‘No way!’
‘You’re kidding!’
‘Oh my god!’
‘What?!’
The girls’ cries of disbelief filled the air before Lily said abruptly, ‘Does Max know?’
Rachel nodded. ‘The Drake’s questioning him.’
‘Will Darcy be expelled?’ asked Phoebe anxiously.
‘Apparently it depends on whether he’s been dealing or just using,’ said Rachel. ‘If he’s supplying the stuff to other students then the police are automatically called in and Darcy’ll be arrested, but if it’s just him making bad choices then the word is that the Drake will handle it in-house.’
‘So is he dealing?’ demanded Gemma.
‘Apparently he told the Drake it was his first time taking it.’
‘I doubt it,’ scoffed Charlotte.
‘It could be true,’ said Rachel. ‘Either way, the Drake and the Dane are grilling all Darcy’s friends.’
‘The Dane!’ exclaimed Phoebe. ‘I would so hate to be interrogated by her!’
‘Me too,’ agreed Gemma. ‘I never thought I’d say this, but I’m glad I’m not friends with Darcy Johnson.’
‘So Darcy’s not so wonderful after all,’ said Lily thoughtfully. ‘Max will be devastated.’
‘Or worse,’ said Charlotte abruptly.
Lily stared at her. ‘You don’t think . . .’
Charlotte frowned. ‘I don’t know, but I think we should go and find him.’
‘But what about the reception?’ cried Gemma.
And Ronan! thought Lily. She glanced at her watch. ‘Okay, it’s almost 6.45. Can you two take our bags and coats and stuff and go downstairs and wait for Henri? Tell him we’re coming and –’ she hesitated. ‘And if Ronan Carver should turn up, can you ask him to wait? I mean, don’t let him leave until I get there. I –’
‘Don’t worry, Lily, we’ll tie him down if we have to,’ smiled Phoebe.
As she and Charlotte hurried down the corridor, Lily said, ‘Do you really think Darcy might have given Max cocaine?’
Charlotte looked worried. ‘It’s possible. You said yourself that Max was totally smitten with Darcy and that makes him vulnerable.’ Her eyes met Lily’s. ‘Especially as Max has done cocaine before.’
Lily paled. ‘Are you sure? How do you know?’
‘Because Max was preparing to come out of rehab when Edward went in. It’s where I first met him.’
‘Edward did drugs?’ whispered Lily, shocked.
‘Last year,’ nodded Charlotte. ‘He and some other boys sneaked out of school one night and went clubbing. One of the boys got them into this famous nightclub in Shoreditch – he knew the owner or something. Trouble was, he also knew a guy who supplied cocaine.’
Lily felt a sudden tightening in her stomach. ‘Wh–which nightclub?’ she faltered.
‘I’m not sure, Edward would never talk about it. All I know is that this guy got Edward to try cocaine and he got hooked. A couple of months later, Edward got caught using at school. Mummy and Daddy were called and they tried to make Edward tell them who’d supplied the drugs, but he wouldn’t give them a name. They took him straight out of school and got him into rehab the next day.’
‘Did they ever find out how he’d got the stuff at school?’ asked Lily uneasily.
Charlotte nodded. ‘Yes, the boy who’d got them into the club was getting it from his contact there and selling it at school. Apparently they searched everyone’s rooms and found traces of cocaine in his footlocker.’
‘What happened to him?’ asked Lily, gripping her hands together in silent prayer. Please don’t let it be Ronan. Please don’t let it be Ronan.
‘The school figured he’d introduced Edward and the other boys to his friend at the club deliberately, but they couldn’t prove it. No one would talk and the headmaster didn’t want to call the police, so they just kicked him out.’
‘And then?’
Charlotte shrugged. ‘No idea. Why? Do you think there’s a connection?’ She looked thoughtful. ‘Darcy’s brother, Piers, was one of the group that went to the club that night, but it couldn’t have been him selling the drugs because he was still at Chancellor when Edward went back there. Mind you, he and Piers were never such good friends again. Do you think maybe Piers is involved – that he told Darcy where to get the drugs?’
Lily looked worried. ‘Maybe. I – I don’t know. Max did say that Darcy had been down to Shoreditch, and Max has borrowed quite a lot of money from me, but I can’t believe –’
‘We have to find him,’ said Charlotte. ‘I’m not fond of Max, but if Darcy’s selling him drugs then we have to help him.’
‘Let’s try the dining hall,’ suggested Lily. ‘Or maybe –’
She broke off as Max came running into the entrance hall.
‘Max!’ cried Lily, lifting her skirts and running over to him.
‘Nice dress,’ said Max.
‘Are you okay?’ she asked anxiously. ‘We heard about Darcy.’
Max’s face darkened. ‘I’m fine and Darcy’s fine, too. He made a mistake, that’s all.’
Charlotte touched his arm. ‘Max, did Darcy –’
‘Darcy’s done nothing wrong!’ cried Max, shaking off Charlotte’s hand. ‘He’s told the Drake and the Dane everything he knows.’ He scowled at Lily. ‘The person you should be worried about is Ronan Carver!’
‘What? What are you talking about? Ronan’s got nothing to do with this!’
‘Oh, yeah? Tell that to the police when they arrive.’
Lily blenched. ‘Th–the police?’
‘Ronan’s been selling drugs right here in the Academy.’
‘It’s not true!’ cried Lily.
‘It is,’ asserted Max. ‘Darcy told the Drake it was Ronan who offered him the coke. I told you he was no good.’
But Lily wasn’t listening. ‘I have to go to Pendragon and find Ronan. He –’
‘He’s not there,’ said Max bluntly. ‘I went over to tell him to his face what a lowlife I think he is for selling Darcy drugs, but he’d gone. The porter said he was collecting a painting for some exhibition he’s setting up in Shoreditch. Not that he’ll be there for it. This time tomorrow, Ronan Carver will probably be in prison.’
Lily felt the blood drain from her face. She stared at Max in horror, her brain whirling with panic. She had to find Ronan and warn him . . .
‘I have to go!’ Lily caught Charlotte’s hand. ‘Can you take Phoebe and Gemma to Grandmama’s reception? I’ll be there as soon as I can.’
‘Are you sure?’ said Charlotte looking hard at her. ‘What if he’s guilty?’
‘He’s not!’ retorted Lily, ignoring Max’s scoffing sound. ‘I have to find him before the police do. Please, Charlotte.’
‘But what will I tell the Comtesse?’ asked Charlotte.
‘Tell her I’ve gone to rescue Ronan Carver!’ declared Lily, and turned and ran.