FIRST TERM AT TREBIZON by Anne Digby

Author:Anne Digby
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
ISBN: 9781899587063
Publisher: Straw Hat
Published: 2011-04-19T00:00:00+00:00

Eight

JUNIPER VOTES

The first good thing that happened to Rebecca on Monday was supposed to be a 'punishment'. It took place after Miss Heath had called the register on Monday morning.

'Rebecca, Deborah,' said the form-mistress, sternly fixing her gaze on them, 'I have had complaints from three different mistresses about you two, talking during lessons, and I'm afraid I shall have to split you up.'

She looked all round the room at the pairs of girls seated at their double desks, thinking hard. Then she pointed: 'Susan and Ishbel, you tend to chatter rather a lot, too. So I think, let me see, Ishbel can sit in Margot's place at the back, next to Judith. I think it would be a good thing for Margot to come to the front. Margot come forward and sit in Rebecca's place next to Deborah, and you, Rebecca, collect up your books and sit at the back next to Susan.'

Rebecca felt weak all over. Some punishment! Not only was she being moved away from Debbie Rickard, but she was being told to sit next to Sue. She wondered if Tish would be furious at being split up from Sue but, as she went back there with her books, she could tell that she didn't mind. Sue, after all, would still be next door to her, just across the gangway, and Judy Sharp was pleased to have Tish sitting next to her. Debbie was relieved to be getting someone new, and the whole form was delighted at the distraction, which looked as though it would delay the start of the English lesson by at least five minutes as desk lids banged and girls shuffled around.

Only Margot Lawrence felt rather put out. She was not particularly fond of Debbie Rickard, and she liked sitting at the back. On the other hand, she was supposed to put some glasses on to look at the blackboard, and often didn't bother. Now she would not need to. Miss Heath was quite aware of this factor.

When the form had settled down, Miss Heath produced a thick pile of exercise books from her bag, and that was when the second nice thing happened to Rebecca.

'I have marked your essays over the weekend and one of them is so outstanding that I have awarded it an A. Rebecca, will you come up here and read it out to the rest of the form, please.'

Rebecca had to go up to the front. She took her open exercise book from Miss Heath and then turned to face the form. Her hand shook very slightly and the exercise book wobbled.

'A Winter's Morning,' she began, very fast.

'Don't gabble, Rebecca.'

Rebecca took a deep breath, and then read her essay slowly and carefully. The whole form listened in attentive silence. Nobody chattered or passed notes. Then Rebecca went back to her seat.

'Congratulations!' said Sue, out of the corner of her mouth, and Rebecca stared at the bright red A written boldly at the bottom of her essay, still not quite able to believe it.

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