She looked at the plate he’d left on the table, muttering that they could ill afford to waste food. Sitting down to finish her supper with Sarah Susanna, now five years old, Margaret separates Maggie and Caroline. If any food was thrown it would fall to the table or floor. Caroline refused to open her mouth when Margaret held up a spoonful for her to take. The child clamped her mouth shut, shook her head and pushed the spoon away. Not in the mood for tantrums, and angry that this was more food wasted, Margaret called to the cook.
‘Susan, please put my supper near the fire to keep warm. I’m taking Caroline to bed. If she refuses to eat, she can go to bed early, and hungry.’
Margaret told the older girls to finish their supper, while she struggled up the stairs with a screaming, thrashing,
