Free Dangerous Lady by Martina Cole Page A

the classroom for about twenty seconds before she said, ‘Let that be a warning to any would-be bullies in this class. Next time it will be twelve strokes of the ruler and your name read out at mass.’ Thirty faces looked scandalised at the thought of having their name read out by Father McCormack. Picking up her chair, the nun turned to her blackboard and began writing on it.
    Seizing her opportunity. Margaret leant forward across her desk and whispered to Maura.
    ‘You’re dead, Ryan. Come hometime I’m gonna kill you.’
    Maura closed her eyes, a knot of fear already forming in her stomach. Everyone was frightened of Margaret Lacey, even some of the boys. Which was surprising really because she was so small. But small or not, she could fight and that was all that counted. Maura sat back in her chair and looked out of the window to the side of her. A group of younger children were playing rounders. The voice of Miss Norman, the games teacher, drifted in at the window now and again. Always encouraging, never reprimanding. As Maura watched the dust motes flying through the air in the rays of the June sun she wished that she was outside with the younger children. That she was anywhere away from Margaret Lacey and her cronies who would without doubt be waiting for her as she left the school. Why was it that time always flew when you didn’t want it to? The minutes sped by until the bell that heralded hometime.
    Slowly Maura went to get her coat, hoping against hope that if she took long enough Margaret would get fed up and go home. She walked slowly from the school, across the playground and out of the gates into Latimer Road. Sure enough, Margaret was waiting for her, about twenty yards past the school gates. She had three of her cronies with her: Jennifer Howard, Betty Leeds and Vanessa Rouse. Maura began walking towards them like a condemned man on his way to the gallows. Prickles of sweat had broken out along her backbone. She bit down hard on her lip as she watched the four girls. She saw that Jennifer and Vanessa were laughing at her and something inside her stirred. In all her ten years she had always had one or other of her brothers watching out for her. Now here for the first time she was fighting her own battle. And fight it she would! She swallowed deeply. She could hear her heart crashing in her ears. She decided then and there that she was not going to stand for it. She had eight brothers and had had to fight or argue with every one of them at some time or another. Holding her head high, she walked faster, swinging her schoolbag menacingly. 64
     
    The four girls looked at each other, puzzled. This wasn’t supposed to happen! First they were going to make her squirm, then Margaret was going to hit her … Betty Leeds began to hop from one foot to another, a sure sign of agitation. Vanessa and Jennifer stepped back behind Margaret. Maura stopped in front of them, still swinging her school bag. She gave a loud sniff.
    ‘Well?’ The insolent way she said it made the other girls gasp with astonishment. Margaret Lacey soon found her tongue.
    ‘I’ll “well” you, you ugly bitch you! I’m gonna smash your face in!’
    The other girls smiled. This was more like it. ‘Well then, don’t just stand there talking about it… do it!’
    All eyes were glued to the swinging schoolbag. Margaret was silent for a few seconds. She could feel the others losing their nerve. If she didn’t do something, and soon, they would desert her. She spat on to the pavement casually.
    ‘I will when I’m good and ready!’ Margaret Lacey was getting more worried by the second. She had thought she’d give Maura’s long blonde hair a few good tugs, a scratch or two on her face, and then home to tea, basking in the other girls’ admiration. Now she wasn’t sure what to do. She might even get hit herself! She decided on a delaying tactic. Kneeling down on the dusty pavement, she made as if to tie her shoelaces.
    The next thing