“You will do nothing of the kind. The skirt is perfectly indecent.”
“Why?”
“Your—your knees are showing.”
“I am not ashamed of my knees.”
“Lynette, don’t argue! Understand that I will be obeyed. Go and change that dress!”
“I am very sorry, mother, but I can’t. You don’t know what great deep friends me and Miss Eve are.”
Neither ridicule nor fussy attempts at intimidation had any effect. There was something in the child’s eyes and manner that forbade physical coercion. She was sure in her sentiment, standing out for some ideal of sympathy that was fine and convincing to herself. Lynette appealed to her father, and to her father the case was carried.
He sided with Lynette, but not in Lynette’s hearing.
“What on earth is there to object to, Gertrude?”
“It is quite absurd, the child wanting to go into mourning because old Mrs. Carfax is dead.”