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He was at the e, being half-asleep on the rag rug of Jamie’s study, where Brianna had retired in the faint hope of fifteen minutes’ semi-solitude in which to write Residual awe of Jamie was sufficient to keep the little warts out of this rooht-year-old Thomas, six-year-old Anthony, and five-year-old Toby Chisholm that Mrs Fraser was a notable witch; a White Lady, ould undoubtedly turn theave them to understand--should any harery That didn’t keep them out--quite the opposite; they were fascinated--but it had so far prevented the much

Jaourd, neatly corked with a large acorn, with a pottery jar of neatly sharpened turkey quills beside it Motherhood had taught Brianna to seize rando open the cover of the sht of as her private accounts

Last night I drea soap I haven’tthe floor yesterday, and the smell of the soap was still onbetween acid and ashes, with a horrible faint stink fro ti water into a kettle of wood ash, toclouds of poisonous s up fro bowl of suet, to ers in it I don’t ree about this--at the ti noises fro up and down on a bedstead These ceased abruptly, succeeded by a piercing screa flesh in a loud slap, and several more screaht, recoiling as the sounds of conflict escalated Adown the stairs With a glance at Jehtened--ht--she put down the quill and stood up, sighing

Mr Bug was there to tend the farm and livestock and repel physical threats; Mr Weenerallywas silent, Mr Wee She was, therefore, the court of appeal, and judge in all conflicts Herself, if you would

Herself flung open the study door and glowered at thewith accusation Mrs Chishole Little Mrs Aberfeldy, the color of an eggplant, clutching her two-year-old daughter, Ruth, protectively to her bosom Tony and Toby Chisholm, both in tears and covered with snot Toby had a red handprint on the side of his face; little Ruthie’s wispy hair appeared to be oddly shorter on one side than the other They all began to talk at once

"Red savages!"

"My baby’s beautiful hair!"

"She started it!"

"Dare to strike my son!"

"We was just playin’ at scalpin’, reat hole in my feather bed, the wee spawn!"

"Look what she’s done, the wicked auld besom!"

"Look what they’ve done!"

"Look ye, ma’am, it’s only"

"AAAAAAAAAAA!"

Brianna stepped out into the corridor and slammed the door behind her It was a solid door, and the resultant booan to cry, but she ignored him for the moment

She drew a deep breath, prepared to wade into the ht better of it She couldn’t face the thought of the interroup Divide and conquer was the only way

"I a," she declared instead, and looked narrow-eyed fro important" Mrs Aberfeldy looked i astonished

She nodded coolly to each one in turn

"I’ll talk to each of you about it later Aye?"