Seizing
the poker, she stirred the fire, and created a divertissement.
In the midst of it, Edward left his sofa and walked up to the group and
their beads. He was very weak, and tottered unintentionally against Anne.
The touch destroyed her equilibrium, and she fell into Maude's lap. There
was no damage done, but the box of beads was upset on to the carpet.
Maude screamed at the loss of her treasures, rose up with anger, and
slapped Anne. The child cried out.
"Why d'you hit her?" cried Reginald. "It was Edward's fault; he pushed
her."
"What's that!" exclaimed Edward. "My fault! I'll teach you to say that,"
and he struck Reginald a tingling slap on the cheek.
Of course there was loud crying. The dowager looked on with a red face.
Lady Margaret Cooper, who had no children of her own, stopped her ears.
Lady Laura laid her hand on her sister-in law's wrist.
"And you can witness these scenes, and not check them! You are changed,
indeed, Anne!"
"If I interfere to protect my children, I am checked and prevented,"
replied Lady Hartledon, with quivering lips. "This scene is nothing to
what we have sometimes."
"Who checks you--Val?"
"The dowager. But he does not interpose for me. Where the children are
concerned, he tacitly lets her have sway. It is not often anything of
this sort takes place in his presence."
The noise continued: all the children seemed to be fighting together.
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