(no subject)

When Carlotta is angry, generally everyone knows about it.

But this time, she doesn't fly into a temper, or stamp her foot, or swear. She stands, with dignity, in front of the girl who tried to bring about her demotion by sneaking on the entire form's midnight feast. Without, of course, knowing that she wasn't there.

"You know why you are here Fern. You played a very mean, spiteful trick on the girls the other night and must be punished for it."

"I won't be punished by you! You weren't even at the feast, so this has nothing to do with you!" Fern shouts.

"Oh yes it does!" Pat says angrily. "We all know you planned the whole thing to get back at Carlotta because you're jealous of her."

"Jealous of her? What nonsense! Carlotta is nothing but a common, low down..."

"You're the one who's low down! Rotton sneak!"

"Carlotta is worth a dozen of you!"

"You are being punished by the whole form, not just me." Carlotta says firmly, breaking through the angry voices of her form. "We've all talked about this and agreed what we have to do. As from now, you are in Coventry, Fern. None of us wishes to speakto you or have anything to do with yo. We don't want you coming here at weekends or joining in any of our after school activitie. Whether we change our minds nearer the end of term depends on how well you learn your lesson and whether or not you are truly sorry."

Never in her pampered life had Fern been treated like this. Behind the tears in her eyes, was rage. This was war.