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into something decent? What can you offer
    to that end?” he asked. “What size of a servant sir?”
    One of their young daughters asked, wishing to
    contribute.
    “She's smal , just a little more of her than you,
    but not much.”
    “I can spare a chemise, a gown, one of my
    older ones, wil that do?” She asked, moving quickly
    to fetch them, “They're clean, not yet threadbare.”
    “It wil be better than her current state, that wil
    be fine, thank you.”
    “We can spare you a couple of laying hens,
    young ones; don't want to be owing you, sir, Dr.
    Caine.” The husband spoke up. Quinton smiled,
    “Two young laying hens, and the garments, sounds
    fair.”
    “Pa, throw in one of them mongrel pups, we got
    three left.” A son spoke up.
    “Go get'im one, pick that big chubby one – it's
    gone be a moose in the en’ I'm thinkin'.”
    Quinton sighed, he didn't real y care for the
    idea of a dog, but he couldn't turn them down, they
    were anxious to settle their debt with him. He wanted
    to get moving, his mind on Suga – she was in his
    home alone, he’d been in possession of her only in a
    better part of a week, and already he worried over
    her.
    By the time he drove his carriage back into his
    barn, chickens squawking behind him from their
    crate, the fat, big paw puppy whimpering below his
    seat, he was eager to get inside and check on her,
    hoping she'd fared wel in his absence. He'd barely
    cleared the barn door when out of the house she
    came rushing, straight into the barn, “I'm here masta',
    I'l do that for you.” She went straight for the harness
    of his horse.
    “Suga Caine! Where inside of your head did
    you hear me cal for you to do such a thing? Get
    back inside – back at once!” He ordered.
    “Can't masta', gots to help – gots to do my bit.”
    “Stop cal ing me that blasted title! Master – I
    have gone to great lengths to avoid the bowels of
    hel in my passing – I’l not let the treating of you send
    me there! This is not your bit! Inside right now – wait
    – here, these are for you – and uh – I suppose this is
    too.” He passed her the garments and then held up
    the grunting puppy, “We’l both starve with the
    feeding of this one, he'l be everywhere if we leave
    him out here, until we have a place to confine him,
    he'l have to stay inside. We have hens as wel ,
    laying hens. They'l stay in the crate here in the barn
    until I get a coop built I suppose.” He went on,
    speaking to her as if she’d always been in his life.
    Her look of surprise at the clothing and then the
    puppy made him smile, “There you are once more,
    that look upon your face, I can't very wel have you
    around in that sheet can I? Take them and the pup –
    get inside.”
    She nodded, took the clothing in one arm, the
    hefty puppy in the other and holding onto to both, she
    informed him, “Made food for you, know you be
    hungry masta'.”
    “Quinton! My name is Quinton – Quinton
    Thaddeus Caine, say it, and say it before you rush
    away.” He ordered.
    She stopped, gulped, and shyly said his name,
    and afterward, “Hurr'up masta' food stil hot.”
    Quinton crossed his arms over his chest as if
    having a royal fit and informed her, “Cal me masta'
    once more, and I shal remain out here, in the barn,
    with the hens, leaving you to that blasted place to do
    what you damn wel , bloody please!”
    Suga couldn't believe her eyes, nor her ears,
    “Masta' I can't cal you that, taint right.” She pleaded
    her case.
    “Very wel , I suppose I should focus on doing
    what I can to make myself comfortable, it appears I'l
    be here a while.”
    “Oh please don't do that, I can't cal you out by
    yo'name, that just ain't done.”
    “Very wel , as I said, here I shal be. Should
    anyone come knocking for me, please direct them to
    the barn and-...”
    “Oh please – I try, I'ah try.”
    “Say it, say my name, as I've given it.” he
    demanded.
    She swal owed, nervously, “How 'bout I cal you
    sa', that