As Ophelia made dinnerfor the three of us (we took it in turns to cook), I turned to themiddle-aged man with a serious look on my face."Dad," I whispe...red."Jacinta...?" dad replied."What... What are you planning on doing the next few years?" I asked."...Umm," dad replied. "I- I'm not the one who's unemployed." No- ugh, I didn't mean like in a job..." I sighed."Jacinta..." Dad said softly. "What- what is this about?" I need-" I stammered. "I need- I need to know that you'd be okay if- ifI, you. "You know, when you could get dressed and ready to go out in half thetime that it took me." she said."That wasn't a real bet." I defended."Oh, yes it was." responded Linda. "Wasn't it, Mom?"Her Mom smiled rather coyly and put on her best "I'm not a part ofthis" look.Linda continued, "I'll tell you what, I won't hold you to your 'halfthe time' statement, but whoever can get dressed in the same outfit andbe ready to go out the door the quickest, the other one has to buy themdinner and take them. And it didn’t appear to concern Susan who still loved Charlotte with the same selfless and tireless devotion. Despite spending most nights in Emma’s arms, Charlotte would still be awoken by Susan who now prepared breakfast for both lovers and, of course, Maisie who sometimes accompanied her in the morning. Susan continued to wash and bathe Charlotte each morning and offered to extend the courtesy to Emma, who discourteously refused the invitation. She made a point of polishing Charlotte’s. His normally grey mount was almost black with sweat, except where white salt and flecks of foam ran in irregular lines down her sides and chest. Matt and Heather had to fight with the bridle to keep her away from the watering trough, giving her, instead, small sips of water from a bucket."It's a very large caravan," John panted, pointing east and north, "Over a hundred armed men, and not inclined to stop and talk. We tried to approach them, weapons down, but they shot at us. Their weapons are.