Ian looked at her and then at me. "What did she do to you?" he asked, ignoring her.
"If I have to call for your grandmother, this will become a major incident. Is that what you want?"
"Jordan?"
She had no idea how well Ian could ignore someone. It made me smile, but Miss Harper's fingers squeezed harder on my shoulders.
"You are supposed to be a very smart young man," she said. "You're not acting very intelligently. With your parents both seriously injured, this is not the time to be a troublemaker in your grandmother's house."
"Are you all right. Jordan?" he asked me,
I kept my eyes directed to the floor. If I told him what she had done. I knew he would get very angry, shout, and tell her to let go of me. He might even go after her the way he had gone after Flora and Addison. Grandmother Emma would come rushing here to see what was happening. He would get into more trouble. I thought.
"Yes," I said, but I didn't look at him. Ian would know the truth in a second if I did.
"If you hurt her, you'll be sorry," he said, turned, and walked out.
"You did the right thing. Jordan," she said immediately. "I'm beginning to wonder if you're not the more intelligent child here."
She turned me around and I looked up at her. She smiled, but I didn't like her smile. Those eves never warmed, even when she softened her lips.
"You know your grandmother is very concerned about what has been going on between you and Ian. You know that's one of the reasons she has me here now. Whatever his reasons for his actions with you, they were inappropriate, Jordan. Your mother was on her way home to make that clear, too," she said, and I raised my eves to look at her again. "I have to take her place now. That's why your grandmother wanted me here."
How did she know that Mama had been coming home for that reason? Did Grandmother Emma tell her that and tell her Mama was angry at Ian? Was Daddy?
"It's unfortunate that she and your father were in the accident, but your grandmother is a very wise person. You know she is, right?"
"Yes," I said. I was still very hurt and didn't want to be with her or talk to her and I hated agreeing with her now.
"Well, as I said, I'm here now to carry out what your parents were surely going to do. They would make sure you were protected, that you weren't abused by anyone, and that your problem was handled in a professional and successful manner.
It is not the subject for discussion among children. Curiosity can be a good thing if it is done properly, but you remember that curiosity killed the cat," she said, with that smile mask back on her face.
I knew that expression.
"Satisfaction brought him back," I muttered. Ian always said that whenever anyone talked about the cat. He believed curiosity was healthy and important and that the only people who feared it were people who had something to hide or something about which they would be embarrassed.
She glared at me now, even her weak smile disappearing. "Sit," she said, nodding at the settee again. I moved obediently to it.
"Now then, there are words you may use and words you may not as regards your problem. If you should have the womanly problem that occurs monthly, for example. I want you to refer to it as your m
onthlies. Understand? You tell me you think you're having your monthlies. Do not use any other word for it. Even so, never say it aloud, even to me. Whisper it. What we'll do is make sure you have a sanitary napkin."
"It's not a napkin," I said. "It's a cigar."
Her eyes widened. "I will give you the benefit of the doubt because of your age. Jordan, but that. I want you to know, is also disgusting. Think before you say such things to me or anyone else. If you must," she said, "ask it as a question. Ask if it's all right to say this or that. But only ask me and only whisper it to me, even when there is no one in the room with us."
I scrunched my eyebrows together. Even when there was no one in the room with us? Why would I have to whisper to her then?
"Someone could be listening in. Snooping,'" she muttered, and glanced at the door as if she believed Ian was just outside it with his ear to it. "Besides, a real lady never says things like that aloud. She hates to even have such words cross her lips. She hates even thinking about it.
"Now, where was I?" she asked. She look very flustered. "Oh, yes. You are unfortunately now at a point where being underdressed or in any way undressed is not permitted in the company of others, not even other girls. It's unhealthy. You are not to parade around your room without your body being covered properly, even when you are alone. I will want to see your bathing suits to be sure they are adequate in that regard."
"Mama just bought new ones for me," I said quickly.
"Well. I'm sure she picked out the right sort of bathing suit, but it will still be good for me to see it. I'm only trying to do what is necessary to protect you," she added. "Your mother would want that. She would do the same things I'm doing if she could."
"Mama never put soap in my mouth."