“Patronising git.”

“Jilly Beaton's a vicious cow. Inspectors love her, but she's a cow when they've gone.""Back home in Argentina," sniffed Isabella, "cows are very important, but they know their place.”

“What about Katerina? Is she Head Girl?""Boss Cat, more like." Isabella wrinkled her nose."Where's she from?""Sweden," said Isabella carelessly. Oh, right. So Cassie's movie-star casting had been spot-on. Not that she could imagine Katerina ever Vanting to Be Alone, though. Who else was Swedish? ABBA? Cassie wrinkled her nose. Not a good comparison. "I can see her in a silver catsuit, though," she muttered under her breath.”

“Sir Alric is big on self-motivation, initiative, that kind of guff.”

“Yup: definitely more Snow Queen than Dancing Queen.”

“That boy will be horribly deformed by the time he leaves this school.""He will?" said Cassie."From being twisted round Katerina's little finger so often.”

“Oh, get down from your high horse before you fall off.”