Butthough he ransacked his mind from end to
end, it remained blank.
But this last dutyperformed, she sat heavily
down, and dropped her head in her hands.
Mamma had been so nice all the time at the
seaside andnow shed soon be cross and sorry again .
Her pearl necklace would have to go: that was
the first clear thoughtshe struck from chaos.
Things were even worse than he had admitted.
Still, there was kindness behind the curiosity. You who pretend to be so fond
of animals!
To see what the children were doing,
too.
Surely you can endure afew aches for the good
that may come of it? With resistance in every limb, Cuffy obeyed.
Just before hevanished he turned and waved,
and she waved back. Without warning, Richard had leant forward and dealt the
horse avicious cut on the neck. Why, not even Lucie wasallowed to see him
undressed.
And he was in abad temper at their prolonged
absence. But when the moment came to give it, his courage failed. She had a
lurkinghope that, yet once more, he might have been guilty of his
usualexaggeration. To see what the children were doing, too. Butthough he
ransacked his mind from end to end, it remained blank. She looked out of the
window, and wasnt thinking about them any more.
And there he was, alone in the darkwith Papa,
his heart going pit-a-pat.
But he did, and went all hot inside, and felt
most awflyashamed.