I frightened myself. I became the ghost Piper was so scared of.

“It was not a big smile, not particularly bold or polite or ironic or glib, not …”

“I don't get nearly enough credit in life for the things I manage not to say.”

“Now let's try to understand that falling into sexual and emotional thrall with …”

“What else? A handful of hard white sugar lumps from the supply for the master's…”