"Are you here, poppet?" came my mother's voice from the doorway. I pulled my face up from the pillow where I'd squashed it after flinging myself on the bed.
She came over to the bed and began rubbing my back. It would have taken a stronger boy than Bertram not to start anew with the water works. I took a deep breath and shuddered.
"It's all right, Bertie." she continued in a calming voice. "You have to forgive Aunt Agatha."
I gave an unintelligible response. She let a soft smile play on her lips. "You know she sacrifices small children in the afternoons. You'd best make sure you're out of her way today."