My twin grimaced at me. I mimicked her own grimace back at her. At least some things never changed.
After dinner, I left a despondent Ariadne at the door of her new room. I wished her good luck, and she gave me a hug. There was no sign of Violet.
I had one of the school’s traditional lukewarm baths and then climbed into bed – almost climbing into the wrong one, as I instinctively walked towards Scarlet’s.
“Mine,” she reminded me from the dressing table, where she was brushing out her hair.
I folded myself into the sheets, exhausted. I half-wondered if any of Ariadne’s collection of sweets remained under the bed.
Scarlet turned a new page in her notebook and started writing, her hand moving quickly across the page. I smiled sleepily. I could’ve only imagined this sight a few months ago. When she put the book away, she saw me watching. “Nosy,” she laughed.
I laughed back. “Need I remind you that reading your diary was the most important thing I ever did?”
My twin grinned at me. “Doesn’t mean you can make a habit of it.” She came and stood at my bedside, yawning in her nightgown. “Budge up.”
“Eh? I thought you said you wanted your old bed back?”
“I know what I said. But just this once I—” She looked at the floor.
“Want to know you’re not alone,” I finished. We’d always slept in the same bed when we were little.
Scarlet nodded, looking unusually sheepish.
“Oh, all right. But please don’t snore.” I moved over, leaving just enough room for her.
We went to sleep, back to back, a perfect mirror image once again.
The morning bell rang out and I sat up in bed with a jolt.
Scarlet was already up and pulling on her school dress. She prodded me gently on the shoulder. “Lazy bones!”
I pushed her away playfully and wriggled out of the bed sheets. The air was chilly on my skin. I rubbed my eyes. “Wait. Do I have a uniform now?”
She nodded and flung open the wardrobe to reveal a uniform that matched hers. At least someone had thought of that – perhaps it was Miss Finch? Thank goodness someone was still looking out for us.
I got changed as Scarlet darted around the room putting things in her satchel, humming a tune. I dreaded having to pretend that I was a new pupil again. I’d spent so long pretending that I wasn’t new. How could my twin be so carefree, after all that had happened? Sometimes I felt as though I understood her, and other times she was like a complete stranger.
As I sat down at the dressing table to lace up my shoes I caught sight of myself in the chipped mirror. Scarlet, I thought immediately. But my twin moved behind me, breaking the spell. No, Ivy, I had to remind myself. I was me again. I wasn’t sure if there was a me to go back to, though. I’d spent so long pretending to be Scarlet that maybe the old Ivy had faded away.
Later, Scarlet enthusiastically ate her breakfast, gulping down the lumpy porridge that I felt quite sure she hated. I was puzzled at her cheerful manner, but gave up worrying about it when Ariadne sat down next to me.
“How was Violet?” I asked.
My friend shrugged, and she looked as puzzled as I did. “I honestly don’t know. It was like she wasn’t even there. I kept trying to talk to her, I really did, but she didn’t say anything. I just went to sleep in the end.”
“Strange. I missed having you in room thirteen.” I noticed Scarlet frowning at that. I realised I shouldn’t have been talking about Ariadne and I previously sharing a room as I wasn’t even supposed to have been at the school, but everyone else was too busy chatting amongst themselves to notice.
Ariadne sighed. “If only we could all stay together. If I had a genie, I’d wish for it.”
“Don’t waste your wishes,” I warned her. “You could wish for us not to have to go to this school.”
“Or for a million pounds,” said Scarlet, pointing a spoonful of porridge at me. “No one could tell us what to do if we had a million pounds.”
“I bet Mr Bartholomew could,” I said. We all thought about it for a moment, and then shuddered. There was just something about him, in his words and his voice and the jerky way he moved. I felt sure that he was someone we didn’t want to cross.
I was terrified.
Terrified of returning to lessons. Terrified of Violet. Terrified of Miss Fox being out there, somewhere.
Terrified of Rookwood School.
I barely slept a wink that first night. Whenever I dozed off, I had terrible nightmares. When I was awake, I kept thinking I could hear things in the walls.
But was I going to tell Ivy that? Not likely. I had to be brave for her, because I hated the idea of her being as frightened as I was. So I’d jumped out of bed and acted like it was the happiest day of my life. I even wolfed down the disgusting porridge, though I had no appetite and my stomach was in knots.
Morning assembly was at least not too scary, as all we had to do was sing hymns and listen to Matron’s lecture on keeping our dorm rooms tidy. But there was something surprising – a letter arrived addressed to me and Ivy.
“It’s from Aunt Phoebe!” Ivy exclaimed when she saw the postmark. As Ariadne hurried off to the first lesson, we stood in the hallway reading it.
Dear Scarlet and Ivy,
I was so overjoyed to hear the good news. It’s truly a miracle to have Scarlet back with us. I wish I could see the two of you together again. But I fear it is not to be. I hoped that you would be able to stay with me, but I see now that I have interfered with your lives too much already. Edith is right, you need to complete your education and not be held back by some old biddy like me. I’m very sorry. I hope I will see you again someday.
With all my love and best wishes for the future,
Your aunt
Phoebe Gregory
There were tear stains on the paper, and they’d smudged some of the ink.
I dug my nails into my hands. “Did our stepmother make her do this?”
Ivy’s excited expression had faded, and now she looked like she was about to cry. “I suppose so.”
I took the letter out of her hand and screwed it up. “It’s nonsense! She’s the one who’s interfering, not Aunt Phoebe. That witch!”
Girls were staring as they streamed past, but I didn’t care. They could stare all they liked.
I would get our stepmother back for this one day. I still suspected that she had persuaded our father that I was dead after being bribed by Miss Fox. But she wouldn’t be able to control our lives forever.
We walked into the history classroom side by side. I hated history. I didn’t see why we had to learn about things that dead people had done.
There had been some rearranging of the desks, and I saw to my horror that Violet had been given the one next to mine.
“Ah yes,” said Madame Lovelace, covered in dust as always. “We have a twin joining us. Which one of you