Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57623 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 288(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57623 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 288(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
“I’ve brought you some food for the dog,” she says, presenting Jane with a small sack of dog food. “No reason for the poor creature to suffer because he was abducted by a hellion.”
“I am sorry Storm was so rude today,” Jane says, feeling somehow responsible, as if she should have warned Headmistress Lotte more. “And thank you for the dog food.”
“Modern young ladies are not taught to respect their elders, and if I am to be honest I consider that in some part a good thing. It is much easier to teach someone bold how to soften slightly than it is to elevate the timid. The former can be done by imparting a modicum of restraint. The latter might very well never be achieved. I spend a great deal of time with some new arrivals getting them to speak up. That will not be an issue with Storm.”
“No,” Jane agrees. “It will not.”
“You will be busy here,” the handsome woman continues. “Though most are not nearly as directly confrontational, many are spoiled, and there are some students who once settled, begin to lack motivation for their studies.”
“I look forward to providing appropriate accountability,” Jane says, quite genuinely meaning every word.
“Good,” Headmistress Lotte replies. “Now, don’t forget, we do have security. It is necessary to keep locals out, and occasionally, to keep the girls in. You may find yourself encountering one or two of them if you do decide to go rambling. I have informed them of your arrival, but proper introductions will have to wait until tomorrow. Be sure to introduce yourself if you happen across them in the meantime.”
“I will,” Jane says. “Thank you.”
“And of course,” Headmistress Lotte says, her eyes twinkling slightly. “I hope you had a good trip here. I apologize for my brusque reception. Usually our students arrive in a slightly more refined manner, and with significantly fewer stolen pets.”
“Of course,” Jane says. “I understand.”
“Good work today, Miss Strict,” Headmistress Lotte says. “I look forward to having you on my team.”
“Thank you, headmistress,” Jane smiles, very much gratified and pleased to have made a positive impression, though Storm made it nearly impossible to do so. She thinks she will like it here.
6 THE FIRST DAY
On her first full day at Birchbane, Jane joins the faculty for breakfast, which is taken with all the students together in the formal dining room. There is an air of perpetual vacation about the school. The view from the windows is absolutely spectacular, ranging across the valleys dotted with quaint little villages that have stood here for hundreds of years. Breakfast is a rich spread of croissants and brioche, cheese and breads, fruits and fried potatoes. Her colleagues are an intriguing and well-traveled cohort, and she is eager to get to know them all. This place suits Jane entirely, and she already feels very much at home.
The same cannot be said for Storm. It is not easy to spot her at first. The dining tables are set up such that the faculty is horizontally oriented and then the student table runs vertically out from the center of their table. More senior students, those in their early twenties, are seated toward the faculty. The younger, newer students are at the farthest end. Storm is at the very far end of the long table, picking at a croissant as if it has personally affronted her.
She is understandably sitting uncomfortably and does not look at Jane once. She says nothing to anybody, and is quite clearly, even at a distance, in a full sulk. But aside from an indelicate manner of avoiding eating breakfast, she is not doing anything overtly wrong. Perhaps the discipline is starting to sink in. It will take some time to adjust to it, Jane is very aware of that. For the moment, she is satisfied that her charge is beginning to behave.
Storm is in hell.
She spent the night barely able to sleep, tossing and turning uncomfortably with an aching bottom, alone in a fancy room that is not hers and she does not like. Everything here looks and feels pretentious. Even the way the other students speak to each other seems forced, like they’re running perfect little Stepford scripts. A few girls have tried to introduce themselves to her. Storm has resisted their overtures. She is not interested in making friends.
Location and aching bottom aside, what is truly bothering her is the uniform. The uniform for new students at Birchbane is not a traditional school uniform. It is a classic A-line dress in a deep green tone that the accompanying literature says flatters any complexion or skin tone. There is an optional cardigan, which is going to do two-tenths of fuck all against a winter’s breeze. It is matched with neutral hosiery, which Storm has already put a run in, and kitten heels which she hates with a passion. Even sitting at the breakfast table, the flaring hem of the skirt of the dress distracts her. There is just far too much air around, she feels practically naked, and she cannot understand why anybody would want to wear such a garment, under any circumstances, ever. She thought she was done with dresses and skirts.