Wakestone Hall chapter sampler

It was quiet on the top floor of the school. Rain pattered on the roof. Far below, they could hear faint voices and distant thumps and bangs. There were murmurs in the other beds. Someone turned over and went back to sleep. Nobody had followed them. Nobody woke up. Stella took a gasping breath as she climbed into her bed. She pulled the blanket up to her chin. ‘We made it,’ she whispered. ‘I think Miss McCragg saw us,’ said Ottilie. ‘Or Miss M-Mangan. I think Miss Mangan saw us.’ ‘I’m sure they didn’t,’ said Agapanthus. ‘It was too dark. And we were too fast. And Miss Mangan didn’t have her spectacles on, anyway.’ After a moment, Ottilie whispered, ‘I hope the poor cat got away.’ ‘He did. I saw him jump out the window,’ said Stella. ‘He’s belting down the road right now, with all of Miss Garnet’s sausages,’ whispered Agapanthus, and she gave a sudden snorting laugh.

When the rising bell clanged early the next morning, Stella felt as if she had been asleep for only a fewminutes.

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