Grace frowned.
“Why would he wish to do that?”
“Good God, Grace, have you no idea of the inner workings of a man? They can become possessive, insistent, downright evil when they want something.”
“Rather harsh on your sex, aren’t you?”
“It’s facts. What if Mr. Milton falls in love with you? Asks you to marry him?” She laughed, but stopped suddenly when she saw the expression on his face. “What’s so humorous?”
“I’m never getting married.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I’ve decided not to, a long time ago.”
He frowned and cocked his head.
“Why not?”
“Why would I? If I married, I would undoubtedly have to stop my work as a doctor. There is no man in the world worth such a sacrifice and I refuse to be in a position where I would have to get married.”
The refined lines of James’s face seemed to sharpen.
“How far do you plan on taking this experiment of yours, then?”
“How do you mean?”
“I mean, are you just going to write a few notes about kissing, or are you going to…” The last words seemed to die on his lips and Grace gave him a pitying look.
“I will go as far as I intend to on any given day.”
“Bloody hell,” he cursed, turning around as he began to pace the floor of his office. “This is an asinine thing to do.”
“I do not remember asking your opinion on it.”
“As your teacher, I forbid it.” She made a face at him, as if she couldn’t quite understand his ire, but then he stopped. “I mean it. If you go through with this and are discovered, it will be not only a mark on your family and friends, but your professional acquaintances. I cannot allow it.”
Just then, a knock came to the door. Grace turned to open it and saw Virgil holding her coat, as well as James’s.
“Yes?”
“It’s ten to ten, Dr. Hall. You have an appointment at Andersen University. You mentioned it yesterday?”
“Gads. Yes, all right,” James said, pulling out his pocket watch. “Two minutes and we’ll be on our way.”
“Yes, sir.”
Virgil disappeared.
“An appointment at the university?” Grace repeated. “I didn’t know you were going to be out of the office today.”
“We’re going out of the office. There’s a lecture on the heart and the vascular system today and the lead professor asked that I attend him during the dissection.”
“Dissection?” she repeated. “You mean, there will be a cadaver being used?”
“Yes. Sourced ethically, if you’re worried. That newsboy at the end of the road certainly enjoys riling up the neighborhood, but I assure you, there hasn’t been any sort of bodysnatching concerning Andersen University.”
“I would hope not,” Grace said, though she was hesitant. “Because I believe any university using unethical cadavers would be in violation of the law, correct?”
