Princess at Silver Spires

by Ann Bryant

  Then the playgroup leader said I had to stop because it was time for milk, and I remember how I cried and cried and stamped my foot until she promised to keep my elephant safe so I could carry on with it the next day. Later, when my nanny, Julie, came to collect me, the playgroup leader told her about me crying, but Julie didn’t even ask to see the elephant, which made me sad.

  After nursery, I got Julie to make Play-Doh at home and I created a whole zoo. I arranged all the animals on newspaper spread right across the kitchen table, and as soon as I heard Mum’s key in the front door when she got home from work – she’s an accountant by the way – I rushed to the hall, grabbed her hand and pulled her through to the kitchen.

  “Look!” I said proudly.

  “Oooh! That’s lovely, Jess!” she said, giving me a big hug. But she hadn’t looked for long enough, and I think that was the first time I realized in some funny little childish way that I could see things that some people couldn’t see. I mean, I’m sure the blobs of dough looked exactly that – blobs of Play-Doh with bits sticking out – but to me there were all sorts of animals in there just waiting to be seen.

  Then, when Dad got home – he’s also an accountant by the way – he hardly even glanced at my zoo. He just patted my head and said, “Very nice. Let’s clear it away now, Jess.”

  As I got older, I realized that there are two kinds of people in the world: those who kind of connect with art (that’s the only way I can describe it), and those who simply don’t. So that’s why I feel so lucky to have Grace. I mean, the teachers at primary must have thought I was quite a good artist because they often praised me, but none of them actually wanted to discuss anything I’d done. Whereas Grace seems genuinely interested and says she loves trying to see the world in pictures like I do.

  “I’ve heard that word ‘installation’ before,” Georgie was saying. “But I don’t get it. I mean an installation is like getting a washing machine or something fitted, isn’t it?”

  Mr. Cary chuckled, partly because Georgie had been waving her brush around while she’d been talking and had accidentally smeared green paint across her nose.

  “Installation art is exactly what it says it is,” said Mr. Cary. “It’s all about installing art within its own specific environment, which might be anywhere. For example, last year,” he went on, staring out of the window, “it was a piece of installation art that won first prize in the senior art exhibition. It was a birdcage hanging from a tree near Beech House, but the student had made it entirely out of natural materials and she’d left the door open to show that the bird had flown. She could have displayed the birdcage on a surface in the art room, but it wouldn’t have made the same impact as it did hanging from the branch of a tree. You see, that student was making a comment about how it’s not natural to keep birds in cages.”

  I felt my heart do the squeezing thing it does whenever I see a piece of art I love. I know I couldn’t actually see the birdcage, but it was just as though I could, because there was such a clear picture of it in my head.

  “That’s a brilliant idea,” breathed Grace. Then we exchanged a look, which meant we both understood about the birdcage.

  Georgie was wrinkling her nose. “Is that art, though?” she said. “I mean it’s very clever and all that, but…”

  “Well, that’s the big debate, isn’t it?” said Mr. Cary. “Some people can’t see it at all. Other people love it. But tell me, Georgie, if you saw an amazing piece of, say, jewellery, and it happened to be hanging from a tree, would you appreciate it?”

  “Yes! Of course!” said Georgie squeakily. “You can wear jewellery. You can’t wear a birdcage!”

  “Jewellery?” said Katy, from the other side of me. She’d kind of jumped to attention. “You mean you can enter jewellery in the art exhibition?”

  “Absolutely!” said Mr. Cary. He gave Katy a quizzical look. “I’m sure I mentioned jewellery when I told you all about the exhibition in the last lesson, didn’t I?”

  “No, you mentioned loads of things, but I would have definitely remembered if you’d said jewellery.” Katy’s eyes lit up. “That’s settled. I’m definitely entering now.”

  “Well, that’s two of you,” said Mr. Cary. “Any of you others from this little group thinking about it?”

  I looked round as Naomi and Mia came over to join us. We six have been friends ever since we joined Silver Spires at the beginning of Year Seven, two terms ago. We all share a dormitory called Amethyst in Hazeldean House, which is definitely the best boarding house in the whole school. Ours is actually the best dorm too, because we all get on so well together. Grace and I are best friends. Crazy Georgie is best friends with Mia, and Katy and Naomi are best friends as well.

  “Well I’m not entering. No way!” said Georgie. “I can’t even draw a sheep!”

  Grace just shook her head. I think we all knew Grace wouldn’t dream of entering. She’s got so much sport going on. The summer term is even busier than the other two terms for that. Grace sometimes gets to miss prep because of tennis coaching, which is a bit worrying for me because, like I said, I’m not very good at any subject except art, and I usually count on Grace to help me when I can’t spell things or don’t understand something I’m supposed to have read. I know I could ask one of the others for help, but I feel a bit embarrassed about being so stupid, except with Grace because she’s used to me.

  Mia and Naomi both said they didn’t think they’d be entering anything for the art exhibition and I wasn’t really surprised. Mia has lots of extra work with her piano practice and Naomi always says she loves other people’s art but doesn’t think she’s much good at it herself.

  “Better get tidied up then,” said Mr. Cary, glancing at the clock, and I felt my usual sinking feeling that the lesson had gone so quickly.

  “I’ll come back after lunch, Mr. Cary. Will you be here?”

  He nodded. “I’m pretty much a permanent fixture in here!”

  “Oh great!” said Georgie. “Can I enter you in the exhibition, Mr. Cary? You could be my piece of installation art!”

  Lots of people heard what she said and the whole room seemed to burst out laughing. Georgie often makes that happen. She doesn’t do it on purpose – she’s just naturally funny. The others kept giggling all the time we were packing away, but I was quiet, because my mind was buzzing away with ideas about what I’d do for the art exhibition. Nothing was clear in my head yet. Half of me wanted to talk to Mr. Cary about it, but the other half wanted him to have a surprise. Mr. Cary’s opinion means a lot to me and I know I’m not the only one who thinks he’s a really good teacher. There are other girls higher up the school who’ve told me his students get fantastic GCSE results. In fact one of the reasons Mum and Dad chose Silver Spires school for me was because of the art department. Well, that’s not strictly true. What happened was this…

  At the end of Year Five, my parents asked me if I’d like to go to boarding school after primary, and at first I said yes, I’d love to, because I’d seen one of the Harry Potter films and I thought it would be really exciting and completely different from ordinary school. But then Mum casually added that if I went to a school like Silver Spires I’d probably get on better with my lessons, so then I wasn’t sure about this whole boarding thing after all, in case Mum and Dad suddenly had much higher expectations of me. I liked the thought of being able to manage my work more easily though, but I knew that couldn’t just happen by magic.

  All through Year Six, when I wasn’t painting or drawing or making things, I worked as hard as I possibly could, spending ages up in my room typing words on my computer and spellchecking them, and reading as much as I could to try and get faster at it. School was just such a struggle for me, and my biggest dread was getting left behind.

  When I told Mum and Dad I didn’t really want to go to boarding school, they showed me the Silver Spires school magazine with all the brilliant art in it and Mum even read out to me what it said in the school prospectus about the w
onderful art department. By the time she’d finished, I wanted to go to Silver Spires more than I’d ever wanted anything in my life.

  And now I’m here I’m really happy. I love boarding school. It’s great having Grace and my four other good friends with me all the time, and being able to wander round such amazing grounds and go on trips and outings to art galleries and museums, and eat the most delicious food (especially puddings), and go to the art room at lunchtimes and after school and at weekends. And the classes are smaller than they were at primary, so the teacher can keep an eye on everyone all the time. Actually that’s the only trouble. You see, recently I’ve begun to sense an awful lot of eyes on me, and I’ve got the horrible feeling that the teachers are beginning to realize I’ve got a bigger problem with reading and writing than they might have first thought.

  Just as I was getting lost in all these thoughts, the bell for the end of art rang, bringing me back to the here and now.

  “English next,” said Naomi matter-of-factly as we left the art block.

  For a second my spirits plummeted, but then like a yo-yo they swung back up again as Grace grinned at me.

  “But not long till lunch, Jess. Then you can get back to your lovely art!”

  I gave her a massive smile. She understands me so well. I couldn’t wish for a better best friend.

  To find out what happens next, read

  About the Author

  Ann Bryant’s School Days

  Who was your favourite teacher?

  At primary it was Mr. Perks – we called him Perksy. I was in his class in Year Six, and most days he let me work on a play I was writing! At secondary, my fave teacher was Mrs. Rowe, simply because I loved her subject (French) and she was so young and pretty and slim and chic and it was great seeing what new clothes she’d be wearing.

  What were your best and worst lessons?

  My brain doesn’t process history, geography or science and I hated cookery, so those were my least favourite subjects. But I was good at English, music, French and PE, so I loved those. I also enjoyed art, although I was completely rubbish at it!

  What was your school uniform like?

  We had to wear a white shirt with a navy blue tie and sweater, and a navy skirt, but there was actually a wide variety of styles allowed – I was a very small person and liked pencil-thin skirts. We all rolled them over and over at the waist!

  Did you take part in after-school activities?

  Well I loved just hanging out with my friends, but most of all I loved ballet and went to extra classes in Manchester after school.

  Did you have any pets while you were at school?

  My parents weren’t animal lovers so we were only allowed a goldfish! But since I had my two daughters, we’ve had loads – two cats, two guinea pigs, two rabbits, two hamsters and two goldfish.

  What was your most embarrassing moment?

  When I was in Year Seven I had to play piano for assembly. It was April Fool’s Day and the piano wouldn’t work (it turned out that someone had put a book in the back). I couldn’t bring myself to stand up and investigate because that would draw attention to me, so I sat there with my hands on the keys wishing to die, until the Deputy Head came and rescued me!

  To find about more about Ann Bryant, visit her website: www.annbryant.co.uk

  Want to know more about the Silver Spires girls?

  Or try a quiz to discover which School Friend you’re most like?

  You can even send Silver Spires e-cards to your best friends and post your own book reviews online!

  It’s all at www.silverspiresschool.co.uk

  Check it out now!

  Collect all the School Friends books in the series

  First Term at Silver Spires

  Drama at Silver Spires

  Rivalry at Silver Spires

  Princess at Silver Spires

  Secrets at Silver Spires

  Star of Silver Spires

  …all featuring the Amethyst Dorm girls

  Party at Silver Spires

  Dancer at Silver Spires

  Dreams at Silver Spires

  Magic at Silver Spires

  Success at Silver Spires

  Mystery at Silver Spires

  …all featuring the Emerald Dorm girls

  Check out more exciting stories at

  www.usborne.com/fiction

  This ebook edition first published in the UK in 2016 by Usborne Publishing Ltd, Usborne House, 83-85 Saffron Hill, London EC1N 8RT, England. www.usborne.com

  Copyright © 2016, 2008 by Ann Bryant

  The right of Ann Bryant to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.

  Series cover design by Sally Griffin.

  Cover illustration by Suzanne Sales/New Division

  The name Usborne and the devices are Trade Marks of Usborne Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

  This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or used in any way except as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or loaned or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

  This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

  ePub ISBN 9781474917506

  Batch no. 01566-08