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Oct. 7th, 2008 09:39 pmThe air smells of springtime around St Clare's school; the first snowdrops have begun to emerge in the grounds. The chatter of girls moving between classes and their common room fills the air, as the precious free time between afternoon class and dinner commences.
"I'm just going out to the stables." Carlotta says to Bobby. Her curly-haired companion shakes her head, amused.
"You'll be for it if Miss Jenks finds out you're teaching that horse to paint pictures."
"She won't believe it." Carlotta says, grinning and setting off through the gate. She unbolts the stable door and goes inside, up to the big grey mare she's been teaching.
But she doesn't get far. In fact, she nearly jumps out of her skin when an athletic lad of about sixteen jumps off a rafter down next to her.
"Aargh! Frank? What are you doing, you big silly oaf?"
"Is that any way to greet an old friend?" Frank asks, in a mock hurt tone. Carlotta gives him half a polite smile, then eyes him severely, looks around, and switches to Spanish.
"I'm serious Frank. I know we had some good times, but this is a girls' school, you should not be lurking in the stables. You should not be here at all."
"Don't fuss, Carlotta, nobody comes here at this time of night but you. You know that, that's why you do your horse training at this time. You are a circus girl to the bone."
"Last I heard, the Ringmaster told you to pack your bags and leave." Carlotta says, backing away and continuing to eye him suspiciously. "He does not do that lightly."
Frank moves forward, his eyes more gentle.
"I know it looks bad, fiery one, but really, it was my choice, I wasn't expelled. I left because I had my own ideas. Because I've started my own circus. There's a whole load of us now, you should see it! We have parrots, monkeys, ponies, even a giraffe!"
Carlotta feels her interest rising. She's never seen a giraffe before, let alone heard of one trained.
"I'm happy for you." she says after a moment. "But I can't see them, not in term time."
Frank sighs, and moves closer, putting one hand on her shoulder.
"I can't believe what they did to you. It's emotional blackmail. They tied you down when you should always have been beautiful and free. If your poor mother could see you now, how heartbroken she would be at your suffering."
"I'm not suffering Frank." she looks at the hand, unsure whether she likes where this is going.
"Your mother gave up everything to get you back into circus life. You're talented. Come with me, be the leading lady. Nobody will ever track you down."
"No!" Carlotta pulls away. "I made a promise to my father and grandmother, stop tempting me, I can't break that."
"There's no need to yell, I'm trying to make you into a star. Come on, you'd be awfully good." Both hands on her shoulders now, and a pleading look.
Remembering Teja's advice, Carlotta considers strongly kneeing him in the groin. But realises just in time that there's no way she can do that in her school skirt. So she settles for punching him in the face.
"I'm just going out to the stables." Carlotta says to Bobby. Her curly-haired companion shakes her head, amused.
"You'll be for it if Miss Jenks finds out you're teaching that horse to paint pictures."
"She won't believe it." Carlotta says, grinning and setting off through the gate. She unbolts the stable door and goes inside, up to the big grey mare she's been teaching.
But she doesn't get far. In fact, she nearly jumps out of her skin when an athletic lad of about sixteen jumps off a rafter down next to her.
"Aargh! Frank? What are you doing, you big silly oaf?"
"Is that any way to greet an old friend?" Frank asks, in a mock hurt tone. Carlotta gives him half a polite smile, then eyes him severely, looks around, and switches to Spanish.
"I'm serious Frank. I know we had some good times, but this is a girls' school, you should not be lurking in the stables. You should not be here at all."
"Don't fuss, Carlotta, nobody comes here at this time of night but you. You know that, that's why you do your horse training at this time. You are a circus girl to the bone."
"Last I heard, the Ringmaster told you to pack your bags and leave." Carlotta says, backing away and continuing to eye him suspiciously. "He does not do that lightly."
Frank moves forward, his eyes more gentle.
"I know it looks bad, fiery one, but really, it was my choice, I wasn't expelled. I left because I had my own ideas. Because I've started my own circus. There's a whole load of us now, you should see it! We have parrots, monkeys, ponies, even a giraffe!"
Carlotta feels her interest rising. She's never seen a giraffe before, let alone heard of one trained.
"I'm happy for you." she says after a moment. "But I can't see them, not in term time."
Frank sighs, and moves closer, putting one hand on her shoulder.
"I can't believe what they did to you. It's emotional blackmail. They tied you down when you should always have been beautiful and free. If your poor mother could see you now, how heartbroken she would be at your suffering."
"I'm not suffering Frank." she looks at the hand, unsure whether she likes where this is going.
"Your mother gave up everything to get you back into circus life. You're talented. Come with me, be the leading lady. Nobody will ever track you down."
"No!" Carlotta pulls away. "I made a promise to my father and grandmother, stop tempting me, I can't break that."
"There's no need to yell, I'm trying to make you into a star. Come on, you'd be awfully good." Both hands on her shoulders now, and a pleading look.
Remembering Teja's advice, Carlotta considers strongly kneeing him in the groin. But realises just in time that there's no way she can do that in her school skirt. So she settles for punching him in the face.
