In the room, Tessie stood watch over the dresses laid out to dry. None of them were hers; all of them lavished on her by Ruby. Was she wrong to push back at them now? Pressing her fists to her eyes, the pressure built up. Could she afford to walk away from them? They'd brought her this far, been generous and trusting, even if she didn't understand why. Were they expecting something in return? Were they just like her mother and wanting something in exchange? What was the cost going to be, she wondered? Did she still need them after all?
Behind her, the door opened and Ruby closed it softly, resting back against it. "I should not have been so rash," she said, meekly.
"It's yer money. People are rash about their money and have a right to be." Tessie stared down at her hands, tugging at the
