"Dev…" Annie said slowly, "has Strat left for Yale yet?" "Why, of course not. His first day isn't until sometime in August." Devonny answered absentmindedly as she rifled through her extensive wardrobe. Annie leaned against the wall, and placed a hand upon her forehead to steady herself. Her heart and mind began to race. The last time she had seen the Strattons, Strat was an escapee from a lunatic asylum, Devonny was pretending to be in love with the creep of the century, Walker, and Harriet… oh god, Harriet!!
Trying to keep her voice as calm as possible, Annie nonchalantly asked "So, how is Harriet doing?" Devonny smiled and replied "Oh, just grand. She should be here in about a week, I believe." Harriet was still alive?!? Annie felt excitement rush through her body at this discovery, but was immediately overcome with other thoughts. She remembered that Strat and Harriet had become engaged before he left for Yale. And Harriet died of consumption in the winter of 1898. What was Annie to do? She sank into a chair and covered her head with her hands while Dev, oblivious to Annie's predicament, continued to search for her moss green morning gown.
As Annie tried to straighten things out in her mind, Dev suddenly looked up and noticed Annie's disposition. Concerned that Annie was thinking of her family again, she hurried to Annie's side and kneeled beside the chair. "Don't worry, Anna Sophia. Things are going to be just fine." Annie looked into Devonny's porcelain doll face and shook her head slowly. "I dunno, Dev. I thought things were bad before, but now everything is twenty times worse."
Devonny didn't quite understand what Anna Sophia had meant by that. How on earth could life be worse for the girl, now that it appeared she would be staying with the Strattons indefinitely?
My notes: Haha, big twist, right?? Now I just have to figure out where I'm going with this. We'll just have to wait and see (including myself!) thanks again for all the reviews!! Oh, and don't worry, the chapters most definitely will be getting longer once I have more than 20 minutes to type them out!