At her insistence, Vera accompanied Gravor all the way to his house. Though he could have easily carried her, Vera braced him up by the arm, and he consented to lean against her as much as he could without sullying her reputation or crushing her ethereal frame. The sun was bright but still far away, and the wind teased the last, lingering winter chill from the hills and swept it over the town. With typical optimism, Vera had worn her lightest, Springiest dress that day, and she shivered like a newborn kitten against Gravor's arm.
"Gravor?" she said after some time.
"...Miss Vera?" he said.
"Please don't be angry, you know I'm not one to listen to gossip, but..." Gravor suddenly did feel the need to be braced up. "is that man, Blueberry, staying with you?" Gravor straightened himself, but Vera still clung to his arm. " I mean to say, your neighbors have seen him coming and going -- maybe he's helping you with your work? That would be a great charity, giving that man some direction and purpose."
"Well, yes, he does help me now that I can't use my hands."
"What a relief! When I heard people say that that man had moved into your house, you wouldn't believe how worried I was."
Gravor knew he couldn't hide as obstreperous a presence as Blueberry. "But he is also living in my house. For the present."
They walked several paces in tense silence. Though he had no desire to elaborate, Gravor knew he should cut short whatever images Vera might be conjuring in her mind. "It's best that he's around all the time to help."
"But Gravor," Vera protested, "There are other people who can help you, and want to help. It's a wonderful thing you're doing for that man, but charity has its limits." The words left an awful aftertaste in her mouth. "All I mean is that you deserve better care. Just look at your hands! Maybe you need a woman's touch."
"The house is no place for a woman right now," Gravor shuddered to think how Vera would be received, "and besides, I can't just turn Blueberry out."
"But why?" Vera stopped with a sharp stamp, her face adopting a twisted pout very much like that of a spoiled, little girl.
Gravor wanted to confide in her. She always knew the right thing to do, and he desperately needed someone to help him figure exactly how indebted he was to Blueberry and the most efficient way to evict him. Unfortunately, he had no idea how to relate the story without Vera thinking him a complete buffoon. "The truth is, Miss Vera," he measured his words slowly, hoping that they would somehow conclude themselves. "I've discovered only recently that... he is a distant relation of mine." It sounded innocuous enough, but Gravor cautiously added, "By marriage."
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