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"What?" Selwyn asked

"Fifteen and a half years spent in the company of someone who doesn't want to be there? That would be as bad as fifteen and a half years with the duck Consider it my birthday present to myself: freedom from your company Good-bye, Selwyn Good-bye, duck"

"Wait," Selwyn called as she started back down the road

Elswyth turned back

Even young, she was not as beautiful as Anora She was not lively and fun-loving like Kendra But she had helped hiain she had helped him And she had coht he was in need ofthat she would ever be repaid?

"A year," Selwyn said, "certainly seee a year after all you've done for ly

"If," he added, "you pro That isn't very nice"

"Well," she started out huffily, but then, reluctantly, she forced herself to nod She said, "I can only try"

And Selwyn could only hope she would try hard

She gestured for hio back and explain to my parents, so they don't worry"

"Of course," she said "Why am I not surprised?"

So they headed, side by side, back to Penryth, with Farold waddling along behind, gru here soood for webbed feet You should have brought a basket to carry et one in Penryth"

"Don't you have an afterlife to go to?" Elswyth asked

"Oh," Farold said, "eventually"