"Poor thing! She doesn't seem to like it! Give her another; teach her how to swallow a tooth or two."
But even the creature who had struck her seemed to shrink from a display of such gratuitous brutality.
"There's plenty more where that came from, and I expect she'll have 'em before I've done with her. But for the present I daresay she'll find that that's enough--it'll give her a taste of what's to follow."
Edith, regarding the speaker, realised what a typical virago she was, almost masculine in build, big and broad, slovenly in her attire; her draggled bonnet was a little on one side of her head, and her black serge dress covered with stains. To Mrs Bankes' frightened eyes, the lust of combat was written largely over her.
"I've got no time to waste. Let's put the slut through her paces, and have done with her. The sooner we're shut of her the better I'll be pleased."
It was the woman who resembled a publican's wife who spoke. No one said her nay. She spoke to Edith.
"First of all, hand over what you've got."
Edith stared at her bewildered. "Hand over what I've got? I don't understand. I've got nothing."
The woman brought down the palm of her hand with a bang upon the table.
"No blarney, hand over what you've got, before we take it from you."