"Comfortable!" I cried. It seemed to me the day had become blazing hot and I didn't remember what I was dressed in until I tried to take off my jacket. "My son is an inhuman monster. He tried to—to—" I could feel a big sob coming on.
"Bite?" Mrs. Baden supplied helpfully.
"Strangle," I managed to blurt out.
"We'll be especially considerate of Billy today," Mrs. Baden said. "He'll be feeling guilty and he senses your discomfort about his aggression."
"Senses it! I all but tore him limb from limb! That dear little Hiserean child—"
"I do not want to be of difficulty," Hi-nin said, tears pouring out of those great, big eyes.
Tears were pouring out of my small blue eyes by this time and Mr. Grantham, who brings a set of grandchildren, came by and patted my shoulder.
"Chin up!" he said. "Eyes front!"
Then he looked at his hand and my recently patted shoulder.