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Jane smiles at the unspoken implication. “Good girl,” she says, watching with some fondness as Storm practically melts at the unexpected praise.
13GOOD GIRL. BAD GIRL
Laura happens to pass Jane and Storm by on their way back to the deportment lesson. Jane gives Laura a smile. She does not receive one back, mostly because Laura is not looking at her. Instead she is looking at the young lady by Jane’s side, the one who is quite obviously wandering about unpunished.
Jane glances to see what expression Storm has. She’s smiling, and that smile turns to a smirk when she makes eye contact with Laura. There’s a brief, silent, yet very loud declaration in that look.
For a moment, Jane does wonder if she is being too nice. She can already tell Laura thinks so. The ex-soldier looks absolutely disappointed. She gives Storm a little nudge with her elbow, and Storm glances over at her before schooling her expression into something a little more contrite. It’s a look for Jane’s benefit and nobody else.
“Miss Strict, what a surprise,” Madame Pritchard says in greeting.
“I’m returning your student,” Jane says. “Storm is ready to take matters seriously and participate along with the rest of the class without trouble.”
“Yes. Sorry,” Storm says, a light pink flush appearing on her cheeks. She manages not to grit her teeth, but only just. She clearly hates apologizing, and the entire concept of deportment remains offensive to her, but she made a promise to Jane, and that seems to mean something.
“Sorry for?”
“Sorry for throwing a book and saying I wanted to jump out the window and also very sorry for saying how stupid and sexist the concept of deportment is and… ow!”
Storm yelps as Jane’s palm meets her bottom sharply.
“Sorry for not treating your class with the respect it deserves,” she says, shooting everybody who saw that little interaction a dark look. “I’m ready to try again, if you’d be so kind.”
She can be good when she wants to be. She can be very good, actually.
“Of course,” Madame Pritchard says. “Pick up a book.”
Storm sighs briefly, and gives Jane ado I really have tolook. Jane gives her ayes, reallylook back. Storm slaps the book on her head a little harder than she probably meant to, wincing.
“Practice your walk. Notice how your body feels when you’re moving, how you…”
Madame Pritchard begins that part of the lesson over again for Storm, and Jane decides now is a good time to slip out. She has to make preparations for two of the other girls who happen to be in the room. Melissa and Penelope are doing their level best to disappear into the floor but failing quite miserably. Their guilty expressions are like lighthouse signals to a seasoned disciplinarian like Jane.
Jane has not forgotten about them, but they can wait a little longer. She will take care of them after class.
Out in the hall, Jane finds Laura waiting for her once she has ensured Storm is safely and more or less happily engaged in the art of book carrying.
Before Jane can ask Laura to what she owes the pleasure, Laura launches into a complaint.
“My note was the third on your desk about that girl,” Laura says. “How many people does she need to annoy before you will do something about her?”
“She has a name,” Jane replies. Laura’s tone can best be described as brusque and given the relatively sweet moment she just had with Storm, and the progress she feels is clearly being made, Jane is not inclined to listen to Laura’s critique.
“You spoil her.”
Laura says precisely what Jane expected her to say, further cementing Jane’s private opinion that Laura does not actually understand how to handle miscreants whatsoever.
“Maybe she needs to be spoiled a little every now and then. She certainly gets punished enough, and that alone won’t work.”
Laura does not reply. She simply stands there looking taciturn and generally unimpressed. Rather than being frustrated with Laura, Jane decides instead to be curious.
“What is making you so frustrated about the punishments a girl gets?”
“If any other student acted that way… people are talking. They think she gets preferential treatment.”
Now Jane’s tone tightens a little. “I’ve spanked her more often than any other girl here. Hardly preferential treatment, Laura. I am sure I need not remind you, I am the disciplinarian. You might want to trust that I have some idea what I am doing. One can’t cane one’s way out of every problem.”
Laura nods, her expression becoming veiled and stern. It was clear that she wanted to see Storm properly punished for what she considers to be disobedience, defiance, and rudeness. And now, denied the satisfaction of seeing a sore young lady, she has joined Frau Lotte in the deprived-of-one’s-prey club.
