Week 3

It’s the third week of term at Eggleston Hall, at the end of which the ladettes will be tested to the limit. They have been invited, by leading society hostess Lady Apsley, to a day of swimming, champagne and fine dinning at one of the countries grandest and most notorious country houses ‘Cliveden’. But before the week even starts a departure throws the school off course. Under the cover of darkness, nightclub bouncer Kelly Simpson has fled. A difficult week followed by a harsh assessment proved too much for her. The week stumbles on and art teacher Susan Wilson opts for shock tactics in the hope of re-engaging the girls. The girls are to paint a male nude. They giggle their way through the class but all sense of purpose and focus has gone. With a grave situation and a vacancy at the school a decision is made to bring back old girl and Liverpudlian Louise Porter in the hope her arrival will reignite competition between the ladettes. Last year Louise was a a foul-mouthed, hard-drinking torrent of trouble, but she showed natural aptitude in class, and Gill Harboard was convinced she could change. The girls are not impressed with the new arrival. But the plan to instill competition in the wayward girls backfires, the old ladettes refuse to compete and instead turn to drink. Mrs Shrager catches them red handed and a show down follows. Nichole looses her temper and reveals that her anger stems from the death of her two brothers over 10 years ago. “I was a very messed up angry little girl” The punishment is harsh – P.E at 7 a.m. in the morning. All the girls have to take part but none of them apply themselves and all treat it as a joke. Mrs Shrager is pushed to breaking point. Tensions are at boiling point and the future of the term on a knife edge. Finally the stand off is broken when 27 year old Simone Webber crosses enemy lines and apologizes for the girls’ behavior. After the week from hell the Ladette’s now must face their most spectacular test yet; pool side drinks and a champagne reception followed by a lavish French dinner at Cliveden. The champagne reception and dinner bring surprising successes, occasional sobriety and army girl Simone Webber thinks she may have finally turned a corner, “ I am beginning to love myself now, there is lady in me it’s just trying to get out”. Unsupervised nightcaps in the library plunge the girls back into scandal with a saucy game of spin the bottle. At the end of the week assessments the girls must face the consequences of their actions. Tears and tantrums follow and despite an arduous week not one girl wants to loose their place at the hall.