Her hand seemed not to want to obey her. Naughty, naughty hand. It started to lose feeling so that she could neither clench nor unclench it. That was why the cup fell, really. Not because she had lost feeling in the rest of her body as well. Or because she felt hollow, an echo of her old self. She watched the cup come out of her hand, rolling and spilling the hot liquid on the table. A symbol of what, she was not exactly sure. To Peter, everything in life had some sort of meaning. Nothing was ever an accident. And he would be here now, massaging her hand between his own. Be well, dear little hand, else I shall nothing like it in the world to hold and that would be a tragedy indeed.

"Good morning girls!" Porcia turned quickly, meeting the eyes of Howell. They were tired and seemed to plead: get me out of here. Please. "Mr. Howell told me all about you two!" The man next to him exclaimed in the most outlandish accent she'd ever heard. She watched incredulously as he leaned on the table, then pulled back quickly when he burned his hand.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr. - " Lady M rose and shook his hand gently.

"Franklin. But everyone calls me Ben." Howell rolled his eyes, looking to the skies in wonderment.

"Ah, well, Ben, would you care to join us?" She seated herself again while Porcia tried her best to clean up. Ben once again took to leaning on the table.

"I'd love to, lovely madame, but Howell and I here," he took hold of Howell's shoulder with one hand, shaking it as Howell sneered and shot him a look that could kill, "we've got a murder to investigate! How about some afternoon tea, eh?"

"Sounds good, Ben, but - "

"No buts, m'dear! I shall see you then!" He waved his finger in the air before he took the table down with him. Getting up and dusting himself off, he grabbed the back of Howell's wheelchair. "Whoever made that table should have his head examined. Now come, Mr. Howell! See you in a few hours, gals!"

Watching the two of them glide off, Porcia decided to leave as well. "I'm exhausted after last night." A big yawn seemed to punctuate her statement. "I'm going back to my room to catch a few winks." And be by herself for awhile... "I'll see you for tea time." She smiled genuinely and walked off, slightly unsteady on her feet. Tea. Blech.