He laughed. "I'm going to be in your town tomorrow. If you can lose your wife for awhile, I'll drop by and we can have a little fun." Sounds good." I ...ried to sound casual, but I was on fire inside.I got Marcie out of the house by giving her some money and telling her to go shopping. "I got a bonus," I said. "It's yours to spend for being so nice about my being gone so long."Her eyes narrowed slightly, but she said nothing. She loved shopping. With any luck she'd be gone all day. As soon as she. Best of all, her Basil loved her and treated her as his Queen. She was very lucky to be his first wife and would always put his and their children’s needs before her own. She was content.Gazza was surprised that Petal had shared these thoughts with him. His ability to read the flickers thoughts and not just get pictures had grown a lot since he had first met them. He got the impression she was trying to tell him something in her own subtle way. As much as men don’t do subtle, Gazza was smart. Nancy was still using the backhoe and working on the tower base."What's with the hole?" I asked."That's for the inner platform; it will be three feet lower than the upper platform. It's basically the fighting perch. You don't want to stand on the top of the wall and fight, you can be hurt to easily, with the short drop, they have some protection," Susan replied."Oh, good idea," I said as I stood up."Thanks. Nadil wants to see you," she said and pointed where she was sitting in one of the camp. "Kari Jackson and Sandy Tremper havelatched onto boys already." Really, I haven't even begun to think about having a girlfriend. We'reonly in 7th Grade." I know, but we girls seem to wonder about that before most boys, Iguess." I suppose," I said, and I noticed a sadness creep into my friend's face."I shouldn't worry about boys, Emmy. I'm so ugly. No boy'll want tohave me." Oh don't be silly, Mar," I said, alarmed at her statement. "You're notugly." Don't lie to me, Emmy," she said, looking.