More than anything

Marvin and Cu both wear collars all the time without objection -- without even seeming to notice them, really, aside from scratching at them on occasion. Greta can only assume most dogs from Darrow would be accustomed to such things, and that she wouldn't be subjecting them to something odd or unusual.

Besides, a collar seems like a fair trade for being in a home instead of a shelter. The more she thinks about it, the more she suspects she'd end up spoiling the creature in her own way. She's rather looking forward to it, and this might be the first time in the past week that she's looked forward to anything. Or anything specific and concrete and attainable, anything more solid and less elusive than 'not feeling so awful.'

"That doesn't sound so bad." Demelza's no fool, and has been here much longer than Greta has. But they're from similar enough circumstances, and Greta likes to think that if Demelza's managed to grasp one of the more inexplicable aspects of Darrow living, there's hope that she can, too. "But leave it to Darrow to make everything about paperwork," she adds with a wry smile. "There really is no escaping it."