what he’s up to.” She looked on edge and doubtful.
“Would you like me to give it back, Miss Collins?” asked Amelia, not quite sure which answer she would prefer.
“No, no. That’s all right. Would you pop up to his office and ask him if he knows about the missing copy, please? I’m sure he would like to be kept informed.”
Amelia ‘popped’ her way up the six staircases to that long, miserable corridor. She knocked and entered on the Headmaster’s command.
He sat at his glass-topped desk, writing furiously. His face was flushed and those big baggy eyes were moist. He looked pleased with himself.
“Ah, Miss Jaxson, how are you this fine morning?” It was an unusual greeting from this normally introverted man.
“I’m fine, thank you, Headmaster,” Amelia replied. “Miss Collins asked me to come and see you.”
“Ah yes, I must speak to her. Look at this.” A long bony finger tapped on the cover of a magazine in front of him. “I expect to be vindicated, very soon,” he said. He wasn’t just smiling; his face positively radiated exhilaration.
“I found your book in my locker, professor,” she said, eager to make her exit. “Miss Collins asked whether it was still all right now the library copy is missing?”
“What? Missing? Yes, I thought perhaps it would be,” he said, his voice beginning to crack.
Amelia repeated what she’d been told by his secretary and every ounce of emotion drained from his face. There was a long embarrassing pause.
Eventually the professor spoke. His voice had reduced to a whisper and he was almost incoherent. “Take good care of my book, Amelia. Miss Collins said you could be trusted. It’s the only one left now. No one must know you have it”
“Yes professor,” she said dutifully. Her mouth was dry.
“Oh, and please – be very, very careful,” he added.
“Why is that, professor?” she said, thinking that this was now getting bizarre.
“Go now. Yes, you had better go now.” He looked terrible and his speech had become slurred. Amelia left, not sure whether to be scared or concerned.
Making her way back to the library she told Miss Collins that it was okay for her to have the book. “I hate to say this,” she blurted out suddenly, “but I think the professor has been drinking.”
“What?” Miss Collins shouted. She leapt up so quickly her chair fell backwards and she literally ran from the library. Amelia stood there and tried to tot up how many rules the school secretary had just broken.
“This is all very strange,” said Amelia as she met up with Rayn in the entrance hall.
“What’s going on?” asked Rayn. “You look awful.”
Amelia looked out of the big glass doors of the school. “I need some air,” she said. “Let’s grab some of that sunshine for a few minutes.”
They went outside and stood on the steps where several other people clustered together in the late autumn sunshine.
“It’s a bit nippy,” said Rayn.
“Yeah,” answered Amelia. “Let’s walk.” They turned right and walked along the tarmac path that surrounded the square and ungainly building. When they were out of hearing range of the others Amelia stopped and leaned against the railings, which were topped with Victorian ornamental spikes, installed to protect the border of shrubs and bushes but mainly to prevent the pupils using the ground floor windows as quick exits.
Amelia explained the events of the last half an hour. “You think the professor was drunk then?” asked Rayn in amazement.
“I’m pretty sure,” said Amelia. “I’ve seen Mum and Granddad after they’ve knocked back a few. That’s all I’ve got to compare it to.”
“It’s a bit early in the day, isn’t it?”
“That’s not really the point, Rayn. It was his reaction when I told him about the missing book. He just seemed to collapse inwards.”
“That’s very weird. And he really told you to be careful? Careful of what, do you think?”
“No idea,” said
“Would you like me to give it back, Miss Collins?” asked Amelia, not quite sure which answer she would prefer.
“No, no. That’s all right. Would you pop up to his office and ask him if he knows about the missing copy, please? I’m sure he would like to be kept informed.”
Amelia ‘popped’ her way up the six staircases to that long, miserable corridor. She knocked and entered on the Headmaster’s command.
He sat at his glass-topped desk, writing furiously. His face was flushed and those big baggy eyes were moist. He looked pleased with himself.
“Ah, Miss Jaxson, how are you this fine morning?” It was an unusual greeting from this normally introverted man.
“I’m fine, thank you, Headmaster,” Amelia replied. “Miss Collins asked me to come and see you.”
“Ah yes, I must speak to her. Look at this.” A long bony finger tapped on the cover of a magazine in front of him. “I expect to be vindicated, very soon,” he said. He wasn’t just smiling; his face positively radiated exhilaration.
“I found your book in my locker, professor,” she said, eager to make her exit. “Miss Collins asked whether it was still all right now the library copy is missing?”
“What? Missing? Yes, I thought perhaps it would be,” he said, his voice beginning to crack.
Amelia repeated what she’d been told by his secretary and every ounce of emotion drained from his face. There was a long embarrassing pause.
Eventually the professor spoke. His voice had reduced to a whisper and he was almost incoherent. “Take good care of my book, Amelia. Miss Collins said you could be trusted. It’s the only one left now. No one must know you have it”
“Yes professor,” she said dutifully. Her mouth was dry.
“Oh, and please – be very, very careful,” he added.
“Why is that, professor?” she said, thinking that this was now getting bizarre.
“Go now. Yes, you had better go now.” He looked terrible and his speech had become slurred. Amelia left, not sure whether to be scared or concerned.
Making her way back to the library she told Miss Collins that it was okay for her to have the book. “I hate to say this,” she blurted out suddenly, “but I think the professor has been drinking.”
“What?” Miss Collins shouted. She leapt up so quickly her chair fell backwards and she literally ran from the library. Amelia stood there and tried to tot up how many rules the school secretary had just broken.
“This is all very strange,” said Amelia as she met up with Rayn in the entrance hall.
“What’s going on?” asked Rayn. “You look awful.”
Amelia looked out of the big glass doors of the school. “I need some air,” she said. “Let’s grab some of that sunshine for a few minutes.”
They went outside and stood on the steps where several other people clustered together in the late autumn sunshine.
“It’s a bit nippy,” said Rayn.
“Yeah,” answered Amelia. “Let’s walk.” They turned right and walked along the tarmac path that surrounded the square and ungainly building. When they were out of hearing range of the others Amelia stopped and leaned against the railings, which were topped with Victorian ornamental spikes, installed to protect the border of shrubs and bushes but mainly to prevent the pupils using the ground floor windows as quick exits.
Amelia explained the events of the last half an hour. “You think the professor was drunk then?” asked Rayn in amazement.
“I’m pretty sure,” said Amelia. “I’ve seen Mum and Granddad after they’ve knocked back a few. That’s all I’ve got to compare it to.”
“It’s a bit early in the day, isn’t it?”
“That’s not really the point, Rayn. It was his reaction when I told him about the missing book. He just seemed to collapse inwards.”
“That’s very weird. And he really told you to be careful? Careful of what, do you think?”
“No idea,” said
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