He nodded once again.
‘Great. I’ve been waiting for this.’
Slotting his iPod in the speaker dock, she tapped on the music.
The Dance exam was scheduled for the morning, with all the performances running one after the other, no breaks. Nervous, Kieran and Raven walked side by side to find out when they were on. Raven looked at the list. ‘We’re last.’
‘Is that good?’
Raven noted that Gina had found a place with the other Modern group who had tried to have Kieran on their team. She had got the better part of the bargain, even if Kieran was still not quite ready to perform in front of an audience. ‘I don’t suppose it matters. At least the examiner is from outside the school; we’ll get a fair assessment. Let’s get seats at the back.’
Kieran sat beside her in the dance studio. She could see he was mentally running through his moves. Raven nudged him with her shoulder. ‘Don’t over-think it. We’ll be fine.’
In a pause between dances, Joe slid into the chair beside him. ‘How’s he doing?’ he asked Raven, ignoring Kieran. ‘Is he like Robot-Kieran or Gotta-Dance-Kieran?’ Joe did jazz hands.
‘I think right now he would prefer to be facing a pride of ravening lions.’ She brushed the back of Kieran’s hand in sympathy.
‘Yeah, I can see that.’ Joe looked a little concerned.
Kieran suddenly straightened. ‘You know what? We are going to be great.’
She smiled in surprise. ‘I know—I’ve been telling you that for weeks.’
‘No, I mean it this time.’
‘And I didn’t?’
‘You were just being kind.’
The musical intro to the second-to-last dance began. Kieran raised a brow at Raven.
‘Yep. Time to go backstage.’
Joe slapped his back. ‘Break a leg.’
Kieran punched him in the stomach—not too hard. ‘Thanks, pal.’
Raven dragged Kieran into the wings before Joe could hit him back. She smoothed down the front of his costume where she had rumpled the black short-sleeve top. ‘Ready?’
‘It’s going be good, Raven.’
‘Hmm.’ She was a little sceptical but thought it sweet of him to say so. The repeated experiments had only shown his unwillingness to perform before an audience. What happened in the practice room stayed in the practice room; he was always holding back. ‘You’re playing the role of someone who is quite self-absorbed, cold even, so it’s OK.’
‘But you want me to perform, bring the emotion out.’
‘Yes, but the main thing is you dance it all the way through.’
‘And you’re supposed to be showing some regret leaving me.’
‘That’s what I’m trying for, yes.’
The other dance had about a minute left. Kieran took a step closer. ‘Then I want to try an experiment. I’ve been thinking about it for weeks.’
‘What’s that?’ She couldn’t look away from his tiger-intent gaze.
‘This.’ He lifted her up and backed her against the wall as his lips closed the distance to capture hers. She’d wondered—known they were circling something—but now his move had arrived when she least expected it. He wasn’t just kissing her—he was devouring her. He seemed to pour everything into it—their mutual fire that only burned hotter when they argued, laughed and danced together. He held her up with one hand on the back of her thighs, her legs around his waist; the other hand stroking her neck, shoulders and hair—everywhere he could reach. At first she was shocked that he was pouring out his passion for her in a public place, but then she was driven past thought and melted in his arms, matching kiss for kiss, stroke for stroke.
They didn’t hear the cough behind them. It took a tap on the shoulder from Miss Hollis to break them apart.
‘I hope that was just for luck,’ she said, amused.
‘We were … um … ’ Raven struggled to find her words.
‘Just getting into our roles,’ Kieran finished. ‘Finding a spark.’
‘Is that why … ?’ Raven blushed. She sincerely hoped it was more than just an aid to performance. It had certainly felt more than that. ‘Yes, exactly.’
Miss Hollis checked the music was cued up correctly. ‘So I take it you’re ready? I’ve not seen this all the way through so I’ll be interested to see what you’ve done with the piece.’
‘No one has,’ muttered Raven, bunching back the hair that Kieran had dislodged during the kiss. Had Kieran finally declared himself or was she jumping to the wrong conclusion?
‘OK. Starting positions, please.’
In contrast to her confusion, Kieran appeared fired up after the kiss. He walked on to the stage showing no nerves.
OK, Stone, put that aside for later. The show must go on. She moved to her opening spot.
Raven did not know what had come over Kieran. When the music started, he began moving as if he had been possessed by the dance. Technically he had shown he had the routine memorized, but she had doubted he could bring his performance to the stage as he was so closed off emotionally in public. Now he injected what she could only call alpha-male attitude into the moves—they may have broken off the kiss but the dance became its extension. The chemistry between the two parts, the female dancer shaking off the bad relationship and the man trying to keep her, went from tentative to combustible. Raven found her own performance improving to meet the raised bar like high jumper making a new personal best. It was the most incredible dance experience of her life and she didn’t want it to end. He folded her into his arms so tenderly, with such yearning, that she had to remember the choreography asked her to spin away and reject him. Her reluctance was not feigned. His resulting anger was explosive—vital. He dominated the stage, moving with a gymnast’s ease through the more ambitious steps. She forgot about the examiner, the audience: all she could see was him.
As the last chord faded, the audience were silent. Then the applause started—reluctant from the anti-Raven brigade, but enthusiastic from many in the room. A piercing whistle echoed from the back row. Had to be Joe.
Miss Hollis came on stage, smiling broadly. She squeezed Raven’s hand and then gave Kieran a hug. ‘Now I know why your marks were predicted to be so good! You’ve been teasing me, Mr Storm, hiding your lamp under a bushel,’ she said in a low voice.
Raven thought it more a case of finding the match to light it.
‘Thanks.’ Kieran looked extremely pleased with himself—and for once he had earned it. He had moved well out of his comfort zone for her.
Miss Hollis faced the audience. ‘And on that exhilarating note, we conclude our performances. Thank you so much for coming to support your year group. Please head back to normal lessons.’
Trying not to watch the examiner finalizing her notes in the centre of the front row, Raven let Kieran take her hand and they left the stage together. She hadn’t yet said anything to him, but maybe they had done their talking in their dancing? He dropped her palm but only so he could put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to his side.
She decided to make light of it so as not to humiliate herself. ‘Wow, Ace, that was a revelation.’ She stopped by the girls’ changing rooms, not wanting to leave him and go in to face the hostile gang inside. She didn’t do well in changing rooms.
His eyes shining with post-performance pleasure, he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it—old-fashioned gallantry. ‘Thank you.’
‘It’s me who has to thank you. Kieran, I underestimated you. You really know how to pull out the stops when you have to. That was some act.’
‘I had the right incentive—and it wasn’t an act. That was the answer—I just had to mean it.’ His gaze went to her lips. She couldn’t help but dart out her tongue and lick them, just in case. Much to her regret, he didn’t take the opportunity as other dancers were approaching. Oh joy. It was her ex-best friend. Gina could add poor timing to all round bitchiness.
‘Kieran, you were fantastic!’ gushed Gina. ‘No
ne of us knew you could dance like that!’
‘Thank you. But it’s down to Raven. She’s an excellent partner.’
Gina ignored that comment. ‘But the height on that handspring! You’re an amazing gymnast.’
‘So’s Raven.’
She nudged him in the side. There was no point him continuing to defend her, not when Gina and her crew had determined to deny her existence, and she was planning to leave anyway.
‘What did you think of our performance?’ Gina asked, fishing for compliments.
‘I don’t know much about dance,’ he said with magisterial disdain, tone implying it was a subject that had failed to interest him sufficiently.
‘It was great—very impressive,’ said Raven, deciding she would be the bigger person and give credit where it was due.
Gina looked briefly at her, a flash of doubt in her eyes. Raven’s heart squeezed—it was almost as though the old Gina had peeked out at her for a moment. ‘Thank you,’ Gina said stiffly. ‘Kind of you to say so. We’d better get changed.’ This remark was addressed to the rest in her group. They went in past Raven, not inviting her to join them.
‘You’ll be OK in there?’ Kieran nodded at the door.
‘I’m going to grab my things and go back to the cottage for lunch. I can change there.’
‘Good plan.’
They stood for a second, poised. Both were aware the rules had altered but neither was sure what the new game was called.
Kieran took the lead. ‘Raven, how about we celebrate? I’ve got to go home again tomorrow but I’d like to take you out to a show, whatever you want really. I’m not happy leaving you here after last time.’
He was asking her on a real date? Time alone with him was just what she wanted. ‘You want me to come with you to London? OK, I’ll ask Granddad.’
‘I’ve some things to do at home first in the morning but should be free by the afternoon. I thought I’d get us tickets for the play at the Globe, if you’d like that.’
‘Cool: I’ve always wanted to go.’
‘You can either come up with Joe and me and do some shopping or whatever in the morning, or come up later: your choice.’
Raven registered that he wasn’t inviting her to meet his family, which hurt a little but then it was just a first date. She wondered if he was ashamed of her humble background. Still, he was asking her out, which had to make up for that. ‘I’ll ask Granddad to drop me at the station and come up later.’
‘Just buy your ticket one way. Joe will drive us back in the evening.’
‘Joe can drive?’
‘Yeah. He had his car brought up. It’s stashed at the far end of the staff car park. Not entirely within the rules but no one’s noticed it yet.’
‘That’s so cool.’
‘Well, that’s Joe for you.’ Kieran seemed a little put out by her admiration for his friend.
She leant towards him. ‘But not as cool as you, Kieran Storm. You blew us all out of the water with that performance.’
‘I did?’ He rubbed the back of his neck. ‘Yeah, I did, didn’t I?’
‘Arrogant much?’ teased Raven.
He grinned. ‘But it was all down to my extraordinarily gifted partner. Thank you, Raven.’ Bending his head, he kissed her gently, rubbing his fingers through her hair as if he couldn’t bear to let go. He ended by resting his forehead against hers. ‘See you later.’ He didn’t release her.
‘Haven’t you forgotten something?’
‘Don’t think so.’
‘This is the part where you’re supposed to let go of me.’
‘Why would I want to do that?’
Actually, now he mentioned it, she couldn’t think of a single reason why either.
In the boardroom of the YDA overlooking the Thames, Isaac was reading the profiles of the four trustees that Kieran and Joe had assembled. Joe was chatting to his mentor from C Stream, Jan Hardy, a retired Scotland Yard commander who had the art of blending nailed: she could pass for anything from unthreatening pensioner to flamboyant diva, depending on the requirements of the mission. Dr Waterburn, Kieran’s own mentor, was tapping away on her computer; she kept her relationship with her charges to factual exchange, as they preferred. At least, as he had once thought he preferred. Kieran wouldn’t have minded someone a little removed from the mission to talk through the complicating emotional issues. He shouldn’t be going anywhere near Raven but he’d stood in the middle of a corridor for fifteen minutes kissing her and hadn’t wanted to let go—why was that? But his mentor was totally the wrong person to confide in: such a conversation would be excruciatingly embarrassing for both sides and only get him in deep trouble.
‘So, guys, lay this out for me.’ Isaac leant back and pushed the files away. ‘We have people exchanging favours through what Kieran calls the clearing house of the school—I see that. I imagine some of those favours must benefit the trustees, otherwise what are they getting out of it?’
‘That’s right. The strongest lead I’ve found so far is that Kolnikov’s last gas contract was signed by one of the parents of an Angolan pupil,’ said Kieran.
‘OK. Let’s take it as read that there are many other examples. How did it come about? Any theories?’
‘There’s one interesting point of contact: the trustees all had a child go through the school in the same year.’
‘And then what?’
Kieran laced his fingers together. ‘This is speculation.’
‘Go on.’
‘What if, when Kolnikov Junior and the other trustee kids were there, their fathers realized they had joined a herd just waiting to be milked? Wealthy, influential parents; captive audience of young people; total control thanks to the boarding system.’
‘But what part does the manor play in all this? My people who got in as part of a day conference say that it appears completely normal. They didn’t have access all areas but there were no signs of anyone being held there against their will, nothing to raise any red flags. Staff members were charming but stuck to their script. The only thing they could fault was that it was too faultless.’
‘Even so, something’s happening there and it has to be seen as necessary—these kind of men don’t offer to reform problem kids without a reason,’ said Mrs Hardy.
‘I think it’s part of the hold over the participants in the favour exchange,’ explained Kieran. ‘What’s to stop one of the parties getting cold feet and spilling the secret to a government or employer? The students who’ve been on the course had all got into difficulties with the school authorities. I’m wondering if, as we get nearer the time of the course, Mrs Bain might not come up with some evidence of our misdemeanours that a concerned parent or guardian would not want to have made public. They might even engineer the problems in the first place for the ones they want in their scheme.’
‘Funny you should say that: she has already suggested you enrol on a personality development course and promised me a detailed report on you both.’ Isaac smiled. ‘I look forward to reading it.’
Joe shook his head. ‘And I hadn’t even put our names down yet.’
‘She wants to smooth your rough edges.’
‘Geez, keep her away from me!’ joked Joe. ‘I’m thinking she is keener on getting favours out of you, Isaac: our impressive godfather, Colonel Isaac Hampton, frightfully senior in the Ministry of Defence.’
‘Yes, I’ve a notional desk in Procurement.’ The senior ranks of the MoD were supportive of Isaac’s college and allowed him an official cover with them as he was former military. ‘You can do the course if you think it’ll move the investigation along, but I promise you I’ll kick you from here to Canberra if either of you change one iota as a result.’
Kieran weighed up the offer. ‘I think this contact with you will develop into a form of blackmail. Your kid is broken: I’ll fix him but on the understanding you stay on our side. If you take what you know to anyone else, both you and your kid will suffer.’
‘And they
are doing more than fixing,’ added Joe. ‘They’re making accusations go away by framing someone else for the most visible crimes.’
‘That’s an intriguing twist of nastiness. How are they managing that?’ asked Jan.
‘There’s this girl with a stealing problem—it got to a stage where other students were noticing things going missing. They “cured” her by making her believe it wasn’t her behind the thefts and gave her someone to blame—her former best friend, Raven Stone, the caretaker’s granddaughter. A complete rehabilitation—everyone, including the girl, thinks she’s innocent and the only one to suffer is someone no one needs care about because Raven has no useful connections or powerful parents.’
‘I think it’s not just this case where Raven has been made a scapegoat,’ said Kieran, reminding himself not to get angry—this wasn’t the place. ‘The school is using her as a convenient target for many of the so-called reformed students. She helps consolidate their group identity—a shared enemy.’
‘Fascinating.’ Jan loved delving into the murky depths of criminal behaviour. ‘I’m jealous you’ve got to spend all this time in a hotbed of intrigue.’
‘It’s not so much fun. There are victims.’ Kieran rolled his pen between his fingers.
Jan’s gaze settled on his face with a thoughtful expression. ‘Crime always has victims, Kieran; that’s why we’re here.’
In fact, Kieran had to admit she was wrong about him: he had been attracted to it by the chance to solve puzzles; only now was he seeing it from the point of view of those involved.
‘Still, it’s ugly to witness it in action.’ Joe saved Kieran from having to reply. ‘The girl they are picking on is a friend now; we want to make sure nothing bad happens to her. Don’t we, Kieran?’
Kieran would have kicked Joe under the table if he could have reached.
‘Just remember your focus is on your mission, not playing knights in shining armour.’ Isaac had caught the byplay between them and Kieran feared he was drawing the right conclusion. Not much got past Isaac.
‘I think we aren’t seeing the whole picture yet, sir.’ Kieran dragged his thoughts back to his job. Damn, it was getting more difficult to do so; he kept worrying about Raven.