Pearl sighed when she knew she didn't get through. Olivia would not yield, would not see that she had a problem that needed to be fixed. Pearl knew she could never fix her sister though, and she would not try to do that. The maid returned and defended her, and she said, "That will be all..." She fixed the maid with a tired stare that said she wasn't in trouble for her impertinence toward Livvie, but one that said she had better not step over that line.

When her sister said the last thing, she had to be sure she heard right and went over the words in her head once or twice before she said, "Oh, so you wish to be kidnapped and feel helpless while some dirty man knocks you around to keep you on the ground? You wish to have your life flash before your eyes thinking that you're going to die and there is nothing you can do about it?" She gave a coughing laugh of incredulity and then said, "I wouldn't wish that on anyone, let alone my own sister. How dare you even say such a vile thing? You never even bothered to ask what it has done to me, you only assume. Go on, go ahead and run away."

She had never been so blunt and downright brutally honest to her sister before, but since moving out it was like her voice was no longer being stifled by other voices. That and feeling like she was made her not give a damn about hurt feelings for being truthful. She didn't want to argue anymore, she wanted to go to bed and sleep the sleep of the dead for a time. But she was too weak to get up and climb stairs, so it felt like. Not that Olivia would stick around to help. Selfish wretch.