Free Imperial Clock (The Steam Clock Legacy) by Robert Appleton Page A

Why?”
    “ Nothing. I just think you should be, that’s all.”
    “ Well, both Mr. and Mrs. Challender have seniority over me, so the onus is on them...I mean they are in charge of the class.”
    “ Sorry, sir.”
    “ That’s quite all right, McEwan. Despite the constant reprimands you receive, you’re actually a very sensible—” he mouthed a few syllables, as if sifting through them for the most non-committal word, “—very pragmatic young woman. Very much your father’s daughter.”
    She sensed he was caught between wantin g to endear himself to her and his teacher’s duty to keep her at arm’s length. The result came across as cold, diffident.
    “ Thank you.” Without the sir, she managed to soften the blow, make herself feel a little less patronized.
    The door flung open and Mr. Challender leaned into the carriage, followed by wicked swirls of snow. Sonja recoiled from the biting wind. “The roofs of four carriages have been torn free, including the girls’. My wife and I have made a decision.” He coughed and then wiped his streaming nose on a frozen sleeve. “We’re going to head for the farmhouse at the edge of Keswick before nightfall, before we all freeze. Everyone, that is. Everyone is going. Come on, Auric, McEwan, get yourselves ready. Grab whatever blankets you can find. As many layers as possible to insulate yourselves for the trek.”
    A strange, overpowering sensation of drowning overcame Sonja —drowning in snow, something that had never occurred to her until now. The drift had almost reached the highest step of the carriage, over two feet. If it continued at this pace, they might soon be entombed.
    Mr. Auric turned slowly to his superior. “Listen carefully to me, Eustace: leaving the coaches is the worst possible idea in this situation. I know you’re the senior faculty member here and we haven’t exactly seen eye to eye, but I implore you to trust me on this—if you take the girls out into this blizzard, there’s a very good chance you will kill some, if not all of them.”
    “ Rubbish! Just sitting here waiting to be buried is the surest way to kill everyone. Think on it. At least if we start out now, before nightfall, we have a chance of reaching safety. If we stay here, we have no chance whatsoever of reaching safety. I’d rather not threaten you with disciplinary action by the School Board, Auric. My mind’s made up. Now come on.”
    “ I’m staying.” Sonja sat upright, adamant as Mr. Challender turned to scold her.
    “ And so am I.” With a stomp of his boot Mr. Auric was on his feet, clawing at the canopy, making short work of the stay pegs. Exhilarated, Sonja leapt onto the seat and helped him rip the roof free from its nails and stitching. She only managed one corner but between them, they soon tore the whole thing down. Then, after barging his perplexed colleague aside, Mr. Auric waded through the snow drift to the first of the girls’ open carriages.
    He shepherded the class into two groups, one per car riage, and called for them to “Huddle together as tightly as possible. I’m going to tie the edges of the canopy to the seats, but I also want you to take turns holding it down, using your own weight to secure it. I’ll show you how. Use the blankets to make yourselves comfortable, as it’s going to be a trying night. If you require the toilet, alert either myself—I’m staying with one group in the first carriage—or Mr. and Mrs. Challender, who will stay with the second group, and we will make all the necessary arrangements. And lastly, try not to worry; morning will come sooner than you think.”
    Despite the incredible wind, Sonja and a few other girls helped him rip the final fraying roof down—all the carriages were now exposed—and secure it over Mrs. Challender and the girls in the second carriage. Mr. Challender spoke something she didn’t quite catch into Mr. Auric’s ear.
    “ You do what you have to, but I may have just saved these