A Passionate Proposition by Susan Napier

Author:Susan Napier
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2001-05-14T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

‘YOU know, if you can express yourself like this, I don’t understand why you’re getting such low marks in subjects that require essay-writing,’ said Anya, laying the handwritten page she had just read beside her on the dappled grass. She leaned back on her hands and studied the girl sprawled on her stomach in front of her. ‘Your grammar and punctuation are a bit sloppy but you seem to have bags of creativity.’

‘Too much, my teachers say. My ideas are too radical for them, though I don’t see why I shouldn’t liven up the facts when they get too boring,’ Petra replied cheerfully, in between bites at the apple which she had plucked off the tree above them and polished against her ubiquitous black top.

Scott had insisted that the tutoring take place under his own roof, but over the past three days Anya had discovered that the conventional use of table and chairs and structured lessons were not always conducive to Petra’s concentration. Sean had been conspicuous by his avoidance, but Samantha had gaggles of friends coming and going and Scott, too, was a powerfully distracting presence. Anya had found it more productive to find a peaceful spot amongst the orchard trees where the casual surroundings caused Petra to relax and open up rather than regard their discussions as a dismal chore.

Every now and then they would see Scott disappear off in his Jag, presumably for court appearances or meetings with clients, but for the most part he seemed to be working out of his study—or trying to.

‘It’s because of me,’ Petra had brashly confided on the second day. ‘Sam says she hardly used to see him before I came, because he was always at work, but he’s sorta trying to hang out around here for my sake. You know—be there for me. He bought this parenting book, for God’s sake—I saw it in his study: Bringing up a Teenager in the New Millennium or something equally dorky.’ The rolling of her eyes hadn’t quite concealed her sneaking satisfaction.

‘I don’t think I “thrive in a formal classroom setting”,’ said Petra now, rearing up to hurl her core accurately over the fence into the depths of a bank of low-growing shrubs.

Anya smiled wryly at the direct quotation from one of Petra’s report cards. She had said much the same thing to Liz Crawford when she had dropped by the school office to pick up a copy of Petra’s timetable and some texts and syllabus information.

‘She obviously has intelligence, she just doesn’t choose to focus it. Music is the only subject where she appears to score consistently high marks.’

Liz shook her dark curls as she handed over the requested photocopies. ‘You’re a glutton for punishment. First that camp and now this. I thought you were going to be selfish with the rest of your holiday…work on that essay of yours.’

‘I can do that in the mornings—I don’t go over to The Pines until after lunch. Anyway, I am being selfish. I’m

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