Free Eternal by Gillian Shields Page A

speaking of these matters. That is why I may not be al owed . . . I wish . . . but I wil not leave you powerless or unprotected. Tomorrow night—” Miss Scratton broke off, listening.
    There was a sharp knock on the door. Miss Scratton hastily thrust the Book back into my gym bag and pushed it into my hands.
    “Enter!” she cal ed. Then she continued in a cold, loud voice. “Helen Black, your work last term was disgraceful. I would expect better from a ten-year-old. Al three of you need to improve . . . ah, Miss Dalrymple, do come in, I have nearly finished.” She turned back to us with a severe expression. “You seem determined to be a bad influence on one another’s studies. I do not wish to see you sitting next to one another in class from now on. And you wil each bring me your notes on the French Revolution first thing tomorrow morning. You are dismissed.”
    We filed out silently. Miss Scratton’s pretended anger was convincing, but I wondered if it would fool Miss Dalrymple. We knew that she had been one of Celia Hartle’s inner circle, although she smiled at us hypocritical y as we walked past her into the corridor. Then she closed the study door firmly in our faces and shut herself up with Miss Scratton. I looked at the others. They both seemed depressed, occupied with their thoughts.
    “What do you think Miss Scratton was going to say about tomorrow night?” I whispered. “How can we find out?
    We need to—”
    “Do you mind if we don’t talk about it now?” asked Evie wearily. “My head is kil ing me. I’m sure Miss Scratton wil tel us whatever we need to know later. Until then, why don’t we just forget it?”
    “Evie, we can’t just ignore—”
    “Do you real y think Miss Scratton wants us to do those notes on the French Revolution?” she interrupted. Her face was pale and its expression distant.
    “I don’t know, maybe we should,” I said doubtful y. “Miss Dalrymple heard her tel us to do them. We should act like Miss Scratton is nothing more—or less—to us than the High Mistress.”
    “Bother. I wanted to . . . oh wel . I’m going to the library to get started straightaway.”
    “We could do it together,” I offered.
    “No. It’s okay.” Evie walked away in the direction of the library. Helen watched her go, then shrugged and walked off too, heading out to the grounds. What was happening to us? I wanted to pul us al together to fight our enemies, but it was like trying to catch smoke.
    I sighed and turned to my only comfort—my horses. I would go down to the stables before starting the notes Miss Scratton had asked for. When I reached the cobbled yard five minutes later, my heart tightened in my chest.

    Josh was taking a break from his work, sitting on a bale of hay with his long legs stretched out in front of him. He looked up and smiled. “Hey! Sarah!”
    I smiled back. For one moment I thought that he actual y wanted to see me. For one moment, that was al .
    “Have you seen Evie anywhere?” Josh jumped up and walked over to me eagerly. “She promised to meet me after class. She must be free by now.”
    My stupid smile froze. How could I have been so naive?
    A sick tremor of rejection churned in my stomach. I was such a fool. Josh didn’t want me. And he wasn’t the only one. Helen was withdrawing into herself again, and Evie—
    my best, my dearest friend—had made it perfectly clear that she wanted to get away from me. I had imagined myself to be the faithful anchor of our little world, but it looked as though I had been deluding myself. In that moment, I felt total y humiliated and useless.
    “Sarah? I was asking about Evie? Do you know where she is?”
    “Um . . . Miss Scratton has given us some extra work.
    Evie went off to the library to do it. I don’t know how long she’l be.”
    Josh frowned. “That’s a pain. I have to get home now to help my mother, then get down to some studying. Did I tel you I’m going to try to get into vet school next