Night School: Resistance (Night School 4)

‘Not one more step, Allie.’ Her tone was commanding. ‘You stay where you are.’


‘Yes,’ Nathaniel said, turning to her. ‘Listen to your grandmother. You are here as a witness, not a participant. I want you to see what happens if you cross me. To understand why it has to be my turn to run the organisation. Not yours.’

‘Leave her alone, Nathaniel,’ Lucinda snapped. ‘She’s no threat to you.’

‘Oh, but she is.’ Nathaniel studied Allie shrewdly. ‘Her very name makes her a threat. She’s Lady Lanarkshire, after all. Your chosen heir. And who am I? I’m nobody. The bastard son of one of your cast-off husbands. Someone you were generous enough to involve in your life at one time but nobody could expect more of you.’

‘Nathaniel, stop,’ Lucinda insisted. ‘This is absurd.’

He rounded on her, stepping close until his face was inches from hers. ‘Don’t ever tell me what to do again.’

Lucinda didn’t back down but she lowered her voice. ‘I would appreciate it if you would not blame Allie for what’s happening. She is just a child.’

‘Yes,’ he said, stepping back. ‘But a very unusual one.’

He rubbed his hands together, as if he was thinking things through. Then he turned towards Allie again, only this time he kept his tone calmer.

‘I will need you to promise, Allie, that you will never seek to take control of the Orion Group while I am still alive. I will ultimately insist that you put this in writing but for tonight I’m willing to accept a verbal agreement.’

He took another step and Carter moved between them, one hand out in warning. Nathaniel shot him a cold look, but he stopped.

‘People will come to you, soon, I think, and ask you to join the organisation. To take a post on the board. To join their faction against me. I will need you to say no to them. No matter how many times they come back, you must always refuse. Is that clear?’ Nathaniel kept his gaze fixed on Allie. ‘Agree to that and we all go home tonight. And life goes on.’

The alternative to going home that night was not mentioned but Allie thought it was quite clear what he meant. If she refused, someone would die.

She couldn’t believe this was happening. She’d never wanted to be a part of the organisation. What did it even mean? Going to meetings? Telling the prime minister what to do?

She didn’t understand what he was afraid of. Who would want her to run anything, anyway?

She wanted to scream at him: I am seventeen years old.

But she had a feeling that wouldn’t matter. He was obsessed – like her grandmother and everyone else she knew – with the Orion Group. And with power.

‘Don’t say anything, Allie,’ her grandmother warned her. ‘Nathaniel, that’s quite enough.’

‘It’s OK,’ Allie heard herself say, and couldn’t quite believe she was saying it.

Everyone turned to look at her.

‘Allie …’ Lucinda cautioned but Allie shook her head.

‘It’s fine.’ She looked at Nathaniel. ‘I don’t want to be a part of any group you’re in. I will say no. I won’t be in Orion or on the board. If anyone asks me I’ll say no. OK?’

Her grandmother looked pained. As if she’d done something very hurtful.

Nathaniel studied her with curious intensity. ‘I have your solemn vow?’

‘Sure. Yes.’ She held up her hands. ‘I vow it. I’ll sign whatever you want. Just don’t hurt anyone else.’

After she spoke there was a long pause, while everyone seemed to absorb what had just happened. Allie got the feeling she was alone in not fully understanding what she’d agreed to.

‘At last.’ Nathaniel gave a triumphant laugh and raised a fist to the sky. Then he turned to Lucinda, his expression gleeful. ‘How astonishing that you ended up with such a docile granddaughter. So willing to do what you will not.’

‘She doesn’t understand what she’s doing,’ Lucinda said quietly. ‘She doesn’t know she’s been tricked. Deceiving a child is hardly anything to be proud of, Nathaniel.’

He gave an irritated flick of his hand. ‘You should have taught her better, then.’

This conversation was unnerving. They were talking about her like she wasn’t there. Like she’d made a huge mistake.

Allie risked a quick glance at Carter only to find he wasn’t watching the discussion at all. Instead, he was staring across the dark hilltop. When she realised what he was looking at, her heart began to pound.

Behind Gabe and Jerry, two shadows had broken free of the trees and begun moving with lethal steadiness towards them.

Absorbed in Nathaniel and Lucinda’s dispute, the two men had noticed nothing as the shadows crept up behind them until they were perfectly positioned.

Allie held her breath.

The shadows pounced.