It's a bit late to say this, I know, but I was dreadfully shocked by the death of your father. Schoolboys don't write condolence notes. And your own tragedy was somewhat eclipsed by the drowning of Peter Middleton on the very same day. But believe me, many of us thought of you and talked about you after you were so abruptly taken away from school....
I'm glad you asked me about Peter. I have felt guilty ever since that day. I didn't actually see the poor chap die, but I saw enough to guess the rest.
Your cousin Edward was, as you so colourfully put it, more rotten than a dead cat. You managed to get most of your clothes out of the water and scarper, but Peter and Tonio weren't so quick.
I was over the other side, and I don't think Edward and Micky even noticed me. Or perhaps they didn't recognise me. At any rate they never spoke to me about the incident
Anyway, after you had gone Edward proceeded to torment Peter even more, pushing his head under the water and splashing his face while the poor boy struggled to retrieve his clothes.
I could see it was getting out of hand but I was a complete coward, I'm afraid. I should have gone to Peter's aid but I was not much bigger myself certainly no match for Edward and Micky Miranda, and I didn't want my clothes soaked as well. Do you remember the punishment for breaking bounds? It was twelve strokes of the Striper, and I don't mind admitting I was more frightened of that than anything else. Anyway, I grabbed my clothes and sneaked away without attracting any attention.
I looked back once, from the lip of the quarry. I don't know what had happened in the meantime, but Tonio was scrambling up the side, naked and clutching a bundle of wet clothes, and Edward was swimming across the pool after him, leaving Peter gasping and spluttering in the middle.
I thought Peter would be all right, but obviously I was wrong. He must have been at the end of his tether. While Edward was chasing Tonio, and Micky was watching, Peter drowned without anyone's noticing.
I didn't know that until later, of course. I got back to school and slipped into my dorm. When the masters started asking questions, I swore I had been there all afternoon. As the ghastly story began to emerge I never had the guts to admit that I had seen what happened.
Not a tale to be proud of Hugh. But telling the truth at last has made me feel a bit better, at any rate....
