"Which child?"
"Anne. She's been here five weeks, and I've done everything I know, and she hasn't shown me a scrap of affection. It's pretty hard if I'm to house and feed the little thing and look after her like a mother and get nothing. Nothing but half a cold little face to kiss night and morning. It isn't good enough."
"For Anne?"
"For me, my dear. Trying to be a mother to somebody else's child who doesn't love you, and isn't going to love you."
"Don't try then."
"Don't try?"
"Don't try and be a mother to her. That's what Anne doesn't like."
They had got as far as that when John Severn stood in the doorway. He was retreating before their appearance of communion when she called him back.
"Don't go, John. We want you. Here's Robert telling me not to be a mother to Anne."
"And here's Adeline worrying because she thinks Anne isn't going to love her."