Chapter 42

Mary woke up with swollen eyes and a runny nose, and from the way the house was quiet, there was no doubt that Nicholas had left again without saying goodbye.

Mary lay on the bed, not in the mood to do anything. She looked down at her stomach to see that the note she had been reading yesterday night had been crumpled into a ball and was almost in shreds. She had been crying on it, and it had whetted the paper, causing it to be soft.

Mary had managed to straighten it properly and fold it back. She rolled to the edge of the bed, placing her feet on the floor as she got out of bed to pick up the bills that had flown during the night to every part of the room. She stacked them in a pile, making sure to count them to ensure that they were complete.

Satisfied with the accurate amount, Mary padded to the wardrobe, tucking the money away in the inner pocket of her bag, but not before reading the note again. It gave her strength in such a weakened state, and she no longer felt helpless. Money