"Of course she has people. She has us, a family, here."
"It's peculiar, that's all."
"It's not peculiar, it's just you are always picking on my mother for some reason. I thought you said you were giving that up."
"Keep your shirt on."
"No, I won't. And I'm going home." Kit flounced off the bed.
Clio was alarmed. "I didn't mean it."
"Then why did you say it? What kind of booby goes round saying things she doesn't mean?"
"I was only saying... "
"What were you saying?" Kit's eyes flashed.
"I don't know what I was saying."
"Neither do I." Kt ran lightly out of the room and down the stairs.
"Are you off so soon?" Clio's mother was in the hall. Mrs Kelly always knew when there had been a row. "I was going to offer you some shortbread." she said. Many a skirmish had been avoided by the timely appearance of food. But not today.
"I'm sure Clio would love it, but I have to go back home." Kit said.
"Surely not yet!"
"My mother might be a bit lonely. You see, she is a person who has no people of her own." Kit was near to insolent as she could get away with.
A dark red flush around Mrs Kelly's cheeks and neck showed her she had been right. She left, pulling the door gently behind her. With a smile she realised that there would be little shortbread for Clio. Good, Kit thought in satisfaction. I hope her mother eats the face off her.
Mother wasn't at home. She had gone to Dublin on the day excursion, Rita said.
"What did she want to do that for?" Kit grumbled.
"Wouldn't we all love to go to Dublin on a day excursion." Rita said.