Part 21 (1/2)

She went with him. It was his last ever day at the school and it was too late for either of them to get in trouble for a simple walk. She didn't care what people thought, or that Teresa Hubert was nearby.

There were many raised eyebrows, not least Teresa's.

”Why is Laura walking with Mr Rydell?” she asked the other three. Her tone was accusing.

Susie shrugged. ”They've become friends through their shared pa.s.sion for German.”

Teresa was enraged by her flippancy. ”It was her I saw that night, wasn't it? It wasn't you at all. You lied.”

”I have no idea what you think you saw.”

”Is she having an affair with him? It's absolutely disgusting, he's her teacher. He should be sacked.”

”Given it's his last day today, it won't be much of a sacking, will it?” Susie gave an infuriating smile. Next to her Charlotte and Margery were also enjoying Teresa's fury. They had won every battle against Teresa's faction this term and this was the cherry on the cake.

”She'll still be in trouble though, when Mrs Grayson finds out.”

”Finds out what?” Charlotte asked.

”You know exactly what.” Teresa was getting furious at the three of them, sitting there smugly and trying to brush her off.

”Why don't you go to Grace Grant with your concerns?” Susie said. Laura had told them about her talk with the housemistress. Grace Grant had clearly made a decision not to act even though she knew that something had happened and Susie doubted Teresa's tattle-tales would influence her.

”I could go straight to Mrs Grayson.” They all knew she wouldn't. All things said and done, Teresa was a coward.

”If you feel it's serious enough and you have the evidence to support your accusations, then by all means do so.” Susie turned from Teresa to signal that the conversation was over, and their enraged but defeated enemy had no choice but to return to her own affairs.

”I will miss you,” he said.

It was a grey December day with a leaden sky, a horrible day for saying goodbyes.

”Miss Grant knows.” Seeing him start in shock, Laura hurried to rea.s.sure him. ”It's ok, she isn't going to say anything. She just made it clear that she knows - I'm not sure how - and gave me some pointed advice about boyfriends and being careful not to ruin my life.”

”I hope I'm not ruining your life.”

”You have transformed it,” she told him.

”For better or worse?”

”Better beyond anything.” But she knew that being with him had made things better but harder too. She couldn't shut the door on what she knew now and what she had experienced. It had set her apart from the others, from her peers.

From her parents too, since there was no way she could tell them about him.

They had reached the place where the path ran past the wasteland area. He turned to her.

”Be careful next term. They never found that vagrant, did they?”

”There was no vagrant to find.”

Now he was leaving she figured it was fine to tell him. They both owed Susie so much anyway. She explained about the midnight feast and the close call with Jenkins.

She had been uncertain as to how he might react, but he laughed. ”That girl, she's unbelievable,” he said. ”I would be worried about her leading you astray, except I've already done that.”

”I chose, you didn't lead me,” Laura said.

There was a lot to be grateful for when it came to Susie. She had extended endless invitations to Laura to come and stay with her, all with facilitating her relations.h.i.+p with Mr Rydell in mind. Laura might even be going to see her in Italy for a week in January.

She looked up at the black boughs of the copper beeches silhouetted against the winter sky. Would it be warmer in Italy? Just a couple of months ago she had sat under these trees with her friends, still warm in the September sun, innocent of everything she knew now.

She looked at him. The angle of his jaw, the dark hair, his strength. She knew that he was what she wanted and she couldn't ever imagine a time when he wouldn't be.

”I could probably kiss you here, right in the open air, and get away with it,” he said.

For a wild moment Laura wanted him to kiss her, to declare their feelings openly in front of anyone who might be watching. But the thought of Grace Grant held her back. She had offered unprecedented discretion to Laura, even though she must have felt an obligation to report what she suspected. Out of respect to her, Laura could not be public with him.

”It's enough that I've gone for a walk with you, that will raise enough eyebrows,” she said.

”Will you get into trouble for it?” He looked concerned.

”No, just some remarks I expect.” Laura wasn't too worried. Susie and Charlotte would deal with Teresa for her.

They were walking the full circuit of the fields, which would eventually bring them back to Michaelmas House. Every step was a step closer to goodbye. At least for now. She wished she could slow time.

”So I'll see you in Italy then?” he said.

It sounded so far away in distance and in time. He read her thoughts. ”It's only three weeks away.”