Stay where you are,please. We will step out of the car and talk about it. Please don'tlisten to our conversation. After we've discussed it, we'll come...backwith the decision."Even before they left the car I knew what was going to happen. Of coursethey were going to come back having decided that I should be punishednow. That was the whole point of stopping the car here. I REALLY didn'twant to show up at Tom's place and make my first impression on them whenI wasn't able to talk! I needed to think. .hard to do. I had an idea though, that as a possible replacement for my father should anything happen to Padraic, I'd be best served by knowing my enemies as best I could. I determined to know everything I could from this boy. "Roddy, throw a pair of manacles on the lad." I motioned to the guard. He did so and Harald stared at me with barely disguised hatred. "Now, laddie, follow me, I'm going to talk with ye, as I want to know more of the Bordren. Ye'll tell me anything I ask if you've a lick. “I am sorry. Nancy did not say. It was all my fault.” I was starting to sweat in my tux. I did not know what to do.“Well Nancy is a big girl and has a voice so it can’t be all your fault. Nancy say goodnight and goodbye as it will be a long time before you two can see each other again.”Nancy said goodnight. I could see tears in her eyes. I said it would be ok and we will work this out. She looked at the floor and said I should just go.Nancy’s mom then told her to go wait in the study and she. Was it—? Yes, it was Rupin. From the window, she saw that he'd gone out for an evening walk in the snow, just like usual. Leona sagged a little. Was that all? Had she not antagonized him enough to warrant even a minor interruption in his routine? She went to her room, taking the fur-lined boots from the closet (a gift from Rupin; everything in the closet was a gift from Rupin, but thus far she'd elected only to wear her own garments, sent from home) and the fur-lined coat as well, wrapping.