“I shouldn’t be a teacher.” She sighed. Just saying it out loud was a wonderful release. “I did it because I knew it was what my parents expected but I’ve never been very good at it. I love art and I enjoyed planning things that I thought would interest kids and I did have some successes, but then I’d have to move on to another school. I’ve been teaching for five years and I’ve worked in eight different schools, always contracts, filling in for someone on leave. I know I was not always good at dealing with bad behaviour but it was bearable, until this year.”

She stopped and reached for her tea. Her mouth felt dry. She was aware of Euan sitting beside her but she didn’t look at him. She sipped her tea, then put it down again.

“This year I had a contract at a big high school. It was for three terms. I was pleased. That’s the longest I’d been in one school. I thought it would give me a chance to actually settle in. Turns out it was the worst experience.”

She stopped at the sound of footsteps. Ken came around the corner of the studio.

“Join us,” Euan got up from his chair and brought another out from inside. “Keely was just explaining what happened at her previous school.”

She didn’t look at Ken but focused on the river again. She pretended he wasn’t there. What did it matter what he heard anyway? She wasn’t going back to his school. She really would have to move on now.

“At first I enjoyed it. There were only a few on the staff under about forty-five, but everyone was friendly enough to begin with. The students were much the same as anywhere. I found they responded well to my style of teaching, which was less formal than what I observed in other parts of the school. I liked to play music in my classes once the students were working on their projects. They’d often chat over the top but I called it productive noise.

“My first indication that some of the staff didn’t like it was when a senior teacher walked into my class, stormed across the room and unplugged the speaker. The kids and I were stunned into silence. He said his senior class were trying to study next door and left, slamming the door behind him. I was so embarrassed and the kids all looked to me to do something about it, but what could I do? I was mortified.”

She remembered the moment so well, it was as if she’d been stripped bare in front of her class. She took another sip of her tea, then leaned forward in her chair, clasping the cup in both hands.