Chapter 4 Summary

Barbara can tell by Pabblem's carefully polite attitude that he is about to be very nasty to her. She accompanied a field trip to the cathedral at St. Albans a month previously. While there, fifteen students escaped and went on a shoplifting spree. Some of the boys, caught in the act, were taken to the police station, and the school is now at the center of controversy because of it. Pabblem asked her to write up a full report on the incident, suggesting ways to avoid these types of problems in the future. Barbara believes that Pabblem really wants her to write a report stating that Pabblem cannot in any way be held responsible for the incident.

Barbara explains that the staff was thrilled when they first learned that Pabblem was going to be the new head of the school. Seven years later...