She raised blue, tear-filled eyes.
“Wot?” she said.
“What’s the matter?” repeated William still more gruffly.
She wiped away a tear with the corner of a pinafore.
“Wot?” she said again.
“Anyone been hurtin’ you?” said William still gruffly, but with the light of battle in his eye. She looked up at him.
“No,” she said, and returned to the corner of her pinafore.
The light of battle died away from William’s eye. He looked disappointed.
“Lost anythin’?” he then asked, assuming the expression of one who is willing to search every corner of the globe for whatever she had lost. She looked up at him again.
“No,” she said listlessly.