Chapter 2

Once the morning period was over, Mr Venables instructed Lloyd to have Elizabeth sit at the table he and his friends occupied in the dining hall for lunch. If Lloyd was annoyed about having a stranger thrust into his group of friends, he didn't show it. Instead, he waited patiently until Elizabeth had packed her bag and led her to the dining hall. Once they had both obtained trays, Elizabeth followed Lloyd to the table he was sharing with his friends. What both impressed and worried her was that they did not show what they thought about having her invade their table. All of their faces, including Lloyd's, were utterly blank. Sitting down with her tray, Lloyd followed suit and made an announcement to the group as a whole.

"This is Elizabeth; the Headmaster put her into our class today."

She wondered if the other children on the table would introduce themselves, but they remained silent, and oddly watchful. At last, Lloyd broke the awkward silence by asking Elizabeth a question in a manner that was almost over-casual.

"So the Headmaster took you to our class today, what did you think of him?"

Elizabeth glanced nervously over her shoulder, and then lowered her voice, admitting quietly:

"He scares me. I tried to hide something about my life when he was interviewing me, but he knew I was lying right away, and made me tell him."

At this admission, the children around the table, including Lloyd, instantly seemed to relax, and the blankness which they had used to hide their emotions dropped away completely. A small, chubby girl replied to Elizabeth's declaration.

"I'm not surprised he scared you, he's a very creepy man!"

She grinned and held out her hand, also jerking her head to include the girl next to her.

"I'm Ingrid, and the girl next to me is Mandy."

Elizabeth smiled nervously and briefly shook Ingrid's hand. A tall fair-haired boy lounging next to Mandy introduced himself as Ian, while a small, nervous boy next to Lloyd introduced himself as Harvey, Lloyd's brother. As he did so, Elizabeth recognised her own nervousness and uncertainty and resolved to keep an eye on him. While she knew that very few people would take an interest in her well-being, she was used to that, and was determined to assist Harvey when she could. Half-way through finishing lunch, the other children around the table suddenly became wary, and Elizabeth realised that they were looking at someone behind her. Before she could turn and see who it was, a warm familiar voice drifted over her shoulder.

"I see you're getting on well, kiddo. I thought I would come say hello."

Although the rest of the table could not see it, her eyes lit up behind her glasses, and a wide grin stretched across her face. Having her greatest secret exposed by the Headmaster, and having to deal with a number of strangers had made her feel tense and apprehensive. Encountering such a welcome and much-loved person evaporated such negative influences like hot water poured over snow. Almost throwing herself at him, her delighted squeal cut through the near-silence of the dining hall.

"Wally!"

He caught her easily as she cannoned into his tall, wiry frame, his face reddening deeply as everyone in the dining hall looked in their direction. It looked like the prefects would soon descend on them to reprimand Elizabeth for making so much noise, but a widespread glare from the boy she was clinging onto halted them where they were. Lloyd and the others were astonished at such a reception from the girl who had been so nervous and quiet only a few moments before. While they were wary about having a 'goody-goody' so close to their sanctuary of a table, they were also intrigued as well.

Wallace Brent was very much an enigma in the school, and not just to them. To begin with, he was the oldest person there, apart from the teachers and the Headmaster. They knew he was a 'goody-goody' because of what he would sometimes recite if certain questions were asked, yet the Headmaster and Prefects seemed to leave him alone, even though he would wear clothes that were not school uniform. It was rare that they encountered him, as apart from the age-difference, he was some kind of genius and completed his own work and projects in the library. They never got a chance to observe him sneakily when they were doing extra work, as whenever Rose would lead them in, he would pack up his materials and politely and quietly excuse himself.

He held Elizabeth for a few moments longer, aware that she needed reassurance. Finally he aimed a friendly grin at the rest of the table, ruffled Elizabeth's hair, and motioned her back to her seat. She scowled at Wallace's retreating back, but it was clear to everyone else that she wasn't actually angry, she was just being playful. As she resumed her lunch, Harvey looked anxiously at her hair, before speaking up hesitantly.

"You might want to tidy your hair before Rose comes and takes us to the library. If you don't look neat you might get into trouble."

Elizabeth felt that getting into trouble for looking slightly messy was utterly ridiculous, and scowled for real this time. Reluctantly, she accepted a comb from Mandy with a smile, before combing her hair back into a neat pony tail. As she handed it back, Lloyd suddenly burst out with a question that he seemed to have been holding in for a long while.

"How on earth do you know Wallace? You only got here this morning!"

Elizabeth grinned at his bewilderment and impatience before answering him simply and quietly.

"I live with him."

Lloyd frowned, before demanding:

"Why do you live with him? You two clearly aren't related."

The faintly amused expression on her face vanished, as Elizabeth suddenly went rigid and surprised the entire table with a forceful answer.

"I don't want to talk about it. Stop asking me."

Lloyd opened his mouth again, but shut it when Mandy elbowed him forcefully in the ribs, sending a glare towards Ingrid when it seemed that she would ask instead of Lloyd. Seeing the state that Elizabeth was in, Ian defused the sudden tension that had sprung up by smirking at Lloyd, and remarking mockingly:

"Didn't you learn about different families Lloyd? You said you knew all about them last week!"

While Lloyd spluttered indignantly, Elizabeth made the mistake of catching Harvey's eye and they both dissolved into muffled giggles. While this scene that been occurring, Ingrid had been keeping a watch on the rest of the dining hall, and suddenly hissed urgently,

"Watch out! Prefect alert!"

Immediately Harvey and Elizabeth stopped sniggering and sat up in their chairs as everyone else made an effort to look serious. While Elizabeth did not know the prefects as well as Lloyd and the others did, she knew that they could be unpleasant and somewhat creepy. She had experienced an ugly scene with Rose as she had first entered the playground, and was wary of the rest of the prefects. Rose strode up to their table and passed an eye across the group, her lips curling into a sneer. She did not even bother to speak to them, merely gestured towards the food hatch. With a subtle gesture, Harvey indicated that Elizabeth should copy what he did, and she did so perfectly, handing in her empty tray and retrieving her bag with the rest of the children. Without a word, Rose led the way to the library.

Once they were all seated, Rose spoke to Elizabeth.

"Because you arrived at school later than everyone else, you will need to catch up on what you missed. Therefore, you will complete some of this work now, and the rest you will complete as extra homework. Is that clear?"

While the content of what Rose had said did not bother her, the way she said it most certainly did. She had spoken slightly mockingly the entire way through, as if Elizabeth was not capable of understanding simple instructions. She guessed that Rose was trying to get a rise out of her, but was not going to give her the satisfaction. Responding with an overly polite smile, Elizabeth said sweetly:

"Yes, that's perfectly clear Rose."

Rose looked as if she would try to retaliate over Elizabeth using such a tone, but was interrupted by the movement of somebody behind Elizabeth. For a moment a hand brushed her shoulder, and then withdrew as the person exited the library. Having caught the scent of a familiar woollen jumper, Elizabeth knew that it had been Wallace. His lingering reassurance was enough to bolster her courage, and she determined not to give Rose any ammunition to get her into trouble. She worked away steadily as soon as Rose told her what she needed to complete, knowing that if she did not keep herself busy, it would be easier to react badly to what Rose was saying. Even with the tension between Rose and Elizabeth, things might have gone alright that session, if Rose had not targeted Harvey.

Elizabeth was sitting next to Harvey, as she knew how vindictive Rose was, and wanted to help him if she could. Even though she was concentrating hard on her own work, she was also keeping an eye on what else was going on, so she did not miss things when Rose began harassing Harvey for getting his sums wrong. Elizabeth felt her temper rising as Rose continued, and abruptly stopped writing, clenching her hand so hard that her pen completely snapped in two. She couldn't hold back any longer, even though she knew it was dangerous to oppose the prefects. Ignoring Lloyd's frantic head-shaking and Mandy's worried glance she suddenly snapped:

"Leave him alone! Not everyone is as perfect as you!"

Rose spun round from Harvey, her eyes flashing. Striding up to Elizabeth, she answered angrily and almost in disbelief, as if she could not fathom that someone was actually opposing her.

"Get on with your work! This does not concern you!"

Elizabeth instantly sprang to her feet, snarling a clipped, angry response.

"Yes it does! Harvey is my friend and I won't let you treat him like that."

When Rose next spoke, her voice had become almost toneless, not with the angry attitude she had displayed before.

"All pupils shall obey the Prefects. The Prefects are the voice of the Headmaster. Now sit down!"

Elizabeth refused to back down. Even though it would mean more trouble for her, as long as Rose was focussed on her and her disobedience, she wouldn't be targeting Harvey. It seemed now that she had pushed Rose too far, as she suddenly grabbed her arm, and snapped:

"That does it; I am taking you to the Headmaster!"

Elizabeth could see that everyone else around the table suddenly seemed scared and apprehensive, but the only reaction from her was a wordless growl and an attempt to shake Rose from her arm. Since Rose was bigger and stronger than her, this had no effect, and she dragged Elizabeth from the library and towards the Headmaster's office.

The Headmaster had been reading through some of Mr Brent's research, when a knock sounded at his office door, along with the sound of scuffling. Frowning, he opened the door and was confronted by Rose, who had a tight hold on the arm of Elizabeth Taylor. Right now, it was difficult to distinguish who was angrier than the other. Turning to Rose, he rapped out,

"What has happened?"

As Rose recited what had occurred in the library, it looked as if Elizabeth would interrupt. A suddenly raised hand from the Headmaster silenced her, and seemed to increase her anger. When she had finished, the Headmaster scowled at Elizabeth and said curtly:

"I will deal with this now. Return to the library, and instruct one of the children to pack her things."

With a last glare at Elizabeth, Rose released her arm and flounced back towards the library. Elizabeth glared after her, before being interrupted by the Headmaster, who seized her by the shoulder and pushed her forcefully into the chair she had been sitting in this morning. He loomed over her, causing a small amount of nervousness the creep into her rage as he did not say or do anything else for a few more moments. When he spoke at last, he did so with a certain cold anger that Elizabeth had not heard that morning.

"I believe this must be some kind of record. It is your first day in my school, and you are already in trouble. Now, when you return to the library, you will apologise to Rose."

Elizabeth went rigid in her chair, shaking with anger, as she snarled heatedly:

"Apologise?! I am not going to apologise to that bit-"

"Elizabeth!"

The Headmaster's irate reprimand effectively cut her off before she could actually finish the insult. He leaned forwards, and hissed dangerously:

"That is enough from you! You will write some lines as punishment for being disrespectful to my prefect and you will apologise to Rose. If you do not apologise, I will be forced to inform Mr Brent that he will have to retrieve you from school at a later time, as you will be serving detention. Now, what is your decision?"

Elizabeth gritted her teeth, both chastened and angry. The Headmaster had her, and he knew it. If he had informed her that she would be receiving a punishment that would not have impacted on Wallace, she would have refused to apologise. However, while Wallace might agree that she had done the right thing by defending Harvey, he would have been very disappointed that she had earned a detention on her first day of school. She could not let that happen. Reluctantly, she growled:

"I will apologise to Rose."

The Headmaster nodded curtly in acceptance of her answer, and moved behind his desk, retrieving some lined paper and a pen which he placed so that both articles were on her side of the desk. Sitting in his own chair, the Headmaster frostily detailed her punishment.

"You will write the sentence 'I will not be disrespectful to Rose Carter' a total of one hundred times. You may begin."

At his declaration Elizabeth reluctantly picked up the pen, glowering at the number of times she had to write the sentence. Even though she was so angry, she knew better than to take that anger out on her lines, as from what she had learned about the Headmaster, he would likely order her to do them again. Once she had finished, the Headmaster picked them up and scanned them carefully. Replacing them on top of his desk, he looked back up at her, and now he did not seem as angry as he had been when he had pulled her into his office.

"Good, you have completed your lines to a perfect standard. You will return to the library and apologise to Rose."

His expression darkened suddenly, as did his voice when he next spoke.

"If you misbehave again today, you will be serving a detention, so I do not want to hear of you doing anything else. Am I understood?"

Elizabeth swallowed nervously at this, before answering the Headmaster in a subdued tone of voice.

"I understand, Sir."

The Headmaster nodded briskly at her answer, before waving towards his office door. Taking the hint, Elizabeth inclined her head and left his office, returning to the library. Once she entered, Lloyd and the others stared at her, as if they could not believe that she had actually returned intact from the Headmaster's office. Elizabeth really did not want to do what she had to do next, but since the alternative was something she didn't want happening, she did not have a choice. Taking a deep breath, she marched up the Rose, and managed to snap out an apology that sounded as genuine as she could make it while she was still angry.

"I am sorry that I was disrespectful Rose."

She wondered if Rose was planning not to accept the apology, just to get her into fresh trouble, but it seemed that she didn't want to waste anymore time. She nodded once, and said brusquely:

"Return to your classroom. Lloyd has packed your materials."

Elizabeth took her bag from Lloyd with a smile and was half-way out of the room with the others, before Rose suddenly called her back.

"Dispose of your broken pen; others must make use of this table as well."

Elizabeth was certain that Rose was being so petty entirely on purpose, but she was not going to retaliate, as that would only get her into trouble again. Gritting her teeth, she picked up her snapped pen and dropped it into the bin by the door. As they finally left the library, Lloyd bit back the questions he dearly wanted to ask Elizabeth, as she was clearly still very angry. Lloyd could guess that what she had wanted to do with that broken pen was throw it at Rose's head, and he didn't blame her at all.