Oh, thank Merlin. Walt would have subjected himself to this conversation if it would have made her feel better, but he was quite content to leave it in the hands of her mother.

"Alright," he said with a too-bright smile, eager to hurry them away from the topic. "I ought to get back to the dishes, before your mother wonders if I've forgotten how to do them, hm?"

  

"Yes!" Gertrude agreed, perhaps too readily, definitely much more concerned about ending their conversation than than the dishes.

"I'll leave you to it." she told him, forcing a small smile again. Her arms remained close to her, and she merely nodded to him as she retracted herself from the room.

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