Chapter 1

'Aren't you ready yet boys?' Caroline barked loudly as she picked up her keys from the hall table. Irritated, she stroked her scarf between her thumb and fingers. 'Keep me waiting any longer and you'll have to get yourselves to school.' She glanced briefly into the mirror over the hall table, her reflection staring back accusingly. 'What's etching the frown lines on your face and the attitude in your manner?' questioned her conscience.

John strode down the stairs, overnight bag in one hand and briefcase in the other.

'I know you'll miss me, Caroline, but there's no need to take it out on the boys.'

'Very funny. You're away more often than you're at home these days so by your logic I must be living in a perpetual state of irritability. Which, I can assure you, I am not.' The inner Caroline was not convinced by her denial.

John sidled up to his wife and planted an exaggerated kiss on her cheek, which she wiped away in an equally embellished manner.

'What's up, then? Time of the month?!' he replied flippantly.

'Oh, John do grow up. Typical misogynistic opinion and you reckon to be so 21st century. Stuck in the dark ages with your characters more like. When are you back?'

'By tomorrow evening, but could be late. It depends what Francis Hilliard says about the latest draft. As you well know, he was not too pleased with the previous offering. And it's ancient Greece not the dark ages.'

'Ok, then. Whatever. Hope all goes well. BOYS! I'm in the car.' Without a backward glance Caroline headed outside.

'Right mardy bitch.' John and Caroline both thought, almost simultaneously.

ooOoo

'Good morning, Caroline.' Beverley said breezily as she placed the mug of steaming coffee on her boss's desk; her normal procedure within five minutes of Dr Elliot arriving in the office.

'What's good about it?' came a rather terse response.

'The weather for one thing. Isn't it nice…..oh, I see. Rhetorical question. Sorry.'

The headteacher looked up to her faithful assistant and smiled.

'Interviews. I bloody hate interviews! If only Daphne Jarvis hadn't decided to retire I'd have the day for more enjoyable parts of my job. Even a day with 4F would be more enjoyable.'

Beverley knew her employer well enough to know that she was not joking. She really did have a passionate dislike for interviewing potential staff but the reality was that in such a large school there was frequently a need to do so.

'The possible good news is that the first applicant has withdrawn, something about a change of mind rather than not being able to make today, so you've just the four left starting at half past ten, with about a half-an-hour break for lunch. I'm assuming you'll want a buffet in here with Gavin and Jeremy?' Beverley was all fact and efficiency, knowing well that this was the best way forward.

'Yes, thank you, Beverley. I'm sorry for being such a grump. Poor Jeremy should be the one to moan. As head of languages he'll be the one to have to do the induction! Please will you do the necessary for us?'

Since Caroline had been at Sulgrave Heath she had used Beverley during the recruitment process. The routine was that after the formal interview Beverley would show the applicant around the school. Often the real individual would shine through when the pressure was off. Personality was as big a part as academic qualifications and experience when trying to find the right fit for the school. Caroline prided herself on her success at appointing the right person for the role, and the school's record was one indication of this achievement.

'I'd be pleased to do so but if you remember I've got to be away from school promptly for a dental appointment so it might be tight for time for me to do the last one if you run late. Just kick Gavin under the desk if he shows any sign of boring them about budgets and we should be fine!'

Without further ado Beverley began to arrange the large desk ready for the day. Caroline smiled as she began to drink her coffee and, not for the first time, realised how lucky she was to have someone so efficient and reliable working for her. Beverley's ability to lift her spirits did not go amiss either. Hopefully the interviews would run like clockwork and by four o'clock they should know who the new French teacher was going to be.

ooOoo

'Thank you for your time today. If you have no further question we'll arrange for you to have a brief tour of the school. We'll be in touch, as discussed.' With that Caroline showed interviewee number three through to Beverley's office.

'Dear Lord. She might have a first-class degree but it was obviously at the expense of a personality by-pass.' Caroline chuckled as she returned to the table.

'It would be difficult to imagine anyone less appropriate. The poor children. Poor me!' Jeremy moaned. 'The first two were hardly any better!'

Gavin spoke as he held the CV of the last candidate. 'Ms Katherine McKenzie. Valuable experience. Looks promising. Let's hope we've saved the best until last.'

'There's the thing. She's running late. Beverley just handed me a note. Ms McKenzie is driving here from Peterborough and she's been diverted off the A1 at junction 45. She's phoned to say that she understands if we decide to cancel the interview but she may be up to an hour late.'

'It's just too bad. Too bad. Not good enough.' Gavin drummed his pen onto the table in time to his words.

'Well, at least she had the decency to ring. Personally, I think we ought to wait for her. I could do with a cup of coffee; something stronger really but caffeine will have to do. What about you two? Surely, we can wait for her? We shouldn't appoint the others and I would rather wait than confirm today as a total wash-out.' The voice of reason from the level-headed, kindly language head.

'I'm in agreement with that. Gavin?' asked the headteacher.

'You're right. Better to spend another hour today than delay things for weeks.'

Caroline made a tray of coffee and arrived back at the office just as Beverley was coming along the corridor from the opposite direction. A quick shake of Beverley's head confirmed that candidate number three's star hadn't shone any brighter away from the pressure of the interview room but Beverley expressed positive thoughts on her brief 'phone conversation with Katherine McKenzie.

'She sounds delightful, Caroline. Level-headed and extremely likeable. I take it from the fact that you've made drinks that you're going to wait for her but I'm afraid I won't be able to give her the tour afterwards. I really do need to head off very soon.'

Caroline assured Beverley that this would not be a problem and that she would do the tour herself.

'Poor woman!' joked Beverley. 'Hours stuck in a car then out of the frying pan of the interview into the fire of Dr Elliot afterwards! Be gentle with her!'

'Get away with you. I've seen her CV. I'm a pussy cat compared to some of the heads she's worked under. But let's hope Ms McKenzie's got something about her. Shrinking violets need not apply!'

The women were suddenly aware that they were not alone. Pauline from the reception office stood in the open doorway with a strikingly tall, beautiful woman at her side.

'Dr Elliot. Beverley. This is Katherine McKenzie.'

'Hello. Please call me Kate. I am so sorry I'm late. Fortunately, the congestion eased off after I telephoned and I managed to make up some time. But I'll understand if it's too late for you.' Her honesty and the warmth of her personality was evident in those few short sentences and Caroline knew instantly that they had made the right decision to wait.

'That's fine. We felt sorry for you. Thank you for letting us know that you would be late. I've just made a drink. Would you like a cup of something?' The blue-eyed blonde replied in kind. For the first time that day Caroline felt that she might enjoy the task of interviewing someone.

'Not for me, thank you. I had a bottle of water in the car and for that reason I would like to delay you for a few more minutes to use the bathroom, if that would be alright?'

As soon as Ms McKenzie was out of earshot Caroline giggled like one of her pupils.

'If she heard that you're in trouble. It's taken you years to develop that frosty reputation!' Beverley chuckled as she cleared her desk.

An hour later the interview was over, successfully in Caroline's eyes, and she began to show Kate around the school. Normally one to take considerable time to relax in the company of others, especially in the work environment, Caroline was surprised to find herself chatting informally to the applicant and all too soon for her liking they were back at the entrance hall.

'Well, that's Sulgrave Heath. I hope you like what you've seen.'

'I did, thank you, Dr Elliot. I would have liked to have seen the students at work too but that's my fault for being late! I'm impressed. But then I expected to be.'

'I'm flattered! I know you said during the interview that you'd heard good things about us from Sally Mathews. But it can be counter-productive if an unrealistic expectation has been built up.'

They walked down the stone steps and across the car park to Kate's car.

'Thank you again for waiting for me. I look forward to hearing from you.'

'Yes, by the end of tomorrow, Kate. Please give my regards to Sally when you next speak to her. We go way back, as I'm sure she told you. I'm pleased to know that we've lived up to her assessment.'

'Just the one error in her judgement, Dr Elliot. If I dare to say so, and I do. She said you were formidable but you're right, I've worked with far worse!'

The resulting explosion of laughter from them both confirmed their individual thoughts. For Kate that she wanted to accept the job, should it be offered, and to the head teacher that she would be foolish not to appoint this extremely pretty breath of fresh air.