Of all the girls arriving at Seasons House, Toby may be the most important. He might have first hand knowledge about the shoplifting gangs; he was also the one who lied about Charles' involvement in the shoplifting. While Toby wasn't the only source of information about the shoplifting gangs, he was the only one who could exonerate Charles.

With breakfast over, the dining room table cleared, dishes washed and the kitchen cleaned, Jane instructed the girls to freshen their lipstick and to get their purses and wraps. It was time to go pick up Toby at the train station.

The drive to the train station, as usual, was uneventful. Jane pulled her car into the parking lot in front of the station, shut the car's engine off before going over the plans again with Francis and Charlotte. Again, reminding Charlotte not to hurt Toby should he recognize her. The three got out of Jane's car, and calmly walked to the station platform. As usual, Jane guided the girls to her usual spot to wait for the train's arrival. Somehow, those working the platform knew when Jane and her girls were coming, since the near end of the platform was clear of carts, freight, and people. Many of the men and young men working the platform had been one of Jane's girls in their teens or pre-teens, so it wasn't unusual for Jane to receive slight head nods as she waited. Even after receiving nods in return, none approached Jane while she and the girls waited for the train to arrive, carrying Jane's next new girl. An air horn sounded in the distance, signaling the approach of the 11:00 a.m. train. The sound increased as the train came nearer, until the sound of the diesel electric engine itself could be heard, along with a ringing bell. The engine slowly pulled the cars into the station, stopping when all the cars had lined up with the platform. That's when the platform burst into action.

It was like someone stirred an ant hill with a stick, with passengers coming out of the waiting room, full luggage carts heading to the baggage car, as luggage and freight was unloaded from the baggage car onto empty carts. Passengers were disembarking from the passenger cars as fast as they embarked. Jane tried to spot Toby before he left the train, but couldn't see him until he was standing at the door of the car nearest them. Pitched only for their ears, Charlotte said, "He looks scared, Aunt Jane. And why is he wearing a long sleeve shirt in this weather? It isn't long sleeve weather yet."

Jane had noticed the same thing, and thought the same thing too. With a sideways glance at Charlotte, Jane thought to herself, 'That boy would make an excellent lawyer or psychologist. Maybe even going into the medical field.' Doing the same as Charlotte, Jane, pitching her voice only for the girls, replied, "I saw that too, Charlotte. Wearing long sleeves in such warm weather does seem strange."

"If he's scared, why does he also look happy?" Francis asked, keeping her voice only for the three.

Jane and Charlotte both gave Francis a glance before looking at each other. Charlotte smiled while Jane simply nodded her head several times. Looking back at Toby, the three watched as Toby stepped onto the platform, carrying a medium size backpack. He looked around the platform, glancing at Jane and the girls, before dismissing them and starting to walk to his left. A station worker, pushing a laden cart, stopped in front of Toby, jerked his head to his left and stared at Toby. He jerked his head again to his left, then said, "It's the lady you want, lad. The one at the end of the platform with the two girls. Treat her right, lad, she'll do you a solid. She's a bit stern, she is, but she'll give you the right best education you've ever had." The man looked at Jane, doffed his cap, nodded, and received a nod back from Jane. "Go on, lad. You best not keep Jane Thompson waiting."

Toby thanked the man, something not lost on Jane and Charlotte, and apparently Francis too, as she said in a low voice, "Isn't he supposed to be a mean, terrible person? Why did he just thank Marcus? Would a mean, terrible person do that?" Again, Jane and Charlotte gave Francis a glance before looking at each other. Once again, it was a smile on Charlotte's face and a nod from Jane. Francis was starting to form opinions based on observations. She was learning to think of more than her desires and/or wants. She was growing.

As Toby walked away from Marcus, he turned back and thanked Marcus again, receiving a nod in return. Toby walked up to Jane and the girls, stopping three steps from Jane and asked, "Excuse me, ma'am. Are you Ms. Jane Thompson? I'm Toby Camber, I was told to ask for a Ms. Jane Thompson."

Jane gave Toby her best headmistress look as she replied, "Yes, young man. I'm Ms. Jane Thompson, and I already know who you are. You may address me as Ms. Thompson or Aunt Jane." She indicated the girls and told Toby, "And these are my wards, Francis and Charlotte." The girls did a slight curtsy as Jane said their names.

Toby nodded his head and said, "It's nice to meet you Francis, and you Charlotte. I hope we can become friends."

Jane saw that Toby's actions mirrored the school councelors notes. He wasn't the trouble maker he'd been made out to be. As always, she couldn't let on she suspected something, so asked instead, "Is that all the luggage you have with you?" Jane asked, pointing to the backpack Toby had slung over his right shoulder.

As polite as he'd been the minute he stepped onto the platform, he replied, "Yes, ma'am. This is all I've ever had... " and his voiced dropped off, sounding sad at the thought that he carried everything he owned.

The change in his voice wasn't lost on Jane or Charlotte, but Jane pushed on with, "Very well, please follow us to my car. We must hurry if we are to be at my house for lunch."

And again, Toby was polite by responding with, "Yes, ma'am," before wincing as he took his backpack off his right shoulder and slung it over his left shoulder. Wincing again as the backpack settled onto his left shoulder. Both expressions weren't lost on the three standing before him, but none said anything to him.

Jane looked over at Charlott and Francis, and said in her best headmistriss voice, "Girls, come with me, please." Jane turned on her heel and strode off, with the girls two steps behind her and to her right, walking side by side. Toby followed, being two steps behind the girls.

Thankfully, or it was fate, the wind was blowing into their backs, as Charlotte spoke so only Jane could hear, "Er ist verletzt, Tante Jane (He's hurt, Aunt Jane.)."

Jane turned her head slightly to the right and replied with, "Das habe ich auch gesehen, Charlotte (I saw that too, Charlotte.).

Of course, Francis felt left out and asked Charlotte in a whisper what she said to Aunt Jane. In a whisper, Charlotte replied with, "He's hurt."

Because Toby was tail-end-Charlie, and far enough away from the three, he didn't hear the short conversation that had taken place between the three. And the three didn't see him wince as the backpack slapped his back with each step he took. Or when he reached behind his neck and pulled his shirt away from his back. Or how he hissed with each arm movement. But the three would, in time, learn why Toby was hurting.

When they reached Jane's car, Toby hurried around to the driver's side and once Jane had unlocked the car, opened the driver's door for Jane. With a curt, "Thank you, Toby," Jane got into the car. Jane had signaled the girls to wait before she got into the car, just to see if Toby would open the doors for them as well. He did, after closing the driver door and hurrying around to the passenger side, receiving a "Thank you, Toby," from both girls after opening and closing the doors for the girls.

Two things were observed by Jane and Charlotte about Toby. He was in a lot of pain, it showed as he opened and closed the car doors. And this wasn't the same boy who tried to intimidate Charlotte in the jail cell. Pain was slowing Toby down, as he walked around the back of the car to the driver's side passenger door. In the time it took him to walk around to that door, Charlotte had time to tell Aunt Jane, "Aunt Jane, something isn't right here. He's not the same person now as he was in jail. And he's in a lot of pain."

Jane had just enough time to say, "I agree, Charlotte," before Toby opened the driver's side passenger door and got into the car. Once Toby had closed the door, Jane said, "Everyone fasten your seatbelts. We don't move until that's been done." As Jane listened, three clicks could be heard as the girls and Toby fastened their seatbelts. Jane started her car, backed out of the parking space, and left the parking lot by way of the same entrance she'd used when they came to the station. Jane kept an eye on Toby using the rearview mirror, asking short questions not requiring elaboration. Charlotte also kept a suripticious eye on Toby, noticing how he kept shifting in the seat. She also noticed that he never leaned back against the seatback, which had her wondering just how bad he was hurt.

Finally arriving at Jane's home, after Jane parked her car and shut off the engine, she told Francis, "Francis, please take Toby up to his bedroom and show him everything in the room and en suite. Only!! Toby, please go with Francis, and listen carefully to what she tells you. Charlott, you'll come with me."

Getting an "Yes, ma'am," from Toby, and two, "Yes, Aunt Jane," one each from Francis and Charlotte, they all got out of Jane's car and walked up to the house, where Jane opened the front door and entered her home, followed by Francis, Toby, and Charlotte, who closed the door behind her. Jane was standing to the side and watched as Francis led Toby up the stairs.

When the two had reached the second floor and walked down the hall, Jane told Charlotte, "Let's go into the study and talk." Charlotte led the short way to the study, opened the door, stood back and let Jane enter first before following her in and closing the door. She started to take out 'the book' to circuit the study, but Jane told her, "Not this time, Charlotte, we need to talk." Jane didn't go behind the desk or have Charlotte sit in the high back chair, instead she went to the table by the window and sat down in one of the three chairs around the table. She motioned for Charlotte to sit across from her and said to Charlotte, "Tell me everything you saw or think you saw. Leave nothing out, even if it's just a hunch. Something doesn't sit right with me about Toby."

Jane watched as Charlotte put her 'thinking' face on and waited a few moments before she heard, "Aunt Jane, that isn't the same boy I was with in jail. He's not even the same boy that was at Taylor's. That boy was arrogant, angry, hateful, a nasty piece of work. This Toby... this Toby is not that person at all. He was respectful with Marcus, you, and Francis and I. And he's actually happy, which is 180 degrees from the boy I first saw. And, Aunt Jane, he's in a lot of pain. You saw him wince as he shifted his backpack from his right shoulder to his left shoulder. He never leaned back in the seat all the way from the station until we were home. And he was squirming in his seat the entire time. If I didn't know better, Aunt Jane, someone has really beat him before he came here. Maybe to remind him to keep his mouth shut."

Jane had been nodding her head at everything Charlotte had said, she'd noticed the same things with the rearview mirror as they drove home. "I too observed those very things, Charlotte, and that has me worried. Who would beat him and want him to remain silent. Maybe Toby knows a lot more than he's supposed to know. Our observations will be answered in time. You best get to the kitchen and help Marie with lunch, and say nothing about our conversation. Oh, and Charlotte, you did a find job walking the study with 'the book' balanced on your head." Jane winked at her after telling her that.

After Charlotte left the study, asking permission before leaving, Jane went to the cabinet, unlocked it, and turned on the monitor to watch Toby's bedroom. When the camera came up, Jane saw a still respectful Toby listening intently to Francis as she explained everything but what was in the closet or drawers. Looking at the clock in the room, Francis had Toby lay his backpack in the robe chair and follow her back downstairs. Jane turned off the monitor, closed and locked the cabinet, before leaving the study. Toby and Francis were almost to the first floor as Jane stepped out of the study. "Francis, please help set the table and help Marie prepare lunch. Toby, you may wait in the living room, quietly, until lunch is ready." Receiving acknowledgements from the two, Jane led Toby to the living room, then followed Francis into the kitchen..

Once in the kitchen, Jane went to a cabinet, unlocked it, turned on a monitor, and selected the living room camera. As the four watched, Toby slowly inspected everything in the living room. But he never sat down, he just kept slowing walking around in the living room. Again, out of the mouth of babes, Francis asked, "Why doesn't he sit down? He just keeps walking around?"

Jane shut off the monitor, closed and locked the cabinet doors, then said, "That's a good question, Francis. A very good question. You girls better hurry and set the table, we don't want to keep Toby waiting too long." Acting the proper ladies, Francis and Charlotte did as Jane said, calming walking out of the kitchen carrying plates and utinsels and placing them as they'd done many times before.

When Toby saw the girls setting the table, he asked, "May I help with anything?"

It was Charlotte who answered Toby with, "Not right now, Toby. You need to relax after you journey." The girls watched as Toby went back into the living room, and continued his walk, finally stopping in front of the big window and turning to look out the window. Where Jane found him to tell him lunch was ready.

Jane walked over and stood besides Toby, asking, "Beautiful country, isn't it?" Have you ever ridden a horse, Toby? I believe there are some things on my land you may not have seen." Jane didn't press the boy, but she wasn't amiss of the tears sliding down his face.

It wasn't long in coming as Toby said, "I've done some bad things, Aunt Jane. I've lied and got another kid in trouble because I was angry how free he was, and because... um, I was just angry. I've stolen, not that I had much choice if I wanted to remain alive. I... " but he never finished what he was about to say. Turning to look at Jane he said instead, "Yes, Aunt Jane, it is beautiful country. I could live here if I could."

Jane was looking at Toby now, and able to see the anguish in his eyes. She had to restrain herself from reaching up and wiping the tears off his cheeks. She also didn't miss that he'd addressed her as Aunt Jane, not Ms. Thompson, or ma'am. The rage Jane felt at that moment threatened to reached her face, if not for her iron will to keep it in check... at that moment. Jane wanted to pull this boy to her, hug him, comfort him, but she couldn't, she had to follow the plan they had made. Instead she told Toby, "Come, Toby, lunch is ready."

He surprised Jane again as he indicated with his hand, "After you, Aunt Jane," and followed Jane into the dining room. As they reached the dining room table, Toby watched where Aunt Jane was headed and followed her, pulling out the chair for her. As Jane sat down, after thanking Toby, he helped her move the chair in towards the table. And he did this for Marie, Francis, and Charlotte, shocking each in turn. Only after the ladies were seated did Toby take a vacant seat at the table next to the girls. While he may not have see the looks that passed between the four women, they each lifted an eyebrow as the look went from woman to woman. And from the looks each gave the other, even from Francis, they all knew something was right about the whole Toby situation.

Before Jane had a chance to address Toby, they all watched as Toby bowed his head for a moment before looking back up and saw the four women looking at him. Puzzled, Jane asked, "Why did you bow your head just now, Toby?" Jane's voice wasn't her usual strip flesh off the bone sharp, but it was demanding nonetheless.

Toby's eyebrows did the equivalent of a shoulder shrug as he replied, "Just a short prayer of thanks for the food, Aunt Jane. I apologize if I wasn't supposed to do that... it's what my Aunt taught me to always do before eating." Jane kept staring at Toby, making Toby feel he'd really cocked up this time. "Really, Aunt Jane, I'm sorry if I made any of you uncomfortable."

Jane finally shook herself and told Toby, "No... no Toby, you did nothing wrong. And no one was offended. In fact, it's rather admirable of you." Jane was staring at Toby not because he'd done anything wrong, but because there was nothing in the file she was sent that mentioned who had taught Toby such things. (Reference Toby's recorded life in Chapter 11 in Ruth's fax to Jane.) The monster once again threatened to surface until Jane said, "Excuse me for a moment. There's something I must attend to." Before Jane could push her chair back, Toby was behind her, helping to move her chair back so she could get up from he table. Her monster was now just below the surface. She thanked Toby, who remained in place, before she walked in a manner towards the study that told the three women that someone was about to have a very unpleasant conversation with Aunt Jane.

When Jane returned to the dining room table a few moments later, it was obvious to those who knew her that she had calmed down somewhat, though they all knew the fire was still burning. As Toby help Jane sit again, she thanked him, watched as he returned to his seat, and they all began eating. Jane kept the conversation light, asking Toby about his trip, where he went to school, what class he was taking, etc. Jane had learned from Ruth about Toby's home life, but no one had said anything about who really took care of Toby. Who it was who had instilled the manners he was now exhibiting. Something that was contrary to what Charlotte had seen in the jail cell. Being sorry Jane understood. But not the 'where' of the manners he learned.

Another shock came as Toby addressed Marie and the girls by saying, "That was a wonderful meal, Miss Marie, Francis, Charlotte. Thank you." And as the four watched Toby's face and heard his voice, both laden with a sadness that boardered on depression, Toby continued with, "It's been a long time since I've had such a fine meal." The tears standing in Toby's eyes weren't lost on the four either.

Jane's monster was clawing its way up, wanting to be released. She held it at bay by saying, "You're very welcome, Toby. We have one more tradition we hold when we receive a new student. Marie, if you would please." Marie started to push her chair back, only to find Toby once again helping her. She thanked him before going into the kitchen and coming back carrying a tray upon which sat four pink rimmed and one blue rimmed cordial glasses. Two of the pink rimmed glasses would be half full of wine, those were for Jane and Marie. The other two pink rimmed glasses, containing less than a forth of a glass of wine, were for Francis and Charlotte. The blue rimmed glass, Toby's glass, also contained less than a forth of a glass of wine but with a sleeping draught mixed in. Toby would be tired from his train trip, and the draught would ensure he would sleep for a few hours so Marie could retrieve all of his boy belongings, and begin the boy's adventure into girlhood.

After Toby had helped to reseat Marie, he returned to his own chair, causing the four to once again give each other raised eyebrows before Jane spoke. "Toby, we have a tradition here at Seasons House to toast the arrival of a new student with a small amount of wine. We want to welcome you and hope you learn well while you're here. To Toby, welcome...," Jane finished, and raised her glass in Toby's direction, followed by Marie, Francis and Charlotte. Jane and Marie only took a sip of their wine, as their glasses were half full. The girls, on the other hand, were able to empty their glasses because they had what amounted to a gulp to begin with. As the four watched, tears slid down Toby's cheeks and his lips trembled as he tried to speak.

In a raspy voice he told them, "That's the kindest anyones treated me in a long time, and I thank you for that." He then drank down the glup of wine just as the girls had done. Jane and Marie knew it would be but a few minutes before the draught started making Toby sleepy, so as Marie started to rise from the table, Toby started to stand up but dropped back into his seat, saying, "I guess I'm more tired than I thought. I did sleep some on the train."

"That's understandable, Toby, it is a long trip," Jane told him. "Francis, please escort Toby to his bedroom so he can rest."

What none of them were expecting from Toby was, "May I be excused, Aunt Jane?"

Francis had already asked to be excused, and all eyes turned to stare at Toby after asking to be excused. Lost on Toby, the four eyed each other again, before Jane answered simply by telling Toby, "Yes, Toby. You may be excused." Jane's monster was screaming now to be released. It wanted someone's head on a platter and it wanted it NOW!

Marie saw the effort Jane was exerting to keep herself under control and told her, "Nicht jetzt, Jane. Nicht jetzt (Not now, Jane. Not now.)." Charlotte goaded Francis to move, and escort Toby to his bedroom. She too could see that Aunt Jane was about ready to explode because of what they've witnessed and what she'd been told by others.

"Aunt Jane, may I please be excused? I'll help Francis get Toby to his bedroom." Charlotte planned to carry Toby's backpack, so he wouldn't be in as much pain as he was in. The girls wouldn't help him undress or anything, but they would make sure he made it inside the bedroom and to the bed.

In a very controlled voice, Jane said, "Yes, Charlotte. You may be excused. And yes, you may help Francis get Toby to his bedroom. But the two of you return quickly, the table must be cleared, dishes done, and the kitchen cleaned."

Toby had pushed his chair back, and the girls helped him to stand; he wasn't very stable on his feet. Charlotte retrieved his backpack from the bench, where it had been put after they'd come into the house, as they reached the stairs. Charlotte suggested Francis let Toby go up the stairs near the banister so he could hold onto it and he climbed. Charlotte climbed directly behind Toby, in case he lost his footing and fell backward. They manage to get him into his bedroom, asking if he'd be okay now. He nodded his head and told the girls he'd be fine now, now that he could undress and get some sleep. The girls wished him a good nap and left his bedroom, returned to the dining room and their chore of clearing the table and getting the dishes and the kitchen cleaned.

While the girls had helped Toby to his bedroom, Jane had gone into the study. When the girls returned to the dining room and started clearing the table, Marie left the girls to their chore and went into the study, where she found her dear friend pacing back and forth across the study.

"Tu dois te ressaisir, Jane (You need to pull yourself together, Jane.). We can only do what we always do when a new girl arrives. Let the others do their jobs, let them find and catch the ones responsible for this whole merdique mess."

Jane stopped dead in her tracks, turned and looked at Marie. Marie seldom gets angry, nor uses words as she just used, she's the motherly figure to Jane's dragon. Even though Jane could see Marie was extremely angry, because of the word she used Jane couldn't help herself and started laughing. She staggered over the the edge of the desk, leaned against while she laughed in order to keep from falling down laughing. When Jane had control of herself, she told Marie, "Oh, thank you my dear friend. I'm sorry I was laughing at what you said, but you're right. We can do only what we do. And thank you for making me see that." Jane looked at the clock on the wall before saying, "Toby should be sound asleep by now, it's been ten minutes. And judging how fast that draught hit him, I won't be surprised if you don't have to completely undress him." Jane walked over to Marie, hugged her and was hugged back by the woman who'd stayed with her all these years. "You better go," was Jane's final words to Marie, before she kissed Jane on the forehead, turned and left the study.

Just then, the fax machine chimed, signaling a fax was ready to print out. Jane walked over to the fax machine, entered a series of numbers, and watched as the machine printed out the fax it had received. Taking is off the machine, she sat down at her desk and began to read the fax.

From: Jeb Thorton, et al.

To: Jane Thompson

RE: The Police Ruse Worked

Jane,

The police ruse worked like a charm. They found four officers, two men and two women, who could pass as teenagers without any problems. The makeup squad, the ones who makeup those going undercover, made them look exactly like fourteen-year-old street kids. The number of boys arrested are being held in two different jail cells. The undercover men were literally thrown into each cell and spoken to as though they were street kids who've broken the law. Because the number of girls arrested was less, they were put into one jail cell. As with the men, the woman were thrown into that jail cell and spoken to like the men. Both the men and women did what the kids did when they were thrown into the cells, and yelled back at the guards.

Both men and both women played their parts well, acting at though they recognized the leaders then asking what kind of deal they received because of what they told the police. I watched it all unfold on a security camera, and when it finally got through to the rest of the kids that their leaders might be getting a deal they weren't getting, the guards had to rush into the cells to keep the leaders from getting hurt worse than they'd already been hurt. After the gang members had been pulled off the leaders, they all wanted to talk and also get some kind of a good deal. Of course, the parents of the two undercover men and women arrived, and they'd been bailed. Their jobs were done.

I haven't heard what the kids are saying, there are a lot of statements to be taken. But once I hear what they're saying, I'll pass it on to you.

Give Charles our love.

Kindest regards,

Jeb

Jane sat back and digested what Jeb had said. As usual, when Francis and Charlotte finished a chore, they were instructed to sit on the bench and await for further instructions. The girls heard it first, "Oh mon dieu oh mon dieu oh mon dieu, JaneJaneJaneJane... (Oh my god oh my god oh my god, JaneJaneJaneJane…)" and saw Marie actually running down the stairs. They watched as she ran to the study door, threw it open, causing it to hit the bookcase, before running into the study.

Marie's yelling, then the noise of someone running down the stairs, brought Jane out of her musements. But when the study door was thrown open and it hit the bookcase, followed by Marie running into the study, that had her full attention. "Oh mon dieu oh mon dieu oh mon dieu, qu'est-ce que ces putains d'animaux ont fait à ce pauvre enfant (Oh my god oh my god oh my god what did these fucking animals do to this poor child?)? Come quick, Jane, you have to come quick. Animaux. Ce sont tous des putains d'animaux!!" She then turned, without waiting for Jane, and ran back out of the study and back up the stairs. Seeing Marie didn't even bother to close the study door behind her, caused Jane to rocket out of her chair and almost run after Marie; Jane didn't take the time to close the study door herself.

Francis looked at Charlotte, her eyes wet, and asked, "Do you think he's hurt badly, Charlotte?"

Charlotte took Francis' hands in hers and replied with, "You've been here longer than I have. Have you ever seen those two actually run in the house? Yeah, Francis, I think he might be hurt badly."

As Charlotte held Francis to comfort her, Jane came into view on the stairs and told Francis, "Francis," which caused Francis to sit back up, breaking Charlotte's hold of her. "Please go into the library and look through the rolodex until you find the phone number for Jill Peters. Call her office. When they answer, tell them doctor Jill Peters is urgently needed at Seasons House. Do you understand my instructions Francis?" Francis repeated the instructions back you Jane perfectly and then heard, "And not running in the house has been temporary recended. Go, NOW!" Jane and Charlotte watched as Francis was off like a shot. Charlotte looked at Jane and didn't have to ask the question on her lips. Jane read the question on her face and said, "Yes, it's bad. Answer the front door when Jill arrives, then show her up to Toby's bedroom. Knock, then leave. You are not to enter the room, understand?" The look on Jane's face told Charlotte Jane was absolutely serious, and would beg no other questions or accept anyone disobeying her orders. Jane knew what Charlotte's reaction would be if she saw what had been done to Toby, which is why she forbade her from entering Toby's bedroom. And she couldn't handle two problems at the moment, Toby's immediate needs had to come first.

"Yes, Aunt Jane. I understand. Is there anything else Francis and I can do?"

The monster was at the back of Jane's throat, and if she spoke now, it would be with angrily words. So she remained silent and forced herself to shake her head no and went back upstairs. Francis returned, not in as big of a hurry as she had been when she was given instructions by Jane. Francis caught just a glimps of Jane retreating up the stairs. Before sitting down, and still looking up where Jane had been, asked, "It's really bad, isn't it, Charlotte?"

Charlotte patted the bench and Francis sat down. She pulled Francis to her and told her, "Yeah, it's really bad." It wasn't long before Francis felt tears falling on her, looked up and saw Charlotte had her head back, her eyes closed, her lips trembling and tears flowing from her eyes. She untangled herself from Charlotte's grasp and reversed it, holding Charlotte as she cried.

Charlotte had cried herself out, and fifteen minutes later there was a knock on the front door. "I have to answer that," Charlotte told Francis, as she pulled away from Francis, got up, picked up a tissue from the tissue box on the side table, dabbed her eyes as she walked to the front door.

When Charlotte opened the front door, she saw a sandy haired woman, maybe in her late 30's, with deep blue eyes, about Marie's height, with a fierce look on her face. "I'm doctor Jill Peters, you have an emergency for me?"

It took Charlotte a few moments to get over the shock of seeing such a beautiful woman standing before her, as she shook her head and said, "Yes, we do, doctor Peters. If you'll follow me, please." After doctor Peters stepped inside the house, and Charlotte had closed the front door, she told doctor Peters, "Jane instructed me to take you up to Toby's bedroom, knock on the door and leave. He must be in real bad condition because she explicitly told me not to enter the bedroom." Charlotte had stopped walking and turned to face doctor Peters before saying, "Please, doctor Peters, do everything you can for him. Besides needing all the help we can give him, he may be able to help me as well." She then turned and started ascending the stairs, followed by Jill.

"Here we are," Charlotte said, as she stopped at the door just past her own bedroom but on the left side of the hallway. She knocked on the door, started to leave but turned back and said one word, "Please." Charlotte was halfway down the hallway as she heard the door to Toby's bedroom open then close. Even though the bedroom door was closed, she still heard doctor Peters say, "Oh my God!"

Jane had been the one to open Toby's bedroom door to let Jill enter, and Jill had been watching Jane as she entered the bedroom, hoping Jane would tell her what happened. Jane flicked her head towards the bed, but the worst of Toby's injuries were blocked from view because Marie was standing at Toby's back, keeping an eye on Toby. When Jane said, "Marie," Marie turned to her left and took a step back, giving Jill a view she'd never seen in her life.

"Oh my God! What happened to that boy? Who did that to him?" She quickly walked over to the bed, bent down and started examinimg Toby from head to toe. What sent Marie running to get Jane, wasn't just what she saw when she pulled the covers completely to the foot of the bed. What sent her was what she saw after removing Toby's briefs. It was the same thing that caused Jill Peters to ask, "Who in the hell did all this to that boy?"

Toby's back and legs were a mass of old scars, healing wounds, and seeping wounds that had occurred recently. It looked like someone had used some type of strap and repeatedly beat Toby until they broke the skin. But his butt was a different matter, as it looked like he'd been paddled until blood had risen to the surface and then the skin broke. Toby's butt was a mass of weeping scabs and several old scars near his hips. And his arms were a mass of deep purple bruises, from his shoulder to his wrists. When Jill looked closer at his wrists and ankles, she could see marks that said Toby had been restrained with something like rope. Jill pulled out her cell phone and call the hospital, telling them she needed an ambulance at Seasons House. And to keep it low key. Most, if not all of Kingston, knew what Jane and Marie did at Seasons House. Many of the men in the town had been a student of Jane's in their teen years. And the ones who disapproved were kept quiet by the ones who benefitted from Jane's lessons. That included a few of the local police and sheriff deputies. After Jill made her call, Jane left the bedroom to give more instructions to Charlotte. While Jane was gone, Jill had taken out sterile gloves from her case, several sterile gaze packets, and a roll of surgical tape. She then proceeded to cover Toby's back, butt, and legs with the sterile gaze and secure it in place with the surgical tape.

When Jane returned, she was followed by two paramedics with a stretcher. After opening the door, she stood back and let the paramedics enter first. She followed them into the bedroom and listened as Jill issued instructions on how to place Toby on the stretcher to prevent any more pain than the boy was already feeling. Toby let out a groan, as the paramedics gently picked him up and placed him on his left side on the stretcher. After strapping him to the stretcher, and after Jane opened the bedroom door, they wheeled the stretcher out of the bedroom, carried it down the stairs, before wheeling it out of the open front door that Charlotte had opened for them. Jill packed up her material, closed her case, turned to Jane and told her, "I hope you catch the bastards who did this to that boy. And do worse to them," before rushing out of the bedroom, down the stairs, and out of the house.

Jane never closed the bedroom door, but walked over and sat on the bed next to Maria. Both were quiet, thinking about what they'd just seen and that there was an extremely vile person out there willing to do anything to keep their freedom. Their reverie was broken when there was a knocked on the open bedroom door and Francis asked, "Are you two alright? Will Toby be alright?"

Jane's head shot up in anger, she'd told the girls to stay sitting on the bench. She was about to rip into them until Marie laid a hand on her leg, causing Jane to look at her. "No, mon chère ami, no (No, my dear friend, no.)."

Hearing Marie's words, Jane laid her head back, realizing that she was about to take her anger out on the girls. Instead, she motioned for the girls to come and sit beside her and Marie, and proceeded to tell them everything about what they saw on Toby. There wasn't a dry eye in that room as Jane replayed the seen she'd seen when she first walked into Toby's bedroom. Jane's monster was standing just behind her front teeth, and it had a belly full of fire, ready to release it on the right person. Hopefully it would get its chance.

When everyone had settled down, somewhat, Jane said, "Let's go downstairs." The four women got up off the bed at the same time, but only Jane, Marie, and Charlotte started walking towards the bedroom door. Francis had stayed behind and started making up Toby's bed. When Jane realized Francis wasn't with them, she turned to watch as Francis had just finished making up the bed. "Francis, why did you make up Toby's bed," Jane asked, as she slowly walked over to Francis.

In the past, Francis would have hung her head believing she'd done something wrong, this Francis looked straight into Jane's eyes and told her, "Toby can't do it, so I'm helping him."

Jane pulled Francis into a hug before telling her, "That's very thoughtful of you, Francis. Come on, let's go downstairs."

They followed Marie down the hallway, down the stairs and into the dining room, where Marie pointed at the dining room table before disappearing into the kitchen. She returned a short time later with four glasses of iced tea, which she sat down in front of the three already seated at the table. Taking the last one, she sat down at her regular spot and nodded to Jane. "Girls, I'm going to the hospital, since I'm responsible for Toby. Marie will be watching you tonight, and I want you to be on your best behavior for her. Understand? Her authority is the same as mine, so any missteps and you'll receive the same punishment as I would give you. Do you two fully understand what I'm telling you?"

Both girls nodded their heads and said together, "Yes, Aunt Jane. We understand." They then looked at each other, and both Jane and Marie saw a silent message being passed, as they turned their heads back to face Jane before telling her, "And we love you too, Aunt Jane." Jane's throat had become to tight to speak. She could only shake her head as she got up from the table and walked down the short hall to her bedroom. Charlotte turned to Marie and asked, "Did we overdo it Tante Marie?"

Marie could only smile at Charlotte as she replied, "No chère, you didn't overdo it. You two did it just right. Now, finish your drinks then go freshen up your faces. Seasons House doesn't allow ratons laveurs (raccoons) to run around in this house."

What Francis said next caused Marie and Charlotte to laugh. "Not again? Do I look that bad?"

Charlotte and Marie laughed before saying together, "Oui!"