Abby has been having difficulties sleeping ever since her mistress was back. She did not know why, unless perhaps the element of uncertainty she has begun hearing, was exacerbated with the return of Elizabeth Frankenstein. If she were being honest with herself, in the way she really wished to avoid being, the sounds coming from the basement were already stretching the boundaries of her credulity. She would have quit a while ago, but she had nowhere to go.?Her?parents informed her of this before, and more than their words, she has been struck by the helpless expressions of her four younger siblings down in the village.

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After all, it could always be worse,?the Master could have beat you, her father suggested.?Or worse yet, he could have a roaming eye, her mother helpfully added. And they were both right. She has had no damage done to her person. Only this unbearable idea that something untoward was plaguing this house, that the sounds did not originate with a human body entirely and the Master may have become moodier and somber than ever before.?Of course the Master was a scientist. Of a rational bent. He would never have struck a bargain with those demons of the abyss. She wanted to believe that firmly. She stuck to this through?all the sounds. Through all the bizarre happenings, and things being moved from their proper place by a mysterious agency. Even through the implausible return of her mistress from the brink of death. She could not have been truly dead. That had to be a vicious rumor, even if it wad firmly believed by several servants. Things like that did not happen. There were no vampires or ghouls or ghosts or...or anything, Abby firmly told herself. Only pranks of mean spirited people who wanted to laugh at the new girl around town. Yes, that had to be it, she decided, but her sleeping mind was only partially convinced, contriving a number of implausible creatures and horrid things they sought to do with her own body.

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At first, Abby even believed through the haze of her sleep that a monster was talking to her. But no, that was only the Mistress, summoning her?back to do her duties, and sounding, only mildly put off, Abby supposed. "Yes Ma'am," she politely mumbled, took a few moments to ready herself to be presentable and then approached Elizabeth.

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"The Master is feeling ill? No Ma'am, I have not done anything unusual today. Just regular course, what Master always liked," Abby responded cautiously. She may have wished to be free of this pressure, to work elsewhere where there where no terrible sounds. but not to be accused in the process of poisoning her?superior. That?kind of accusation would never just blow away, she knew.

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"Well Victor, it seems our staff has not changed anything in your menu, so I simply told the serving girl to go fetch the doctor and agree to pay the inconvenience fee for a?late night visit. Help would be here before you know it,"? Elizabeth cheerfully reassured her husband, feeling a little surprised by?how the staff regarded her. As if in their eyes at least she was already guilty somehow. Elizabeth did not like it one bit. If those old fashioned fools already thought of her as the poisoner, she might just show them what it would be like if she really were guilty. Unlike them, she could defend?herself and live on the street if need be. Keres and Cylas had taught her everything she needed to know and if the time has come to implement her knowledge, she was?very ready. ??????????