Read Online A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin - Free Book Online Page B

glanced up from the rat she cradled. “To be fair, it was an extremely accurate sketch of her grandfather. Which would not have caused such a stir except he had died when Sera was only two.”
    â€œHardly a reason to lock her in a closet with nothing but bread and water for a month,” Jane protested. “Or you, Tess, exiled because your uncle’s stallion kicked him.”
    Tess shifted uncomfortably and mumbled, “A bit more to it than that.”
    Jane paid her no heed. “And what about Maya, who never did anything to anyone except be born too beautiful and with a voice—”
    Maya inhaled sharply. “No more, Jane. Please. ”
    But Jane ignored her, and with a sweeping gesture asked, “Can anyone here guess how the patronesses of Almack’s would react upon meeting a young lady who mixes chemicals in her father’s barn?” I couldn’t tell if she intended to laugh or if she was choking on the words. “Never mind that it caught fire. You’re not exactly the beau monde ’s image of an ideal young lady, are you? You know how they abhor bluestockings.”
    Jane frowned at me, hands on hips. “You can’t truly believe you were sent away solely because of a fire, Georgiana? What did you think? You would serve out a sentence for your crime and then go home, welcomed back into your family’s arms? There’s no going home again for us. Not really.” Her eyes flashed, as if she wanted to slap sense into me. “Starting a fire is awful, yes, but you’re here for the same reason we are. Because you don’t fit in.”
    It was a cold hard slap. I edged away. I didn’t want to hear anymore.
    â€œYou’re here because you’re odd. Exceptional .” Unrelenting, Jane followed me to the edge of the circle. “You’re unusual, Georgiana. And that is far more dangerous than any fire.”
    My stomach lurched. For a moment it felt as if the floor might fall out from under me. I could only shake my head.
    â€œYou know it’s true.” Jane clucked her tongue and wagged a finger at me. “If only you’d sat in the corner like a good little girl, doing needlepoint and reading poetry. Maybe then they wouldn’t have booted you out. Maybe . But even that trick didn’t work for Maya.”
    â€œNo. You don’t understand.” I backed away from her. “It isn’t that at all. They—”
    â€œOh, I understand well enough. You didn’t sit in the corner, did you, Georgie?” Jane kept coming. “No. You were out doing things. Alarming people. Upsetting the proverbial apple cart.” She jabbed my shoulder. “And, tell me, Miss Fitzwilliam, what did the people who are supposed to love you do about that? Did they whip you like Tess’s uncle did? Or did they lock you in the attic like they did Sera? Or did they simply do what my brothers—”
    â€œJane! Stop.” Sera’s normally gentle voice echoed through the room like an iron bell. “You’re hurting her.”
    Jane clamped her lips together for a moment, composing herself. “She needs to know.”
    â€œShe’s not ready.” The brass telescope rested in Sera’s lap. Moonlight spun a halo about her silvery hair.
    With a resigned sigh, Jane dropped into the nearest chair. “You know perfectly well she’s bound to figure it out.”
    â€œNot yet. Not tonight.” Moonlight cast a haze over Sera. She looked like a ghostly princess holding a golden scepter and her word appeared to be as absolute as any monarch’s. “You mustn’t rush her.”
    Too late. Jane’s words had already dug talons into my brain.
    â€œYou m-m-must excuse me,” I stuttered. I never stutter. My mouth felt as dry as burnt toast. I backed toward the passage, bumped into a tower of crates, and glanced behind, toward the dark opening. “I’ve had a long journey