CHAPTER ONE
There had been a frost overnight, leaving the grass white and
sparkling in the early morning sunshine. When Kate looked
out of her window, at seven, pearly mist obscured her view,
and she dressed quickly, shivering, hoping that it was not
going to be another grey day. But at nine, when she left the
house, the wind had blown the mist away, and the sky was a
bright, clear blue.
The change lifted her spirits. She walked along slowly, her
dreamy eyes fixed on the elm tree tops which showed above
Cheddall’s walls, swaying slowly against the heavenly blue of
the sky. The black branches were thickened by rooks’ nests
and as she watched some of the ungainly black birds rose up,
cawing.
The sound reminded her of summer. She shivered,
clutching her coat closer. Despite the sunshine it was still a
chilly January morning.
Still dreaming, she stepped into the road, and was dragged
down to earth by the blare of a car horn. She leapt back to the
pavement and looked round, heart pounding.
A sleek black car had pulled up, brakes screeching
dramatically. The driver got out and walked round to her.
“What the devil do you think you’re doing, walking under my
wheels like that?”
Kate had the impression of looking up a long way
to his dark, angry face. “I’m sorry,” she stammered. “It was
my fault, I know. But,” her nerves shaken by his harsh tones,
“there’s no need to shout at me like that.”
“You must expect people to lose their temper if you try to
commit suicide under their cars,” he retorted. “Are you hurt?”
“No, thank you,” she said, in the same angry tone he had
used for the question.
“You needn’t sound so aggrieved,” he snapped, staring at
her, “I’m the one with a grievance, I think.”
“I’ve said I’m sorry. What more do you want?”
“You sound sorry,” he said sarcastically.
Her hair bristled on the back of her neck. “I was very sorry
at first, but your attitude would put anyone’s back up.”
“Women!” he grunted. “How very logical! Well, if you’re not
hurt, good morning.”
She watched him stride back to his car and felt like
childishly stamping her foot. Male superiority triumphs
again, she thought, as he drove past without a second glance.
Men like that would make the mildest female join Women’s
Lib!
She glanced at her watch and was horrified to see the
time. She would be late if she did not hurry and her first
lesson was at nine-fifteen. She crossed the road, looking both
ways, and ran the rest of the way to the school.
The summons to Miss Carter’s study came while Kate was
listening to a first-former attempting to play the piano. Both