If he had pitched that they were building an improved school, a school that would better the children’s life chances, then she would have been more open. She may have been able to overlook the further references to her inexperience and the fact that she was, apparently, a girl, but not once did he discuss anything other than cost. His eyes glinted as he delivered unacceptable one-liners, as if he knew he was crossing a line, and that his words weren’t innocuous but deliberately designed to demonstrate the power he had.
She remembered when she’d first moved down here, seeing him on local news, well before she met him in real life. There had been a spate of closing village schools back then as well. Long-established village schools that were operating with only a handful of children on the roll were being closed down with the pupils sent to neighbouring villages for their education. There had been an outcry at the time and he was wheeled in front of the camera to defend the county’s position. Even through the television set he had emanated grease.
Then there was the time he had banned all schools in the county from attending the traditional Christmas pantomime in Truro because he deemed it to have no educational merit. He had also had all the water coolers removed for budgetary reasons, claiming it was not the county’s responsibility to keep children hydrated.
Rosy had even had nightmares in which he featured, usually chasing her and her class around the playground, shouting appalling threats about what he intended to do to the school hamster. It was hard, with this combination of facts, to ever see him in a positive light. Today was not helping.
He finally finished up, not asking if she had any questions or concerns, because he quite simply didn’t care. He was here to deliver a fait accompli and anyone else’s opinion was irrelevant. No wonder Mrs Trewithen and Mrs Pascoe had been calling her; they had obviously had the same visit and were also panicking like mad. Three in one morning. He must be feeling on top of the world.
‘Mr Grant, before you go, I wondered if I could ask you some questions about this process.’
He looked at her as if she had just sprouted three heads. ‘Miss Winter. My time is rather valuable.’
‘Of course, and I do appreciate you coming to see me in person rather than delivering this news over the phone. But can I ask how many schools are looking at potential closure? You said there was to be a four-form entry so I imagine that there will be at least five, possibly six of the smaller schools you’re planning to amalgamate. I’m just trying to collect as much information as I can, so I can let the staff know. They’re going to be asking these questions later and I wouldn’t want to have to disturb you again.’
‘Yes, I have a list of six schools that have be deemed the most appropriate to merge.’
Rosy had a lightbulb moment. ‘And can I ask if St Ewer is on the list?’
‘I really don’t see the need to answer that, Miss Winter.’
‘So, St Ewer is not on the list then, Mr Grant?’
‘As I said, Miss Winter, I really don’t have the time to waste on foolish questions. You only need to know that this will be going ahead. There will in all probability be some redundancies and we will keep you updated with what you need to know, when you need to know. Now, if you’ll excuse me.’ And with that he smiled an oily there’s-nothing-you-can-do smile and oozed out of the door.
Rosy sat back in her chair, no twirling this time, just nervous fingers rubbing at her brow. As the adrenalin that had fuelled her through the meeting began to leave her body she felt exhausted; exhausted and defeated. Then, as she closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing to try and ground herself again, she could feel her true self kicking back in. Defeated? Not a chance. She was going to prepare for battle. Penmenna School would not be closed without a fight. Picking up her pen, she turned to make inroads on the paperwork on her desk. She needed to get this done so she could focus on drawing up a plan of action. She had a staff meeting later today and she was going to need to get as much done as possible before hysteria hit.
‘Cake? You should put that down right now! I don’t understand what bit about not bringing in such… such poison is so hard for everyone to understand. Let me take that, and try this, I made it last night – organic, vegan and sugar-free, you’ll find your body much prefers it!’
‘Sod off, Harmony!’
‘I really must insist, here let me—’
‘Touch my cake again and I’m going to blur your chakras into kingdom come.’
‘But, look, let me— arrgghhh!’
Rosy smiled as she entered the staffroom. If the children saw what went on in here, they’d put every teacher on the raincloud that the school used for behaviour management.
‘Lynne, let go of Harmony!’ She used her strictest teacher voice, and a memory of Matt encouraging her for more flooded into her head. This was not the time for that sort of nonsense.
‘How dare you! I’m going to phone my union rep as soon as this meeting is finished. This is abuse in the workplace and I will not tolerate it. Rosy, what are you going to do about this?’ Harmony rolled up her rainbow jumper to massage her wrist and gave Rosy a look that managed to be both combative and plaintive. Quite a skill.
‘Lynne, say sorry to Harmony, you know that’s unacceptable! And Harmony, I know you think sugar is the modern-day equivalent to crystal meth, but you cannot, cannot start taking people’s food away from them. Lynne can eat what she wants. You can inform, which you frequently do, but you cannot enforce. I heard that last week you nearly knocked Alice to the floor because she had a Werther’s Original. This is not some kind of dictatorship!’
‘But—’
‘But—’
Rosy walked to the chair she usually sat in, pushed up her sleeves and put the iPad she was carrying down as forcefully on the table as she dared.
‘No, we have real stuff to deal with today, and I need your full attention. I’m afraid that this meeting may be a lengthy one, and you know I usually keep them as quick as possible so for that I apologize, but we need to get down to work.’
Lynne stopped glaring across the table to where Harmony had retreated and turned her full attention to her friend.
‘What’s up? I haven’t seen you all day.’
Lynne, however, was interrupted by Harmony, who was still on a roll. ‘I’m afraid I can’t stay late, I have the Festival of the Enlightened Spirit to attend in—’
