Alissa's eyes crinkled and she burst into a fit of giggles, "He is rather silly isn't he? All scrawny and pasty!"

Randy nodded and snorted. "The most ridiculous human being I'm sure I've ever met," he sighed.

Alissa shook her head, "Mama invites him over often....Oh no," her face fell. She pointed across the garden, Winston was kicking over several potted plants, smashing the clay pots and spilling the flowers everywhere, Hans was protesting frantically in broken English but his distress only seemed to further enrage Winston, who picked up a broken shard and slashed the young man across the face. Hans let out a wail and cowered, holding his injured cheek. Winston grimaced in disgust and wiped his dirty hand on his handkerchief, giving the young gardener a passing kick before he left.

Randy stared in disbelief. "He can't just do that, can he?"

"He can....he's more important than Hans is, so he can do anything he likes. That's why Hans is so timid," said Alissa, already rushing over to see if Hans was alright.

Randy followed after her. "Allow me to help," he offered.

Hans was trying to clean the pots as quickly as possible, he had a deep gash in his cheek, which bled onto his shirt. When Alissa arrived to help him he started to apologize, she assured him that it wasn't his fault and gave him her own clean lace handkerchief to staunch the bleeding, "Poor Hans," she shook her head. Hans looked over at Randy with wide grey eyes, he cowered again and edged away from him.

Randy attempted to reassure him with a subtle mental connection, making his intentions clear without directly stating anything in a way that might be suspicious. He stooped to help clean the mess. "Is it very bad?"

Hans seemed to calm, "Hurts," he said gesturing at his cheek, "Much bleeding....need Errol for...for...make stop bleed."

"I'll go and get him," Randy said with a nod before hurrying back into the house.

Errol was in the kitchen, peeling potatoes and singing a jaunty little song, when he saw Randy he frowned, "Whit's yar trouble lad?"

"That Winston has gone and given Hans a rather nasty cut; he's asked for you," Randy explained.

"Och, Ah'll be richt thar!" said Errol setting down the potato and rushing out. When he reached Hans he led the young man inside and sat him down at the table, "Oh...Aye tha's a real bad cut, gonna need ta sew ye up, puir lad," he clucked his tongue. He called for Ellen to fetch hot water and a needle in thread. "Lucky it's no where near as bad as when Winston tried ta jump a harse ower him, the puir lad was oot cold fer hours an blinded fer three days. Winston torments him cause he's a foreigner, he's got nae kith nor kin ta defend him an 'ee don't speak much English so 'ee canna tell no one."

Randy frowned. "That's terrible," he remarked as he watched them in fascination. "Can't anyone keep that Winston in check?"

"Winston is untouchable," said Errol, "He is a laird an tha' puts him above us,"

Hans ground his teeth and whimpered as Errol set to stitching his cheek. "Och...Ah noo laddie, tis a'richt" he said soothingly, he motioned for Randy, "C'mere an hold 'is head still!"

Randy did so, trying not to let his curiosity show through too much. The people of Earth had quite a long way to go in technological advancements--and apparently social ones, as well.

Hans jerked and cringed but was unable to move with Randy's hands holding him in place, after several long minutes Errol made the last stitch and wiped Hans's cheek clean with a damp cloth, "Good lad, there ye go, let Ellen give ye some warm soup, ye kin stay in tha kitchen tonight," he said gently.

Randy gave Hans a friendly--if not somewhat awkward--smile and a mental feeling of sympathy. He would be sure to make note of the various relationships he'd witnessed when he returned to his room that night.

As Errol guided Hans away Alissa moved closer to Randy and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his shirt. She gave a soft sniffle as she let the feelings of dread and despair that had been building finally release themselves, "I wish Winston would go away....he hurts my friends,"

Randy looked down at her and instinctively brushed his fingers over her hair as he might have done with his own child. "I know, dear," he answered softly. "I'd gladly send him off if I could."

"But you can't, you'd get in trouble and then you'd have to go," she sighed, "And I don't want you to leave...." she squeezed him tightly, although she wouldn't say it out loud, she felt almost as if she needed Randy. The past year had been difficult and chaotic with the arrival of Winston into her life and Randy gave her a sense of stability she'd been missing.

"Well, I won't leave you," Randy promised, "but I will at least try to keep an eye on him where I am able..."

"Will you keep Ellen and Hans safe? Errol isn't afraid of him so Winston doesn't pick on him, but the other two aren't as lucky," said Alissa.

"I won't let him touch them so long as I'm around," said Randy.

Alissa gave him a grateful smile and lifted his hand to her lips since his face was too high for her to kiss his cheek.

He smiled back at her. "You're a sweet girl. You don't deserve a Winston in your life."

"Nobody does," she said dryly, "But we'd better go and meet him, mama will be cross if I don't at least say hello,"

"Right, then," Randy uttered with a resigned nod. "I suppose we can't avoid him forever."

Alissa took a deep breath, composed herself and slowly walked to the foyer to meet Winston. The minute he saw her Winston swooped down and pinched her cheeks between his bony fingers, "Eeeeeooooh, if it isn't Alissaaaaah! Yew look seeoh sweet!" he crooned as she grimaced under his touch.

Randy stood close by to watch; as comical as Winston's manner may have been when he wasn't being rude or violent with the help, he didn't trust the man a bit.

Winston gave her cheeks a last pinch and released her, unaware or unconcerned that he had left visible red marks on her skin. Alissa quickly moved away from him and stood next to Randy, looking ruffled and displeased.

Randy gave her an apologetic look. "I believe it's time to continue your studies," he said in hopes of giving her a good excuse to stay away from Winston.

Alissa nodded eagerly, "Yes! We need to tend to those right away!" she practically dragged Randy up the stairs, "Wait!" said Madam Summerville, "Mr Baker needs to remain here, Winston needs a manservant for his stay!"

Those words filled him with ice water. He'd known it was coming, but dreaded it just the same. He was going to have to take care of the Winston. No amount of respect he'd gained for humans as a whole could encourage him to take that creature seriously. Had the likes of Winston been somehow born into his own kind, he would surely have been put down for the betterment of the race--or at least sterilized. And how undignified for a respected military officer and researcher to answer to the whims of a disrespectful little worm like that! Even the experience and social understanding to be gained were hardly worthwhile compensation. At the very least, though, Randy supposed he could make himself useful in keeping Winston from bothering Alissa and the others as much as possible. He straightened himself, slowly turning his attention to Lord Stickbottom as he implored all of his training and natural calm to keep him silent.

Alissa threw him a sympathetic look before she disappeared and Winston turned to Randy, "Hrm yes, you can come up the staihs and give me my Bahth!" he simpered.

Give him his bath? Give him his bath?! "Right this way, then." Randy gritted his teeth and turned to lead Winston up the stairs.

Winston followed him up to the room where a large tub was filled with steaming water, spreading his arms he looked at Randy expectantly, "Now undress meh!"

Randy exhaled through his nose, intent on keeping cool and finishing the task. He can't undress himself?! He managed to do as he was told without cracking a look of disgust...

Once naked Winston sank into the tub, "Now geoh and get my face mask!" he ordered.

Randy hurried back down the stairs, mentally cursing all along the way.