‘Congratulations on your painting, Lottie.’ Nana Lai, an Ivy girl from Lottie’s art class, appeared at her bedroom door, umber hair in a bun, her face full of genuine pride. ‘It’s really amazing. I’m thinking of applying to art school next year. Maybe we’ll cross paths in the future.’

Trying to absorb the compliment, Lottie told herself to respond.

‘Thank you, maybe.’ Lottie felt the words in her mouth like someone else was talking for her. ‘Have you seen Ellie anywhere? I can’t think where she’s gone.’

Nana shrugged, shoulders rising and falling. ‘I thought she left a little while ago.’

‘What?’

‘Yeah, she had a bunch of suitcases.’

Lottie couldn’t make sense of it. It was like the whole world was spinning too fast, everything blurring out of focus. ‘Oh … OK.’ It was all Lottie could manage, and her feet heavily carried her down the steps while Nana stared on in confusion.

Suddenly Lottie thought of Ellie’s look when their hands had parted, as if it were the last time she’d ever see her.

Lottie nearly bumped right into Professor Devine on the path towards the main hall, her purple cloak twirling behind her in a big wave when she stopped abruptly. ‘Lottie, excellent! We’re hoping, with your permission, to display your painting permanently in the grand hall.’ The professor gazed down at her from beneath her crop of red hair. ‘Lottie, are you all right?’

But all Lottie could do was stare back vacantly. She needed to find Ellie; that’s all she knew. Everything else was a jumble.

‘I’m looking for Ellie,’ she said, because it was the only thing that she could understand right then.

The professor’s eyes narrowed. ‘Eleanor has gone home early. Did she not inform you?’ There was a pointed tone. ‘She left no more than half an hour ago. Surely she told you, Lottie?’

Lottie felt her mouth open and close a few times, but no sound came out, like all the air had gone from inside her.

‘Yes, of course,’ she managed eventually, shuffling past the professor and out of the door.

Lottie’s mind went round and round in delirious circles.

Ellie was gone.

Ellie had left, and she was gone. She’d left not long ago.

It had to be a mistake. The look in her eye. The ache in her smile.

I’m really glad we got to have this time together.

It wasn’t until Lottie was approaching the edge of the Rosewood grounds that she even realized what she was doing. Vaguely aware of the black-clad security calling for her to stop, Lottie pushed past them and flung herself at full pelt down the hill, feet crunching on the stone path, down, down, past the rows of flowers and the trees, through the cast-iron gates, past the drop-off zone with the wooden canopy, and down, down further along the road.