A few hours later, Susan was nearly asleep on a couch outside a dark office. Through the door came the muffled sounds of a row, but she'd grown accustomed to that by now. Suddenly startled by the sound of footsteps, she looked up to see a tall boy clad in a layer of grey dust. His dark hair was plastered with sweat. "Pevensie!" he cried.

Then her dazed mind realized this was Ben. She looked up at Peter, who was pacing the floor. His eyes were rimmed with redness, and he looked blankly at Ben, then looked away. "What's wrong, Pevensie?" Ben asked him.

"Nothing," muttered Peter, looking down with an expressionless face. He had stopped pacing now and stood like a soldier, his back stiff. For the past half hour, the Pevensies had been waiting in the common room of Mr. Ledgerwood's Boys' School. Susan, Edmund, and Lucy were crowded on a settee by the office door. By now they were glad of any diversion.

"I… well, I wanted to tell you I can't go to the cricket match with you," said Ben.

"What's happened?"

Ben was silent for a moment. "It's my brother Richie. Someone reported we were living at home without Dad… they took Richie, the house… I came here and cleaned the chimney like I was hired to do, but I'm leaving tomorrow. I'll telegraph uncle and take a train to visit him in Portsmouth."

"Isn't train fare is a lot? It's rather far."

"I'll figure something out," replied Ben. "I don't know if my uncle will let me stay. He hasn't spoken to dad for years, but he wrote a few years ago, asking to take me." He stopped, realizing the gravity of his decision. "It doesn't seem real… I'm in a blur, really."

"Is there anything we can do? I have my pocket money..." Ben started to protest, but Peter stopped him. "It's the least I can do, really, for what you did that time. Your father's not in his right mind now. It's no disgrace to you, but could you accept a little help, or are you brainless?" Peter took out some money wadded up in his pocket and counted it silently.

"I'm brainless. Consider it a loan, Pevensie." Peter pressed half a dozen bills into his hands, but Ben only took three. "Train fare and and good meal and I'm settled. I'll get work in Portsmouth, easy." Peter sighed and relented, stuffing the extra bills back into his pocket.

Then they all turned to see a voluptuous lady, clad in garish red silk, exit the office in a huff. Mr. Ledgerwood was right behind her, hands clasped together.

"Madam! Please, I beg of you. We'll punish the boys for lying, I swear it! Jeffrey is not at fault… he could never be a bully, whatever the evidence. I see your point at last. I'm heartily ashamed of myself!"

Looking down at him, brows raised, the lady quirked her lipsticked mouth. Then she snorted. "Why didn't you say that half an hour ago, Sir?" They was more than a hint of sarcasm about the last word, as if she mocked him with politeness he didn't deserve.

"It was a temporary lapse of judgement!" His fat little face was red, and he looked like a stuck pig.

"Mr. Ledgerwood, you are a little sniveling worm of a man," she said with relish. Susan was glad this lady was not a goddess, for she'd surely be furious and vengeful. "I'm well aware that your interview with your secretary has changed your mind. She also controls finances, doesn't she?"

"I treat all my children and their parents equally, regardless of status." Mr. Ledgerwood clung to the last remnant of his dignity.

"Baloney! You wouldn't say what you meant if you were the last man on earth. You'll lie in every situation. And you say whatever suits you, and that's whatever suits your wallet. A man can't serve God and Mammon!"

"I'm serving you, Madam, and your dear boy. With all my heart I am."

"And there too you are wrong! Of course Jeffrey bullied that boy; he has too much of his father in him. I divorced the man, but I'm left with his son. I will punish him myself. I intended to tell you that. But when I saw what a rat you were, I decided to… well, to test you. You've failed, and lost your richest pupil into the bargain."

"Mrs. Carlyle! My secretary will schedule a meeting with you tomorrow, when we're—"

"Goodbye, Mr. Ledgerwood." She smiled, amazed at her condescension in listening to him thus far. At once she swept out of the room, a battleship unharmed by conflict.

Mr. Ledgerwood stood staring after her for a minute. His eyes were bloodshot, and his tie was askew. Then he turned scowling to Peter. "Well? Why aren't you in class, boy? And who is this ruffian, and these little girls?" They could only stare at him. This seemed to irritate him further.

"Our parents are ill, sir," said Peter. "And this is Ben; he was a pupil here once."

"Was he now? But you must be mistaken. And now, your parents… hmph. Do you have a doctor's note?"

"My sisters' headmistress, Miss Gresham got a telegram. I don't have it here, but it said they were badly sick of cholera. We're all vaccinated, sir."

"Miss Gresham, well now," said Mr. Ledgerwood. He scratched his head as if in deep thought. " A flighty, romantic woman if I ever saw one. Quite given up to silly notions. This telegram didn't tell you to come home?"

"No, sir. I don't believe so. Only that it's very serious."

"Do you have money for the train?"

"We were thinking you'd put it on our credit."

"If your parents… professors and writers are they?… if they die, what's your credit worth then?"

"They have life insurance, sir. But I don't think our finances are your concern! We make all our payments on time and always will! How dare—"

"That's enough! Pevensie, I've tolerated your presence at this school for long enough. Either be quiet, or resign yourself to leaving. Your story is unconvincing. All you want, boy, is to gad about playing hooky around London. Well, I won't allow it. You and your pesky brother, back to class. Send the girls home and the other boy can go back to the gutter, or wherever that type comes from." And with this ultimatum, he went into his office and slammed the door. The sound resounded through the dim room, clinging in the air.

"Don't worry, Pevensie, old chap," said Ben. "I've got a plan."

Susan smiled. Whatever Ben was thinking, this was bound to be good.