The Whispers in the Walls (Scarlet and Ivy, Book 2)

by Sophie Cleverly

  I was annoyed, but I felt a pang of sympathy. It really was freezing – all the hairs on my arms were standing up, and I couldn’t wait to get back to room thirteen and my bed. Rose didn’t even have a proper bed of her own, or any heating.

  “You need to sort this out, Violet,” I said. “Make sure she knows she has to stay inside. And get her more blankets, or something. Otherwise she’s going to keep running away.”

  “I thought you didn’t care?” Violet snapped back. “Anyway, I will. Come on out now, Rose. It’s okay …”

  Rose came to the door and stepped out. Her dress was covered in straw and she smelt slightly of horse, but she seemed fine. “I used to have a pony,” she said to Violet, in her tiny voice. “They’re wonderful, aren’t they?”

  I snorted. She would get on well with Ariadne. Ivy would have said she was a kind heart. Unlike some people I could think of.

  As if to prove my point, Violet quickly led her away without a word of thanks. Typical.

  “I bet she doesn’t really care that much about this girl,” I said to Ivy as soon as she was out of earshot. “She was probably just frightened that her new inheritance had gone out the window. Anyway, come on, let’s get back inside. I’m dying of cold here!”

  I thought it couldn’t get any colder than that night. I was wrong. It got so cold that we were shivering in the classrooms and blowing on our hands to keep them from seizing up while we were writing. In geography I could have sworn that there was ice in my inkwell.

  We managed to find Rose a spare blanket to keep her warm, and keep her hidden for a while longer. Ariadne used her pocket money to pick up some food from Kendall and Smith’s in the nearby village – stuff that would last as long as possible, like tinned fruit and cornflakes. I hoped Miss Finch would soon think of a safer location for Rose. We trusted our ballet teacher, but I wondered how long the situation could last – and how long it would be before we got caught.

  As I yawned through a dull assembly the following week, I was surprised to see Mr Bartholomew taking the stage.

  He looked even worse than before, if that was possible. He was almost bent double at the podium, and his face was pale as milk.

  For a moment I panicked. It was rare for him to make an appearance at assembly. What if someone had found out about Rose? What if they knew we were involved? I gripped the edges of my seat a little tighter.

  “Good morning, girls.” The headmaster’s voice rattled across the hall. “I have been informed that there have been … no further thefts. This is good to hear. Rest assured that the culprit will still be severely punished if they are discovered. But it seems … we will not have to cancel our traditional event, after all.”

  There was a buzz of puzzled murmuring from the first years. I quickly glanced at Ariadne, who looked equally confused, and Scarlet, who suddenly looked rather horrified.

  “For those of you who do not know,” he droned on, “we have an annual morning of ice skating, when the lake freezes over, as a … mmhmm, special treat. The lake has been inspected and is … solid enough to skate on.”

  He broke out into a fit of coughing, and grabbed the podium, looking for a moment as though he was going to fall off the stage.

  Mrs Knight rushed over, her face worried.

  The headmaster stopped coughing and looked up at her – even from a distance away, I could tell that his eyes were bloodshot. “Ah yes,” he said. “Mrs Knight will fill you in, I’m sure.” He skulked away and out of the door at the side of the hall.

  I breathed a sigh of relief. He made me edgy, and knowing that all those years ago my own mother had tried to expose him for his activities made it even worse. What was he getting away with?

  Mrs Knight watched him go. “Ahem,” she said. “Yes. In a moment I’ll ask all the first and second years to file out. Go to your dorms and put your warmest clothes on. You’ll select a pair of skates, and then we will all walk down to the lake. Stay in pairs, please.”

  Instinctively, I took Scarlet’s hand. Ariadne’s face dropped. “Oh, sorry …” I whispered.

  “It’s all right,” she sighed. “I’ll find someone.” As if by magic, Dot Campbell waved at her from a few rows away, and her expression brightened.

  Despite that, I still felt guilty. Scarlet smirked at Ariadne, but I gave her a slap and she soon stopped. Could it be that my always-confident sister was actually jealous of my friendship with Ariadne? Curious …

  “The rest of you will have the opportunity to go on other days,” Mrs Knight continued, “assuming that the weather continues in this manner.” She looked out of one of the tall windows that lined the hall. “And it seems that will be the case.”

  Outside, the first flakes of snow were falling.

  We headed back to the room. “Ice skating’s horrible,” said Scarlet. “It’s awful.”

  “It can’t be that bad—” I started.

  “It is that bad. If you don’t die of cold then the blades will get you! I can’t believe they think it’s a treat! Can’t we just hide?”

  My twin had a penchant for exaggerating, and I felt sure that she was making it out to be a lot worse than it really was. We had been ice skating a few times when we were younger, and I’d always enjoyed it. Once you got your balance, you could zip around quickly, the wind whipping your hair. It was like ballet, in a way.

  “I’m sure it’ll be fine,” I said.

  Scarlet looked completely unconvinced.

  “What are you, a coward?” I teased.

  That worked. She marched on ahead of me purposefully, and when I got back to room thirteen she’d already started getting changed.

  I pulled on my cardigan and coat. Scarlet buttoned on two extra cardigans and somehow found a woolly hat as well. I wasn’t sure it would be that cold, but then it wasn’t exactly warm and toasty in our room. I found myself wishing that I’d brought some gloves at least.

  We joined the queue of girls snaking around the swimming pool changing rooms. The snow fell lightly on our heads, speckling our coats with flecks of white. I shivered as we waited, slowly shuffling forward. I spotted Ariadne join the line behind us with Dot in tow, and felt a pang of guilt again. At least they looked happy.

  I couldn’t say the same for Scarlet. Her face was miserable.

  Regardless of what my twin said, I was looking forward to ice skating. It couldn’t be that bad.

  We finally made it to the door of the changing rooms, where Miss Bowler was waiting. She handed me a pair of skates. “Put those on,” she said.

  Ah.

  The skates looked, well, hideous. They were a dirty brown with fraying laces. They looked like they’d been shoved on to girls’ feet for the past fifty years and never been given a clean. I was fairly sure they were several sizes too small, and the blades were both sharp and rusted.

  I shuddered, and this time the cold wasn’t responsible.

  “Well?” Miss Bowler barked. “Get on with it!” I realised I’d been standing there staring at the horrible things and not moving. I heard Scarlet snickering behind me.

  Sighing, I headed back outside. A moment later, Scarlet came over – her amusement had been short-lived, because she’d been given a pair that were enormous.

  “Do they not try and –” I waved vaguely at the skates – “find ones that actually fit people?”

  “That would take too long,” said my twin, rolling her eyes.

  We followed the other girls back around the side of the school and out across the grounds in the direction of the lake.

  I’d never been down to the lake before, only seen it from a distance or from up on the rooftop. The path to it led down through a thick copse of trees that blocked out the grey sky, and eventually opened out on to a barren shore. Some of the trees hung their branches down almost as far as the surface, as if they were trying to stroke it with long bony fingers.

  The lake spread out in front of us, as grey as the sky above. A few of the girls had already braved the ice, and the sh
iny surface was criss-crossed with thin lines. Some clearly knew what they were doing and darted around, pulling off twirls and fast turns, while others were giggling as they clung desperately to their friends.

  I turned to Scarlet. “It looks fun,” I said. “Despite these monstrosities.” I took a seat on a fallen log and tried to pull the skates on. It took several attempts to force my feet into them. I caught my finger on the sharp blade. Ouch. I sucked at it, leaving a spot of iron-tasting blood on my thumb.

  Scarlet was standing there with her arms folded, looking haughty. “They can’t make me do it.”

  “Oh yes, we can,” said Miss Bowler, suddenly appearing behind her. She gave Scarlet a rough pat on the back, really more of a slap. “Get your skates on!” she bellowed. “Builds character!”

  My twin sat down beside me and muttered furiously as she tugged on her own lethal skates.

  I managed to stand up and tottered over the frozen ground to the ice. One step… Then I pushed off with one foot and I was gliding, slipping across the top of the lake. I wobbled and threw my arms out to steady myself. How do you stop? I thought as I came perilously close to another girl. It took me a moment, but I remembered: knees in, slight turn, shift your weight. My skate shaved up a little pile of snow as I skidded to a halt, breathless.

  “Ivy!” someone shouted.

  I looked around. It was Ariadne, waving to me from the edge. I watched as she took two steps onto the ice and immediately fell on her bottom.

  Mrs Knight stepped forward and offered her a hand, but Miss Bowler was simply yelling: “Up, up! Falling is for quitters!”

  Poor Ariadne …

  Scarlet skated up behind me uncertainly. She grabbed my arm and her momentum almost pulled me over, but I started moving too, until we were skating in synch.

  “You can hold me up,” Scarlet laughed, seeming a little more enthusiastic.

  We weaved in and out of the other girls, trying to keep in step as we circled the lake. The cold air that whipped at our faces was at least a refreshing change to being trapped indoors. Though my feet ached and I was sure I would have blisters before long, I was beginning to enjoy myself.

  And that was when things began to go very wrong.

  As we crossed over to one side of the lake, past a rocky outcrop just out of sight of the teachers, I heard shouting.

  “… ignoring me, like I mean nothing to you!”

  “Do you have any idea what I went through? Why didn’t you come looking for me?”

  Scarlet and I skidded to a halt. A small crowd was forming against the rocks. I peered around, wondering whose argument we had just skated into.

  It was Penny and Violet.

  “How could I? I was stuck here.” That was Penny, and there was fierce anger painted all over her face. I supposed she had just found out about the asylum.

  I could only see Violet from the back. “The twins managed to find each other, didn’t they? I bet it wasn’t that hard.” I frowned. Her voice was dripping with derision.

  “Shut up!” Penny screamed. “I know there’s more to this! What have you been playing at since you got back?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Violet’s arms were folded, and she seemed oblivious to us watching.

  “You’re lying! I always know when you’re lying!”

  “I don’t lie, you evil witch!”

  With a roar of frustration, Penny shoved Violet as hard as she could.

  I watched as time seemed to slow down. Violet lost her balance. She toppled, arms raised out to the sky. There was a sickening crack. Then there was a splash.

  Violet had fallen through the ice.

  Violet disappeared under the dark water. Someone started screaming.

  And then she reappeared, thrashing and waving her arms.

  “Help her!” Ethel cried out.

  Penny didn’t move, frozen like the ice beneath her feet. Didn’t even say a word.

  I looked around. No one was doing anything, just staring in horror. It was Violet. Violet who I hated more than anything. But I couldn’t stand by and let her drown.

  Could I?

  “Go and get one of the teachers,” I yelled to Ivy, knowing that she was quick on her feet. She nodded at me, breathless and horrified, and skated away.

  How could I get near Violet? There was a danger that if I skated towards her I’d fall straight into the gaping hole, and besides, there were already treacherous-looking cracks spreading out around it.

  Thinking quickly, I crouched down until I was I on my hands and knees. The cold stung my skin where I touched the slippery surface, but I kept crawling forward. Violet’s cries and choking echoed in my ears.

  “Stop panicking, Violet!” I shouted. “Just keep your head above the water! Ivy’s getting someone!”

  Someone was still screaming – Nadia, I realised. I wished she’d shut up. Violet needed to stay calm if we were going to get her out of there.

  Soon I was near enough to her, but I didn’t dare go any closer in case I fell in myself. “Get to the edge and see if you can hold on to it,” I said. She looked up at me, terror in her wide eyes as she kicked her legs and felt for the surface. She managed to raise her arms, her breathing still frantic.

  “Help,” she managed to choke out.

  She was within arm’s reach, just. I gripped her frozen hand. “Stay calm,” I ordered. “Help’s on the way.”

  Thankfully I was right, because I wasn’t sure if I could stay there much longer. Miss Bowler came running along the shore, carrying a life ring on one arm.

  “Get off the ice! All of you!” she panted.

  Nadia’s screams had dissolved into sobs, but she quickly skated to safety, taking her minions with her.

  Only Penny didn’t move. She was still standing there, looking down at what she’d done. I honestly couldn’t tell if she was horrified or proud.

  “I said ALL OF YOU, Miss Winchester! MOVE!”

  Penny turned and hobbled ashore.

  I looked up at Miss Bowler, pleadingly. I didn’t think I could physically let go of Violet’s hand. She was clinging so tight I thought that my own would drop off.

  “Help me!” she cried.

  “Scarlet, get this to her!” Miss Bowler said. She tossed me the life ring.

  Violet instinctively grabbed it, but it was clear she didn’t want to let go of my hand. “Just let go!” I said. “You need to take the ring with both hands!” She slowly and painfully unclenched her fist and took hold.

  “Get back, Scarlet,” Miss Bowler called out.

  I turned on my hands and knees. I heard a crack as another sliver of ice snapped under me. Oh no.

  I was facing the shore now, and I looked up and saw Ivy standing there. There was a look of pure horror on her face.

  She thinks she might lose me again, I realised.

  The thought was enough to spur me on. I crawled faster and faster, ignoring the cold and the fracturing of the surface below me. I built up momentum and slid the final few feet, rolling over and over on to the hard stones of the shore.

  I sat up, gasping for breath. Miss Bowler was pulling on the rope attached to the life ring with all her might. “Help me pull!” she ordered. A chain of girls grabbed the rope and heaved too. I kicked off my too-big skates and joined in, then Ivy was behind me.

  And before we knew it, Violet was sliding out of the ice.

  One of her skates had gone, sucked under by the current. The other scraped along as we pulled her towards us. Her limbs had gone limp – she lay there silently, eyes wide, and then the shivers spread over her. She started shaking violently on the ground, her hair and clothes soaking.

  I watched as Ivy pulled off her coat and wrapped it around her. A few others did the same.

  “We need to get her inside,” said Miss Bowler.

  We all helped Violet up and began the long, arduous trek back to the school.

  Mrs Knight met us near the doors with the school nurse, armed with a hastily
gathered pile of blankets.

  “What happened?” asked Nurse Gladys.

  “She fell through the ice,” said Miss Bowler. “She needs to go inside, NOW.”

  The nurse evidently agreed. “Mrs Knight, we need to get her in some lukewarm water to get her temperature back to normal.”

  Mrs Knight nodded. Together, she and the nurse half-dragged Violet inside.

  “Violet didn’t fall,” said Nadia. Ivy and I turned to look at her. “She was PUSHED.”

  Miss Bowler swung around. “Excuse me?”

  “Penny pushed her!” Nadia shrieked. “She pushed her on to the ice!”

  “I did not!” Penny yelled back. “I … I didn’t mean to!”

  And suddenly they’d jumped at each other. We stood back aghast as they scratched and pulled each other’s hair, their screams blurring together.

  It was over in seconds, as Miss Bowler grabbed them both by the scruff of the neck and held them at arm’s length. “BOTH OF YOU. MR BARTHOLOMEW’S OFFICE. NOW!”

  She dragged them away.

  The rest of the day’s lessons were cancelled as the teachers dealt with the ‘incident’. I guessed ice skating was probably off the menu from now on.

  I spent most of the afternoon wrapped in my blanket, huddled up against our small radiator. I still couldn’t stop my teeth chattering.

  Ivy and Ariadne sat on Ivy’s bed. Ariadne kept recounting the tale of the terrible accident and our daring rescue, as if she’d somehow been involved and not been flat on her back at the other side of the lake. I rolled my eyes.

  “Ice skating is horrible,” she finished.

  Ivy was staring at me.

  “I told you so,” I said.

  “I don’t understand,” Ariadne said. “I thought Penny and Violet were friends.”

  “They’re both vicious,” I said. “You wouldn’t want to cross either of them. And now they’ve crossed each other. This isn’t going to end well.”

  Ivy bit her lip, and I knew she was thinking about what had happened to me.

  I hadn’t really spoken about it, but somehow the words came tumbling out. “They dragged me on to the roof, didn’t they? What do you think Violet was going to do? What if she’d thrown me off? If Miss Fox hadn’t taken her …” I stared at the wall. It was something I’d not even wanted to think about.