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"Without a position," Serena snapped "With no hope of a character reference"

"All your fine plans," Freddy said, half scolding, half coht Best not to drea that can be taken from you"

Pure cowardice, that Freddy fretted when she had to cross the street to purchase one to ecoach had left her, she’d been white-lipped and tre She’d complained of pains in her chest all the way hoed so often as the world outside her door

There was a reason that Serena had signed away her portion of their father’s bequest Freddy could not have survived on her half, and she was incapable ofup the shortfall

"All of your fine plans," Freddy repeated gently, "and here you are With nothing Less than nothing"

"No," she said thickly "Not…not nothing"

"With nightmares and a babe on the way"

Serena kept her eyes wide open Her hands treainst her skirts until they grew steady She i next to her bitter fury Soer would eat her child alive Not after I win Then I’ll be safe, and I’ll never be hurt again

"I told you already," she said To her own ear, her voice seeht"

At her last position, the Wolvertons had obtained a microscope for their children’s instruction in the natural world They’dSoh her dreaes danced, overhung with the chro halo She felt as if she were looking at so very far away So distant that it al

She had felt so helpless then, so utterly without recourse She should have screamed She should have bashed the duke over the head She should have fought In her ht, her own silence mocked her most of all

She hadn’t screamed, and because she hadn’t, she’d felt silent ever since

Freddy siive up," she said, "I’ll be here But I don’t knohat you hope to acco that horrid wolf-man down on both our heads"

This, at least, Serena could answer "I have it on the best of authority," she said, "that he’s a thickheaded fellow All brawn and no brains When it comes down to it, I’ll simply outsmart him"

"Oh, dear" Freddy leaned over and tapped Serena’s cheek "When you fail, I’ll be here to pick up the pieces As usual"

HUGO HAD MORE THAN enough to do the following day Nonetheless, thoughts of the governess followed hihout his work He sent out a man to discover what had really happened between his employer and Miss Serena Barton at Wolverton Hall If she wouldn’t tell him and Clermont wouldn’t say, he’d have to find out on his own