With Mr. Locke retired, Marina started to work at his desk. She would help Philip with scribing while Celeste napped in the afternoons. There was never any shortage of documents to write, and she quite enjoyed the work. It was nice to know her skills could be used to help members of the community, in writing a will for Mr. Forster, or drafting a bill of sale for Mr. and Mrs. Cleyton – their first home together.

Once people realized she was there regularly, the office became a popular place to visit. Everyone from town who came by was very glad to see her up and about, and seemed not at all to have been poisoned against her by Mr. Braithewite. It seemed he at least had the decency not to kiss and tell. The Tuttles in particular seemed always to be coming by, sometimes with some legal pretense, but as often as not they just came by to chat. Marina made sure to have a pot of tea ready for clients when they came, which was no doubt part of the reason why they came.

Marina was writing at her desk (for it was now her desk – she had taken possession of it from Mr. Locke completely) one day when a woman walked into the office. She looked around a moment and frowned when she saw Marina sitting there alone. Philip had gone out to speak to Mr. Frobisher about his land, and to figure out the extent of it he would need to declare in his will.

"I'm sorry," the woman said, and walked back outside. She looked around a moment, looked at the door again, then came back inside. "Excuse me, is this the office of Mr. Philip Crane?"

"Yes, it is," Marina answered, getting up. She had gotten rid of the cane, but she found she didn't walk quite normally just yet.

The woman was small, and well dressed, though not extravagantly so. Marina gestured for her to sit down. "Mr. Crane has just stepped out for a moment, but please, have a seat."

The woman looked at the chair and hesitated. She shuffled on her feet, and seemed almost ready to leave again. Marina noticed a dark bruise on her wrist, showing between her jacket and her glove.

"I'm Mrs. Crane, his wife," she introduced herself. "Would you like a cup of tea, Mrs…?"

"Mrs. Abernathy." She looked around again. "You said he would return soon?"

"He shouldn't be long. He was just delivering a contract. Please, make yourself comfortable."

Mrs. Abernathy finally sat down, though she fidgeted still. Marina took a moment to fetch her a cup of tea and a few biscuits. She took them gratefully and nibbled the biscuit as Marina settled herself behind her desk again.

"What brings you to Mr. Crane today?" Marin asked.

Instead of answering Mrs. Abernathy asked, "How did you injure your leg?"

Marina grinned ruefully. "Not my leg, just my foot. I did it to myself – lost my temper and decided to take it out on a sturdy piece of furniture." For some reason, she felt she should tell this woman the truth. "The furniture did not appreciate my abuse."

Mrs. Abernathy smiled faintly. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"As am I. I should have learned to control my temper by now, but… No matter. I think it's almost healed."

"Good."

"Mm." Marina waited for Mrs. Abernathy to ask another question, but she was silent, sipping her tea. "Are you from the surrounds of Hampstead?" she asked, when it became apparent Mrs. Abernathy was not going to say anything. "I don't believe I've seen you in town before…"

"Yes. I can't – I don't get into town often. I'm kept busy at home usually, caring for the farm, the children…" she trailed off, her breath hitching in her throat. The woman was clearly in some trouble, but she was going to take some convincing to open up about it.

"I see," Marina nodded, trying to keep a light touch. She heard Celeste crying in the back room then, and got to her feet. "Ah, speaking of children…"

Marina fetched Celeste from her crib and brought her back to the office. She wouldn't normally bring Celeste into the office, but she didn't want Mrs. Abernathy to leave without finding some help for whatever she needed.

"I'm sorry, but with Philip out at the moment… Do you mind if she sits with us?" Marina asked. Mrs. Abernathy shook her head, and Marina sat down, and bounced Celeste on her knee while she organized the papers on her desk. She would wait for Mrs. Abernathy to tell her her story.

Mrs. Abernathy watched Celeste with tenderness in her gaze for some time, and then suddenly she burst into tears. "If I divorce him, then he will get the children – they belong to him! And they will be alone with him, with no one to protect them!"

And there was her story. That explained why she wanted to see Philip so specifically. Marina leaned over and gripped her wrist firmly. She made sure their eyes met when she said, "People are not property and can not be treated as such. It is wrong and it is difficult – I know it is difficult – but the fight against such thinking must continue at every turn. The alternative is to die morally and mentally. The alternative is to pass that fight on to our children, to force them to live with the unbearable."

Mrs. Abernathy took a deep, shuddering breath. She looked into Marina's eyes for a long time, then she looked again at Celeste, and she nodded.

"It is not hopeless," Marina said softly then. "It is possible for you to gain custody of the children – I am not saying it is assured, but it is not an entirely hopeless fight."

Mrs. Abernathy nodded again. "I will do it."

Marina looked at the door again, wondering how much longer Philip would be.

"While we are waiting for Mr. Crane, I can begin taking down your information," she said impulsively. "Here, will you hold her?"

"Gladly." Mrs. Abernathy took Celeste gently and cooed at her, tickling the little girl's palms. After a moment of uncertainty, Celeste decided that she was alright, and graced her with one of her beautiful smiles. The weight of the child anchored Mrs. Abernathy, and she calmed visibly.

Marina meanwhile found a blank sheet of paper and quill and ink to begin. "Now then, shall we start with your reasons for seeking divorce?"

Philip returned some time later, once Marina had already taken down many of the awful details of Mrs. Abernathy's marriage. He came in briskly, but slowed when he realized there was a strange woman in the office. Marina introduced him to Mrs. Abernathy.

"You're one of the lawyers who got Mrs. Patterson her divorce?" Mrs. Abernathy asked him bluntly.

"Well, yes, one of them… I was a junior attorney on the file…"

"I need to divorce my husband. Our marriage is intolerable."

Philip nodded. "I will help if I can, but please understand, it is a high burden of evidence to secure divorce. And, if you do secure divorce, will you be able to support yourself?"

"The farm is mine – it was my father's. I brought it into the marriage."

"Perhaps…" He looked over Marina's shoulder then, and saw the notes she had taken, the notes she was still taking. He nodded.

"If I don't get the farm I'll work. I'll do what I need to support us – but we need to get out."

"We?"

"My three children as well."

Philip nodded. "We'll see what we can do."

After Mrs. Abernathy left, Philip stood by Marina's desk, looking over the notes she had taken. Marina stood and got her coat on, getting ready to go. She pulled down a cloak for Celeste as well. "I need to go by the grocer for dinner. Is there anything you want in particular?" she asked him.

"Hm? No, thank you…" He was intently reading the notes, and was moving back to his desk. His lips moved slightly, as he thought through his arguments.

"Alright. Come on Celeste, let's go pick out dinner."

"Well done with Mrs. Abernathy today," Philip said, just as she and Celeste were at the door. "Your notes are very helpful."

"Oh, good." Marina felt a warm glow in her chest at his compliment. She took Celeste's hand and led her towards the grocer. She would let Celeste walk as much as she liked - it might take them longer, but it would give Philip time to get his thoughts together before they returned. Mrs. Abernathy's marriage was awful – Marina didn't like to think of the terrible details she had written down for her – she hoped that Philip would be able to help her.

She was feeling quite expansive when they reached the grocer, and let Celeste point out all the things she wanted. Marina bought some pears as well, and cream, for dessert.

Philip was still scribbling away when they returned home, so she took Celeste through to the kitchen to make dinner. She put the pears in a dish with sugar and spices to bake, enjoying the smell of them filling the kitchen.

Once dinner was ready she called Philip in to eat with them, otherwise he would probably work right through the evening and forget to eat.

"So, what do you think? Does Mrs. Abernathy have a chance?" she asked Philip over dinner.

"I think she might…" He shook his head. "It's hard to say – this is all still so new. But she has been treated abominably, and her children, and that should sway the court. I have hope at least…"

Celeste loved the baked pears with cream, and in fact ended up eating nearly half of Philip's pudding as well as her own, since he could not refuse her. Philip laughed, and Marina found herself staring as he licked the sugar off his fingers.

"…Marina?"

She snapped back to herself and realized he had asked her a question. "Hm? Sorry, my mind was elsewhere."

"Apparently." Philip chuckled. "I was just confirming – the new tree in the yard is a pear?" Celeste concurred loudly, "Peh! Peh!"

Marina laughed. "Yes, you greedy little girl – it is a pear tree. Hopefully we'll have lots of fruit in the fall."

Philip grinned and leaned in close to Celeste. "Hear that? It's a pear tree!"

"Peh twee!"