Page 50 of Depraved Boys

I stared at my lap. Had Corrine died from something like this? The senior consultant had asked me why I had drunk to excess. It had never occurred to her that someone had force-fed me alcohol.

I set aside those speculations. Right now, I needed to gather my thoughts and give my statement. Everything I needed to know would be in Corrine’s diary. I just needed to be smarter about deciphering it.

“Are you alright?” asked Nurse Williams.

“Yes,” I said through clenched teeth. “Let’s just get this finished.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

It took ages for the hospital to discharge me because I wouldn’t leave until the doctor assured me that my prescriptions contained every precaution to prevent the raw meat from infecting me with parasites or disease.

Uncle Trevor wanted me to move in with him and Aunt Hortense, but I refused. Then he offered to stay with me at Mom and Dad’s house.

I shook my head. Hiding away from my problems would only make them bigger when I returned. I needed to speak to Mrs. Benazir and make her see what was going on in her academy. It was time to face Ashley and time to see how far the headmistress would go to stamp out the bullying.

On Monday morning, Uncle Trevor drove me back to the academy and parked outside the double doors. “I’m so sorry.”

“What for?”

“It was me who told you about the bursary without looking into what kind of operation the headmistress was running.”

My brows drew together. “You wouldn’t have found anything. These girls are careful not to misbehave in front of the staff.”

“But still—”

“Uncle, don’t feel bad.” I squeezed his hand. “We were all taken in by the academy’s status on the Elite Register. Remember, Mrs. Benazir didn’t mention bullying until after we signed the contract. Even then, she played it down and said it was just name-calling.”

He snorted. “The kind you’d find at any high school.”

“They don’t drag people out of their beds at Cummersdale Comprehensive.”

He gave me a wistful smile. “It’s not too late to go back.”

I shook my head. “If I did, I’d lose the bursary. Then who would pay for the upkeep of the house?”

Uncle Trevor gave me a reluctant nod. “Let’s go and see Mrs. Benazir together. She has to know—”

“I’ll speak to her on my own,” I blurted. “Thanks for offering, but I have to show a strong front, and that means not hiding behind my uncle.”

“Willow, look at me.” He placed a hand on my shoulder. “I know you want to keep the family home, but your mother and father wouldn’t want you to go through this torture. We can sell it and put the money in trust until you’re ready to put a deposit on your own place.”

“You don’t get it,” I said with a sigh.

“That the girls in Brittas Academy are disturbed? That what they did to you was attempted murder?”

I swallowed hard. Uncle Trevor was correct on all counts, but I couldn’t just give up. Not without at least trying to fight back. Running away at this stage was admitting defeat.

How would it look to future sponsors and universities if I walked away from a generous bursary and from the academy at the top of the Elite Register?

“They wouldn’t have done it if Ashley hadn’t asked to join their little club,” I said. “They won’t get away with what they’ve done.”

He harrumphed. “If round one was bad enough to put you in hospital, I’d say the next time—”

“Please, Uncle.” I held my head in my hands. “Drop it.”

He sighed out a long, frustrated breath. “I won’t give you any more grief over this. Lord knows you’ve suffered enough, but you won’t stop me from badgering Mrs. Benazir. She was supposed to be in charge.”

We sat in silence for several moments. Now that it was time to leave, my insides churned with anticipation. How many people would Geraldine and Bianca tell about the pork ribs?