Dan had not gone to Cambridge when he left Chelmsted, as Mamma had intended. There hadn't been enough money.
Uncle Victor had paid for Mark's last year at Woolwich and for his outfit now. Some day Mamma would pay him back again.
Dan had gone first into Papa's office; then into Uncle Edward's office. He was in Uncle Victor's office now. Sometimes he didn't get home till after midnight. Sometimes when you went into his room to call him in the morning he wasn't there; but there were the bed-clothes turned down as Catty had left them, with his nightshirt folded on the top.
Her mother said: "I hope you're content now you've finished your work."
"My work?" her father said.
"Yes, yours. You couldn't rest till you'd got the poor boy out of your office, and now you've turned him out of the house. I suppose you thought that with Mark going you'd better make a clean sweep. It'll be Roddy next."
"I didn't turn him out of the house. But it was about time he went. The young cub's temper is getting unbearable."
"I daresay. You ruined Dan's temper with your silly tease—tease—tease—from morning till night. You can't see a dog without wanting to make it snap and snarl. It was the same with all the children. And when they turned you bullied them. Just because you couldn't break Mark's spirit you tried to crush Dan's. It's a wonder he has any temper left."
Emilius stroked his beard.
"That's right. Stroke your beard as if nothing mattered but your pleasure. You'll be happy enough when Mark's gone."