Read Online The Housemistress by Keira Michelle Telford - Free Book Online

each set: gold, blue, and purple. A pair of white frilly knickers is dangling on the upper tip of one gold spiral.
    “Oh, that’s nice.” Gabby squints up at the undies. “Very respectful.”
    Rylie studies the base of the sculpture, finding a dedication to Kaitlyn Simmons.
    “Who’s this Kaitlyn chick? And what makes her so special?” She brushes a fallen leaf off the plaque. “I’ve seen her picture in the house.”
    “She was a student here last year.”
    “A gymnast?” Rylie guesses, pinging one of the metal swirls. “Ribbon twirling?”
    Gabby nods. “And lacrosse. All sports really.”
    “Where is she?”
    “Gone, and you’d best not speak of her. Especially not to Miss Carriveau.” Gabby grabs Rylie’s hand, clasping her tightly. “Now foooooood!” She drags her new friend into the main school via a side door, their rubber-soled shoes slapping against the tiled floor.
    Rounding a corner much too fast, they almost run headlong into Carriveau.
    “Whoa!” Gabby skids to a halt, Rylie slamming into the back of her.
    “ Ralentissez !” Carriveau, laden with textbooks, orders them to slow down, one book slipping from her grasp. “ Faites attention, s’il vous plaît .” She bends to retrieve the dropped text. “You girls are always in such a hurry.”
    Crouched before them, she glances up to flash the pair a stern glare, but her attention is snagged instead by their interlocked fingers, a bracelet peeking out from under the cuff of Rylie’s cardigan. It’s an elasticated band of wooden, rainbow-colored beads.
    “Sorry, Miss!” Gabby starts backing away. “Sugar emergency!”
    “Wait.” Carriveau sets her books on a table of school pamphlets and calls them back.
    She places a hand around each of their necks and tugs them forward, downward, and together, bringing their faces almost to her bosom as she leans over them, smelling their hair.
    Busted.
    She releases them, holding her hand out to Gabby, palm up. “Don’t make me ask.”
    Gabby doesn’t. She reaches into her backpack and hands over the cigarettes.
    “ Merci .” Carriveau picks up her books, sets the cigarettes on top of the pile, and holds the bundle to her chest, concealing the contraband. “That’s the third time in as many weeks, Laurenson. You’re getting sloppy.”
    “But I’m sixteen now,” the teen grumps.
    “But the school still forbids it. Now freshen up before class, oui ?” She steps aside to let them pass. “You have me in”—she checks her watch—“four minutes.”
    “Yes, Miss.” Gabby drags Rylie away.
    “Walk, don’t run,” Carriveau scolds them again. “And do be careful.” She fixes on their held hands. “You know how Missus Bursnell can be.”
    Rylie tries to apologize to Carriveau, but Gabby yanks her around another corner and Carriveau isn’t looking anyway. They stop at a vending machine full of junk, and Gabby shoves enough money in to get a king-sized chocolate bar.
    “Nom, nom, nom.” She tears the wrapper open. “Elevenses!”
    Rylie casts her eyes over the machine’s offerings, nothing really sparking her interest until she spots a row of Skittles.
    Taste the rainbow.
    The candy’s slogan leaps into the forefront of her mind and stays there, so she plugs in some coins, makes her choice, and a bag drops down into the tray. Delving in her backpack for more money, she inserts all the coins that she has and selects another bag.
    And another.
    And another.
    And another, until she’s drained the vending machine of Skittles.
    “Jeepers! You’ve got a sweet tooth today, or what?” Gabby watches Rylie scoop them all out of the tray, struggling to hold them all.
    “Yeah. Where can I get a bowl?”
    Without any hesitation, Gabby strides over to the table of pamphlets, dumps out a bowlful of cheap, complimentary Larkhill fridge magnets, and passes the empty dish to Rylie.
    “Whatchu up to? Who’s this for?” She watches, bemused, as Rylie dumps the Skittles out of their packets