Falling From Grace: Student-Teacher Forbidden Romance

Chapter 47

[RECAP: Father Gabriel has invited Leonie to stay with him during the vacation, but she needs to retrieve the incriminating love letter that Suki Laverne has stolen...]

Were it not for wanting to avoid causing Leonie trouble with her parents, Gabriel would have been tempted to tell Suki to do her worst. As it was he found it an increasing ordeal having to teach the girl, knowing how she was plotting against him. So far Suki hadn't dared to blackmail him directly. But he knew it wasn't out of the question that she might suggest he give her a higher grade, or excuse her from an essay.

It infuriated him that a schoolgirl could exert this kind of hold over him, but for Leonie's sake he kept his composure. He stayed impassive whenever Suki threw a sly glance his way, or made unpleasant hints. Gabriel reckoned that the girl would eventually be the architect of her own downfall. Suki wasn't as clever as she liked to think she was. She also revelled too openly in her triumph rather than remaining judiciously discreet.

Now early December it was dark and cold, and the wind howled bitterly around the grey stone school buildings at night. Gabriel, alone in his narrow bed in the presbytery, longed for Leonie.

In the front of his mind he had various noble thoughts about what he would do during his week with Leonie. They would talk, and pray, and maintain separate bedrooms.

Deep down he knew the minute he got her there, he wouldn't let her out of bed. It would be all or nothing. He didn't have it in him to resist this any more.

Suki eventually managed to get some kind of consent from Mother Benedict for extra coaching for the scholarship, so once again she approached Gabriel. "Mother Benedict says it's okay, so can we please go ahead?"

Gabriel had no choice. The last thing he wanted to do was spend any solo time with Suki Laverne, the tormentor of the one he loved, but Suki had forced his hand.

He figured out a way to mitigate it. Another girl going for the scholarship, and in Gabriel's mind a serious contender, was Mercy Braithwaite. He offered her coaching as well, as a way to counterbalance the sessions with Suki.

Mercy was a pleasure to teach. She was intelligent and had a natural affinity for acting. She also loved Shakespeare, which Suki only displayed a token interest in. Impressed by her, Gabriel also suggested to Sister Rosalind that she give Mercy some extra coaching.

"I'd be happy to, if Mercy wishes," Sister Rosalind said. "It's a shame our American student isn't trying for it, since she's the most talented of the lot. Still, I suppose she prefers to go back home to an American school."

Gabriel said nothing. If Sister Rosalind thought this, so much the better.

He was still running the Poetry Club, which Sister Joan had now entirely handed over to him. She had some other projects she wished to focus on, and thought it was good for the girls to have a change for the term. They were now reading some Keats, and in keeping with the growing winter, Gabriel had chosen The Eve of St Agnes.

Into her dream he melted, as the rose

Blendeth its odour with the violet,

Solution sweet

There was plenty of debate among the girls as to whether this meant that Porphyro had actually seduced Madeline or not.

"It's obvious from the 'throbbing' thing what Keats means," one girl said.

"But that would be rape, if she were asleep," another pointed out.

"She wakes up half way through though. Maybe he hadn't got fully started by that point?"

Gabriel decided it was wiser to steer discussion onto other themes within the poetry. For his part, all he could think about was Leonie lying unclothed in a moonlit bedroom, and what he would be tempted to do to her in such a scenario. It was incredibly hard not to catch her eye when reading certain lines. He hoped that she could guess that he was thinking of her during some of the verses.

But the students were determined to talk more about love and relationships. One girl even dared to ask Gabriel if he had ever dated anyone, before becoming a priest.

This was a subject that Gabriel was reluctant to discuss. He would have preferred to have this conversation with Leonie first. Telling her about Joanne and other things in his past was something he had been planning to do during their week together.

He tried to keep his response general. "It's not uncommon for people to do so, before they decide to take holy orders."

"But did you do so, Father?"

This put Gabriel on the spot. He felt Leonie's eyes on him. He couldn't lie.

"Yes, I did."

He was hit with a volley of questions. "Didn't it work out?" "Did you break her heart when you became a priest?" "Do you ever regret it?"

This at least Gabriel could answer honestly. "It was over long before I took holy orders, and I have never regretted it." He didn't specify whether "it" was the relationship ending or his choosing celibacy. The truth was that he had never regretted breaking up with Joanne, despite the hurt at the time.

But nearly every day he found himself questioning and even regretting his decision to commit his life to the Church. If only he had chosen another way, things would have been far less complicated.

Gabriel took charge. "If that has answered your questions, I suggest we get back to the poem." He knew full well the girls weren't satisfied. Many of them were clearly burning with curiosity. But the finality in his tone told them it would be futile to ask him anything further.

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I'm guessing that Leonie might not mind Father Gabriel waking her up in her dorm in the middle of the night. 

The other three might not be so happy though...