do if they saw?” Laura asked. ”Would they come and investigate or just call the police?”

”Investigate I should think. They wouldn't want the scandal if the police showed up.” Charlotte said.

Susie allowed herself a moment's fantasy of Mrs Ayers showing up in a nightgown and overcoat, screeching loud enough to wake the entire school. The instant expulsion would be worth it just to experience that sight. But she had the others to think of. Besides, Whitsun House had no view to the pavilion so unless the Axe was out taking a midnight stroll she would be among the least likely teachers to discover them.

They had gone to bed in jeans and warm clothing but it was still an ordeal leaving warm blankets for the freezing night air as they crept down the fire escape.

The night had cleared and there was a bright moon. It made the grounds look vast and it raised their spirits. Having successfully escaped Michaelmas House it seemed like the worst hurdle was over. The remoteness of the pavilion was rea.s.suring: they certainly wouldn't be overheard.

Breathless from the cold they clambered through the window into the dark building. Charlotte lit a candle.

”Make sure you put it in a jar, we don't want to burn the place down. Oh I can see them coming,” Susie said.

”How many?”

”Five it seems. I don't recognise the others.”

To Laura's relief the other three boys didn't include Jonathan. They were three more St Duncan's rugby players, very much in the mould of Julian and Darius, and had hauled an impressive amount of beer with them. They already seemed fairly drunk.

The discussion soon got onto gambling as Susie's win over the previous exeat had become the stuff of legend. There were jibes over whether it was luck or cheating and demands for the chance to win it back.

The noise level was increasing with the alcohol. Susie was the only one of the three girls really enjoying herself. Laura and Charlotte were still too on edge. Laura constantly thought she heard footsteps outside.

”It's just an owl or something,” Julian said.

Darius had brought playing cards with him and by the dim candlelight the five St Duncan's boys started a game with Susie. As the other two didn't know how to play they sat and watched.

It was the poker game that saved all their skins.

Conversation lulled to near silence as the players focused on the hands, both Darius and Julian determined to win back their pride and Susie resolute in repeating her success.

”Anybody in there?”

There was a loud rattle at the door. In the stillness of the night it was like gunshot.

It was Jenkins, the school handyman.

Oh G.o.d.

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