His lilting Welsh accent crawled up the base of her spine and she frowned in response. Jess was not going to let him put her out of sorts. “Is that a rhetorical question, Mr. Morgan?”
“No.” He was clearly amused by her irritation.
“I’d like to begin a chapter on entomology with the older students in the spring, and the microscope would make the planning and delivery of the lesson much easier.” Without the microscope, trying to explain things like carapaces and the way the insect world used antennae would require a hands on approach and observation with the naked eye. It would be far easier for her students to see the intricacy of the hidden world and observe it if squinting wasn’t required.
“Then you know what you need to do.”
Jess groaned and stamped her foot in frustration. “Why on earth did you take it to begin with?”
His grin disappeared and his gaze turned intense. “You needed to be dislodged from your shelf, Miss Wainwright.”
She felt a balloon of righteous indignation expand in her chest. She carefully set the chalk on the desk behind her and braced her hands on her hips. “And you thought stealing my microscope would accomplish that? You thought using your unconscionabletheft to press your inappropriate suit was an acceptable course of action?
He stepped closer. “You’re flustered. I’ve never seen you flustered. You’re always the unflappable soul of decorum. Like an ice maiden. I’ve already begun to achieve my ends.”
“I’m not flustered. I’m annoyed. There is a pronounced difference.” The indignation threatened to choke her. She wasn’t an ice maiden. She just didn’t believe in wearing her heart on her sleeve or leaving herself vulnerable to attack when she made how she felt visible to those who hadn’t earned her trust.
“However you choose to describe it, Miss Wainwright, my act of larceny jolted you from your complacency.”
He was absolutely infuriating. Singularly capable of prying beneath her composure like he was peeling away the epidermis that protected her organs. “If your goal was to make me uncomfortable, Mr. Morgan, you may consider it accomplished.”
His wink was slow and maddening. “Accomplishing the goals I’ve set for myself is one of my favorite pastimes.”
Jess stepped forward, until the tips of her boots were touching his. “Do you enjoy patronizing me, Mr. Morgan?”
“I shudder to think how you’d respond if I actually patronized you, Miss Wainwright.”
“I am not visiting your home to reclaim the microscope you appropriated from my desk.” She refused to give him that power. He was already insinuating himself into the design of her curriculum and she would tolerate no further manipulation.
He shrugged. “Then it appears the students will be examining insect anatomy with the naked eye and you’ll have to fend for yourself as far as designing the lesson goes.”
“You’re the superintendent of the school. Isn’t denying the students the most robust education available some sort of ethics violation?”
“Not if my beneficence supplied said microscope. And I’m confident my actions are justified.”
Jess abandoned the chalk on the desk behind her and crossed her arms. “I refuse to cave to your intimidation tactics.”
“May I remind you, Miss Wainwright, that your position here depends on my forbearance?”
He stepped toward her and she stood her ground. “Your forbearance means nothing. Since my tenure here, the attendance rolls have been full. Several of the students have passed the exams for admission to university, and, according to their correspondence with their parents, are settling in well.”
“Your position is still secured by my forbearance. One word to the rest of the board and you’ll be unable to continue your unorthodox teaching methods.”
“I’ve had no complaints. The results of those methods speak for themselves. And I could simply inform the magistrate that you are holding onto stolen property.”
“The methods may speak for themselves, but there are still members of the parish who believe female students shouldn’t be exposed to those studies. And you won’t speak of the microscope to the magistrate. Because if you do, I might be tempted to tell him about your sister Lavinia and the visits she makes to new mothers under the auspices of her position.”
“You’re not going to intimidate me into retrieving the microscope. And though we are at odds I believe you are forward-thinking enough to appreciate the options my sister is offering those women.”
“It wasn’t my intention to intimidate you. I’m simply reminding you that your rebellion is pointless because I hold the winning hand. I’m confident you’ll eventually see the truth of the situation.”
She turned toward the chalkboard, and reached for the eraser again. She took a deep breath, but that didn’t stop her fromfuming. “You’ve made your point, Mr. Morgan. If I decide there’s no other way for me to conduct the lessons I’ve developed, I’ll retrieve my microscope. Now, if there’s nothing further, I must finish cleaning up.”
She ignored the low chuckle and the tromp of his boots as he left.
Once the door had shut, she dropped her forehead to the chalkboard and sighed.
The fortnight since Cadoc Morgan’s illicit proposition had passed quickly. Jess had been occupied with preparations for her sister’s journey and the upcoming school pageant.
