‘But I’m in the second year,’ replied Alicia, looking at the girl steadily.
She blinked down at Alicia and frowned. ‘Careful, people won’t like you if you’re cocky,’ she warned. ‘I’ll excuse you because you’re new.’ But the truth was that she excused her because Alicia’s beauty was captivating and something to be greatly admired. Alicia moved reluctantly to the other end of the table where she stood beside a fat redhead, opposite a pretty blonde with a turned-up nose and dark brown eyes who looked her up and down without smiling.
‘You’re new,’ stated the blonde.
‘Yes, I am,’ Alicia replied. ‘I’m Alicia.’
‘That’s an unusual name.’
‘It’s Alice in Spanish.’
‘I know that. You must be from the Argentine,’ she said. ‘Elizabeth bumped into your sister in the loo last night, didn’t you, Elizabeth? She was warming the seat up for me. I hate a cold loo seat, don’t you?’
‘I’ve never thought about it. But I suppose so. What’s your name?’
‘She’s Mattie, short for Mathilda. She’s an Hon,’ said the redhead.
‘What’s an Hon?’ she asked.
Mattie laughed. ‘My father’s a viscount,’ she said. ‘I suppose you don’t know what that is either.’ She sighed. ‘Elizabeth will teach you about our class system over here, it’s very important you know about it.’
‘I know all about it. My father’s a señor,’ Alicia retaliated, knowing that neither Mattie nor Elizabeth would know it simply meant Mr.
‘Good,’ said Mattie, suitably impressed. ‘Is he an important man?’
‘Very. He’s only second to the President,’ she lied. Then she smiled confidently and whispered, ‘The President doesn’t move without my father’s approval.’ Elizabeth sniggered and Mattie grinned. Alicia wasn’t just pretty, she was important too. Mattie was only too aware of the lack of Hons at the school, it was nice to finally meet someone on the same level as herself. At that moment Miss Reid walked in, took her place at the head of the top table and the whole hall fell silent for Grace. Miss Reid bowed her head and clasped her hands together in prayer. Leonora copied and closed her eyes while Alicia scanned the room restlessly.
‘For what we are about to receive may the Lord make us truly grateful, Amen.’ They all repeated Amen then sat down with a roar of chairs scraping the floor and the clattering of cutlery as the prefects began to serve steaming porridge from large cauldrons.
‘I hate porridge,’ Mattie complained.
‘I’ll eat yours,’ said Elizabeth eagerly.
‘Good. I’ll have your toast then,’ she said. Elizabeth’s face momentarily clouded with regret, she loved her toast and marmalade more than anything, but her expression cleared before Mattie noticed it.
‘In the Argentine we have croissants and brioche for breakfast,’ said Alicia, watching with a grimace as a bowl of grey porridge was placed before her.
‘We have eggs and bacon at home,’ added Mattie. ‘Mrs Bruton makes it every morning. No one makes it quite like Mrs Bruton.’
‘In the Argentine we have a maid called Mercedes . . .’
‘Like the car?’ said Elizabeth, catching Mattie’s eye and giggling behind her hand.
‘Yes, because she drives one,’ said Alicia quickly, determined not to look foolish.
‘The maids must be very rich where you come from. Mrs Bruton drives a little Morris,’ said Mattie.
‘Oh, they are. Daddy pays them very well,’ she added, pouring sugar onto her porridge.
‘Look,’ said Mattie, leaning forward and fixing her new friend with narrowed eyes. ‘I don’t want to hear you say that phrase over and over again.’
‘What phrase?’ Alicia asked, stunned.
‘In the Argentine,’ she said. ‘I know you come from there, so you don’t have to say it. It’s boring.’ For a moment Alicia was lost for words. She opened her mouth to say something but nothing came into her head. She stared back at Mattie defiantly. Elizabeth giggled again. She was used to Mattie terrorizing the other girls. But Alicia wasn’t used to being spoken to like that. She leaned forward and fixed her opponent with arrogant blue eyes.
‘Where do you come from?’ she asked quietly.
‘Hertfordshire,’ replied Mattie.
‘Oh, I see,’ she said and smiled knowingly, sitting back. This irritated Mattie who frowned crossly and stuck out her lower lip.
‘What do you see?’ she asked. Elizabeth’s laughter petered out.