“I think we are?” I answered.

“Fantastic!” the woman said, clapping her hands in excitement before she walked off in the direction of her classroom.

“Follow me, follow me! Oh, it’s so good to see new faces! We will have so much fun together! The lectures this year . . . Children, you are going to have a lark with them, I will make sure of that.

Have either of you read Wuthering Heights?”

“I have,” I said.

“Magnificent! I will make sure to have you read some of your analyses to the class this year. There’s nothing I love more than teaching children who are truly interested in literature. Oh dearie me, I forgot to introduce myself again, didn’t I? My name is Miss Pepperman, teacher for English Literature and Seven Hills’

librarian. I’m also the boarding parent for the girls, so if you ever encounter any lady problems, be sure to come by my room! I live in the tower of the girls’ wing and I always have an open ear, not to mention a fantastic tea collection!”

“Nice to meet you,” Seth said, looking vaguely amused. “Though I’ll apologize in advance. I’m really not good at writing—”

Miss Pepperman shook her head, her curls bobbing around her round little face. “Oh, love, everyone can write! I will make sure that you pass this class with flying colors. Now, come on in!”

She ushered us into a classroom that was smaller than I had expected, or maybe it just seemed that way because of all the bookshelves lining the brick wal s.

At the front of the room was the teacher’s desk, which was mainly covered in papers and little porcelain figures. The blackboard behind it, which was where Miss Pepperman headed, was filled with notes in neat calligraphy. With the golden morning light streaming through the high windows, catching in the specks of dust that were lazily floating about, the room seemed much more inviting than any of the claustrophobic, dimly lit classrooms I was used to at my former public school.

Most seats were already occupied when we entered, but we were lucky to spot a free table in the back. Seth and I had to exchange only one glance before we darted towards it and sat down next to one another.

Looking around the room, I was surrounded by faces I didn’t know, briefly wondering where Noelle was. Since there weren’t more than thirty students in each of the four years, therefore only roughly a hundred and twenty in total, the students in each year had every lesson together. In the end, she and her best friend arrived only a few seconds before the start of the lesson, not appearing to be in any hurry as they crossed the room and took up the last free table.

“Jasper!” Miss Pepperman exclaimed as soon as she noticed them, hurrying over to him. “How lovely to see you again. I missed your essays so much over the summer, you wouldn’t believe it! Have you been busy? How is your play going?”