It always annoyed her to see her brother sitting at the foot of the dinner table. They had fought about it for five years—whether she as eldest child or he as the only man in the house ought to occupy this place of honor.
"I'm not afraid of him," said Durland.
"Oh, are you a naughty little boy?" said Dolly, laughing in an irritating way.
Mrs. Conway, to avert war, began talking about the day's schedule—the problem of how to work in a few lessons without interfering with any of the more important pleasures of her children.
"Antonia first, I think. Wouldn't that be your idea, Dolly—Antonia at half past nine? Dolly and Durland sometimes sleep rather late—so good for them, I think—but Antonia is up early. She reads sometimes from five o'clock. She reads a great deal—everything."
"Quite the little genius, according to mother," said Dolly.
"She is clever," answered Mrs. Conway passionately. "I don't know why you two are always so disagreeable about your little sister."
"Because you spoil her so, mother," said Dolly.
"Because she's so dirty, mother," said Durland.
Mrs. Conway made this attack a means of aligning herself with her children against the governess.