..........................................................The girls were by this time dressed in evening wear. Nothing elegant of course , Simple casu...l wear of short skirts and woollen Jumpers .Maria knew that there were further garments in her trunk .She would look later as she decided to dress herself in the clothes she had on before her bath. A quick brush of her hair and Maria led the c***dren downstairs for “formal” supper with the Baron.The huge mahogany table was a sight to behold . It. "He's eating again — or he will be — and on the road to recovery now." Marcus is a horror when he's ill. He doesn't like being fussed over. He can't stand being stuck in all the time. He's... He gives, but he doesn't take very well." You just have to phrase things right." Hope winked. "Stay here and listen. My mother used to do this with Tommy. It's about making him think he's giving."She wandered out, bowl on a tray."Marcus, here you go." Thanks, Angel." He smiled up at her.Her eyes narrowed a. Karl slid down quicklynext to us, and brought his hand down onto the canvas, and James poppedhis shoulder up."At one James!?" I thought. "Really?" I rolled him onto his chest, satmyself on his back, and clasped my hands under his chin, pulling himbackward. "Okay," I whispered. "I'm gonna give you the one-two, flyingforearm, and the cross-face." I want to get my moves in," he protested through his teeth. "I only gotin one high-spot." Let's just do this," I insisted.Making almost no show of it at. It just seems artificial and contrived." It's a long story," I answered. "I got stuck with it way back in grade school and there are some things that are with you forever."He smiled back. Evidently we had gotten over whatever his hangup was with the alphabet."So, what do you need from me?" I asked."I understand that you write stories," he said. "I've read some of them... most of them - at least as many as I could find with an internet search." He paused as if thinking of how to phrase his.