Millie picked at the coloured skin around her fingernails as she and Caprice waited outside Miss Grimm’s study. The headmistress’s secretary was nowhere to be seen, leaving Millie to surmise that she was probably still in the dining room enjoying her morning tea. Millie had been enjoying hers too until Caprice had ruined everything. Now it felt like there was a great lump of carrot cake sitting in her stomach hardening into a rock.

Millie looked over at Caprice, who was sitting on the other side of the room. ‘Why did you do it?’ she asked.

The girl turned her head ever so slightly and smirked. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ she replied.

Millie could feel the heat rising to her cheeks. She clenched her fists and breathed in deeply. ‘You’re unbelievable.’

The girls couldn’t help but overhear snatches of conversation coming from inside the study. Mr Plumpton had caught up to them in the corridor and had insisted on having a word to the head mistress right away. Millie’s ears pricked up when she heard the man say her name.

‘I really don’t believe that Millie had anything to do with the paint bombs,’ the man said. ‘We all know that Caprice tells lies, and if Millie says that she was set up, then it’s more than likely to be the truth.’

Caprice glared at the door.

‘Josiah, my instinct is telling me you’re probably right but the evidence points to Millie,’ the headmistress replied. ‘Plus, I don’t understand why Caprice would do this to her.’

‘I can’t believe you’re going to get away with it,’ Millie whispered.

Caprice blinked her big blue eyes. ‘Get away with what? You’re the one with the paint under your nails.’

‘You know, I was actually starting to like you when we were ice-skating in Zermatt – and now you’ve gone and done this. Was it about me or has Plumpy done something to get up your nose?’ Millie fumed.

Caprice shrugged. ‘Sorry, did you say something?’

The door opened and Mr Plumpton strode out. He looked at Millie and smiled tightly.

‘Girls, Miss Grimm would like to see you now,’ the man said. Millie pushed herself up off the chair and walked towards the door. Mr Plumpton gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder as Caprice stalked past.

‘Thanks for trying, Mr Plumpton,’ Millie said quietly before following the girl inside to meet her fate.

Millie slammed the door and hurled herself onto her bed. ‘She’s a monster!’ the girl bellowed, burying her head under the pile of pillows.

Alice-Miranda jumped up from her desk, where she’d just started her homework. She hadn’t seen Millie since morning tea and had been worried all day. She sat on the edge of the bed and rested her hand gently on her friend’s shoulder. ‘What happened?’ she asked.

Millie rolled over, her face streaked with tears. ‘I’m on gardening duties with Charlie for the whole weekend and I have to clean the Science lab tonight after dinner.’ Fresh tears sprouted from Millie’s eyes and she hastily brushed them away.

‘That’s it, I’m going to talk to her,’ Alice-Miranda said, sliding off the bed.

‘Don’t bother,’ Millie whispered. ‘She’s a psychopath.’

‘I just don’t understand why she’d do it,’ Alice-Miranda said.

Millie grabbed a cushion and hugged it. ‘Who knows? But I’m sure she’s not going to tell you.’

‘Don’t worry. I’ll help you clean the lab and I’ll see if Sloane can come too,’ Alice-Miranda said. She pulled on a cream cardigan and slipped her feet into a pair of pale pink ballet slippers. ‘I’ll be back soon.’

‘You’re wasting your time,’ Millie called, but Alice-Miranda had already gone.

Alice-Miranda knocked on the door next to their own and poked her head in to find Sloane reading at her desk. ‘Hi. May I come in?’

Sloane turned and smiled, setting her book aside. ‘Of course. Is Millie back?’ she asked.

Alice-Miranda nodded and closed the door behind her, then relayed the story about Millie’s punishment.

Sloane shook her head. ‘I can’t believe Caprice set her up again – and after you practically saved her life when we were in Zermatt. I just don’t get her at all.’

‘Do you know where she is?’ Alice-Miranda asked.

‘At some singing lesson with Mr Trout and Mr Lipp,’ Sloane said, rolling her eyes. ‘I’m surprised you haven’t heard all about the extra rehearsals she has to attend for the National Eisteddfod at the end of the term. She’s talked about it non-stop since we came back to school.’

‘I’m going to help Millie clean the lab after dinner,’ Alice-Miranda said. ‘Do you want to give us a hand?’

‘I’d love to, but if I don’t finish this book Miss Reedy will have me in detention for the rest of the term. It’s the class novel and I should have read it over the break. Sorry,’ Sloane said, frowning. ‘I know you don’t believe in revenge, Alice-Miranda, but we have to do something about Caprice. The more she gets away with things the worse she behaves,’ Sloane said, swivelling her chair.

Alice-Miranda sighed. ‘I don’t know what it is with her and Millie.’

‘She’s jealous,’ Sloane said. ‘I was the same when I first arrived. You and Millie are so close and I’d never had that sort of friendship with anyone.’

‘But now you do and Caprice could too,’ Alice-Miranda said, her brow wrinkling.

‘That’s true, but not everyone is as kind as you are, Alice-Miranda, and not everyone is willing to share their friends, either,’ Sloane said.

Alice-Miranda bit her lip. ‘I just don’t know what more we can do. She was at the palace and she was skiing with us.’

Sloane stood up and walked to the window. She stared into the garden, deep in thought. ‘All that happened by accident. Caprice wasn’t really invited, so she knows that we just put up with her and that’s why she’s so mean to us and especially to Millie. And remember, it was really you she was after at camp because she thought you were going to win the medal. She used Millie to try to get to you, which was pretty evil, and I suppose when her plan didn’t work, Millie became her target. Deep down I’m sure she knows we’d rather she wasn’t here,’ Sloane said. The girl spun around to face Alice-Miranda, her eyes wide. ‘Wow! Did I actually work all that out?’

Alice-Miranda grinned at the girl. ‘Sloane Sykes, I think that you just might be the smartest one of all of us.’