He seems out of his depth,” I said.“If I might offer an opinion?” Elk said.“Please, you live there.”“I think Mane has been having a hard y...ar. In the past he’s been more sure—more aware of the overall picture.”“Will he be able to follow Lady Ashley’s instructions?” Matthew asked.“I think so. He’s very good when he has a clear plan. He may not be at his best in making decisions about pairings, but I think he will follow the letter of her instructions.”“Well, we’ll work with what we’ve got,” I. I think you telling her that she was turning into your mom really got through to her. Well, that and you sounding deadly serious about walking out of her life forever.”“It was a bluff, but it worked. I won’t be able to pull that again with her.”“No, you won’t. But it was the right last-ditch thing to do. I did learn something in my conversation with her the other day. I debated not telling you about it, but I decided that I should.”“What’s that?” I asked.“Just after Thanksgiving, your sister. Floyd kneeled down above her head and touched her cheeks. One side of her face had been skinned off. She blinked up at him, swallowing painfully. She still could not talk though. "It's alright," Floyd tried to comfort her. "I'll get you to a hospital."Floyd had just started to loosen the rope from her neck when he heard the sound of the motorcycle revving again. He looked up just as Clive rode by again, barely missing hitting him. Instead he rolled straight over Melanie's throat, compressing. ”“And I you,” I say, turning and snaking my hands around your neck.“Did you have a good day?”“Mmm,” I mumble, inhaling your scent, your wonderful intoxicating scent. Here, in your embrace, I feel secure, protected, at home.I lean closer, breathing in deeply as you pull me closer, filling your nostrils with my fragrance. I feel the tension of a day’s hard work draining out of you, your muscles relaxing. This is how it is with us. However stressed or tense, we can always find solace in each.