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“You have to let me keep him,” Storm implores her. “Please? He won’t be happy without me, and I won’t be happy without him.”
“That is not your dog, young lady, and that’s where you were, wasn’t it? Running off to steal…” Jane can barely form the sentence without an outraged laugh. “To steal someone’s dog.”
“Can you even steal a dog? They’re practically people.”
“Kidnap, then,” Jane sighs.
“Dognap,” Storm replies. “And not really, because he came with me of his own free will.”
Kravik is unbothered by his predicament. He seems to enjoy the train very much. He even gets up and sniffs Jane’s knee, offering her the favor of a little lick. Jane has to restrain herself from enthusiastically petting him like the very good boy he is, because of the company he is keeping.
“I’ll be good,” Storm promises. “I mean, actually good. If you let me keep him, I won’t get expelled right away.”
“I cannot let you keep him. He is not my dog to let you keep. When we reach the next station, I will get out and call your host parents and let them know what has happened totheirdog.”
“Please, Jane, no! I’ll do anything you say.”
“You’ll do anything I say anyway, young lady,” Jane says sternly. “And it is Miss Strict, or ma’am to you.”
“Right, but I’ll extra do it… ma’am?” Storm looks at Jane with wide eyes and gives her the first proper, unforcedma’amof her life. It’s a pity it is in the attempt to manipulate what she wants, but it is still representative of a sort of progress. With this young lady, a disciplinarian must occasionally settle for taking what she can get.
Jane remains firm, but what ensues is a full and practically uninterrupted hour of begging. Pitiful, hopeful, at times outlandish pleas from Storm, and even more convincingly, puppy eyes from the dog. Jane does not usually find it at all challenging to remain firm and stern with those who need it, but this is difficult in so many respects. Every time she looks at the buoyantly happy puppy, she has to hide a smile. Fortunately, her book makes something of a shield from both the imploring duo and her own reactions.
Eventually they roll into the next station. There is a five-minute break before the train departs, in which Jane plans to depart the train, make a call from the platform phone, and return. She wishes she could split herself in two, because Storm is about as trustworthy as a… she can’t think of a proper analogy for what this girl is like. Practically unnaturally troublesome.
“I am going to call your host parents and explain what you’ve done,” Jane says. “Don’t move an inch. Either one of you.”
A small commotion is happening on the train when she returns. Storm has apparently stretched out in Jane’s absence and has her feet up on the opposite seat. This has incensed an old Swiss man, who is berating her about it. Kravik’s lip is lifted in a snarl as he defends his young mistress, clearly disliking the way the much larger male is looming over them both.
“God, chill,” Storm says, finally moving her feet from the chair as she meets Jane’s eye.
The older man moves on, satisfied that he has enacted some order in the world, and Storm bends down to give Kravik many cuddles.
“Such a good boy,” Storm praises the dog.
They clearly do have a bond. And Storm is clearly in need of some finishing.
“Keep your feet off the seats, please,” Jane echoes the gentleman as she takes her seat across from Storm once more.
“Of course. Always.”
Jane gives her a look that communicates in no uncertain terms that she saw and heard that little exchange with the stranger.
“From now on,” Storm adds. “What did they say?”
Storm and Kravik both seem anxious to hear the outcome of the call. Jane does not leave them in suspense.
“They’ve said he can stay for a few days. They will come and get him on the weekend. Storm, this is not acceptable…
Storm clearly stopped listening after she made the comment about the dog being able to stay for a few days.
“A few days!” She grins. “You hear that, boy?”
Kravik picks up on her excitement and wags his tail furiously, arching up into a sit-stand to take full advantage of the hug she’s offering him.
Storm looks the happiest Jane has ever seen her look about anything ever. It is true that their association has been marred by misbehavior, but for a moment there is pure joy in Storm’s eyes for even a few days of dog time.
Jane is less certain how she will sell this to the headmistress at Birchbane, but that is a problem for a few hours’ time. For now, peace reigns in the carriage, and she has the rare experience of making Storm happy. She finds she rather likes it.
