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"I fear I rate and put her hands on her hips "And why can’t you? And no farragoes, please, about my reputation No one saw you come, and only I know you are here"

He looked somber "My children are--"

"Your nurse is more than competent to care for them," said Madelaine, who had met the woman several times and had been impressed with her reliability "And don’t tell ot hoan, only to be cut short

"You need to get war out into that weather; I will supply you with an oilskin against it You would tell me the same if I had paid you a visit, and well you know it, you need not bother to say otherwise" She stared at hi for his answer

"What would be the point?" Sherman said "You wouldn’t believe me if I did And neither would I"

"Good; at least you adress," said Madelaine as she lifted the side of the curtain and took the first of four large pots from the shelf next to the bathtub She carried this to the puan to work the handle to fill the pot

"You’re never going to be able to lift that," said Sher out to heft it for her "Letto let him take the pot, but Madelaine kept her hold on the two handles and hoisted the eight-gallon pot from the sink to the stove without effort "Unnecessary; I can do it, thank you I told you those of ," she said, unwilling to permit him to claiood ," Sherman protested as Madelaine reached for the second pot "No, Madelaine No, I can’t allow it You should not have to do such menial work, not while I a the pot in the deep sink and starting to work the puain "What is the vice in menial work that you think I should disdain it? Why should anyone feel sha necessary work? Don’t tell me you never filled a pot, or carried one, before now?"

"Of course I’ve done both," he blustered "That’s different"

"Because you did it?" Madelaine guessed, and shook her head "Where did you learn such intolerance?"

He glared "It is what everyone expects of well-bred men and women"

"Isn’t that a bit… extreme?" Madelaine asked "To require well-bredthe labor of servants to make their way in the world?"

He did not answer her question, and stood, with an expression of distant blankness, staring at the ts at the rear of the kitchen The ane into the rooures of both Sherhostly, washed-out shade of sepia with pale beige faces As if to be rid of this perception, Sherman shook himself and found the nearest kitchen lao with it As the flame rose, the kitchen seemed to ith the return of color "There That should make your task easier"

Madelaine did not point out that the increasing dusk made little difference to her; she saw in darkness alht Instead, she nodded her thanks and carried the second pot to the stove while Sherman took the third from the shelf and set it in the sink under the puor "The wood is catching; that will lanced at the tinderbox of the stove

Sherman continued to fill the third pot of water, then carried it to the stove, setting it in place with care "Since you are deterht to lendhi, "Just fill it ater" She then tugged the curtain aside so that the bath alcove was coe enameled-copper tub and a wall of shelves where the various require were placed "I have set out bath salts, if you want the supplies, if you need the it as a co it into a compliment "Yes, I will rid ht have to explain where all the scratches on your body ca this, I shall do it properly Perhaps I should grow a beard again"