Page 148 of The Fortunes of Ashmore Castle

‘It’s paid for out of our fees,’ Bron whispered to Alice. ‘Someone said they used to take a collection but by this time of the year a lot of girls had no money left, so they do it this way.’

The high voices of the girls echoed off the glass roof, and the heat and noise grew. Julia Stevens appeared at Alice’s elbow and whispered, with much giggling, that one of the senior girls had put something in the punch. ‘I think it was brandy,’ she imparted breathlessly, ‘so now everyone’s going to get squiffy! Isn’t it fun?’

‘I couldn’t taste anything,’ Bron said. ‘Couldn’t have been very much. I don’t suppose it’ll make any difference among so many.’

‘But I saw Mr Ffolliot with something that looked like a hunting flask,’ Alice said, ‘so perhaps he’ll pass that round the staff.’

‘Shocking!’ said Bron with a grin. ‘What an example to set to impressionable young women! I say, have you asked yet about living out next term?’

‘I did ask my aunt, and she said she didn’t mind, but I don’t think she was really listening. The main thing is I have to ask my brother, because he’s really responsible for me, with my mother away in Germany.’

‘Is she really never coming back?’

‘Not to live. I suppose she might visit sometimes.’

‘Don’t you mind?’

‘She was never a very motherly sort of mother,’ Alice said.

‘So why haven’t you asked your brother?’

‘There wasn’t a suitable time,’ Alice said. ‘I don’t suppose he’ll mind, really, as long as it’s respectable. There’s bound to be a time over Christmas when I can ask him.’

‘I’m worried we may lose the room if we don’t fix it soon. We can’t wait until term starts.’

‘I will ask him,’ Alice said. ‘I’ll send you a telegram as soon as I know.’

‘Well, do it as soon as you get there. All these weekends you’ve been going home—’ She broke off, staring over Alice’s shoulder. Alice felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up, and turned to see Ivor Wentworth looming over her.

‘Some very important confabulation seems to be going on here. Miss Strachan, Miss Tallant – what are you plotting?’

‘Nothing, sir,’ Bron said quickly.

‘I hope it wasn’t you who put the brandy in the fruit punch?’

‘How do you know about that?’

He laughed. ‘Someone does it every year. I’m afraid it was a rather half-hearted effort – not nearly enough to go round.’

Alice tried to think of something intelligent to say. ‘I wonder why there isn’t any brandy in the punch to begin with,’ she said. ‘I’m sure every one of us has wine and sherry at home. We aren’t children.’

‘No, indeed,’ he said, with a hint of amusement. ‘Not by a long chalk. I fancy the embargo has more to do with economy than morality. May I speak to you for a moment, Miss Tallant – if Miss Strachan will excuse us?’

Bron made a complicated face at Alice as she followed his beautifully suited back. In a quiet corner, he stopped and waited for her. Her heart was beating rather faster than usual, just from being singled out by the Ivor Wentworth – and also because he was young and handsome and male and most of the teachers were not. ‘What were you talking about in a lowered voice?’ he asked her. ‘It looked like a conspiracy to overthrow the monarchy, at least.’

‘Oh, I would never do that,’ she said. ‘It would upset the Queen, and my grandmother knows her quite well.’

He laughed. ‘You are an original! Don’t you find yourself rather out of your place here?’

‘Why?’ she said, a little hurt.

‘I didn’t mean you are not a promising artist,’ he said. ‘I’ve seen some of your work, and heard the other teachers talking about you. I only meant that you always appear to be just a little outside every group, the observer looking on. You have an unnerving way of smiling at the wrong things, Miss Tallant, as if you’ve come from another place where things are done differently. It’s intriguing.’

Alice didn’t know how to respond to that. She said, ‘Bron – Miss Strachan – and I were talking about living in lodgings next term, that’s all.’

‘An excellent idea,’ he said.

‘Why?’