Melissa took a look and retreated, as she was looking for Michael... whom she would not find here for at least a few hours! I chuckled to myself. He would make such a nice pony slave, pulling my cart around the island.

Closing the door, Ellen returned to assist me leaving the tub. She was most efficient drying me and she used Derek's help in getting me dressed and made up for the banquet. I grabbed several handy little things from the trunk, and reset the multiple traps.

In the hall, I ran into Melissa and invited her to join us at the banquet where she would have more answers and be able to clear many of the questions from her mind. She walked with me, looking harried and anxious.

As we enter the dining room, Luisa makes a nasty remark about Melissa and me. She gets a withering glance as my only response, and Melissa starts crying again.

I take the seat at the foot of the table after walking around it and seeing Jason playing with Luisa's feet. Some people really have strange desires!
Luisa looks at where I sit and laughs derisively. I smile at her, and obviously take a number of pills.

"Just a number of anti-drug agents my father and his scientists developed." A slight panic flies across her face and disappears just as quickly. "Does that bother you, dear? I'm sorry I only have enough for one. Has anyone seen Michael? For being the dinner host he certainly is treating we cousins poorly. Perhaps living as a Master so long with poor sickly grandfather has eroded his social abilities."

Melissa sat down between Michael's head chair and me. She sat quietly, even after I offered her some small conversation, asking her questions about her employment, marital status, and home.