[p 34]
]‘Oh, bother the baby,’ said Dot.
‘Is Larrie’s neuralgia better?’ the mother ventured after a little pause. And ‘bother Larrie,’ was Dot’s wifely response.
The mother got out the twenty-seventh pair of boots she was knitting for baby, and worked two rows in silence. She wondered if it was Larrie’s fault or Dot’s. Larrie’s she was sure. She wished Dot was her one little girl again, so she could take all the troubles for her.
‘How did Peggie like the new soap I left her?’ she said, anxiously flying from topics that made Dot’s brows frown.
‘Bother Peggie,’ said Dot. ‘She washed baby’s nightgowns with it, and the whole world’s placarded with advertisements that say don’t. Idiot!’
‘The oranges are ripening beautifully,’ said the poor little mother.
Dot went over to her and kissed her passionately.
‘You’re the best woman in the world,’ she said.
[p 35]
]Tears of quick pleasure sprang into the mother’s eyes.
‘My little girl,’ she said softly.