(no subject)

[fiery_ring]

The location is the same as last time; the old shed behind the school.

Only this time, it's much darker. In fact, it's about six in the morning.

Comments

[wheatencrown]

She frowns as she reads it, the good is wonderful while the bad is hard. In the end she decides not to take it because Carlotta probably already has a copy of the article.

[fiery_ring]

Back at the school, Carlotta gets ticked off for not concentrating.

Where Demeter is, a man comes into the cafe.

"Bad day today." he says, "I just can't get that signal working without the parts and there'll be no trains back today if I can't."

[wheatencrown]

"Oh dear, what happened? I'm meeting someone this afternoon."

[fiery_ring]

"One of the parts inside the signals broke and we have to order a new one." the man says. "Where were you heading, miss?"

[wheatencrown]

"To meet my niece who's attending Ringmere. We're going to have a late tea after she has class but I'm not sure if I'll make it back in time if the trains not running."

[fiery_ring]

"No miss, I don't think you will. You might be able to get the bus though."

[wheatencrown]

"I'll have to do that then. Where can I catch the bus?"

If she can get far enough, Demeter can get herself back but she doesn't want to do anything to stand out.

[fiery_ring]

"Just out the door, turn left and go down the road." the man says. "And I apologise on behalf of the railway Miss."

[wheatencrown]

"Its alright, thank you so much."

Demeter pays for her tea and heads out the door and turns left. When she's at a point where no one's looking, she steps into the fields and soon is outside of Ringmere and tying a ribbon on the gate post.

[fiery_ring]

"Hey, you! What are you doing?" asks a girl who is most certainly not Carlotta. In fact, Demeter may recognise her as the pretty Angela who was at the tournament.

She's near the gate, retrieving a tennis ball, and now staring at Demeter.

[wheatencrown]

"Just admiring the fine school, I'm thinking of sending my own daughter here."

Demeter is her most regal and powerful with a smile.

[fiery_ring]

"Oh. Then you ought to come around the front. And why are you tying that ribbon on there?"

[wheatencrown]

"I'm going to take a photograph for her of the school and I want to give her a sense of where things are. Also I was thinking of how the roses matched the color of her ribbon. Shouldn't you be in class, dear?"

[fiery_ring]

"I just finished my tennis lesson." Angela says. "I was retrieving a lost ball. Hang on a moment, I'll get the key and let you in, so you can meet the head."

[wheatencrown]

"Oh you don't need to do that. I haven't made an appointment and honestly I was just sneaking a look."

[fiery_ring]

"Well you ought not to." Angela says suspiciously. "I don't mean to be rude, but this is a school and we can't have strangers snooping around."

[wheatencrown]

"Of course not. I should go anyway and I'll make a proper appointment."

Demeter gives her a smile and heads back out the gate, this going to make things trickier.

[fiery_ring]

Angela watches her suspiciously, then moves towards the gate to take down the ribbon. But just as her hand approaches it, someone calls her in, and she leaves it alone.

[wheatencrown]

Once she's left the school, Demeter heads into along the road, trying to figure out the best way to watch for Carlotta without getting caught again.

[fiery_ring]

Carlotta sees the ribbon, but doesn't manage to get out of the school unnoticed until nightfall, when she sneaks out just before bedtime.

"Demeter?" she whispers, getting near the gate and hiding in the shadows.

[wheatencrown]

Somehow Demeter is there, its hard to hide so and she's feeling rather uneasy,

"Yes, I'm here."

[fiery_ring]

"I'm awfully sorry, it's been difficult to get out..." she stops, spotting a torchlight in the grounds, and decides there's nothing else for it; she scrambles over the gate and drops next to Demeter, pulling her into a nearby bush.

[wheatencrown]

"Don't apologize, I found the bracelet but everything else has been more complicated."

Demeter pulls a veil of a sort over them so even if someone peers into the bush they won't be seen.

[fiery_ring]

Carlotta keeps very quiet until the man with the torch goes away.

"Come on." she says, getting her key out to open the gate. "If I'm not back in time for bed I'm going to be for the high jump."

[wheatencrown]

"You'll get back in time if need be I can cheat somehow to help you."

Demeter follows her as quietly as she can.