EMILY. [_Seizing it_.] ’Twill be put by with the silk dress. So there. ’Tis not a suitable thing for a little girl like you. ROBIN. [_Looking up from the pages of his book_.] No one shan’t take my book from me. There be pictures of great horses and sheep and cows in it—and no one shan’t hide it from me. EMILY. [_Putting the silk dress and necklace on another table_.] Next time your aunt wants to throw her money into the gutter I hope as she’ll ask me to come and see her a-doing of it. JESSIE. [_Coming up to_ CLARA _very tearfully_.] And was there naught for Dad in the great box? CLARA. Perhaps there may be. ROBIN. And did Aunt Clara bring naught for Georgie? CLARA. I don’t know. JESSIE. Poor Georgie. He never has nothing gived him. ROBIN. And Mother puts the worst of the bits on his plate at dinner. EMILY. [_Sharply_.] Look you here, young woman. Suppose you was to take and do something useful with that idle pair of hands as you’ve got. CLARA. Yes, mistress, I should like to help you in something. EMILY. Us knows what fine promises lead to. CLARA. But I mean it. Do let me help a little. EMILY. See them taters? CLARA. Yes. EMILY. Take and peel and wash them and get them ready against when I wants to cook them. CLARA. [_A little doubtfully_.] Yes—I’ll—I’ll try— EMILY. Ah, ’tis just as I thought. You’re one of them who would stir the fire with a silver spoon rather nor black their hands with the poker. CLARA. [_Eagerly_.] No, no—it isn’t that. I’ll gladly do them. Come, Miss Jessie, you will shew me if I do them wrongly, won’t you? JESSIE. O yes, I’ll help you because I like you, Joan. ROBIN. I’ll help too, when I have finished looking at my book. [EMILY _goes out_. CLARA _sits down by the table and takes up a potato and the knife and slowly and awkwardly sets to work_. JESSIE _stands by her watching_. JESSIE. You mustn’t take no account of Mother when she speaks so sharp. ’Tis only her way. ROBIN. Could you come and be our serving maid when Maggie’s sent off? CLARA. O I should be too slow and awkward at the work, I think. JESSIE. Yes, you don’t do them taters very nice. ROBIN. That don’t matter, I like you, and you can tell me fine things about other parts. JESSIE. Georgie can tell of fine things too. See, there he comes with the vegetables from the garden. [GEORGE _comes in with a large basket of vegetables_, _which he sets down in the back kitchen_. _Then he stands at the door_, _silently watching the group near the table_. JESSIE. Come here, Georgie, and let Joan hear some of the tales out of what you do sing. GEORGE. What would mistress say if she was to catch me at my songs this time of day? JESSIE. Mother’s gone upstairs, she won’t know nothing. ROBIN. Come you here, George, and look at my fine book what Aunt have brought me. GEORGE. [_Slowly approaching the table_.] That be a brave, fine book of pictures, Master Robin.