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Selena sat on the edge of the overstuffed settee, her sether, her hands in her lap She claether in a da was not ladylike, and she wanted desperately to be a lady for Ian Rules circled through her head in an endless, mushy litany Sit stilldon't speak until spoken todon't fidget crying is for babies and ye're no baby, Selenaeat like a bird

Selena tried to remember the rest, but Edith's words drifted in and out of her mind Sometimes she remembered and sometimes she didn't So to remember

"Would you like so to drink?"

Selena's head snapped up, her heart raced He'd said so to her, asked a question, perhaps She wasn't sure, couldn't remember She tried to recall the appropriate word to express her confusion, but nothing caazed up at him, her mind an utter blank

Tears burned behind her eyes Stupid Stupid Stupid She wanted to i for weeks now, every day, pushing herself to the very limit to iod like a dead fish and breathe too quickly?

He motioned to the china teapot on the ornate silver tray "Would you like a drink, Selena?"

Drink Tea He was offering her sorinned in relief "I am most thirsty Yes, thank you, I would enjoy to drink tea"

He gazed at her a second longer than she expected, his eyes narrowed and assessing "Good" Turning, he poured her a cup of stea tea and offered

it to her

She sain that she was smart

158

"Yes, it is hot Do you take creaar?"

"Where?"

"What?"

"Do I take them where?"