BEXHILL SCHOOL FOR GIRLS, Assembly (12 page)

As they left
the school gate, Amélie put her arm around Nicole’s shoulder.

“Ooooh lala
lala lalaaa! It’s the first time I’ve had it from ‘Deadly’ Dubois.
I didn’t think he had such strength in him.”

Nicole’s sobs
were now under control. “I’m sorry I was such a baby. I’m really
embarrassed at how I behaved. You were much braver.”

“It was worse
for you: you could see how awful it was going to be. I’d have hated
to have had to wait while you got your thrashing. That’s why I
volunteered to go first.”

“Let’s go to my
house and see what our
derrières
look like.”

Ten minutes
later they were in Nicole’s bedroom, pants around their ankles,
skirts held aloft, examining their bottoms in her mirror. They both
sported an impressive display of thin pink, red, purple and blue
stripes.

“Have you got
any of that cream for bruises?” asked Amélie, tenderly fingering
the most vivid marks.

“Yes, I think
so.” Nicole rummaged in a drawer. “Here we are. ‘Bruise relief,
external use only’. Why do they say that: do they think we’re going
to swallow it? Shall I put some on for you?”

“Yes please,
but be really gentle.”

The girls took
turns lying face down on Nicole’s bed while the other massaged the
cream into their friend’s glowing buttocks. They started to feel
better.

Amélie wiped
her fingers clean. Nicole sat up.

“Wow!” she
looked at Amélie and smiled. “Where were we? Oh yes, Bexhill. Do
you think they have the martinet in English schools?”

“No, I don’t
think so. I heard they use a cane. Apparently they love it.”

“What, you mean
the teachers enjoy caning the pupils?”

“No. The
English enjoy
being
caned! Haven’t you heard? It’s called
the
vice anglais
.”

“How can they
like
being
caned? Are you sure about that?”

“Well, we’re
going to find out.”

They were both
silent for a moment.

Amélie glanced
at Nicole: “I wonder if it’s worse than the martinet?”

“I don’t know,
I should think so. Maybe it’s one of those things which we can try
out - you know, like fish and chips and lumpy custard?”

“They have
custard
with their fish and chips?”

“No, of course
not! But you know what I mean: we have to experience all these
English customs for ourselves. So maybe even the cane.”

“Well, perhaps,
but I think I’ll leave that until last...”

At the thought
of the adventure that awaited them across the Channel, the two
girls quickly cheered up. Nicole switched into English.

“
Would you
laike a naice cup of tea, Miss Amélie?”

“
Sank you,
zat would be delaightful!”

They giggled
and hugged each other, and then made their way down to the kitchen.
There was no tea in the house, so they drank coffee instead.

So, there they
are, their destinies - and those of others we’ve not yet met - all
converging on the Bexhill School for Girls. How will they make out?
Will Debbie lose her attitude? Can Catharine avoid getting in to
trouble? Can Sally and Linda stay out of mischief? (Surely not!)
Can Anna and Miss Holloway overcome their dark longings? Do English
schools have martinets? Will ‘Three Taps’ be a busy man?

To find out the
answers to these and other questions, immerse yourself in the life
of the school by reading
Bexhill School for Girls, The First
Year
.