Chapter Two

Isabel walked slowly down the stairs, eying all the photos of students from the past. There was something wrong with them. They didn't look happy, even though they were the head students. That surely would have made Isabel feel proud. What was wrong with them?

"Miss Isabel?"

Isabel turned her head, startled.

"The girls at this school are not to wake before the bell for breakfast."

"I'm sorry sir, "Isabel apologised as she ran down the stairs. "I was not aware!"

"Hmmm. I will let you off this time."

The bell rang. Time for breakfast. Isabel watched the girls stream out. It was baffling how many there were. Isabel looked out for Hatty, but was shoved out of the way, almost making her fall to the ground.

"Hey!" She called out to no one, for no one was listening.

Breakfast was a silent meal and everyone sat still and serious.

"Well, come on children! It isn't proper to sit there like that!" Said Monsieur, so everyone began to say grace, with an odd sense of weariness. Then the food came out. Mashed potatoes and sausages, though you could hardly call them sausages. Thin and burnt, not one bit desirable. Not like the fat and long kind Isabel was used to. She looked at her plate. She was beginning to feel she couldn't stomach the... 'food'. But she had to. Tante would say it's rude not to. Everyone was slowly digging into it. Taking one ghastly bite at a time. Isabel put on a brave face and cut off a piece of the meat. She shoved it in her mouth quickly.

"Phouah!" She exclaimed. All the girls stared at her.

"Ms. Isabel, was is the meaning off this outburst?"

"I thought...." Isabel cringed, everyone else was whispering in shock among them selves.

"You thought?" Monsieur's eyebrow rose high as the sky.

"I thought the food was.... quite appalling."

Monsieur let out a loud chuckle. Some students smiled, amused.

"Appalling you say?"

Isabel nodded, not sure where this was going.

"Now, Ms. Isabel. I should say Queen Isabel, what is it you desire? Do you want a chef of your own?"

"Well, if it brings me good food, then yes Sir."

"Ha! What next then? A room of your own, private lessons?"

Isabel was confused and frustrated. Everyone thought it was hilarious. She didn't. She wasn't used to being laughed at. The bell finally ran, and Isabel felt relieved as everyone left.

"Isabel?"

Isabel turned around, wondering who said that. She didn't see anyone, so she kept walking.

"Isabel?" The quiet voice came again.

This time she turned as quick as lightning, to catch who said it.

"Did someone say my name?" She asked timidly, waiting for someone to speak up. Everyone was walking around her or pushing through. It seemed that no one there wanted to speak to her.

She sighed and walked on.

Arithmetic class. Isabel wasn't concentrating. She was thinking about the voice. Who was it? It scared her.

"Isabel?" She snapped out of her thought. The mistress didn't look pleased.

"What's the answer?"

"I don't know..."

"If you can't understand English properly, then I suggest you go to the English classes we hold for students less capable. Now! I hope you all did your sums last night because..."

But Isabel didn't hear the rest it was all a blur. She rested her head on her hand and refused to listen.

Hatty came up to her after class.

"Oh, what luck!" She exclaimed.

"Pardon?"

"You have that witch, Mrs. Harrison."

"Oh." Isabel smiled, "I'll have to agree with you about the witch thing." They both laughed.

That night Isabel found it hard to sleep. Who had been calling her name? She tossed and turned, and Hatty stirred.

"Isabel!" She grunted, "could you stop moving around so? I bet they can hear you from downstairs!"

"Sorry, Hatty. I can't sleep."

"Isabel, is something wrong?" She sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"No, I suppose I am simply homesick."

"You'll get through it. I was so homesick, I cried every night for the first two weeks. "

"I have a feeling somebody knows me here." Isabel yawned and looked up at the ceiling, "I heard someone, calling my name. But when I looked around, they were never there."

"Maybe it was a ghost!" Hatty said with some sarcasm. "People say this place is full of them."

"Yes, that would be it then." Isabel giggled. She slumped over for the last time, and dreamed peacefully until the morning woke her.

Isabel again found herself waking early. She tried to go back to sleep but it was futile. So instead she took a book at random. She read it for half an hour and put it down. Isabel wasn't really interested in reading. She loved to imagine stories in her head, but she didn't tell anyone this. Getting a piece of paper, she began to write to Tante.

"Cher Tante,

I have been here for just three days but I would like to talk to you. I can't tell you how much your company is missed, and how strange is it to be at school! The teachers are interesting, each one is very different. I like my literature teacher, Mr. Sallowes, he is nice. But the old hermit crab Mrs. Harrison is very mean and very old. She teaches arithmetic, a completely useless subject to me. Hatty is my only friend so far, she has been very kind to me. I share a room with her, as you know. I wish you could be here. The daughter of Mr. Minchin, the headmaster, seems very lonely. And such a dull thing! I think all the girls here need a bit of brightening up. They don't smile enough. Oh yes, and there's something else that sounds a bit weird"

Pausing for a second Isabel looked over the sentence she was about to write.

"... never mind. Anyhow, I shall have to speak to you soon. Please write back, dear Aunt. I love you so!!

Isabel"

She had just stopped signing her name when the door swung open and caused Isabel to gasp. She waited to see who had entered.

"Hello? Who is it? Have you been calling my name? Why?"

She saw a footstep in the door way slowly. Isabel shuddered. The person came into the dim light. She relaxed as she saw it was simply Mr. Minchin's daughter.

"You're a half wit!" The young woman said abruptly as Isabel started folding the letter. She put on a squeaky voice, imitating Isabel. "Who is it? Have you been calling my name?... How asinine you are!" She grabbed the letter.

"Give it back, please!"

"Oh, so that's what you think of me. 'A dull thing.' You're frightfully rude."

"You're frightfully dull, and I felt the need to note it."

The Minchin girl clenched her teeth, Isabel knew she had no come back. But she also knew that she herself had been quite hardhearted.

"What is your name?" She asked quietly.

"Marina. And don't worry, I know your name. You made quite an entry the other day with the sausages and what not."

Isabel blushed.

"Your father seems harsh on you."

"You're parents are obviously not harsh enough."

Isabel looked down.

"I have no parents."

Marina looked the other way. "I'm sorry." She said. The words had no meaning when she said it like that.

"They died when I was young." There was a painful silence Isabel needed to break. "Why are you here anyway?"

"I teach the younger ones. Besides, I live here. My mother is the biggest gossip and my father only cares about this school. My sister does very little. She's sixteen and extremely lazy." Isabel waited for a smile after what she thought was a comical statement. But the smile never came. She realised Marina wasn't joking.

She wondered how anyone could speak that of their own family. Isabel's older sister, Maddy, was quite a dunce. But she'd never tell anyone that, not to someone she hardly knew.

"You must be lonely." Isabel burst out. She bit her lip.

Marina became quite defensive. "Well, I'll have you know that I'm just fine. I don't need you to tell me what I feel. Yes, I have no friends. But it doesn't bother me and it never will." She left as Hatty woke.

"But everyone needs a friend." Isabel called out. But it was too late, Marina had left.

Hatty rubbed her eyes.

"Who are you talking to, Issy?"

"Nobody, never mind."

"What, that ghost of yours."