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Bates says she isn't allowed to eat it and we can have it." |
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"Oh, thank you, miss. I would like a piece, but I'll just finish this washing up first so I can dry my hands." |
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Linda smiled. "What's your name? Everyone keeps saying Gertrude's niece, and I can't very well call you that." |
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"You might as well," the girl replied, giggling in a far more casual way than her aunt would ever use. "My name's Gertrude, too. But you can call me Gert. Most people do." |
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Automatically, Linda picked up a towel and began to dry cups. |
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"You'd better not," Gert said after a surprised glance. "Auntie will kill me. It's not your place to dry dishes in Auntie's kitchen." |
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Linda glanced at her watch. "It takes about half an hour. I'll dry till I hear your aunt coming. It's odd how things change. You don't really think it's out of place for me to help dry dishes, and neither do I." |
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"'Course not. These days it's different. Only the older people have those notions. You know, I don't think my aunt could be in service in a modern household. Not that it matters. She won't work any more after Mrs. Bates dies. She's going to get something handsome in the old lady's will, and she has plenty of her own saved, too." |
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"I guess she's attached to Mrs. Bates." |
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"Very. Well, that's done. Now I'll put away what you've dried and we'll be finished." |
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A little while later, when Gertrude came back |
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