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Rena woke, noting that the sun had shifted to nearly gone. She lay still in Henry's arms staring at the dim light before shifting to regard his face. They had at least gotten their sleep on, for they'd slept the entire day away, thankfully undisturbed. She bit her lip in worry as it occurred to her that ahe had not dreamed. Had not been able to traverse the dream realm at all. No locating their bosses to ask for help, no nothing. Why could she not dream simply because she was out of her time? And then her mind wound its way back to the fact time travel should not be possible. Yet she lay staring at the admittedly handsome face of Henry Hyde, and not the wickedly sharp green one of her Jekyll who he would become rather soon.
?
"I suppose we'd better get up and start dealing," she said, voice quiet and heavy with reluctance because she'd rather have him instead.
?
Leti woke suddenly and lay for a moment collecting herself, mentally replaying the situation that had her in a far more comfortable bed from which she was accustomed. Slowly she recalled her sleepless night, her risky trip to the doctor's home this morning, the shocking things Rena had shared with both of them, and the fact he'd allowed her to rest here. How amazing it all was. Slowly she rose and straightened the only mildly wrumpled bed before wandering over to the mirror to straighten herself as best as possible. Nature demanded she explore further in hopes of a watercloset or chamber pot? and indeed there was a huge bath off to the side and a toilet that flushed. She made a soft sound of excited pleasure then availed herself of the facilities. As she washed up at the beautiful sink, beautiful because it was far nicer than her own, she gave the large claw footed bath a longing look. But she wasn't unclean and hadn't been invited to bathe so she would restrain herself with much sadness.
?
I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed.
I get along with the voices inside of my head.
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?As Mary walked by the room where the guest had been sleeping, she could hear movement going on inside of the room. Assuming that the guest was now awake, she not softly on the door. Ma¡¯am? She called, hoping the guest would answer, so that she could ask if Letty needed anything.
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?She might have her own misgivings and even envies concerning the mistress of the house, simply because said mistress had someone whom?she desperately wanted, ?but this was a guest, a guest who was more than likely uninvolved with any such things, Mary had been trained well by Pool, so knew how to be nice, and mind her manners.???
God loves you.
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Henry was not too surprised to see his notes again. It was everything. His private theory of evolution succinctly translated into the language of formulae. A few pages hand written by him, or so it seemed until he saw the unwelcome additions and recognized them as such. And then, as he finally began to realize their potential effect, Henry Hyde incredulously smiled. "What manner of man would want that? Is this some kind of a joke," he wondered out loud, expecting no answers from his dream landscape. Only to receive one from somewhere. Such a familiar, so smooth, suggestive and hateful of a voice. "It's you," Henry accused with familiarity, though how he knew the man, from where, or who he was, he could not truly say.
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"It is no joke," the suggestive voice murmured?with surprising?outrage. "I know what you did last time, what you are going to do next. I know everything, You think you are unique? You think you were the first who came up with your theory? Unlike you, I always remember. What if I told you that countless generations sacrificed their lives to come up with..." the voice started but?Jekyll blithely interrupted. "Do you ever get bored hearing your own voice? Your people have a problem, let them talk to my people. Or, do you want to come and get it yourself? Be-my-guest," the man who?in the ridiculous fashion of dreams thought of himself as Jekyll, suddenly offered, punctuating every word?and Henry wondered yet another time what?in the name of the Lowest Underworld was happening here.
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"There will be a sequel, there will be consequences, there will be reckoning," the?disgusting voice warned, and that part of?him that thought of itself as Jekyll, eagerly agreed. "Yes, there will be. I wasn't ready before, but I am ready now. You set your affairs in?order, I trust,"?Henry, or some part of him, ironically inquired of the stranger. "Soon, this body will rot too, and then, there will be no replacement. Your time was?over millennia ago, your revival crushed like a serpent under the Spaniard's foot,??but our time is coming back. The Great Old One is walking again in this world after all. I will first rape your soul, and then that of your?double natured boss. And now, as a friend of mine?is?fond?of saying...ta-ta," Henry sensed himself waving, and the dream landscape?shifted again. He had not seen the face of his interlocutor, but now something was different, the subtle presence was gone, and he,?Jekyll did it.
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No, he Henry did it, because?he knew nobody named Jekyll, the good doctor decided opening his eyes. Unable to remember what it was he was supposed to have done. "Sometimes, I do not remember," he?initially complained but realizing some visions were not?made of dreams?brightly smiled. "You are real at least," Henry happily?regarded the lovely stranger by his side. Then,?Rena's words registered on his mind, his smile vanishing under a serious expression, he slowly nodded. "And now it begins, again," he added unnecessarily, not certain precisely why, unless his comment has been inspired by some random dream fragment he could no longer recall. ? ? ? ??
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"What begins again," Rena asked, sitting up in? bed, feeling suddenly alarmed.
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"Did you dream, Jekyll? Um..Henry," she corrected with a sigh.
He was but not yet. It didn't? matter, though. She'd already told him he was Jekyll.
"Did they tell you anything," she asked hopefully. Hell they had nothing right now. No where to start and she felt like a sitting duck.
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?
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In the room next door Leti swore mentally at the knock on the door, uncomfortable at the prospect of dealing with doctor Henry's serving staff. She didn't know them or what to say to them, and knew too much a bout everything else she supposed. She drew in a deep breath and adjusted her skirts again before turning unwillingly to the door.
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"Yes. Come in," the red head spoke loudly enough to carry but not too much so.
I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed.
I get along with the voices inside of my head.
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Mary walked into the room, I must change your bed for you, will you be staying with us this evening, ma¡¯am? Is there anything you need at all? She was carrying clean sheets, and placing them on a nearby table, she quickly and efficiently stripped the linens from the bed, and replaced them with the clean ones. As she did this, she waited for a reply from the guest who had stayed with them that day.?
God loves you.
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" I am not sure," Henry responded with a shake of his head. Only bits and pieces remained with him since last night, and most weren't at all too clear. "I did dream last night and dimly remember something. Like a thing that we did before, and have to do again. A type of battle, I guess. Strange, right? Dreams are often strange, but this night took the cake for strangeness. I am not even sure if there was anybody specific in the dream with me. Did they tell me something? Perhaps so.
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The only thing I remember though?has to do with?my notes. Either somebody was showing them to me, or I just saw them.?Last night?has been a long one, so I cannot remember if I told you about the notes resurfacing. The notes of my experiment. Just as in real life, they had some strange additions in the dream.? If I took the additional ingredients, not that I would want to, ?I would develop some....feminine properties. At least that is how such ingredients are used alchemically, to treat female imbalance, hysteria or whatever else. My mind must have been?making some joke, a random nightmare, but striking nonetheless. And yet, it didn't feel all bad. I may be vague on the details but the overall sensation was of triumph, confidence. As if I was getting the better?of something or someone. ?How very peculiar. You must have left such an impression on me that even the?quality of my dreams changed," Henry quipped, his face remaining overall serious?due to the?sobering effects?of the dream.
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"Shit,"Rena said, dropping her face into her hands when Henry spoke of dreaming of the feeling of battles past and to come. "Sounds unfortunately like how it is."
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She straightened, looking at him as he explained the rest. "Yes you did tell me of the notes added to your potion and I made you promise not to use the changes."She grinned. "Now we see why. Your quite lovely as you are. But perhaps the female hysteria is someone's way of explaining your anger or suppression and how you react to it? Trying to sweep it under the rug when your feelings are what end up making you great. Sure they can cause problems in this structured life of yours until it changes." She made a sharp gesture around? the room with one small hand when referring to the structured life. "The structure is forced on you by society and its expectations, not by your own preferences, after all, and much of it is quite illogical, but then again you already know this."
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She glanced down at her state of undress and frowned. "Would you ring for Mary, Dearest? I need her to bring me the clothes we spoke of with her last night.? I can't go out in my clothes...not at all suitable for here and it was quite difficult making sure the stupid cloak kept me covered last night. A constant challenge really and if I need my hands for anything else if there is trouble..."
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She shrugged.
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Meanwhile in the room next door Leti stood still beside the far wall out of the maid's way while she attended to the making of the bed. "No I don't think so," she replied when Mary asked if she'd be remaining over night.
She hoped the doctor would attend to the strange man tonight and she'd be free to feel safe again and to return to work.
I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed.
I get along with the voices inside of my head.
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Very well then ma¡¯am, Mary replied as she continued efficiently changing the linens, and putting used linens in a basket on one side of the room. May I say that it has been a most delightful pleasure having you here, I am sure the master and mistress enjoyed your company. I hope to have the sincere privilege of serving you again someday soon.
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?Mary took the linens and hurried away, quickly giving them to other servants who would take care of the washing and drying of them. Then she hurried back to her room, if there were any way at all the master and mistress of the house could see outside of their door into the immediate hallway, they might catch a glimpse of her running by there room on her way back to her room. ?
God loves you.
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Henry Hyde seriously nodded as Rena's exclamation aptly encapsulated his own feelings. "I do see why. Not that I would have used the notes at any rate. I may be impressed that somebody managed to squeeze themselves into my tightly guarded ship, as it were, but that would not mean for me to indulge their fancy. Au contraire, the whole thing would have made me even more paranoid, if such a thing was possible, without the addition of the weird dream.
?
I do understand what you are saying. I have to hold myself back, to hold myself together, but I thought I gave myself enough leeway too. Getting out, engaging?in pursuits others would not find palatable, I thought such private time would allow me to recover...but you may be right. I did have urges in the dream, strong urges to express myself right in the face of whoever it was I was talking about. Punching him out all the way, but not until he is dead, until he is nearing death and begging for mercy. All the funnier, since I cannot even remember what the dream person that annoyed me so looks like, the greasy little bugger. I suppose...a change may be in order," Henry finally admitted to himself, as well as to Rena.
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"Certainly, my dear," Henry agreed feeling himself to be a kind of a gentleman, despite inner protestations to the contrary,?as he rang the bell for Mary.
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Rena nodded, sighing. "I remember a time when I wasn't paranoid," she said, tone wistful. "I remember when we weren't paranoid together either. Hopefully those days will return, but for now, the more careful the better."
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When Henry rang for the made she smiled at him in thanks, mind silently pondering his dream, or what little he could recall of it. As it was so little, she knew it was best not to attempt sorting it out as it could only lead to more confusion in potential. Either way they were in this together, and that felt good...safe.
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Leti merely stood back out of the way, obviously discomforted with a situation to which she was unaccustomed as she waited for the maid to finish up with the room. She shook her head when asked if she'd be staying over for the night. She offered no explanation, however. She was no fine lady but she knew enough to know nothing their betters did was the business of the servants. She may not be a better particularly but the doctor was and as she'd brought this problem to him, it was now his business as she saw it.
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I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed.
I get along with the voices inside of my head.
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?Mary had finished up her work in Leti¡¯s ?room, or rather, the guest room that she had used. She had simply nodded when told by way of the shake of her head, that the guest would not be staying another night. After finishing up her work she went back to her room, and had just entered it when¡, She heard the familiar, ding, dong of the bell.?She whirled, ?then ran as quickly as she could to the room belonging to the master and mistress. She knocked gently, then, knowing that they had indeed called for her, she opened the door, and stepped inside; you called, she looked at both of them, Doctor?? Mistress?? Her eyes showed a curiosity as to who had rung the bell, and who needed her.????
God loves you.
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"I need the clothes I asked you to attend to last night, please," Rena said, tone neutral and polite if not particularly warm or friendly. "Also we would like coffee in the library for 3...And something to eat."
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She glanced toward the window. It was nearly time for dinner. "Lunch, dinner whatever is faster as we need to leave in around an hour I think."
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She knew if Henry needed to deal with the strange ill looking man who had hurt Leti's wrist that he'd need to eat first or he'd really hurt the man if he was grumpy and hungry. She hoped the guy was actually there again tonight. IF not what would they do? Hopefully he wanted to spy on them again or whatever so would come back to check.
I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed.
I get along with the voices inside of my head.
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?Mary listened and nodded to the words of the mistress. Clothing, coffee, and¡, Culinary, something to eat, very good, mistress, I shall attend to the clothing?first, the others will quickly follow. ? She was young, light on her feet, and she knew the place quite well, all of this served to make her able to make good timing. She soon returned, caring several articles of clothing.
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?Each article of clothing hung neatly on its own rack, and she gracefully handed the racks to Rena, here we are, mistress, I trust you will find this satisfactory, as there are several different colors and styles. ? ?The colors ranged from everything from?solid black, black and white, various shades of green, blue, purple, pink and red, all in various combinations. There were dresses, as well as beautiful pairs of slacks and matching shirts, everything matched.
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?She would await a response from Reena, before bowing and stating, I shall now go and attend to your other requests. She left to make the coffee, and prepare their dinner in the library. The dinner would consist of roasted chicken, roast beef, various vegetables, fresh hot homemade rolls, and a rather large cake for dessert. ? The cake was chocolate, covered generously with white frosting, and filled with a pudding like cream filling, which one did not notice, until having ?cut and eaten a piece of the cake. ? The filling?was vanilla at this time, to match the frosting, Mary sometimes made it chocolate filling, but did not wish to provide what some called?chocolate overload, so she made it vanilla.
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?She ran back to the room, knocked, and called, ?my Lord and my lady, your coffee and your dinner are ready. She then took a shortcut and hurried back to the library, and poured 3 cups of coffee, one for the Doctor, one for Rena, and one for the guest. ? ?She could have poured the coffee first, but it would have likely cooled considerably by the time they got to the library. In this way, they were already likely headed there, so that the coffee would still be hot when they arrived, and sat down to enjoy it.?????????
God loves you.
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OOC, I think Henry has a cook, Poor Mary doesn't have to do it all. LOL.
IC
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Rena stared at the clothing, unable opt keep the dismay and perplexity frown her face. So many items to put on. She would need to ask that Leti come in and help her. The fabrics all seemed nice, but..."These all look huge," she said, unable, once again to keep the dismay from her face. She had no idea Mary had gotten Henry's mother's clothes as the woman was rather stately in size to Rena's tiny frame.
"What ever made you think I could fit these," she demanded, light blue eyes moving from the clothes to Mary. She glanced briefly at Henry,, wondering what in the world she'd do. She supposed she'd gotten buy last night wrapped in the cloak, so she could probably do it again, but it would be pushing her luck.
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OOC, I remember Mary posted she'd go into the attic and use the clothes from Henry's mom or something way back when it was late night in this thread. LOL
I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed.
I get along with the voices inside of my head.
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?I have also chosen some that I believe are more suitable to fit you, Mary told Reena. ? ? It had not dawned on her, just how small Rena truly was. She whirled?on her feet and hurried away to get the others, she did not come back with nearly so many this time, but these, while being the same colors and the like, were much more fitted to Rena¡®s frame. I trust you will like these?much better mistress, she told her, as once more, she gracefully handed her a few racks of clothing.?
God loves you.
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Henry Hyde wondered if his Rena was particularly hostile to Mary, or if her tone merely indicated the required amount of distance between servants and masters. He did not mind either way, and merely enjoyed her ladylike manners thus far.
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His amusement at Rena's cold tones vanished quickly though when he realized a minor confrontation might be ahead. He could have smoothed things over, but putting himself between two women, even if one of them was under his command, was usually ill advised.
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"I could send my footman with those cloths and some money to a seamstress.?Of course?in London, this would be the season most good ones are busy. So it would take some time, and an hour might not cut it. If you wish, I could accompany Leticia on my own while you wait here for the mended cloths to arrive. If we just measure your waist and hips and such, I imagine the seamstress should be able to work with those measurements?even in your absence. Not that I know a great deal about cloths," Henry admitted honestly with an unabashed shrug. His?pleasure was usually at stripping them off, not putting them on after all, ?There ought to have been some solution, but he never met a person who had no clothes of any kind, and had no grand idea on how to deal with the problem.?
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Rena processed Rena's suggestions while giving Mary a venomous glare. "Stupid girl," she hissed. "It's fortunate for you Henry takes in charity cases or you'd have no prospects what so ever," she vented. Then slid a slight amused smile to Henry, knowing that he would likely marvel again at how well she knew him. He wanted to be good, to be nice so he helped people who needed it.
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"You and Leti going is very kind, My darling and I appreciate it. To help the poor seamstress, which ever one we can get, I will go as well. I'll just wear my clothes from last night and I'll bring a few of these along and see if it's faster for her to fix these or make me more. I will also place an order for more," she said, thinking aloud.
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"Then we can continue on our business for the evening while we'll out so we may as well eat here first before we go. No reason to deal with the stupidity of clothes shopping on an empty stomach for any of us," she said, knowing that no regular woman would call clothes shopping stupid, and not caring if Mary noticed that at present.
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"Get out, stupid Girl," she practically hissed at the maid, gesturing sharply toward the door.?
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As soon as Mary was gone she sighed and got dressed. "I thought I"d need Leti's help but my own clothes I can handle," she said dryly, half to herself.
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"Henry, that stupid girl not only looks at you as if she'd like to devour you but she tries to screw me over at the same time. I ought to..."
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Wrapping the cloak tightly around herself she glanced at the assortment of clothes. "You usually like me in pink and blue. I like black so I'll take some of each to see what can be done," she said, tone now sulky and subdued.
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"What ever will I do for shoes. Mine aren't exactly suitable either, but I suppose they don't stand out as much as they could. A fast stop at a shoe store I suppose. I hate this sort of thing! So stupid. As if we don't have enough to worry about."
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She waited for Henry to get dressed, glaring at the clothes as she paced restlessly, finally understanding why her mom did that sometimes.
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When Henry was ready, she opened the bedroom door, one hand on her cloak and knocked on Leti's door. The bar maid opened it almost at once and her expression was relieved at seeing who it was. Her eyes widened when Rena bit out a few sentences explanation of why they had to go clothes shopping. She shook the arm full of clothes angrily and Leti's eyes went rounder.
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"You ain't going to fit those and Dr. 'Enry is right. Makin' them suitable may take a bit. IF'in you're lucky she'll have something else on hand or be havin' a few tricks up her sleeves to make things go faster." The red head looked doubtful, though.
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"I'll take those for you, Miss Rena," she said, taking the arm load of clothing.
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Rena sighed. They were heavy, but she was stronger than Leti. Still it would look more suitable if Leti carried them she supposed. "Sorry," she muttered and Leti merely raised her brows in confusion as they headed down stairs.
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"I ordered coffee and food hopefully she can't screw that up," Rena said darkly.
I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed.
I get along with the voices inside of my head.
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Mary had entered the room wearing a smile, obviously happy with her new choices of clothing for the mistress; but her countenance fell when Reena called her a stupid girl. ? She gave Reena a questioning look, which mutely?asked, what did I do now, before hanging her head.
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?The look in her eyes showed how truly hurt she was, after all of her work, and even after she had made a point of not¡, Looking at the doctor this time.
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?Mistress?? I¡, I¡¯m sorry that the clothes displease you, she glanced away then, toward the wall, not looking at either of the couple, hoping her trembling lips did not show, also hoping that the approaching tears did not show. ? She?gave Reena an incredulous look, and a small gasp of surprise when the lady of the house stated that clothes?shopping was stupid. ? She would have normally ?verbalized her surprise at this assertion, perhaps even being so bold as to try to persuade the mistress otherwise. But this time, she merely glanced away once more. When Reena commanded her to get out, and reiterated that she was a stupid girl, ?Mary gave a small bow of submission. Very well mistress, there is coffee and dinner for the two of you, and for your guest in the library. Goodbye. Her tone was soft, and she did not know why she had said goodbye, as her last word. She wasn¡¯t planning to leave, so why had she said it? Mary didn¡¯t know, but she turned, and walked slowly, dejectedly out of the room, closing the door softly, not daring to stand and listen to what was said behind the door?
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?Mary decided that perhaps, the reason she had said goodbye, was that she wished she could simply disappear from that place, and never ?be seen there again. Of course though, that would guarantee that she would not get Henry, but she thought to herself that¡, It didn¡¯t look like Henry was really going to give her any attention anyway, he belong to Rena, and she would just have to face that, she supposed. How she wished she could get above Rena, not even so much to get the doctor, just to have a little pride in life for once; ?i¡¯m so tired of crawling, so tired of being nothing, she mused out loud, as she made her way into her room, and sat in a small chair that was there.???
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Kat