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it was pure evil.
    “We shall have our time mon amour , as soon as I am completed with this dreadful business here.” He stated, then nodded me from the room.
    My salvation surged through my body, as I hurried towards my grandmother’s house.
    When I arrived, the doctor was already there. He glanced up as I hurried into the room.
    “You do understand that your grandmamma is very ill right child?” He asked as he pushed his glasses up with his middle finger, and I nodded.
    “I merely just found out this day. How terrible is it?”
    “Well, her aliment is the Addison chil, but her heart as well.” He said, and I gasped again.
    Addison’s was notorious for a death sentence.
    “Heart as well? Will she wake?” I cried, surging to my feet.
    “That I can not rightly declare as of now chil, we shall simply have to wait and see.”
    If the breath had left me beforehand, at the moment I was suffocating.
    “But how will we survive? Mr. Charles has by now taken over my fath… Mr. Jones’ properties?” I cried, and the doctor frowned.
    “That he can not accomplish child.” He stated frowning deeper.
    “But he has, the constable only just pronounced.” I wailed.
    “And Benjamin?” He questioned, and I frowned.
    “Benjamin?”
    “Mr. Waverly child, when is he due to arrive. I had spoken to Tobias of this at length. It was my understanding that he was to be here?”
    “I do not know sir.” I moaned, and he sighed.
    “Well, we shall weather that when the time comes, at the moment, we necessitate to concentrate on Marié.”
    “Yes sir.” I said calmly, but I felt nowhere near calm.
    What the devil would I do?
     
          Haven
    Plantation…
    One week later…
     
    Granny had not roused for a week now, and I was nowhere to calculating what we would carry out, than I was last week. Mr. Waverly still had not arrived, and I recognized the only reason Mr. Charles had not noticed me, was for the reason that he was preoccupied with renovating Mr. Jones’ home. I knew if Granny were awake, she would spit fire at the very thought of it.
    I watched out the window, as they took the furniture from the house. I gasped, as I saw my mother’s portrait, then ran from the house before I realized it. I snatched the portrait from Abel, and he smiled down on me despite my rudeness.
    “I was merely on my way to you chil.” He said softly, I sighed, then smiled.
    “Please excuse my manners Abel, I was not deliberating.” I sighed shamefaced.
    “I imagine hunny, and Marié?”
    “The equivalent, she has not repositioned in a week. I have to accomplish something Abel, Granny and I cannot trust Mr. Charles.”
    “I knowed that. Go on down and see Claudette. Maybe she has some kind of labor, you can do, at least until Marié wakes. I believe with you chil that she will. Marié Antoinette Basile is too stubborn to leave here like this.” He grinned, and I smiled.
    That was completely true.
    My grand would not leave me without a fight.
    I embraced Abel, then turned towards home with the portrait of my mother.
    I placed the portrait next to Granny’s bed, then sighed as I looked at it.
    I figured my father had been correct in his statement, because the more I looked at that portrait, I realized I was a carbon copy of my mother. The only exceptions were, I was lighter skinned, and had hazel-green eyes, where hers were brown.
    I sighed again, kissed Granny’s cheek, then left the room.
     
    ***
     
     
    As I walked through the tall oaks, I thought of Benjamin.
    What would he look like now, after all these years?
    My mind instantly went back to a hot summer day; we had spent at the river together.
    “I do declare ye are the finest swimmer I have ever seen Ginny.” Benjamin said grinning, and I smiled as I rose out of the water, and his brow rose as we watched me.
    He swallowed hard, then walked towards me.
    “Has anyone ever told ye, that ye are absolutely beautiful?” He whispered, then kissed me.
    “You are insanely