After a moment of silence, Mrs. Spencer turned to the nurse standing quietly by the door.
"I believe Maria will be fine by this time tomorrow," she said with authority. "Please ensure she is safely returned to her place without attracting unnecessary attention."
"Yes, ma'am. I'll make sure everything is carried out neatly," the nurse replied with a calm nod.
Then Mrs. Spencer turned back to Maria and smiled gently.
"Maria, it's so nice to see you here with us. We hope next time we see you, it's not under such circumstances. Remember everything I've told you. And do not under any condition, let anyone know about our existence or anything we talked about here."
With those final words, her eyes fixed firmly on Maria, Mrs. Spencer stood up and walked away, leaving Maria with the nurse.
Once she was gone, the nurse turned her attention to Maria, speaking softly.
