“No, Grandmama.”
Rose Aviolet shrugged her shoulders and made as though to speak.
“One minute, please, Rose. Grandmama won’t be angry, Cecil, if you speak the truth. You know you’ve already told your mother that you were sorry for doing such a naughty thing.”
“Mayn’t we leave it at that?” said the doctor, low.
“I don’t understand it,” Lady Aviolet said, with obvious truth. “He knows that we know already. It’s only saying what he’s already said once. He did own up to you, didn’t he, Rose?”
“Yes, he did. Come on, darling, tell Dr. Lucian you’re sorry you took what wasn’t yours.”
“And that you will never be so wicked as to steal again,” Lady Aviolet supplemented impressively.
“I didn’t,” said Cecil, looking frightened.
His grandmother looked utterly confounded. “Cecil!”
“Don’t!” cried Rose sharply. “Don’t frighten him!”