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hall to an open doorway on her right. Abby cleared her throat . . . and pointed to the left. Scowling, Kris followed the intruder. The door she opened was to one of the guest suites. A large sitting room opened to two smaller rooms, one a bedroom, the other a study that was in the process of being converted into a dressing room. Already its walls were hung with dresses that Kris did not remember buying. In a small corner hung her uniforms.
    “I’ll start your bath,” Abby said.
    “I can handle my own shower,” Kris shot back.
    The woman paused in the doorway to a very luxurious bath. Turning to Kris she said, “You have pretty much handled things on your own for most of the last ten years, or so I’m told. You have a full schedule as an active duty naval officer and as a political show horse, otherwise known as Princess. I think I can help you if you will give me half a chance.”
    Kris shrugged; the woman was stubborn. Maybe the best way out was through. Let the woman do what she was going to do anyway and find out for herself just how little Kris needed a . . . what . . . a mother hen. Mother had never been much of a mother; it might be interesting to see what this Abigail was good for.
    While water ran in the next room, Kris disconnected from Nelly and settled her on the dressing table. The computer had been silent through all of this, intent on navel gazing or Aunt Tru’s project, or maybe just too smart to get involved.
    “Harvey says he’ll bring up a supper tray in a half hour,” Jack called from the next room. At least someone was giving her what she wanted. Defiantly naked, Kris strode into the bath. Abby offered her a hand into the tub; Kris ignored it and kept her own balance as she put a foot in. The water was warm. Very nice. As Kris settled in, Abby poured an aromatic liquid into the tub. Once Kris was in place, and a pleasant “Aah” had escaped her, Abby turned on the jets.
    Kris’s one experiment with jets and bubble bath had been a disaster. Whatever Abby used just turned into a pleasant, low foam. With gently pulsating water caressing her, scents relaxing her, Kris leaned back, but refused to let the moment waste away. Finding out what made this interloper tick was suddenly high on Kris’s list of things to do today.
    “So, what made you want to be . . .” Kris could think of several descriptions of Abby’s duties, all sharp with put-downs. She settled for “this?”
    “Have a job, rather than living on Earth welfare?” Abby said through a smile with too much teeth.
    “That wasn’t what I said.”
    “No, but isn’t that what you Rim people think? Decadent Earth where everyone just parties.”
    “Earth couldn’t be the power it is if everyone was just looking for the next party,” Kris snapped. She’d risked her life to keep Earth and the Rim from going to war. If anyone respected Earth’s power, it was her.
    “Harvey just brought up the mail,” Jack called. “Where do you want it?”
    “Mail, as in snail?” Kris called back.
    “Two rather large packages. One weighs about ten kilos. Don’t think even Nelly could handle that in storage.”
    “Put them on the dressing table. I’ll look at them later.”
    “Okay,” Jack said. “I won’t peek.” He hurried past the bath door, a box under one arm, a large padded envelope held up to block his view through the door. Damn. Kris wouldn’t mind if he took a peek once in a while.
    On the way out, Jack did toss an unrepentant smile her way. Unfortunately, all there was for him to see was froth and suds.
    “Nice guy,” Abby said, eyeing the door after Jack passed.
    “Yep,” Kris agreed. “Hand me a towel. Let’s see what the mail brought.”
    Abby did, and didn’t try to interfere with Kris drying herself. As Kris stepped from the tub, Abby wrapped her in a lush terrycloth robe. “Where’d this come from?”
    “After your mother’s description, I told her I needed a budget for essentials and for your