Chapter 35
Emma
I’m feeling sick with nerves as we walk into Mrs. Sinclair’s office and Mum shakes hands with the head teacher. They make small talk about her journey and so on as we sit down.
“Thank you for making time for us at such short notice,” says Mum.
“Not at all.” I feel Mrs. Sinclair’s eyes on me. “I presume that this has to do with recent events in relation to Emma’s maths mock?”
Mum looks at me.
“Yes,” I say. “But mainly it’s about Henry. Because it’s not right that he got suspended. Please, you have to believe me, he had nothing . . .”
“Emma, we saw the photos of the exam papers on his phone,” says Mrs. Sinclair, and I can hear a regretful undertone in her voice.
“I know,” I say. “But they were only there because I sent them to him. Honestly, Henry had nothing to do with it. He took the blame because he thought you’d be more lenient on him than on me.”
“I’d like to believe you, Emma, but unfortunately we found the photos on his phone and not on yours. And Henry admitted that it was him.”
I reach for my own mobile and wrap my fingers tightly around it.
“Yes, he did. But have you checked where Henry was at the time of my chat with Mr. Ward?” Mrs. Sinclair lifts her head.
“He was at rugby training. The rest of the team can confirm that.” Mrs. Sinclair says nothing, but I can see a spark of hope in her eyes.
She wants to believe Henry’s innocent. I just have to give her the proof.
“You can ask Mr. Cormack. Please. My appointment was at five, which is the time training starts on Wednesdays.” I take a hasty breath and pull out my phone.
“I’ve got a video where you can hear Mr. Ward telling me what time to come. And there’s something else . . .”
Mrs. Sinclair frowns but takes my phone as I push it over to her. Mum gives me a calming look. For a brief moment, as Mrs. Sinclair watches the video, I’m afraid that I’d only imagined Mr. Ward’s voice in the background. But no, I hadn’t.
“Hold on,” she says as the video ends. “Can I just . . . ?” She plays it again. “That’s . . . He did give you the other room number, just as you said.”
“Yes.” Tears of despair sting my eyes.
“Where did you get this, Emma?”
“Grace Whitmore sent it to me. She was filming something else after class and happened to catch it.”
Mrs. Sinclair nods slowly. “But Mr. Ward says he told you to go to the little meeting room, and not his office . . . It goes without saying that I don’t want to accuse anybody without good reason, but I almost get the impression that he wanted you to see the exam papers.”
“Me too.”
“But why would he do such a thing, Emma?”
“I think I might be able to help answer that question.” Now Mum speaks up.
“And I’m afraid that this whole thing has less to do with my daughter than with my past history with Alaric Ward.
He, Emma’s father, and I were all at Dunbridge together.
Until an accident, years ago, in which Alaric was injured and after which my ex-husband left the school. ”
“Oh, I didn’t know that was you,” Mrs. Sinclair says, to my surprise. “I remember. It was so horrible. I heard about it at the time, even though I was at university by then.”
Mum nods. “It was terrible. And it destroyed our friendship. After school, we went our separate ways. While I was at university, I got together with Emma’s father and never expected to see Alaric Ward again.
I didn’t know he’d gone into teaching or that he was working here at Dunbridge.
And even if I had known, I’d never have dreamed he’d make my daughter pay for the mistakes we made as teenagers. ”
“I wish you’d told me all this straightaway,” says Mrs. Sinclair.
“I really should have,” says Mum. “Especially once I realized that Alaric was clearly still dealing with the fallout from the accident. I wouldn’t rule out the possibility that he’s addicted to painkillers.”
Mrs. Sinclair stares at her in amazement. “You’re aware that a suggestion of that kind could have serious consequences, Ms. Beck?”
“Yes, and I wouldn’t have mentioned it if I weren’t concerned for the welfare of the pupils here at Dunbridge Academy,” says Mum. “Let alone for Alaric himself.”
“I will look into all of this. If you are correct, of course we will take all necessary action.” Mrs. Sinclair looks at me.
“So Emma, I understand how complicated this entire business is, but with the best will in the world, it doesn’t change the fact that you clearly did photograph the exam papers. ”
“I know,” I stammer. “And I’m really sorry.
I never planned to do any such thing—you have to believe me.
I would have left Mr. Ward’s office straightaway, but I couldn’t help it, because I was thinking about Henry.
And I made a mistake, but I was so desperate.
I didn’t know how to help Henry, and I felt like he needed to pass these mocks.
But it was wrong. We didn’t look at the questions, not even once.
I wasn’t thinking, I was scared, but I’ll take the consequences for my actions.
But Henry—he honestly didn’t have anything to do with it.
You know he wants to be a teacher. He normally works so hard, and he deserves to do well in his exams. He was trying to protect me.
But I can’t let him take the blame for my mistake. ”
Mrs. Sinclair gives me a long look. “As you know, honesty is one of this school’s core values.
But so are loyalty and willingness to help.
And I understand that you weren’t seeking your own advantage but were trying to help Henry.
I have no way of proving whether or not you looked at the papers, but that doesn’t change anything either way.
I’m only wondering why you didn’t come to me sooner with your worries about Henry, Emma. ”
I shut my eyes but the tears still roll down my cheeks. “I don’t know.”
“He didn’t even have to take these exams—we offered him the chance to skip them. He has plenty of time and support available, so there was no need at all for it to come to this.”
“I know that now. It was all a huge mistake. And I’m really, really sorry. I was honestly just trying to help, but I know I did it all the wrong way.” My voice is hoarse with tears. Mrs. Sinclair doesn’t reply, which makes everything feel even worse, if that’s possible. She just looks at me.
“Emma, I’m proud of the way you have developed at our school,” she says in the end.
“And I’m a big advocate of second chances for anyone who means it seriously.
Which you do, I can tell.” My heart skips a beat.
“I’m duty bound to suspend you for five days, but I don’t consider it necessary to go to the Council about your return to school.
And you will take on an extra duty until the end of next half-term.
On top of which, because I have no way of knowing whether or not you and Henry did actually have an unfair advantage, you and your class will have to repeat the maths test to ensure that conditions are fair for everyone. ”
I nod. Before I can open my mouth, Mrs. Sinclair continues, “And you may tell Henry to be back here for classes tomorrow.”