Corrina was surprised at the revelation about her host mother, the realisation that Miss Adams had the inside track, and had been speaking to her parents without her knowledge.was a surprise Corrina had not anticipated. This was very different to the light ticking off she received in her old school. Corrina suspected that she had already garnered several entries in the "Naughty Book" but thought nothing of it.

"Your host mother has agreed, I have decided. What you think, Miss Gladstein, is neither here nor there. If you do not come to my house after school, I will wash my hands of you and the headmaster will be informed, do you want that, Miss Gladstein?"

"No...I...I will stop by your house, Miss Adams."

Miss Adams narrowed her gaze...
"Are you a good girl, or a bad girl, Miss Gladstein?"
"I'm a good girl, ma'am", Corrina replied promptly and precisely.

The teacher smiled broadly.
"That is more like it, Miss Gladstein. I expect you to behave like one."

"You will come straight to my home. No need to change out of your uniform as your visit will be part of your education. You will be at my place for two hours, no more, no less. Your host parents have agreed to it."

"Two hours!?" Corrina was indignant.
Miss Adams looked cross.
Corrina relented, "Yes, ma'am." The teacher smiled broadly.
"Good, good, good. You need sorting out, Miss Gladstein. I do not want you turning into a disobedient, fat, lazy little madam. You are a bright young thing and I expect better. I think we can nip your shoddy behaviour in the bud with some extra-curricular education. You will be
learning more than maths."

"Yes, ma'am." Corinna replied blandly.

Corinna had been immune to the ticking off previous teachers had given her, but Miss Adams was different; her words stung like a verbal spanking. She handed Corrina a little slip of paper which had a simple sketched map and address written on it.

"My house, 5:20pm. Do not be late. Now, back to your desk!" Again in that firm, dominant tone.
Corrina scurried back to her desk, with her proverbial tail between her legs. Miss Adams had got the better of her, and not for the last time.

However, old habits die hard, and Corrina quickly forgot the verbal spanking, spending 33 minutes gossiping with her classmates after school. She would soon regret this tardiness, of course, but such was her nature that she forgot her commitments with ease, after all, what could that silly old cow Miss Adams do other than tell her off and bore her with lectures?

Corrina made her way down the street, Miss Adams lived just a couple of streets from Corrina's host parents, so the journey required nothing more than a detour.

Corrina rang the bell of the ornate and beautiful home that was Miss Adams' dwelling.

It was 5:33pm.

Corrina could hear angry footsteps approaching the door. It was flung open.

"You are LATE, little madam!"

Corrina was taken aback by the fury of Miss Adams, "I...I'm sorry I..." she stammered.
"IN! NOW!"

Corrina scurried inside, the door slammed shut behind her...