“How could you blithely give her permission to opt out when it’s so near to the actual concert? She is supposed to have a solo in the choir section. What am I supposed to do about that?”

Startled, Lindsay muttered, “What’s going on?”

“Search me,” Chris replied. “That’s Margaret Macdonald, head of music. Normally Paddy and her are the best of pals.”

Paddy glared at Margaret and retorted, “Far be it from me to put my oar in, but Jessica did suggest the Holgate girl could perfectly well handle an extra solo.”

The other woman got out of her chair and faced Paddy. “I make the decisions about my choirs, not Jessica Bennett. If the girl had come to me with her demands, I would not have given her permission to skulk in a corner and avoid her responsibilities. She’s not the only person who has reasons for wanting to have nothing to do with this concert. But some people just have to struggle on.”

“Look, Margaret,” said Paddy more quietly, realizing the eyes of the staffroom were on them, “I’m sorry this has put you out. I know how much you’ve got on your plate. But in my view it would be far worse if I’d sent the girl off with a flea in her ear and she ended up throwing a fit on the concert platform. And in my view that would have been quite possible.”

Margaret Macdonald opened her mouth to retort, but before she could speak the staffroom door opened and a tall woman entered. As she moved into the room, the conversations gradually started up again. The music teacher turned sharply away from Paddy, saying only, “Since you have told the girl it will be all right, I must abide by your decision.”

Looking slightly stunned, Paddy returned to Lindsay and Chris. “I’ve never known Margaret to behave like that,” she murmured. “Incredible. Hang on a minute, Lindsay; I’ll go and bring the head across.” She walked over to the tall woman who had just entered and who was now chatting to another mistress.

Pamela Overton was an imposing woman in her late fifties. She was dressed in a simple dark blue jersey dress and wore her silver hair over her ears in sweeping wings which flowed into an elaborate plaited bun on her neck. Paddy went over to her and exchanged a few words in a low voice. The two women joined Lindsay and Chris.

Paddy had scarcely finished the introductions, with Lindsay lost in admiration at Pamela Overton’s beautifully modulated but unquestionably pukka voice, when there was a knock at the door. It was opened by one of the staff, who stepped outside for a moment. Returning, she came straight to Miss Overton’s side and said, “Miss Smith-Couper is here, Miss Overton.”