classrooms.’ Calluna pointed at various doors along their way. ‘On
the floor below is Miss Youngsand Jnr’s science laboratory, the teachers’ rooms and Madame Rosa’s study. No one is to enter the lower floor without permission. Our rooms are on
the top floor. Each sand dancer has a kutch for sleeping in.’
They went up the large winding driftwood staircase and down a long corridor honeycombed with rows of snug sleeping kutches. They couldn’t see anyone else, but they could hear chatter and
excited laughter coming from behind many of the thick curtains that covered the entrances to the kutches.
‘How many sand dancers are here?’ Lexie asked.
‘There are only twenty-five students who passed the auditions,’ Calluna replied.
‘There were hundreds when my mother came here,’ Lexie said.
Calluna looked interested. ‘Your mother was a dancer? What was her name?’
‘Viola Seacouch.’
‘Ah, yes. Seacouches are average dancers who are good for making up the numbers,’ Calluna said as Lexie’s face fell.
‘There’s nothing average about Lexie,’ Shell said.
‘Here is your room, Lexie,’ Calluna said, ignoring Shell and pulling a small rope that opened a curtain. You are expected to keep your kutches tidy and be prompt to your classes and
on time for your meals.’
Shell’s room was next door. ‘Do we get any help with unpacking?’ she asked.
Calluna sneered. ‘I’m getting tired of your jokes! Who do you think you are – Anagallis?’
Cassie was the last one to be shown to her room. ‘Save me a place at supper,’ she called out to her friends as she followed Calluna up a rickety stepladder and along a dark, narrow
passage. The entrance to this room was covered with a piece of torn material.
Cassie looked inside. There was a small piece of polished mirror, a jug and bowl for washing, a trunk for her clothes and shoes and a narrow bed. It smelled damp and musty. From what she had
seen so far it was clearly the worst room in the school.
She walked over to the peephole and opened it. To her surprise there was a small balcony with a rope ladder leading down to the beach. She tested the ladder. It was old but it would hold her
weight if she ever felt the need to escape. She wished she’d been able to bring her sand board.
Cassie splashed some cold water on her face. It felt tight and scorched from the day’s travelling, but she still couldn’t help but feel excited. She had a place at the dancing
school, two good friends and a chance to search for clues about her mother.
Something was happening in her life at last.
Chapter Eight
‘A sand dancer must always be the best she can be
in thought, word and deed .’
The Sands of Time
After a quick wash, Cassie followed her nose to the dining hall. She walked into a large room that was buzzing with noise and filled with delicious
smells. In the middle of the room were three long tables. All the other sand dancers were sitting at them. In the centre of each table was a large steaming soup bowl. Cassie’s stomach growled
with hunger as the aroma of sea vegetables and spices filled her nose. At the far end of the room was a large stained-glass window. In front of this window, on a raised platform, was another table,
which was decorated with a fine cloth.
Cassie spotted Lexie at one end of one of the central tables and sat down beside her. All eyes were on the top table where the four teachers were sitting. Madame Rosa was sitting in one of the
middle seats. She was wearing a pale pink dress with matching coral bracelets. She did not smile, but her violet eyes regarded everyone with a warm and friendly look.
Cassie was pleased to see her, and also relieved that Sandrine was not there. Her presence at the auditions had made her wonder if she was going to be closely involved with the school.
Cassie looked at the large sprite, wearing a bright orange dress, sitting next to Madame Rosa and immediately thought about Rubus’s
the floor below is Miss Youngsand Jnr’s science laboratory, the teachers’ rooms and Madame Rosa’s study. No one is to enter the lower floor without permission. Our rooms are on
the top floor. Each sand dancer has a kutch for sleeping in.’
They went up the large winding driftwood staircase and down a long corridor honeycombed with rows of snug sleeping kutches. They couldn’t see anyone else, but they could hear chatter and
excited laughter coming from behind many of the thick curtains that covered the entrances to the kutches.
‘How many sand dancers are here?’ Lexie asked.
‘There are only twenty-five students who passed the auditions,’ Calluna replied.
‘There were hundreds when my mother came here,’ Lexie said.
Calluna looked interested. ‘Your mother was a dancer? What was her name?’
‘Viola Seacouch.’
‘Ah, yes. Seacouches are average dancers who are good for making up the numbers,’ Calluna said as Lexie’s face fell.
‘There’s nothing average about Lexie,’ Shell said.
‘Here is your room, Lexie,’ Calluna said, ignoring Shell and pulling a small rope that opened a curtain. You are expected to keep your kutches tidy and be prompt to your classes and
on time for your meals.’
Shell’s room was next door. ‘Do we get any help with unpacking?’ she asked.
Calluna sneered. ‘I’m getting tired of your jokes! Who do you think you are – Anagallis?’
Cassie was the last one to be shown to her room. ‘Save me a place at supper,’ she called out to her friends as she followed Calluna up a rickety stepladder and along a dark, narrow
passage. The entrance to this room was covered with a piece of torn material.
Cassie looked inside. There was a small piece of polished mirror, a jug and bowl for washing, a trunk for her clothes and shoes and a narrow bed. It smelled damp and musty. From what she had
seen so far it was clearly the worst room in the school.
She walked over to the peephole and opened it. To her surprise there was a small balcony with a rope ladder leading down to the beach. She tested the ladder. It was old but it would hold her
weight if she ever felt the need to escape. She wished she’d been able to bring her sand board.
Cassie splashed some cold water on her face. It felt tight and scorched from the day’s travelling, but she still couldn’t help but feel excited. She had a place at the dancing
school, two good friends and a chance to search for clues about her mother.
Something was happening in her life at last.
Chapter Eight
‘A sand dancer must always be the best she can be
in thought, word and deed .’
The Sands of Time
After a quick wash, Cassie followed her nose to the dining hall. She walked into a large room that was buzzing with noise and filled with delicious
smells. In the middle of the room were three long tables. All the other sand dancers were sitting at them. In the centre of each table was a large steaming soup bowl. Cassie’s stomach growled
with hunger as the aroma of sea vegetables and spices filled her nose. At the far end of the room was a large stained-glass window. In front of this window, on a raised platform, was another table,
which was decorated with a fine cloth.
Cassie spotted Lexie at one end of one of the central tables and sat down beside her. All eyes were on the top table where the four teachers were sitting. Madame Rosa was sitting in one of the
middle seats. She was wearing a pale pink dress with matching coral bracelets. She did not smile, but her violet eyes regarded everyone with a warm and friendly look.
Cassie was pleased to see her, and also relieved that Sandrine was not there. Her presence at the auditions had made her wonder if she was going to be closely involved with the school.
Cassie looked at the large sprite, wearing a bright orange dress, sitting next to Madame Rosa and immediately thought about Rubus’s
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