"Did you do it on purpose?"

"Yes."

"Come here to me."

She went, with lagging steps. But Mother's anger had passed: she was at
work on the dress again, and by squinting her eyes Laura could see that
a piece was being added to the skirt. She was penitent at once; and when
Mother in a sorry voice said: "I'm ashamed of you, Laura. And on your
last day, too," her throat grew narrow.

"I didn't mean it, mother."

"If only you would ask properly for things, you would get them."

Laura knew this; knew indeed that, did she coax, Mother could refuse her
nothing. But coaxing came hard to her; something within her forbade it.
Sarah called her "high-stomached", to the delight of the other
children and her own indignation; she had explained to them again and
again what Sarah really meant.

On leaving the house she went straight to the flower-beds: she would
give Mother, who liked flowers very well but had no time to gather them,
a bouquet the size of a cabbage. Pin and the boys were summoned to help
her, and when their hands were full, Laura led the way to a secluded
part of the garden on the farther side of the detached brick kitchen. In
this strip, which was filled with greenery, little sun fell: two thick
fir trees and a monstrous blue-gum stood there; high bushes screened the
fence; jessamine climbed the wall of the house and encircled the bedroom