Page 63 of Journey to the Scottish Highlands

‘I love Twelfth Night,’ I said. ‘It’s my all-time favourite of his. I think it’s the first rom-com.’

Cayla’s eyes widened. ‘Seriously, Miss? I love it too.’

‘Well then,’ announced Josie, looking delighted.

Cayla stared around before slowly rising to her feet. Her glittery trainers squeaked on the shiny gym hall floor.

She knotted and unknotted her fingers in front of her. The pale blue hoodie she was wearing looked like it was ready to swallow her up at any moment.

‘Take your time,’ I told her. ‘When you feel ready.’

The afternoon May sunshine was tumbling through the gym windows making Cayla’s hair light up. She stole a deep breath, took another furtive glance around at her fellow drama students and then began to recite part of Olivia’s monologue from act one, scene five.

‘What is your parentage?’

Above my fortunes, yet my state is well.

I am a gentleman.’ I’ll be sworn thou art.

Thy tongue, thy face, thy limbs, actions, and spirit,

Do give thee five-fold blazon. Not too fast! Soft, soft!

I watched her possess each famous word, delivering it with clarity and conviction, as her contemporaries observed her with open admiration.

It was as if she’d morphed into Olivia herself, self-assured and regal, with an element of steel coursing through her.

When she finished, there was a stunned hush before we all broke into rapturous applause.

Cayla sank down again, cross-legged, on the floor. Her face was zinging pink under her curtain of hair.

‘That was incredible,’ I assured her. ‘Mesmerising.’

We then held a question-and-answer session, where I was asked everything from who my favourite playwright was and which actor I envied, to what role I dreamt of and which theatre had the best atmosphere. It was so heart-warming to be able to share everything I loved about my craft.

The class soon came to a close, and the students thanked me as they filed past to go home, clutching their bags and folders.

Cayla was the last one to leave.

‘You were wonderful,’ I assured her. ‘You’re very talented.’

She hooked some hair behind one ear. ‘Thank you, Ms Madden.’

She scurried out of the gym with her straw bag clutched to her side and her head down.

‘School bullies,’ said Josie, breaking through my thoughts.

‘Sorry?’

‘Cayla had a hard time recently with being bullied. It’s knocked her confidence. Made her think she isn’t good enough. That’s why she’s so reluctant to perform.’

My own experience of bullying at this very same school echoed in my head. ‘I’ve been there. I know what that’s like and what effect it can have on you.’

Josie examined me as she zipped up her bag. ‘You were bullied? I never knew that.’

‘It didn’t go on indefinitely, thanks to my grandpa getting a couple of the local farm hands to have a quiet word with the ring leader.’

Josie grinned. ‘Now that I can believe.’