In disbelief, Cassie watched him stride off across the lawn. He didn’t so much as glance back, the stuck-up tosser. He could go screw himself. ’Cos obviously no one else would ever be good enough.
Cassie slumped down against the trunk of the tree, still staring after him.
She’d never met such a horse’s arse in her life.
And she fancied him like crazy.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Cassie’s eyes snapped open. Must have been a nightmare. Rubbing her arms, she stared at the stirring curtains and listened to the moonlit silence. She had lain awake until well past midnight, cringing inwardly about Richard. So the hard and streetwise Cassie Bell had fallen for a bit of chinless charm? Pathetic.
Not that he was actually chinless. Hell of a handsome, really. But all of it skin-deep. And there was a good chance that the rest of these rich brats were the same. So she should stop letting Ranjit creep into her brain the way he did.
She was sure he had been part of the nightmare that had just woken her, though she couldn’t remember the details. It had dissolved as she woke, but she could still sense a pair of night-eyes branded on the inside of her eyelids. And silence was always so ominous coming out of a nightmare, though she could hear the echo of an imagined whisper.
No. That wasn’t an echo, and she hadn’t imagined it. That really was a whisper. Cassie swung her legs off the bed and held herself still.
Soft footfalls. Even softer voices.
As usual, Isabella was sleeping like a sedated baby. Cassie almost wanted to shake her awake, but she resisted the temptation. She could stay in bed herself. She should stay in bed. What she ought to do now was pull the soft bedclothes over her head, blot out those whispering voices and go back to sleep. What she really, really ought to do was mind her own business …
Uh-huh.
Isabella’s long cashmere cardigan was slung over a chair. Dragging it round her shoulders, Cassie pulled open the door. It was still October, and though it wasn’t cold she shivered as she stepped cautiously into the corridor. Jake again? This time she’d confront him. This time she’d find out what he was up to.
It wasn’t Jake.
Cassie pressed herself against the wall. Two girls were walking silently towards the west wing, and she’d know one of those silhouettes anywhere: small and perfectly formed, with a black razored haircut. Keiko.
The girl with her was a little taller, and fair-haired. It took Cassie a moment to recognise her, since her hair was usually bound up in a chic knot: Alice, Keiko’s roommate. As the light from a wall sconce fell on the pair, Cassie saw that Keiko’s fingers were locked round Alice’s wrist. She wasn’t dragging Alice, exactly, but Alice didn’t seem too thrilled to be going along with her.
Cassie frowned.
‘Keiko.’ Alice’s whisper drifted back through the silent corridor. ‘I don’t like this.’ She jerked Keiko to a halt.
Keiko turned to face her roommate, watching her silently for a moment. Cassie shrank further into the wall.
‘I told you before,’ murmured Keiko silkily. ‘It’s a request from the Few. You can’t say no. Come on, Alice. What could possibly happen?’
‘I don’t know. I don’t— What happened last time? I mean, I don’t remember.’
Keiko tightened her fingers on Alice’s wrist and tugged her on. ‘That’s because you had too much to drink. Believe me, you had a great time.’
‘I did?’
‘Of course. Do come on, it’s a privilege. Late-night drinks in the Few’s common room? There are girls in this school who’d kill for the chance you’re getting.’
‘Yeah? So why me?’
‘You’re lucky to have me as a roommate, that’s all.’ Keiko gave her a smile that Cassie didn’t like one bit, even at a distance. But Alice seemed reassured.
‘Well, don’t let me drink too much this time, all right?’
‘OK, I’ll try not to, either.’ Keiko’s tone became more insistent. ‘What do you remember, anyway? From last time.’
‘Just being there. Lots of talking. Having a drink. Not much after that.’ Alice shrugged and almost giggled. ‘I didn’t realise I’d drunk so much.’
‘I’ll look after you.’ Squeezing her arm, Keiko smiled. ‘Don’t worry about that.’
Letting her roommate go, Keiko turned to carry on as if she didn’t care whether Alice came with her or not. Alice hesitated only for a moment, then scuttled after her.
Following them, Cassie stayed well back. There was no way she wanted Keiko to spot her, and she knew where they were going. Keiko padded purposefully to the west-wing staircase, then led Alice up to the third floor and into the corridor where the blank-eyed busts stood guard like watchful ghosts.
Cassie edged towards the archway, risking a glance round the corner. At the end of the corridor, the shadows deepened, but a line of greenish light showed at the bottom of the door. Keiko didn’t knock. She turned the handle and drew Alice after her into the common room.
Cassie exhaled with relief. What now? She couldn’t just stand there till they came back out. On the other hand, if she crept back to bed she wouldn’t sleep anyway. This was her only chance to investigate, and she was damned if she was passing it up. Go on, Cassie. Clenching her fists, she made herself put one foot in front of the other. And again. Come on. She could hear the muted clink of crystal now, and soft murmuring voices. It hardly sounded like a wild midnight party, but the door was thick, the sounds muffled. She had to get closer.