Norman snatched his hand away from her, and with a glum countenance entered the dining-room. Walking up to the table he took his seat eyeing Fanny, who he suspected, judging by himself, had been telling their grandmamma and mamma what he had done. She, however, had not said a word about the matter. They were merely looking at him, wondering what made his countenance so sullen.
“I hope you have had a happy morning, Norman,” said his grandmamma, as she offered him some minced beef.
He made no reply.
“My dear, pray answer your grandmamma,” said Mrs Vallery, for she had been directed never to order Norman to do anything.
Still he did not speak.
“My dear child do let me entreat you to make use of your tongue, your grandmamma spoke to you and asked if you had had a happy morning.”
“I never am happy, and am not likely to be with no one to try and amuse me,” growled out Norman.
“I am sure that your sister wishes to amuse you,” observed Mrs Leslie, “and I shall be very glad to read to you, or to tell you stories such as I used to tell Fanny, when she was of your age, if you will come and sit by me and listen.”
“She is only a girl, and you are an old woman,” muttered Norman shovelling the mince meat into his mouth. “I want boys to play with me.”
“You will find plenty of boys to play with when you go to school, where I hope your papa will soon send you,” observed Mrs Leslie, “but you will find that they do not treat you in the gentle way your sister does, and perhaps you will often wish that you had her again as a playmate.”