Lowewood Academy

‘Dear Cassandra,

I can only assume that you didn’t receive my previous letter or have been too busy to respond.  I have just read about your racing accident in the Activists paper and am absolutely horrified.  How could you condone some poor girl being subjected to such a brutal and barbaric practice as corporal punishment as a result of this?  We are preparing for a campaign to stamp out this medieval practice, which I would suggest you join.

I had hoped your father would have instilled a better sense of justice in you but perhaps that was overly optimistic.  You must do the right thing and apologise, or the bad karma will haunt you for years.  I shall be writing to your headmaster to reinforce the view that Corporal Punishment is unacceptable in this day and age.  You would be wise to speak to your father and insist that you transfer to a more liberal institution immediately, Bedales perhaps?

Mum xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox’

I read it, reread it and blinked.  Bizarre was the only word that could sum it up.  Having neglected me for the last fourteen years my mother was suddenly not only taking an interest in me but in the welfare of Clara Grantley-Knighton of all people.  What a bitch!  No comment about MY race or MY injury or MY loss just horror that the silly cow had got caned and the audacity to suggest that I might want to apologise for it.  As if!  The hospital had obviously made a mistake- we can in no sense be related!

“Brutal and barbaric eh,” Sera laughed “She doesn’t half lay it on, though after Mr Bangham walloping after my last flute lesson I’m inclined to agree!”

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Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory. For ever and ever. Amen

The church was cool and dark as we all recited the traditional Sunday prayer. On ‘As we forgive those that trespass against us’ I involuntarily shivered. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t expecting a hand to appear from the heavens and smite me but I still felt a bit uneasy. It may be that what goes around, comes around, but in this case it just hadn’t come quickly enough: they deserved it.

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“Well I’m afraid that I don’t agree Juliet” said Oliver Priestly.

“Well I do” said Vanessa Rees.

“Well, I don’t” said Christopher Allan.

I forced myself to keep my face blank of emotion, despite wanting to leap up and punch Oliver. How dare he argue with me! I turned to Alex ap Iorwerth.

“Alex, what do you think?” I said sweetly. I smiled widely at him.

“Oh…er….of course I agree with you Juliet” he said.

“Then, gentlemen, I’m afraid that we will go ahead with it as planned. I think I take the majority vote.” I said. Christopher nodded in agreement. But Oliver glared at me.

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