All That Life Can Afford

Anna has a meeting at North London Collegiate about offering an SAT course at the school. The headmistress scoffs when she hears Anna’s credentials and refuses her proposal. Feeling deflated afterwards, Anna goes to get a haircut and returns home to concoct a new tutoring plan. She makes arrangements to bring SAT course proposals to two other private schools in Highgate. Then she dons Faye’s silk blouse and linen pants for her meeting with St. Giles. At this meeting, she carries herself with more confidence, and the assistant director accepts her proposal.

A few days later, Anna completes her first SAT course at Highgate School. She walks to Parliament Hill afterwards, feeling lighter. Then she runs into Callum. His dog tromps through the mud and jumps on Anna, muddying Faye’s pants. They talk somewhat more openly than they have in the past months, but Callum is still cold toward Anna. He accuses her of wearing Faye’s clothes, insisting she’s put him in an uncomfortable position with his friends. He feels compelled to lie about who she is because of what she’s told them. He also admits that he’s tired of his friends’ decadent lifestyle. Anna argues that he has nothing to complain about and that she’s not asking him to do anything for her.